I lift myself off the ground, but when I hear movement close by, I drop back down, holding my breath.
To the side, a small flash of light from a phone can be seen.
“Fisher, you need to get back. She’s gone. I am looking.” He pauses mid-step, glancing around. “She stabbed him. Fucking stabbed him. No. He’s knocked out.”
He takes another step away, and I begin to relax, slowly rising to my knees. Twigs snap, echoing around the forest, and I grimace, holding my breath.
Fuck!
There’s a stream close by, I can hear it. All I need to do is get there and follow it downstream, where I’ll be able to find help.
Slowly, I tilt my head to the side, in Kyle’s direction, hoping he hadn’t heard me.
My hope is short-lived when I watch him swivel in my direction, turning on the torch on his phone.
It shines in my direction, and I hear him curse, moving towards me.
“Fuck,” I grouch, blowing out a breath as I get to my feet and push off into a run, Kyle chasing me.
If he doesn’t kill me, running fucking will.
Or I’ll kill him for making me run.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
My lungs burn as I push my legs harder, dodging trees and bushes. There’s no clear path, no guide or trail to follow. And the deeper I push into the forest, the thicker the bushes, stingers and weeds get.
The rain isn’t my friend either. It’s making the ground soggy and my clothes heavy. The only good thing about it is the relief I’m getting from it pouring over my heated body.
I slow into a jog before stopping completely, resting my palms against a tree as I duck my head, panting for air.
Glancing over my shoulder, I scan the area, checking for Kyle. I don’t see him, but it doesn’t mean he isn’t there. He’s fast, too fast. I only managed to escape by zigzagging my way through the forest, hoping by chance he would lose me. He did. But I know it won’t be long until he catches up again.
They always do.
Sliding my back against the tree, I drop to my arse, resting. My eyes close as I take a deep breath in and exhale.
I’m not made for this. I warned my parents when they refused to write a letter to excuse my absence from P.E. that exercise would be the death of me.
I bet they regret calling me dramatic now.
I have never felt intense pain like I do right now in my legs. My thighs are screaming at me to stop, to put them out of their misery. I’m certain I have cramp in my vagina. I hurt all over.
Instinctively, I palm the side of my head, a hiss slipping through my lips at the surge of pain. When I pull away, my hand is covered in blood. It isn’t the only thing bleeding. I must be covered all over with it, and I don’t think all of it is mine. My favourite fucking shirt is not only dirty but splattered in Low’s blood.
I’m never going to get this fucking out. And it isn’t the season to go buy a new one.
I shoot up when the crunch and crack of snapping twigs echoes through the air. My eyes widen as a spot of light in the distance shines. It’s Kyle, still shining the light from his phone.
I am done.
I’m done running.
As quietly as I can, I crawl around the tree, ducking out of sight when his figure becomes more solid.
He’s close, but so is the stream. The whoosh of running water is my only hope. I only have to get to there and I’ll be able to find my way back to a town. There’s no way I’m going to die in the woods because I got fucking lost. That is not how my story is going to end.
“Where the fuck are you?” Kyle roars, and for a second, I think he’s talking to me, but then he continues. “I’m not going down for this, for you. Yeah? Then where the fuck are you? Okay.” He pauses, and I watch him drop the phone to his side, tilting his head back. “Fuck!”
My palms sting as I blindly feel around the ground for a weapon, careful not to make any noise.
I can’t keep outrunning him. My soaked clothes are weighing me down, making it harder to move.
He doesn’t even sound out of breath, whereas my heart is doing overtime, struggling to catch a breath.
I have to fight.
And as much as my dad is going to give me shit for putting myself at risk, he also taught me fight or flight. And right now, it’s fight. All I have to do is injure him enough to slow him down.
Hell, if it wasn’t raining, I’d climb a tree and hide out until my dad got here, but I’m not risking my neck over that whooped ass.
I inwardly groan at my choices of weapon. All I have around me that I could potentially use are sticks, branches, stones, and a shit load of ivy.
I force as many stones into my pockets as I can, which isn’t many, since today, of all days, I decided to wear the tightest pair of fucking jeans I owned.
They couldn’t have kidnapped me on a Simba pyjamas and hoody day?
I want to cheer when my fingers wrap around a thick branch, heavy, yet not so big I can’t lift it up. It’s the perfect size.
Slowly, I get to my feet, using the tree for support, before resting my back against the bark, listening to the sounds of Kyle’s boots drawing closer.
“May the odds be in my favour, motha’ fucka’,” I whisper, barely audible.
It’s his light that shines first, next to where I’m standing, so slowly, I raise the branch over my shoulder.
His footsteps get closer and I hold my breath, my heart raising as I steady my hands. Seconds later, his foot comes into view, crunching down on the leaves and twigs, and I swing the branch with as much force as I can muster, aiming for his face.
A squeak passes through my lips when I step out of hiding and see I only hit his chest.
He looks up, his eyes hard.
“How fucking tall are you?” I snap, swinging the branch again.
He sees it coming this time, catching it in his hand while his other snaps out, gripping around my neck like a vice.
“You silly fucking cunt,” he growls, throwing the branch away.
“Can’t breathe,” I rasp, my toes trying to find purchase on the ground.
This is not how I saw this playing out. Not one single bit.
“I’m going to snap your fucking neck,” he spits, baring his teeth. “That was my cousin you fucking stabbed tonight.”
“Y-you say t-that like I’m s-supposed to c-care,” I stutter, fighting for another breath.
I shoot him a venomous look when his grip tightens. Lifting my arms, I slap my palms as hard as I can over his ears, stunning him. He howls, and when he loosens his grip, I use his distraction to my advantage by kicking him in the balls.
I grunt in pain as I drop to my arse on the cold, wet ground.
“You fucking slag,” he shrieks, falling to his knees.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” I gasp out, breathing hard.
I use the balls of my feet to push back, twisting my body to the side to try and force myself up. I feel weak, my legs like jelly.
He continues to choke behind me yet still manages to snatch my ankle tight, dragging me towards him. I claw at the ground, forcing myself to move forward, but to no avail.
Screaming out, I reach for the stones in my pocket, lobbing them at him one after the other as I kick out.
I’m tiring. My entire body is. Yet it’s all I can do. The adrenaline pumping through my body is giving me no choice but to kick out, even if every kick feels like hitting rock.
Frustration pours through me when he continues to overpower me, crawling over my body like he has every God given right. My hips twist side to side as he straddles the bottom of my legs, blocking me from using them.
“Get the fuck off me, you little bitch,” I shrill, slapping at him with no direction. I hit anywhere I can reach, not stopping.
“It’s nothing personal,” he sneers, punching me in the gut.
“Oh, this is so fucking personal. And you have no idea what hell you’ve just rained down on yourself,” I scream, sitting
up long enough to grab his face, digging my nails into skin.
Spasms rock his body as I dig my thumbs into his eye sockets, using enough pressure to cause pain yet not enough that I have to deal with eyeball goo and blood on my thumb for the rest of my life.
A bloodcurdling scream tears from his throat as he pulls back, dropping to the ground on his side.
“I’m going to rip your insides from your body with my bare hands,” he roars, so loud it echoes through the trees.
I kick him the rest of the way off me before rolling to my hands and knees and standing on shaky legs. I bend over, looking down at him curled into a fetal position, and scoff.
“You should have done your homework before coming after me, but then that would mean actually doing work,” I snap, bending down to pick up his forgotten phone.
I race off into the darkness, pulling the flashlight out of my pocket when I get far enough away to turn it on.
Stopping for a moment, I quickly dial Dad’s number before continuing to run parallel to the stream.
“Not a good time,” Dad snaps in greeting.
“Dad, it’s me again,” I pant. “Are you close?”
“Are you dying? Why do you sound like you’re dying?” he asks, his tone going high.
“What?” Liam yells.
“I’m running,” I grouch. “That’s why.”
“Didn’t I tell you to listen to me? Didn’t I?” he gloats.
“Dad, what’s happening?” Liam yells.
“I told you to stay in shape,” Dad finishes.
“Are you fucking kidding me right now, Dad? And there’s nothing wrong with my body. It’s a fucking hot body and I don’t feel the need to torture it.”
“Just saying. Let this be a lesson to you.”
“I didn’t ask to be kidnapped,” I sputter, ducking under a branch.
“Well, you sound like you’re dying. How did you get free? You are free, right?”
I grin, stepping past a rock. “I stabbed one in the leg, twice, knocked another out, and just clawed the eyes out of another.”
“I’m proud, baby girl. Please tell me it was this Fisher guy who you stabbed.”
“She stabbed a guy?” Liam squeaks, sounding closer to the phone. “Why does she have all the fun?”
“No, it wasn’t. I don’t know where he is, Dad. And it won’t be long until Kyle comes after me again. Fucker is tall.”
“Where are you?”
The low battery warning rings in my ear, and I groan. “Dad, the battery is going to die any second. I’m heading downstream—”
A hand smacks into my windpipe, knocking me off my feet and to the floor. I inhale sharply, staring up at the trees and night sky, stunned.
“Hayden? Hayden?” I hear Dad yell from the phone next to me on the ground.
My hand rests on my throat as I gasp for air, struggling to focus on the figure looming above me.
When Fisher comes into focus, stamping his foot over the phone, I glare, gritting my teeth together. “Are you fucking kidding me?”
Pure anger radiates from him as he watches me in annoyance. “You’ve been more trouble than it’s worth. I guess I’ll have to end you myself.”
The kick to my side has me rolling over. It feels like sharp blades stabbing into my lungs.
I blow leaves and dirt out of my mouth before tilting my head to the side and narrowing my eyes at Fisher. “You should never have sent a man to do a woman’s job.”
“That’s not the—”
“Kung fu, mother fucker,” I rasp, kicking my leg out as hard as I can, aiming for his groin. I hit my target perfectly.
A cry escapes my lips at the pain shooting up my leg. I don’t wait for him to recover or pick up the torch or phone. I push up, shakily taking a step, then another, before pushing into a run, my entire body feeling like jelly.
I know it won’t keep him down for long. Men like him always manage to find a way back up.
My dad will come.
He always does.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
CLAYTON
The dark sky rumbles with thunder above us, the lightening illuminating the top of the trees. Rain comes down in sheets, making it hard for us to see past the headlights.
If this isn’t a bad omen, I don’t know what is.
Leaves and fallen twigs scatter across the road and car as the wind pushes them around and out of the forest.
It’s crazy, and Hayden, my wild card, who I have come to know and love, is out in it, having God knows what done to her.
Images, none of which are good, are running through my mind. I need to get to her. Not knowing if she’s okay is killing me, and for the first time in my life, I feel a rage inside of me that I have never felt before.
I might be an uptight guy when it comes to work, but I never get angry. I’m not one of those guys who finds joy in pounding on another guy. Right now, it’s all I can think about. I want to wrap my hands around the neck of the guy who is responsible for all of this.
She might be feisty, but she’s small. There’s only so much she can take, not only to her body, but to Hayden as a person. Even the strongest can break.
A message from Walker pops up on Beau’s phone.
I lean forward, replaying the message to Beau, who is driving. “They’ve found Rob. He was tied up not far from the cattle market. Apparently, they planned to go back to untie him once they had the go ahead from Fisher. I guess the kids are already talking.”
“Fuck!” Beau growls, sagging back against his seat. He grips the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white. “It was so he wouldn’t have an alibi for his whereabouts. Fisher made sure all the evidence would point to Rob.”
His phone rings, cutting the rest of what he was going to say off. I swipe my finger across the phone to answer when I see it’s Max.
“Do you have her?” I rush out, leaning forward in my seat.
“We’re here. There’s a burnt-out car not far from where the last phone signal was. Liam has called your boss to bring others here. They’re on their way.”
“What about Hayden?” I growl, tapping my foot relentlessly on the mat of the car. “Is she okay?”
“Don’t take that tone with me, fancy pants. I’m going to find her. She’s my daughter. Which is how she managed to get a phone and call me. She’s heading downstream, whatever fucking direction that is,” he explains, sounding out of breath.
“Stop the car!” I blurt out, unclipping my belt.
Beau hesitates. “We’re nearly there.”
“What’s pretty boy crying over now? Hayden hates sissies, you know,” Max interrupts.
“She’s going downstream,” I yell, stressed because none of them seem to be as strung up as me about this. Hayden is in danger. “Stop the car, now, Beau. I’m going to head into the woods from this end. We’ll have more chance of finding her.”
“Shit! He’s right. Pull over,” Landon barks.
Beau pulls over to the side of the road, clicking on his hazards. “Quick, I’m going to carry on and meet Liam and the others.”
We jump out of the car, into the pouring rain, and race across the road, taking a leap up the wall made of stones, branches and wire.
My fingers slip on the rock above me, and I lose my footing. Hanging on by one hand, I struggle to keep a grip until a hand wraps around my wrist, pulling me up.
“Cheers.”
He grunts, not looking impressed. “You really should start working out. Hayden is always getting herself into crazy situations.”
“I do!” I snap, pushing off the ground and into a run, holding my phone out with the torch on.
“And a word of warning,” he yells, wiping rain from his face. “You hurt her and survive what she will do to you, me and Liam will come for you.”
“Got it,” I hiss, before mumbling, “Loud and clear.”
After sprinting for a good five minutes through the heavy rain, we come to a stop.
“We could be l
ooking in the wrong direction,” Landon snaps before cupping his hands around his mouth and yelling, “Hayden!”
“Shush,” I order, holding my index finger up when he goes to moan at me again. “Listen!”
The sound of gushing water echoes in the air, letting us know we are close. With recent floods, the stream that was there was probably deep enough to swim in and is no doubt flowing too fast for Hayden to cross it.
My gaze locks with Landon’s when the wind carries the sound of a tortured scream. We both barrel towards the sound, our feet picking up dirt as we fly through the trees.
The sound of the stream gets louder, the water angrily flowing downstream when we shoot through a small clearing.
Up ahead, Hayden comes into view, and a smile pulls at the corner of my lips. So much relief pours through me that I slow a little, taking in the moment, glad she’s okay.
She’s really okay.
I hadn’t allowed myself to let all the fear in. I locked it in a box and closed it away, knowing that if I let it in, I wouldn’t be able to think straight.
My smile drops the second a man steps into view, stepping closer to Hayden. My heart catches in my throat when she sways, looking weak and tired.
“I’ll get you for this,” she screams, clawing at his face when he grabs her.
“Hayden!” I yell, swallowing down the fear.
His reply is drowned out by the thunder rumbling in the sky, the sound bouncing off the trees. I push myself harder, keeping in line with Landon as we race to get her.
When the guy—who I assume is Fisher—grabs her around the neck and begins to walk her backwards, so she’s at the edge of the raging water, terror sucks the air from my lungs.
“No, no, no,” I repeat when I realise we aren’t going to reach her in time. “Hayden!”
Just as we’re metres away, Max comes speeding through the trees, using the distraction of me calling out to her to tackle Fisher to the ground.
My heart shudders in relief, until my gaze lands back on Hayden. Her eyes widen as she realises she’s going to fall, her arms flailing in the air.
“No!” I scream, not knowing how far that fall goes.
“Hayden,” Landon roars.
Hayden (A Next Generation Carter Brother Novel Book 4) Page 29
