Chapter 3

As I collapsed, I caught a glimpse of the livestream chat exploding.

[He's down!]

[Not even a mile and a half. I win!]

Mason leaned out the window and looked at me for a second. When he spoke again, his voice carried just the right amount of panic. "I think Carter passed out from heatstroke!"

Abigail frowned slightly, her tone flat. "He actually passed out?"

"He did!" Mason said quickly. "Where I'm from, people say that if someone gets heatstroke, you have to cool them down right away, or it can turn deadly."

She looked at him, her expression softening. "See? This is exactly what I mean. After everything he's done, you're still worried about him."

Mason lowered his voice. "Whatever's happened between us, he's still Carter. I can't just sit back and do nothing."

Abigail patted his shoulder and turned to the bodyguard. "Go get the pressure washer from the trunk."

It was hooked up to a water tank in the back of the car.

Abigail took the nozzle herself while Mason stood beside her. Together, they aimed it at me.

"Ready?" she asked, her tone light, almost playful.

Mason nodded. "Don't turn it up too high. He might not be able to take it."

"Don't worry," Abigail said, shaking her head slightly. "If it's heatstroke, he needs to cool off. Low pressure won't do a thing."

The moment the water hit me, my entire body jerked off the ground.

That wasn't cooling someone down. It felt like getting hit by a truck.

The high-pressure stream tore into my wounds. The pain was so intense that I couldn't even scream. I could only twitch and convulse, gasping with my mouth open.

Water blasted into my nose and mouth, choking me until it felt like my lungs were about to burst.

The force rolled me across the pavement. The back of my head struck the asphalt, and my vision darkened.

The spray followed me wherever I moved.

Abigail laughed, while Mason kept shouting beside her, "Carter, stop moving! The more you move, the worse it'll hurt!"

He sounded so concerned it was almost convincing.

The chat became even more chaotic. Some people cheered. Some said it had gone too far. Most just kept watching.

[This is way more entertaining than making him apologize!]

[Ms. Sullivan really knows how to put on a show.]

[That pressure has to be insane!]

[Mason's too nice. He's still trying to help the guy!]

The water finally cut off.

The skin around my wounds had turned pale from the pounding water. Blood mixed with runoff and spread beneath me.

My clothes clung to my body. I couldn't tell where the water ended and the blood began.

Abigail crouched down. The bodyguard grabbed my hair and yanked my head up.

"So, have you decided?"

Blood bubbled in my mouth. I couldn't speak.

She brushed a hand through my hair, her voice gentle, almost as though she were soothing a child.

"It's just an apology. Is this really worth it? Apologize to Mason, and I'll get you to a hospital."

Mason leaned out from behind her, looking at me with concern written all over his face. "Don't make Abby angry. Just say you're sorry. I won't hold it against you."

He leaned closer, lowering his voice so only the three of us could hear. "Just admit you were wrong. Say you're sorry, and this can all be over. You're only making things harder on yourself."

His face was inches from mine.

His brows were knitted tightly together, every bit of him radiating concern, as though he were the one hurting.

I gathered the blood in my mouth, aimed at his face, and spat.

It hit him full on.

Mason grunted and stumbled backward two steps, frantically wiping at his face, but all he managed to do was smear blood across his skin.

Abigail slapped me hard. I staggered sideways, my cheek burning as a sharp ringing filled my head.

"You really don't know when to quit, do you?"

The bodyguard held me in place while Abigail crouched down again.

Her voice dropped, cold enough to send a chill through me. "You're still going after Mason? Do you really think I won't make you pay for it?"

Mason grabbed her arm from the side, his voice tight. "Abby, forget it. Carter didn't mean it. He must be in too much pain…"

Abigail pulled him behind her and pointed straight at me.

"Don't say I didn't give you a chance."