Page 110 of The Devil's Hunt

“But you’re hurt.”

“I’ll never make it before the cameras turn back on. I’ll be fine. You need to go. Now.” She shoved me out the door and gave me a small smile before slamming it behind me.

Fear gripped me as I ran as fast as I could, following her instructions. My heartbeat pounded in my ears, drowning out any other sound as I put as much distance between myself and the building as possible. With every step closer to the hill, I knew I was running towards my salvation. As I reached the steep hill, I dug my heels into the ground and pushed myself harder, ignoring the burning ache in my muscles.

Then there was Archer.

He stood by the fence, and it took all my strength not to collapse into a puddle on the ground. Instead, I flung myself into his waiting arms, clinging to him with all my might, tears streaming down my face as sobs wracked through my body.

“Oh, thank god. I thought I’d never see you again.”

He pressed his lips against mine, tasting the salty trails of my tears. “I’ll always find you. In this life and the next,” he whispered between kisses.

“We need to get out of here,” Theo spoke up—the sound of yelling scattered in the distance.

“Where is Haven?” Kai asked, scanning the area with his night vision goggles. “I don’t see her.”

“She’s not coming,” I told him.

“Is she alive? We heard gunshots.”

“I don’t know. She was bleeding badly. She told me to go.”

Kai’s expression dropped, and he stared into the dark, waiting to see if Haven would pop up over the hill.

“She killed Maddie before Maddie could kill me,” I said, touching Kai’s arm. “She saved my life.”

“We need to get out of here. The cameras are back on,” Archer interjected, leading me toward the razor parked at the bottom of the hill.

I followed him into the backseat while Theo and Kai sat in the front. Archer pulled me close while Theo drove us away, speeding through the darkness, far away from Alexander Benson.

When we arrived home, my legs were on autopilot as Archer led me upstairs to our room. He helped me out of my clothes and into the shower, his naked body a sight to behold, with water cascading down his toned muscles. He moved behind me, gently washing the remnants of my captivity away. His hands sent shivers down my spine, and I turned to face him.

“You’re safe now,” he whispered, kissing my forehead, letting his lips linger on my skin.

“It’s because of her,” I said weakly.

“Haven?”

I nodded. “We can’t leave her there. He’ll kill her.”

Archer sighed, a look of concern crossing over his face. “We don’t even know if she’s still alive.”

“But what if she is? I never got the chance to thank her,” I said tearfully, covering my face with my hands.

"She didn't do it for a thank you," Archer told me. "She wanted to be free, and in order to do that she made me promise to help her get rid of her brother. She knew the risks and still chose to help you escape. I promised the both of you that I would take care of her brother, and I will. Whether she is alive or not, I will keep my promise. But, right now, the important thing is that you are safe."

“You’re right,” I agreed sadly, hugging him tightly.

“I’m never letting you out of my sight again,” he vowed. “Two feet apart, max.”

“Two feet is pretty far,” I teased.

“I can get closer.”

“How close,” I asked playfully.

Archer pulled me closer by sliding his hands under my butt and pressing our bodies together. "Like this?"

---