Page 137 of Break The Ice

“Come on, come on, come on!” I glance around me, but everything is dark, and I can’t see any sign of him.

“Ryann?”

“Kelly, I need help. I’m trapped. At the game tonight. Please, help.” I let out a sob. “He’s here!”

“Okay, stay on the line, I’m going to get you help,” Kelly says, and his voice calms me in the same way Raider does. I know Raider hates Kelly, but they are the same. He can’t see it yet, but he will.

“Raider got hurt before the game started,” I burst out.

“I know, we saw it on the news,” Kelly says. “All right, good news. Bailey is minutes away.”

I hear the scrape of a shoe and look up. My stalker is standing at the end of the row of seats, smiling at me.

I shriek and jerk backwards, almost falling on my ass.

He looks so familiar, but I can’t place him. He may as well be a stranger.

He is a stranger.

And yet, this man has been my shadow since I was fifteen years old. Who is he? Why is he doing this?

“Kelly, I have to go now,” I whisper.

“He’s there?”

“Yes.”

“Stay on the phone.”

I ignore him, pulling the phone away from my ear, my arm falling.

I tremble, letting slip a tiny moan.

He moves towards me and, like a puppet with strings; I stand up and start moving backwards, step by cautious step. He mirrors me.

“So lovely,” he purrs.

That does it. My control snaps. I whirl and race along the row, then leap over the seats. I’m practically flying, but when I glance back, he’s gaining on me.

With a frustrated sob, I put on extra effort and reach the players section. I can see the sticks just on the other side of the glass.

“You can’t run, Ryann, but, damn, it makes it fun.” He laughs like the damned maniac he really is.

I glance over my shoulder and see him leaning on a chair like he’s got all the time in the world.

I race around the box and decide I’ve got no choice but to do a loop. Let’s hope this works.

I run.

I run faster than I’ve ever run before.

Everything is riding on me being faster than him, of just staying slightly ahead of him.

My legs ache, they burn. I hit my hand a couple of times on the seats, but I keep going, not even daring to look back.

In my mind, I can feel him just behind me. I don’t even know if he’s there or not, but in my mind, I see him clearly, fingers reaching out to snag my shirt.

I take a chance and look over my shoulder. There’s no one there. I skid to a stop and look around. There’s no one anywhere. I can’t hear him or see him. He’s gone like a damned ghost again.

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