Keeper of Crows (Keeper of Crows #1)(5)

He nodded. “Be careful, Carmen. You’re one of the good ones.”

I snorted. “If that were true, I wouldn’t be here.”

“There’s something in everyone worth redeeming.”

Jones. What a good guy. What an optimist.

“We all do things we aren’t proud of. Take you, for example. You’re telling me I’m redeemable, yet you work for a viper.” He tugged on his collar. “We all do what we have to do to survive, Jones. Club’s getting busy. I’ll see you later.”

“With all due respect, ma’am, I hope not.”





2





“There were drugs found in your system that night. I have the record right here if you’d like to see it,” Doc offered, unclipping a paper from the small stack.

“That’s okay. I’m well aware that I snorted flake, but there’s no way I’m ratting anyone out.”

Doc shifted in his seat. “Why did you make the choice to use drugs, Carmen?”

Crossing my arms over my chest, I told him what everyone in this place had probably told him before. “To escape.”

I swallowed, leaving Jones behind. Why did he show up everywhere I was tonight? Did Dimitri tell him to follow me?

The evening was a blur of hands and touches, of bodies grinding against my own. Sweat and flashing lights. Alcohol and hits in the bathroom. My head was spinning in the best way when I took one last hit in the ladies’ room and stumbled out the back door to the alley. Jones followed me, crossing his arms and watching me wade through the piss, glass, and strewn trash. He watched me fumble with my keys, finally managing to click the unlock button. My parking lights flashed happily while my car chirped to see me.

“I can call a cab,” Jones called out to me. “I don’t think you should be driving, Carmen.” Jones was too stiff. He needed to loosen up a little.

“I’ve got this,” I muttered. I fell into the seat and slid the key into the ignition. She purred to life.

Where were the headlights? I fumbled with the levers and switches until the lights blinked on. There they are!

Clutch. Accelerator. I could do this.

I eased out of the alley and onto the street. The streetlights had auras around them. They looked heavenly. And the freeway was so busy. It glittered in white and red streaks of light. Blinking, I tried to focus on the red taillights in front of my car. The music wasn’t loud enough, so I reached for the dial.

Everything slowed down.

Crunching metal.

Screeching brakes.

Shattering glass.

Blaring horns.

My car skidded across the road, metal against pavement.

My head slammed against its rest.

I should have worn my seatbelt.

More crashing sounds.

Deafeningly loud. Ringing. My ears were ringing.

My car hit a bump.

Airborne. Hanging upside down.

I did wear my seatbelt.

The tips of my dyed blonde hair dangled onto the asphalt, soaking up my blood. It trickled steadily from my head with an unfaltering splat, splat, splat, splat. Lights fixated on me. Words were shouted at me.

“Hang in there. Help is on the way.”

They can’t help me now.

Sirens.

Screams.

Crying.

Peaceful.

This was what I was looking for.

Peace.

Doc nodded knowingly. “Do you remember the wreck itself?” he asked.

I’d dreamed about it every night since, waking with my clothes damp with sweat and my heart thundering, feeling like it had just happened. I could still hear the twisting of the metal frame.

My chest hurt. Something was... I was choking. I gagged. “Easy, honey. There’s a tube down your throat.”

I gagged again. My eyes watered as I fought against the intrusion.

“It’s okay. It had to breathe for you for a while. I’ll check with the doctor and see if he wants to remove the tube, but for now…” She bent over and scanned a syringe with her machine, waiting until it beeped. Staring at the computer, she smiled. “This should help you relax. You’ll feel better soon. You’re very lucky to have survived such a crash.” The nurse, a heavy-set woman with dark hair cut into a cute pixie, squeezed my hand sympathetically. “Be right back.”

I blinked, staring at the speckled tiles of the drop ceiling. I could feel the medicine working. It relaxed my muscles and I stopped struggling against the tube. The window blinds were pulled, but I could see the sunshine peeking in between every vertical piece of plastic. Two chairs next to my bed sat empty.

My muscles were sore and everything hurt. I tried to reposition myself, to find a comfortable way to lay, but couldn’t move. The nurse strolled back into the room with a smile.

“Doctor Bragg is on his way. He’s going to evaluate you and see if we might be able to get rid of that tube.”

I nodded, tears welling in my eyes, blurring her for a moment.

“We called your father, but he isn’t here yet. I’m sure he’ll come as soon as he can. Is there anyone else I can call for you?”

I shook my head no. There was no one.

The clock on the wall opposite my bed read three forty-five. I’d been in a wreck. I remembered leaving the house and Father behind, and I remembered Dimitri and going to him in a moment of weakness. The club was busy. The lights, the alcohol, the drugs, the blood. I remembered the wreck. It happened last night, but my father still hadn’t come? Of course, he hadn’t. Father must be with Bianca. Home wrecking bitch.