Captive Bride - Alta Hensley Page 0,48

I just can’t. I know she wants me to be the Prince Charming she had always fantasized. I know I should be better.

I just can’t.

Not while being here.

Not here in Hallelujah Junction. But if we ever leave… if we ever leave, I’ll be a better man.

Movement outside the window catches my eye. I’d seen deer, rabbit and squirrels before, but something in my gut tells me this time is different. This time I need to pay attention.

“Come to the window,” I say, not wanting to just drag Ember with me to get a better look.

We make our way to the window, and my heart stops.

Two people snowshoeing in the town below.

“They aren’t supposed to be here,” Ember whispers. I hear the fear in her voice, but I can’t help but feel a sense of excitement that nearly paralyzes me.

My instinct is to bang on the window and start screaming, but I also don’t know where Richard is. I don’t want to reveal our guests by making a commotion.

“We need to go outside,” I say, spinning around and nearly causing Ember to fall because she’s not ready.

She reaches for my hand. “Christopher, we can’t.”

I glare at her so she knows I mean business. I don’t want to be mean to her, but I will if I have to. “This is our chance. I’m not going to stand here and miss it.”

“If Papa Rich sees us leave the schoolhouse, he may lock us in the cellar and never allow us to come back here again. We’ll lose his trust.” She looks around the small structure that had become our home with tears in her eyes. “We were just getting comfortable.”

“Now, Ember. Now.” No patience or understanding is left in my body. “Now.”

I take a step forward with my chained leg, and if I have to drag her along, I will.

She walks beside me, but I can sense her internal struggle.

“Pine Cone. Where’s my cat? I can’t leave her.”

“We’ll come back for her. I promise,” I say, not wanting to waste time hunting down her cat.

“Please don’t make me do this,” she begs softly. “He’ll find us. He will.”

“We just need to get to them before he does.”

“He knows they’re here. I’m telling you, Christopher, he knows.” There’s urgency in her voice, but I don’t care. This is our shot. It could be our only one.

I open the door to the schoolhouse, and even that defiant act has Ember gasping.

“We’re barefoot,” she states. “We can’t just walk out there in the snow.”

“We can, and we will.”

If I have to, I am willing to lose both my feet to frostbite if it means escaping. I hope I don’t have to, and I most certainly don’t want that for Ember, but if the sacrifice has to be made, then so be it.

There isn’t a lot of slack in the chain connecting us, but I believe I can pick Ember up if need be. It will be awkward but can still be done. But not yet. We need to reach the couple before they get too far away. I need Ember to run at the same pace as me.

“Just focus on running and keeping your foot at the same speed as me. We’ll worry about the cold effects later.”

We don’t have time to plan, and we don’t have time to discuss this further, so I jerk her out of the schoolhouse and begin running as fast as Ember’s footing can go.

The couple comes into sight and I consider screaming at the top of my lungs. But they are still far enough away that for them to hear me, means that I have to be loud enough for Richard to also hear me. So, instead, I begin waving my arms frantically in hopes they see us coming.

“A little faster,” I say as I wrap my arm around Ember to keep her close at my side and to prevent her from stumbling.

“It’s too cold,” she says. “We’re going to lose our toes. We should go back before it’s too late.”

I ignore her complaints just as I ignore any discomfort in my feet. Escape is so close.

So close.

We are getting close enough now that I can actually see their expressions on their faces. They’re happy, they’re excited to be spending their day playing in the snow. They have no idea what they are about to see. They are both in their twenties and give off the puppy love vibe. So innocent. So free from worry. So in love without