Page 10

CHAPTER 10

ARIELLA

I released a shaky breath as adrenaline coursed through my veins. Zaiden brought me all the way out to Kacie's grave after dark when the cemetery was closed, and I had no idea what his intentions were, but there was no mistaking he was pissed.

I couldn't figure out why he thought I was responsible for Kacie's death. We'd all been at that party. Kacie left the party by herself in her own car. I wouldn't have been able to stop her any more than he could have or Sterling, or Journey, or Mila. For some reason, he needed to blame me.

"Take the fucking jersey off, Ariella." Zaiden's jaw clenched, a muscle twitching beneath the shadow of his stubble.

My throat tightened. Sweat beaded between my shoulder blades, trickling down my spine. I forced my breathing to steady. Whatever he was planning wouldn't end well for me, but panic would only make it worse.

My only chance was running, but I needed a head start.

"Fine." I raised my hands in surrender, watching his eyes for any shift in attention.

My pulse raced, and my heart pounded as I grabbed the hem of the black, white, and red jersey and pulled it over my head. Sucking in a deep breath, I tossed the jersey at his face hoping it would temporarily distract him and bolted, but he was faster than I was. He kicked his foot out, tripping me. Pain shot through me as I tumbled down, slamming into the hard dirt.

"Shit," I muttered, shifting to push up but froze when his boots squeezed my sides.

"You should know I enjoy the fight." The corner of his mouth curved upward, eyes glittering in the darkness. His hand slid against my scalp, fingers tangling in my hair.

I yelped as he jerked my head back.

He knelt, his breath hot against my ear. "I love the chase."

He released my hair with a small shove. I rolled to my back, my heart hammering against my ribs.

"Zaiden." I forced steel into my voice despite the tremor in my hands. My tone was a warning, a weak one, but still a warning.

"Did you really think you were going to hang out with your friends and party while my sister is dead because of you?"

"Zaiden, I didn't kill your sister." My voice cracked on the last word, betraying me. I swallowed hard. "She was my best friend."

His shadow fell across my face, darkening with each passing second. When he spoke, his voice was terrifyingly calm.

"You're the one who should be six feet under. Not her."

The words landed like a physical blow. I couldn't breathe for a moment.

I pushed up on my elbows, dirt embedding under my nails. Defiance rose in me, a dangerous warmth.

"You don't think I wish it were me?" Each word was heavy. "Every. Single. Day."

His face remained impassive, carved from stone.

"You don't think I would trade spots with her if I could?" My voice strengthened. "Tell me what I could have done, Zaiden."

I shifted to get up—a mistake.

He moved with predatory speed, dropping his chest and flattening his palms against my shoulders. The force drove me back to the ground, pinned beneath his weight.

My heart jumped. Fear, yes. But something else, too. Rage. Pure, clarifying rage.

Fuck.

This situation was going from bad to worse.

"Why don't you tell me what you did?" My brows pulled together. "Tell me why my sister left that night. Tell me what you did, and I'll take you home."

He was going to leave me here alone in the dark. Panic rose in my throat at his words. "Zaiden, I didn't do anything."

His nostrils flared as he leaned down, wrapping his strong hands around my arms. I had no idea why he was so angry. I had no idea why he thought I was responsible for Kacie's death or what he thought I did, but what I did know was that if I didn't get out of this situation quickly, it was going to end badly for me.

He jerked me, and I raised my knee at the same time, shoving it hard into his balls. He grunted, releasing me as his hands flew to his groin.

I bolted into the darkness. Tombstones loomed, and branches clawed at my face. My lungs burned, but I pushed harder, faster.

Footsteps behind me. Gaining. Even injured, he was faster.

No. I wasn't going down without a fight.

Strong arms locked around my waist. My feet left the ground as he yanked me backward, my spine colliding with his chest.

"Let me go," I screamed, kicking, scratching, and hitting.

"Sure," he whispered against my ear. The evil in his tone sent chills racing up my spine. "Right where you belong."

His arms vanished. A push.

I stumbled backward, arms windmilling against nothing. One step, two, then my heel met empty space.

Time slowed. My body tilted backward, a heartbeat suspended in the air.

Then gravity claimed me.

I plummeted through the darkness, a silent scream locked in my throat. My back slammed against cold, wet earth, a dull, sickening thud. The impact forced air from my lungs in a harsh gasp.

Six feet of vertical darkness surrounded me. The stars above, impossibly distant, framed Zaiden's silhouette.

I was lying in an empty grave.

"Omigod," I cried, scrambling to my feet and staring up at him standing above me. His eyes were dark and evil. "Zaiden. "The panic and terror in my tone was excruciatingly painful. "Please. Please don't leave me here." I was scared of the dark, but even worse, he was leaving me alone in a dark grave.

"Too bad I'm not standing here for your funeral," he said, his tone void of any emotion. He knelt, filling his hand with dirt. "My sister deserved better than you."

I reached up, extending my hand to him. "Zaiden, please, this isn't funny. Please just help me out."

He stood to his full height, staring down at me. "Good night, Ariella." He dropped the dirt in his hand, and I dropped my face to keep it from going in my eyes as it covered my head.

My gaze snapped up, and he was gone. "Zaiden," I screamed. "Zaiden, please, please don't leave me here." I dug my fingers into the dirt, and it crumbled in my hands before I could pull myself up. The grave had to be at least six feet deep, and I was only 5'2". I wasn't sure if I was strong enough to pull myself out, but I wasn't staying here tonight.

The faint glow of headlights faded, taking with it my last connection to the world above. "Zaiden, please!" My voice echoed against the dirt walls. Then—nothing. Complete darkness swallowed me. The cemetery's silence pressed against my eardrums. Tears carved hot trails down my cheeks.

"I didn't hurt her." My voice trembled. "Just tell me what I did." I knew he was gone, but I was overwhelmed with fear and sadness. I was stuck in a grave only feet away from where I'd watched Kacie's casket lowered into the ground.

Panic rose in my throat as I frantically clawed at the ground, but it crumbled in my hands. The fear consuming me made it hard to think straight. I sucked in a deep breath through my nose and slowly exhaled through my mouth. "Calm down and think, Ari." My eyes widened. "My phone." I patted down my pockets and pulled it out. My trembling fingers opened the phone before clicking on Mila's contact.

"Hey!" Mila's voice lilted through the speaker, bright and oblivious. "Where are y–"

"I need you—" I swallowed hard, grit grinding between my teeth. "Come get me."

The darkness pressed down, a weight on my chest. My fingers dug into the dirt walls.

"Now."

"Ari? What's—" Alarm sharpened her tone.

"NOW."

Keys jingled through the speaker. A door slammed. Mila was moving.

"No time—" My voice caught as the battery indicator flashed red. "Phone dying. Sending location."

I disconnected, fumbled with trembling fingers to open messages, and sent my location.

Ariella: Cemetery. In an open grave next to Kacie's.

Ariella: HURRY

I shook my head. I wasn't thinking clearly. All I needed to say was I was at Kacie's grave.

The screen flickered. Darkness swallowed me as the phone died, its glow vanishing like a snuffed candle.

The silence that followed was absolute—nothing but the sound of my own ragged breathing and the distant cry of an owl. I pressed my back against the cold earth wall, the reality of my situation settling over me like the weight of the dirt Zaiden had let fall on my head.

I tilted my head back and let loose a scream that tore through my throat, rage, terror, and defiance all wrapped into one sound. Let the dead hear me. Let anyone hear me.

But when the echo faded, I was still alone—still buried—still waiting.

I had to get out of here.

I ran my trembling hands along the grave walls, inch by desperate inch. Seeking. Hoping. The dirt crumbled between my fingers, each handful another small defeat. My breath came in short, ragged bursts as panic threatened to overwhelm me.

Then, near one corner, something fibrous. Different. Not dirt.

A tree root.

I gripped it, fingers whitening with pressure. Yanked once, gently. Then harder.

It held.

My body went still. One chance. Just this one chance.

I pressed my forehead against the cold wall, gathering strength. I dug my shoe into the dirt, creating a small foothold. I pulled upward, every muscle screaming in protest. The root groaned under my weight.

Please, please, please.

The root creaked, a terrible warning sound as I threw my elbows over the edge, dirt cascading around me.

A choked sob escaped me as I reached for anything to grab onto. There was nothing. Headlights appeared in the distance, and judging by the speed, I guessed it was Mila.

The car skidded to a stop near Kacie's grave, and the car doors on each side flew open.

"I'm here," I shouted to Journey and Mila.

"Oh my fucking God," Mila cried out, racing to me.

They each grabbed an arm and pulled me out of the grave.

"What the fuck happened?" Journey's eyes widened as she took in my dirt-covered form, her breath coming in quick gasps.

"Zaiden." The name fell from my lips. I wrapped my arms around myself, shivering despite the warm night air. "Take me home. Please."

I stared at the grave one last time, then turned away. The need to wash away this night burned beneath my skin. Tomorrow. I'd deal with everything else tomorrow.