Risking Regret (Rebel Saviors #1)

Prologue

Annie

Nightfall darkened the sky hours ago, but the light of the moon illuminates my path like a runway. I weave through the trees as fast as I can, dodging branches and the long, stringy cobwebs dangling from them. Twigs snap beneath my wet shoes like landmines, broadcasting my location with every step.

I’ve put over a hundred miles of distance between me and my apartment, but that doesn’t stop me from looking over my shoulder every other second to make sure they weren’t closing in behind me.

My toe hits something hard, and I stumble, my hands slipping in the mud in a failed attempt to brace my fall. My forehead bounces off a rotting stump, and I cry out at the sharp ache.

I touch the skin above my eye and pull back my dirty hands to see red, but I don’t have time to deal with the bloody cut. I don’t have time for anything but running, so once again, I force myself to get back on my feet and go.

What feels like an eternity later, I finally hear the commotion of the town in the distance. I want to weep with relief, but until he’s close enough to touch, there’s nothing to be relieved about.

I clear the trees to an empty park and arrive in downtown Matchbook. There are buildings and a restaurant across the street, signs for the post office and police station, and a blinking stoplight. I feel safe enough to slow my pace while I limp through the playground on my throbbing ankle.

My lungs are tight, and my heart is pounding. It’s drizzling, cold, and windy. Shivering, I reach for the door and push the handle, knowing the man inside is the only one who can help me—he’s the only one who can save me…again.