Page 52

We must stay out there for hours in the cold, digging in shifts, until finally, Declan decides the hole is deep enough, and he and Brady lay her body inside. Then, we cover her grave.

"Brady, Rhett—you can go back to the house," Declan says. "I'm going to stay with her for a while."

The two of them say goodbye to Layla one last time before disappearing down the dark trail.

"Luca," Declan calls, then gestures for him to come closer.

I watch from a few feet away, waiting while they speak in hushed tones. Luca's eyes dart to me and then back to Declan as he listens to him speak, and he nods.

I know they're talking about me, and it makes me nervous. Really, really fucking nervous.

"Let's go, Teagan," Luca says.

He waits until I'm at his side, and we begin walking down the trail, leaving Declan alone in the clearing.

"Where are we going?" I ask.

"Home," he says.

"And then what?" I ask.

"I guess you'll find out when we get there."

He smiles, but his eyes are like they were at the waterfall this afternoon—cold and indifferent. I don't think before I do it; I hear rushing water to my left and break into a run.

"Teagan! Stop!" he calls after me.

His footsteps close in on me much quicker than I'd anticipated, and I panic. I look back over my shoulder and subsequently trip over a root or a stump and fall face-first onto the muddy forest floor. Struggling, I pull myself to my feet, and when I do, Luca's hand closes around my throat.

"Why would you do that?" he asks, backing me into a tree. "Huh? Why the fuck would you run from me like that?"

"I…can't…breathe."

"I thought you liked me."

"You're…hurting…me…please…"

He closes the space between us and slowly releases the grip on my throat, then runs his knuckles up my neck and the side of my cheek.

"I'm sorry," he says. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

Breath heaving, I ask, "Are you going to kill me?"

"What? Why would I kill you, Teagan? Is that why you ran? You thought I was going to kill you?"

I nod.

"I'm not a murderer, Teagan," he says. "I've never killed anyone; I'm not going to kill you, all right?"

"I'm scared," I tell him. "I don't want to be out here anymore."

"I can tell," Luca says. "You're terrified, aren't you, baby? I warned you about that, didn't I?"

He slides his hand up my thigh, then he grips my ass and presses his erection into me.

Yeah. I guess he did warn me.

"Get on your knees, Teagan."