Page 36 of Into The Darkness

“Hungry?” he asked, as if trying to prolong our interaction.

“Nope, I ate before class,” I responded, keeping a steady pace toward the parking lot. As I walked, his footsteps pounded the asphalt until he was standing right in front of me, grasping my shoulders.

“Ember,” he commanded. “Come with me?”

He was close to begging, I could feel it, but there was something deep inside me that couldn’t give him the satisfaction of having me without giving me the answers I needed.

“Are you going to answer more questions?” I asked.

“Yes,” he said.

“But are you . . .really?”

“I will answer whatever I can.” His hands moved from my shoulders, then he shoved them into his pocket.

My gaze met his, and in that fleeting instant, the usual cat-and-mouse game faded into the background, revealing a raw and vulnerable side to Ash. Yet, I couldn’t ignore the emotional whiplash that had become all too familiar, leaving me exhausted from the constant push and pull of his ever-changing demeanor.

“No,” I said, feeling empowered in my decision, embracing this new confidence I was gaining.

“Not an option,” Ash said, his lips pulled into a tight smile as he leaned down, and in an instant, my feet were off the ground.

“What in the fuck?” I screamed when I realized I was staring at the cement. Did he really . . .? “Did you just fling me over your shoulders?” He only laughed. My backpack fell and was covering my face as he walked to where his Jeep was. I heard the familiar beep of his car unlocking, then he hoisted me into the passenger seat.

“Ash Ortiz, you are a motherfu—” The car door slammed shut, and I shoved my middle finger up to the window. It would finish my sentence just fine.

Chapter thirteen

Where are we going?” I asked when I realized we were headed past my apartment and the town center.

Ash was acting weird and constantly looking over his shoulder as he headed toward the outskirts of Isles.

“Are you acting weird because you cannot be outside of Isles for safety reasons?” I asked, wondering if any piece of what Maddy had told me was true.

“Yeah. Double-check on your side we are good.” I did, and there was no one.

“I don’t see anyone,” I said as the sweat coated my palms. I didn’t like breaking any rules, and my dad and Walsh warned me about not leaving Isles, too.

“You need to promise us, whatever you do, Ember, you will not leave Isles without telling your brother. He will need to escort you home.” I rolled my eyes at them as we packed the last of my bags in the trunk.

That is ridiculous, I mouthed, and my dad grabbed my shoulders.

“This is serious, Em.” I shook my head, hating how this was upsetting him.

“I swear I will tell Walsh when I leave, if it is that important.”

I hated breaking rules, especially since it was my dad’s rules.

“W-what’s wrong with leaving Isles?”

“Lots of bad guys live in these woods, Ember, and they are looking for you.” I laughed nervously.

“For me specifically? No way.” I shook my head. Ash didn’t respond; he simply continued driving beyond the town’s limits, navigating the winding roads that led us deeper into the pine forest.

As we ventured farther, the trees grew denser, casting an ominous shadow over us. I couldn’t help but recall Maddy’s story about her missing roommate from the previous year. “I wonder if that’s what happened to Maddy’s roommate last year. Maddy mentioned she went out to the woods one day and just vanished.” I mused, my gaze fixed on the thickening woods outside.

I stole a glance at Ash, who remained silent and gripped the steering wheel so tight his knuckles turned white. “Isn’t that scary?” I probed, trying to gauge his reaction.

“Very. That’s why I warned you to stay away from men like me,” he replied, his tone laden with an underlying seriousness. My laughter filled the car, creating a spooky contrast to the strange atmosphere of our drive.

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