Page 115 of Hide And Seek

A sharp crack split the quiet as a twig snapped under my shoe.

Fuck.

Sutton and Grace’s heads whipped toward me, and I realized I had no choice but to pretend I’d just arrived.

I forced myself forward, stepping around the corner. “There you are,” I said, letting urgency edge into my voice. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

Grace scrubbed at her face, pulling in a shaky breath. “Thanks for coming for me,” she muttered. “I-I’m okay now.”

Sutton’s gaze was fixed on me, sharp and searching. “What did you hear?” she asked.

I frowned. “What?”

She took a step closer. “How much of our conversation did you hear?”

“Um… none? I literally just arrived.”

“Then why didn’t we hear you coming?” she asked, eyes narrowing.

My stomach twisted. “What?”

“You came around that corner acting like you’d onlyjustwalked up here. But I didn’t hear any footsteps in the last minuteor so. No leaves crunching. Just a twig snapping two seconds ago.” Her head tilted. “You must’ve been standing there for a while.”

“No.” I shook my head, forcing it to look natural. “Why would I do that?”

She ignored the question. “Even if youwerejust walking up to us, and we didn’t hear your footsteps, you still must’ve heard some of the conversation. Because Grace wasn’t exactly being quiet, was she?”

I swallowed hard. “I heard voices, but that’s it. They were too faint to make out anything.”

“You’re lying.”

I forced out a shaky laugh. “I honestly didn’t hear your conversation,” I said, lifting my free hand. “So if you’re sleeping with someone’s boyfriend, or addicted to pills, or whatever this is about, your secret is totally safe with me. Because I don’t even know what it is.”

Sutton’s cold, probing expression didn’t shift. “Has anyone ever told you what a horrible fucking actor you are?”

Yes. Today, in fact.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I said. “Now look, wereallyneed to get back inside. It’s not safe out here.”

Before she could say anything else, a male voice cut through the cool night air.

“Grace!”

All three of us turned.

Two figures had appeared between the cabins, moving quickly toward us. Jensen was in front, and Chris was right behind him, both of them scanning the shadows like they expected someone to lunge out at any second.

“There you are,” Jensen said as he reached us, relief and irritation tangling in his voice. “Everyone’s freaking out back in the hall. We told you not to go running off alone!”

Chris glanced between us, frowning. “C’mon, let’s get back before something—”

“We can’t go back yet,” Sutton cut in flatly.

Both guys looked at her.

“We’ve got a problem.” She folded her arms, eyes still locked on me. “Grace opened her mouth. And now Alissa knows.”

Jensen’s head snapped toward me. “Knows what?” he demanded.