Page 191 of Love Me

“Baby, it’s okay. I came back in love with the version of you that I knew too. But I like this version of us better.”

“Me too.”

“Our souls run deeper than our hearts, our minds, our blood. Our souls will always recognize one another.”

“I love you so fucking much.”

“I love you. Embarking now. Promise me.”

The ship’s horn blows in my ear, making me pause until the sound vanishes. “I’ll take care. I have a lifetime to spend with you, and only afterward will I consider dying.”

When we hang up, I speed toward the house.

Knocking, I walk inside Bailey’s room and give her the address. She opens a program, typing quickly. A camera shot of the highway appears. A tinted, black Mercedes SUV catches our attention, and when Bailey confirms it’s Felix, I go find Hunter.

“I know where he is.”

“Good.”

“Hurry, asshole. We don’t have all the time in the world.”

“Fucker. What about Blake?”

I remain silent, so fucking torn.

“Even best friends make mistakes,” Hunter says.

I pass by Blake’s room and halt. A part of me wants to talk to him, to my best friend, but the other wants to push him out of the window.

I have to calm down first, and then we can talk.

I continue on to my room and stuff a change of clothes, my gun, and some knives into a duffel bag.

Mia steps inside the room. “Please talk to Blake.”

“Mia, stay out of this.”

“He needs you.”

“Why do you care?”

Her cheekbones redden and she sighs. “Put yourself in his place.”

“I can’t,” I admit.

She closes the door behind her, and I let out a stream of curses. How long can I avoid him? Maybe when I come back, I will be ready to talk. But I am still running on anger. I could have lost Celine, and I am well aware of how traumatic that experience was for her. The repercussions will follow us all our lives.

I run downstairs but don’t see Hunter, so I walk out.

I told him to hurry. What is keeping him? Is he having a bad hair day?

Hunter can catch up to me, I think when, from the corner of my eye, I see Blake leaning against the front wall of the house.

He eyes me then the duffel. It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him he should come with me, but this fucking hurt keeps my mouth shut.

Hunter bolts through the front door.

“What the fuck took you so long?” I ask.

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