The rest of the group disappeared. I stepped away from him, pretending to follow, but I changed course and grabbed the back door.
“If you catch me, killer, you can fuck me on a grave.”
Nico lifted a finger while his opposite hand began to unbutton the cuff of his dress shirt. “Don’t you meanwhenI catch you?”
“I’m fast.” And I was going to have a head start.
Nico chuckled.
I fled, leaving behind the sinfully tempting sight of him rolling up his shirt sleeve.
Chapter 16 – Rae
There were enough trees out here to hide me from a direct view of the house. No one yelled for me to stop, but I pumped my arms and sprinted under the cover of the ancient boughs. When I risked a peek over my shoulder, I didn’t catch sight of my pursuer. But he was going to find me. That was a given.
I’d accepted his challenge, and now there was no escape.
I stopped behind a thick trunk, breathing hard. Whatever madness possessed me to agree to the game was the same that made him follow me on my night off. How he’d managed to find me wasn’t as interesting as why he’d chosen to do it in the first place.
Whatever the reason, he was here. And that made the night feel all the more forbidden.
Creeping to a headstone, I ducked behind it. The wind gleefully played through the branches above, making waves of moonlight shift over the grassy expanse. In the distance, the sounds of civilization were muted. I scooted to the next tomb, wishing that more of these had proper headstones rather than tiny plaques for historical value. But it was an old cemetery. An abandoned place. People only came here for the purpose of learning about the local skirmishes from bygone centuries.
A black shape moved in the distance.
I covered my mouth and held my breath as he approached.
I should have run farther.
But I wasn’t here to be chased. I wanted to be caught.
“Magnolia Rae,” Nico sang out.
A feral grin split across my face as an idea bloomed in my mind. Looking about, I found a stick tucked in the grass.
“Where are you lurking, my little cherry-bomb?”
Well, if that didn’t just beat all? I should punish him for the atrocious nickname. I looked about, trying to find anything useful in this forsaken place to use. There were no ropes or chains to tie him up.
Pity.
Dominico veered to the left, heading deeper into the historic preserve. Rising on shaking legs, I stalked after him. The stick was tucked safely in my back pocket. In a way, I was a country girl. All us small-town chicks were. I’d learned to fish—and to hunt.
Quietly, I picked my way through the trees. Every time Nico paused, I took advantage and herded him exactly where I wanted. I was only going to have the upper hand for a precious few moments.
But they would be glorious!
Spotting the perfect tree, I scrambled up the thick boughs and positioned myself against the trunk. He would never find me. Not unless I wanted him to. That knowledge gave me courage.
I reached into my pocket and took out the stick. The slim piece of wood was as thick as my finger. It wasn’t as dry as I would have preferred.
But it still broke with a definite crack.
Dominico stopped short and looked in my direction.
I grinned.Over here, killer.
He prowled forward. Cute as a button, thinking he was the hunter and not the hunted. Granted, a very scary, predatorial button. But still cute.
