Page 19 of Better Hide

Fuck. Is the…child lock on?

I cuss internally. Fuck, fuck, fuck. This is not good. I’m going to have to crawl over the center console. I’m going to get caught.

I recheck Jayden’s breathing. It’s slow and steady, his mouth hanging slightly open. Even in sleep, he looks hot as fuck, and that makes me hate him more.

My hands shake, and I bunch them into fists. I should punch him right in that pretty face. But I don’t. Only because that means I wouldn’t be able to run.

Slowly, I get both my feet under me. If I stand up and step over the console, I can slip out the passenger side.

Slowly, I step my leg over, trying to keep my back from brushing on the roof of the car. I have to turn my back to Jayden, which causes exhilaration to shoot down my spine.

I’m alive. I’m alive and angry again.

It’s the high I’ll never stop chasing.

The seat’s fabric rubs under my shoe as I stand on it. I freeze halfway over.

Nothing.

I step the rest of the way, crouching on the front seat, waiting for one of them to wake up.

Nothing.

I grab the handle and slowly pop it open. It works, and the door cracks open.

Then the car starts dinging.

I jump out of my skin. The car continues to ding with the keys still in the ignition.

Someone shifts behind me, and I launch myself out of the car.

The blistering heat hits me in a wave. I take off in a blind sprint, running as fast as I can. The hot wind rushes past my ears, and I feel like I’m flying.

“Jo!” A deep voice shouts after me.

Fuck! They woke up. I push harder, running in a straight line with nothing in front of me but a pasture full of dry grass. I know that a gravel road or line of asphalt can pop out of nowhere. And maybe a car will come by. Fuck, I need a car to come by.

There’s a whoop behind me. “We have a runner, Jay!”

Fucking hell, Jo. I push my legs to go faster.

I hear the rev of an engine. For a second, hope runs through me. Is there a car coming?

I glance over my shoulder. There’s a car, but it’s our car. Jesus, Jo, how could you be this stupid? You can’t outrun a car.

I catch a glimpse of movement off to my right. Cole sprints toward me.

I veer left. The car rushes up beside me.

Cole is herding me in.

Exhilaration runs through me.

I switch directions, darting back the way the car came. Jayden slams on the brakes.

“Nowhere to hide, is there?” Cole changes direction with me.

“Fuck off!”

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