Rules of Survival(4)

He nodded, justified, then turned to Shaun. “You go first. I’ll follow with her. Keep your head down.”

“You should go first,” Shaun insisted. “I’ll follow.”

As they argued about who should go first, I dropped my gaze back to the letter.

I ran a con game with a couple partners—Mick and T…

I skipped ahead, skimming the page for what I needed: the name of the person who killed her.

…found out I was pregnant. One last job and I was done. But that last job—the one that was supposed to set us up for life—went badly. We were betrayed… An innocent person ended up dead. They thought I did it—my prints were everywhere… I was careless and I think he’s found us, and I don’t know what he’ll do—

As soon as there was a lull in the fire, Patrick made a break for the corner. He slid across the floor, skidding to a stop and falling to his knees beside the dresser. With one good push, he shoved it forward. The lamp on top tumbled off and crashed to the ground. There was a small squeal, and the dresser rattled, then moved forward with ease. Without looking back at us, he grabbed mom’s bag from the floor and disappeared inside.

I took one last look at the letter.

If anything happens to me, baby girl, be strong. See that the information gets to…you’ll be safe…your father—

“Okay,” Shaun said, poking my arm to get my attention. “We’re up. You think you can make it?”

I looked up from the letter and stared at him. “Are you serious? You think I’m actually going with you?”

His expression twisted into one of pure amusement, and he shrugged. Inching closer to the edge of the couch, he smiled and said, “Fine by me. Stay here and become Swiss cheese. I’m sure those guys out there just wanna chat you up.” His eyes traveled over my body, and goddammit, I felt heat rushing to my cheeks. “You’re kind of cute. Maybe they want your number?”

Of course, he had a point.

His smile faded, and he nodded to the tunnel. “Come on, Kayla. You’ve got a better chance trying to run from us later than trying to dodge bullets now…”

Another good point. This guy was annoying.

Something whizzed past my head. It came close, disturbing the air around my hair and sending several strands fluttering. “So you’re not going to make me?”

He held both hands up and gave his head a quick shake. “Not my style.”

I bit back a bitter laugh. This guy obviously had no clue about a bounty hunter’s lifestyle. “Then you’re in the wrong business, pal.” Inching closer, I pulled him back and peered around the edge. It had gotten quiet, and that was never a good sign. The moment my forehead breached the edge, the gunfire began again. I jumped back and accidentally let go of the letter. It drifted across to the floor beneath coffee table, landing just out of reach.

“No!” I cried, dropping low to the ground. I stretched on my stomach and clawed the floor in an attempt to reach it, but my fingers were just a hair too short. Inching a little farther out, the tip of the nail on my middle finger came centimeters from the edge of the paper.

“Are you insane?” He grabbed my ankle and yanked backward just as I brushed the letter. The breeze from the motion sent it even farther away. “Whatever it was, it’s not worth it.”

“It—”

“No,” he snapped, wrapping his fingers tightly around my forearm. “Let’s go.”

I stared at his hand. He was squeezing so tightly that my arm was going numb. Or maybe it was me. There was a good chance I was going into shock. All the things I had to go through, every sacrifice I’d made, just to get myself here again… And this was how it ended? “I thought you weren’t going to force me.”

Hazel eyes met mine, and I fought back a shiver. Anger, darkness, and determination. “I lied.”





Chapter Two


We moved through the tunnel quickly, and before too long emerged into the brisk early-morning air. Now that we were out in the open I could work on losing Patrick and Shaun. No one knew these woods like I did. Mom made sure of that.

The first time she brought me up here, we’d spent three days camping out and exploring the area. She taught me what berries were safe to eat and which to stay away from, and how to find north without a compass. She also made sure I could move through the woods without leaving a trail and find my way to town.

Once I escaped, I’d lie low, and then when the coast was clear, go back and get the letter. Hopefully whoever had come looking for me hadn’t found it. Things were a bit more complicated than I’d originally planned. Now, instead of having to find Mom’s killer and clear my name, apparently I had to clear her name, too. Wanted for murder? Like mother, like daughter. It’d be fine, though. From what I’d managed to skim, the letter had the information I needed to set things straight. After all this time, there finally might be an end in sight.

All I needed to do was get away from the persistent Tweedledee and the hot Tweedledum.

Escape, reacquire the letter, and get out of Dodge. There. A good, solid plan.

Unfortunately, Patrick, who seemed to have an uncanny insight into the way Mom’s mind worked, was one step ahead. I turned to look back toward the house. A second. That was all. Nothing much more than the blink of an eye.