Page 83 of The General's Captive
I knew that my limp made us slower, and I hated that I was the cause that he couldn’t run as fast as I knew he could. He turned his head every so often just to make sure I was still keeping up. The concern for me warmed my heart but also flooded me with guilt. My heart lurched the second I looked back.
“They’re coming!” I shouted, though my lungs were tight with anxiety and my endurance was waning.
We sprinted through the grove of trees, branches reaching out to us, tearing our clothes and scratching our skin as we hurtled through. My hip throbbed and I was starting to feel more nauseous by the minute. But we kept going, digging in our heels as we sprinted across the park, our feet pounding against the hard soil beneath the grass.
“They are gaining on us!” I shouted the second I looked back over my shoulder.
“Look, over there, the bridge, we can get to the river and jump in.”
“Riley, are you crazy?!” I cried, despite knowing how good a swimmer he was. Especially after all the stories he used to tell of summers spent as a lifeguard.
But as for me, yes, I could swim but with my hip the way it was, I was getting to the point where I wouldn’t be able to walk soon. Let alone swim in a river. But as soon as the small, red metal suspension bridge came into view, he pulled me toward it.
“Riley!”
“Come on. Not much further now,” he replied, and he was right, because we quickly made it to the middle of the bridge.
The view of the river either side welcomed us, as well as a jump that we could survive. But as I looked back at The General and his horde, I grabbed hold of Riley and told him, “You have to go, leave me behind and they won’t follow you.”
His face twisted into disbelief before he shook his head. Then he framed my face with his hands and told me, “We jump together.”
I tried to shake my head, but then he kissed me, and although it was quick, I had a strange feeling that it would be our last.
“Come with me, Cute Girl,” he pleaded, and it was something in his tone that had me nodding.
He sighed in relief before climbing up over the railings. I did the same, hissing through the pain, until we both had our bodies facing the river. Our feet remained on the ledge beyond the railings, with our hands holding on behind us.
“Together on three… one… two… three… JUMP!” Riley shouted, letting go, only I clung on when I heard the sound of The General’s horse neighing. I turned to see him jumping from his steed and then looked back when I saw Riley had landed with a splash.
“ALEX, JUMP!” he bellowed, now swimming against the current waiting for me.
I nodded once, took a deep breath, and prepared myself to fall forward. Then I closed my eyes as I took the leap. I fell forward, but was stopped with a sudden jerk, and I soon found out that there was no way to escape my fate and with it…
The General.
The second I didn’t feel the icy cold-water envelope my body I opened my eyes and screamed. The drop below was one I was suspended above, and my clothes were tight around my body.
“ALEX!” Riley screamed my name because he could see what was stopping me from falling.
“Not today, Little Bird,” The General said as I looked behind to find he had reached out and grabbed me.
A fist full of my clothing was held tight in his fist, as he held me back with one arm. I then watched as Riley was pulled under the water, unable to fight against the current any longer.
“NO!” I shouted as I was pulled back, The General using his other arm to swipe up my legs to he could lift me over the railings. Then as soon as my feet were on the ground, I slipped free and ran to the other side, shouting his name.
“RILEY!”
I waited on bated breath until finally…fucking finally…I saw his blonde head pop back up from the water. I watched the way he fought the current and hated the way he looked around frantically. As if desperately trying to see if I had made it in the water with him after all. But then his eyes finally found mine in the distance, seeing that I was still on the bridge. My shoulders slumped as I let my head hang in defeat.
“You brought this on yourself, Alexandra,” The General said, making me grit my teeth in anger before whipping around to face him and lashing out.
“You… you… did this!” I shouted on a broken sob, despite knowing deep down that he was right. I had brought this on us all. I could have just broken Riley out and refused to go with him. I could have told him the deal I had made with The General and kept to it. I could have made so many decisions that wouldn’t have ended this way.
But I hadn’t.
And now I had to pay the price.
He took long strides toward me and didn’t stop until he was right in front of me, my back pressing into the railings. And when I turned my head away, refusing to look at him, he took hold of my chin, the leather on his gloves groaning. Then he tipped my head up so I was forced to look up at those dark eyes that haunted my dreams.
