Frosted by Allison Brennan, Laura Griffin Read Free Book Online Page A

rearview.
    “Nothing.”
    “Really? You look upset. What is it?”
    “You’ve had a tail since we left the village.”
    “Seriously?”
    Trina turned in her seat and stared. “Where?”
    “Black Cadillac Escalade.”
    “Maybe they’re with the wedding party,” Adam said.
    “Maybe.”
    But Scarlet didn’t believe that. She had that feeling in her gut. There was something about the way the vehicle moved, as though the driver wanted to stay close but not too close. Scarlet shifted in her seat so she could look from the corner of her eye. The top of the windshield was tinted, so it wasn’t possible to see anyone’s faces and they were too far away to read a license plate.
    “What do you want me to do?” Adam asked.
    “Nothing for now.”
    They drove along in tense silence, and Scarlet skimmed her gaze over the snow-covered fir trees. The sun was getting low, making everything gray and shadowy.
    “See that road up ahead? Hang a left,” Scarlet said.
    Adam hung a left.
    The Escalade followed.
    “There’s a private drive just before the curve. Turn in there,” Scarlet told him.
    Adam slowed and turned into the driveway. The Escalade sped past. Scarlet tried to make out the passengers inside, but the windows were too dark.
    “We good?” Adam asked.
    “Looks like.”
    He reversed onto the road and retraced his route back to the highway.
    “Uh-oh,” Trina said.
    Scarlet checked the mirror. “Shit, again?”
    “What do I do?” Adam asked. He wasn’t really in a panic, he sounded too excited to be afraid. “Should I try to outrun him?”
    “Absolutely not,” Scarlet said. “There’s probably black ice all through here.”
    “He’s still following.” Adam hit the gas.
    “He?”
    “Isn’t it a man driving?”
    “I can’t tell. Can you?”
    They approached a curve.
    “Careful,” Scarlet warned.
    “Don’t worry. I’ve done some stunt driving.”
    “Slow down , Adam,” she said, but it was too late. They skidded into the turn and the back of the car fish-tailed.
    “ Adam! ” Trina screamed.
    Scarlet’s stomach dropped. They glided into a spin and she glanced out the window to see a tree trunk flying at her. She tried to lurch away, but her seatbelt kept her in place as they crashed into a tree with a deafening crunch of metal.
    “Holy shit! ” Adam yelped.
    Scarlet blinked down at her feet, breathing hard. Everything was darker now. The entire left side of the SUV was up against a snowbank. Scarlet reached around the side airbag that had deployed and tried her door. Stuck.
    “Oh, shit. Trina? ” Adam reached across the front seat, and Trina shook him off.
    “I’m fine! God, Adam! What the hell were you thinking taking that turn so fast?” Trina pushed open her door.
    Scarlet unbuckled her seatbelt and squirmed to the other side. She glanced out the back window to see the Escalade pulling over on the shoulder behind them.
    “Everyone stay here.” Scarlet reached for the gun tucked under her jacket.
    But Trina was already out, and Adam was sliding over the console to follow her.
    “Adam, wait! ” She was going to kill him if he didn’t get himself killed first.
    Scarlet scrambled out just as the Escalade’s doors popped open. A woman in a hot pink ski suit launched herself at Adam.
    “Adam? Are you okay? ” She threw her arms around him, then quickly stepped back. “Oh my God, I thought you were dead! Is everyone all right?”
    More women emerged from the Escalade. It was like a clown car for ski bunnies. Soon Adam was surrounded by no fewer than five fawning women. He seemed to know at least one of them, and Scarlet tucked her gun away—but kept her hand on her hip, the grip of her .45 within easy reach.
    “I knew it was you when I saw you on the slopes, Adam! I can’t believe you remember me.” The woman in pink beamed at her girlfriends. “We took this improv class together, like, three years ago. Before Adam’s first film.”
    Trina stood off to the side with her