Page 101 of In Hiding

Sarah set her palm against his cheek and shook her head. “No, honey. You don’t need to do anything.”

“But Mama—”

“You heard your mother.” Erik’s deep voice rumbled at her ear. “You stay out of sight.”

“Saaaarrrrraaaaah!” Ryan sang out, drawling out her name as if they were playing a game of hide and seek. “Where are you?”

“What’s the plan?”

Erik shrugged. “We stay up here.”

Which sounded all kinds of wrong to her. Moving to the staircase, she glanced down to see Ryan’s shadow at the front door. Silhouetted against the light from outside, he stood larger than she remembered. If Erik had used his time in prison to bulk up, so too, it seemed, had her ex. She’d been unable to fight him off six years ago when he was smaller... fear raised goose pebbles over her skin.

“Sarah,” Erik called her back. “Don’t do it.”

On the ground floor, shadows moved. She knelt low as something caught Ryan’s attention. He growled, sounding more canine than human, as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

“You.”

Downstairs, Jake chuckled. “You’re in the wrong place, man.”

Ryan pointed. Sarah craned her neck but couldn’t make out Jake in the darkness. “What are you doing in my wife’s home?”

“Ex-wife, I believe.”

“You and my wife?” Ryan sounded confused.

Sarah held her breath. Silence fell over the house. She felt her heart pound against her chest, certain everyone could hear its erratic beat.

“You don’t deserve her,” Jake taunted. “I’d bet my life you never did to begin with.”

Ryan let out a guttural scream as he reached behind him. “No!” He pulled something out from behind him and pointed it at Jake. Sarah shot to her feet. “She’s my wife!”

Without warning, the sound of a gunshot echoed through the house. Sarah felt her body react. Adrenaline surged through her veins and her vision zeroed in on Ryan’s figure below.

He stalked forward, disappearing out of sight and yelling at the top of his lungs he’d kill Jake for putting his hands on her. Losing sight of him, Sarah rounded the balustrade and started down the stairs, ignoring Erik’s fevered whisper for her to stay.

Three treads down, she stooped to see Jake slumped in the kitchen doorway. Blood glistened in the moonlight, pumping out of his chest as Ryan stood over him and forced the muzzle of the gun against Jake’s temple. Incomprehensible yelling followed as chaos exploded below.

Men filed into the house, some dressed in camouflage, some dressed in black.

Sarah couldn’t tell who was who but she didn’t want to take her eyes off Jake. His strength left him, and his eyes began to close, all while Ryan screamed down at him. The world went silent for her and in a blink, it became clear what she had to do.

“Ryan,” she called, moving further down the stairs.

His yelling stopped and he turned. Cast in a mix of shadows and silver light, his grin looked fearsome. Behind him, Jake’s eyes snapped open and he tried to grab hold of Ryan’s leg, but her ex shook him off. Sarah reached the ground floor, determined to draw Ryan’s attention to her. He’d come for her. She wouldn’t let anyone else get hurt.

Turning, she bolted out the door into the icy cold night, praying Ryan would follow. She ran through the garden until she found the path leading down to the cliff. Behind her, she heard heavy breathing and heavier footsteps. Racing down the path, she found the stone steps. Tiny snowflakes sparkled in the night, drifting around her as she made her way down the slope.

Don’t slip.

Don’t fall.

The cliff edge loomed ahead and a memory of almost going over teased at the edges of her mind, but she didn’t slow. No one knew this mountain better than her.

“Sarah!”

She reached the bottom of the steps and came to a halt. Out of breath, she sucked in the cold night air. It seared her nose and throat as she tried to steady her breathing. Turning, she stared up the slope where Ryan stood ten steps away. So close. So dangerous. The glee in his eyes sent a chill through her and the evil grin on his face screamed his victory. He descended one step. A silver flash caught her attention and she saw the blade reflecting the moonlight.

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