Innocence Road

Chapter One

One

Most of all she regretted the drink.

Sour tequila clogged her throat as she stumbled through the desert. The rocks were sharp under her feet, but she kept going, moving through the darkness with her cell phone gripped in her hand.

Something sliced her thigh, and she tripped to the ground. An agave? She scrambled up, clutching the phone like a lifeline. She checked the screen. Still no signal.

Somewhere behind her, an engine groaned. He was getting closer. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw twin white beams bobbing in the distance.

She ran through the blackness, knowing that at any second she could fall off a cliff.

How could it be so dark out here? She kept going, ignoring the cramp in her side as her lungs started to burn.

Spears of yucca stabbed at her, but she ignored those, too.

She had to hide, to make herself invisible.

If she could just flatten herself into the ground.

She thought of Jordan’s worried face. Are you sure?

I’m fine. Really.

Headlights found her, and the world lit up white. Panic took hold, and her breath came in shallow gasps. No escape now. Still she plowed through the brush until her heart wanted to burst.

Then the roar filled her ears. Right on top of her, nowhere left to run. She hunched her shoulders and braced for impact, but the truck veered wide and skidded to a stop.

Everything went still. She didn’t move, didn’t breathe.

A spotlight hit her face. She blinked at the brightness as fear sucked the air from her lungs. She couldn’t see him—only the blinding beam and the glint off the gun barrel.

“You shouldn’t have done that.” His voice was low and tight. But calm.

Jordan was right. He really was crazy.

“Please,” she squeaked. “I’m sorry.”

No response. Just a soft click as he cocked the gun.