29. Allie
Allie
I was a little bit out of breath as I followed Blake up the hill.
The trees closed in around us, the leaves all vibrant and beautiful. But I couldn’t appreciate the beauty right now.
Had Caden noticed I was gone?
I was almost out of chocolate. I was spreading the distance out a bit more before I dropped a piece, but any more, and I’d risk him not finding me.
Hell, I hoped no animals were eating it.
“Are we almost there?” I huffed out.
“Yeah.” Blake wasn’t even breathing hard.
We turned the corner on the trail, and he suddenly stopped.
A clump of rocks sat just off the track. He stepped closer, and pushed aside some sticks and dried leaves.
I spotted a black sports duffel bag.
He pulled it out and rested it on top of one of the rocks, then unzipped it.
It was filled with baggies. My mouth went dry. I could see some had pills and others were filled with white powder.
“So what’s your pleasure, pretty Allie?”
Shit, I didn’t know anything about drugs. I’d smoked weed a few times in high school but that was it. “Ecstasy?”
He nodded. “You got cash?”
“Back in my locker at the hotel.”
“Okay.” He handed me a baggie filled with several pills.
I took the baggie and stuffed it in my pocket. I needed to remember this location so I could bring Caden here and get the entire stash.
“I need to take a leak,” Blake said. “Don’t run off.”
He stomped into the trees. I quickly pulled out my phone and took a few pictures. I was sliding it away when he reappeared.
His gaze narrowed. “What are you doing?”
“Nothing.”
“You were taking photos.”
“No. God, you’re a paranoid prick. Can we just go?”
“Show me the phone.” His tone had turned cold.
My pulse kicked into overdrive. “No.”
He held out a hand. “Now.”
“Fuck off, Blake.”
His face twisted. Then suddenly, he backhanded me. Shit . His palm cracked against my cheek and I fell to one knee. My face throbbed.
I shifted and realized I was kneeling right beside the duffel bag.
“Allie, Allie, Allie.” Sticks crunched as he took a step closer. “I should have known you were playing me. You can’t play a player.”
I grabbed the duffel bag, leaped up, and ran.
As I bounded into the trees, I heard Blake shouting behind me. I picked up speed, sprinting as fast as I could, dodging around tree trunks.
I needed to get back to the hotel.
Running as fast as I could, I crashed through the undergrowth, branches slapping me in the face.
“I’m going to fuck you up, Allie.” Blake’s shout echoed in the trees. “No one messes with my business.”
My chest hitched, but I kept running.
Air was sawing in and out of my lungs. Ahead, I saw a small clearing and some rocks. I detoured around a boulder.
Suddenly, a weight tackled me from behind. I hit the ground with an oof .
No .
The duffel bag slipped from my hands.
“The game ends here.” Blake’s voice was low and angry in my ear. His weight pinned me to the ground. “I make too much money from my business to risk it. I’ve no desire to go and sit in a fucking cubicle being a lawyer like my father wants.”
Bucking my body, I tried to kick him off. But he was too damn heavy and too strong.
“Quit that.” He smacked a hand into the side of my head.
Ow . Pain throbbed through my face.
Then I felt him reaching around my body and in the pocket of my hoodie. He pulled out my phone, then tossed it into the trees.
He also pulled out the packet of pills.
He reared back enough to turn me over, then pinned me down again. He smiled. “You’re going to get to sample my goods. When they find you, you’ll be another sad statistic. An overwhelmed single mom who took the easy way out.”
No . I thrust my body up.
He jostled and almost overbalanced. With a growl, he pressed his forearm against my chest, shoving me back down.
This couldn’t happen. I couldn’t leave Ollie alone.
I didn’t want to leave Caden. We had something special, I knew it in my heart. If the stubborn man would just let me in. Let me love him.
I wasn’t going to let Blake Moreland ruin my life.
I kept fighting, but he was too strong.
He gripped my chin with one hand, holding my jaw still. Then he opened the baggie of pills with his other hand.
“Time take your medicine.”
“Fuck you.” I pressed my lips shut.
He shoved the pills against my mouth, mashing my lip against my teeth.
No.
His fingers squeezed cruelly into my skin. I tried to shake my head.
If you get those pills in your mouth, you die.
He squeezed my jaw harder, and slowly I felt my muscles giving way.
No. No. No.
I was going to die.
Then a gunshot echoed through the trees.