Chapter One-Hundred and Ten

Lauren's POV

The screech of tires and the deafening crunch of metal hit me like a dreadful punch in the gut. One second, I was gripping the edge of my seat as Damien’s driver drove us toward safety, and the next, our car was spinning out of control, thrown off course by the violent impact. My heart pounded in my ears as I tried to make sense of the chaos through Shirley’s terrified screams.

“What the hell just happened?!” Conrad’s voice was tense, his words tinged with panic. The car finally came to a halt with smoke seeping through the hood.

I could hear Shirley’s soft whimper beside Conrad as he held her and tried to keep her grounded, a quiet sound that cut through the loud ringing in my ears.

Before I could fully register what had happened, the doors of the car that had hit us flew open, and men spilled out, their footsteps heavy and fast as they approached us. My breath caught in my throat as I noticed the glint of metal in their hands—guns. They were clo