Page 28 of Hide and Keep

God, I’ve never disliked someone so much, so quickly.

I sigh. “Give me a minute.”

“For what?”

“So I can go with you.”

“I’m not—”

I dip back into my Bronco and grab that rum she planted, keeping my head in here for longer than necessary. She may justbe the literal fucking worst. She almost got me arrested. If it hadn’t been Ronny who pulled me over, I’d probably be in a cell right now. With my history…

“What are you going to do with that?” Ever’s voice is closer than it was a second ago.

When I glance over, I find she’s backtracked several feet.

Something about her tone rubs me the wrong way. Something aboutherrubs me the wrong way.

Everything about her rubs me the wrong way.

“Why? Hoping I’ll get drunk on the job?” Giving Arthur an excuse to fire me, no doubt.

Her gaze falls momentarily before moving to my right, toward the outer wall of one of the hedge mazes, her eyebrows lifting fractionally.

“More like worried you’ll waste perfectly good liquor. I went through a lot of trouble to get—”

Ignoring her, I walk over to that same bush, then empty the bottle into the crushed white shells below, the splashing not quite loud enough to drown out Ever’s outraged gasp.

My lips spread on their own.

“Such a waste.”

Ever huffs while putting her hair into a ponytail. With her hair being so short it doesn’t all go up, but enough of it does, so her face is visible. Her smooth, flawless, beautiful face.

“Anyway, champs wait for no one so…” She flaps her fingers at me, her glossy fake nails catching the sunlight. “Bye, loser.”

Without another word, she spins on her heel and takes off toward the woods.

Gritting my teeth, I toss the empty bottle back in my car, shut the door, then bound after her. Thankfully, I catch sight of her just inside the tree line.

“Ever! Wait!”

“I thought you said you could keep up!” she shouts into the air, scaring a pair of birds.

I can keep up. I just…wasn’t prepared. I will be going forward because this shit can’t happen again. I’m already losing her. Fuck.

I increase my speed, my legs pumping faster than they have in… Shit. Months? I haven’t had a reason to do cardio in a long time.

Ever’s small form passes behind an oak tree before disappearing from view altogether.

How the fuck is she so much faster? My legs are probably twice as long as hers.

I continue running in that direction for a few more minutes before pausing to listen. She only has her phone on her, stuffed…somewhere. I don’t fucking know where she’s keeping that thing. All I know is it wasn’t in my car after she got out.

She has her phone on her.

Before I left to go track her ass down the first time, Edwin gave me some info about the Munreaux estate, including the necessary phone numbers. Hers was one of them.

Taking out my cell, I call it. The second I hear the ringtone echoing through the forest, I pivot and sprint that way.

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