Page 24 of Chased

“Hiding never works. Not for long.”

Spoken like someone so badass, they never had to hide from anyone. Still, he wasn’t wrong. She could see how much the guys liked Breanna.

She said to him, “If I do that, then you’ll be one only one who knows I was scared.”

Now he met her eyes again, and that little smile curved the corner of his mouth. “Don’t worry, Foxy. I’ll keep your secret.”

His gaze dropped to her lips again, and for a moment she thought he was going to kiss her. Then the skin of his face rippled, like he was about to Change.

“I have to go.” He turned away, heading for the door. “Get some sleep.” His voice had gone hoarse and growly.

What was wrong? Couldn’t he control his animal?

“Hey,” she called after him. He stopped in the doorway, but he didn’t turn around. “Thanks for everything,” she said softly.

He gave a wave of his hand, and then he was gone.

Madison watched from the window as Sanchez headed back down the hill, moving faster and faster until he was running.

To get away from her? Or from whatever it was that dragged his wolf out of him against his will? She remembered his warnings about not going in the woods at night. She could see why, if some of the men couldn’t control their animals.

But he’d been so kind to her, in his own gruff way. She just hoped he didn’t tell anyone what he suspected, about her not being a fox. She had some musk put away in her suitcase, to make her smell more foxy.

She’d better remember to put it on.

Chapter 11

After Sanchez disappeared, Madison turned and leaned against the window. For a minute she just stood there with her eyes closed, breathing.

She was here. She’d made it all the way to New York, and she still had a job. A real job, and a place to live, inside a paramilitary compound with guards on the gate.

Maybe she really was safe.

Or rather, she was safe as long as she didn’t screw up her job, they didn’t find out she’d lied, and Sanchez kept her secret.

Sanchez. She wasn’t sure if she was attracted to him, or terrified of him.

Or both.

But right this minute, it didn’t matter. She’d made it. A fizz of excitement went through her, and she went to the middle of the living room and twirled around and around and around until she was dizzy, giggling like a crazy person the whole time.

Then she started exploring.

The kitchen cupboards held four sets of dishes as well as basic pots and pans, cleaning supplies under the sink, and a few basic food supplies. There was enough other food in the fridge for several meals.

The note on the gift box was from Breanna, welcoming her to the Ridge. And the pretty gift box held cookies. The best chocolate chip cookies she’d ever tasted.

No wonder Sanchez was willing to pick up her ingredients, if this was what he got in return.

Still munching, she went to look at the rest of the place.

The bathroom was shabby but also clean, and had soap and towels in it. The double bed in the bedroom was freshly made up, covers turned down and looking so inviting Madison wanted to crawl right in. There was even a battered dresser and mismatched night tables.

And it was hers. All hers.

The first thing she did was take a shower and wash her hair. As the hot water sluiced over her and slid down the drain, she felt like all the tension of her escape across the country was washing away with it. She wasn’t quite home free yet—there was a month’s trial period—but at least she was where the Renards couldn’t get to her.

She dressed in a t-shirt and leggings, plugged in her tablet with the new charger she’d gotten at the market, and then unpacked the rest of her things. The closet was small, but her clothes still barely made a dent.