Page 47 of My Secret Santa Mason

Just before I left, a knot of fear twisted in my gut.

What if I was too late? What if Wallace had already…?

No.

I couldn’t think like that. I couldn’t let myself go down that road. She was still out there, and I was going to find her. No matter what it took.

I shoved the rifle over my shoulder and grabbed the knife, slipping it into its sheath at my side. The weight of it was comforting, grounding me in the midst of the chaos in my mind. I was ready for this. There was no room for doubt, no room for fear.

I stormed out of the cabin, my breath clouding in the cold air as I moved. My boots pressed each step into the snow, the cold biting at my skin, but I barely felt it. All I could think about was finding Cami—getting her back.

I reached the truck where it huddled under the tarp, covered in dead branches and snow. My mind was already running through scenario

s, trying to figure out where Wallace would take her.

He wouldn’t go far. He wanted me to come after him, and knowing him, he’d want it to be a public spectacle, too. Wallace played dirty. He would use as many innocents as he could.

He wanted me to play his fucking game, and I was going to. But I wasn’t going to play by his rules. Not this time.

I climbed into the truck, the engine roaring to life beneath me. The sound of it was like a fucking war drum in my ears, pushing me forward, urging me to go faster, to get to her before it was too late.

Because if they hurt her, I was going to make sure they regretted it for the very short bit that would be left of their miserable fucking lives.

21

CAMI

The sounds of the parade filled Silver Ridge—laughter, music, the jingling of bells. Christmas was everywhere. Kids darted around dressed like little elves, their high-pitched giggles cutting through the cold air. The smell of fresh cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate floated to me on the breeze, mixing with the deliciously crisp scent of snow.

It should have been perfect—one of those moments where everything felt magical, like something out of a Christmas movie. This was the stuff I lived for.

Instead, I tasted my heart in my throat, and my legs felt like lead.

I forced a smile as a couple passed by, their faces bright with excitement. “Great job with the parade, Cami!” the woman called out. Her cheeks were flushed with cold, but her smile was wide and warm.

“Thanks,” I replied, my voice strained as I waved, hoping she didn’t notice how stiff and forced I sounded.

Beside me, Viktor leaned down slightly, his face obscured by a ridiculous Grinch mask. To anyone else, he looked like he wasjust playing along with the festivities, blending into the sea of people dressed as Santas and elves. But his presence was like a lead weight on my shoulders, his voice low and dangerous when he whispered in my ear, “Keep smiling. Wouldn’t want to ruin the fun, would you?”

My stomach twisted, and I clenched my fists at my sides, trying to steady my breathing. I couldn’t afford to let him see how terrified I was. Not with all these people around. But God, it was hard to keep it together when every nerve in my body was screaming at me to run.

I kept looking around, searching for a way out, but there wasn’t one. There was no way out of this.

Wallace walked on my other side, dressed like an oversized Santa with a big fake beard. He’d been here long enough to know some of the townsfolk—long enough to wave and joke with them like he belonged. It had all been set up for a while, clearly.

And I’d missed it all.

Every time he smiled at someone, waved at them, made it seem like he was friendly and a part of the fun, I felt sick.

They had no idea who he really was and what he was capable of.

I glanced around, my eyes darting from face to face, looking for someone I could warn. Would they get it when I tried to tell them there was trouble just with my gaze?

Probably not. There wasn’t one to get me out of this mess. Viktor’s men were everywhere, blending into the crowd just like he was, their eyes sharp and focused on me.

I was trapped.

I wished Mason was here now. If I hadn’t screwed it all up, maybe he would have been at my side and none of this would have happened. But I’d made a mess of my life, and now I was alone, stuck in this nightmare with killers by my side.

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