Page 123 of Hide And Seek
Nausea twisted through me, and my knees almost buckled.
“I think it’s time for some damage control now,” Rhys said softly, rubbing his jaw.
My gaze snapped back to him. “What?”
“How long have you known about me?” he asked.
“I… I didn’t know for sure,” I said, my voice unsteady. “But I started suspecting it last night.”
His gaze sharpened. “Did you tell anyone else?”
“No.” I swallowed hard. “It was just a suspicion, so I… I thought it was a bad idea to tell anyone.”
His fingers came up, closing around my chin and tipping my face toward his. “You’re such a bad liar,” he murmured, almost sounding amused. “Let me guess. You told Jasmine.”
“No. I swear.”
“I know you told her, baby. It’s all over your face.”
“Please, Rhys.” The words broke out of me, panic surging fast as tears burned my eyes. “Please don’t kill her. She won’t tell anyone else. She didn’t even want me to say anything, because she thought you might be innocent, and she—”
He cut me off. “I wasn’t planning on killing her,” he said, brows furrowing. “When I say damage control, I just mean I want to have a little talk with her.”
“Don’t lie to me,” I said in a hollow voice. “I know what you’ll do to keep her mouth shut. And I’m begging you.Don’t.”
He didn’t answer that. Just turned his head slightly, glancing off into the dark like he was recalculating something.
“The campground’s that way,” he said after a second, jerking his thumb in that direction. “I’m taking you to the groundskeeper’s cabin. But I need to know something first.” His eyes came back to mine, cold and steady. “Do I need to gag you? Or will you be a good girl and stay quiet for me?”
My throat tightened. For a second, I couldn’t get anything out at all. Then my shoulders sagged, something inside me giving way under the weight of everything that had just happened.
“I won’t make a sound,” I said listlessly.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. I promise.” I swallowed again. “I know what happens if I do.”
His brows lifted slightly. “Yeah? What’s that?”
“You’ll kill all my friends here. Jasmine, Wren, Tamsin, Jesse. Even if none of them were ever on your list.”
He lifted one shoulder in a nonchalant shrug. “You said it.”
The words settled like ice in my chest. I didn’t argue. Didn’t push. Just nodded once, because there was nothing else I could do.
“Good,” he said. “Let’s go.”
He reached for me again, and I flinched again before I could stop myself. His hand paused for a fraction of a second, then closed around my wrist anyway, firm but not rough.
Terrified for the others, and for Jasmine most of all, I forced myself into silence as we moved through the trees. By the time the groundskeeper’s cabin finally came into view, my legs were trembling so badly it was a miracle I was still upright.
Rhys didn’t slow as we approached. He led me straight up to the door, opened it without a sound, and pulled me inside after him, closing it just as quietly behind us.
He didn’t turn the light on, because even the smallest glow would bleed through the windows, and anyone desperate orcurious enough to step outside might notice. Might come closer. Might see us here.
I stayed by the door, barely breathing, trying to get my bearings as the faintest trace of moonlight slipped through the edges of the curtains, just enough to outline shapes. The bed. The sofa. The table. Rhys, still and watchful.
“How is this supposed to work?” I finally asked, my voice low and strained. “You can’t stay in here forever to make sure I keep my mouth shut, and you can’t take me back outside either, because someone could see me. And even if they don’t… what about food? I can’t survive on half of whatever Jasmine manages to bring. If she even brings you anything anymore.”
