Surrounded by Secrets by Mandy Harbin Read Free Book Online

got it. Though I’m not clear on the whole running off rule. Do you mean no running off something like a cliff or no running off in general?” She smirked.
    “Both.”
    Lillian nodded as she headed away from him, but he grabbed her arm and whirled her around.
    “Where do you think you’re going?”
    “To put on my cat costume, Simba.” She paused, her eyes popping open wider. “You think I’d let you see me naked, honey bear? Tsk, tsk, tsk. That’s what you get for thinking, big guy.” She yanked her arm free.
    “Don’t go far.”
    “Fuck off.”
    He growled, but didn’t come after her. She walked a few feet into the forest, where she felt she was covered from Jack’s prying eyes. It was ironic how just a couple of days’ time had changed things.
    This time yesterday they had been either getting plastered or already having sex. And tonight they were going to go running in the woods, maybe find a spider or two to play with until it died or played dead. You sure know how to pick ’em, Lillian.
    She stripped out of her borrowed clothing and shifted. Changing into an animal seemed much easier this second time. It still felt odd, but not uncomfortable. Hopefully it would continue to become easier.
    Ugh , easier? Why was she concerned with making this easier? Her infector never said shifting was mandatory, so maybe she wouldn’t have to do it ever again once she left this place. She could try to live a normal life sans Jack and this mountain-lion mumbo jumbo. Maybe if she ignored it long enough, she could pretend to be normal again.
    And Jack was another matter entirely. Her feelings were confused. There was no denying some kind of connection with him—at least to herself. She could and would deny it with him. Plus, she still wanted to hurt him in the worst way, but she tried really hard not to dwell on those emotions. The initial urge to kill him was slowly getting better.
    Because death would be too easy.
    If she had to live life as a freak, then he should be forced to live in pain and suffering, too.
    “Ready or not, here I come,” she thought as she trotted out to where Jack had been. Now he was in his mountain-lion form, too.
    “I know what you look like when you come, and this isn’t it.”
    “You’re an ass.”
    “Follow me.”
    For what felt like hours, they ran. They’d made it to the property line and back several times, zigzagging throughout the trees, stopping to sip at the creeks, and even chasing a field mouse once.
    For the first time in her life, Lillian felt alive. Free. As the wind ruffled her short fur, she felt as if she could spread her legs and fly.
    They hadn’t spoken much, and she was okay with that. If the jerk opened his mind up to her, she just knew it would ruin the peacefulness of this experience. But that also left her alone with her confused thoughts about this ability and way of life. Why was she so accepting of it? Because for the first time in a long time, you feel cherished. That thought shocked her. Her mother had always nurtured her, but after the accident that had taken her from Lillian, she’d been left with her father as the sole provider of all things. His love had been lacking, but he worked hard to provide for them, so she had no right to complain.
    But why did she feel cherished now? It wasn’t as though Jack was gushing all over her. He was still a prick.
    When they reached the gate that led to her property from his, Jack slowed.
    “This gate was left open yesterday, too. I think Rob is working this section. I’ll need to remind him to lock it when he’s done.”
    “This is the way I came yesterday to work. Maybe he left it open because he thought I’d be using this path to get to and from work.”
    “No. He knew earlier today that you wouldn’t be going back home. He should’ve locked it before dinner.”
    She growled at him. “So after you drugged me, you ran and bragged to your family about kidnapping me. Do you think this gate will hold me