Page 37 of Lady Killer

I was surprised when we started walking toward the main trail, and he slipped his arm around my shoulder. “Stay close,” he barked, but the command didn’t chafe me the way it once would have.

Suddenly, I saw them.

I didn’t know if they’d been waiting for us to approach, but out of nowhere, about a hundred yards ahead, a fast-moving black blur burst through the brush running away from us.

“Damn it,” Alister growled as every muscle in his body went tight.

“Let’s go!” I said, dropping his hand and taking off.

He muttered more curses at my back, but before long, he was at my side as we sprinted down the path, running parallel to whomever we were pursuing.

They were fast.

It was hard to get a good look at them at this distance, but they were tall enough to have to duck under low-hanging branches, with long legs that we were struggling to gain on.

They started veering away from us, and I realized they were cutting through to the other trails, which would let them loop back to the main campus.

I pumped my legs even harder, willing myself to go faster.

Our prey reached the apex of one of the smaller trailheads, came to a sudden stop, and turned to face us. A sheep mask stared out from underneath a black hoodie, just as they had that night.

Alister roared and charged toward them at full speed.

It was too late.

Before we could get any closer, they were out of sight, and by the time we reached the trailhead, it was impossible to tell which direction they’d taken off in.

“Fuck!” Alister roared. His frustration was palpable.

We had been so close.

But close didn’t cut it.

Chapter twelve

Locke

“ . . . shouldn’t take so long to secure.”

Lucian’s deep voice sounded even more commanding over the Bang & Olufsen sound system of my new Lamborghini Urus.

My finger hovered over the End Call button as I weighed the costs and benefits of hanging up on him. Just as I was about to disconnect the call, Lucian’s voice barked out with renewed interest. “Are you listening?”

I silently snarled at the screen but withdrew my finger.

Didthe bastard put cameras in my car?

“Yes, Lucian, you were complaining about how I do my job. One which you are welcome to take over if you believe you can do it better.”

Bullshit. I’d never let the brute ruin all my hard work.

“Careful, Locke,” he rumbled over the car’s speakers.

“The Statlers will be brought to heel. If they can’t be bought, they can always be bled. Now, is that all?”

Lucian huffed, and I could envision his broad face pinched in displeasure. “You’ll stay away from the girl.”

I gripped the steering wheel tighter and pressed down on the gas. “Outside the classroom,” I bit out.

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