Free Run to Me by Christy Reece Page A

continue the fabrications until they reached their destination. He wasn’t going to kill her yet.
    She’d woken this morning feeling weak and worn, her mind muddled and fractured. Yesterday, she had almost allowed herself to believe him. Something
had
kept her from calling out to the men searching for her. Was she protecting Ethan? Or had it been mere indecision on her part?
    Ethan continued to insist that somewhere inside, she did remember him. If so, why did his face appear only in her nightmares? When her subconscious was at its weakest, why would he be involved in her most horrific moments if he really meant her no harm? There was only one conclusion to make: Ethan was indeed her enemy.
    Escape would have to wait until she had recovered more of her strength. He claimed that they were headed to a village. Once there, with proper food and rest, she would find a way to escape. Until then, she would pretend to be this subservient woman he seemed to think she was.
    Out of the wild growth, at the top of a hill, she stopped. Increasing her breath slightly, as if she needed to rest, she surveyed their location. Small houses and a church steeple indicated that a village lay only a short distance below them. Blue cloudless sky, fresh air, and sunshine surrounded them. After the darkness of their cave, the world seemed bright and new.
    An unusual sense of optimism hit her. Just a little while longer and she would find a way to break free. Perhaps she could ask Ethan to get her some food. He seemed intent on pretending to care for her and would most likely continue that act until they reached his intended destination. She would make sure that didn’t happen.
    After a couple of minutes of allowing her rest, he took her hand and pulled her with him down the hill. She noticed that he kept a close watch on her, as if concerned with her well-being. Another act, of course.
    Determined to trap him in a lie, she continued to question him. “How did we meet?”
    “We were both in training in Florida. LCR’s headquartered in Paris, France, but there are branches throughout the world. We did some training in France too. That’s where Noah lives.”
    “Noah?” Did she know the name?
    “Noah McCall. He’s the head of LCR.” He gave her a sharp look. “His name sound familiar?”
    She shook her head. There had been another small blip inside her head, but that didn’t mean she remembered the name.
    “What kind of training?”
    “You name it, we did it. Languages, self-defense, history, geography, tactical planning. LCR people are well versed in a lot of different areas.”
    “I excel in languages.”
    He chuckled. “Yeah, you never minded bragging about that. Modesty was never your strong suit.”
    Shoulders straight, a familiar mantra sprang to her lips. “Modesty is a lie to myself and others. I am proud of what I accomplish for the master. Regardless of my infirmities, imperfections, and doubts, I go forward with my duties. My master’s intelligence is superior, and his will always wins out.”
    “Your master?”
    To avoid his penetrating eyes, she looked toward their destination. The master would have her beaten if he knew she’d talked about him in this manner. The excuse of being weak and disoriented would not be tolerated. She’d been trained to never speak of him, never reveal his existence. How could she be so careless?
    She pressed fingers to her temples, hoping the little-girl act would work again. “My head hurts.”
    He pulled her to face him, and held her head in his hands. “Look at me.”
    The disappointment on his face tugged at something inside her, as if his opinion mattered. “What’s wrong?”
    Instead of answering, he took the ties he’d shoved into his pocket when they’d left the cave and bound her wrists. “You’ve been playing me the entire time. And I fell for it.” He shook his head. “I’m an idiot.”
    “I don’t know—”
    “Save it,” he barked. Pulling her behind him, he began