“Is she okay?” I call out, my voice trembling.
Nikolai stands up, half-smirking. “Unfortunately, this littledebacle hasn’t changed her. She just flipped me off.”
Oh, thank God, is my first thought. Elise is fine. Elise is safe.Elise is okay.
My second thought is, I’m gonna kill her.
I stomp towards the ditch she ended up in. “Elise MargaretRowan, get your ass out of that car. Now!”
Slowly, the door opens and Elise steps out. She has theaudacity to look bored. “Relax, Belle. You’re not my—”
“Shut up,” I hiss. “You don’t get to say anything right now.You don’t get to talk back. You don’t get to tell me I’m notyour mom. Because I’m the closest thing you have to it. And
all you get to do is sit there and let me yell at you. Because—becau
