Page 65 of Hunted Innocence

What I’m not sure of is if my heart will continue beating.

I can’t imagine living life without Grayson. I fell in love with him without meaning to. Sure, for years, I was infatuated by him, too afraid to speak up or make a move, but then it happened. I was at my absolute worst, yet it happened, and it was beautiful and perfect in every way it could be.

But it was not meant to last.

Maybe that’s exactly what it was supposed to be. Maybe he was meant to show me how good it could feel to be desired. To be treasured and protected. The tears begin to dry around the one-hundred-mile point.

And that’s when I get the bright idea to call Brody.

“Are you okay?” he calls out with a panicked tone.

“I’m okay,” I somewhat lie because physically, I am fine. Mentally and emotionally… not so much.

He doesn’t call me out on my lie, though he probably knows it’s one. Brody and I may have shared emotions and feelings when we were younger, but that is not the case any longer. He’s not the teenage boy he once was, and I’m not the little girl I was.

Our connection is the same and yet different. I don’t know him as well as I used to, but I don’t love him any less. We’ve gone our separate ways. He found family in the club, a club that was part of our history.

And I lived a nightmare until I was able to escape. But my escape wasn’t freedom, at least not until now.

Now that I have my complete freedom, I want nothing more than to be tethered to someone. Well, not to just anyone. To Grayson. Always to Grayson.

“I left Nights. I wanted to let you know,” I announce.

There is a long moment of silence, and I hold my breath, waiting for him to respond. Before he speaks, I hear him clear his throat, then he lets out a heavy sigh.

“Where are you headed?”

“South Carolina, somewhere on the beach.”

“Do you know which one?”

I laugh softly but decide not to tell him the truth, mainly because I’m not sure if I’ll stay there. “I don’t know where I’m going to land. When I do, I’ll call you.”

Silence again. But this time, he doesn’t stay quiet for long. Instead, he speaks, continuing to ask me more questions. Brodyhas been the only man I have ever been able to count on. I know that he harbors massive guilt about me being sent to Landon in the beginning and then being tied up while Landon did what he did to me. But I don’t blame him. I never did. Our parents were the problem, and Brody did whatever he could to help me when I needed it.

“I could tell you what I think, but it wouldn’t matter. Stay vigilant. Landon might be gone, but nobody knows just how deep his shit goes or who could be looking for him.”

He’s right.

There could be people looking for Landon, and they know by now that he’s gone. It’s been all over the news here, so I assume it has been in DC as well. It’s not hard to figure out that I’m his wife. Those records are public.

“I will keep an eye out. But, Brody?” I ask.

He grunts, not saying anything, waiting for me to continue. Pressing my lips together, I stare ahead at the road, the sky turning lighter as the sun begins to rise.

“If something happens to me, whatever it is, just let it happen.”

“Nadine?” he asks, his voice deepening.

I hum as my gaze continues to search the skyline in front of me. It’s beautiful, and I watch as other colors begin to mix with the deep shades of blue and the light shades of gray. There is orange and pink, plus a little purple.

It’s stunning.

And for whatever reason, the sight causes tears to prick my eyes again. It’s so beautiful, and I should be feeling very blessed that I’m able to see another sunrise, but instead, I’m feeling very sorry for myself.

“Yeah,” I whisper.

“I love you, you know that?”

---