I chewed my lower lip as I switched into my empty message thread with Nadia. I couldn’t leave the messages on my phone. I couldn’t take that chance that anyone figured out who I was if they got a hold of it.
I typed a message and sent it to her.Anything on our man?
As soon as it sent, I deleted it from my phone just like Nadia had told me to do. I waited for a response.
My stomach twisted into knots, and I found myself unable to sit in this room any longer.
I leapt from my seat on the bed, grabbed my jacket and purse, and headed for the door.
My phone chimed as I started to unlock it.Searching now…will send info when I have it.
Thanks, I answered, leaving the messages on my phone as I hurried out the door, ignoring the chime that came through.
Cool air caressed my skin and the sea breeze ruffled my hair, despite me being a few blocks from the beach.
In my searching for Kyle, I’d managed to find Alex Stone’s address. A seaside modern home befitting of a tech genius, it would be easy to find with its uncommon architecture style.
I set my map for his street, following the walking directions. I was alone, but maybe I’d feel less so if I was in proximity of my new doctor friend.
He had no way to contact me because I’d run off without giving him any way to find me. But I couldn’t. Could I?
I searched my mind for some way that I could remain in communication with him. Maybe a second burner phone?
That could work, I thought as my feet slapped against the pavement of the ritzy area of town. Cutting through a fence-free yard, I found my way down to the beach.
I tucked my shoes under my arm, allowing the sand to squeeze between my toes. I’d been on plenty of beaches, but we didn’t have them in Belvaria. The sand, still warm from the sunny day felt foreign to me, just like the rest of my life did right now.
My phone chimed when I reached my location. I twisted to stare up at the house. Warm lights glowed from within. Was Kyle inside right now?
It didn’t matter if he was. I couldn’t walk up to the door and knock. How would I explain finding him?
While I was no stranger to operating outside of the normal boundaries, I couldn’t risk it…not yet.
I needed to know more first. I needed to be more certain he could help us.
If he could, then no boundary or norm would stop me–or Nadia–from getting to him, but for now, it was better to play it cool.
I wasn’t sure what I hoped to accomplish by being here. Maybe just being near him would bring me some clarity—or the courage to figure out if I could trust him.
I stood for another moment, staring longing at the light pouring from the floor-to-ceiling windows. Tears formed in my eyes as a shiver shook me. I wanted to be inside, to be with them, to be anywhere but where I was, but that couldn’t happen.
Ruefully, I tore my eyes from the glass above me and slowly made my way further down the beach.
I slid my eyes closed as I meandered through the sand, the cool breeze tousling my hair and the lull of the undulating ocean doing its best to relax me.
I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to soothe my nerves when a voice split the soft sounds of nature.
“Nattie?”
My heart stopped for a moment, my stomach twisting. I snapped my eyes open, peering through the evening’s growing darkness.
My breath caught in my throat as I spotted Kyle standing a few yards in front of me.
I sucked in a sharp breath, my jaw dropping open. A moment of terror shot through me. What was he doing here?
Then I spotted his shoes dangling from his fingers, recalling I was only steps from his back door. He was probably just enjoying his evening.
“Hey,” he said, a wide grin on his face as he closed the distance toward me. “What are you doing here?”
