Page 2 of Ruthless

Probably just an animal.

However, the hair standing on my neck told me I was wrong. My brain was already working on a plan of defense—either sprinting to the house or back to the car. Neither of which would be without its cons.

“I wouldn’t run,” A deep, gravelly voice said from behind me. “You’re a smart woman, but I’m good fucking marksman.”

I didn’t recognize the voice, and for that reason, I wasn’t sure I could trust the skills he was claiming to have—but the cock of a steel hammer behind me told me hemightbe right. “Why are you here?” I asked, my voice staying calm and collected as I turned around slowly. I had gone through training for these kinds of situations, though my only method of defense were the keys in my hand.

Damnit.

A tall, broad-shouldered man in a black hoodie and ski mask was staring at me beneath the dim light of the moon. He flashed his pearly whites, his pistol pointed right at me. “For a cop, you sure let me walk right up on you. I could’ve just grabbed you from behind, taking you kicking and screaming, you know…”

“I’m not a cop,” I countered, meeting steely gray eyes, illuminated by the natural light. “But I appreciate the sentiment.”

He chuckled darkly, sending a strange, unfamiliar tingle down my spine.Am I turned on?Heat flushed to my cheeks, and I pushed it away.Gross, Rachel. Gross.

“So, do you want to go easy or are you going to risk your life and run? I kind of like the idea of chasing a little thing like you through the woods, so I’ll be happy either way.”

My heart picked up in my chest, rattling my rib cage with nerves. I knew the woods around my house like the back of my hand. I could make it to the neighbors—maybe.It was a solid half-mile, and I had no idea if they’d even open the doorifI made it.

But I also wasn’t going to go easy. Lucas would kill me if I did.

“Hard decision, princess?”

I bristled at his mocking nickname, and made my decision, dropping my bag and sprinting into the darkness. A sardonic laugh burst into the night air, but no shots were fired. He was down for the chase.

And that wasterrifying.

My casual flats pounded through the dead leaves scattered across the dirt floor, and I knew that my five-feet-three frame was no match for his six-feet-something. His legs would outrun mine any day…

But I’ll be damned if I wasn’t going to try.

“I knew you’d run,” his voice called out as I slid behind a large Oak tree to catch my labored breath. “I did my research on you, you know. You’re smart, princess… but I’m smarter. There’s a lot of Smiths in the world, but there’s onlyonewho’s the princess sister of a drug king.”

I squeezed my eyes shut, realizing the threat that Lucas worried about waswaymore real than I thought. I considered trying to bargain with the creep chasing me, but that would give away my hiding spot, and, more than likely, they came for revenge on my brother…

Whatever I said wouldn’t be helpful to my case.

The twigs and leaving snapping as he grew closer made my stomach flip. I needed to run, but my calves were still burning.

Fuck leg day.

Taking one more silent gulp of air, I pushed off from the ground and took off, hoping to snake my way to the far property line.

But I never made it.

A firm grip landed on my arm, and I was jerked backward. Whoever this guy was, he was skilled at being fuckingsilentwhen he moved. He only let me hear him when he wanted me to… And the sound he made was intentional to chase me out.

“You were too easy, princess,” he growled with satisfaction, his hot breath tickling my ear as he clapped a heavy hand over my mouth. The scent of smoke and sandalwood drifted to my nostrils, and I quivered against his grasp. The man wreaked of danger, but my body was on a whole different level of betrayal…

Andthatwas beyond embarrassing.

His arms lifted me from the ground, and the motion kicked my weak moment out. My legs swung, desperately striking him anywhere I could get contact. However, he just kept carrying me, unphased in the slightest.

“Got her,” he said in a low voice, and I froze, ceasing to fight. He wasn’t there alone, chasing me in the woods. For all I knew, there was a whole fucking army of people watching this go down.

I breathed through my nose as he carried me out of the woods since his hand was still covering my mouth, and sure enough, a dark van was parked just behind my car.

“Her phone must be in her pocket,” another man in a mask barked as started kicking again. “We need to get that taken care of—and the smartwatch. I’m sure her partner is going to come looking when she doesn’t show up for work tomorrow. There’s no tricking the nosy bastard.”

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