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1
ALANA
Silently, Mav opens the front door and tugs me through it, out into the night.
Cool fall air rushes over my face and a shiver races down my spine. Although I don’t think that has anything to do with the temperature, and everything to do with what’s happening.
With my hand locked in his, Mav takes off into the darkness.
I want to look back, to see if either of them are watching us but I can’t, he’s going too fast, forcing me to run to keep up with him.
It’s no secret that the manor house that Reid and JD have made theirs is massive. It can be seen up here on its hill from almost every part of Harrow Creek. But it isn’t until now that I fully appreciate the vastness of the grounds.
My lungs burn and my leg muscles scream as Mav continues forward, as if the hounds of hell are snapping at our feet.
“Slow down,” I beg, my body quickly giving up on me.
I knew things were bad after my time down in the basement, but my lack of exercise over the past couple of weeks is now blindingly obvious.
“We’re almost there,” he whisper-shouts back.
His grip on my hand tightens and he keeps up his pace. I want to cry and demand that he stops, but I don’t. Whatever is going on is serious. He wouldn’t be doing all this if it weren’t.
My legs are trembling, my chest heaving when he finally slows to a stop under the cover of trees on the perimeter of Reid’s land.
The second my legs stop moving, I bend over, resting my hands on my knees, and try to catch my breath.
Unwilling to stop touching me, Mav’s hand lands on my lower back. His presence, his support and his love are unrelenting.
Finally, I get the chance to do what I wanted to do when we first left the house.
Standing up straight, my chest continues to heave as my eyes find the building in the distance.
All the air rushes from my lungs as I discover exactly why I’m so exhausted. The imposing house looks like it’s miles away. Okay, so that’s a bit of an exaggeration. But still…
Strong, warm arms wrap around me from behind before Mav rests his chin on my shoulder. My hair tickles around my face, getting caught up in the light breeze before I shiver again.
Leaning back into him, soaking up his strength, my eyes dart from window to window before my heart sinks.
They’re not there.
They’re not watching.
“What are we doing right now?” I whisper, my voice getting carried away in the breeze.
“What is necessary,” he replies cryptically. “Come on, we need to get out of here.”
My lips part to argue, to demand answers, but they quickly close again. Despite desperately wanting to know everything, I also know that now is not the time for that conversation.
Mav releases me, leaving me cold, and I gasp the second lightning illuminates the sky on the other side of town.
The bolt ominously crackles through the air before a rumble of thunder makes the ground shake beneath us.
“We need to move,” Mav says, taking my hand again and tugging me from my spot. Thankfully, though, this time, there is no running.
I didn’t pay all that much attention to my surroundings when Kane brought me here; I was too lost in my own head to see the direction he drove to access Reid’s manor, or to see the hidden gates that we’re now walking toward.
Quickly, I scan the wall surrounding the vast property, my eyes locking on the lethal razor wire that runs across the top.
