The threat of being snatched by someone like Booze or Coney… adrenaline got me through the first mad dash into the dense woods surrounding East Jersey. Add that to how thickly infested the neighborhood on the other side of the trees was and… yeah. I needed to get far enough away before I could even begin to worry about the handcuffs, Chase, and how near-fucking-naked I am.
I’m still wearing the bikini and not much else; I’m just glad I got my jacket back before Darryl slapped these cuffs on me. I haven’t been able to figure out how to pull a shirt on while connected to Chase—though he stubbornly insisted on helping me put the bikini top back on—but as soon as we can get the cuffs off, pulling my own clothes on again is the first thing I’m going to do, thanks to Mav snagging our packs before we fled.
Well, one of the first things…
“Fine. And after that,he’s going back to the Grave.”
Up until this point I’ve been civil to Chase because he’s a way safer bet than Darryl, and I didn’t want anyone to find out we already knew each other in case that made the auction null and void in the leader’s eyes. I wouldn’t have put it past that bastard. Hell, I would’ve rather stayed cuffed to Chase forever than spend another minute alone with Darryl.
But now? He has to go back.
Hehasto, but from the way his head snaps toward me, I don’t think he agrees.
“Me?” Chase drops his hand, taking mine with him. “Why the hell would I do that?”
Hecan’tbe serious.
“Maybe because you weren’t supposed to be here in the first place,” I snap. We’re far enough away from East Jersey that I don’t bother lowering my voice as I demand: “What were youdoing in that hellhole? How did you find us?” When he clenches his jaw, I yank my arm hard so that his jerks. “Fuckingtellme!”
To my surprise, Chase reacts like a cornered animal, backing up as far as the handcuffs will let him, his gaze darting over my shoulder, searching for some sort of an escape and finding none. Nope. There’s only me—me and my fury—and my sister’s fiancé has no choice but to answer to it.
Darryl is dead. For the moment, the threat he posed isn’t hanging over our head. Everything that happened in East Jersey… I had to do whatever it took to survive.
Now?
I want answers, and Chase Knight better give them to me.
He chews on the inside of his cheek before he finally admits: “I tracked you.”
“All the way here? From Madison to East Jersey? You were able to do that?”
Chase gives me a cocky smile. He lifts his free hand, running his fingers through his hair, making the sandy brown strands stand on edge as he tugs. “Well, yeah.”
I feel like someone sucker-punched me in the gut.
Alone. Chase left the Grave and headed into the Outside on his own. He had no one to watch his back. No one to make sure he was safe whenever he got some downtime to sleep. Shit. I hope he pushed through the night, following our path by the campsites we left in our wake, and it’s only been a couple of days that he’s been so stupid.
Wait a second. This is Chase Knight we’re talking about.
I glare over at him. “How long have you been following us?”
Us?
Me.
How long has he been following me?
He juts his chin out, the smile lingering in the corner of his mouth as though he knows I’m not going to like his answer. He’sright, too. Because when he says, “Since the Grave,” it’s all I can do not to scream.
God fucking damn it!
As I silently rage, Chase lowers his hand, rubbing the part of his wrist where the cuff is biting into his skin. I get a sudden reminder that every time I jerk my hand to make a point, it yanks on Chase’s. I guess I did it more than I thought because I can see a red welt forming.
I force myself calm, though his next words just piss me off all the more: “Honestly, Holden? I’ve never been that far behind you.”
Maverick lets out a low whistle that has me glaring at him, remembering that he was there at all. I notice he’s put his compass away. Now, standing about four feet ahead of us, he has his hands in his pockets, looking impressed as his gaze bounces between Chase and me.
“You’re telling me you kept out of sight all that time? Looks like your skills weren’t exaggerated by that pretty friend of yours back in your settlement.” Pretty friend?Audrey. I turn my glare on Maverick, scowling at him for bringing the nurse up. Keep yapping, Mav, and you’re next on my list… “You’re a strong hunteranda tracker. Gotta say, I’m a little jealous.”