Page 89 of The One Night Match

Hopefully, it stays a drizzle and doesn’t pick up because the ground is uneven enough without adding puddles of water and slippery mud to the mix.

Well, I jinxed myself with that one, because no sooner did I think the thought, did it start bucketing down with rain.

And don’t even get me started on the thunder that grows closer with every rumble.

A storm? Really?

Am I truly this unlucky?

I wipe droplets from my eyes as I struggle to see a few feet in front of me.

Up until now, I was sure I could keep going, putting the most possible distance between me and the people chasing me, but at this point I think I need to find somewhere to wait out the storm.

I have no idea where I am, and more than that, the wetter I get, the harder I shiver because I’m so cold it hurts to breathe.

How cold does it have to be to get hypothermia?

I shake off the thought and duck behind a boulder with a small lip above it, acting like a pergola. Not a very good one because there’s a steady drip hitting my head every few seconds, but it’s better than nothing.

Exhaustion clings to my every muscle, but I can’t allow myself to sleep. I have to remain vigilant because I’m too weak to fight them if they find me.

If it were just Monica, I might have a chance, but without any idea who the man she has with her is, I doubt I’d stand a chance against both of them.

I rest my head back on the hard rock and allow my eyes to close for a moment.

The desperate need to fall apart tugs at me, but I shove it down. Instead, I focus on the rain hitting the forest floor, on the soft sounds the birds make within the trees, on the sound of my own breathing, bringing my heart rate down for the first time since I turned around and found Monica standing in the doorway to the office.

I am strong.

I am capable.

I am going to survive this.

I am going to live a beautiful life.

I repeat the affirmations in my head over and over again, a mantra to keep me awake and fighting as the cold night bites into my bones, until my body has no other choice but to succumb to sleep and consciousness falls away, leaving me weak and vulnerable.

FORTY-SEVEN

CRUZ

Iswipe the rain out of my face as we walk deeper into the forest that surrounds the house.

All this time, I thought it was a great thing that my nearest neighbor was ten miles away in any direction, but now I’m really fucking hating it.

There’s a part of me that’s worried Riley couldn’t survive out here in these conditions.

Colten said the last time she appeared in the camera feeds, she was only wearing one of my shirts and some socks that were probably destroyed in the first five minutes out here, which means she must be freezing.

I’m freezing, and I had the sense to pull on a puffer jacket and waterproof pants before venturing out here.

Well, I should rephrase that. Colten made me put on sensible clothing with the reminder that I was no good to Riley if I froze to death, and a suit isn’t appropriate hiking attire.

He’s been the voice of reason in my ear as I make my way in the direction we think she went.

Colten is back at the house with Lexi, running point for the team we have searching for Riley. The cameras are older thanthe ones we have at the house, and with the rain added to the equation, he’s struggling to see her.

But so far, we are certain of one thing.