Page 44 of No Escape

I sincerely needed a drink, or thirty-seven, to bring my anxiety down from the stratosphere. But we had less than thirty minutes until the next challenge, so I’d just have to figure out some way to suck it up and deal. “Well, I’m glad you’re okay” was the best I could come up with for the moment.

We were silent the rest of the way back to the castle. All the while, I argued internally with myself about whether I should tell him the truth about the branch. The in-law guidance offered no advice for this situation. It was clear that I should be honest, but it really didn’t say anything about volunteering information that might make me look like a complete lunatic.

“Lexi, stop for a second.”

Oh, crap. Could he see the guilt on my face? Or had he finally realized that I was terrified of bees and that I’d been less than forthcoming about my interest and fears? I stopped to face him, a hundred ways to apologize running through my head.

He stepped up and brushed something off my shoulder. “I think our private conversation was bugged,” he said, smiling. “Hope Mr. Bee won’t share it with the rest of the hive.”

I tried to laugh, but it came out more as a choking sound.

We made it back to the castle, and I waited until he disappeared into his room before going into mine. As I fished in my pocket for the key, I felt something move under my shirt and crawl around on my back. I froze in fear, every nerve in my body on full alert.

Holy crap.It was a bee. Maybe two. Maybe half the freaking hive.

As carefully as I could manage, I slid the key into the keyhole, my hands shaking, my breath coming so fast, I wasn’t getting any oxygen to my brain. The crawling intensified.

OMG!It was more than one bee. They were walking all over me, moving slowly up my back toward my neck and face.

The key wouldn’t turn, and I’d begun whimpering as I twisted it back and forth. Finally, the key turned, and I threw the door open with a bang.

Slash stood in the middle of the room, dressed only in his underwear and in the process of taking off his socks. A small part of my brain registered that he was changing his clothes, perhaps to something cooler than what he wore in the morning. But the rest of my brain was consumed with survival thoughts. He took one look at my face, and alarm flashed in his eyes.

“Cara?”

I was so panicked, I couldn’t speak. I kicked off my shoes and ripped my shirt, jeans, and bra off. I threw them wildly around the room.

“Bees,” I manage to hiss out between my clenched teeth as I tore off a sock while hopping around on one foot. “They’re on me, Slash. Get them off! Get them off!”

“Bees?” Slash looked at me in puzzlement before realizing the door to our room was wide-open and we were both in a serious state of underdress. He strode toward the door to close it. I heard an angry buzzing sound near my ear, and as I froze in horror, a bee buzzed around my head and landed on my shoulder. For a moment, the bee and I stared at each other before I shrieked.

“AAAAGH!” I ran toward Slash with the speed, accuracy, and determination of an NFL linebacker. “It’s on me!” I shrieked.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Lexi Carmichael

I collided hard with Slash, who had one hand on the doorknob, presumably to pull the door closed. The momentum of my body accelerating into his propelled us both into the hallway with surprising force. Slash, who’d clearly been unprepared for my full-on tackle, stumbled a few steps before wrapping his arms around me and going down on his butt, me landing on top of him, writhing and hyperventilating.

Slash wrapped his arms around me, trying to calm me. “You’re safe. Calm down.”

“It’s on me. My shoulder. Can you see it? Is it still on me?” I shoved my shoulder into his face.

“No. There’s nothing on your shoulder. In fact, I don’t see anything…” He paused for a long moment. “…except for our parents.”

I immediately stilled and then looked up. Sure enough, both my parents and my parents-in-law stood in the hallway in front of their respective rooms, looking at us with wide eyes. Slash immediately rolled us over, trying to shield me with his body.

Thank God he still had his boxers on.

My mom looked shocked beyond words, and my dad seemed posed to fight Slash if it came to it. I couldn’t even glance at my in-laws. My face burned hot with embarrassment.

“Well, this is totally awkward,” I finally said.

“What happened?” Oscar asked. “Why are you both lying starkers in the hallway?”

“Oscar!” Juliette scolded him. “Mind your own business.”

“He asked a legitimate question,” my dad said, crossing his arms against his chest. “Whyareyou lying in the hall in a serious state of undress? And why did you scream? Is he hurting you?” He glared at Slash.

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