I wish she understood that I don’t have a choice. Neither of us does. I don’t deserve someone so stubbornly willing to stay by my side. But I can’t keep her. I could never keep her.
ChapterSeventeen
Selena
The loud pickup truck idles nearby as I walk down the long road leading away from the house. It only creeps forward when I get too far ahead. I’m sick of being pushed away. I can make my own decisions and suffer the consequences of my own choices. But he can’t understand that.
“Come on, Selena, get in the truck.”
“I’m not getting in the truck, Lex. You want me gone, and I won’t sit beside you while you get rid of me.”
“I’m not letting you walk out here alone. Remember what I said about the predators out here?”
I roll my eyes. “Yeah, there are worse predators than you.” I scoff. “I think I’ll chance it. Maybe I’ll get taken by someone who doesn’t have commitment problems.”
The truck slams to a halt beside me.
“God, your age is showing. I donothave commitment problems.”
I swivel on my heels to stare at him, the darkness beginning to wrap around us as the sun goes down. “My age? Fuck you.” My steps kick up dust again. The headlights illuminate my back and cast a long shadow in front of me.
“I’m notfinewith it. But this is what has to happen,” he calls over the sound of the engine.
“Then let it happen!Bye!”I admit this outburst shows my age, but I don’t care anymore. None of it matters. “Don’t call yourself a predator when you can’t handle your prey.”
“I canhandlemy prey just fine. When they fucking listen,” he snaps, kicking up dust as he slams on the brakes again.
I laugh. “If you want a compliant woman, I’m a poor choice.”
“Were you?”
Oh, fuck him. How dare he throw my past in my face when I’ve never thrown his at him. Until now. “Real low blow, felon.”
I hear a heavy exhale from the truck. “I’m telling you one more time, Selena, get in the fucking truck so I can bring you to the bus station.”
I turn toward him. “No.”
Lex’s jaw ticks as if he’s controlling every ounce of what’s inside him that wants to punish me.
“How fast can a rabbit run? You want to play games? I’ll play too.” His voice is low and laced with frustration. His eyes roll up to meet mine, and he becomes the fierce predator once more, transforming in front of my very eyes. He throws the truck in park, turns off the ignition, and gets out, leaning against the door. “You may be faster, but I’m stronger. You’ll get tired before I even break a sweat.”
I look around. We’re in the middle of nowhere. Wire livestock fencing rises from every direction and as the darkness blankets the landscape, it blends into the blackness. Dark trees sway against the wind. Their leaves shake, sending an eerie rustling toward us on the breeze. It’s not like the chase in the morning, when the sky still hung low in gray light. I could see then, at least.
I don’t think Lex will hurt me—even when he gets rough in the bedroom, something holds him back—but his taut muscles ripple, making him look dangerous.
Real fucking mad.
“Ten,” he begins to count. “Nine.” There is a harshness in his voice that wasn’t there last time.
I survey the landscape once more and take off through a field behind me. From memory, I’m trying to recall the wire fencing’s location. I don’t think it stands in my way in this direction.
“Eight. Seven.” His countdown grows fainter as I race away.
Tall grass whips at my ankles. I take a sharp right, heading toward the trees. They beckon with their shaking leaves, inviting me to hide among the foliage and giant trunks. But it’s also darker beneath their canopies.
I hear a howl. It’s not an animal. No, it’s Lex...signifying the start of the hunt.
* * *