Page 178 of Auctioned

His regret. His resentment over losing Topher. I won’t be able to take it. I don’t wish that for him.

The lock clicks easily with the proper key. I press the handle, careful to stay as silent as possible.

I hold my breath as I open the door he’s left unlocked.

The cold envelops me so quickly that my breath hitches. I suck in a new one, looking down at the stairs that lead to the driveway. They’re wet from the rain, white dots of sleet scattered around it. There’s an overhang above the stairs, but the winds are strong. They brought the elements to us.

They whip my hair around my head.

James’s voice fades as resolution settles into me.

I won’t cry. Won’t let my love for him stop me from doing what’s right.

I’m fixing this for James.

I’ll be fine. I’ll survive wherever I go. I will. Knowing I made the best choice for him will be my sustenance.

“Ophelia.”

Shit.

“Ophelia.”

He never asks. He demands an answer.

I’ll miss that.

A rogue tear slips out. Bastard.

I wipe it with the back of my hand, throwing myself into the mercy of the night. The cold freezes my bones. My breath vaporizes in the freezing cold air. My lips grow numb.

Run.

I have to run before he can catch me. Before my feet go as numb as my lips.

“Ophelia.” He’s closer, despite the distance I’m putting between us.

The wrought-iron fence that seem to reach the sky is up ahead. If I’m lucky, I can climb it and come down without hurting myself.

Heavy footsteps pound on the driveway behind me.

Throughout James’s training, I’ve grown stronger. I have better stamina than I ever had in my entire life. I run, run, run, as fast and as far as I can, the harsh wind freezing me down to my bones.

He’s not calling me anymore. I don’t turn around for one last look. He won’t weaken my resolve.

I’m saving him. Can’t he see that?

Minutes—or is it seconds?—go by. Clean, cold air closes my lungs. My hair flails around me.

James is near. So near.

I hear him. I feel him.

The gates are so close now.

My fingers flex, ready to cling to them. Ready to climb.

Except I don’t need to. I won’t be able to.

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