Free The Wrong Side of Dead by Jordan Dane

farm country, barely noticing the yellow center lane whipping by. Switchgrass tossed in the breeze, and countless fence posts were caught in the funnel of pale light cast from her headlights. In the solitude, she let the disturbing surge of emotion settle upon her, an affliction that had grown far too familiar over the years.
    Jess tried to distance herself from the past without much luck. To crush the trembles, her hands gripped the steering wheel too tight, her lifeline to the present.
    Long ago, she had been encouraged to embrace the tragedy of her childhood as an affirmation of her strength, turning a negative into a positive as if it were that simple. After all, being abducted by a sexual predator and tortured hadn’t killed her, exactly. Surely it must have made her stronger, at least that was what others had told her time and time again.
    If she’d survived the ordeal, she could endure and overcome the traumatic memories now. But that meaningless drivel came mostly from the many therapists who had placated her over the years, making her a pet project while she was under foster care with the state of Illinois after her rescue. Eventually, they moved on to other kids and left her to figure it out for herself, leaving her with nothing more than a Band-Aid fix for the equivalent of a hemorrhage to her soul.
    In reality, she hated her weakness, something she hadn’t told anyone—not even Sam.
    But after a quick glimpse in the rearview mirror, Jess caught something that forced her instincts to take over. A car in the distance. It appeared to be tailing her, staying far enough behind that she’d almost missed it. No headlights. Any normal person would have assumed the idiot had forgotten to flip on his lights, but Jess had developed a paranoid sixth sense over the years.
    She hit the accelerator to see if she had company, testing her suspicions. When the car behind her picked up speed to match hers, Jess knew it wasn’t her imagination.
    “Great, just great.”
    She floored the gas pedal and put the blue monster through its paces, knowing it would be a challenge to stay ahead. Harper’s old van wasn’t built for speed. Jess craned her neck, looking for the lights of the nearest interstate over her shoulder. Making a last-minute decision, she hit the next turn a little too fast.
    The tires squealed in protest, and the van lurched.
    “Shit!” she cursed under her breath. The sudden move jostled her off the seat, straining the seat belt. But the car behind her kept pace.
    Her eyes darted between the dark road ahead and her rearview mirror. She couldn’t see the tag or the make and model of the car, only an occasional glint off the dark windshield.
    Safety in numbers, she needed to get to the interstate or a place she could lose her tail. Here in the open, she stood out. And she’d never outrun the guy. If the driver got close enough, he could shoot out a tire, run her off the road, or worse. And defending herself in this remote area would be tough.
    “Damn it!” The heft of her Colt Python under her jacket gave her comfort, but not enough.
    Not nearly enough.

CHAPTER 7

    Once she hit the gas, the car behind her sped up and closed the gap between them—giving deadly chase. Her van hit its limits, but it wasn’t enough. Bumper to bumper, her pursuer had no intention of playing it safe. If she got to the interstate, potential witnesses would complicate matters, and the driver had figured that out. He ramped up his game.
    BANG! The asshole behind the wheel gave her a love tap on the bumper, grinding metal on metal. It knocked her teeth shut and jolted her neck.
    “What the hell…?” She shot a glance toward her mirrors, but the car swerved, not giving her a clear view.
    Now the driver swung into the oncoming lane and hit the gas, passing on her left. In the dark, she saw nothing of the man inside, only heavily tinted windows on a dark sedan. She yanked the wheel to cut the bastard off. If he got beside her, he