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Chapter forty-one

Ryann

The lights dim on the arena, and I find myself staring at the only lit area, which is the ice. I can see my dad skating around there holding his hands out to the child version of me.

If you fall, you get up and go harder.

I don’t know why I’m imagining my dead parents, but I’m grateful not to be alone. My lungs hurt, and I have a stitch. I inhale roughly and crouch in between a row of chairs. I slow my breathing and take a moment to calm myself.

Everything in me wants to run towards the light and run far away, but I know he will be down there waiting for me. I’m so conflicted.

What to do? I stand up, scanning the massive arena quickly, looking for any sign of him.

I crouch down and start moving towards the light when everything in me freezes up and doesn’t want to move towards it.

I’m scared. More than I have ever been. It’s because I have something to lose this time. Something that can hurt me. I don’t want to hurt them. I want the life I’ve found.

Fuck this guy.

I can see the hockey sticks that were left behind when the teams escaped. If I could just get my hands on one of them, maybe I’d have a chance at fending him off.

I run my hand over my thighs. My eyes widen. My phone! I reach into my pocket and pull it out, quietly scrolling until I get to Raider’s number. It calls, and nothing happens. I repeat the process with the others, but no one answers.

In desperation, I call Kelly Raines .

“Come on, come on, come on!” I glance around me, but everything is dark, and I can’t see any sign of him.

“Ryann?”

“Kelly, I need help. I’m trapped. At the game tonight. Please, help.” I let out a sob. “He’s here!”

“Okay, stay on the line, I’m going to get you help,” Kelly says, and his voice calms me in the same way Raider does. I know Raider hates Kelly, but they are the same. He can’t see it yet, but he will.

“Raider got hurt before the game started,” I burst out.

“I know, we saw it on the news,” Kelly says. “All right, good news. Bailey is minutes away.”

I hear the scrape of a shoe and look up. My stalker is standing at the end of the row of seats, smiling at me.

I shriek and jerk backwards, almost falling on my ass.

He looks so familiar, but I can’t place him. He may as well be a stranger.

He is a stranger.

And yet, this man has been my shadow since I was fifteen years old. Who is he? Why is he doing this?

“Kelly, I have to go now,” I whisper.

“He’s there?”

“Yes.”

“Stay on the phone.”

I ignore him, pulling the phone away from my ear, my arm falling.

I tremble, letting slip a tiny moan.

He moves towards me and, like a puppet with strings; I stand up and start moving backwards, step by cautious step. He mirrors me.

“So lovely,” he purrs.

That does it. My control snaps. I whirl and race along the row, then leap over the seats. I’m practically flying, but when I glance back, he’s gaining on me.

With a frustrated sob, I put on extra effort and reach the players section. I can see the sticks just on the other side of the glass.

“You can’t run, Ryann, but, damn, it makes it fun.” He laughs like the damned maniac he really is.

I glance over my shoulder and see him leaning on a chair like he’s got all the time in the world.

I race around the box and decide I’ve got no choice but to do a loop. Let’s hope this works .

I run.

I run faster than I’ve ever run before.

Everything is riding on me being faster than him, of just staying slightly ahead of him.

My legs ache, they burn. I hit my hand a couple of times on the seats, but I keep going, not even daring to look back.

In my mind, I can feel him just behind me. I don’t even know if he’s there or not, but in my mind, I see him clearly, fingers reaching out to snag my shirt.

I take a chance and look over my shoulder. There’s no one there. I skid to a stop and look around. There’s no one anywhere. I can’t hear him or see him. He’s gone like a damned ghost again.

The hairs on my neck raise, and I shudder. I think I’m going into shock. My brain isn’t working properly, and I’ve got a bitch of a headache. My legs are shaking now. I lean over, resting my hands on my knees.

“Ryann?”

I let out a small shriek before I realise it’s Kelly. With a groan, I pull the phone up to my ear. “I can’t see him.”

“Ryann, you have to get out of there.”

“I can’t. He’s always right there. I can’t escape.”

“Ryann, help is coming. Stay calm, stay-”

“You don’t need this, darling.”

I let out a scream as the phone is ripped from my grasp. I kick out, getting him off me, and bolt again.

He’s letting me tire myself out. I can see it, but what can I do? He must have gone around the outside in the shadows to get ahead of me.

This time, I don’t stop. I slam into the coach’s box and grab the hockey stick. I see the pucks in a bucket and grab them too before I step onto the ice.

My shoes aren’t the best, but I was good at this. If I’m going to get taken, I want it to be with me putting up a fight, and I want it to be on the ice I love so much.

I skid and skate my way towards the goal and upend the bucket of pucks. I brace myself and look up, waiting for him.

He laughs and steps onto the ice.

It’s the first time I’ve been able to see him clearly, and now, without the contacts, without the wig, I see someone I do know. Someone I should have recognised straight away.

“Wesley?” Shock makes my voice high and my head light. How can it be Wesley?

He grins. “I did it all for you. Everything. So we can be together.”