Hearts and Aces (Kelsey's Burden Series Book 7) by Kaylie Hunter (great books for teens txt) 📗

next runners. Katie shot out ahead of Bones like her life depended on it. Bridget and Donovan both looked surprised but ran over for their next flags and back into the woods as more runners came out.

“What the hell is this crap?” Jackson yelled as he scratched his arms.

“I’m innocent!” I said, holding up my hands. “I had nothing to do with it, but she didn’t break a single rule.”

“This is bullshit, Kelsey,” Wayne said, slapping at a mosquito. “This is a competition to see who’s the best at Aces.”

“Best what, Wayne? Strongest? Most manly? Does intelligence not fit into your line of work?”

“She has a point,” Casey said, slapping at his arm.

“Quit kissing her ass,” another guy yelled. “She and her misfits shouldn’t even be allowed to compete.”

“Misfits, huh?” I moved over to the starting line. “We’ll see about that, asshole.”

Katie came flying out of the woods, tossed her flag in the basket and grabbed the next. Bridget came tearing out seconds later and tapped my shoulder to tag me in. I was off, flag in hand. I focused on my breathing and watching the trail ahead. I knew these woods better than anyone else, having run my frustrations out under the giant trees’ canopies on nearly a daily basis. Seeing Katie ahead, I called to her that I was approaching on her right. She moved inward without slowing down. As I caught up with her, we rounded the bend and three men were ahead of us. “Follow my lead,” I said as I turned to the outside trail, jumping over two fallen trees until my feet hit a deer trail I knew well.

“Sweet,” Katie said as she ran hard behind me.

“You’re three runners deep but the boys are coming,” Bridget called from behind us.

I kicked it up another notch, giving it everything I had as we passed parallel to six runners before I veered hard to the left and back on the main trail.

“Donovan and Bones will have to power around the others, but we need to make this lead count,” Bridget said as she passed us and ran faster than I knew was possible.

“Shit,” Katie heaved behind me. “Go. Go. She’s making us look bad.”

“You’re just worried Bones will catch you. He’s pissed.”

Katie passed me on the left and kept going, glancing behind her quickly before leaving me behind. I didn’t blame her. I could already feel my lungs burning as I made the last turn before exiting the woods and exchanging my flag.

“You okay, boss?” Trigger called out.

I didn’t have the lung capacity to answer him as I looped back into the woods. By now there were too many runners on the trails and I jumped off the path again. Weaving around trees and over fallen branches, I kept going. When I made it to the deer trail on the back stretch, I wasn’t surprised to hear Bones and Donovan coming up behind me, following the same trail.

“You okay?” Donovan called out. “Trigger said you didn’t look good.”

“I’ll make it,” I said, jumping to the left at the last minute, diving under a branch and back onto the main trail.

I heard Donovan thrashing behind me, but Bones must’ve missed the jump. Twigs and branches snapped as he cursed loudly. Donovan laughed as he passed me and kept going. The next group of runners were moving at a good clip and I didn’t have enough energy to pass them. I stayed in pace with them rounding the next corner and out of the woods again. I slapped my flag onto the table and grabbed for the next flag, but I swayed.

“Kelsey?” Tech called out, grabbing me to steady me. “You need to stop. You’re not well.”

I took a deep breath, focused my eyes and grabbed the flag. “I’m halfway there.”

“Kelsey—” Anne started to say as I jogged into the woods.

I made it down the straightway before I started to sway again.

Wild Card caught me and turned me away from the tree directly in my path. “What the hell?”

“I’m just winded,” I said, squeezing my eyes shut and then opening them, trying to focus my vision.

“Wild Card?” Katie called, coming up behind us.

“I got her. Go.”

I tried to run faster but swayed again.

“Stubborn woman,” Wild Card said, running ahead of me and pulling me by my arms onto his back.

I wrapped my legs around him and held on, trying to slow my breathing. “Just winded.” I heaved another deep breath. “The rules.”

“I read the rules. Doesn’t say anything about the runner actually running the lap. Says each runner has to make it around each lap.”

“Shortcut… Seven feet after next tree…” I panted, trying to get the words out. “Veer right.”

Wild Card cut to the right and found the deer trail. “Damn.”

“At the end… log, jump, duck… leap to left.”

“Log. Jump. Duck. Leap left. Got it. Concentrate on your breathing.”

I tucked my forehead into his shoulder and tried to steady my breaths. They were ragged and burned with each inhale. I felt Wild Card tense and held on for the jump, duck, left leap. His feet hit the hard-packed trail, and I felt him laugh as it reverberated against my body.

“She okay?” Bridget asked, coming up alongside us.

“I’ll get her there.”

Bridget nodded and took off ahead of us. She was drenched in sweat and breathing hard.

“Another group ahead of us,” Wild Card said.

“Not worth… brush and prickers. We’re almost to the last turn.” I inhaled again, filling my lungs. “Go ahead and drop me. I’ve got my breath back.”

Wild Card slowed enough to lower me but grabbed my arm, running alongside me.

“You don’t need to hang back.”

He laughed. “How come you're always trying to get rid of me?”

Our pathetic pace was greeted with