Page 57 of Our Covenant

“But you want to try, don’t you?” I make a slow circle around her. “You want the two of us to chase you down in the dirt and bring you back filthy.”

I watch as her thighs press tighter together.

“You want to feel the cool earth under your feet, knowing we’re hot on your trail.” Her breath hitches. I lean down to whisper just behind her ear, “Who do you think will come first? Me, Thorne . . .” I pull the hair from her shoulder and let the strands fall down her back. “Or you?”

She takes a sharp inhale. I lock on to Thorne. His shoulders are tense but he’s not stopping me.

“Ten . . . Nine . . . ,” I start.

“Thorne?”

“Eight . . . Seven . . . ,” I continue.

“You don’t have to run,” Thorne answers, giving her a way out that we all know she’s not going to take. “Go back upstairs and this is done.”

“Six . . .”

She turns around to face me, eyes pinging from Thorne to me before she takes a step toward the open door. “Finders keepers. Right?”

I nod. “Five . . .”

She dashes out the door, the last bits of light setting her hair aglow as it whips behind her.

26

ELSBETH

Stone pavers cut away to cold, packed earth only a few feet from the back door. I could turn around and end this before they catch me. But the frenzy of butterflies in my stomach pushes me forward. This is it. I could kill two birds with one stone.

My calves burn. The cold night air slices down my throat and stabs into my lungs. Stones and twigs bite into the balls of my feet, but I don’t stop. I can’t.

Thorne has never outpaced me at the gym, but he’s not the one gaining. Somehow, I can feel Maddox all around me. He’s under my bare soles as they hit the freshly cleared ground. In the wind hitting my face as I weave through the trees, trying as hard as I can to not just put distance but obstacles between me and the men getting closer. Even the wilted leaves clinging to my legs as I run father into the orchard feel like an extension of hands on my skin.

The spindly fingers of the trees snag at my shirt as I pass. Twigs snap under my heels but I hardly feel them. I’m numbed by rage and adrenaline. I can guess that my blood pumping this fast is the only thing keeping me from succumbing to the elements waring against me.

As I round another clump of trees, I see an old wood structure at the end of the path. The last bit of sunlight is sinking behind it to paint the tattered exterior with orange and red. I run toward it as fast as my legs will take me. I could hide, rest, and take off again, as long as they don’t catch me first.

My heart pounds to the beat of my feet hitting the earth beneath me, but the barn gets bigger and bigger as I get closer. A lightening in my chest adds to the burn in my lungs because I am so close. That is, until I stupidly look behind me.

Maddox is not only following me, but he’s barely jogging. The biggest smirk plays on his lips as he looks to his left, where Thorne is trailing behind both of us. I should have known this was going to be too easy for him when he left his shoes in the kitchen.

I refocus. The barn door is only a few yards away and there doesn’t seem to be a lock on it. I stretch out my arms and use my palms to cushion myself before plowing into it. The old, weathered wood is heavy, but I yank open the door then close it behind me.

It’s so dark inside, but I can make out large farm equipment. Some of it looks like it’s as old as the orchard itself. The tools on the wall are all worn and rusted, but the newer robotic fruit harvester looks to be battered from years and years of work.

I don’t bother trying to catch my breath. I need to find something to block the door. They’re going to break through it, but it’ll slow them down long enough for me to hide and get ready to run again. We all know they’re going to drag me back to that fucking house, but I’m going to make them work for it.

Pulling on the edge of a large barrel, I tilt it to the rim and roll it in front of the door. Something sloshes inside, and I have to hold on tight to keep it upright and not let it fall on my toes. Then two more. They won’t stop the door from opening outward, but they’ll have to open it wider than I did to get inside. Maybe they’ll leave it open to give me a quicker getaway.

There’s a loud singular slam on the door. Then one more. A warning that I take. I slink off to the ladder that leads up to the hay loft. The straw littering the wood floor feels warm and painful on my feet, but at least I know I haven’t developed frostbite yet. I lower myself to my belly and inch between two large rolls of straw and nestle into it. It’s cold at first but soon absorbs my body heat. My extremities start to tingle back to life with hundreds of tiny daggers of punishment. I’m going to need a very hot bath and cup of tea after this. Maybe I’ll even let Fox feed me like he’s been so desperate to do.

A third pounding on the door reaches me and finally Thorne enters.

He’s alone.

Where is Maddox?

Did they split up to look for me?