“Into the bathroom. Now.”
He nods hysterically, unstraps his seat belt, and scrambles into the can. When the latch clicks shut behind him, I look down at Nera who’s sitting stone-still, her hands in a death grip around the handle of her purse. I take a seat next to her, grab her around her middle, and pull her astride my lap. Her eyes are closed, and her breaths are fast and shallow—it’s plain as day how terrified she is.
“It’s okay, cub.” I brush the back of my hand down her cheek. “They’re all gone.”
Nera lets out a long exhale and wraps her arms around my neck. The scent of her shampoo fills my nostrils when she buries her face against my shoulder. Her body is shaking badly, so I pull her even closer and stroke her back.
“We could have driven to New York,” I say into her hair. “Like
