Chapter 47: The end, together

Mara's desperate flight through the forest came to a sudden, brutal end as Gustavo's hand clamped down on her shoulder. With a powerful yank, he threw her to the ground, knocking the wind from her lungs.

Gasping for air, Mara began to crawl away, her fingers clawing at the forest floor. Leaves and twigs snagged her clothes and scratched her skin, but the pain was nothing compared to the terror coursing through her veins.

Gustavo's low, menacing chuckle froze her in place. "Well, well," he drawled, his voice dripping with malice. "What do we have here? A little bird far from her cage."

Mara turned slowly, her eyes wide with fear as she looked up at Gustavo. In the dim light, his face seemed more shadow than substance, his eyes glinting with a predatory gleam.