I’ve missedhim.
I could stop right now. Turn around. Let him win.
My legs slow for half a second before I force them faster, splashing through puddles, branches whipping my face.
Not because I actually want to get away.
But because Kai loved it when I fought back. When I made himworkfor it.
His punishments were always worse.
And, exhausted from the chase, I’d never have the strength to resist.
Chapter 52
Kai
I don’t bother suppressing my insane laugh as I race after Haven. She shrieks whenever I get close enough to make a grab for her, and it’s making her desperate and clumsy, hearing how close I am.
Doubt she’s enjoying this game of Hide and Hunt as much as I am, though.
Fuck, if she knew how hard I was right now…
Rain stings as it pelts into my face, and I welcome it, because it means I’m not numb anymore. My bruised feet ache. My lungs still hurt. And Jesus, I doubt I’ll be able to walk tomorrow.
From hypothermia to euphoria.
That’s Haven for you.
My body’s coming alive again, all because of her. And damn it if that doesn’t make me nostalgic as fuck. Heavenly always had a knack for doing that. I’d arrive at the woods numb and disassociated, but she always knew how to bring me down to earth. How to ground me.
And if I got there looking to pick a fight?
Miss H was always happy to take my mind off things.
Somehow, it would always end with me roughing her up. But she didn’t complain. Not once.
Sometimes it felt like she was encouraging me, especially when she put up a fight.
The trees are taller now that we’re deeper inside the woods. Fewer branches to duck. But they’re denser, slowing us both down as we weave around their trunks.
I’m not even sure how she’s finding her way in the dark. We’re both at risk of breaking a leg or, at the very least, twisting an ankle.
If anything, she’s speeding up.
It’s easy to follow her at first. She’s making such a fucking racket, she’s probably scared off all the wildlife by now.
But somehow, she slips away. The sound of her panting and her splashing feet draws further and further away.
The forest is fighting back. I’m having to find my way through the tangles of ferns and roots and what I hope to God isn’t poison ivy crawling over the ground.
My fawn’s nimble little legs are better suited to darting through this mess than I am.
But when I catch her—and Iwillcatch her—I’ll make her regret eventhinkingshe could run from me. I’ll have those pretty legs wrapped around my waist as I pin her to a tree and fuck her until she’s hoarse from begging for mercy.
I grit my teeth, push harder, but I’m failing to close the distance.
Losing herandmy fucking hard on.
