Page 5 of Outcast’s Vow

Yeah, it would make life for me a hell of a lot simpler if I joined them.

But I’ve got a task to complete.

I glance down at my smartwatch. My heart rate is steady. As with everything else in my life, I am leaving nothing to chance. I’ve invested long, hard weeks training relentlessly with former Navy SEALs on the skills required to track a human being, even in the toughest of environments.

If Sylvie Levine is as smart and as capable as I suspect, then I will certainly need that training today.

My first stop before the rainforest is the front doors of the small island’s fancy five-star resort. This is the spot where the women left for the beach at sunrise – only half an hour ago – and this is where I’ll begin tracking my prey’s movements, just as I was taught by a former special forces soldier who had arms bigger than tree trunks and who has probably killed half the men he’s ever met.

The air is crisp this morning. There’s not a cloud in the sky. The sun’s rays cast a golden hue over the land, and the sounds of palm trees gently swaying and water running over rocks naturally relax the mind. It’s paradise here. A perfect vacation spot to unwind.

If you didn’t have a job to do.

I’ve never formally met Sylvie. I’ve never shaken her hand or spoken to her. I’ve only seen her from a distance at charity galas and elite parties. Elegant, poised, and naturally alluring with all the confidence of someone who’s wanted for nothing. The way she held herself at those gatherings? Untouchable.

Until today.

Outside the resort’s front door, I spot a pair of footprints that lead away from the pack.

There she is.

Hello, Your Highness.

Seems like, despite having never met, I read her well.

I track the evidence of her foray into the rainforest.

As soon as the first steps are taken into the vegetation, humidity clings to every part of me. No more ocean breeze and wine bottles in ice buckets here. The shrieks of wild animals echo in the dark depths while the ground under my feet is uneven, muddy, and treacherous.

This is a world away from the polished luxury of the five-star resort.

She’s a brave one to venture this deep.

Time is my enemy. It may still be sunrise, and I have until sundown to find her, but the island is a deceptively dense place, full of many hiding spots. And she is clever.

The footprints pick up speed, and so do I.

She really doesn’t want to be found.

* * *

I take a carefully rationed sip of water from my rapidly diminishing supply and continue through the forest. The taste of metal fills my mouth.

The day is nearing its end. Sylvie’s constantly been on the move for hours. Her footprints have faded in and out.

She knows what she’s doing.

Damn, she’s even smarter than I initially gave her credit for. It’s taken every ounce of training to keep up with her. The minutes have blurred by. My muscles ache. My gear is soaked with my sweat. My mind is slowly being boiled by the tropical heat.

I look up through the thick canopy above at the descending sun. Once it hits the horizon, the Chase is over. Sylvie would have successfully eluded me, and everything would have been for nothing.

I’m not going to lose. I can’t.

I am a man who never loses.

And, just like a miracle, I spot a boot’s footprint in the mud. It’s a sign. I’m on the right path. I’m impressed she’s in this deep.

But she’s made a mistake leaving proof.