Page 43 of Dare You to Catch Me
I swallow hard before my hand comes up and my finger presses the button on my ear piece allowing me to talk and I give the orders. The four entrances are covered, we are all spread out, working in unison up the mountain to my safe house.
Ace, Ryan, and I are on the shortest route, but that will give us time to make a pit stop and meet with the men at the house. With my last and final words to the men. “Stay off the paths, go through the bushes and trees or through the creeks. If you get lost, just go up, no matter where you are, if you keep going up, the cabin will be at the top.” I look up to Ace and smile before I say. “And remember, my father is mine.” I hear the men come on the ear piece, confirming their orders before we start for the forest to begin our hike.
HOURS LATER
My legs are on fire and I'm out of breath, but we're making good time as we hike through the forest to my safe house. Up hills and back down, over logs and rocks, through creeks and small streams, straight up hiking but it's how you get to my safe house. And the closer we get there, the faster I walk.
Ace and Ryan trail behind me, their long legs taking one step to my two. Ace hot on my heels, not breaking a sweat acting like he is taking a casual stroll through the forest as he scans the area.
He notices me looking back at him before his lip curls to smile. “Do you need to stop?”
“No, I'm good, do you?” I say with a playful but quiet tone. He hurries his steps to get beside me then reaches down and grabs my wrist lifting it up. I watch his eyes fall on the bracelet he gave me before his eyes meet mine. “I've got it, don't worry.” I furrow my brows before I tell him. “Please stop worrying about me. Focus on getting my father, not me. I'll be okay.”
He nods before he continues to scan thearea in front of us.
ACE
She tells me to stop worrying like that is an easy task for me to do. The further we walk into this forest the more worried I get. But, I'm not worried she can't handle this and do what she needs to do. I'm worried she isn't thinking clearly. There is not an ounce of light in her after learning her mother is alive. I'm in unfamiliar territory, going off her word, and what information she has given me, and I've got her with me, I'm on fucking edge. That is why I have a trusted friend who is about to make his appearance when the time is right.
I won't lie, I've enjoyed watching her take the lead, and how she has told my men what to do, where to go, everything they needed to know. It turns me the fuck on, watching my Queen, my wife, be at the same level as me.
I haven't spoken a word to Papa since he spilled his dirty secret. I won't forgive him for doing this to her. If April can be free of this life, so can Emma, and I will give her that choice. No matter how muchit breaks me, I will set her free if that is what she wants.
What fucks with my head the most, isn't that my father has another love. Mama passed during childbirth with me. What fucking kills me, is that her mother raised me.I can't let that go.
I was in Russia with her mother taking care of me, being a mother to me, a damn good one too, but Emma was home, suffering, and that rips my fucking heart out.
I follow her up this mountain with that burning in my chest, fueling the fire in my veins, my entire body ready to engulf with flames. I notice Emma stop in front of me causing me to stop in my tracks, looking up to her as she gives me that smile, that smile I haven't seen since we were on the boat.
EMMA
“Here is where you and I are taking a detour.” I tell Ace. He lifts a questioning brow as I say. “Ryan, you can stay here and keep watch, Ace and I will be back.” I don't fucking trust anyone right now, I only trust Ace because of the situation we are in, but don't think for a second I am not thinking of myself right now, becauseI am.
“Let you know if I see anything.” Ryan says as he gives me a nod; I think he got that fucking hint.
I turn and lead Ace to my secret spot; a small cave that has the perfect little honey-hole that hides the Medallion.
“Baby Girl, where the hell are you taking me?” Ace's words behind me cause me to look over my shoulder jokingly saying. “Oh, I don't know. I thought maybe we could have a quicky.”
He shakes his head at me, both of us trying to hold our laughs in, before he licks his lips and whispers. “You're fucking trouble.” “You like it.” I shoot him a playful wink, before I turn my head.
Getting to the opening in the cave, a large driphole of some sort, I reach up and grab a rock, the same rock I have grabbed many times before, then pull myself up on the rocks. “Wait there, I'm just going right over there.” I tell Ace as I point to a pile of rocks against the wall.
Making my way around the water, clinging to the edge of the rock wall, I make my last step, stepping down on to flatter ground, before I look over to Ace. He watches me intently, before I kick a rock over and reach into a small hole in the rock wall, my eyes locked on Ace's as my lips curl into a smile. “Gotcha.” My hand wraps around the small box that’s hiding in the wall of the cave, close to my safe house, but not in my safe house. I slide my arm back through the hole, the box clasped in my hand, pulling my arm away from the wall, I hold the box up in my hand. My eyes land on the box and a smile comes to my face as I open it and there the Medallion sits, in perfect condition, the key to it all, the most powerful gold piece I think there could be. I pick it up and twist the piece between my fingers as I look up to Ace with a devious smile. “Still think I don't know anything about this world?”
He shakes his head as his lips form a playful smirk, his eyes burning into mine as his words come out. “I'm fucking impressedBaby Girl. You know your shit, I see now.”
“Thank you, now, I need to say something before we go out there.”
“Okay.”
“I don't trust anyone right now, including Ryan. So much has been hidden from me or taken from me. He is not to know we have this. Do you understand me, Ace?” He needs to understand what I am asking right now, because if he can not keep this our secret, I no longer trust him. I hold my gaze on him from across the pool of water and I see his head nod, his words honest, the way they were when he told me he loved me. “Our secret Baby Girl, promise. Now let's go get Charles.” He shoots me a playful wink causing me to smile before I take the medallion from the box, slipping it into the velvet bag, then tucking it deep down my bra so it can not fall out or be seen.
I then make my way across the rocks, climbing rocks against the wall, reaching Ace. He reaches his hand out and I take it as he helps me down off the last rock. His arm loops around my waist, pulling me tight against him, looking down at me.
“Stop worrying about me Ace, You only learned what I wanted you to learn, I only let you see what I wanted you to see, trust me, I can do this.” I mean those words, because I am okay, I know what I need to do now and I have been ready for this day.
“I trust you Baby Girl, I'm following your lead, aren't I?”
