Behind me, my older brother Noah was trapped in the wheelchair he had relied on since the a.
c. c. i. d. e. n. t that took our parents fifteen years earlier. I looked back at him.
“I’m sorry.” My voice broke. “I’m so sorry I brought this man into our family.”
Noah stared at me with an expression I couldn’t understand. Then he said quietly: “Elena…
when we get out of here, you’re going to be very angry with me.” I thought fear was making him confused.
Then Noah leaned forward. Placed both feet firmly against the flooded floor…
and stood up. After fifteen years in a wheelchair. For several seconds, my mind couldn’t process what I was seeing.
Then Noah reached inside his jacket. He pulled out a concealed cutting tool and began slicing through the wire locking my seat belt in place.
But the fact that my brother could walk wasn’t even the biggest secret he had hidden from me.
We escaped the sinking SUV without Adrian realizing either of us was still alive.
