“Adrian,” I said, my voice rising. “We need to go.”

The SUV lurched forward, accelerating directly toward our parked car.

Adrian slammed his hand onto the gear shift.

He threw the car into reverse just as the blinding headlights rushed toward us.

He stomped on the gas pedal.

The engine roared, and the tires screamed against the wet pavement.

We flew backward, the sudden momentum slamming my spine against the leather seat.

The dark SUV didn’t slow down.

It swerved to match our trajectory, its metallic grille looming only inches from our front bumper.

Adrian yanked the steering wheel hard to the right.

Our car slid sideways, the tires losing grip for a terrifying second before catching on the damp asphalt.

The SUV barreled past us, missing our side mirror by a fraction of an inch.

Its tires screeched as the driver slammed on the brakes, trying to turn the heavy vehicle around in the narrow street.

“Hold on,” Adrian muttered.

He shifted into drive and floored the accelerator.

We surged forward, heading down a dark, cobblestone side street that ran parallel to the river.