Chapter 2
TWO
My feet screamed in protest, each step sending a sharp jolt of pain up my legs. But I didn’t dare stop.
The compound sat deep in the heart of two hundred acres of wooded land—a deliberate choice by Steele’s father, meant to keep outsiders away and insiders firmly trapped.
It was brilliant in its cruelty: isolated enough to ensure control, yet close enough to the highway to intercept anyone foolish enough to attempt escape.
The sound of sirens split the quiet night air, and I stumbled a bit.
It shouldn’t have surprised me that someone from the club had called in the fire department, and yet it did.
Steele hated outsiders. Except for the cops and politicians he quietly paid off, no one was allowed to enter without explicit permission.
Of course, it was possible that someone else had seen the smoke and called it in. Maybe this would work in my favor. Hopefully the men would be distracted by the arrival of the authorities and it would slow their pursuit of me. Spurred on by the small burst of hope, I pushed on.
The trek through the dense forest was brutal.
The ground dipped and rose unpredictably, the uneven terrain forcing me to slow my pace.
One wrong step could result in a broken ankle—or worse.
Low-hanging branches slapped at my face and hair, and briars clawed at the fabric of my clothes, snagging at the tender skin beneath.
I hastily pushed a limb out of my path, then hissed in pain as it snapped back, hitting me square in the face.
Lifting my hand to my lip, I gingerly probed at the wound, catching the tang of blood on my tongue.
Tears of pain and frustration glazed my eyes, and for a moment I was almost tempted to turn back.
Shaking away the weak, impulsive thought, I forged onward. It didn’t matter how long it took me to make it through the seemingly endless forest, I was going to escape this hell, one way or another.
My one consolation was that vehicles, even small UTVs, couldn’t traverse this land—it was too wild, too untamed. But on the other side, things would change.
I ran as fast as I dared until the trees began to thin and the moonlight grew stronger, dappling the ground like fragments of a broken mirror. My breath came in harsh, painful gasps. A stabbing pain splintered my side, and my legs felt heavy and sluggish, but I forced myself to keep moving.
The leaf-covered forest floor suddenly dropped away into a steep incline, the sheer edge of a cliff plunging into darkness below.
I skidded to a halt, arms pinwheeling for balance, dirt and loose stones sliding out from under my feet.
My heart leapt into my throat, and time seemed to freeze as I fought to stop myself from tumbling over the edge.
Throwing myself backward, I sat down with a hard thump.
Holy shit.
I sat there for several minutes, fingers curled almost desperately into the dirt beneath me, willing my pulse to slow.
Scooting closer, I peered cautiously over the edge.
Fifty feet below, I saw the faint outline of a road illuminated by the moonlight.
Relief surged through me, and a giddy smile curled my lips.
I’d made it.
From my spot on the edge of the cliff, I scanned the winding stretch of asphalt below for headlights, listening for the telltale rumble of engines. But the night was silent and still.
Pushing to my feet I walked along the cliff’s edge, searching for a gentler slope to descend.
Gliding my hands over the thick, rough tree trunks for balance, I inched my way downward.
The descent down the hill was slow and clumsy.
My boots slipped on loose dirt and damp leaves, and twice I caught myself on tree trunks before I could tumble the rest of the way down.
Branches scratched my arms and face as I pushed through the undergrowth.
The incline gradually grew less severe, and soon I was picking my way carefully down to the roadside, loose gravel crunching beneath my boots.
I recognized this road; I remembered it from when my father used to take me into the city as a child. Before Steele. Before my father died and I became a commodity, passed into Steele’s care like property.
For the past ten years, the compound had been my prison. Steele had made me his personal slave under the guise of protection. I cooked, cleaned, and kept Steele happy. Mostly, I just stayed out of the way.
He hadn’t shared me, and for that, I was grateful.
But his fidelity had been an illusion, a lie meant to keep me loyal while he toyed with others behind my back.
How long would it have lasted? Would he have cast me aside, given me to another club member when I was no longer of use to him?
The thought sent an icy shiver down my spine.
Suddenly, the rumble of engines filled the air, and every cell of my body froze. The sound of the Harleys was unmistakable.
Headlights suddenly cut through the inky blackness, slicing across the road and spilling into the woods. My heart stuttered, and I threw myself into the ditch alongside the highway. Tugging the hood of the sweatshirt over my blonde hair, I flattened myself against the ground.
Coolness from the damp earth seeped through my clothes into my skin, but I could only focus on the bikes roaring toward me. My breath turned shallow and frantic as they drew closer…
Closer…
I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the screech of brakes or the bark of angry voices.
Every cell of my body shook with fear, and it felt as if my lungs had seized in my chest. My pulse accelerated, the rush of blood in my ears blocking out everything but the rumble as the motorcycles drew even with me, then… flew by.
For several long moments I just lay there, frozen in place.
I didn’t dare move until the soft roar of the engines disappeared.
When the last strains drifted off in the distance, relief coursed through me like a drug, turning my limbs limp.
My breaths came too fast, my chest heaving as I tried to regain control.
Willing my shaky body to cooperate, I awkwardly pushed to my knees and lifted my face to the sky, sending up a silent thank you to every deity, spirit, and cosmic force out there. I hadn’t been caught. But I couldn’t afford to let my guard down. Not now. Not yet.
I clambered to my feet, my movements clumsy and frantic. My hands instinctively went to the back of my jeans, checking to make sure the envelope of cash hadn’t been lost in the scuffle. The soft crinkle of paper reassured me it was still there.
My head dropped forward on a harsh exhalation. Thank God. That money was my ticket out of this hell hole.
Glancing in the direction the bikes had gone, hope suddenly suffused my chest. Lights shimmered in the distance, drawing me like a moth to a flame. My legs burned, my lungs screamed for rest, but the thought of freedom spurred me on. I was so close; I couldn’t give up now.
The black of midnight slowly melted into the gray hues of early morning, the sky streaked faintly with the first hints of pink and orange. By the time I reached the outskirts of town, exhaustion had settled into my bones, making my feet drag with each step.
I stood at the crest of the hill, swaying slightly on my feet, my lungs burning from exertion coupled with the cool night air. Every muscle ached. My legs trembled with exhaustion. I wrapped my arms around myself and stared at those distant lights. So close… And yet impossibly far.
I wouldn’t make it.
The realization sank in my gut like a stone. I had been walking all night—stumbling through woods, climbing over fallen logs, slipping down muddy slopes. The adrenaline from the fire had burned away hours ago, leaving nothing but raw fatigue and the muted fear of being discovered.
Steele’s men would already be searching. They would spread out through the forest at first light. They knew these woods better than anyone. They’d track me the way they were trained—quietly and with deadly efficiency. And they never failed.
Memories of the fire flickered across my brain, and a lump formed in my throat. Had Steele survived? Or had I caused him to die? I shook the thought away. Whatever was done, was done. I couldn’t go back in time to fix things, even if I wanted to.
Turning my gaze back to the valley below, I searched for anything that might offer me shelter for the night. A cluster of houses sat at the base of the hill, their roofs barely visible through the early-morning fog blanketing the landscape.
I glanced at the lightening sky once more. If I could make it to the subdivision before dawn, I could hide somewhere… just for a little while. Decision made, I picked up my pace, keeping to the shadows as I moved along just inside the tree line.
By the time I reached the edge of the neighborhood, the sky was turning a rosy pink in the east. Most of the homes backed up to the woods, their fences forming a neat boundary between civilization and wilderness.
My gaze zeroed in on a tall wooden fence surrounding one of the backyards. It was easily six feet high, maybe more, made of solid boards with no gaps. I could hide without worrying about being spotted by any neighbors or passersby.
Still concealed within the trees, I approached slowly, listening intently for sounds of life. The soft hum of insects and the faint rustle of leaves in the morning breeze was the only sound that filtered toward me.
I placed my hands on the fence and pulled myself up just enough to peek over.
A pool shimmered faintly in the dim light, its surface still and glassy, patio furniture neatly arranged along the edge.
And… My heart leaped. A small shed sat nestled in the far corner of the yard, half-hidden by a line of bushes.
My hands slipped as a dog barked somewhere nearby, sending my heart slamming against my ribs, a splinter of wood cutting into my skin. I shook off the pain as another bark followed the first, closer this time.
I cast a quick look around for the dog. It was nowhere in sight. The sky brightened another shade.
It was now or never.
Hooking my fingers over the top of the fence I hauled myself up. My arms shook violently as I swung one leg over, then the other, scraping my knee on the rough wood as I dropped down into the yard.
Keeping low, I hurried across the yard toward the shed. The pool water reflected the growing light of dawn, casting pale ripples across the side of the house.
The shed sat tucked into the far corner, its back pressed against the fence line. I slipped behind it, pressing myself into the narrow strip of space between the wall and the bushes.
My entire body sagged as the adrenaline drained away. My legs folded beneath me and I sank down onto the cool ground, my back resting against the rough wooden boards.
The quiet felt unnatural after the chaos of the night, and for the first time in hours, I let myself breathe. I shifted slightly, curling into the corner where the shed met the fence, making myself as small and invisible as possible.
My eyelids grew heavy. My body ached for sleep with a desperation that bordered on pain. The long night caught up with me all at once, exhaustion crashing over me like a wave.