Page 1

Prologue

Nina

2.5 years ago

Fire radiates from every beaten inch of my body. The slice of tree branches assaulting my bare arms, face, and legs is nothing compared to the sheer agony nipping at the back of my calves.

A delirious little snort tumbles from my bloody lips as my feet tumble to get me away.

Nip...

The punch line is that I literally got nipped by his dog as I made my escape. Viciouslybitten, actually. If body parts could scream, the steady stream of blood running from my right calf would help me pass as a banshee staggering through these godforsaken woods.

So many trees...many, many...many trees.

On and on it goes. My frantic hunt for freedom, for help, never seems to come.So many trees.

A rattle shakes my vocal cords as green and brown whip by me and waver in the setting sun. Another wheeze burns my lungs, this one threatening my impending doom. Suffocatingdarkness steals my peripheral vision like a demon damning me to eternal misery. Soon, I won't be able to see anything, whether in death or nightfall.

At the time, escaping in broad daylight made sense because there was an obvious opening. Now, though, I swear my sickly pale skin and long hair flash like a beacon in the gold streaks taunting me from above.

"Please," I whisper, only for my plea to dissolve into a pained cry when my ankle twists. The sharp ache is immediately accompanied by a throb in my shoulder as I careen into a tree.

"Ouch!" I hiss, collapsing against the rough bark. Tears scorch my heated cheeks while sweat burns every single scrape dotting my dirty flesh. "Come on...come on, Nina."

I can barely make out my whimpers, but still I suck in a deep breath andfeelevery single desire and absoluteneedto keep running.I have to keep running.

Light flashes ahead of me, streaking through the trees. Then another. And another brighter than the last, as the sun leaves me on this rotten planet to find my own way in the darkness. Another flash, and this time I hear awhooshas it goes.Run. RUN! RUN!

"Ahh!" It's a battle cry and terrified shout all in one as I push away from the tree I've bloodied, then pump my frail legs as hard as I can, all the while terrified they will snap at any moment.

Another flash. "Oh my g-god," I sputter and trip in my distracted haste to get to what I think is a road. My arms flail, my left leg shoots forward faster than planned and catches me before I fall, only for the ground to drop out from beneath me.

I can't even scream as I tumble hands-first into a deep ditch that may as well be my final resting place for all the fight I have left in me.

Climb!The voice sounds familiar. Soft and throaty, enough to make me want to melt into a puddle.

CLIMB!This one is more frantic and energized, buzzing my insides enough for my chin to lift out of the dirt.

CLIMB, NINA!Stark fear and accusation whip through my mind, delirium making me think Ridge is standing above me and aggressively begging me to move.

FUCKING CLIMB!At the harsh demand of the final voice, I groan and begin to crawl.

One agonizing handful of grass after another, I finally scrape my nails on asphalt. All I can think as light blinds me and screeching tires deafen me, isI'm so grateful to have felt them one last time, even if it was a hallucination.

Chapter 1

Nina

"It's time, sweet Nina."

Dad didn't mean it in the way I took those words. Iknewhe wasn't suggesting I just move on. No, he just meant I should move out.Live.

How could he possibly think I would ever be ready to leave?

"I agree with your dad, sweetheart."

If dad's statement stunned me, my mom's had thrown me headfirst into a sobbing mess. Loneliness crept in on my heart that day, even as my mom cried along with me. Their embrace of love and support only served to remind me that soon I wouldn't have this.