She rummaged blindly against the car's leather, hoping Iris wasn't watching her from the front seat. Her hand touched the cold metal strap of her bag, and she pulled the bag toward her little by little so that the chain wouldn't clink. She unzipped it and felt for her phone, but it was gone. She wanted to scream in frustration—she was exhausted, and she'd wasted all that energy for nothing.

Fumbling around the inside of the bag, Catherine brushed something cold and metallic—her nail scissors. She pulled the scissors from the bag, hiding them in the palm of her hand.

​​

"How do you know that Marco is being sent away tonight?" Catherine asked.

"I thought I told you to shut up," Iris said. "You should be grateful for what I'm doing—you get to spend your life with him after all."

"What is it with you and Blairs?" Catherine asked. "You all have such a hangup on Marco and me. How many times do I have to explain that I don't love him?"

"You don't have to lie to me," Iris said.

"I'm not lying," Catherine said. Sudden inspiration struck her, and she added, "What would I want with a man like Marco when I have Sean? There's no denying he's handsome, but it's more than that. He has this fierce power—you can see it in his eyes, they go fierce and then tender and then fierce again—it's terrifying and thrilling. And when he grabs me—"

"Eww," Iris shrieked. "That's my brother, you bitch. I don't want to know what you do in the bedroom."

Catherine smirked, surprised at how convincing she'd been—at how easy it had been to find the right words to say. Slowly, she pushed herself into a sitting position, taking care to keep her eyes closed and her head slumped to her chest.

"Stop moving," Iris snapped.

She froze and waited for the right moment. She felt the car slow, and she used the momentum to lean forward and press the slim nail scissors to Iris's slender neck.

"Stop the car," Catherine said. "Stop the car, or I'll kill her."

"The car is stopped," the driver said. "Calm down, now."

"Listen very carefully, or I'll cut her throat," Catherine said.

"You wouldn't dare," Iris said.

"Do you want to try me?" Catherine asked.

"N-no, of course not," Iris whimpered.

Catherine pushed the scissors harder against Iris's neck. "Glad we agree," she said. "Now listen very carefully, I'm going to need the driver to get out of the car and stand ten feet behind the trunk."

"No," Iris begged. "Don't leave me, Mike, please don't leave me."

"Do as I say," Catherine roared.

Mike opened the door and stepped out of the car until Catherine watched him walk away in the rearview mirror. She took a deep breath and tried to keep her hand from trembling. Cold sweat pooled on her back, and her head was getting fuzzy again. If she didn't act fast, she'd pass out.

With a deep breath, she launched herself into the front seat and strapped herself in with the seatbelt. She closed the door, gripped the wheel, and slammed the gas pedal down into the floor.

"You crazy bitch," Iris screamed. "What are you doing? Let me out of the car! You're kidnapping me!"

Catherine wanted to respond, but her concentration was fixed on the road ahead. Her eyes were getting heavy again.

"Catherine," Iris screeched. "What are you doing?"

Catherine's eyes snapped open, and she jerked the steering wheel, pulling the car back onto the road. Her skull felt like it was going to split open, and fresh sweat dripped down her scalp and forehead. She bit her lip, trying to focus, but the road and everything else had turned gray and fuzzy.

"Give me the phone, Iris," she said through gritted teeth.

"No way," Iris said. "You're going to call Sean—and I'm afraid that's something I can't allow."

"Can't allow?" Catherine asked. "Do you forget who's in charge here?"

Iris glared at her, "You don't have a blade to my neck now, and it's obvious you won't last much longer before you pass out."

"I could drive this car straight into a tree," Catherine threatened.

"You're crazy, but you're not suicidal," Iris said, her voice full of confidence.

Catherine fought the urge to groan—Iris was right. She wasn't going to risk her life just to escape. Her palms started to slip, and she gripped the wheel tighter, using it to stay upright as much as to steer. She heard Iris rummaging for something and then a dial tone.

"Stop that," she warned.

"Or what?" Iris asked. "You'll faint?"

"Glen Powell," a voice crackled through the phone. "What can I do for you, Miss Blair."

"Catherine Stewart abducted me, Glen," Iris said, sniffling for dramatic effect. "I'm so scared. Please come get me."

"Where are you?" Glen asked.

"I'll send you the location now," Iris said.

Catherine gritted her teeth and stared out the windshield, hoping to see a highway sign with a recognizable name. On both sides of the road, she was surrounded by fields and meadows—not even a farmhouse broke the flatness of the landscape. She needed to get back to Sean's mansion before Iris's people caught them, but she had no idea where they were or how to get to Sean's. The only thing she could do was drive blindly.

"What's the matter?" Iris laughed. "You're not looking too good. Why don't you pull over to rest for a while."

"Shut up," Catherine said.

Iris's posh sing-song voice was distracting. Catherine couldn't listen to her sister-in-law and try to navigate at the same time. She could barely even keep her own eyes open.

Iris sensed the weakness, "Do you want to know how I know about you and Marco? Someone told me. Someone told me all about you—someone very close to you. Wouldn't you like to know who it is?"

"You'll have to try harder, Iris," Catherine grunted.

"It was one of your families," Iris said dramatically.

"Oh please," Catherine barked. "That's hardly the shocking betrayal you think it is. Let me guess, Madison?"

Iris fell silent, "I also know you kicked your own family out of their home and put some poor woman and her bastard son in their place. My mother found that very shocking and tasteless."

"Hmm," Catherine said.

Her head was getting heavier and heavier, and her neck felt like it might snap under all the new weight. She closed her eyes for a moment and felt herself starting to fall. She opened her eyes and jerked back in the seat.

Suddenly, something cold and small pressed against her neck. Iris had her arm outstretched, and her eyes were wide and furious. For a moment, they looked like Sean's.

"Stop the car, Catherine," Iris warned. "Stop it right now, or I'll cut your throat."

"You wouldn't dare," Catherine said, a sudden rush of adrenaline pumping through her veins.

"Don't try me," Iris said.

The small blade pressed harder against her throat, and Catherine squirmed. Carefully she moved her foot off the gas and pressed down on the brakes, steering the car toward the side of the road.

"That's it," Iris said. "Open the door now."

Catherine reached for the handle and opened her door, waiting for Iris's next instructions. Her head throbbed. The bright sun seemed far too bright, and the green fields were far too green. A laugh bubbled up in her throat.

"What the hell?" Iris asked. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Without thinking, Catherine slammed the gas and jerked the wheel to the side. The car shot forward, and Iris toppled from her seat and landed in Catherine's lap. The scissors went flying from her hands and landed on the carpeted floor of the car.

"You're crazy," Iris screamed.

"Maybe," Catherine said.

Iris scrabbled for the knife, but it was out of her reach.

"You won't get away with this," Iris said. "Glen is on his way, and when my mother and brother find out, I swear—"

"Oh, you're going to tell me?" Catherine laughed.