Is he coming after me?
I hear the slam of a door and the rumble of his truck. If he’s in the truck, I’ll need to head deeper into the trees where the vehicle won’t be able to get through. The muscles in my legs are threatening to cramp and my lungs are burning. I consider pausing so I can get my phone from my purse and call for help, but I dare not stop. Plus, I realize, I have no idea how to describe to anyone exactly where I am so they can come get me. I’m not just going to stand around in the trees and hope Ledger gives up.
I keep running, stumbling all over on the uneven ground. Why didn’t I wear sneakers? A lot of girls my age live in them, but I had to try to be sexy, didn’t I? Running through the woods in these things is really slowing me down, and I’m seriously going to break my ankle, or worse, my neck. I contemplate taking them off, but I’d probably step on a sharp rock or a broken branch and cut my foot open.
It’s almost dark now, and I’m terrified I’m going to wander in the wrong direction and step off the side of a cliff and plummet to my death. I could use the flashlight app on my phone, but doing so will alert Ledger to my position, assuming he’s still after me. I strain my ears for any sign of him, but there’s nothing. That doesn’t meanhe isn’t there, though. He could have abandoned the vehicle and be listening for me, just the way I am for him, both of us hoping for the other to make a mistake.
I don’t know what to do. I can’t go back to Verona Falls. Not only is it way too far for me to walk in the dark, I also don’t know if Ledger will be there waiting for me. He’s not going to allow me to tell anyone what’s happened. He’ll need to silence me.
A sob threatens to burst from deep inside, and I press my palm to my mouth, trying to keep it in. Tears roll down my cheeks. What a fucking disaster.
See, this is why I don’t date.
I keep going, trying to stay quiet, but half stumble in the dark, tripping over fallen logs and scraping my hands and knees some more. I check my cell phone, doing my best to shield the light from the screen, but there’s no service. It’s too remote out here.
Breaking through the tree cover, I stumble out onto the road.
I draw in a breath and look around. Do I recognize this part of the road? I didn’t realize I’d walked so far.
Oh, my God. There, on the opposite side of the road, some of it lit up by security lights, is the tall chain link fence we’d passed on the way up.
My heart gallops, but for a different reason this time.
It’s the compound. The very place I promised myself I’d stay away from.
2
CAMILE
The fence is tall,and I can’t imagine I’ll be able to scale it, and even if I could, I shouldn’t. This is the last place I ought to be.
“Camile!” The distant shout is rage filled and violence tinged. “You fucking bitch.”
Crap, Ledger must have abandoned the truck and will be on my trail. I thought I’d lost him.
Looming above me, the fence mocks me with its height, but I’ve got little choice. I scan the top and am relieved to see no barbed wire.
I give myself a pep talk under my breath.
“You’re agile and fit. You’ve got this.”
With a quick glance behind to check that Ledger isn’t close, I kick off my stupid shoes. I consider leaving them, but then realize it’ll be a clear sign to Ledger where I’ve gone, so I bend and scoop them up. I fix my gaze on the top of the fence once more and, one by one, sling the pumps over the top.
Who said anythingabout throwing like a girl?
With that done, I begin to climb. It’s easier than I thought, even with my arms burning and my knees killing me from when I slid out of the truck. It doesn’t take long before I swing one leg over the top.
Panic hits me. I’m poised, one leg straddling the fence, and the drop is a hell of a long way down. I also have no clue as to what kind of reception I’ll get here.
The compound contains dangerous men. Even for someone who hails from my kind of background, these guys scream trouble.
Still, I’ve got little choice, I tell myself. One of the men behind this fence might be the same one I’m not supposed to even think about, but he also makes me feel as if he can fight off the whole world. My stomach flips in nervous excitement at the thought of seeing him again.
Wobbling as I haul my entire body over the top of the fence, I lose my footing. The world plummets out from under me, and I somehow manage to hold in a screech of shock, clinging on with just my hands.
My heart pounds and my breath leaves my lungs in frantic gasps.
Shit. If I fall from this height, I could break something.
