He doesn’t answer.
He just shifts me higher on his shoulder as my ribs burst with pain. I groan, but I don’t cry out because I’m a little preoccupied with concentrating on not throwing up.
I hear the sound of a car door opening and then I’m being hurled into the back seat.
By the time I straighten up, Cillian’s behind the wheel and the engine is already roaring to life.
“Stop… no, Cillian… Don’t…!”
He ignores me and whips the car onto the road. Within seconds, we’re driving at a hundred miles an hour.
The streets whizz past and I slump against the back seat as exhaustion overcomes me.
Yeah, I decide silently. This is definitely a dream.
* * *
We’ve been driving for a while when I open my eyes and groan.
“Hey,” Cillian’s voice is calm and concerned. “You okay?”
“Stop the car,” I whisper.
“Not this again.”
“Please,” I beg. “I need to get out of this tin box.”
I raise my head to see his eyebrows furrow. He considers my request for a moment before he finally concedes and pulls onto the side of the road.
When I look up, I realize that we’re in the middle of nowhere. At first, all I see is darkness. But as my eyes adjust to lack of light, I realize that there’s nothing but meadow for miles around.
The moment we pull to a stop, I try and get out. But the doors are locked.
“Jesus, Cillian. Let me out. I need air.”
His answer is cracking open a window.
“Seriously?”
“You wanted air.”
“This is not the time to be funny.”
“Who’s laughing?”
I try to unlock my door, but it remains stubbornly shut.
I can feel his eyes on me, trying to figure me out. At this moment, though, I can’t really help him.
I’m trying to figure myself out.
“Let me out of this goddamn car!” I scream suddenly. “I’ve been trapped by men my whole life. And I won’t do it anymore. Not even for you!”
His eyebrows rise with shock.
I’m a little shocked myself.
All I know is that I just spent the night in a jail cell after a failed attempt at fleeing my miserable life, I’m close to a panic attack, and I need to put some distance between Cillian and myself before I completely lose it.