The SUV barreled down the road at breakneck speed, the city lights outside the window blurring into a kaleidoscope of colors. Ava's heart raced as she struggled against the seatbelt that pinned her in place, the panic rising with every mile that took her farther from Jaxon and Caleb. Her mind was a storm of fear and desperation, every instinct screaming at her to find a way out.
The man in the passenger seat glanced back at her, his expression hidden in the shadows, but she could feel the weight of his gaze. He hadn't said a word since they'd shoved her into the car, and that silence was somehow more terrifying than anything he could have said. It left too much room for her imagination to run wild, conjuring up all the terrible possibilities that awaited her.
Ava tried to focus, to push the fear aside and think rationally, but it was almost impossible with the adrenaline coursing through her veins. Every nerve in her body was screaming at her to act, to fight, but she was trapped, with no clear way to escape. The two men in the front seat were both armed she'd seen the glint of their weapons when they'd grabbed her and she knew that any sudden move could be disastrous.
But she couldn't just sit there and do nothing. She had to find a way out.
Ava's eyes darted around the interior of the SUV, searching for anything she could use to her advantage. The doors were locked, and there was no way she could overpower the two men on her own. But maybe, just maybe, there was something she could use to turn the situation in her favor.
Her gaze landed on the driver, a bulky man with a shaved head and a grim expression. He was focused on the road, his hands gripping the steering wheel with a white knuckled intensity. If she could somehow distract him, maybe force him off the road...
It was a long shot, but it was the only shot she had.
Slowly, trying not to draw attention to herself, Ava reached for the seatbelt buckle. Her fingers trembled as she felt for the release, her heart pounding in her chest. She knew she had only one chance if she failed, there would be no second try.
The passenger glanced back at her again, and Ava froze, her breath catching in her throat. His eyes narrowed, suspicion flickering across his face.
"Don't try anything stupid," he warned, his voice low and menacing. "We've got orders to keep you alive, but that doesn't mean we can't make this painful for you."
Ava forced herself to nod, feigning compliance even as her mind raced for a way out. She needed to wait for the right moment, to bide her time until she could make her move.
The SUV hit a pothole, jolting the vehicle and throwing Ava against the door. Her hand slipped from the seatbelt, and she cursed under her breath, the sudden movement sending a sharp pain through her shoulder. But it also gave her an idea a reckless, desperate idea that just might work.
Ava sucked in a deep breath, steeling herself for what she was about to do. She waited until the road ahead straightened out, until the driver relaxed ever so slightly, and then she made her move.
In one swift motion, Ava slammed her shoulder into the back of the driver's seat, putting all her weight into the blow. The man cursed, his hands jerking on the wheel, and the SUV swerved violently to the right. The tires screeched as the vehicle fishtailed, and Ava braced herself as the car spun out of control.
"Damn it!" the passenger shouted, reaching for his gun, but the SUV was already careening off the road, the world outside the window tilting wildly as they plowed through a ditch and into a dense thicket of trees.
The impact was brutal, the force of the crash slamming Ava back against the seat. Pain exploded through her body, and for a moment, the world went dark. When she came to, the SUV was still, the engine sputtering weakly as smoke billowed from the hood.
Ava's ears were ringing, her vision blurry, but she forced herself to move. Every muscle protested as she fumbled with the seatbelt, her hands trembling as she finally managed to unbuckle it. She pushed the door open, the cool night air rushing in as she tumbled out of the car, landing hard on the ground.
The passenger groaned from the front seat, struggling to free himself from the wreckage. Ava knew she had only seconds before he recovered, and she couldn't waste them. Ignoring the pain that lanced through her body, she scrambled to her feet and took off into the woods, the shadows swallowing her whole.
The trees loomed overhead, their branches twisting into a tangled canopy that blocked out the moonlight. Ava's heart pounded in her chest as she ran, the adrenaline fueling her desperate flight. She didn't know where she was going only that she had to keep moving, had to put as much distance between herself and the wreck as possible.
Branches whipped at her face, her clothes snagging on the underbrush, but she didn't slow down. Every step was agony, her body screaming in protest, but she pushed through the pain, driven by the primal instinct to survive.
Behind her, she could hear the sounds of pursuit,the snap of twigs, the crunch of leaves underfoot. The men were close, too close, and Ava knew she couldn't outrun them forever. She needed to find a place to hide, somewhere she could catch her breath and figure out her next move.
The forest was dense, the terrain uneven and treacherous. Ava stumbled over a root, nearly losing her footing, but she caught herself just in time, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She could feel the panic rising, threatening to overwhelm her, but she couldn't afford to give in. Not now.
A flash of movement to her right caught her attention, and Ava veered in that direction, hoping to throw off her pursuers. The ground sloped downward, the incline steep and slippery, but she forced herself to keep going, her heart pounding in her chest.
She reached the bottom of the slope, her legs burning with the effort, and spotted a cluster of large boulders partially hidden by the underbrush. It wasn't much, but it might be enough to give her a momentary reprieve.
Ava ducked behind the rocks, pressing herself against the cold stone as she tried to quiet her breathing. The forest was eerily silent, the only sound the pounding of her own heart in her ears. She could feel the sweat trickling down her back, her clothes sticking to her skin, but she forced herself to stay still, to listen.
The footsteps drew closer, the men speaking in low, urgent voices as they searched for her. Ava's breath caught in her throat, her body tense with fear. She couldn't see them, but she could hear them, the sound of their boots crunching on the forest floor growing louder with each passing second.
"Spread out," one of the men barked, his voice carrying through the trees. "She can't have gone far."
Ava bit down on her lip, her mind racing. They were too close. If they found her now, she wouldn't stand a chance. She had to keep moving, had to stay ahead of them, but every muscle in her body screamed in protest at the thought of running again.
A twig snapped nearby, and Ava's heart skipped a beat. She pressed herself closer to the rock, her pulse thundering in her ears. The shadows were thick, but they wouldn't hide her forever. She needed to find a way out, a way to escape before it was too late.
The sound of footsteps approached, and Ava's breath hitched as she realized they were right behind her. Her body tensed, every instinct screaming at her to run, but she knew that any sudden movement would give her away.
And then, just as she thought her heart might explode from the tension, the footsteps paused. Ava held her breath, her body rigid with fear. Had they seen her? Were they about to...
A deafening roar shattered the night, the sound so sudden and so loud that it seemed to shake the very earth beneath her feet. Ava's eyes widened in shock, her heart leaping into her throat as the ground trembled with the force of the explosion.
Smoke billowed up from the direction of the SUV, flames licking at the trees as the wreckage was engulfed in a fiery inferno. The men cursed loudly, their attention torn away from the search as they turned to face the blazing car.
It was the opportunity Ava had been waiting for.
Without a second thought, she bolted from her hiding place, her body moving on pure adrenaline as she sprinted deeper into the forest. The explosion had bought her a few precious seconds, but she knew it wouldn't be long before they were on her trail again.
Her lungs burned, her legs screamed in protest, but she didn't stop. She couldn't stop. She had to get away, had to find a way out of this nightmare.
But as she ran, the fear gnawing at her grew stronger. The men were still out there, still hunting her, and she was running out of places to hide. And with every step she took, she was getting farther and farther from Jaxon.
Ava's thoughts swirled with a mix of fear and determination. She had to survive this. She had to make it out of the woods, find a way to get back to Jaxon and Caleb. But even as she pushed herself to keep going, doubt clawed at her mind.
How much longer could she keep running