I didn’t know what to say, so I waited to see if he’d keep talking. Maybe if he got everything out, he’d change his mind about whatever he’d brought us out here to do.
“Audrey Young, teenage superstar. Smiling at everyone in that goddamn cheerleading uniform, waving your pom poms. Standing on the stage with your piece of shit parents at every parade. You won every award, every ribbon, every trophy. The morons in that town worshiped you like royalty.”
“It didn’t mean anything.”
“You’re right about that. It didn’t mean shit. You were a big fish in a very tiny pond. Didn’t fare so well on your own, did you? Couldn’t hack it without Daddy’s influence smoothing the way for you.”
The truth in his words cut deep. I had been a big fish in a tiny pond and once I’d swam out to the ocean, I’d basically drowned.
“Growing up, I was so jealous,” he continued. “I’d ride my bike past your house, that fucking mansion you got to live in, and throw rocks at it. What made you so special that you got to live there?”
“It wasn’t all it seemed.”
“No? You weren’t living across town in a shack because your mom spent all her money on liquor.”
“No, I wasn’t.”
“You were everywhere in that fucking town. Mocking me. Always in the newspaper for your pointless accomplishments. More popular than the athletes who actually played the games, and all you did was shake your ass on the sidelines. Even when you were in college, I couldn’t get away from you. The high school had your fucking picture on the wall next to your student of the year award. I had to walk by that fake smile every goddamn day.”
Max whined and tried to circle around him. He jerked on the leash and Max sat.
I clenched my teeth. Anger mixed with fear.
“But you know what? It was fine. Because eventually, you did leave. And people forgot. You wouldn’t believe how quickly they forgot you, Audrey. Because you were never special. It was all bullshit.”
“I never thought I was special.”
“Don’t lie. Of course you did. But you know the truth now, don’t you? You were never royalty, not even the princess of a small town.”
“Okay, so we both agree I’m not a princess and I never was. Can I have my dog now?”
His face changed, his controlled fa?ade burning away, the heat of his hatred suddenly blazing in his eyes.
And I realized the awful truth. He was going to kill me.
CHAPTER 40
Josiah
As soon as I caught sight of her, I stopped. Relief hit first. She was alive.
Then rage. She wasn’t alone.
But why the fuck was she standing there talking to Hayden? What did the bartender have to do with any of this?
He had Max on a leash. The dog was agitated and afraid. This wasn’t a case of Max running off and Hayden happened to be the one to find him. Something was wrong. I could practically smell it.
I ducked behind a tree before Hayden could catch sight of me. I didn’t need to know why he was the stalker to realize the truth—it had been him the whole time. There was no other explanation, no other reason for the scene unfolding in front of me.
As close as they were to the cliff, I also had no doubt as to his intent. They weren’t over there for the view.
I clenched my fists and ground my teeth together, trying to keep a lid on my temper. If I charged in from here, he’d see me and have plenty of time to push her off. I couldn’t risk that.
Which meant I needed to slow down and think.
There was no way to get close enough without being seen. The roar of the waterfall would keep him from hearing me, but there weren’t enough trees. I’d have to be out in the open for too long. No matter how fast I ran, he’d get to her first.
And he was going to push her off. I could see his face and the hatred in his expression was undeniable.
He’d brought her there to kill her. Maybe try to frame it as a suicide.
Fuck that.
They were talking but I couldn’t hear what they were saying. Max sniffed the air and I wondered if he’d caught my scent.
My eyes kept going back to the cliff. I knew what was down there. A hell of a lot of wet rocks. I’d almost fallen a dozen times when my brothers and I—
Without another thought, I veered away from the river, darting from tree to tree, keeping an eye on Hayden to make sure he didn’t see me. I hated to let Audrey out of my sight, even for a few minutes, but there was no other way. I couldn’t come in from behind her.
Which meant coming up the cliff.