The Runaway - J.M. Hurley (free e novels txt) 📗

then fine. But just know if this ends badly, you’ll still be spending forever with each other,” she said as she picked up her bag and swung it over her shoulder, “Now we should all get some rest.”

Zane gave her a nod and I gave his hand a squeeze then winked up at him, “Told you she’d come around,” I whispered.

He grinned back and shook his head in amusement, “You call that ‘coming around’?”

“No, but it’s progress,” I replied as I reached up and pecked him on the cheek, “Night.”

“Night,” he whispered back then quietly walked down the hall and shut the door.

I stood in the hall for a few more moments and watched as everyone else dispersed into their rooms, then slowly retreated into my own. Once inside, I laid down onto my bed and heard the crackle of crumbling paper as my head hit my pillow. Curious, I sat up and reached into my pillow case, searching for the item that had made the noise.

My fingers soon curled themselves around what felt like papier-mâché. Pulling my hand out, I saw that I held what looked like a half crushed flower, made in all paper, folded with delicate precision. I almost smiled until I noticed the bit of writing at the tip of one of the petals; it seemed to be disappearing into the flower. My curiosity getting the best of me, I carefully unfolded the paper until it was a full sheet and I could read the script.


I don’t know what to say,
You’ve underestimated me
You’re a coward, a runaway.
And you think that I can’t see
But don’t forget who taught you what you know
Just remember, I’ll be watching, everywhere you go.


I gasped aloud and dropped the note onto my bed sheet. “There’s no way,” I whispered to myself as I stared at the creased paper. I sighed, trying to calm my breathing, and pulled my cell phone out of my pocket. Dialing the number, I tried to urge my head to relax as I tapped my foot nervously.

“Hello?” I bit my lip and tried to make my voice even.

“Hi, listen, Zane, do you think that it’s possible that someone from the Tanghar could be here, in Italy?” I asked in a wispy, breathy sounding voice.

“Well, they’re located everywhere, Summer. Just like murders, and all the other villains, there’s at least one everywhere you go. As for them harming us or even noting our presence, no one knows we’re here, if they did, we would’ve known by now.” I felt my stomach flip and vile rise in my throat. “Why, Summer? Is everything okay?”

“No, Zane, everything’s not okay,” I whispered through the phone and I felt fear beginning to rise in me. “I’m scared. I went to bed and found a note, and now I’m scared. Do you want to know the worst part? I can’t stop being scared because it’s not me I’m scared for. It’s you

. It’s you, and Sierra and Stephanie and Lance. It’s my mom and my dad, and it’s everyone else who’s ever meant something to me. And now, because of me, they’re all in danger.”

I heard Zane sigh through the phone, “Summer, whatever happens, no matter how dangerous or how treacherous it gets, I will always be there for you. I’ve already tried life without you, and it’s not worth living.”

“Don’t say that!” I insisted as I ran my fingers through my hair while keeping my phone balance on my shoulder.

“Why not, why can’t I say that? I certainly mean it! Summer, I proposed tonight, and you said yes, and that means that through thick and thin, we should want to be there for each other. Why won’t you let me do that? Why can’t I be here for you?”

“I won’t let you help because I don’t want you to get hurt!” I said in an exasperated tone, “I can’t lose you Zane, and though I want you to be here and help me through this, I won’t let myself put you in danger. I want to handle this on my own.”

“I’m

the one who’s supposed to be protecting someone, not you. Summer, whether you like it or not, we’re all in this together, we decided that when we stepped on to that plane. You can either accept it or keep trying to deny it, but either way, it’s true and we’re not
going anywhere.”

“Zane,” I started after a moment of silence, “Can you come down here?” While waiting for him to respond, I carefully laid back down onto my bed, dropping the note onto the floor as I went.

“To your room?” he asked, a hint of nervousness in his voice, “Do you think your mom would-”

“I just don’t want to be alone,” I interrupted as I stared out the open window, admiring the star’s beauty from my window pane.

“I’m on my way,” he assured me, his voice full of protection and love and in less than a minute I heard his soft knock at my door. “I’m sorry,” he murmured with a frown as he pulled me close, “You really don’t deserve any of this.”

“I’m glad all of this has happened,” I whispered into his shirt as I felt his fingers begin to comb themselves through my hair, “because without all this pain, I would’ve never met you.” Zane smiled warmly at me for a moment then leaned down and gently brushed his lips against mine.

“I’m sorry I’ve brought you pain,” Zane whispered as he stared down at me, our bodies so close I was almost certain he could hear my racing heart beating.

“Don’t be,” I responded breathlessly as I stood on my toes to kiss his lips gently. At first, his shoulders were tense, tight with anxiety but they turned gentle as he wrapped me up in his arms and held me. I didn’t want the kiss to end, I wanted it to go on forever, for it to replace all of the bad, and for it to take away any pain or hurt. But Zane seemed too stressed to simply let go of our problems for the night and he reluctantly broke the kiss, pulling away and shattering my illusion like broken glass.

“It’s late,” he whispered as he glanced at the door apprehensively, and I could tell from his expression that he was worried we would get caught.

“Please don’t go,” I begged, “I meant what I said before, I don’t want to be alone, I’m not sure if I can handle it right now. I’m not flirting, or getting you to stay the night

, I just want the comfort of knowing that the man I love is sleeping right beside me.” Zane’s tense eyes instantly softened and he pulled me close once more and kissed my hair gently.

“I won’t ever leave you alone; you’ll never be alone, not as long as I have something to do with it.”

“So you’ll stay?” I prodded as I blinked innocently up at him.

“Yes,” he emitted, “I’ll stay.” A loving smile played on his lips as he sauntered over to my closet and produced an old wool blanket. Seeing me just standing there watching him, he shot me a mocking smile and shook his head, “Go on! It’s late, get sleeping,” he tisked as he stretched out on the floor next to my bed.

“I love you,” I whispered as I pulled the blankets around my up under my chin and smiled down at him.

“And I love you,” he declared with a flirtatious grin before laying his head down on his pillow. With a tiny sigh, I tried to clear my mind and drift into sleep, but something kept prodding at my mind. Snapping my eyes open, I leaned over the side of the bed and gazed down at Zane. “Yes?” he asked as he propped himself up on one elbow to listen in.

“Tonight, has been…indescribable. If I had to put it into words, I’d have to describe it has a phenomenon, a magnificent miracle, but even those wouldn’t describe it to its fullest. I am, no doubt, madly, crazily, and sometimes stupidly, in love with you, Zane VanLouge, and I realize that this ring only enforces that. But I want you to know, whether we get married tomorrow or ten years from now, I will never

stop loving you.” I reached down gracefully and gently grasped his hand with mine. His skin was warm against mine and his eyes sparkled with pride and absolute undying love as he bent forward and kissed the top of my hand.

“I don’t think I’ve ever loved you as much as I do right now,” Zane said as he gave my hand a squeeze and tapped the ring on my third finger, “and this isn’t a enforcement, or even a proclamation of my love. This is me asking, no begging, that in some crazy, insane, impossible way, you think that someday I will be worthy to marry you. Now that we’ve gotten all of that out of the way, it really is getting late,” he finished.

“Promise to hold me all through the night?” I mused and Zane shook his head though a grin was still on his lips.

“Promise,” he confirmed as he gave my hand a squeeze and just then, everything felt perfectly right

. It was then, in that very moment, that I realized, no matter what life throws at you, no matter how many things go wrong, if your love is true, none of it will matter. It was then that I truly realized what true love and finding your soul mate really meant, and I was positive that I had found mine. With thoughts of Zane and I floating through my mind, I began to drift in and out of a conscious state and soon I was falling, enclosed in inky black nothingness as I began to stumble into a new livid nightmare.


Chapter 7

I’d never liked the water. Not even when I was young. But right then, it worse than fear. It was pure terror. I’d never been this terrified, not even when I was waiting for death to take from Kyle’s basement. Water was everywhere and everything. It was filling my being, pouring into my lungs.

My heart burned for relief and my throat ached for air. Though I was surrounded in water, I was sure I felt wet tears of pain escape my eyes. I yearned to call out but I feared if I opened my mouth, I’d only be suffocated with water. I felt certain that this was the end, that I was going to die, until I felt a slight tugging on my wrist. I felt the pressure of flesh tighten its grip against my hands as I felt my body begin to float upward.

By now, the world around me seemed to be dimming; my brain suddenly giving up and shutting down. The surface seemed to be nearing, but it wasn’t close enough. I couldn’t identify who was pulling me, if it even was a person, but I wanted desperately for them to hurry. I wanted to tell them that I wouldn’t last much longer underwater, but I couldn’t move. My eyes fluttered as I made one last choking, gasping attempt to inhale but feeling more water pour into my chest, I gave in.

Just seconds later, I felt my head break the surface of the water. The pulling continued, though I was unaware of what was going on. Water was