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I’d probably be doing the world a favor.
But I was short exactly one match.
And the energy required to run for the rest of my life from one of the largest gangs in the western USA.
Tearing my gaze away, I stood and turned from the Crow’s Nest, right at the exact second the shed door banged back open and Grey strolled out, shutting it firmly behind him and rubbing a palm over his jaw.
My heart vaulted into my throat.
He started toward the front door of the house, and I allowed myself a small breath, backing slowly away from the house, never letting my gaze falter from his back.
Grey stopped before he reached the door, tilting his head to one side.
No.
He whirled around, and it was too late to react.
Our eyes met.
I was fuckinggone.
Without bothering to see if he was giving chase, I bolted through the trees, skidding down a slope and barely clawing back to my feet as I pressed forward, heedless of the trees jutting out of the earth like long fingers trying to grab me. To stop me from getting away.
I weaved through the forest, my focus dialing in like it always did when that blessed spike of adrenaline injected itself into my blood. My feet moved with more surety, keeping an unfathomably quick pace as I expertly avoided the worst of the branches, knowing exactly where to step on instinct.
As the drumbeat echo of my pulse quieted, my ears opening back up to the world around me, I heard him.
It was a second too late.
The inclined path worked in his favor as he tackled me from behind. My face and chest collided with the earth, skidding through sharp twigs and over gritty earth. The taste of blood and dirt coated my tongue as I worked to get him off, coughing, my hand reaching down to my ankle, to the blade strapped there.
His knee dug into my back, pressing me down as his hands wrapped like iron manacles around my forearms, effectively pinning me beneath him.
A little tremor of fear ricocheted up my spine when I couldn’t wriggle free. When my mind immediately went back to another time. Another place.
Another man holding me down.
“Let me up youmotherfucker,” I spat, just managing to eat more dirt.
“Ava Jade?”
The knee in my back let up just enough for me to get my feet under me, prying his metal grip from my forearms. I sent a backward kick into his face but missed, hitting him in the shoulder instead.
He groaned, reeling back enough for me to get to my feet, drawing my blade as I rose.
I held it out in front of me, blinking the grit from my eyes. It was a shame I only had one or I’d throw it. I hadn’t practiced in over a week, but I rarely strayed from a bullseye.
Not worth the risk of losing it if you miss…
Grey panted in the dappled moonlight, taking me in with narrowed eyes as though he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. He held his hands out, his eyes jerking to the glint of the silver blade, back to me, and behind him.
Like he was waiting for something. Or someone.
Backup.
Had he tripped some sort of alarm? Did he somehow have time to fire off a text in the split second before he gave chase? Did he shout? I couldn’t remember.
But I liked my chances against one a hell of a lot more than my chances against three.
