Chapter 12 #2
He makes a pointed look towards the house with his eyes, and then narrows them when he realizes I'm not going quietly. His brows raise, face twisting, like he wants to ask me if I'm seriously going to fight him on this.
I am.
We eye each other for a few long moments, predators sizing the other. When I move, he moves with me, and soon we're slowly circling each other.
"I deserve to have some fun," I say.
"See, I don't think that's what you're doing at all," Nic says. "You're hiding something." We still circle each other. But I don't confirm or deny what he suspects. There's really no point anymore. He already knows something. Which is dangerous. For him and for me.
I fake a move forward, and Nicholas flinches as if he'd been ready and willing to chase me. "Don't," Nicholas says, his voice rough. "I'm tired tonight, Sage. Don't make me chase you."
"Why do you chase me?"
His face brightens, and he tries to hide his amused smile. When he speaks, he looks me directly in the eye, crushing me under the weight of his stare. "Because you want me to."
My mouth opens, ready and waiting for me to issue a denial. But I find I can't. The clarity and accuracy of that statement rings in my head like a gong has been struck. Shit.
"M-maybe I'll just fight you to get away then," I say, crossing my arms. My cardigan slips, dropping the sleeve down and exposing my bare shoulder. Nic doesn't miss the movement.
"You don't have the skills to disarm me."
"Perhaps not, but what you forget-" I turn and run.
Before I can even finish my sentence, while he's waiting for me to speak and not expecting it, I run like the wind.
My legs carry me as fast as they can, heading in the direction of the stone wall at the side of the property.
It's much farther from the road, but I hazard a guess that he won't be able to follow me if I can make it over.
"Where are you running to? There's nowhere to go over there, Sage!" Nicholas yells. The location of his voice tells me he's closer than I thought he would be, but he's still not close enough to catch me.
I smile as I run, nearing breathlessness. All my attention goes to that stone wall. Just make it to the wall. Make it to the wall.
"You're going to run right into the wall if you don't slow down," he yells again.
When we're close to the wall, I hear Nicholas' footsteps slow their pursuit behind me. I assume he's decided he doesn't have to pursue me so relentlessly when I'm heading towards a dead end.
But I keep my momentum, pushing, barreling for the wall.
When I nearly reach it, I veer slightly off course.
There's a raised bed of stone blocks encircling the garden beds and an overhanging trellis made of high wooden poles off on the right.
It leads back towards the house and into the rose garden.
But tonight it's going to lead me over the God damn wall.
I jump up onto the raised garden bed, feet nimble and skipping as I run along the tiny paved wall.
I don't slow down or stop as I reach the end, instead leaping to the overhanging trellis and catching the first rung.
It's far too high to reach usually, but with the height from the garden bed and my momentum, I just make it, swinging on the bar as my hands clutch for purchase.
Using all the strength in my core, I connect the bar with my gut and swing around on its edges until I reach the top of the trellis and can pull myself up to a standing position. Scaling the rungs like they are stepping stones, I pick up speed again.
"Sage..." Nicholas's voice becomes laced with alarm.
I continue to step along the rungs, now at the same height as the stone wall. Nic must see that my leap to freedom is nearing, and I know he has nowhere near the skills or the mobility to follow me.
"Sage!" Nicholas bellows.
I make the final leap of faith and glide through the air. I slam into the wall hard, securing my grip on the edges but knocking the air from my gut. With an exhaled breath I hurl myself up then scramble the rest of the way.
My breath comes in harsh pants when I finally stand up and steal a glance down at Nicholas. He's standing directly below, staring at me now that I'm far out of his reach. His eyes are wide and vicious.
"Get down off that wall," Nic breathes with deadly fury.
"Don't think I will," I smile.
"Get down or I will come get you down."
I laugh and throw my head back. "I'd like to see you try."
I sit down on the wall and dangle my legs. Even with that temptation he isn't able to reach me. He doesn't move, either. As if he knows it too. I rip off my running shoes and throw them down at him with a chuckle. He has to sidestep to dodge the blows each time.
The aggressive look on his face sends shivers down my spine. It is incredible.
"How's the view from down there?" I laugh, strapping on my heels and brushing out my hair with my fingers.
"Don't do this," Nicholas begs, and God does it pull at my heartstrings.
His eyes are full of worry and sincerity and I think if I asked, he'd get down on his knees and actually beg me not to do this.
My heart pulls me elsewhere tonight, though.
Not towards Nic. My safety is not the most important thing in the world right now.
I stand on the wall again and ready for the short jump down to the other side.
"Sage, please!" He yells again as I turn my back on him.
"Don't wait up," I say, and then leap.