“I can wait until morning, if you’d be more comfortable.”
I thought about that. I might feel more at ease in the daylight, but there was a reason people ran away under the cover of darkness.
“No. Uh, this is better. They won’t expect me to leave so late at night. Just in case they’re watching. They probably aren’t. I’m an easy mark, and they know I don’t have anyone to turn to for help.”
“Well, you do now,” he said matter-of-factly. “Pack your shit. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“Okay.” I laughed nervously. “I guess I’ll finally get to see your face, huh?”
“Do you want to see me now so you know who you’ll be meeting? It seems only fair.”
I nodded eagerly. “I’ve been dying to see you. You know that.”
There was a delay as he located the settings on his camera, and then suddenly, his face filled the screen.
Dark brown hair, longer on top, shorter on the sides. A strong jaw covered in thick stubble. But most striking of all, vivid blue eyes watching me carefully.
I stared at him for a long moment, taking in every detail, down to the tiny freckle to the left of one eye.
“This is not what I expected,” I said.
He smiled wryly. “Told you we weren’t in the same league.”
“Are you kidding? You’re seriously hot.” I fanned my face. “Damn, I would have come even harder if I’d seen that stern expression while you were telling me how to touch myself.”
He averted his gaze, seeming a little shy. It was incongruous, considering how well he commanded me during our cam sessions. But then, he’d always hidden from my view. So maybe it made sense after all.
“Just get ready,” Holden said gruffly. “I’ll be there soon.”
My smile sagged as reality snapped back into focus. “Thank you for this, Holden. I didn’t know what to do. I just felt so trapped. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.”
“Knowing you’re safe is all the payment I need.”
I gave him my address, and we exchanged a few more details about what to expect. He lived with his brothers, but he assured me that they would be okay with a houseguest.
I wasn’t sure if moving in with a group of men was more intimidating or reassuring. It meant he was less likely to be a serial killer looking to trap me in his lair. Safety in numbers and all that, right? Unless they were all sadists working together…
Not a helpful thought.
I could only rely on my instincts. Even though my brain screamed every possible horror scenario known to man, my heart kept telling me I could trust Holden.
Besides, I had no better options. I was in danger here. No way around it. At least with Holden, I had a chance to get away and regroup. Come up with a plan to salvage my life.
After we disconnected, I packed four large duffel bags. I couldn’t take everything I owned, so I tried to be strategic about it.
My laptop, camera, mic, and lights had to come with me. Those were my moneymakers. Clothes, of course. Some makeup. Hair products. Grooming kit.
Hopefully, the bruise would fade soon. Holden was protective now, but I couldn’t forget what had drawn him to me in the first place. He found me attractive. Sexy. Sensual. I needed to look good enough that he wouldn’t decide I wasn’t worth all this effort.
My parents had had enough of me at seventeen. Jimmie had tired of me by the time we ended things, and that had only been after a few weeks. Why would a guy who barely knew me be any different?
I paced my apartment, restless and wired. Every hour or so, I’d repack my bags when I thought of something else to take with me.
I added my photo box of childhood pictures. It was all I had left of my family now. They were alive and well, happier without me, but I was about to go to a strange new place. I needed to hold on to the connection, as slim as it might be.
But when I caught myself trying to pack all the cards I’d gotten from students and parents in the past three years, I made myself stop. I didn’t have the space for all the mementos I’d saved, and I wasn’t a teacher anymore.
It hurt, but it was time to let that part of my life go. It wasn’t as if I could get any kind of decent reference from my school district now.
