And he does. The truck jolts forward faster, its engine growling as we start to leave the woods behind and for the first time in what feels like days, I feel my body relax.
But then, my heart skips a beat as soon as a figure suddenly emerges from the trees, blocking the road ahead.
Ty. Oh god. No.
My stomach drops as he stands there, naked, feet planted, like a fucking immovable force of nature. The driver slams on the brakes, the tires shrieking against the gravel as the truck jerks to a halt mere feet from Ty.
My body stiffens again, terrified that the distance between us is far too short. Ty steps closer, his movements calm, measured, his eyes never leaving mine.
He looks like a fucking monster. His bare chest rises and falls. His skin is drenched in cold sweat, his wild hair plastered to his forehead, but it’s his eyes that scare me the most—insane, unhinged, and fixed.
The man behind the wheel mutters something I can’t hear, but I don’t care. I don’t even know what’s fucking happening anymore.
I only know one thing. He’s not letting me go. He’s not going to let me escape him. He gives no fucks about any consequence.
Without warning, something dark flickers in Ty’s eyes, a wild glint that sends a chill down my spine. With a loud roar, he lifts the axe high above his head with both hands, muscles straining as he gathers every ounce of rage into the swing.
The blade twists through the air as he lets go, a blur of steel before it slams into the windshield with a deafening crack until it buries itself into the face of the man standing beside me with a sickening, wet crunch.
A petrified scream rips from my throat, pure terror flooding my veins as his blood bursts from the wound, splattering across my face in a hot, sticky spray. My body trembles uncontrollably as the air around me thickens with the stench of death.
I don’t have a second to think. My body reacts before my mind can catch up. With a frantic shove, I throw the door open, stumbling out into the cold and my legs tremble violently beneath me while I stagger back into the woods.
I keep running, my feet stumbling over the forest floor as exhaustion pulls at every muscle in my body. I need to keep going. Just a little further—if I can somehow make it to the graveyard, I’ll know where I am. I glance behind me, but he’s not there. Relief and suspicion war in my mind, but my frantic pace slows until my legs can barely hold me.
Then, the soft, babbling sound of a stream reaches my ears. My steps are unsteady as I stumble toward it, my blurred vision locking onto the shimmering water. Finally, I collapse at the edge, dropping to my knees. With shaking hands, I cup the icy water, lifting it to my parched lips, the coolness soothing my throat.
As I catch my breath, I notice a dark recess to my right—a small, cave-like hollow tucked beneath the earth. Crawling on my hands and knees, I drag my battered body into the shelter, my movements clumsy. When I’m finally tucked beneath the overhang, the world outside feels miles away, and my body gradually unwinds.
I curl into myself, pulling my knees to my chest and resting my chin on them. The thought of waiting here, letting the darkness shield me, feels safer than facing the horror outside.
I sit there, time dragging as I listen to every creak, crackle, and distant echo. The silence grows until my fear starts to morph into something bolder. I convince myself that he’s gone—for now.
Gently, I peek out.Quiet.
Cautiously, I sneak out of the hole, rising unsteadily to my feet. My body aches with every move, but I force myself to stand tall, brushing dirt and damp leaves off my torn hoodie. Then it happens—a single, sharp crack behind me and every muscle in my body freezes.
I feel him before I even see him, his dark presence wrapping around me like cold chains.
“Gonna run from me again, kitten?” His calm voice snakes through the quietness.
I turn, wide-eyed, my stomach dropping like a stone as I see him standing above my hiding spot, perched on the ledge. He’s massive, looming frame, and I wonder with sick dread how long he’s been standing there, silently watching me. His eyes gleam with a mix of delight and menace and as soon as he inches forward, I stumble back.
He suddenly jumps down, landing with a solid thud that reverberates through the forest floor, and I spin on my heel, running for my life, raw panic fuelling my legs as I dart through the trees.
Finally, I skid to a stop, pressing myself against the thick bark of a massive tree. I draw in gulps of air until I slap my unsteady hands over my mouth, trying to stifle the sound. I peek around the trunk, scanning the area, but there’s nothing.
My fingers dig into the rough bark for support as my knees bend, attempting to sit down, until suddenly, movement and a flash of silver.
Before I can scream, the axe swings out of nowhere, the blade slamming into the tree inches from my neck. My shriek pierces the air as the handle presses tightly across my throat, pinning me back against the trunk. I claw at it with weak, trembling fingers, trying to push it away, but the blade is buried too deep, and my strength is almost gone.
I stiffen when he rounds the tree—his naked body glistening faintly with sweat and dirt, muscles carved to perfection every inch of him screaming power. My gaze flickers downward involuntarily, catching on the sight of his cock, heavy and unapologetically hard at my face level.
He got off on the chase just like he said. Fuck. That’s me done for.
My breath falters, shame pooling in my gut as my focus lingers on his dick for a heartbeat too long. Finally, my eyes snap upward, locking onto his with a mix of defiance and fear.
His face is a perfect mask of control, but his eyes burn with a greedy hunger that rips through me. I try to composure myself, forcing my features into a blank canvas, but my trembling limbs and the tears carving paths through the grime and blood on my cheeks betray me.