She flinched, the urge to flee these feelings almost overpowered her.
“You can put the rock down.”
She didn’t reply but gripped the rock tighter.
“I still have your gun loaded and pointing at you. You wouldn’t be able to so much as twitch before I could shoot you.” He sounded sad along with bemused.
Nhiari closed her eyes and ignored him. He would fall asleep eventually, and when he did, she would be ready.
Lee sighed. “Sweet dreams.”
The words pierced her heart, wounding her. Nhiari exhaled through the pain. She would lull him the way he had lulled her.
She counted in her head, trying to keep track of how much time had passed. After two hours she loosened the grip on the rock, allowing her hand to come open as if she’d fallen asleep. She couldn’t discern any difference in his breathing.
At the next hour mark Lee snorted as if asleep and she held her breath, waiting for more. He shifted, but soon his breath was low and even.
Too easy.
He had to be faking.
She gave it another hour and clenched the rock again. No change in his breathing.
What were her chances? She opened her eyes a slit and glanced around without moving. Lee lay across the entrance, but there was space to get around him.
The rock felt heavy in her hand. As much as she disliked the man, she didn’t want to hurt him, and hitting him over the head might do more damage than she wanted.
So maybe escape was the better option than restraining him.
The dirt would be a problem. It was more rocky than sandy and each step would make a noise. Stealth would work if he was asleep, but speed would give her the element of surprise if he was awake.
Maybe she should wrestle the gun from him.
She didn’t really believe he would shoot her. Not unless he reacted in his sleep.
Stealth was her best option. If he was awake, she could use the stone and then run for it.
Bit by bit she shifted to a better position, waited for a response, and then shifted again. When she couldn’t wait any longer, she crouched and then crept towards the entrance.
“Where are you going, Nhiari?”
She gasped. Damn him. He had probably been watching her with amusement, waiting for her to make her move. “To the bathroom.”
He grunted and sat up.
“I can go by myself.” She moved to the front of the cave, slipping past him.
“I’m sure you can, but I’d hate for you to get lost coming back.”
The caring in his voice lured her. Stuff it. It was now or never. She hurled the rock at him and heard his satisfying yelp as she ran down the rocky slope, praying she didn’t twist her ankle or trip on something in the dark.
Rocks clattered above her and she pushed herself harder as she hit the flat ground and put some bushes between her and Lee. Her heart raced as she darted left and then right, moving west, past where Lee had dumped the bike.
No time to disable it. She’d have to keep to thick shrub so he couldn’t use the bike to catch her.
“Nhiari, you’re not getting away.” Lee was close behind her, not sounding at all puffed.
She kept running, tripping over a low shrub, and stumbling before picking herself up again and continuing to lengthen her stride.
