Silent Escape: The Runaway Heiress's Refuge

he windows, harder now than before. The town looked gray, industrial, and dying. Boarded-up storefronts mixed wit

he only station in town-a gas

abbed his duffel bag and marched down the aisle, ignoring

ately sank her foot into a deep, freezing puddle. The c

oked around. The gas station was closed.

shadows. He unlocked it, the lights flashing amb

used. He l

looking completely lost. The rain was plastering h

e marched back toward her, his boots splashing through the pud

. "The Feds? A creditor?

tip of her nose. She was shaking so

to her pocket

ed her wrist. His grip was bru

her eyes wide with terror. She wasn't a

e caught in a lie; it was the look of a prey animal cornered by a p

-the one she'd saved for offline use-and held it up to him. The destinatio

ked, the aggression draining out o

, his voice skeptical

ded vig

e on his watch. "It's three in the

phone, then back

ngry at the situation, angry at her, angry at

that way. It's a dump

was coming down in sheets. Her leg was throbbing with a dull,

at Hoyt, pleadin

He turned his back on

. He opened the door and cl

roat, hot and painful. She turned and start

ckled, unable to support her weight on the slick pa

in his rearview mirror. He saw he

lamming his hand again