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Ash shakes his head. “Not far enough.”

“What are we going to do?”

He picks up a berry and pushes it into my mouth with his finger. “I’m going to move you to someplace he can’t get to you. Do you trust me?”

I nod as he shoves another one in my mouth, forcing me to eat.

“I’m going to drop you over a cliff.”

Chapter Thirty-Six

Lexie

My heart beats out of my chest as Ash walks us toward the cliff.

“This is the perfect spot,” he assures me. “The rope isn’t long enough, but you’ll only fall a couple of feet. Try to land on your good foot. Make sure you stay as close to the rocks and away from the edge as you can.”

“Oh god,” I say as I lower myself to the ground, my feet dangling over the side.

“My dad always said if you aren’t living on the edge, you’re taking up too much space,” he jokes.

“I’d laugh if I wasn’t busy trying not to piss myself.”

“It’s okay if you do. It will make it look more realistic.”

How can he be so laid back when a man is literally chasing us with a gun?

He ties the rope around my waist, and then he kisses me. “This is going to work.”

“How will I know when he’s close?”

Ash turns my face toward him, forcing me to look into his eyes. “You’re not going to let him take anything else from you. You can do this. It’s either kill or be killed. Just quiet your mind and listen. You’ll hear him coming.”

He continues to stare at me until I wrap my mind around what he’s just said. “I’m ready,” I whisper.

“That’s my girl.” He kisses me one last time and then begins to lower me to the slab of rock jutting out about ten feet below us.

“Okay, that’s as far as it goes!” Ash yells from above.

He counts to three as I take a deep breath, and then I release the knot. I don’t have to worry about landing on my ankle because my ass takes the brunt of the fall. I cry out, but that’s okay. It’s all part of the plan.

“You good?” he asks.

I nod up to him, and then he disappears. A few seconds later, he tosses his shoe over the edge. It bounces off the rock in front of me, landing a few feet below.

That’s my cue.

I roll to my stomach, struggling not to throw up with how small my little ledge is.It’s fine. I’m fine.

“Ash!” I scream at the valley below. “No! Ash! No!”

The mere thought of losing him makes the tears come easily. I continue to scream until my voice goes hoarse.

After that, I clear my mind, my fear evaporating with each beat of my heart, and I listen. Every sound becomes heightened.

Time passes slowly, but eventually I hear something.

My mouth is dry, but I manage a raspy and weak, “Help.”