Page 16 of Darkness of Mine

Carmen looks over my shoulder, annoyance flitting across her face.

When she looks back at me, even through my blurred eyes her guilt is clear. My heart twists. “What the fuck did you do?”

8

FREYA

Iturn around slowly, like maybe if I take long enough, he won’t actually be here.

But he is here.

They all are.

River stands there in one of his pristine suits, minus the jacket. The black shirt matches his ink drop hair and the lines of his jaw could cut diamond. The way he’s watching me, the darkness in his eyes, has him looking less FBI agent and more demon from the underworld.

Jude, Eli, and Oz flank him and I didn’t think it could hurt this much just to look at them.

Relief is clear on Oz’s face. Jude, who’s normally so jokey and happy, looks more somber, more upset than I’ve ever seen him. And Eli’s gaze flicks between me and River, his eyes sharp.

Carmen steps up to my side. “I told you to wait outside.”

River’s eyes cut into me, not looking away as he speaks. “And I told you I was done waiting.”

Their exchange breaks me out of my shocked state and panic floods my body. “You shouldn’t be here. You can’t be here.” I wet my cracked lips, my breathing fast and shallow. If Zach finds outthey’re here, he’ll kill our deal. My sister, Layla, Oz, Jude, Eli, River—everyonewill become fair game. He’ll go after them all just to punish me.

I back away, stumbling on the foot of the desk.

River cocks his head. “If you run from me again, you better be prepared for me to catch you. And bear in mind I’ve had fifty-seven days to think of all the ways I’m going to punish you.”

I shake my head, losing it even more when he takes a step towards me. “You can’t be here.”

River keeps prowling forwards, a predator stalking his prey. “You run, Freya, and I will chase.”

My mind is shutting down. Panic claws at my skin, scratching marks down my arms. Zach’s threat. Carmen’s betrayal. It wasn’t supposed to be this way. I wasn’t supposed to have to face them after what I did.

They can’t be here.

I can’t be near them.

I spin, shoving the desk between us to block River as I sprint across the hanger.

“Freya!” His voice is a bomb, his footsteps shrapnel as he chases after me.

I run faster, dodging past AJ and heading for the fire exit on the other side of the hanger. I slam through the door, grunting as the metal punches into my upper arm, the escape bar digging into my hip.

River is faster and stronger than me, but I have one advantage. I know where I’m going.

The tunnel I’m in leads to the garage. The narrow space is only dimly lit by security lights, but I spent months in Carmen’s mountain headquarters and I could traverse it with my eyes closed.

Cold air bites at my skin as my feet slap against the concrete. I don’t have a plan here, just an incessant need to get as far away as possible.

Seeing the guys kicked my heart alive again. The numbness that has been seeping through me burnt away like a forest fire but buried under all the ashes is a single thought.I ran for a reason.

I can’t let Zach hurt them. I won’t.

Footsteps thunder behind me.

Pain digs under my ribs as I run, a stitch embedding itself deep. I’ve done little more than lie in bed for the past two months and my body is paying for it. If I can just make it to the garage, I can snag one of the cars and?—