Page 65 of Unraveled Love

Addi clungto the bar in front of her as the Jeep hobbled and wobbled over the rocky and hilly terrain. There was the occasional mud puddle mixed with still melting snow, and branches from trees smacked against our windows on the narrow trail.

Jaxon’s Jeep was a beast with its raised tires. I was having a damn blast bouncing us slowly down the path I’d found. For Addi’s part, she seemed to be having just as much fun, even if she kept switching the position of her hands to grab hold of different bars and different handholds for balance.

“This would be so much more fun in the summer with it all opened up. Top off, doors off, and the wind in our faces.”

It was the first thing she’d said, and she said it with a smile a mile wide. A surge of warmth suffused my chest. I’d made the right decision, and after talking with the guys, we figured we’d be safe enough to be alone. Briggs was going to work with Charlie to keep hacking phones and trying to find dirt on either of the Bancrofts or Banks so we could go after them to get them to tell us what they knew, and Cort and Lincoln were going to beef up the security cameras.

“No shit. I’m thinking I just added this to my must-buy list as soon as I get settled somewhere permanent.”

“A friend of mine in high school had one, only two doors though, not like this, and it was white not black, but we’d take it on the beaches all the time. Campfires out there, drinking, the ocean.” She sighed and ran her hand along the length of her ponytail, smiling wistfully. “Those were good times.”

“Yeah?” I glanced at her, but I had to mostly focus on the trail. Addi didn’t talk about her life much, what it was like, or anything good really. “Was that Jillian?”

“No. She was a grade ahead of me. We were friends, though, but I’m thinking of Sarabelle. Her mama and mine grew up together and we always got along, until college anyway.” Her smile faded and she focused out the front window. “She got married a couple years ago. Some guy about as big of a prick as Daniel, although really, they were all a bunch of entitled assholes.”

“No one is as big of a prick as Daniel.”

“True.” She huffed. “Sarabelle was one of my bridesmaids. I barely even talked to her that day, and I’d declined all bachelorette festivities.”

“Why didn’t you have Jillian?”

“Because if I didn’t end up being brave and went through with the wedding, I didn’t want her there to see my misery.” She bit her lip, and I had the urge to reach out and comfort her but didn’t. Besides the rocky terrain, she needed that moment. “I would have been so embarrassed for someone I actually liked and respected to see me like that. When I called Jillian and told her about the engagement, I told her I didn’t want her there. Didn’t even bother to send the invitation my mom addressed for her. I took it out of the pile and ditched it before they were mailed.”

She was silent then, and I followed the turns, up a rocky hill so jagged and uneven we both held our breath until we reached the top.

“I keep thinking about the things Daniel has done to me, what he’s said and even that note…my dad…I’m worried about my mom, but mostly, I’m worried about what I’ll do to him if I ever see him again. Does that make me as bad as him?”

Her voice was so tortured, so truly concerned I had to fight down the urge to laugh. Addi? As bad as a man who killed people and raped women, who sold them for rape for a profit?

It killed me she was worried she could be that evil.

“Defending yourself against someone evil doesn’t make you evil. It makes you strong.”

“What if it’s not defense? What if it’s straight vengeance and revenge?”

I finally found the gun range. It was a small, covered wooden patio area that was freshly stained, telling me this place wasn’t all that old. There was a small concrete slab beneath it and, at the far end, stacks of hay bales, I figured about twenty-five yards away, with posts behind them that had arms that came forward to hang targets on. There were other wooden stands in front of other bales, and near the covered patio area were two metal barrels.

I stopped the Jeep and turned to Addi, taking her hand in mine and squeezing. “There is nothing for you to be worried about. You’re one of the sweetest, bravest, and sassiest women I’ve ever met. If getting rid of Daniel happens at your hands, all that means is you’ve rid the world of the most vile kind of human and you should be considered a hero.” Her cheeks pinked as I spoke, but I kept going, pulling her to me and threading my hands through her hair at the back of her head. “But you don’t have to worry about that. Because if you ever see Daniel again, I’ll be there, and he’ll be taken care of at my hands.”

She swallowed and then came closer, brushed her lips over mine. “Thank you. You always know what to say to make me feel better.”

“I’m just speaking the truth.” But damn I was glad she felt that way.

“Which is only one of the reasons why I think you’re awesome.”

“Love you, honey.” I kissed her forehead and pulled back. “Now, let’s go shoot some shit.”

Her response was her typical, blindingly beautiful smile.

We got out of the Jeep and shot a whole bunch of shit, and by the time we were done, Addi handling a variety of shotguns and semi-automatic long guns and handguns, her worries from that morning and her fears from her nightmare were long gone.

* * *

After we were done shooting,Addi didn’t seem in any hurry to return to the house, so I used the CB radio in Jaxon’s Jeep given we were out of cell service and checked in at the house.

“All good and quiet here,” Mason said. “Haven’t heard a thing from anyone so we’re just hanging out, walking the grounds. Take your time.”

“Sounds good. I’ll give you a heads-up when we’re on our way back.”

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