CHAPTER 3
EVIE
I don’t know how long I cowered in that tiny hiding place. It was a lot longer than the hour I had told myself I would wait. I just couldn’t bring myself to move. I hadn’t heard Soloman moving through the woods around me, but I knew he could move silently when he wanted to, and I was terrified if I moved and showed my location, he’d be waiting to jump out at me.
Night fell and the darkness got thicker until I found myself in pitch black beneath the trees. The temperature dropped rapidly too and I was shivering and shaking so much I feared Soloman would hear it and find me anyway. My hands and feet were numb and my entire body was tingling with the need to move, but I daren’t. I was terrified, and the longer I sat there, allowing my thoughts to run wild with possibilities, the worse the fear got.
I was continually checking the service on my cell, but it never changed. I had no bars and calls would not connect no matter how many times I tried.
Hours passed and eventually the shivering stopped. I was feeling drowsy and I knew that was bad. If my body wasn’t working to keep me warm by shivering, I knew I was in trouble. That was what got me moving in the end. I knew I had to try and warm myself up. If I stayed there I was going to slip into unconsciousness, then I would be screwed if Soloman came looking for me.
So I pushed through the terror and crept my aching body from the small hiding space. I moved slowly, stretching each limb to try and get it working again, hoping feeling would return to my hands and feet. My head was throbbing and I knew my face was swollen because I could feel it on the right side. I managed to get myself to my feet. I pulled my hood up over my hair, hoping to better disguise my blonde hair in the dark, then tucked my hands into my coat pockets. I felt drowsy and a little spaced out but I pushed through it as I started to move forwards very slowly. I stepped cautiously and listened for any small sounds of movement around me. It was slow going, but I refused to just run and make my location known. Slow and silent was going to win this race and I knew it.
I don’t know how far I walked, but after a while my body warmed up enough to start shivering again. I continued on, determined to get as far from where I had left Soloman as I could. Eventually the shivering stopped, this time replaced with a slight sweat breaking out on my skin. I was huffing and puffing, exhausted, but keeping it as quiet as possible. I didn’t want to relax, sure that was when he would leap out and grab me. I didn’t believe he would just give up and go back to wherever he came from. He would be as determined to find me, as I was to get away from him.
The sun started to rise, illuminating more and more woodlands ahead of me and all around. I checked my cell again, but still I didn’t have a single bar of service. I had no idea where I was or if I was moving towards civilization, or miles further from it. I was exhausted and once again freezing cold. I couldn’t move fast enough to keep myself warm anymore. My head was pounding with the headache from hell and I was terrified, sure with every step I took that Soloman was right behind me.
It was even worse in daylight. It made it easier for me to see where I was going, yes, but it also made it easier for Soloman to see me if he was coming after me. I forged on, too scared to stop, the whole time clutching the shard of plastic I had slipped into my pocket, tightly in my hand, determined to fight again if he found me.
Just after ten A.M. according to the time on my cell, I finally found a road. It was a bigger road than the one Soloman had driven in on. More like a two lane highway. I walked alongside it, keeping to the trees in case Soloman was driving the roads in search of me, the whole way watching my cell for service and the road for any car that wasn’t a blue Camry. But no cars came. The road was silent and deserted it seemed, a point made clear by the untouched snow that lay on it, not a tyre track in sight.
An hour later and my legs would barely move as I struggled to keep going. I was so cold, my limbs so stiff they would hardly move, and my hands could barely grip my cell to check for service. I was running out of battery too, the little sign at the top showing less than twenty percent remained. I wanted to just break down and cry, too exhausted to do much else, but I refused to allow myself to do it. I had to keep trying to get back to my guys. I had to keep fighting, just like I knew they would be fighting to find me.
I pulled the cell from my pocket again, forcing my hand to grip it, despite the stiffness and violent shivers that were plaguing me. I checked the screen, already resigned for there to be no bars, so I couldn’t contain my sobs when two tiny little bars flickered up. Refusing to miss the opportunity I hit the first contact I came to, which was Aleks, and cried even harder when it actually started to ring.
“Evie?” Aleks answered almost immediately.
“Aleks!” I sobbed, unable to contain my emotions at the sound of his voice.
“Evie, where are you? Are you okay?” he asked all at once.
“I…I’m o-kay,” I replied, my teeth chattering so hard, it made it even harder to speak through my tight throat. “I g-got away from him, but I…I don’t know if he’s f-follo-wing me and I’m sc-scared,” I admitted.
“I’m tracking the call. We’re coming for you, maleńka,” he assured me.
“Evie? Where are you? Can you get anywhere busy, like a store?”
“Kyle?” I gasped tearfully. “What are y-ou do-ing there?”
“Looking for you, little bit. Now take a breath and talk to me. Where are you?” he asked calmly.
“I…no. I’m in the m-iddle of no-where….a forest. No stores. I…I’ve been w-alking f-or hours,” I explained as I tried to keep a leash on my emotions.
“Are you hurt?” Kyle asked.
“I’m okay. C-old. Really fuc-king cold,” I laughed flatly.
“Ev. Aleks has your location. Kailan is with your brothers about thirty minutes from you and they’re already on their way. Nick’s not much further away too. They’re all coming for you. Can you hold on for us?” Harris asked softly.
“Yeah,” I sighed with relief. They were coming for me. “I…I’ll hide. I’ll b-e alright.”
“Where’s Soloman? Is he following you?” Aleks asked.
“I do-n’t know. I…I stabbed him and r-an. I hid m-ost of the n-ight and I…I didn’t hear him loo-king f-or me, but he c-ould be,” I explained as I looked behind me, terrified he’d be right there. “I’m scared, Har-ris. I j-ust want to come h-home,” I whimpered, too exhausted to be strong anymore. I just wanted my guys to get there and sweep me up in the safety of their arms.
“I know, sweetheart. You’re doing so amazingly. Just a little longer, okay? A little longer and Kailan will be there. Just hold on for me…for us, okay?”
“How did he f-find me? How did he know?” I squeaked through my tight throat. I moved away from the road and hid behind a large oak tree. As hiding places went, it sucked, but at least I wasn’t in the open. I leant my exhausted body back against the trunk and took a deep breath to try and keep back the tears.
“Mom.” Kade spoke up. “She wanted to know where you were. She found your letter from Harris and looked up the location of the house online, after she spoke with you the other night. She didn’t realize the risk. She just wanted to know where you were,” he explained.
“Oh God,” I whimpered. I didn’t blame my mom. How could she know Soloman was likely monitoring their computers?
“She told us before we left. She was so sorry, Evie. She never meant for this to happen,” Kyle added.
“I know. It’s o-kay. He w-as go-ing to f-ind me any-way.” I pulled the cell from my ear and looked at the screen. “I should h-ang up and save the bat-tery. I only h-ave ten percent left,” I told them.
“Okay, but keep it turned on, okay?” Aleks spoke up. “Kailan and your brothers are getting closer. They won’t be long. Just stay out of sight until you hear Kailan’s loud mouth, yeah?” he told me.
“Yeah,” I laughed tiredly. “I can’t wait to hear that loud mouth.”
“He’s coming, kochanie. Just hold on,” Aleks promised. I agreed, then hung up quickly before a sob slipped free. Just hearing their voices was breaking me. All I wanted was their arms around me.
I sank down, too exhausted to make my legs hold me up any longer, and curled up in an attempt to keep myself warm, hidden behind the tree and praying Kailan and my brothers arrived before Soloman did.
I must have either dozed off, or given in to unconsciousness, but either way, I was startled awake by the sound of a car approaching. I stayed hidden, holding my breath, too afraid to look around the tree in case it was Soloman who was driving down the road. I listened as the car stopped, then doors opened and slammed closed.
“EVIE?” It was Kailan. I’d know his voice anywhere. Tears of relief streaked down my face as I fought to get to my feet, my legs shaking hard beneath me. I looked around the tree and saw him ahead, stalking from the road towards the woods.
“Kailan!” I gasped, then I was running. It was clumsy and slow, but I didn’t care. I just needed to get to him. He saw me instantly and started running too, his long legs eating up the distance between us until he was right there, pulling me into his arms and lifting me from the ground. I wrapped my arms around his neck and clung to him tightly as I just sobbed hard.
“It’s okay, darlin.’ I got you. You’re safe now. I’ve got you,” he soothed as he pressed my head against his shoulder and kissed the top of it.
“Evie?” I felt a hand at the small of my back, and lifted my head, turning to look at Cole and Matt who both stood there. Xander was walking up behind them too. They looked the same. Tired and stressed out, but the same.
“You’re here,” I whimpered as I unwrapped myself from Kailan and turned to face them all. I launched myself at Cole first, since he was closest and he wrapped me in a crushing hug.
“I’ve missed you so fucking much, half pint,” he told me emotionally. He held me for a moment, then handed me off to Matt, who held me just as tightly.
“You gotta stop scaring us, Evie. We’re getting old. Our hearts can’t take it,” he told me as he held me.
“I’ll d-do my best,” I sniffled with a smile.
“Are you okay, Evie? Your head?” Xander asked as he held me at arm’s length and looked over my injuries.
“Just hug me, Xander, please,” I told him, but I didn’t give him much choice when I launched myself at him. I clung to him tightly, basking in the familiarity of his aftershave and his warmth. They made me feel safe, just like they always had and I was so happy they were there. I had missed them so much.
But as soon as I pulled away I gravitated back to Kailan, and was relieved when he wrapped his arm around me and pulled me into his side. I just felt safest with him. Maybe it was because he had been at my side for the last week. Maybe it was because he had shown me how much he got my darkness. Or maybe it was the rapidly building feelings between us. All I knew was I needed him at my side in that moment.
“Have you seen any sign of that fucker, Evie?” Xander asked as he looked out into the forest.
“No. Nothing, Maybe…Maybe I k-killed him,” I whispered.
“We’ll wait for Nick and the cops. They can check the area for him. Let’s wait in the car and get you warm, while we do though, okay?” Kailan suggested.
“Is Zack alright?” I asked as he led me to the truck, the others all following behind us.
“He’s fine. He’s safe at home with Aleks and Harris,” he assured me. We were almost to the truck when I tripped over something- probably my own feet – and almost went down. Luckily, Kailan was faster, and he scooped me up and cradled me to his chest.
“Evie?” he gasped as he looked down to me with worry.
“Sorry. I’m j-ust cold…and r-really tired,” I told him weakly.
“Here,” Cole said as he shucked off the thick puffer coat he wore and wrapped it around me in Kailan’s arms.
Kailan moved to the truck and climbed into the back. Settling me on his lap and tucking Cole’s coat even tighter around me.
“Start the engine and crank the heat,” he told Matt, who climbed in the front and started the car. Xander got in the back next to us, while Cole sat up front. They all turned to look at me with concern.
“How did you hit your head?” Xander asked as he leaned over me and started poking the lump on my head.
“Ow!” I cried as I pushed him away. “He hit me….and yes, it fucking h-urts!” I growled.
“Sorry. Did you lose consciousness?” he asked. I shook my head, which was a bad idea with how hard my head was pounding. “We should get her to the closest ER to be safe.”
“No,” I croaked. “No hospital. I’m okay. I just want to go home.”
“We’ll get you home, little sis. But Xand’s right. You should get checked out properly. You’ve been through a lot,” Cole told me.
“Mom’s going to freak when she sees you. She’s missed you so much,” Matt added.
“I’ve missed h-her too. I’ve missed all of you, but I…” I looked to Kailan, feeling guilty about what I was about to say, but unable to deny myself the truth. “I…don’t m-ean home in Chicago. I mean here….w-with the guys. I…I’m not ready to go back to Chicago yet.”
“What? What are you talking about? Why don’t you want to come home?” Cole asked.
“I just f-feel safer here….I don’t know,” I buried my face into Kailan’s chest, not able to explain why I needed to stay with the guys. I just knew that was what I wanted. Of course I wanted to see my parents too, but I wasn’t ready to be away from the four men who made me feel safer than anyone or anything else could.
“How about we discuss this later, when Evie’s had some rest? She’s exhausted,” Kailan suggested. I looked up at him with tear filled eyes.
“You d-don’t want me to stay?” I asked, feeling hurt.
“Of course I do. That’s all I want right now, beautiful girl. I just meant we don’t need to discuss it right now,” he assured me. He leant forwards and placed a kiss on the end of my nose, making me smile just a little in relief.
“Is something going on with you two?” Matt asked, sounding pissed.
I turned to face him, grimacing at the pain that caused throughout my body.
“Easy, darlin’,” Kailan warned as he rubbed a hand up and down my back soothingly.
“Please don’t, Matt. Not now. I’m too tired,” I begged. I curled back up against Kailan and closed my eyes, not wanting to see just how pissed off my brothers were in that moment. I hadn’t wanted to upset any of them, but I’d had a hell of a night and every part of me hurt. All I wanted was to feel safe and warm, and no one could do that like Kailan could right then.