Page 109 of Run For Me
Jaxon is dangerous, and maybe this game isn’t as fun as I thought it was. It’s serious, and it’s real. Life or death.
I don’t know much about what I want for my future, but what if he doesn’t allow me that? What if he locks me away and never lets me do anything?
He tugs on my hand, and I go with him, not willing to risk any of this now. Not here, not when I have nowhere to go or anyone to call for help. Hell, I don’t even know where I am.
We follow Mindy outside, through the overgrown grass and dirt. She resembles a zombie, walking without emotion. Like a robot. Jaxon verbally guides her to where the car is, and unlocks it, gesturing for her to get in. She slides into the back, and he helps me into the front.
She doesn’t ask where we’re going and neither do I.
What if I turn into her?
What if whatever this is with Jaxon ends so terribly thatI’mon his bad side? It’s a scary, sobering thought.
Maybe I’m just panicking over the day.
He saved me.
But that’s the problem, isn’t it?
He saved me. He came for me. How many people did he hurt in the process? How many people will he hurt in the future? Will I be one of those people?
Before I know it, the car is moving. It’s silent, other than the low rumble of the engine and the cars we pass by. I don’t recognize a single thing, but Jaxon seems to know where we’re going. Mindy and I don’t say a word as we move down long, winding roads.
We eventually leave the cover of the trees. The entire left side opens up to a beautiful ocean view, and I think we’re going inthe wrong direction. If the ocean is on our left, we’re not heading back home. Unless that isn’t the ocean, but the Strait of Juan de Fuca, but that still doesn’t quite make sense. Why are we near the water when we weren’t a short time ago? Nothing about this tells me we’re going the right way, and that thought is terrifying.
Because this could still be a trick.
Both of them could be in on this. It could all be one big game to them. I want to look behind me to see Mindy’s expression, but that will be weird, so I keep staring forward as I consider my options. I finally come up with an idea.
I put my hand on Jaxon’s thigh. He smiles at me, and it causes my heart to skip a beat.
Why are all the dangerous men so beautiful?
His hand covers mine, linking his fingers through mine.
“Where are we going?” I ask.
“Somewhere quiet, so I can talk to Mindy,” he says.
It’s a weird answer that doesn’t make sense. I say nothing else. I don’t want to say something to anger him. It’s best to wait and see where we end up and go from there. For now, I focus on keeping my panic at bay. Panicking won’t help me.
Ten minutes later, Jaxon pulls into a small parking lot. The sun is going down, and I expect it to be the most beautiful sunset I’ve ever seen. I’ve never been this far west before, and I hate it has to happen on a day like today, when I can’t enjoy it.
Jaxon turns the car off, and we sit in silence for a few seconds before he says, “Wait here.” I watch him carefully. He leans in to kiss my cheek. “I’ll be right back.”
He gets out of the car before I can say anything, not that I know what I would say anyway. He pulls the back door open and yanks Mindy out by her arm. She cries out as I turn, ready to tell him to stop, but the words die on my tongue and I’m not sure why. Fear, maybe. I don’t know.
With his hand grasping her upper arm, he drags her across the road and toward the bluffs. There is a weathered wooden railing where you can stand to view the ocean. I can’t believe there’s no one here.
Beyond them, the sky is bleeding into oranges and pinks. Colors I’ve never seen before, let alone in the sky. It’s beautiful. So beautiful.
My heart thunders in my chest as Jaxon and Mindy come back into view. Why is this the place he wanted to take her to talk? Why does he need to talk to her at all? Are they conspiring against me?
They stop by the railing, facing one another so I can see their side view. He’s angry as he speaks to her. She’s crying, wiping her eyes and shaking her head. Her arms go up, then fall to her sides. He shakes his head, then he’s pointing a finger in her face.
She cries harder.
Then it happens.
