“Hold your legs?”

Air rushed into the car suddenly, blowing my hair, and a scream sounded from outside the car. My breathing turned shallow. Was she sticking her head out the window?

“Come on, please?” she begged, tugging at my arm again. “We’ll take you home in a few.”

I twisted my lips to the side. Fine.

Taking off my jacket, I left my phone and satchel in the back and scooted up, swinging a leg over the front seat. Wind blew under my skirt and my hair into my face, so I moved quickly, sitting down between Miles and Astrid, the hair on the back of my neck rising with fear and a little excitement. Déjà vu hit me, and for a second, it was like he was here, taking me on another adventure.

“Okay, I’m popping up,” Astrid said. “Grab my legs and hold on.”

“Wait…”

But she was already moving. The car charged down the backroad, barreling and bouncing over the uneven terrain, and I reached out, wrapping my arms around her jean-clad legs as she sat up on the door through the open window.

Howling filled the chilly, night air, and the weight of her body pulled at me as it hung over the side of the car. I fumbled with my hands, unsure if I had a good enough hold of her.

She was going to fall. I couldn’t keep hold. What the hell was she doing?

Whatever it was, she seemed to be loving it, though. She laughed and screamed, and Miles just went faster.

He jerked the steering wheel, and I felt Astrid’s body get thrown a little with it. I tightened my hold so hard, my muscles ached.

“Damn, baby,” Miles said, and I hoped he was talking to her.

It lasted for about another minute, and then Astrid slid back in through the window, cackling and filled with excitement as she rolled her window back up.

“That was hot, babe,” she told him.

The car slowed down, and I slid back over to the middle, wiping at the sweat on the back of my neck.

“You should do it,” she said, knocking me in the arm.

“I’m fine.” I laughed a little.

Not that I wouldn’t try it ever, but I’d want to be with people I trusted. I didn’t know these two well enough.

The engine started to grow quiet as the car slowed down more, and I rubbed my hands down my thighs, drying my sweaty palms.

Can we please get out of here now?

But instead of driving farther or turning the car around to head to my house, Miles veered to the side, taking the car into some grass, and crawled to a stop.

Why were we stopping?

He left the car idling, put it in Park, and everyone sat there for a moment, the music droning on a low volume. I swallowed through the dryness in my throat.

He wasn’t explaining why he’d stopped, and she didn’t ask. As if they already had a plan and knew what was about to happen.

Astrid turned toward me on my right, her voice low. “You’re really pretty,” she said.

Something about her tone was…intimate. My mouth was so dry.

“Thank you,” I replied, but it came out as a whisper.

I could feel his eyes on me, too.

“We see you around school,” she said. “You seem scared to live it up sometimes. As if you don’t belong.”

I fisted the hem of my skirt. “It’s complicated,” I told her.

I just wanted to go home.

“We like to have fun,” Miles chimed in. “We live it up.”

And then Astrid’s whisper brushed my ear, “And we want to take you with us.”

I lost my breath and jerked away.

But she didn’t stop. “We’ll show you so much fun,” she taunted. And then she flicked my ear with her tongue and trailed her fingers up the inside of my thigh.

Oh, God.

I slapped her away, gritting out, “Get away from me!”

“You’ll like us,” Miles told me in a hard voice as he gripped the back of my neck and forced me to face him. “Once you try us.”

“No!” And I slapped at him, hitting him right in the face.

Asshole.

He jostled me, angry. “You little b—”

But he stopped, something seeming to catch his attention.

“Did you hear that?” he asked.

“What?” Astrid inquired.

I tried to push away from him, thankful he was distracted by something. I hoped it was a cop or people or anyone I could get out of this car and run to.

And then I heard it, too. Howls.

Yelps and barks. Hoots and yells.

“What is that?” Miles said more to himself.

Did we have wolves in our area? I didn’t think so, but I would rather take my chances with wild animals than these two.

The sounds disappeared, and Miles and Astrid barely breathed as they remained completely still and listened for a few more moments.

The branches of the trees whined in the wind above us, and I thought I heard leaves shuffling around the car, but I couldn’t be certain with the music still on.

“There’s something out there,” Astrid muttered.

And I remembered how they thought they were being followed earlier.

I felt Miles move next to me. “I don’t—”

But something heavy hit the windshield, and he cut off, Astrid gasping next to me.

“What the…?” he barked.

The same force hit Astrid’s side, too, suddenly, then the rear window and Miles’ side, as well.

“Is that…paint?” Astrid asked. “Someone’s splattering paint on the windows.”

“Son of a bitch!” he growled.

Releasing me, he opened the door, but there was a pounding sound coming from the outside, and he howled with pain, falling over on me.

Did someone just try to shut the door on him?

I didn’t know what was happening, but I felt the car shake under me and vibrations come from the rear area, like someone was back there doing something.

“The windows are covered in black paint!” Astrid exclaimed. “Someone’s out there. Just drive!”

My mind raced, debating on whether to try to get out or if the danger was greater out there. Before I had a chance to make a decision, though, Miles shifted into gear and put his foot on the gas.

But we didn’t move. He gave it more gas, revving the engine, but the car simply turned its wheels, squeaking underneath us as they spun, but didn’t take us anywhere.

“Do you smell gas?” Astrid asked.

I inhaled, feeling a burn hit the back of my throat.

“Oh, shit,” Miles suddenly said.

What? Dammit, what was going on?

“Look,” he told Astrid.

“They wouldn’t,” she replied, breathless.

What were they seeing?

And the next thing I knew, the doors opened, and they scurried out of the car, leaving me in the front seat alone.

What the hell?

I didn’t know why they ran, but they saw something that scared them, so was the car not safe then? I didn’t know what to do, if I should run, who I should be scared of, but they were gone, and I debated for about half a second before I lunged over to the driver’s side door and pulled it close, hitting the lock, and doing the same thing to Astrid’s door. I might not be out of the woods, but at least I was safe from them.

The key was still in the ignition, and it was probably a bad idea, but I’d get out of here if I had to. I’d just follow the gravel road.

If I could get the car moving, which Miles hadn’t been able to do for some reason.

I sat there for a moment, not hearing any sounds outside anymore, just the rumble of the engine and some White Stripes remix on the radio.

My phone. I’d call my mom and have her track my phone to find me. I had no idea where I was.

But just then, I heard his breathing.

Right behind me, in the back seat.

I stilled, not moving a muscle as dread wracked through my body, and my imagination went wild, trying to figure out who or what was behind me.

It was faint but constant, and pain sliced its way through my jaw and neck as a scream filled my throat.

Tears welled, and I couldn’t believe I’d been so stupid.

I’d forgotten to lock the back doors.

I opened my mouth, getting ready to cry out and lunge for the door, but then his voice was in my ear.

“Hey, Little Devil,” he whispered.

I gasped, the nickname and his hushed tone registering in one powerful, overwhelming blow, and I almost sobbed with happiness.

Are you kidding me?

All of a sudden, he reached forward and took me in his arms, hauling me into the back seat. I shot my hands behind me, touching his face—the sharp nose and angular jaw—grazing the scars on his scalp, and burying my nose in his neck. Freshly showered. As always.

“Oh, my God.” I pressed my forehead into his cheek, holding him close. “Where have you been?”

He didn’t answer, just held me in his lap, in his arms.

I closed my eyes and exhaled, feeling like I was letting out two years of breath. He was here. He was alive and hadn’t forgotten about me.

But…

I sat up and turned around, straddling him in the backseat and grabbing him by the collar of his hoodie.

“You scared the shit out me,” I told him.

“Yeah, I do that.”

Yeah, lots of people liked to do that in this town.

I wanted to be mad, but a laugh escaped, and I couldn’t be angry. He was here, and he got rid of Miles and Astrid.

Keeping hold of him, I dipped my forehead to his, reveling in the feel of him.

He took my upper arms in his hands and held me. “What were you doing with them?” he asked sternly.

I stayed right where I was, our lips an inch away. “You were the one following them?”

He nodded. “I show up to see you again, and when I do, I see you getting in a car with another man.”

“Yeah, that’s a good stretch,” I said, smarting off. “There were two other girls in the car, too. I thought I was safe.”

Releasing his collar, I glided my hands around his neck, feeling the same warm, smooth skin. He remained still, almost rigid, as I stayed there, holding him and breathing him in.