Page 18

But Rhyder didn’t try to get through the crowd.

He had backtracked and come around the other side of the greenhouse to intercept me.

“Temperance!” he growled, and I knew I had one chance. One fucking chance to get away from my brother.

I ignored him and concentrated on running, my arms and legs pumping so hard my chest ached with every ragged, desperate breath.

“Temperance!” he called again, but I didn’t look back, didn’t answer him.

My dress was tight, riding up over my thighs, but I’d always been a fast runner.

I could absolutely outrun Rhyder.

There’s only one problem, I remembered as I headed for the big circular driveway at a dead sprint.

My brother had never given up.Ever.Any time we were kids. I was faster, always able to outrun him, nimble, agile, able to leap over little streams, balance on the rocks Rhyder with his much bigger body couldn’t.

But henever gave up the chase. Ever. I’d run and run, feel like I was flying, my skirts swirling around me. But when I got tired, Rhyder would always be there, and if I was running away from him, he’d come up and grab me around the waist, rubbing his head into that crook between my neck and shoulder.

“I win.”

Was he the same way?

How far would he go to chase me, in front of all his men, after he’d taken the cane for me?

A disobedient wife or concubine was a reflection on the Congregant who failed to discipline her, and could mean a loss of status. And a whore could be killed and her body tossed aside for even the slightest inconvenience.

I was too afraid to look back at him.

As my feet pounded through the soft grass, the panic rose in my throat, my chest tight, my breath coming in ragged little gasps.

I didn’t hear Rhyder behind me. Could I be so lucky that he’d given up, decided chasing me was too much trouble? That he didn’t actually care about taking me back by force?

Before I could change my mind, I flicked my head sharply back, my hair stinging my face.

Well, fuck.

I couldn’t hear him because he wasn’t wasting any breath on talking. Just running.

And fuck, he looked mad.

I wasn’t exactly in shape anymore, and I could outrun Rhyder, but I’d only have a small window to hide from him.

I ran with the sound of my brother’s heavy footsteps pounding in my ears.

My breath burned in my lungs, my arms pumping up and down as the hedges flew past.

I accelerated as I got closer to the parking lot, but what the fuck was I supposed to do when I got there?

My twin was way too close to hope to hide from him.

I could feel my brother gaining on me as my lungs burst. How much longer could I go?

The rough gravelly pebbles of the driveway dug into my toes and I sprinted toward all the cars parked for the party.

Fuck.

Suddenly I caught sight of Rhyder’s motorcycle.