Novel Reader
35
Ayla
I inhale as the rumbling of a motor fills the air. Immediately, I duck, every muscle tense. It sounds like it’s in the distance. But it’s the first sign I’ve had of Alessio’s presence.
It makes more sense to stay where I am than to move. Keeping myself low, I scan the wilderness around me for somewhere to hide.
The motor gets louder, revving as it approaches. I’m surrounded by trees, but they aren’t thick enough to be sure I’m invisible. Scooping up some dirt from the ground, I mix it with water from my bottle and form a dark sludge that I proceed to smear all over my body.
Natural camouflage.
I press myself to the ground as the rumbling engine gets so loud that it’s almost deafening. Through the trees, I watch as Alessio passes by on a quad bike. He’s wearing fitted gray cargo pants with combat boots and an open shirt, going slow, eyes searching from side to side.
Then he slows down, staring in my direction. Shit. Does he see me? He definitely sees me. He’s getting off his quad. Why else would he be getting off his quad? I stay still, my heart pounding. He’ll know where I am for sure if I try to run and make a bunch of sound.
Alessio spins around as a loud rustling comes from behind him. I watch a flock of birds take flight, shaking the trees.
And that’s my moment. Covered by the sounds of the birds, I dash in the other direction, trying my best to be quiet but prioritizing speed. I don’t stop until I reach a small pond with brown, murky water. Catching my breath, I listen for the sound of Alessio following. I don’t hear the quad bike.
But then my heart sinks. I do hear something.
Someone crashing through the woods in my direction.
Well, fuck.
I look around desperately, my stomach tingling.
***
Alessio
IswearI saw Ayla. And then I heard her. I crash through the trees as I give chase, various tools of restraint jangling in my pack. Where is she? Where the hell is she?
I’m so laser-focused that I almost tumble headfirst into a pond. Oops. Don’t need to fall into that murky-ass water. I’m about to keep jogging when I notice something:
That’s Ayla’s backpack hanging from a tree.
“Got you,” I murmur, searching the area with my eyes. I don’t see her anywhere, and so I look upward. Is she hiding in a tree? She must be.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.
But she isn’t. I walk around the pond, baffled, scanning every branch, every trunk. Nothing. Finally, I return to my ATV. Foiled.
That was clever. I have to give her credit. Leaving the backpack got me to stop and investigate instead of continuing to chase. It bought her enough time to get away.
I won’t fall for it next time.
***
Ayla
I gasp as I surface from the pond, the straw I’ve been using to breathe hanging from my mouth. To my relief, it seems that I’m alone. I have no idea when Alessio gave up looking for me here. I just stayed under the water for as long as I could stand.
My backpack is gone. That means he took it. Talk about a close call. I’m filthy from the pond water and the mud as I step out onto dry land.
Oh. There’s my backpack, sitting on a rock. I approach it warily, then pull out the sneakers and put them back on.
In the distance, I hear Alessio’s quad revving. He’s far away. Good. I head in the opposite direction, keeping my eyes peeled for yellow flags. The sun is getting lower on the horizon now, and I wouldn’t mind some dinner.
***
About 15 minutes later, I reach the beach. Alessio’s engine is quiet now, and that unnerves me. It means I don’t know where he is. I stay at the tree line, watching the waves. There’s a landmass on the horizon, dark and distant. I don’t even know what continent it is.
Ahead of me on the beach is a hut with a yellow flag. I’ll bet there’s food there. I start to creep out, then think better of it. The moment I go out onto the beach, I have no cover. I can be seen easily, even from a distance.
Far away, the motor starts back up. Whew. Letting out a deep breath, I walk out onto the sand and go over to the little hut. There’s a water dispenser, cups, and a cooler containing two types of sandwiches. I eat peacefully, watching the sun set over the water. It’s beautiful.
After my meal, I take off my shoes and stroll along the shoreline. Alessio’s quad rumbles faintly, reassuringly far away. This is nice. Truth be told, being surrounded by gorgeous nature like this while completely naked is amazing. I can feel the breeze on my skin, the warm water tickling my bare feet.
And then my whole body prickles with tension as I realize that over the sound of the frothing waves, I can hear something moving at the tree line. I spin around and see Alessio stepping out from the jungle, his combat boot kicking up a puff of sand. We make eye contact across the beach.
“Hello, darling,” growls my husband, eyes narrowing. “It’s good to see you again.”