Page 385 of Rage

We'll make it.

She'll make it.

"Torri..."

I finally look at Lita, and she's shaking.

Against my better judgement, which is screaming at me to hurry up and run, I pause and cup her face between my hands again, gently brushing my thumb over her cheek. I’m doing allof this for her, and she deserves my reassurance. She deserves to feel the power flooding my veins, the rage that spurs me on.

She deserveseverything, and that’s what I’m trying to give her by making sure she escapes.

"I won't let them hurt you ever again," I say, meaning every word down to my marrow. "You have my word. We're going to make it, but you have to promise me that you won't stop running. Do not slow down and do not look back."

She opens her mouth to argue, but I cut her off. "Do. Not. Look. Back. Do you understand?"

I can tell she wants to argue. Of course she does. But instead, she nods, and I dip to press my lips against hers. She gasps against my mouth before sinking into my kiss, our tongues tangling together eagerly like it’s the very last time we’ll have this chance.

For all I know, it could be.

I pull away gasping and stare into her eyes a final time, losing myself in their depth for a moment, before turning to the window. I crawl out carefully, my feet hitting the ground with a muffled thud, and I freeze. Caution prickles up my back as nerves hit me in full force, and I search the area again.

There’s no movement. No sign of any Peace Officers.

I turn to look back at the window, staring up at Lita through the pane of glass. She could slam the window shut and go back to bed, forgetting about my insane plan. She could call for the guards and have me captured. She could walk away.

A million crazy thoughts spiral through my brain as I wait with bated breath for her to follow. It’s agonizing, even though it only lasts a couple of seconds, wondering what will happen next. Finally, she crawls out the window and lands beside me.

I take a deep breath, letting the cool night air fill my lungs. Only several yards separate us from the woods. From there, we can flee into the mountains in the distance. After that? We’llfigure it out. It's an insane plan but no more insane than staying here to be treated like property. To be owned, enslaved, trapped…

"On three," I whisper, excitement rattling through me as the seconds tick by.

Lita meets my gaze and mouths, "One."

The weight of what we’re about to do lands on my shoulders, sparking doubt. We should have planned longer, worked out the exact details of what we’re going to do when we’re free. Because it’s not just about escaping oppression but figuring out how to live in the wild. We have nowhere to go.

"Two," I whisper.

Who knows what awaits us in the forest, or even if we’ll make it that far. This whole thing seems more and more irrational as the seconds tick by, and I’m beginning to wonder if I just put Lita in more danger than she would face in the breeder faction.

It’s not too late to turn back…

"Three,” I say before I can change my mind.

We take off running toward the trees, our footfalls uncomfortably loud in the silent night. For a moment, I think this is way too easy. No one has seen us or set off any alarms. We've made it out of the house without being spotted, and now we're home free.

Free…

The thought is fleeting, shattered by a booming voice yelling after us.

It’s soon followed by the explosion of a gunshot.

Chapter Eight

Shit.

Terror slices through me as another shot is fired, the bullet whizzing past us and landing in the dirt.

“Run, Lita!” I demand between breaths. I half-expect her to slow or look back, but she follows my orders and keeps sprinting toward the trees. Her blonde hair falls out of its bun and flies along behind her as she goes.

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