I come to a stop; my legs are Jell-O, and my heart is racing. I can’t breathe. Falling onto my ass, I push my back into the tree and cover my mouth with my hand. Who knows how close he is.
I’m not sure why we’re even playing this game. Why did he allow me to run? Is this another one of his fucked-up versions of hide-and-seek? We haven’t played it other than that one time.
He said he got a text too. Maybe his was different than mine? More instructions?
Or maybe he just wants me turned on. Kashton knows the chase excites me. Fuck, I’m wet right now—and my underwear isn’t just soaked from his cum leaking out of my pussy.
But I’m not going to make it easy on him. If he wants me, he’ll have to work for it.
I get to my shaking legs, bend over with my hands on my knees, and try to calm my breathing before I take off again. I can keep this up all night.
The sound of twigs breaking has me standing up and flipping my loosened ponytail out of my face. It comes again on my right, and I turn to look tosee if he’s there, but nothing. I turn and step forward to run in the opposite direction when I hit something hard. I yelp in surprise and look up into a set of familiar eyes. Even in the dark night, they glow a light blue.
“Caught you, angel,” Kashton says.
I expect him to be smirking or laughing like the usual game we play, but he’s not this time. Instead, his pretty eyes are void of any playfulness.
I swallow nervously. My fear is rising by the second. I’m terrified. Not of Kashton, but the possibility that he won’t love me after this. What if he tosses me to the side, and I’m all alone and broken? What if this does me in, steals what little sanity I’m hanging on to, and throws me over the edge? How many times can I go crazy before he no longer cares? How far can I go before I can’t return to me? It took years to feel alive again. I may never be able to get back to this.
“I changed my mind,” I rush out. How long will they keep me there? Another year? I won’t survive again.
“It’s too late for that, Eve.”
“No.” I shake my head, taking a step back. “We don’t need the Lords to control what we do.”
He says nothing.
“We can be together, Kash. It’s what we’ve been doing.” Fuck the Lords and their bullshit rules. “We don’t need their permission,” I snap.
“It’ll all be over soon,” he promises. It’s the first time I don’t believe him.
“I’m scared,” I admit, wrapping my arms around myself. I don’t like to be vulnerable, but I can’t lie to him like he is to me.
“That’s the point.” He reaches into the pocket of his hoodie. “They want me to put you through hell. And I’m going to make sure I deliver.”
A shiver runs down my spine at his confession. “I won’t go back there.” Tears sting my eyes.
Last time I was forced. No one would go willingly. They’d have to be insane.
“Sometimes you have to hurt the one you love. It’s for your own good, angel. You’ll see.”
I spin around to run, but his hand slaps over my mouth from behind and yanks me back to the front of his body. I try to scream, but it’s useless. I feel a poke in my neck and my eyes get heavy, my hands falling to my sides.
Please…no.
When my knees give out, he picks me up, and my eyes fall closed as he carries me back toward the motel.
FIFTY-TWO
KASHTON
Ipull up to Dollhouse and see Sin’s car is already waiting on me. Getting out, I walk over to it.
“Got it.” He opens his passenger door for me.
“Thanks.” I reach in and grab the bag of items he collected for me.
He tosses his backpack over his shoulder. “I’m going to stay in case you need me.”
