Page 41 of Catch Me When I Fall

I’d been right.

Everything about this man was dark, and if I had to guess, his soul was black.

“Chase me down?” I repeated, breathless.

His nostrils flared, his lips thinning. “Making me do that would be a very unwise decision on your part, Mrs. Hale,” he warned me, clicking his tongue.

“Stop calling me that.”

“What?”

I swallowed. “Don’t call me that.”

“Mrs—”

“Please,” I whispered, my chest tight.

This man was here to take me away, and I was focused on him calling me by the last thing I wanted to be called. I seriously needed to re-evaluate my priorities.

His mouth shut, getting tight once more as he glared at me.

“Call me Carrie,” I damn near begged.

We stared at each other once more, the air thick between us. I was half convinced he was trying to read my mind, and the other half of me was already convinced to tell him everything I’d ever thought of—the good and the bad.

What kind of person did that make me?

“I don’t do first names,” he told me finally.

“Then skip over the names and tell me who hired you,” I demanded, moving back into the living area, standing a mere seven feet from him now.

His piercing, dark gaze never left my face as the heavy silence dragged on for a few more moments, the only sound that could be heard in the room was my breathing. I didn’t even think he was breathing at all. He was like a statue, frozen in time, pondering whether I was worthy enough to give him an answer.

Mustering up whatever courage I had, I lifted my chin slightly. “Get out of my house.”

His head ticked to the side. “A second ago, you wanted to run,” he noted.

“Get out before I call the cops,” I threatened. “I have a very good friend—”

“Sheriff Humbly is aware of my presence. Calling him wouldn’t help you.”

I flinched. “What?”

“As for who sent me, we’ll give him a call once we’re on the road,” he explained, his voice seeping into my soul.

Who sent him?

What did they want?

After everything, I had nothing else to give.

“Are you one of my father’s men?” I asked, my voice trembling with uncertainty.

“No.”

I stared at him, searching his face, and yet again, deep down, I knew he was telling the truth.

When I didn’t say anything, he righted his head again, his nostrils flaring. “I don’t have all night.” He jerked his chin towards the stairs. “Go get what you need so we can get on the road.”

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