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My brows furrowed. “What? Why?”

“Do it, Nirah.” He ordered, putting the car in reverse and I unbuckled my seat belt, climbing over to sit down beside Sally. “And wake her up.” He added as a bang ran through the air, a bullet slicing through the front window.

I ducked, reaching over to wake Sally and he gripped the headrest of the passenger seat to reverse. Oh my…

Multiple bullets flew by us as I tried to cover her as much as possible. “Sally, wake up.” I gently tapped the side of her face and she peeled her tired eyes open.

“Nirah?” she mumbled.

“I need you to keep your head down,” I whispered, feeling the car swerve to the right before we picked up speed.

She was yanked back to reality, looking up at me with wide eyes as the car sped through traffic.

“What’s going on?” She clutched me with panic and I grabbed my purse, digging for my handgun.

“I need you to stay down, okay?” I pulled her from me but she shook her head, eyes glistening with tears.

“No— I— I’m scared,” she stammered and Antonio opened the sunroof.

“You have nothing to be scared about. We won’t let anything happen to you, okay?” I asked, taking her hands in mine. “Now, I need you to be brave,” I said as the car swerved left. I placed her hands on her ears. “Close your ears and your eyes, and keep your head down. Can you do that?” I asked and she nodded.

I kissed her forehead and she ducked low.

I cocked my gun back and stood, wiggling my way up through the sunroof.

Bullets rang on either side of us, the two cars from earlier following behind at full speed. I aimed, pulling the trigger with the most precision I could but was tossed left and right as he swerved between cars at high speed. I managed to put a bullet in one of the drivers and his body collapsed against the wheel as his car drove full speed into a pole.

“Get down!” Antonio called out, his hand grabbing my waist and when I ducked into the car he increased his speed, a firm around me and my eyes widened as we approached a parked truck.

“Antonio?” My voice caught in my throat and he swerved right, missing the truck and when my head snapped back I watched the car behind us hit the truck head.

Without thinking I was on the backseat, clutching Sally to my chest as her body trembled. Her quiet sobs filled the car and pain erupted across my chest.

“Am I going to die?” She sniffled up at me, eyes red with tears pouring down her cheeks.

“No, of course not,” I reassured her, watching the fear etched across her face fade away. “You’re okay. You’re fine.” I smiled.

She nodded, leaning forward and I pulled her back into my arms, catching Antonio’s angry gaze in the rear view mirror.

His knuckles turned white as he clutched the wheel, getting us home instantly.

Rosalia, Koren and Cesar were talking outside when we got home.

I carried Sally out of the car and Rosalia immediately ran over having seen the state of the car.

“She’s okay.” I reassured her, hurrying up the stairs and through the front door.

We entered the kitchen and I lowered Sally onto the island, taking her face in my hands to wipe her tears. Her body trembled as Rosalia concocted a remedy for her nerves that we needed to trust.

“You’re okay? You’re not hurt?” I asked and she shook her head.

“Am I going to die?”

“No.” I tightened my hold on her face, stepping closer. “Of course not.” I positioned myself between her legs, pulling her into my arms. She clung to me, arms and legs wrapped around me as though gravity was pulling us apart.

I kissed the top of her head repeatedly and Rosalia approached us with a glass, eyeing me fearfully. I only nodded, reassuring her that Sally would be okay.

“Drink this.” She placed a light hand on the back of Sally’s head and she pulled away, taking the glass.