Chapter 20 - Nikki #3
She stumbled, nearly falling into a ravine below.
She squealed, rocking back on her heels to keep from tumbling down, but managed to get her footing and stared down.
The ravine wasn’t too far, but the slope was steep, and the bottom looked rocky.
She wouldn’t die from falling, but she would be injured, and any chance of escape would be gone.
Her heart thundered from exertion. She twisted, looking to run along the crevice. But before she could start moving, crunching brush sounded behind her. She turned to see Vincent staring at her, smirking.
“Got you,” he said, not looking like he had broken a sweat.
She waited in place. Every inch of her wanted to run, but she stayed still.
“It’s over, Nikki,” he said. “Why don’t you just admit that and come back quietly. We don’t even have to tell Lucas if you come back with me now.”
She glowered. He was right, though. She knew it. She couldn’t run anymore. She was exhausted and knew that Vincent would outrun her in this condition. But she wasn’t giving up. There was still one trick she could use. She jutted out her chin and stared Vincent down.
“If you want me, you’ll have to come get me,” she said.
Vincent grimaced. “I was worried you were going to say that,” he sighed.
He lunged for her. This time, though, instead of sprinting away, she waited, heart thundering in her chest while she gritted her teeth, biding her time.
She stayed like that until the very last moment. Milliseconds before his hands would have grasped her shoulders, she dipped out of the way. A confused Vincent slipped past her and kept going. Unlike her, he didn’t manage to stop himself before tumbling down the ravine.
Vincent let out a cry of shock and alarm. She heard rocks dislodging and skittering down the steep slope, and she heard Vincent’s grunts of pain as he continued tumbling. A couple of moments later, there was a dull thump below, then the final spilling rocks came to a halt.
She panted, staring down the ravine. She could see him moving down below. He was alive, at least, but there was no way he would be able to get to her. She would let Jasper and the others know where they could find him once she got back to town.
Taking a deep breath, she began to walk away.
It didn’t take long for her to realize she was completely lost. She had no idea where the road was, or anywhere to go that wouldn’t get her lost in the woods for years.
The only thing she could remember for certain was the way she had charged through the woods from the cabin.
As much as she hated it, she needed to go back there if she wanted to have any chance of finding the road again.
So, exhausted, she trudged back toward the cabin. From there, she could take the other path down.
She moved quickly, not sure how long Vincent would be trapped down in the ravine. After less time than she would have expected, considering how long his chase had felt, she could see the cabin peeking out from the woods.
As she cleared the final line of trees, her heart jumped into her throat at the sight that greeted her.
The SUV sat in front of the cabin.
She could barely breathe. The men were already back? How long had she been in the woods? She retreated back, concealing herself behind the trees while she tried to get a grasp on the situation and figure out a new plan.
Twisting, she came to a screeching halt, her stomach plummeting.
Lucas was staring at her, glowering from a few feet away.
“What are you doing out of your room?” he sneered.
Once again, like the night Jasper had saved her, she froze, fear and paralysis digging into her. A lump formed in her throat, and she could barely breathe. She swallowed, going pale.
He took a step forward. “You broke my window. I’ll have to punish you for that.”
She glowered, jutting out her chin. “Good luck with that. Touch me, and I’ll tear you to shreds.”
It was a hollow threat. She could only do so much with her hands and feet chained, and she certainly couldn’t shift. Based on Lucas’s unthreatened expression, he knew it as well.
“You know, I thought that backbone of yours was cute. Now I’m starting to see it’s just a nuisance. It seems I’m going to have to keep you on a shorter leash.”
There was none of that playful, mocking tone in his words this time. Nothing but anger and derision.
He stalked forward, and her paralysis snapped. Before she could think or second-guess herself, she spun on her heels and sprinted away.
Lucas, however, was ready for her. Within seconds, his hand wrapped around her neck and pulled her back. His arm wrapped around her stomach, pinning her against him.
“You’re going to pay for this,” he rasped in her ear while she struggled to get away. “You need to learn how to listen.”
Gritting her teeth, she drove her foot back and into his shin. Howling, he released her, and she dashed away again. But he managed to grab her once more before she had gotten a handful of feet away. He grasped one manacled wrist and jerked her back toward him, snarling at her.
“You’re mine,” he growled. “And the sooner you accept that, the better for everyone. Now, come along before you make this worse for yourself.”
She struggled again, trying to break his grasp despite knowing there was nothing she could do at this point. Ignoring her screams and struggling, he dragged her back into the cabin.