She didn’t.
Every so often, she paused, not to rest, but to orient—checking a compass she’d pulled from her pack. Her movements were steady and economical.
Meant to conserve energy.
No wasted movement.
We moved like that for a couple of hours—her leading without knowing it, me ghosting the space behind her; lavish thoughts about what I wanted to do to her every time I caught a glimpse of what was under that skirt.
The forest closed in, thicker and darker the deeper we went, but Fox never once looked scared.
Tired, maybe. But always focused and controlled.
I had fought men with equal determination. They didn’t waste energy on panic because they understood it was useless—the same ones I lost too early in my career.
I noticed her glancing around as if searching for something. Eventually, she must have found what she was looking for. She shrugged off her pack with practiced efficiency, then pulled out a bottle of water, rationing it carefully. She didn’t sit or relax. She just paused long enough to reset.
I stayed hidden and watched her disappear deeper into the trees after that, choosing her path carefully, leaving as little of herself behind as possible.
I could’ve stepped out then. Said something. Anything.
But instinct told me not to.
Not yet.
You didn’t spook someone this well-trained. I suspected she was armed, but I hadn’t seen any evidence yet.
This girl was something else, and I decided I was going to keep her.
Suddenly, the forest went quiet.
The first streak cut across the sky like a seam ripping open. Silent. Clean. White fire carved a slow arc above the trees.
Taryn stopped, and so did I.
Another followed.
Then dozens of them, fanning out across the horizon, burning bright and impossibly graceful.
No sound.
No impact.
Just light, falling in long, elegant lines.
For a second, the forest felt like it was holding its breath.
“Wow,” Taryn whispered.
The word seemed to slip out of her like she hadn’t meant to speak at all.
I’d been careful up to this point. Keeping my distance, taking cover in the shadows. But, unfortunately, the sky wasn’t helping my cause. It flooded the clearing with silver and gold, lighting everything up, making the shadows disappear.
She sensed my presence before she saw me. Her shoulders stiffened, and she turned slowly.
We locked eyes.
She didn’t scream or panic, probably because she recognized me immediately.
