Page 68 of Saving Saul

"Good." She squeezes my hand, her warmth a balm to my frayed nerves. "Now, let’s figure out what you’ll wear on the flight to your new life. Let’s find something unforgettable."

For the first time all day, my chest feels a little lighter.

"Unforgettable," I repeat, my grin growing. "Let’s make him sweat."

AWAY WE GO

SAUL

The private jetI chartered is fueled and ready, the engines humming like a low warning. Thirty minutes until takeoff, but there’s no sign of Tessa. She’s late—thirty minutes late.

I tap my glass against the armrest, the amber whiskey trembling inside. Each second that ticks by sharpens the edge of my nerves, my mind spiraling with possibilities.What if she doesn’t come?

The thought claws at my chest, a suffocating weight. What if the idea of life on the run, even temporarily, is too much for her? Too wild? Too risky? The logical part of me knows she has every right to turn back, but the selfish part—the part that loves her beyond reason—can’t bear the thought.

I need her.Not just to love her but toprotecther. To ensure she’s safe in a world that feels more dangerous by the hour. I won’t force her to go if she chooses to stay behind. I couldn’t. But no one—no one—will ever love her as fiercely as I do. I pray she knows that.

I run a hand down my face, my palm damp with the sweat of my rising tension. I should’ve never let her go to Selene alone. I knew it the moment I watched her walk out that door, her back straight with determination, but her eyes shadowed with worry.

Once she left, I couldn’t sit still. I called a separate car service to pick her up in case the police followed the last one. Then, I began planning how to slip out unnoticed. I wasn’t naïve enough to think the police weren’t watching me. The tension outside the cabin felt heavy, almost oppressive, and I knew they were nearby.

I packed quickly, only grabbing what I couldn’t live without—a few precious items tucked into a small backpack. Then I changed into different clothes, erasing any trace of the man who had been at Crescent Hall just hours ago.

When I opened my bedroom window, the cool air, sharp and bracing, hit my skin. I lowered the bag first, then followed, climbing out as silently as possible. My heart hammered as I dropped to the ground, the weight of every risk I was taking pressing down on me.

I darted around the side of the house, slipping into a hidden trail through the woods. The path was overgrown and rarely used, but I knew it well. Each step felt like a gamble, and every crack of a twig underfoot made me flinch.

When I reached the riverbank, relief washed over me. The small boat I’d secured years ago was still there, gassed up and ready. The police hadn’t ventured this far—they probably hadn’t even realized how close the river was to my cabin.

The boat’s engine purred softly as I pushed off, the water splitting beneath me as I made my way to the other side. I met the driver I’d hired to pick Tessa up, paying him well to keep our movements discreet. He dropped me at the airstrip, and now I am sitting in this luxurious leather chair, staring at the empty seat beside me.

The whiskey burns as it slides down my throat, but it doesn’t calm the storm inside me. Everything has gone to plan—everything... except Tessa.

I clench the glass tighter, my mind racing with questions.Did something happen? Did she get held up?Or worse—did she change her mind?

The thought makes my chest feel heavy, my breath faltering. I can’t lose her. I won’t. Not after everything we’ve endured, everything we’ve overcome.

Every creak of the cabin door makes my head snap toward the entrance, my pulse thundering in anticipation. The seconds feel like hours, the waiting a slow torture.

When I imagine her walking up the steps, her hair brushing the curve of her delicious ass with every determined stride, her hazel eyes locking onto mine... my heart leaps. And when I picture her not coming at all, I feel the edges of my world unraveling.

I glance at the empty seat beside me, my fingers drumming against the armrest.Come on, Tessa. Please.

The engines growl louder, a reminder that time is running out. I grip the glass so tightly I’m afraid it might shatter, my whispered plea slipping into the quiet cabin.

“Please, love. Don’t ghost me.”

Like I did you.

* * *

I message the pilot, my fingers hovering over the keys, ready to concede defeat. Just as the weight of doubt starts to press down on me, I see her. Tessa bursts into view, running down the terminal like a whirlwind, her hair flying wildly behind her and a suitcase swinging in each hand.

She embodies a stunning fierceness, radiating a determination that ignites my passion. Her expression reveals a blend of anxiety and excitement, as if she’s plunging into an experience that feels surreal yet that she’s unwilling to escape. Gratefulness grips my chest, and an overwhelming sense of relief washes over me in waves.

A grin spreads across my face, so wide it almost hurts. Without thinking, I leap out of my seat and bolt out of the plane, taking the steps two at a time until my feet hit the tarmac.

“Tessa!” I call out, my voice carrying over the hum of the engines.

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