I grit my teeth.
I scale my wall in seconds, gripping the rough wood and swinging my legs over before dropping onto the other side. More obstacles—rope swings, balance beams, a fuckingtunnelthat we have to army crawl through.
Richard gets stuck halfway in.
“This is it,” he groans. “Leave me. Go on without me. Order me a whiskey when you get to the bar.”
“You’re not bailing on us here,” I bark, crouching at the tunnel’s exit. “Alright, on three, I’ll pull you out,” I grunt. “One—”
I don’t bother with two or three. I yank as hard as I can, and Richard comes shooting out with apop, colliding straight into me. I just about keep my balance while he goes down like a sack of potatoes in a heap of mud.
He stares up at me, gasping. “I think...I saw my life flash before my eyes.”
“Yeah? Did you see yourself signing the damn contract? Because after that rescue mission, I expect to see your name on the dotted line.”
I extend a hand, hoisting him to his feet. “Now get moving—we’re behind.”
“I should’ve taken a sick day.”
I barely hear him. My focus is ahead—on Violet and Elliot.
They hit the last stretch, a wide pit of mud, followed by a set of rope ladders leading to the zip line. Elliot goes first, swinging across effortlessly.Damn.I was hoping he would fall face-first in the mud, but he’s more agile than I imagined. Violet hesitates again, gripping the handle, her face set with determination. Every muscle in me is twitching to go over and help her across, but she wouldn’t thank me for babying her. Not forgetting how many heads would turn if I did.
Elliot shouts encouragement.
I don’t realize how hard my jaw is clenched until she lets go, soaring across the pit with a laugh, landing on the other side where Elliot grabs her hand to steady her. She beams at him, breathless, and they sprint together toward the finish line.
I barely feel the burn as I move through the last section of the course. My team is trailing, Richard gasping somewhere behind me, and by the time I hit the finish line, Elliot’s team is already celebrating.
Violet and Elliot laugh, breathless and exhilarated, and then—they hug.
It’s nothing. A quick, fleeting squeeze, the kind teammates share after a hard-fought win. But the sight of it sinks like a hook into my ribs, twisting sharp and deep. And then it slams into me, a brutal, gut-punching truth that leaves no room for doubt.
Elliot can have anything of mine he wants—but not Violet.NeverViolet.
It doesn’t matter what Austen says. Or what anyone else thinks.
I’m not staying away.
The retreat coordinator steps onto the platform, dragging my attention back. “Nice work, everyone! Now, before we move on to the next challenge. The winning team gets to choose their role in our surprise game, which will finish the day later.”
She pauses, letting the anticipation build.
“We’re ending the retreat withThe Hunt.”
A murmur moves through the crowd.
“The concept is simple,” she explains. “One team will be thechasers; the other will be therunners. The runners must make it through the forest to the safe zone without being caught. If a chaser tags you and returns you to their base, you’re out. If enough runners survive, they win.”
A buzz of excitement moves through the group.
“Now,” the coordinator continues, turning to Elliot’s team, “since you won the obstacle course, do you want to be chasers or runners?”
Elliot, still catching his breath, grins. “Runners.”
My fingers flex at my sides.
Good.
