His Duchess [Completed]

Chapter 31- Beginning Of A End [E]

Julien maneuvered his vehicle out of the parking lot. Soon after he made it to the highway, the traffic light and steady. He reached for the radio and switched it to a talk show radio station. 

The meeting went pleasantly well.  It was something he had been working on since before moving to California.  The large piece of land available for sale was now belonged to him, having just finalized the signatures–the deed expected to be in Julien's hands by next week.  It was a ten million dollar deal and the next hotel location to be under way for construction in the next year. 

Julien could not believe his luck, his life was running smoothly and in the right direction.  So much had happened in such a short amount of time, and all of it was positive. The best part was the love of his life, Angelica, his duchess...who was to be his wife sooner rather than later. 

However, his determination never wavered until the night of Annie's Birthday party.  The gypsy ladies voice kept chanting over and over again in his head. 

"You will lose her..." 

It made him uneasy as the negative thoughts swirling in his head started taking over the positive.  What would he possibly do to destroy what they had?  What would happen?  The constant bombardment of questions and possibilities running through his head always allowed a unwelcome tension headache by the end of each day.

He felt foolish believing a crazy gypsy woman but there was an inkling inside of him that sensed something terrible was about to happen, and each day it increased.  The tightness in his chest signified his bad feeling.  It was a gut instinct.  It never dissipated, even when he was around Annie. 

He could not shake it off. It worried and disturbed him.

Julien checked his rear view mirror, switching lanes to the left, now in the center passing the slower vehicle.  He released a deep breath calming his inner turmoil.

A large semi-cargo truck aligned with his car to the left. Julien's car appeared like a toy car next the truck and was dangerously close.  If the driver needed to switch into his lane he wouldn't be able to see him even with the wide side view mirrors.  Julien slowly increased his speed to pass the driver.

Now, head to head with the truck, he was about to accelerate further in order to completely pass, when the trucks front tire blew up forcing it swerve dangerously to the left lane. The truck diver lost control quickly. Trying to realign back into his lane, the driver turned the wheel too harshly into the right lane Julien was in.

Julien heard the explosive popping sound and witnessed the truck quickly lose control. He was nearly passed the truck before it hit the rear-left side of his Porsche before he could react fast enough. The steering wheel involuntarily turned to the side forcing him lose control of his vehicle. He stepped on the brake but that was a great error which resulted in another car hitting the right-front side of his car.

Julien's body slammed forward, but his seat belt held him back. Some of the air bags deployed to his sides, the last and most important airbag however– in his steering wheel never deployed.

The truck was losing further control as the screeching noise of metal clashing with metal shrieked loudly in the air. His vehicle was wedged tightly between the truck and the black SUV that hit his right.

A screech of protest came from Julien's car.

He felt the impact of his vehicles total destruction. His front windshield cracked and shattered all around him, cutting into the his skin of his hands which were tightly clutching the steering wheel.