LYN

gravel driveway as the late afternoon s

glassy lake. No neighbors. No passing cars. Just towerin

he sudden silence of the wilderness pressed ag

ad to stay alive, keep him calm, and wait out th

mile as he hauled our bags inside. "Open-plan kitchen, huge floor-to-ceiling

y corner, calculating the drop from

before Sean turned to me, a restless, p

insisted, grabbing my wrist with just a fraction too much for

y answer. He pulled

forest. The lake stretched out to our left, vast, dark, and sti

hand locked around my fingers, pull

ely trying to slow our momentum. "It's freezing out here, and the sun

mask was still in place, but behind his pale

my wrist tightening into steel. "The trail ends at the most incredible overloo

a choice. He yanke

aming. He wasn't taking me on a scenic wal

ly ended at a w

ned violently against jagged rocks. This was

de button on my phone twice. A faint, imperceptible buzz vibrat

de, stepping dangerously close to the edge. "Come on, Evie, sta

path, beckoning me

y against the roots of a thick pine tree, a safe five

"Don't be like that, honey. The lighting

I want to go back." I took a delib

racked. He closed the distance in two predatory strides, grabbing my ar

y dragging me toward the loo

my chest. "Sean,

he whispered, his breath ho

h free, his hands shifted from

, brutal

e was un

is phone screen, I saw his face. I saw t

pletely. My body lost its balance, ti

tight ball, shielding my stomach with everything I h