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Doing my best, I’m careful to stay out of sight of any of the cameras as I make my way around the back of the house to the side where the garage is.

Punching in the code, the door opens, and I slip inside. Flicking on the lights, I rush over to the key rack and find the truck keys.

“At least something good came out of all this.” My lower lip quivers. Opening the front door, I put Luna on the passenger seat, then go over to press the button to open the large garage door.

I know I won’t have long from the time I start up the truck to when the guys catch on to what I’m doing. There's no real way to sneak off this property with this truck, and I’m not trying to go on foot. I have no real idea where we are and how far we are from the nearest town.

“Breathe, Cove. You got this. You don’t need them. You were fine before them, and you’re going to be fine after them. You don’t need anyone but yourself.” I wipe my eyes, lying to myself through my teeth as I hop into the truck. Luna meows, letting me know she is not happy about this little adventure. Me too, babe, me too.

Taking a deep breath, I start the truck up and put it into drive.

Pressing the gas, I take off down the driveway so fast I nearly crash into the bushes as I turn the corner.

I curse at myself for being stupid and not putting my seat belt on as I bump around in my seat. “Shit,” I curse, eyes widening when I see three men stepping in front of the gate.

They hold their hands up, waving them, yelling at me to stop.

My brows furrow. What the fuck? Why aren’t they pulling their guns out and pointing at me or something? I’m going full speed toward the gate.

Skidding to a stop, I roll the window down and stick my head out. “Open the fucking gate!”

“We can’t,” one of them shouts back.

“Do it or I’ll fucking run through it!” I snap.

“Please don’t. You’d hurt yourself. That truck would hardly make a dent in the gate.”

Fuck. He’s right. They’re thick and made of heavy steel. I’d be crushed on impact if I tried.

“Then open the fucking gate!” My heart is racing, panicking because any moment now the guys will find out what’s going on and stop me.

I don’t want to be stopped. I want to leave. I want to get as far away from these assholes as I can.

Even as I think the words, I know it’s not true. I love them. I love them so much it fucking hurts, and I realize I’m having a bit of a psychotic break right now.

Not a single rational thought is going on inside my mind.

I’m running on pure adrenaline and dark thoughts.

Throwing the door open, I storm over to the guards, wincing at the rocks poking into the bottom of my feet. “Open the fucking gate!” I scream.

I get close to one of them, and he takes a step back, holding his hands up. Is he afraid of me?

I’m a five-foot-three girl in a t-shirt and panties. I might be able to throw a punch, maybe knee them in the balls, but that’s about it. Without a gun, my self-defense skills are shit. Something I really should look into improving.

“Cove, whatever is going on. Please rethink it. We won’t hurt you, but we can’t let you out of here.”

“Why the fuck not!?”

“Because then we’d be dead men,” another one says, staring at me like I’m some kind of wild animal.

The third one starts talking into a walkie-talkie, and my stomach sinks. “Maverick, you might want to get out here.”

Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck!

I look around at the three of them, frantically trying to think of a plan.

Maybe I should have fucking thought of that in the first place!