Midway down the driveaway, Ryland jerks his steering wheel to the left, driving through the grass in order to miss the vehicle that passes us by. Just when we think we can make abreak for it, at the edge of the road, a black truck pulls out in front of us and blocks our way.
Ryland swears under his breath and punches the steering wheel. My breathing picks up as fear grabs hold of me. What was I thinking? I shouldn’t have listened to Luke, and now I have put the people that I love in danger.
“Ry, I’m sorry,” I cry.
He looks over at me, confused, before we both jolt in our seats from the tapping on his window. A man in a black jacket is standing outside of Ryland’s door, and I turn to see Davis standing outside of mine. He’s practically snarling at me as he tries to open my door.
“Open the door!” he shouts through the glass, and I can’t believe this is happening.
“Don’t,” Ryland pleads, but I have to make the right decision in order to keep him safe. “Raine!”
I unlock the door and swing it open, but as I move to step outside, Davis yanks me from my seat. My shoulder feels like it’s on fire from the pull, and Davis drags me toward his truck. I catch a glimpse of Ryland chasing after us.
“Ryland, don’t!” I scream, but he doesn’t listen.
“Let her go!” he shouts, causing Davis to stop in his tracks and turn around to face him.
God, please don’t let him hurt Ryland. Please keep him safe.
“Go home, kid.” The man in the black jacket grabs Ryland’s shoulder and shoves him back.
“I can’t. Your stupid truck is blocking the way. And I’m not leaving here without Raine.”
Davis’ cold eyes scan Ryland up and down before an evil laugh escapes his disgusting lips. I catch the sour scent of alcohol on his breath, and it makes my stomach want to hurl. “Please. What are you going to do?”
“I’ll call the cops!” Ryland shouts and balls his fists together, nostrils flaring in rage.
Now, both Davis and the other manbark out in laughter, and Ryland’s face falls. Davis tightens his grip on my injured shoulder, and it takes everything in me not to cry out in pain. I bite my lip, close my eyes, and pray again.
“Go ahead, kid. I’m sure the cops would love to know that you helped a child run away from home. In the meantime, I have a little girl to return to her mother.”
Ryland looks at me, and I can see the panic in his eyes. I know he won’t leave me, and I love him so much for it. But I need him to leave and get far away from Davis. I inhale a breath and try to muster up as much courage as I can.
“It’s okay. I shouldn't have left my mom. It’s better that I go back home.”
‘But—” I hate how Ryland’s face falls, his arms dropping in defeat at my words, but it’s better this way. This way, he stays away from Davis’ wrath.
“You heard her. Now leave,” Davis growls as he takes a step back, pulling me with him.
I feel the heat of tears stinging my eyes, and I try my best to blink them away. I hate how heartbroken Ryland looks right now, knowing that he isn’t able to protect me. But I know if I cooperate with Davis, allow him to believe that I want to go back home, he’ll let Ryland go.
The man in the black jacket hops back into his truck and drives back onto the main road, vanishing into the night. Ryland, however, doesn’t move a muscle, his eyes stay firmly on mine. His breath comes out in quick puffs of clouds, dissipating as fast as the hope in my chest.
“I’ll be okay. I’ll call you as soon as I get home, okay?”
Sensing that there’s no other way around this, Ryland nods and returns a heated glare at Davis before turning and hopping back into his car. I release a breath as I watch him drive down the driveway.
“Get in!” Davis shouts and shoves me toward the passenger side door.
He watches me closely until I’m inside and is quick to lockthe doors once he’s in the driver's seat. I half expect Luke to be in the backseat or that we would go after him next. However, Davis lets Luke go, and I’m not sure how I feel about that. Why did he have to come after me, but Luke is allowed to do whatever he wants?
Once we pull into the driveway, Davis turns off the car and twists toward me. “Here is how this is going to go down. You’re going to climb back into your window and act as if you’ve never left this house. Do you understand me?”
What?
“You will not speak of this again. And you sure as hell won't be trying to run away again. Do you understand?”
I bite the inside of my cheek, keeping the words that I wish I could say to him inside, and instead, I frown at him. He can’t keep me locked in this house forever. Can he?
