"Arabelle, you've really disappointed me!" he spat.
As I struggled to breathe, Nadia latched onto his arm, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Jonah, forget it," she pleaded. "This is all my fault. I never should have asked for your help. Right now, I just want my mom to be safe..."
Her voice broke on the last word.
Jonah's anger flared anew. He turned sharply to Zane, his glare lethal.
"Didn't I tell you to keep an eye on her? To make sure she didn't cause trouble?"
Zane and the two bodyguards stiffened, exchanging quick glances before responding in unison.
"Miss Arabelle was driving too fast. We couldn't keep up."
It was a well-crafted excuse and Jonah didn't even question it. After all, before I met him, I had a reputation for street racing. It was enough to make their lie believable.
Suppressing his discomfort, Jonah crouched down beside Nadia, his attention fully on her.
"Nadia, your mom's strong. She'll be okay."
The woman on the ground trembled slightly. But she didn't dare to open her eyes.
I let out a bitter laugh, the taste of blood thick on my tongue.
"Stop crying already," I muttered, voice hoarse. "Or your mom won't be able to keep up the act."