The truck skidded on the rainy road and flipped over twice into a ditch on the side of the road finally landing right side up.

Cassie returned to full awareness as the paramedics were cutting her free of the seatbelt and pulling her out of the car.

They spoke to her, asking if she was all right and what hurt where.

All she could think about was her friend. Sick dread coursed through her. “Penny! Is she all right?”

“Your friend? She’s fine.” One of the paramedics pointed over to the side. “She’s there. Some cuts and bruises but she’s conscious and alert. She said you might have some prior head wounds?”

Numb, Cassie recited her past history. They took her vitals and were discussing the need for hospitalization when she caught sight of the huge body of her man moving purposefully toward them. The lights of the ambulance and police cars glinted off the bracelet she’d made him for Christmas that, much to her relief, he seemed to love. Two state police officers stood in his way, speaking to him.

“That’s my girlfriend and I’m going to her. Period.”

The deep bass of his voice echoed up her spine and she felt safe then. So safe that the fear came over her in a wave so shocking she began to tremble violently.

“Ma’am?” The female paramedic touched Cassie’s forehead. Cassie heard them speaking to her but the panic attack took over. Her teeth chattered and in moments Shane’s voice vibrated off her skin as he reached her, kneeling at her side. Strong, gentle arms pulled her to him, encircling her with his body as he rocked her slowly back and forth. The prick of a needle and then the sting of medication hit her as she fell into the dark calm of unconsciousness.

It wasn’t until he’d brought Cassie back to his house afterwards that it all began to hit him. The terror of what could have happened felt clammy on his skin.

Running a hand through his hair and over his face, Shane hung up after speaking with Brian for nearly half an hour. Cassie’s brother was understandably upset and feeling helpless. He was grabbing the next flight out to Atlanta and would be arriving the next afternoon.

He’d also spoken with the state police at the hospital while he waited for Cassie. The car that Cassie had given him the license plate for had been stolen. They’d done a fingerprinting check but the investigating officer felt that the prints they’d found were the owners’ but would let them know once they heard back officially.

The hospital waiting room had filled up with Chases as they’d all waited to hear back. Kyle held on to Maggie tight—the scene was scarily reminiscent of the one several years before when Maggie had been kidnapped and assaulted by a stalker.

Polly click-clacked over and hugged her son tight around the waist, Edward held on to the other side. “She’s going to be all right, Shane.”

Shane had felt five years old again as he’d slumped into a chair and his mother stroked his hair away from his forehead and kissed his temple, speaking softly to him. His father’s strong hand at his shoulder, Shane realized once again how important his family was to him and how much they meant to his life. They’d refused to leave his side at the hospital, knowing he needed the support.

Even at that moment Matt was downstairs, camped out on one sofa, Marc on the other. Both had refused to leave. Penny was recuperating in one of the Chase’s guest rooms with Ryan in another. Family meant more than just being there when things were good.

After they’d examined Cassie at the hospital and watched her for a few hours, they’d sent her home in his care. There hadn’t been any sign of a concussion but her therapist had come to the hospital and had advised them to sedate her. She’d also told Shane to expect some flashback behavior and perhaps some greater occurrence of panic attacks and jumpiness that Cassie had shown when she’d first come to Petal.

Standing in the doorway to his bedroom, he watched her, reassuring himself she was indeed all right. She lay in his bed sleeping soundly, a bruise marring the left side of her neck and face where the seatbelt had dug into her. He thanked her quick thinking and his insistence that she take his truck. The other car had struck just behind the passenger seat. The scene investigators told him the other car had to be going at least seventy miles an hour to cause that much damage and the roll over.

His fingers dug into the door jamb. It could have been a coincidence. Punk kids stole cars and caused accidents in them on joyrides every day. The car was stolen in an area of Atlanta that had suffered a rash of car thefts in the last week. Still, it was hard not to think Terry was behind this.

Truth was, Shane was pretty sure that it was his presence on the scene that lent credence to Cassie’s story and not her history. The state police were looking into it more carefully than they would have if it had been a clear cut joyriding case. He didn’t like it but the fact was, it was just all a coincidence and she hadn’t received any threats and there wasn’t a reason to believe that Terry had found her.

The way he’d felt when Penny had called hit him. He closed his eyes against the helplessness he’d felt, knowing Cassie was in danger and he was too far away to help. It had taken all of his strength to keep his voice level and talk Penny through as he’d called the state police on his other line. He’d wanted to hear Cassie’s voice himself but he knew it was more important for her to keep focused on driving and being safe.

And then the screams and the dead air after the crunch. The phone line had remained open, the call never broke so he heard the shattering glass, the groan of metal, the screams and the sobs of pain. He’d stood up, yelling Cassie’s name. The state dispatcher assured him the ambulance and response cars were on the way as he’d run to his city vehicle and headed toward the scene with the sirens on.