Page 102 of Wicked Games

Pop!

Pop!

Pop!

Time seems to grind to a halt as I look around the yard, trying to find the source of the noise as everyone drops to the ground. Another pop rips through the air and it finally dawns on me that it’s gunshots.

Someone is shooting at us?

I still can’t process what’s happening around me as Storm stands up and yells, “Get to the trees and stay low!”

Everyone begins running, all of us heading in different directions as another pop fills the air. My heart thunders in my ears as I turn to the forest behind me and start running, my feet working with no instruction from my brain which is still trying to fit all the pieces of the last five minutes together.

Pop!

A searing hot pain slices through my arm and I cry out as I slap my hand over it and glance down. Blood trickles over my fingers before falling to the ground. The pain is unbearable and when I try to move my arm, it radiates up to my shoulder and I release a sob as tears drip down my face.

Oh my God.

I’ve been shot.

A part of me wants to freeze, crumple to the ground, and cry but I know staying out here in the open is the worst place to be so I push myself to keep running, my heart thundering in my chest as tears sting my eyes and I tuck my arm into my side with my other hand. When I finally make it to the safety of the tress, I slip behind one and lean back against it as I clench my teeth to get through the pain. My breath rings in my ears as I gasp for air and I turn, peeking out into the yard again, searching for danger but it’s empty now. Everyone else has scattered into the forest just like me and I turn away, squeezing my eyes shut as I try to think of what to do.

I have no idea where anyone went and the threat could be anywhere. A twig snaps from somewhere off to my left and my eyes snap open, searching the darkness but I still can’t see anything and I shake my head as my chest aches.

Okay…

I have to make a decision. If someone is out there, watching me right now, it’s stupid to stay here in this spot and wait for him to find me but if there is no one there, if my mind is playing tricks on me and I run, it could get me killed. My whole body shakes as my mind spins but when another twig snaps, this one closer than before, my instincts make the decision for me. Turning to the right, I sprint off in that direction and as I run through the forest, twigs and branches smack me all over my body, scratching up my face but I don’t care. I just have to keep running until I’m safe. Just keep running…

Glancing back over my shoulder, my feet stutter. Behind me, too close for my comfort, is Warren. He’s running after me with that white mask of his covering his face but it doesn’t matter because I can still see it in my mind, it haunts me every time I close my eyes. Chills blanket my skin and I will my legs to move faster, pump harder because I know I’m running out of time. His boots crunch fallen leaves and twigs, reminding me of his progress as he creeps closer and I look around for a place to hide or a way to escape him but there is nothing.

Oh, God.

Run, my mind screams at me and tears streak down my cheeks.

Glancing back again, I scream.

He’s too close.

The breath is knocked from my lungs as he tackles me from behind and I scream again, pain shooting through me as we tumble to the ground and his large body covers mine. He slips me to my back and I fight against him, my entire body trembling violently but I don’t care. I strike out with my uninjured arm, hitting and fighting him off as best I can but he manages to grab it and pin it to the forest floor above my head as he rips his mask off of his face.

“Hey, baby,” he whispers, flashing me a grin that sends ice cold dread washing through me as I struggle to free myself from his hold. It only seems to amuse him more and the wild look in his brown eyes makes me want to cry as my stomach churns. He shakes his head. “You’re not going anywhere, sweetheart. You’re mine now.”

I grit my teeth and shake my head as I try to buck him off of me. “I’ll never be yours.”

“Now, that’s just not true, Rowan.” He tosses his mask aside, finally done with the façade, and leans down, dragging the tip of his finger down my cheek as his hot breath blankets my face. It smells like tobacco and stale beer and I gag but he misses it… or ignores it as he traces my lips with his thumb. “See, when I first started all of this, it was all about making the club pay for what they did to me. I never had women or love on my mind but as soon as I saw Streak fucking you up against his window on your first night in Baton Rouge, I was hooked.”

“You watched us?” I spit and he laughs quietly.

“Of course I fucking watched. Have you seen yourself, Princess? You’re a goddamn smoke show.”

I wince at his use of Travis’s nickname for me before steeling my gaze and meeting his eyes. “You’re fucking sick.”

“Naw, baby. That’s just you. I stood outside of the clubhouse, watching you and I couldn’t look away even if I tried. You put me under your spell.”

“Go fuck yourself,” I hiss. The thought of him watching us that night makes me shudder as I close my eyes and jerk my face away from him.

“That’s no way to talk to your man,” he growls, gripping my face in his hand, turning me back to him and squeezing until I’m certain he’s going to crack my jaw. Seeing the fear in my eyes, he smiles. “We’ll just have to teach you the proper way to behave, won’t we?”