And then he’s a dead man. I’d like to say I’ll take my time torturing him, but the truth is I’m losing steam. I was ready to bulldoze the entire town, but that was before I had her in my hands. That was before I felt her breath hitch when my fingers traced over her nipple.

I need her. I need to get her out of this fucking hell hole and under me instead. I want her long legs spread wide and I need her taking my cock like the good girl I know she’ll be for me.

I’m about to lose my goddamn mind over the fact that I let her slip away when I see a flash of her sun-kissed hair. She’s cutting through Old Man Miller’s field and I know exactly the shortcut she’s trying to take.

My girl can run. She can hide wherever she chooses, but I will always find her.

She’s about to find out just how important she is to me.

LAKYNN

Icut through the back of Farmer Miller’s field. I know Riven is going to catch me, and to be honest, I don’t know what I’d do if he didn’t. For right now, though? I need to run. I trip twice on old irrigation lines and slam my shoulder into a rusted fence post. That should have knocked me down, I should be in pain, but I’m not. I’m working off of pure adrenaline but I keep moving. I dip through a dry creek bed, mud caking my white sneakers, and scramble over a wire fence into the old Carrow property, the one with the collapsed barn and the gravel path no truck can manage without bottoming out. I go where I know Riven can’t follow me in a vehicle, even though I know deep down he’s going to find me anyway.

The wind whips at my face, tangling my hair, but I keep running.

And I can’t stop thinking about the last time he chased me. The night I realized Riven really likes to hunt.

It was six months ago. Just before he left.

We’d been arguing…eh, no, not even that. It started when one of the bull riders, I don’t even remember which one. Wyatt, maybe? He asked if I wanted to hang out, and I was smart enough to know that he was just trying to get a rise out of Riven. He already knew the answer before the question left his lips. I said no, clear as day, but Riven had already heard the question.

He walked over like a storm and got in Wyatt’s face, jaw clenched. Told him if he didn’t get the fuck away from me, he’d make sure he never rode another bull again. His voice was so calm it was terrifying.