Page 70 of Saint

The clouds that hung in the sky all day have parted, letting the moon shine bright enough to see where I’m going, but it all looks the same. Trees, rocks, vines. And I weave through them, even if the branches grab me like the arms of the earth warning me to turn back.

Winter is finally starting to break into spring, but it’s still cool, and the air burns my lungs with every hard inhale as I run faster.

Leaves crunch, and I can’t tell if it’s from me or someone following.

I feel Saint out here, even if I can’t see him. He’s in the air around me—he’s the eyes on me. The chill running through my bones and the grip on my heart.

He’s everywhere and everything, and as much as I fear him catching me, I wait for it.

“Scared yet, kitten?” Saint calls out, and it echoes inside me.

I don’t answer. I run faster.

My lungs burn, and my ribs hurt. My legs are on fire, but I can’t slow down.

Darting around another tree, I trip on a branch and fall to the ground. My knee strikes first, landing directly on a rock, cutting through my jeans. Pain radiates up my leg as I swallow my scream and crawl forward.

I struggle to my feet, but I’m barely standing when fingers wrap into the back of my hair.

My scalp burns as Saint stops me. “Nice try. But not good enough.”

He pulls my back to his chest and wraps his arm around me, not letting my hair go. Gripping the front of my sweater, he tears it open, ripping the buttons from their stitching.

“Let me go.” I struggle, reaching up and clawing his hands.

All he does is chuckle at me, pressing his face to the side of mine. The ski mask he’s wearing rubs my cool skin as he brings his mouth to my ear.

“I’m never letting you go, Violet. That’s the point.” His hand drags down, and he grabs me hard between the legs. “There’s only one way you’ll escape me, and even in death, I promise I’ll find a way to haunt you.”

Jutting his knee forward, he forces mine to bend, and I drop to my knees in the dirt.

Saint doesn’t release my hair as he tips my head back. He makes my body arch so I’m looking up at him as he towers over me from behind.

His sleeve pulls up with my struggle, revealing my teeth marks still healing on his forearm.

“You like that?” Saint leans down, bringing his face over mine. “Do you enjoy seeing the pain you caused me forever etched in my skin?”

“You don’t feel pain,” I bite back.

“Oh, but I do.” He grips my hair tighter. “You hurt me every time you try to run away. Thinking I’ll let you.”

Reaching up, I grab his mask and pull it off him, elbowing him in the leg with my other arm as I do. It’s enough for him to release my hair, so I steal the advantage and try to stand.

But Saint’s too fast. He grabs me by the arms and pulls them behind my back the second I’m on my feet. I try to tug them free, but he wraps something rough around my wrists and pulls them tight behind me.

“Don’t!” I cry out as he tightens the rope.

Saint spins me around. His hair is messy from the ski mask he was wearing, and now that his face is on full display, his dark eyes sear into me.

He grabs my chin and shoves my back against the nearest tree. The rope digs into my skin as I try to free my hands.

“There’s no use. You’ll just tighten them more.” Saint reaches behind him and pulls out a knife, bringing it to my throat.

I freeze as he presses the blade under my jaw. “What are you doing?”

“I told you I was going hunting.” He leans in so his lips brush mine.

“Are you going to kill me?”

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