Page 38 of Prophet
I nodded. “I will try.”
“No, just think about fighting your way out. In that, there is notrying.You already know that if you do show fear to Deacon that will weaken you.”
I nodded. She was right, the man was a creep in more ways than one.
“You ready?” Talon asked from close by.
Liv looked at me and I gave her a firm nod.
We stepped out and instantly Prophet caught my eyes with his. It felt like a jolt the good and bad kind. Today would determine many things, or nothing at all. We couldn’t be sure it would work. In a few minutes, we would have this awful argument and then I would run. I shook myself at this thought. I would run right to Deacon if we played it right. I refused to dwell on that. Like Liv said. Go all the way and show no fear. So I would start that now, so I gave Prophet a smile.
He didn’t return it as worry showed in his eyes.
Making my way over to him, I said, “Let’s give him a show that will bring him down.”
Prophet let out a breath and nodded. Grasping my arm, he turned to the group. “I’m trusting all of you.” His gaze swung over Redemption, Hawk, Talon and Logan. “Jewel says I should as you all are my family at the very least.”
“We got your back,” Redemption stated. “We got hers too.”
“Good, cause this asshole is going down,” Prophet growled as he turned and we went up the stairs.
The group followed us, but as we went out the front door, they went down the hall to the security room. I assumed it was to watch this play out.
Taking a huge breath, I whispered to Prophet, “I will run down the steps and you follow me. Catch me and…” I looked up at him. “Tell me it has to be this way. Then we will take it further from there.”
He slowly shook his head. “I don’t like this.”
“I know Prophet.” I smiled at him while trying to push my fear away. “You have already said that a few times if I remember.” I batted my eyes at him in a dramatic way.
He shook his head. No smile.
I tried to lighten this a bit, but I couldn’t blame him. Allowing me to actually get captured was not funny in any way. “It will be okay,” I told him softly.
He again, shook his head. “Babe, the only time any of this will be okay is when I have you in my arms again and this fucker is dead.”
I didn’t respond. He was angry, hell I was too. Deacon had made this whole family miserable. If I could stop him and they rescued his father, this would all be worth it. I took a deep breath and without looking at him again, I rushed down the steps and ran across the driveway to the path right under the cameras, which I never paid attention to before this. I could hear Prophet’s boot-steps behind me.
As planned, he caught me by the arm and whirled me around. Yanking my arm from his grasp, I shouted, “I won’t let you do it!”
Prophet kept his eyes locked onto mine as the pain in his gaze looked all too real. “This is the way it has to be.”
“No! He will kill you! Can’t you see—that?” My voice cracked...also for real.
“Jewel, if I don’t do this, he will kill my dad and you know it!”
I actually started to cry and it wasn’t an act. “I refuse to watch this happen! I will not wait here to have them tell me…” I choked on a real sob as these were almost the same things I’d said to him before. “...that you are dead.” I rushed away as I cried.
Prophet was not supposed to follow me but I heard his steps behind me again. No, he couldn’t do that. No. Finally, I made my way to the fence and looked back.
Prophet wasn’t there or at least I couldn’t see him anymore. Turning, I saw the already made slit in the fence or rather, the rolled down chain link that had been left from the cut. Kneeling down, I rolled it up and crawled through. Not looking back, I took off into the woods.
This was when it felt real, being all alone. Once inside the thick trees, it became darker than back where I’d run from. Remembering what Liv had told me about these woods, I kept to the path made on the ground. It barely looked like one but I stayed on it. I was now breathing hard. I kept going, even though I knew no camera could see me here.
Finally, the trees thinned a bit and I came out at an old road. I looked around and spotted the ten speed, sitting on its side in the tall grass. Also planted, but I had to have some way other than running for a mile or more. If it was a mile or two, or none. The bait ? me ? might not get taken.
Grabbing the bike’s handlebars, I straightened the tires out and wheeled it over next to the road. Looking back and forth on that road, I saw no one. Getting on the bike, I peddled. I wondered if or when someone would come along. They might not. And if his men weren’t close it would take a while.
Suddenly, I saw an SUV. I didn’t know if it was a passerby or—then the vehicle swerved from its lane and came right at me.Oh, they were close!I turned the bike and then dropped off of it in the grass along the road, attempting not to break an ankle or worse. I heard screeching tires and then doors slamming open as I rose up to run.
