"Happy?" Mason asked in a quiet voice.

I jerked my head up and realized he had remained close the whole time. The rest of his car had vacated.

"Yeah." I nodded my head abruptly.

"You sure?"

He was so close. I felt his breath on me and it teased me. That same tingle started back, nagging me. It wouldn't go away… I shook my head. It had to go away. There was no other way.

"Sam?"

I choked out, "I'm fine." And I swung away. I needed to get away from him, from how he could pull me in, how I wanted him to pull me in.

Hell, I wanted to pull him in.

I closed my eyes, but Mason stepped back then. I took a deep breath and tried to calm my nerves. Goodness. I wanted to jump him right there and when I opened my eyes, under heavy eyelids, I saw he wanted the same thing. His eyes were dark with desire, but then he closed his eyes. As he opened them, he wore a mask once again. He was in control and he gave me a half grin. "I want your car behind mine or Logan's, okay?"

I nodded.

He nodded at Adam. "You got that?"

Adam gave him a nod from across the top of his car, with an unreadable gaze.

Mason narrowed his eyes and held his stare for a second. Neither said a word, but I knew there was some form of message shared between the two. The heated look was broken when a small girl with brown curly hair approached from around the side of Mason's car. She had bright almond eyes, a timid smile, and a white sweater that engulfed her.

"You're Sam?" Warmth oozed from her.

"Not now." Mason touched her shoulder and urged her in front of him as they walked to Logan's side of the lot.

She looked back and gave me another smile before Mason blocked her view of me.

I frowned as I realized what he was doing. He'd done the same thing with my mother. At that time, he'd been protecting me, but who was he protecting now?

"Oh." Becky panted. "My." She heaved an exaggerated breath. "Gawd."

Adam shook his head. "Can you chill the dramatics a bit?"

She looked over, still panting like a dog. "Did you see what I did? I don't even know which thing to talk about first? I can't prioritize them. This is drama overload." Her shoulders sagged heavily and she dropped her arms to her side. "It's all weighing me down. I have to get it off my chest, I just have to."

Then Adam grinned and pointed at an incoming car. "You're going to have to add a bit more to your list."

As a Bentley stopped on the other side of Adam's car, my radar went on high alert. A brand new, straight from the dealership, Porche Cayenne wheeled in on the other side and the doors were thrown open.

The Academy Elite had arrived. And judging from their packed vehicles, they were coming on the trip.

I watched in horror as Mark Decraw went over and pumped fists with Logan.

Becky groaned next to me. "I think I'm about to collapse."

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

It was a three hour drive and by the time we got there, I had one thing in mind. Could I go running and if I could, how long did I have to wait before I went? The itch to get away and run free was so strong; I had to force my legs down to the floor a few times. I wanted to hurl myself out of the car each time we stopped at a stoplight in some small town.

Becky had stopped questioning me about the Kades when I went mute two minutes into the trip. Adam hadn't filled my silence either and so Becky sat back and chatted away to herself. She talked about everything: the Kades, the Academy Elite, how liberating it was to watch Jessica and Lydia get pushed out. She went on and on.

Then, after Adam got a text message, she squealed again when she snatched it from him. She twisted around in the seat and exclaimed, "Tanya's coming with her cousin!" She sang out, "So much drama!"

Adam grunted, "You need to get a life."

"I have a life." She was breathless. "Both of yours."

And then Logan's car, who'd been in the lead, slowed beside a gated driveway. We were in the middle of nowhere with trees thick on either side of the road. The last town seemed forever ago, but when the gate slowly swung open and Logan led the way through it, it was the same; a long narrow road with thick forest around it. Finally, he rounded another curve and a gigantic log mansion stood in a clearing.

It could've been on MTV cribs.

"Whoa," Adam laughed under his breath. "That's a freaking hotel. I wondered how they were going to house everyone."

Becky had fallen silent with wide eyes. Her mouth formed a silent oval and she pressed closed fists to it.

I jumped out of the car and hurried to Logan. "Where's my stuff?"

He frowned at me. "What's up with you?"

"I need to run."

"Gotcha." He glanced at my shoes. "Can you run in those? It's going to take awhile to get to your bags."

I jerked my head in a nod. It'd have to do.

He gestured to a trail that started behind a garage. "It's still dark out, but it should be light soon. I'll make sure you get a good room. That trail goes up and around a lake. It'll be pretty by the time you get there. And it should be safe. Nate's parents have an electric fence that runs the perimeter so no big animals should be out there. Take your phone."

When I didn't start right away, he tapped my shoulder. "Go. It's fine."

Then I started. I walked to the back of the garage. When Becky called out and asked where I was going, Logan said something to her. I knew I was covered and as soon as I was hidden from view, I took off.

The path was covered in woodchips and it went uphill.

I pumped my knees and arms high, and even more the higher I went. When the trail veered to the right, my body leaned with it. I wasn't running. I was sprinting. I knew I should slow down. I didn't want to burn out too soon, but I couldn't. Something in me was making me go faster and faster. Sweat was soon dripping off me, but I didn't care. I barely felt it.

The mountain morning air felt cool and it fueled me for more.

The path flattened out after a steep incline. There were a few dips, all of them welcomed, but I loved the climb. My heart beat faster and it wasn't from the exertion.

It might've been an hour, I wasn't sure, but the forest opened around me and I was given a breathtaking view of a lake below. It was in a valley between two mountains. Waves rippled over it. I couldn't see through it, not from how high I was, but the water seemed to give me another burst of adrenalin.