Page 31 of Ravaged
Maybe he wouldn’t. Maybe he was telling the truth. Ethan had been too kind, too nice to kill me now. Not when I was on the loose.
No, that was stupid. Stupid optimism clouding my judgment. He was nice to me while I was in a cage, but I was still a prisoner. And now, I was an escaped prisoner.
Once his head was turned, I moved to the next tree. I had to keep moving. It was the only way I’d survive this.
“Teagen,” he called out, his voice almost in a sing-song tone meant to be friendly, but I knew he was anything but. “Don’t make this harder for yourself than it already is, little one.”
My gut clenched at that pet name. I moved to the next tree. A twig stabbed my foot, then snapped under my weight. I bit my lip, forcing myself not to make a sound. I couldn’t look at it. Couldn’t check to see if my foot was bleeding. Not yet. Not while he was there. My stomach rolled, and I sucked in a quiet breath.
I turned to look around the tree and came face to face with Ethan. His dark eyes locked onto mine, peering deep into my soul. As if one false move would make me evaporate into thin air. My whole body tingled, urging me to fight, or to run. As far away as I could go. As fast as I could manage. I needed to get out.Now.
But what would happen if I got away? Would Ethan get in trouble?
Why was that my thought? Why did I care? I didn’t care. IswearI didn’t.
The better question was, what would happen to Dad?
“What?” he asked, breaking the silence.
“Where are the others?” I asked.
“Taking care of your father.”
My stomach twisted. Dad. I had to get away. It was the only way Dad stabbing himself would be worth it.
“They haven’t killed him?”
“Not yet.”
A few seconds passed between us. Ethan could have attacked me, could have pulled me into his grip. But he did nothing. He stared at me, waiting for my next move.
“They keep sending you,” I said. “Why?”
“Why not?”
It wasn’t that simple. The Adlers had been coming to the Dahlia District on and off for years, usually for business, rarely for pleasure. I may not have recognized all of them, but I knew enough to know that there were three sons,notfour. Ethan was different somehow. He was a newcomer. A stranger.
“You’re an outsider,” I said. “Why?”
“Whywhat?” he asked, a subtle hint of irritation laced in his words.
“What makes you an outsider?”
“Maybe I volunteered to retrieve you,” he offered. Retrieve, like I was an object.
No. He couldn’t have volunteered. It couldn’t be that simple.
“You’re lying,” I said. I shook my head. “You’re screwing with me. You think it’s funny to mess with someone like me.” I sneered, trying to summon courage, even when terror filled every part of me. “You’re a sick fuck.”
“I’m not lying.”
I held my breath. It should have scared me that he had volunteered to capture me. But despite my logical instincts, it thrilled me. He wanted to keephischains on me.
“You’re still an outsider,” I said.
His eyes hovered over my eyes, my lips, my neck. Down to my breasts covered in the thick robe.
“If you run,” he said, “I will hunt you, Teagen. And I will make you pay for it.”
