#Chapter 27: Payback

Kayla Nicholas’s pace was relentless as he led me down the gravel path that twisted through the estate gardens and toward the edge of the woods. The early morning sun filtered through the trees, casting a dappled pattern of light and shadow across the ground, but I was far too irritated to care about the scenery. I had to jog a little just to keep up with his long strides, and it became clear to me immediately that this was nothing more than an act—just like everything else. “Do you always drag women around like they’re your personal luggage?” I muttered, yanking my arm free and crossing it tightly over my chest once we were out of sight. He didn’t even break stride, his long legs carrying him forward without so much as a glance back. “You walk too slow,” he called over his shoulder. “Keep up.” My teeth clenched. Oh, if it weren’t for my pack hanging in the balance, I would have turned around and marched straight back to the house. Hell, I would even lock