AllFreeNovel
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Our destination is a safe house, one of many we’ve acquired throughout the last century. This particular section of land rests deep within Kentucky’s Appalachian Mountains, hidden from civilization. The only people who might stumble upon us are hikers, but even then they’re unlikely, as long as they stick to the designated trails.
Jane will be safe here.
Secluded, but safe.
She stirs beside me, her limp form returning to consciousness after a brief nap. “Where are we?” she asks, wiping her hand over her mouth.
I smile at her. “Kentucky.”
“Kentucky?” She makes a face before turning to look outside her window.
The forest thickens as we move further down the drive. I’ve been here only once before, when I signed the deed using an alias. We haven’t needed to return since then.
A small cabin sits off the road to our right, but we blur past it. Jane frowns as the sight fades away.
“That one isn’t for us.” I clarify.
A few minutes later, we arrive at a larger structure. It’s another cabin, but it’s undergone extensive remodels since its foundation was laid. The roof slants over a sliding glass doorway, and the deck spreads around the entire building. I’m sorry to say that it hasn’t been maintained well. Vines wrap around the wooden protrusions and up the stairs, and unkempt foliage has completely engulfed our lawn. Weeds, saplings, and wildflowers scatter the entire area, overflowing from the forest’s edge.
Jane lets out a throaty gasp. “It’s beautiful.”
I glance at her, taking in the sight of her awe with a child-like wonder of my own. “Is it?”
She doesn’t hear me. Matthew stops the car beside a lanky, hooded figure.
Francis.
“How the Hell did he get here before us?” Matthew asks.
Francis opens Jane’s door for her, and she slides out, her backpack already mounted on her shoulder.
I restrain myself from snarling like one of the beasts in the woods as I step out after her. “Ditched the car so quickly, Francis?”
He winks at me. “Wasn’t hard. All I had to do was sink it in a nearby lake.”
Matthew’s car door slams behind us. “Always taking shortcuts, huh, Francis?”
I go to help Matthew with the bags in the trunk, but as soon as I turn back around, I’m assaulted by Jane’s lush giggles.
She’s blushing again, her cheeks a vivid shade of pink. Francis has her bag around his arm, and his hand is on her shoulder.
Touching her.
This time, I don’t hold back the primal urge to growl at him like a maniac. His eyes dart toward mine, flashing red. I keep my voice low and calculated so Jane can’t hear. “Touch her again, Francis, and Iwillend you.”
He drops his hand, smile vanishing.
Matthew slams the trunk shut. “Come on. We need to get you settled in before someone gets killed.”
Agreed.
I approach Jane, grabbing her hand. I gesture toward Francis. “I’ll take her bag.”
He rolls his eyes, but drops the backpack into my open palm.
That’s better.
Jane leans into me as we walk across the lawn, dodging pot-holes with every step. “Are you and Francis arguing about something?”
