Page 196 of Where Broken Wings Fly
His expression is fractured, falling into ruinous grief that contorts his features into a grimace. It’s more emotion than I’ve ever seen from him, and it fucking kills me to know it’s my fault.
“You have a choice here, alright?” He stares into my eyes. “You don’t have to live in fear. We can all calm down and make a plan. There has to be a better solution.”
“I won’t let you pay the price for my mistakes.”
“Then we’re coming with you,” Zach declares. “Fuck it.”
“You can’t do that… your lives are here,” I plead with him. “I’m not tearing you away from your home and family to go on the run with me. That wouldn’t be fair.”
“It’s our decision to make,” Killian says with finality.
“No, it’s not. You will never be safe for as long as you’re with us. I refuse to jeopardise your lives like that. If I go now… Mr Sanchez will leave you unharmed.”
“I won’t let you throw yourself to the wolves, Willow!”
“This isn’t your choice!”
The ringing of a mobile phone in Zach’s pocket interrupts our heated exchange. He answers, his eyes widening in alarm. I can hear Micah shouting down the line from here.
The second his emerald eyes meet mine, I know I’m too fucking late. Fate has found us. It crept in through the cracks in our defences and laid its poisonous roots again.
“What is it? Zach?”
“Arianna’s missing. She isn’t in class.”
“What do you mean, missing?” Killian spits out. “This is Briar Valley. People don’t go missing here. She’s probably wandered off or something.”
Feeling sick to my stomach, I abandon the suitcase and race out of the cabin. My feet slap against the ground in a punishing beat. Over and over. Desperation fuels my muscles and gives me the strength of mind to keep going.
“Willow!” Killian shouts after me.
Sprinting over cobblestones and twisty paths, I’m heaving and almost doubled over from a stitch when I make it back down into the valley. Zach and Killian are right behind me, easily catching up.
All I can see is Arianna’s sweet smile when I told her that we were going on the run. Ice cream and swimming, Mummy. It’s our adventure. She was so ready to escape the perpetual hell of her childhood and start a new life.
I don’t care.
Mr Sanchez can have me.
As long as he leaves her behind.
In the town square, all hell is breaking loose. Lola stands on her porch, shouting orders to the gathered group of residents who are setting out to scour the woods. Albie and Ryder are among them, both armed in preparation.
Harold has his usual hunting rifle propped on his shoulder, and he gives me a stern nod. “We’ll find your girl, Willow.”
“Please be careful,” I urge them all.
“You just wait here for an update.”
The group dissipates and Lola waves for me to come in. I’m barely able to climb the porch steps, my body sagging from wave after wave of adrenaline. She wraps her arm around my shoulders and bundles me inside.
“How long has she been missing? Who called it in?”
“Rachel noticed she wasn’t playing outside with Johan a little while ago,” she answers grimly. “There’s a good chance she heard us arguing earlier and ran off.”
Nodding through my tears, I try to seize hold of the courage that drove me out of that mansion. She has to be okay. We’ve come too damn far to give up hope now.
“Grams!” Killian bursts into the cabin.
