Page 76 of Love Me

You can outrun him!

For a moment, I thought I could, until my foot caught on the root of a large tree. Before I could catch myself, I was tackled to the ground.

I screamed. I screamed as loud and as long as I could, praying my guys would hear me. But my scream was cut off when Gabe slammed his hand over my mouth as he climbed on top of me, straddling my hips.

I easily knocked his hand away and clawed at his mask, knocking it off.

He snarled down at me, baring his teeth, and he smacked me across my face. I smacked him back, making sure to hit his bloody and swollen nose.

“You stupid bitch!” he roared and caught my wrists, pinning them to the ground on either side of my head with a bruising grip.

“You’re the stupid bitch,” I said and thrust my hips upward, slamming them into his butt and propelling him forward. He could either let go of my wrists or nosedive into the ground above my head. He let go to catch himself. With my arms free, I slammed my elbow down where his arm bent, captured that arm between mine and my ribs, and rolled us. It was stupidly easy to gain the upper hand and once I had him pinned beneath me, I jabbed my elbow into his face. He went limp and I quickly climbed off of him.

As I backed away, he let out a groan and sluggishly touched his face. I didn’t stick around after that.

“Shiloh!” I heard Keelan yell, his voice close enough for me to know it was him.

“Keelan!” I yelled as I ran toward his voice.

“Shi!” Creed yelled and a light turned in my direction, illuminating my way.

I ran through a cluster of trees, and as they cleared, a large figure pointing a light at me appeared. “Knox!” I cried, knowing it was him. Tears filling my eyes, I ran faster.

He met me halfway and caught me as I leapt for him. “I got her!” he shouted as he hiked me up higher in his arms.

Wrapping my arms around his neck, I buried my face in his shoulder and cried.

“Is she all right?”

“What happened?”

I heard Colt and Creed, sounding close.

“She’s hurt,” Keelan said. “Back of her head.”

“Do we call the police?” Creed asked.

“No,” I said weakly. My adrenaline was crashing fast and every injury I had begun to hurt. “It was Cassy, Gabe, and Amber. They attacked me in the garage and hit me over the head with something. Then they dragged me out to the woods. I fought them off. If we call the police, I wouldn’t put it past the sheriff to twist things and make it seem like I attacked them. Then he’ll go after you for having a party and serving alcohol to those under drinking age.”

“Then what do we do?” Colt asked.

“We take her to the hospital,” Knox said.

“And we call her uncle,” Keelan added.

Creed let out a curse.

“The rest of us aren’t happy about it, either, but he’s the only one that can help,” Keelan said.

Decision made, Knox started moving, carrying me back toward the cabin.

As we approached the house, I spotted Ethan and Isabelle standing in front of the open garage. Both looked visibly worried and when Isabelle saw me, her shoulders slumped.

“Shit,” Colt snapped. “Our cars are blocked in.”

We all glanced at the long dirt driveway that led up to the cabin and it was full of cars.

Keelan looked at Colt and Creed. “Clear out the party, right now.”