Page 37 of Intertwined Souls

He grins wickedly at me. “Gray and Cade are in the woods. I’ll give you thirty seconds to get a head start from me.”

“What? What am I supposed to do?” I chuckle nervously as my heart beats harder with a hint of excitement.

Ryker leans in close, bringing his lips to my ear, “Run.”

“But—”

“Thirty. Twenty-nine…”

Fuck. I spin around and take off down the trail. So much for asking what the fuck I’m running for. What’s their plan?

I shake my head at myself. I couldn’t care less what their plan is. The thought of knowing they are out here waiting, chasing, or watching me sends a thrill down my spine.

Fallen leaves crinkle off in the trees to my right, and I pick up speed without looking to see who it is. A second later, a black blur shoots out in front of me and circles around before getting up next to me and keeping pace.

“You here to help me, Bear?” I ask, and he pants and keeps running right next to my side.

I don’t see him often because this dog is obsessed with being out in the woods on the property. The only time I really get his attention is when we go for runs. He always seems to find us or comes running when Cade whistles and will run with us the whole time.

Deciding to see if any of them are watching me, I turn toward the clubhouse, planning to just go back inside and see what happens, but a voice behind me causes me to falter.

“You can’t get inside,” Cade says, amusement clear in his tone.

Spinning around, I keep slowly walking backwards while keeping him in my sights where he stands about fifteen feet behind me. “What does that mean?” I ask with a small smirk on my face, assuming he is fucking with me.

He shrugs but doesn’t move to follow me.

“Ryker didn’t tell me what exactly is happening,” I add, swallowing hard.

Cade smiles, and it’s stunningly terrifying. “All you need to do is run.”

Narrowing my eyes at him, I spin back around and sprint towards the club. As I approach the front door, it swings open and Noah leans the doorway, blocking my entrance. “Oh, princess, no escaping to the tower for you.”

“What the fuck are they doing?” I demand with a growl.

Noah just grins and shrugs. His eyes move to something over my shoulder, and without a second thought I turn and run towards the other side of the club and back into the woods. The trees here wrap all the way around the property, so there are acres to run through. My stomach flutters with nerves, as my heart pounds against my chest with excitement.

Bear keeps pace with me the entire time as we run through the trails and end up along the back fence line near the gate they never use. As I turn the corner that leads back up towards the club, I find Grayson leaning against a tree in front of me. I falter, and a shiver of desire runs down my spine at the predatory look in his eyes.

Grayson drawls, “When Ryker came up with this idea, I wasn’t a huge fan, but I have to admit, stalking you through the woods and watching you run with no idea of where we are or what we have planned is more exhilarating than I thought.”

I tilt my head at him. “And what happens when you get me?”

“Why spoil the surprise?” a voice whispers in my ear from behind me. Their warm breath fans across the side of my face.

Grinning, I give up on trying to figure it out and decide to just let them chase me. I give in to the part of me that is loving knowing I have all of their attention focused on me and not having any idea what they are planning. I push back my need for control and trust them.

Ryker

I watch from the tree I was leaning against behind her as Cade sneaks up and whispers in her ear and then she books it. Her fiery curls sway behind her as she sprints off the trail and farther into the woods.

I glance at Grayson and Cayden with a smirk.

“I think she’s enjoying this more than she’d ever admit,” Cade says with a knowing gleam in his eyes.

“Shall we go get our girl and do this thing?” I ask.

Grayson glances in the direction she went. “Still the same plan? All of us?”

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