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CHAPTER14
Penelope
Tree branches scrapemy face and my arms as I fly through them. My heart’s hammering so hard, I’m afraid it’ll burst out of my chest and drop to the ground, killing me exactly like Roman wants.
He’s going to kill me. The other men might kill Cannon. The whole world is going to think Cannon murdered me in a jealous rage. But if Roman and his guys can’t find me, then it won’t happen.
The urge to race back to the cabin and help Cannon nearly makes me spin around. Ridiculous. Cannon’s trained, while I panicked and stabbed a man.
I trip over an exposed root and fly forward. My face smashes into the ground. The fall could’ve been worse, but the ground is soft and the sun is going down. My injuries are superficial.
Branches snap behind me. Cannon?
When I look back, my blood crystallizes. Oh, God. It’s dark, making it hard to see the person, but I recognize the outline. Roman’s behind me. I pop up and keep running.
Can I outrun him? I’m in shape, and I like to think I’m fast. The twenty years he has on me should be a hindrance, but he’s a fit man. I don’t remember him missing a day on the treadmill. When it comes to running through the mountains, though, we’re both at a disadvantage.
My only advantage is that I’ve been in this area before. If I can reach the trail, then I can run faster. The path will be smoother, and I can follow the trail to a place where I can call for help.
I don’t dare go toward the road. A car driving by could be a neighbor, or it could be one of the attackers with Roman. And that would mean they overpowered Cannon. Will they kill him? Or will they hold him captive until Roman comes back with me?
I can’t allow Roman to catch me.
I recognize the way the trees seem to thin thanks to the trail running through them.
“Penni!” He’s angry. I know that tone all too well, and it fuels me.
I keep running and ducking through branches. The sun has sunk below the horizon, but it’s lighting up the sky enough that I can make my way without slamming into one of the trees.
“Penni! Stop!” He sounds hardly out of breath. He should not be so fast in those shoes of his.
Fear threatens to suffocate me. I force air in and out of my lungs. I need to outrun him.
I spill out of the trees and onto the trail. Rocks grind into the bottoms of my sandals. I don’t register the pain.
I’m never going to outrun him. The only other option is for him to catch me, but I’m not willing to give up yet. I put on a burst of speed. My lungs are burning, and my legs are fatiguing.
I need to get past the cliff before I’m left to navigate by the weak light of the moon and the stars.
I stumble, my arms cartwheeling. I regain my footing and keep running. The pounding of Roman’s footsteps is loud. He’s right behind me.
“Stop!”
I ignore him. Racing up the trail, I hear Roman’s curses and the scraping of his shoes on the rocks. My sandals don’t have much traction, but neither do his shoes. My raspy breaths thunder in my ears.
I race past the natural pool. It won’t be long before I’m on the part of the trail that loops toward town. It’s more rugged, so I’ll be able to lose Roman there. I have to. I just have to stay far enough ahead of Roman for long enough, then I can get help.
“Penni,” Roman puffs. “I won’t hurt Cannon if you stop.”
He’s lying. I know it. My body wants to collapse. My forward momentum is thanks to the terror coursing through me.
“They’ll shoot him.”
Don’t listen to him.
Roman’s several yards behind me, his hard breaths sawing through the night. I sound the same.
The trees come to an abrupt end on my right side. The cliff. I slow my pace, unwilling to be a casualty in any form tonight.
