Page 202 of Her Wicked Plan

The burn flaring in my side informs me it has been a while. Then, we reach a clearing. It is an oddly shaped circle of dirt with patches of grass and tall trees spaced out around the perimeter of where we are standing.

The moon is on display in the sky with no clouds blanketing it. The light shining down acts as a spotlight. I slow my steps and bend over to catch my breath.

My chest burns as it rises and falls. Warm air seeps into my lungs but does nothing to relieve the heated sensation.

“Leo,” Veronica shouts in a whisper. “We need to keep running!”

With my hands on my knees, I nod and hold up a finger. I plead for her to give me just a minute longer. She looks like she hasn’t even been running. Besides the wind that whipped her curls in different directions, her face remains pale. Her breathing is steady.

Did she exercise in the asylum? I’ve never seen her do any activity. This woman is built differently.

“Come on.” Her desperate tone matches her eyes.

Soon, the desperation vanishes and turns into fear when we hear a screeching alarm go off in the distance. Both our heads snap toward the blaring sound.

There is no mistaking that it’s coming from the asylum. Shit. I stand up straight, my eyes finding Veronica staring into the distance.

Rushing over to her, I place my hands on her shoulder. “Vee, we need to run.”

Voices can be heard far in the distance—deep shouts and yelling. If I could focus my ears on them, I’m sure I’d hear our names being called, but I can’t hear anything besides the roaring panic rushing through my head. My heart is about to beat right out of my goddamn chest.

I shake her shoulders, causing her eyes to snap up to mine. “We need to go. Now.”

Her eyes search mine for a moment, and pity overtakes fear. “I’m so sorry, Leo.”

“What?” Confusion rolls over me. “Why are you apologizing?”

“You’ll only slow me down.” Her voice is calm despite the fear flushed along her face only moments ago.

I shake my head, not understanding, until it clicks. “You’re going to leave me here? After I agreed to run with you? After everything? Veronica, I’ll go to prison once they find me!”

Her jaw tightens. “Better you than me.”

Betrayal stakes my heart. “You can’t stop me from running after you.”

“Yes, I can.” Her eyes leave mine, trailing down between us and to her hand.

I follow the movement of her eyes, and when they land where she is staring, the moon shines just right on the metal object clasped in her grip.

“Where did you get a knife?” She wouldn’t hurt me.

“I still do kitchen duties.” That is all she answers with.

The shouts are nearing us. My head whips to the left, and I squint my eyes to see how close they are. I don’t see anyone, only hear them.

As I turn my attention back to the woman who wants to betray me, the woman I fell in love with and risked everything for, she drives the knife into my stomach.

A gasp falls from my lips: shock and pain.

That’s all I feel.

Instinctively, my hands reach for my stomach, where the knife is lodged in deep. I can’t remove it. I’d bleed to death. I’m panting.

Pain like I’ve never known splintering through my entire body, and when I drop to my knees, it’s like a jolt of lightning courses through me, sparking every nerve ending to life. With my eyes on the wound, Veronica’s foot comes into eyesight.

Her fingers gently hold my chin, lifting it for me to face her. Gone is the woman I love and who I thought loved me. The kind, caring person I thought she had turned out to be.

I fixed her. Didn’t I?