Alec’s jaw was rigid as he slid behind the wheel, his fingers clenching the steering with such force the leather threatened to tear beneath his grip. He didn’t spare Salena or Damien another glance as he slammed the door shut and revved the engine. The tires screeched against the earth, spraying dust into the stillness of the woods as his black car shot forward like a bullet.
He didn’t care about the road. Didn’t care about the speed. The city blurred around him, but inside his head — everything was vividly clear. Melissa’s voice. Her threats. Her betrayal. And then… Salena’s words.
“Even if I lose my life, you’ll drag me back to it.”
Those words crawled beneath his skin like fire ants, tormenting and confusing, trying to plant softness in a heart that had already turned to ash.
The ca
