Page 3 of Freeing Camila

“Okay, Cammie,” she said aloud once her laughter subsided. “You can do this. You got yourself into this mess. You can get yourself out of it.” She reached behind her once more, trying to figure out by touch alone just how she was caught. Running her fingers along the waistband of her jeans, she felt around until her fingertips finally brushed against the branch that was stubbornly and, dare she say, menacingly digging into her back, threatening to pierce her skin. A belt loop was snagged on the branch. She scooted forward on the tree limb she sat on as far as she dared, attempting to dislodge the stick to no avail. Then she tried to break the branch where it was snagged.

But apparently, the Virginia trees were surprisingly sturdy; their branches thick and strong, seemingly unyielding to the whims of a simple woman like herself. The branch just bent. It didn’t snap.

She strained against the branch, the rough bark tearing at her fingers and leaving a burning scrape on her back as her shirt pulled away from her skin. A frustrated growl escaped as she sagged in defeat.

So deep in her misery was Cammie that she was startled and almost fell from her precarious perch on the tree limb when she heard a voice suddenly call out to her. The unexpected sound sent a jolt through her. The rough bark dug into her thighs as she fought to regain her balance.

“Hey little sprite. Need some help?”

CHAPTER2

The soundsof his own ragged breathing and pounding feet filled Wade “Jeeves” Butler’s ears as he ran, a desperate, frantic pace fueled by the feeling of unseen forces chasing him. Though only in his mind, the forces felt as strong as any tangible enemy; their power just as potent and real.

The vivid dream, which had jolted him from a deep sleep, lingered in his mind, refusing to fade away. He couldn’t shake it. The cold sweat and racing heart lingered as he sought to escape the memory of it. Sadly, the memory was intensely real, a stark and painful reminder of the past that continued to weigh heavily on him, much like an albatross around his neck, a constant and burdensome presence. Despite his best efforts, it was one thing he was unable to outrun.

His early morning wake-up was a clear indication that the mistakes of his past still weighed heavily on his mind, haunting him even in his sleep. A stark reminder of his guilt and the burden he carried.

Even though Sutton had granted him forgiveness?a mercy he didn’t feel like he deserved?he still couldn’t find peace. Hence his desperate early morning run.

With the sun fully up, bathing the park in warmth, Wade followed the path around a bend, intending to return to his truck when a flash of color in a tree caught his eye. Not just something . . . someone. A woman.

An adult woman.

In a tree.

What thefuck?

He was so startled by the unexpected sight that he tripped over nothing, causing him to stop abruptly in his tracks. His gaze was fixed on the woman roughly fifteen feet above him, who appeared to be grappling with an unseen issue just behind her. Her strained breathing and the creaking of the branches filled the silence of the empty park.

Tilting his head, he peered through the dense branches, attempting to get a clearer view of the woman. She possessed an adorable and petite frame, complemented by a delightful cascade of dark caramel-tinted hair. Her small stature and charming appearance in the tree were enhanced by her expression of obvious frustration, which added to her overall cuteness. She resembled an adorable, tiny sprite.

The low growl that rumbled from her throat, unexpected and somewhat comical in the context of her precarious perch high in the branches, only served to increase his bewilderment and amusement at the sight of her in the tree.

“Hey little sprite,” he called out to her. “Need some help?”

She gasped, her breath catching in her throat as the unexpected sound of his voice made her jump so violently that she nearly lost her balance on the tree limb and almost sent her sprawling to the ground below before she caught herself.

“Shit,” he hissed, kicking himself. “I didn’t mean to startle you. You good?”

“Um . . . yeah. Sure. I’m good.”

“Just stuck?” he asked the obvious. Her flushed cheeks, made even more adorable by a delicate blush, were enough to cause a smile to curve his lips. He shook his head. What was wrong with him? He’d never referred to anyone as adorable in his life. However, his continued observation of her only served to reinforce the feeling that the word was indeed the most accurate way to describe her.

Clad in a t-shirt and jeans that accentuated her curves, her feet were encased in a pair of sneakers that appeared to be entirely unsuited for a tree-climbing expedition. A rather curious choice of footwear for such an activity which only enhanced her adorableness in his eyes.

“Yeah. You could say that.”

“Need some help?”

She huffed out a breath. “Unless you have a saw, I’m not sure what you could do.”

“No saw,” he replied, holding up his empty hands. “But let me see what I can do.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, her eyes widening in surprise as he grabbed a branch and swung himself into the tree. With a single, fluid motion, he hoisted himself higher, the leaves rustling around him as he moved. Within no time, he’d reached her level.

Glancing at her again, he found her mouth agape in astonishment, a look of utter surprise etched upon her face.

“You made that look so easy,” she said, her tone filled with awe.

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