Page 31 of Saving Scarlett

The dim light of a cell phone flashlight lit our way as he led me down a narrow staircase into the hidden basement below the cottage, the footsteps above us telling me that whoever had been trying to get into the cottage had finally succeeded. I didn’t dare ask Bane who he thought it was, not with the risk of my voice alerting them of our presence.

He dragged me toward the back door, his hand warm and calloused around mine. “We have to go. Now.”

Although my heart pounded in my chest, the familiar rush of panic and adrenaline coursing through my veins, I didn’t dare argue. A moment later, we plunged into the forest, navigating between gnarled branches that clawed at my clothes and made walking difficult.

Guiding us forward, his gaze scanned the terrain for any signs of danger, but we didn’t see or hear anyone. A black SUV had blocked the entrance of the driveway, but whoever had come to the cottage all seemed to be inside. Still, the hair on the back of my neck stood on end as though I was being watched.

With my boots stumbling over twisted roots and underbrush, I struggled to keep up with his brisk pace.

“Stay close,” he said, not slowing his steps.

I gritted my teeth as his hand tightened around mine, determination setting in. I refused to be the reason we were caught.

The forest thickened around us as we moved through trees and bushes. My lungs burned as I gasped for air, sweat dripping down my neck. Still, he showed no signs of stopping. His resolve was iron; his focus unwavering. I squeezed his hand, not daring to speak. We had to keep going. Together, I had to believe we could make it through anything.

I wasn’t sure how far we’d traveled when the sound of twigs snapping somewhere behind us made my heart leap into my throat. Bane’s grip tightened on my hand and we picked up our pace, ducking under low-hanging branches. Voices drifted through the forest, growing louder with each step.

Panic threatened to overtake me, my chest tightening until I could barely breathe, knowing they were gaining on us. It was only a matter of minutes before they spotted us, before—

“There!” A shout rang out behind us as a gunshot split the air. The bullet whizzed past my head, biting into the tree beside me. I screamed, nearly tripping over my own feet.

Bane yanked me forward, breaking into a run as more gunshots followed. “Don’t stop!” Pulling me off the winding path, we forged ahead into denser brush. The terrain grew treacherous, sloping downward before dropping off into a rocky ravine.

I scrambled to keep my footing, heart pounding wildly against my ribs. As we slid down the ravine, a narrow stone path came into view along one side. Bane dragged me onto the path without slowing, his chest heaving.

The sound of rushing water filled my ears. Up ahead, the path ended at a cliff overlooking the churning river.

Skidding to a stop, his eyes scanned the cliff and river below. I peered over the edge, a gasp escaping my lips, terror numbing my limbs. The drop was at least fifty feet, ending in a maelstrom of whitewater rapids and jagged boulders, the moon highlighting the danger below.

There was nowhere left to run. We were trapped.

Bane’s gaze flickered to mine, his chest rising and falling at a rapid pace. The shouts behind us were growing louder, nearly upon us. I could see the panic brewing in his eyes as his hands tightened around my arms.

“We have to jump.”

Although I expected the words, they still chilled my blood when he spoke them. I stared at him like he was insane. “What? No!”

“It’s our only chance!” His eyes pleaded with me as another gunshot rang out. “I don’t know who they are, Scarlett, but it’s real fucking possible they’ll kill us if we don’t. The current is strong—it’ll carry us away from them. Please, Little Red, trust me!”

My heart slammed against my ribs, torn between the churning river below and the gunmen behind, but I knew he was right. It was either a risky plunge or facing certain death.

Gritting my teeth, I nodded, and he pulled me into his arms without another word, his embrace iron clad. I gripped him as though he was all I had left in the world, our chests pressing together as we backed toward the edge of the cliff.

The river stretched endlessly before us, roaring and unforgiving. Bane’s warmth was my only solace against the icy grip of fear threatening to consume me. Breathing him in, I summoned every ounce of courage I had left.

“Together,” he said, his breath hot against my ear. I nodded into his chest, squeezing my eyes shut.

The gunmen emerged behind us, their shouts piercing the air. Bane’s grip on me tightened impossibly, and then—

We were falling.

The cliff crumbled away beneath us as we plunged into the open air, tumbling toward the rapids below. A scream tore from my throat, lost to the wind whipping around us. The river rushed up to meet us, cold and unyielding, as we crashed into its depths.

In a blink, the current seized me, tossing me around like a rag doll beneath its surface. I struggled for purchase, kicking against the tug of the rapids. Breaking through to the surface, I gasped for air, fingers clawing at the water.

“Bane!”

In the darkness, I scanned the churning river. Debris and froth obscured my vision, a maze of obstacles standing between us.