Eliana pressed herself against the rough bark, barely daring to breathe.
The flashlights had gone farther into the woods now, thin white beams cutting through the dark in different directions. She stayed still, counting her breaths, waiting for the noise to fade.
She looked toward the clearing. Three guards still stood near the entrance, flashlights slicing through the dark.
They weren't searching anymore. They were guarding.
A sick realization crept into her chest.
What if she didn't make it out alive?
What if they weren't waiting to capture her? But making sure she didn't leave alive?
Her throat tightened as she crouched lower, the dirt cold against her palms. Every instinct screamed at her to move, but her legs wouldn't listen.
Even if she somehow got past them, what then? The police wouldn't help her. Not when Alfonso's father—the lawyer turned mayor—could make anyone disappear with a phone call.
