Page 66 of Hunted Innocence

Hearing my brother tell me that he loves me does something to my heart. It squeezes but in a good way. Sucking in a breath, I let it out slowly before I answer. “I know that, Brody. I love you so much.”

“Don’t run from me. I know you’re running, but don’t run from me. Not when I’ve just got you back.”

My whole body jerks as a sob escapes my lips. “I’m not going anywhere. I am just a phone call away. Maybe I’ll end up back in Nights, but I need to do this. I need to find myself.”

“You do,” he says. “But don’t hide yourself away, either.”

“I won’t.”

Ending the call, I attempt to focus on the road, but it turns blurry from my tears, and I have to pull over for a full-on crying jag before I get myself together, grip my steering wheel, and go.

GRAYSON

Walking into the office,I can’t help but wonder what the fuck sight is going to greet me. I expect to see Nadine’s sullen face focused on mine when I walk toward her desk, but it’s empty. As I move through the building, I’m alarmed because the whole place is empty.

There isn’t even anyone in the surveillance room, which doesn’t surprise me, considering we’re no longer on the job that kept us in that room twenty-four seven. I can’t deny that I miss it, the excitement and the completely mundane part of the whole thing.

I head toward my office and sink down in my office chair. I should be gathering my shit to head out to my next job, but I find myself wasting time so that everyone else can show up. So that I can see Nadine and know that she’s okay.

That she is safe.

I need to know that she’s okay.

I have to.

I fucked this up so goddamn bad, and I only have two weeks to fix it.

The office begins to fill up, mainly with the guys and Colette. When Theron arrives and stops at Nadine’s desk, he turns his head and looks toward my office. The expression he wears is, without a doubt, murderous.

Then he walks toward me. No, he marches, and he doesn’t stop until he’s right in front of me. He tilts his head to the side, his murderous gaze focused on me and only me. Arching a brow, I attempt to appear nonchalant.

My heart races as I think about what the fuck he’s going to say to me. I can tell that he’s, without a doubt, pissed the fuck off and that anger is focused on me. As much as I want to deflect his anger, I know that I need to soak it up because I am the reason for it.

It is my fault.

“Where the fuck is she?” Theron asks.

“I have no goddamn clue,” I respond.

He stares at me, his brows knitting together. I can tell he’s confused. “How do you have no clue?” Theron asks.

I almost laugh. Shaking my head, I clear my throat. “We got into a thing last night. I walked away.”

“You walked away,” Theron repeats my words.

Standing up from my seat, I walk around to the window and look out at the street. Sinking my teeth into my bottom lip, I worry it for a moment, then I turn around and look at Theron. His anger fills the room. It becomes completely all-consuming. I can’t breathe.

“I walked away,” I choke out, repeating the words.

I’m such a goddamn pussy. “Why?” Theron demands.

Looking down at my shoes, I take them in; they’re brown. Polished to perfection, except for the small scratch on the left side of the right toe. That shit is going to bother the fuck out of me. I need to get them repaired.

“She left me a voicemail on my work cell and said that she would not be coming back. I wasn’t sure that she was serious until I got here, and she wasn’t sitting behind her desk.”

“She left you a voicemail?” I ask.

Swear to fuck; this entire conversation is like pulling goddamn teeth. “She left a voicemail,” he confirms.

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