Another one of those pesky problems was that we’d walked nearly a mile looking for the perfect tree and there was no way I could run a mile in the snow, not even when I was in fear for my life. My legs were already burning, and my lungs were on fire. I was lucky I’d lasted this long and I knew it was only because if he caught me, death would be the least of my worries.

I’d be sold.

And Asher would scorch the earth to find me. He’d drag his teammates along for the ride and poor Remy would grow up without a daddy. I couldn’t let that happen.

I have to run.

The footsteps were getting closer.

I just have to run.

Letty and Brooklyn would call the guys.

I pumped my legs faster, blinked away the tears in my eyes from the cold air battering my face, and ran as fast as I could.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t fast enough.

I hit the ground with a thud, Will on my back. The wind was knocked out of me and my vision blurred.

No. This couldn’t happen.

Will scrambled to his feet, grabbed a fistful of my hair, and yanked me to my feet. My beanie fell off and my ears were instantly numb.

Did I pick the coldest day in Idaho to go Christmas tree shopping?

“Playtime’s over,” Will snarled.

The hair-pulling was a low blow. He had total control over my head, and unless I wanted to be scalped, I had no choice but to follow.

“What are you doing here, Will?”

“I have to admit, you had me fooled. For months you worked at the club and I had no idea you were Elise’s roommate. I just thought you were some broke bitch prude who needed a job. Lorenzo, the dumbfuck, should’ve checked you out. But that was my mistake, trusting the motherfucker. He cost me a lot of money. Him and that boyfriend of yours.”

Oh, shit.

Oh, fuck.

Will was walking fast, using my hair like a leash. If he made it to the back of the farm the forest was so thick back there no one would find us. At least on the farm, there was a chance someone would see us, and Asher would definitely see the footprints in the snow.

“Are you lost?” I asked him.

“No, I’m not fucking lost.”

“I think you are. You didn’t see the sign back here. It’s private property. You know people in Idaho shoot trespassers.”

I didn’t know if that was true or not but now, I hoped it was.

“Shut the fuck up, there was no sign.”

The woods were coming up fast. I was out of time. I had to do something now.

So what if I lost some hair, right? It would grow back and it was better than following Will into the woods.

I dug my feet into the snow, jerked to a stop, and screamed out in pain as my scalp felt like it was being ripped off my skull.