Audacious//JJ Maybank (Outerbanks)

Chapter 90

{Family Reunion}

I barely had time to catch my breath, still clinging to JJ, when a loud shout echoed from above. "Hey, you kids! Don't move!"

I looked up, and my heart dropped. The police were leaning over the bridge, pointing straight at us. Panic surged through me as I locked eyes with JJ. He didn't hesitate for a second. Grabbing my hand, he tugged me forward. "Come on!" he urged, his voice low but urgent.

We sprinted toward Topper's truck, my legs shaky from everything that had just happened. The fear, the relief, the adrenaline—it all tangled together, making it hard to think straight. My heart pounded in my chest, still racing from the terror of almost losing him. But now we had to run. Again.

JJ flung the door of the truck open and practically shoved me inside before climbing in after me. The truck was packed, so there was no room for me in the back. Without thinking, I scrambled onto JJ's lap, my arms bracing myself on the dashboard as Topper slammed on the gas. "Go, go, go!" JJ yelled as the truck roared to life.

Topper didn't need to be told twice. The tyres screeched against the asphalt as we sped down the road, the cops' voices fading into the distance behind us. I could feel JJ's arms tighten around my waist, holding me in place as the truck bounced over the uneven road. His breath was hot against the back of my neck, and I could feel the tension radiating off him.

I leaned back slightly, still catching my breath, my hands shaking as I gripped the seat in front of me. JJ's hands never left my waist, his fingers digging into my sides like he was afraid to let go.

"You good?" he whispered in my ear, his voice low, filled with concern despite the chaos around us. I nodded, my chest rising and falling rapidly as I tried to calm my heart. "Yeah, I'm fine," I muttered, though my voice sounded shaky. I leaned my head back against his shoulder, feeling his steady heartbeat against my back. It was grounding, reminding me that despite everything, he was still here.

Topper swerved around a corner, and I instinctively grabbed onto JJ's arm for balance. I could hear the others talking in hushed voices, but it all felt distant like I was in some sort of haze. All I could focus on was the warmth of JJ's body beneath me, his arms holding me securely. For a moment, it was the only thing keeping me tethered.

I glanced out the window, watching the blur of trees and houses as we sped through the back roads. My mind raced, thinking of everything that had just happened, the close call with the train, the wrecked bike, and the terrifying thought of losing JJ. I swallowed hard, trying to push it all away, but the fear still lingered. JJ's hand shifted, his fingers lacing with mine, and I squeezed his hand tightly in response. "We're okay," he whispered, his lips brushing against the side of my head. "We're okay."

I nodded, but my heart still pounded in my chest, the adrenaline refusing to fade just yet. I couldn't shake the image of him crashing off that bridge, the terror of thinking that I might have lost him for good. But now, as I sat there on his lap, feeling the strength of his arms around me, I knew one thing for sure—we had made it out, and we were still together.

JJ leaned forward, his voice sharp as he urged Topper, "Drive faster, man! They're still behind us."

Topper glanced at him through the rearview mirror, his expression tense but focused. "I'm going as fast as I can!"

But it wasn't fast enough, not with the cops on our trail. The wind whipped through the open windows, and I could feel JJ's muscles tensing beneath me as I sat on his lap, his arms still protectively wrapped around my waist. The road blurred past us, and the tension in the truck was suffocating.

Suddenly, there was a loud clatter behind us. I turned just in time to see the large box, the one holding the cross, teetering on the edge of the truck bed before it toppled onto the road with a heavy thud.