There was no time to stop, no time to think.
Behind her, Kendra’s voice cut through the darkness. “You’re not getting away!”
The words echoed, closer than Hadley wanted them to be.
“You really thought you could run?” Kendra taunted. “You don’t even know where you are!”
Hadley didn’t respond or look back.
She just kept moving, her focus narrowing to the ground in front of her, to the next step, and the next, and the next.
“You’re going to regret this,” Kendra continued. “You’re going to regret ever coming to this town!”
Hadley clenched her jaw and pushed forward.
Max.
The thought of him came suddenly, cutting through the fear.
She didn’t know everything about him. Didn’t know the full story of what had happened in his past. Didn’t know exactly why he’d gone to prison.
But she knew this: Whatever he’d done . . . it hadn’t been out of cruelty.
It hadn’t been selfish. Max didn’t have it in him.
If he’d hurt someone, it had been for a reason. A good one. A noble one. Anhonorableone.
Regret twisted through her chest.
She’d doubted him.
And now . . . now she might not get the chance to tell him she believed in him.
Lord . . .she prayed silently.Please . . . just give me enough time.
Her breath caught as her ankle protested again, but she forced herself forward.
Enough time to make it out of this.
Enough time to tell Max I believe in him.
The forest stretched around her, and shadows closed in as Kendra’s footsteps drew closer. But Hadley wasn’t going to give up.
CHAPTER 45
Max forcedhimself to stop and listen.
Wind brushed through the branches overhead. Somewhere in the distance, a limb creaked. Snow shifted beneath his boots as he adjusted his stance.
Then . . . footsteps.
They were faint and uneven. But they were definitely footsteps.
Max’s focus instantly sharpened. He leaned forward, angling his head to catch the direction. Then he began moving again—slower this time, more deliberate. Each step was placed carefully to minimize noise.
He followed the sound, the rhythm.
There were two sets. One was heavier, more purposeful.
