Page 63 of Redeemed

Have to run. Have to get out of here.

“If you don’t, I’ll hurt Julie.”

I freeze.What?

“Oh, you think I didn’t put the pieces together? You’re not the only smart one in our family, sweetheart,” he spits out.

Oh, god. Of course.How else would Isaiah have tracked me here? He always hated how often I talked to her. It may have taken him a while, but he must’ve realized she’s the one who helped me escape.

“Took you long enough,” I fire back.

“I know where she lives,” he threatens, completely ignoring my insult. “If you don’t come with me, I’ll kill her.”

“You’re lying.”

“No, I’m not. That’syourspecialty.”

“You wouldn’t murder someone. It’s a sin.”

“Not when it’s for a righteous cause.”

My stomach lurches. He meansme.To him, bringing me back to Cornerstone is somehow a justification for killing someone.

Without another thought, I turn on the balls of my feet and run. I can get to the other side of the building faster than Isaiah will be able to, and then I can get lost in the woods across the parking lot.

Halfway down the hallway, I glance back. Just as I predicted, Isaiah is already gone, racing around the building to be there when I try to sneak out the other side entrance.

I skid to a halt, a new plan forming in my mind. Isaiah is taller than I am and so much faster. If I make it to the other side, I’ll have maybe thirty seconds before he spots me. But if I double back…

Spinning around again, I run back the way I came while pulling out my phone. My hands are shaking so badly that it takes me two tries to unlock my phone. I have another missed call from Julie, and I jab the button to call her back.

I burst onto the sidewalk and immediately duck into the shadow of a nearby tree. While my phone rings, I glance around, looking for Isaiah and coming up empty.

Thank god.

I know I’m not safe—know I have to keep moving—but at least for the moment, I’ve lost him. Now, I just have to get out of here and go…

Where the hell am I going to go?

A wave of regret hits me as I realize that, once upon a time, I would’ve called Colton in a situation like this. He would’ve swooped in and fixed everything in a matter of minutes, not caring who he destroyed to make sure I was okay.

Stupid, stupid, stupid. This isn’t the time to think about that.

“Honey?” Julie’s voice sounds panicked as it comes through my phone. “Honey, are you okay?”

“He—he—he’s here. Julie, he—” I sob, barely managing to stifle it with my hand.

Quiet. I have to stay quiet, or he’ll find me.

“I know. He stopped by the house about an hour ago.”

“Did he hurt you?” I whisper, terrified the answer is yes. Terrified I got Julie and Ben caught up in something that will only cause them harm.

“No, he was surprisingly kind. He asked if I knew where you were.”

“He’s not kind.” I creep from oak tree to oak tree, moving farther away from the dorm hall. “He’s going to hurt me.”

“We’re not going to let that happen.”

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