the distance. I doubt I’ll be able to find my way back but that’s the least of my concerns at the moment. I hear a shout behind me. Leaves under my feet make crunching noises. I make the mistake of looking over my shoulder. The skeleton man is chasing me. I have to run faster.
I hear the noise of a river up ahead. My body jolts back as I nearly miss jumping into rushing water. I glare at the river bank on the other side. My eyes scan the shore for a better way across. One doesn’t exist. I’ll have to chance it. I hear more yelling behind me and it’s enough to push me into the cold water.
I force my body to move against the current but it’s strong. My swimming skills are no match for it. I inch closer to the other side, keeping my head almost fully submersed. The river shows me mercy and I climb out at a spot farther downstream. I don’t know where I am anymore.
I listen to the trees rustling.
No footsteps.
No yelling.
The skeleton man is gone.
I rub the sides of my arms. My teeth start to chatter. A gust of wind chills me clear down to my bones. I need to keep moving. I jump up and down to keep myself warm and continue walking. My brain is on overload. I never thought anything remotely like this would ever happen. I thought maybe I’d see Dane, throw a pebble at his window, and spend the night talking about our relationship.
I can’t believe I let myself think that.
I pull out my cell. No service. My hands start to shiver. My lips have a hard time moving. I squeeze water from the side of my shirt. My shoes are covered with mud and they sink into the dirt when I walk. I stay close to the rocks and boulders.
I pass a dark opening and stop. I crouch down, looking over my shoulder. I crawl inside to shelter myself from the freezing wind. I sigh and immediately something moves next to me.
My whole body jumps.
I am too shocked to scream. A hand touches my knee. I hear a cough.
“Hello,” a voice says. My heart leaps.
“Dane?”
The figure leans closer. I see the shape of Dane’s face. His eyes look heavy and his skin is pale.
Something is wrong.
“Mikki?” he coughs. “Oh . . . you really are an angel.” His voice is low and soft.
“Dane, are you okay?” I bite the corner of my lip because I know the answer to this question.
“Babe,” he manages to reply. “You need to get me a hospital.”
Chapter Twenty Four
“It was a mistake.”
Dane puts his arms around me. I’m surprised he has the strength. He doesn’t hold me as firm as he normally does. I can hear his slow and steady breathes. I thought I’d know what to do when we saw each other again. I wanted to see him so bad, but I feel guilty.
I can’t push Kade from my mind.
“You’re freezing,” Dane says in almost a whisper.
“I went through the river,” I gulp. Dane looks down.
“I’m sorry. I never should have told you where I was.”
“How can you say that?” I pull away. I have no right to be cross with him after what I did with Kade but I can’t help it. He’d probably be dead if I’d stayed in Seaside.
“Those men back there.” He pauses. “I had no idea things would turn out this way.”
“Me neither,” I reply. “But I’m here now and you need me.” I can’t tell him about last night until he’s safely in a hospital bed . . . at the least.
Dane looks into my eyes. He leans forward and gently kisses me. I let him, but my stomach is churning. His hands feel my wet t-shirt. He tugs at it, wringing out more water. He rubs the side of my cheek as it shivers.
“When I was running,” he whispers. “I just thought of you and it kept me going.”
Ouch.
I smile. What have I done? I’ve ruined us .
“We need to get you to the hospital,” I answer.
“Yeah,” he agrees. He kisses me on the cheek. “And when I’m all stitched up we can finish talking about going away together.”
I gulp.
“If that’s something you still want?” he adds.
“Of course.” My reply is
I hear the noise of a river up ahead. My body jolts back as I nearly miss jumping into rushing water. I glare at the river bank on the other side. My eyes scan the shore for a better way across. One doesn’t exist. I’ll have to chance it. I hear more yelling behind me and it’s enough to push me into the cold water.
I force my body to move against the current but it’s strong. My swimming skills are no match for it. I inch closer to the other side, keeping my head almost fully submersed. The river shows me mercy and I climb out at a spot farther downstream. I don’t know where I am anymore.
I listen to the trees rustling.
No footsteps.
No yelling.
The skeleton man is gone.
I rub the sides of my arms. My teeth start to chatter. A gust of wind chills me clear down to my bones. I need to keep moving. I jump up and down to keep myself warm and continue walking. My brain is on overload. I never thought anything remotely like this would ever happen. I thought maybe I’d see Dane, throw a pebble at his window, and spend the night talking about our relationship.
I can’t believe I let myself think that.
I pull out my cell. No service. My hands start to shiver. My lips have a hard time moving. I squeeze water from the side of my shirt. My shoes are covered with mud and they sink into the dirt when I walk. I stay close to the rocks and boulders.
I pass a dark opening and stop. I crouch down, looking over my shoulder. I crawl inside to shelter myself from the freezing wind. I sigh and immediately something moves next to me.
My whole body jumps.
I am too shocked to scream. A hand touches my knee. I hear a cough.
“Hello,” a voice says. My heart leaps.
“Dane?”
The figure leans closer. I see the shape of Dane’s face. His eyes look heavy and his skin is pale.
Something is wrong.
“Mikki?” he coughs. “Oh . . . you really are an angel.” His voice is low and soft.
“Dane, are you okay?” I bite the corner of my lip because I know the answer to this question.
“Babe,” he manages to reply. “You need to get me a hospital.”
Chapter Twenty Four
“It was a mistake.”
Dane puts his arms around me. I’m surprised he has the strength. He doesn’t hold me as firm as he normally does. I can hear his slow and steady breathes. I thought I’d know what to do when we saw each other again. I wanted to see him so bad, but I feel guilty.
I can’t push Kade from my mind.
“You’re freezing,” Dane says in almost a whisper.
“I went through the river,” I gulp. Dane looks down.
“I’m sorry. I never should have told you where I was.”
“How can you say that?” I pull away. I have no right to be cross with him after what I did with Kade but I can’t help it. He’d probably be dead if I’d stayed in Seaside.
“Those men back there.” He pauses. “I had no idea things would turn out this way.”
“Me neither,” I reply. “But I’m here now and you need me.” I can’t tell him about last night until he’s safely in a hospital bed . . . at the least.
Dane looks into my eyes. He leans forward and gently kisses me. I let him, but my stomach is churning. His hands feel my wet t-shirt. He tugs at it, wringing out more water. He rubs the side of my cheek as it shivers.
“When I was running,” he whispers. “I just thought of you and it kept me going.”
Ouch.
I smile. What have I done? I’ve ruined us .
“We need to get you to the hospital,” I answer.
“Yeah,” he agrees. He kisses me on the cheek. “And when I’m all stitched up we can finish talking about going away together.”
I gulp.
“If that’s something you still want?” he adds.
“Of course.” My reply is
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