Page 50 of Stay With Me
I watch him walk down the hallway when I hear Jess say my name. Quickly blinking my eyes, I focus on Jess asking me if she can watch a nature documentary Cassidy recommended.
Jess finally fell asleep after telling me about the lions she learned about in the documentary tonight, and I go looking for Noah.
I glance around the kitchen and living room, and a shadow moving from the porch catches my eye. I freeze, thinking someone’s here, but when the light hits Noah’s hair, I let out the breath that was trapped in my lungs.
I walk out, and he’s sitting on his porch swing with a beer.
“Everything okay?” I ask.
Turning to look at me, he takes a drink and says, “It is now. Jess finally asleep?”
Closing the distance between us, I stand in front of him and lean back on the railing. “Yeah, she told me all about lions and where they live and their hunting patterns. Then she asked if we could read a book Cassidy talked about calledThe Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. A note in her bag from Cassidy said she thought it might be a good integration to fantasy.”
He nods. “It is a good book. I think she’ll like it.”
“Want to tell me about the rest of your phone call with Special Agent Hunt?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest.
Leaning forward, he puts his elbows on his knees and takes a breath. “Do you promise you won’t panic, and regardless of what I tell you, you’ll trust me?”
I start to bite my thumbnail. “You’re scaring me.”
“I don’t want you to be scared, but I won’t hide anything from you either.”
“Okay, just tell me.”
And tell me he does.
He tells me that, to Special Agent Hunt’s knowledge, Jess and I are the only ones who have ever gotten away and that he wants to come down here in the next week or two to interview Jess and me if we feel comfortable.
“I don’t think I want them meeting Jess until after we talk to them first,” I say.
“I told him the same but wanted you to know that he would like to talk to her. There’s one more thing,” he admits.
“What else could there be?”
“Elijah said The Family destroyed their camp in Utah and is in the wind. They have no evidence that they’ve ever left their camp before, and they don’t know where they are.”
I start to pace, my heart trying to beat out of my chest. “Oh god, Noah. He’s right! They’ve never left that place. At least not all of them at one time. Jess and I aren’t safe. What am I going to do?”
“Hey, Luna, Look at me.” He stops me and turns me to face him. “I need you to take a breath. I know you’re scared, but I promise you that I’ll do everything in my power to protect both you and Jess. Do you trust me?”
Panic swirls in my veins, and my gut is telling me to take Jess and run.
I don’t know if I’ll be able to stay on the run long term with a ten-year-old.
He places a finger under my chin. “Luna. Look. At. Me,” he says softly.
I bring my eyes to his face, his forehead creased with concern, and I realize how much I do trust him.
I nod as I lick my lips.
“I need your words, baby.”
“Yes. I trust you,” I whisper past the lump in my throat.
“Thank god” is all he says before he slams his lips down on mine.
I’m stunned for only a second before I kiss him back.
