Chapter 68: What the fuck are you doing?!

Lysander’s POV

An icy river of fear rushes beneath the surface of my skin. When a loud shot rings through the air, my racing heart skips a whole handful of beats.

The silence afterward somehow feels worse than the gunshot itself.

I sit frozen in my seat, barely breathing.

Then the back of the car vibrates, a violent thump follows. The car dips toward one side, and the steering wheel jerks sharply in Lysander’s hands.

"Motherfucker."

His fingers tighten around the wheel as he fights to keep the car under control.

I don’t need him to explain, they shot out one of our tires.

Lysander presses harder on the accelerator, but the car has become difficult to control. The smooth ride from minutes ago is gone. Every movement of the steering wheel feels heavier, more unpredictable.

I twist in my seat, trying to look through the rear window.

There are two cars following us.

My stomach drops.

We’re speeding down the road, the tires struggling against the pavement while the cars behind us close the distance.

Then the memories hit me.

Broken glass, a violent impact, the metallic smell of blood and smoke filling the air.

Something inside me fractures and my vision blurs.

For a second, I’m not here. I’m transported somewhere else.

I squeeze my eyes shut.

No. Not now.

I push the memories down as hard as I can, I can’t let them pull me under.

Not now, not when we’re being chased.

Then I was helpless, now I’m not.

I take a slow breath then another, my fingers curling into the seat.

I’m here. I’m alive and I need to think.

I open my eyes.

Lysander is still fighting with the steering wheel, his jaw clenched so tightly that I can see the muscle ticking near his cheek.

His eyes remain fixed on the road.

"Do you have a gun?"

His head snaps toward me.

"What?"

"Do you have a gun?"

"Can you wield one?"

"I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t know how to."

For a moment, he studies me. Then his eyes flick toward the center console.

"Check the compartment."

I immediately lean forward. My fingers finding the latch and pulling it open.

Inside is a loaded Taurus G2C.

My heart gives a little jump.

Perfect.

I grab it.

Lysander notices the gun in my hand.

"Nerissa."

He calls warningly.

I ignore him and ask check the weapon quickly, making sure it’s ready.

The cars behind us are getting closer, one of them swerves into our lane.

I glance at Lysander.

"Keep driving."

"What are you doing?"

I reach for the window.

"Nerissa."

I press the button and the window lowers.

Cold air slams into my face, the sound of the engine and tires fills my ears.

Lysander’s expression changes immediately.

"What the fuck are you doing?"

I turn toward the rear.

One of the cars is directly behind us with the passenger window down.

I can see the silhouette of the person inside.

My heartbeat accelerates as I raise the gun.

"Nerissa!"

Lysander reaches toward me.

"Get back in the car. It’s not safe."

"I know."

"Then what the hell are you doing?"

I don’t answer. Instead I steady my arm.

The car behind us speeds up.

I aim and fire.

The first shot hits one of their tires, which has the car jerking violently.

I fire again.

The second tire gives out and the vehicle swerves across the road. For one terrifying second, I think it’s going to slam straight into us.

Lysander jerks the wheel.

The car behind us spins out, veering off the road before crashing into a tree.

It stops Stuck.

I lower the gun.

My breathing is heavy. For a second, neither of us says anything until I pull myself back into the car.

I immediately raise the window.

The moment it’s closed, the roar of the outside world becomes muffled.

I turn toward Lysander, a slow smile spreading across my face.

"You were saying?"

He stares at me then he looks back at the road.

"Good job."

That’s it? Good job?

I just shot the tires out of a moving vehicle while we were being chased.

I deserve a little more enthusiasm than that.

But before I can complain, Lysander’s expression changes. His eyes move toward the rearview mirror.

There’s still one car and it’s coming fast.

"Shit."

My smile disappears.

"What?"

He looks at the dashboard. Then the road, then the rearview mirror again.

"One of our tires is out."

He offers as an explanation, like I didn’t know that already.

I look at the side of the road.

"We need to keep driving."

"We can’t."

"What do you mean, we can’t?"

"This tire won’t hold much longer."

The car gives another unpleasant jerk. I grip the edge of my seat to stay in place.

"We can’t stop. They are hot on our tail."

The remaining vehicle behind us is closing the distance.

Lysander’s eyes narrow.

"We have to park and change the tire."

I stare at him.

"Absolutely not."

"We’ll crash if I don’t pull over."

"But they’ll catch us."

"I know."

He scans the road ahead. A little farther up, he spots a secluded stretch near a wooded area.

He turns the wheel, the car moving off the road.

My stomach twists.

"Lysander..."

He doesn’t answer as he brings the car to a stop.

The engine remains running. He looks at me.

"Just stay in the car."

I stare at him.

"What?"

"It’s bulletproof."

He points toward the doors.

"They won’t get through it easily."

I glance at the approaching headlights in the distance.

"You can’t seriously be planning to go outside."

"I’ll change the tire."

"Lysander, they’re coming."

"I know. I’ll be fine. Just stay in here."

He reaches for the door.

"I’ll be quick."

I grab his arm.

"That’s insane."

When his eyes meet mine, there is no fear in them only cold determination.

"You’ll be safer inside."

He gently pulls his arm free.

"Stay here."

Then he opens the door and steps out.