Page 50 of Bound to a Killer

My legs shake under my weight, but I push myself forward, taking small, reluctant steps until I reach the doorway. She swings it open and motions for me to go first. A rush of panic hits me, stealing my breath. It takes everything in me not to bolt past her, knowing it won’t end well.

Outrunning his car is impossible. My options are limited. If he comes after me, I’ll lose the one advantage I have.

I glance at my hands for just a beat, then lift my gaze to step outside for the first time in what feels like forever, my hands snaking as far between my legs as I can get them, searching for warmth in the harsh winter weather.

The cold wind whips around, stirring my loose strands into an even bigger bird’s nest over my shoulders. But that’s nothing compared to the feel of my bare feet touching the frostedpebbles as we walk across the gap between the cabin and the car.

She wrenches the back door open, and I hesitate a second too long before her hands press into my back. I duck my head and climb inside, slowly and reluctantly. My throat is uncomfortably tight as I sneak a look over to the driver’s seat. He doesn’t meet my eyes, head dipped low, fingers digging into the steering wheel.

Frankie slides in after me, then jerks the door shut. The lock flicks up and the engine revs, sending prickles of unease across my body. He’s alone. The passenger seat’s empty. He backs out in a hurry, the force swinging my head back into the headrest.

Where are we going?

Frankie drums her fingers over her knees, her eyes on her brother as he plunges us deeper into the forest trees on a downhill slope.

“So, what now?” she asks with a tremor.

Swallowing against the roughness in my throat, I lean closer to the chilled window at my side, my pulse thumping steadily in my ears as I listen. Maybe if I’m still enough, they’ll forget I’m here.

“Not now, Frankie,” he clips.

She blows out a frustrated breath, but I avoid turning my head to look at her. Instead, I keep myself flush to the side door, my arms tucked at an angle, out of sight.

She continues to press him for answers. “But we’re going to go back for Tanner, right?”

“Not with you two I’m not,” he says.

“Well, where the hell are you taking us, then?” she snaps back, her voice edged with a bite only a sibling would have.

I keep myself curled up small as we break out of the trees, the heavy shadows falling away into open sunlight as the tires ease onto smooth asphalt.

The cabin’s a distant memory now.

A shudder jerks down my back, twitchy and sudden, like a fish flailing out of water. It’s gone before anyone notices.

Something really bad is happening.

All I know is, I don’t want to stick around long enough to see what goes down.

“Sit tight and you’ll find out,” he grits out, his voice all gravel.

She keeps quiet, slumping back in her seat. Her huff is drowned out by the first splatter of raindrops, and within seconds, it racks up to a heavy downpour, battering the roof with relentless force.

My head grows heavy as it rests against the window’s deep vibrations, my pulse syncing with the steady beat of the rain. Praying that I’ll somehow make it out of this before it’s too late.

Something crinkles beside me.The noise repeats again until I’ve fully stirred myself back to consciousness. I shift in my seat where I’ve slumped over, unsure of how long ago I drifted off. My neck is stiff from the awkward angle it hung in.

It’s gotten dark. And quiet.

Then that same crinkle comes back around.

Bleary-eyed, I turn to follow it, my gaze landing on the brown paper bag on Frankie’s lap. She doesn’t notice me staring, her head tilted the other way to watch out the window, her leg sporadically bouncing.

Besides the bag, everything is still. Too still.

It stopped raining sometime while I was out. Water still streaks the windows as I peer over her shoulder, then catch a faint glow of a supermarket on the far side of the lot. My heart thuds. I shoot a quick glance to the front and find the driver’s seat empty.

This is it.