His 181St Second (Laverne and Marina) novel Chapter 31

**Winds Carry Lost Promises by Asa Holt Vale**
**Chapter 31**

Lavern’s foot slammed down on the brake pedal, the tires screeching in protest against the sudden stop.

Shawna, caught off guard, lurched forward, only to be yanked back into her seat by the unforgiving grip of the seatbelt. Her heart raced, and the fruit she had been holding scattered across the floor like forgotten dreams. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around her belly, a protective gesture that spoke volumes of her anxiety.

In the back seat, Carrie jolted upright, her eyes wide with confusion. “What just happened?” she demanded, her voice laced with alarm.

Lavern remained silent, his expression dark and stormy as he rummaged for his phone on the center console, fingers trembling with urgency. Just moments ago, while she had been feeding him pieces of fruit, Shawna had caught a glimpse of Marina in a car with a man—an unsettling sight that left her mind racing. “Lavern, that person we just saw…” she began, her voice barely above a whisper, uncertainty creeping in.

His reaction was immediate and telling. “Was that Marina?” she pressed, her heart sinking at the thought.

Lavern’s silence was deafening. He seized his phone, dialing Marina’s number with a fierce determination, twisting the steering wheel with one hand to execute a sharp U-turn, his gaze locked on the road ahead as he chased after them.

Meanwhile, in the other car, Marina felt a wave of nausea wash over her from the earlier sighting. She avoided looking out the window, instead focusing on Daron, who was absorbed in his game. She watched as his movements became increasingly erratic, a frown forming on her lips.

Daron, oblivious to her scrutiny, was lost in his world of virtual battles until he sensed her gaze and lifted his head, their eyes colliding. The disgust etched on her face was unmistakable, and he caught it with full force.

“Think you’re any better?” he challenged, a hint of defiance in his voice.

Marina allowed a smile to break through her earlier irritation. “I wouldn’t go that far,” she replied, her tone modest yet playful. But then, emboldened, she added softly, “But probably a bit better than you.”

After all, Daron had a knack for putting her in her place. She recalled the last time she had boasted, only to watch in dismay as the game crashed and burned under her command.

Daron’s response was a silent stare, his expression unreadable.

The moment hung in the air until Marina’s phone buzzed loudly, breaking the tension. She snatched it up, her heart racing as she saw Lavern’s name flash on the screen. Without hesitation, she muted the call, irritation flaring within her. This was becoming an unwelcome distraction. Lavern must have seen her.

As she contemplated her next move, Daron suddenly thrust his phone into her hands. “Let’s see how much ‘a bit better’ really means,” he said, a smirk playing on his lips, igniting her competitive spirit.

Her character respawned in the game, and Marina chose to ignore Lavern’s call, diving headfirst into the action.

They were on the defensive, and she focused intently, her heart pounding as she dreaded any misstep that might allow the enemy to breach their nexus.

In the car behind, the driver noticed a vehicle tailing them in the rearview mirror. “Mr. Zamora…” he began, his voice laced with concern.

“Shake him off,” Daron instructed, his tone decisive.

“Got it!” Marina interjected before the driver could respond, her fingers dancing across the screen as she skillfully maneuvered to evade the enemy’s jungler.

Daron observed her gameplay, an eyebrow arched in amusement as a subtle smile crept onto his face.

The driver, catching the exchange in the mirror, grinned and pressed down on the accelerator, determined to lose their pursuer.

As the car ahead accelerated, Lavern matched their speed, barreling through red lights with reckless abandon.

Shawna clutched her seatbelt tightly, dread pooling in her stomach. She could feel the stress manifesting as a dull ache. “Lavern, my stomach…” she murmured, her voice tinged with fear.

“Shut up!” Lavern barked, his frustration boiling over.

In that moment, he couldn’t shake the thought that the man beside Marina was Daron. ‘How does she even know Daron? And why isn’t she answering my calls?’ The rage bubbled within him, the entire scenario spiraling out of control.

Lavern pressed down harder on the gas, inching closer to the car ahead, but it swerved abruptly into a narrow alley, disappearing from sight.

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