I swallow hard, the memory of his face, of his eyes when he got angry, still too fresh in my mind. “I rejected him, and it just got crazy from there.” I press my lips together, trying to control the shake in my hands. “I told him to leave me alone, but that just made it worse. And when I realized I couldn’t get away from him, I had to run. I had to leave everything behind. But it never mattered. No matter where I went, he found me. And now he’s found out where my next job is, so I don’t know what to do.”
“Stop running,” she half-whispers. “Stay here.”
I glance up at her, meeting her gaze. Her eyes are steady, unwavering. “I can’t stay here forever. He’ll find me.”
“You think running’s going to work?” she asks softly. “You’ve been running for months, Lo. And look where it’s gotten you. You don’t have to keep doing it. We can protect you here.I’llprotect you. This town might have its faults, but we won’t let anything bad happen to you, I swear.”
I wish it were that easy. I wish everything were easier.
I wish this wasn’t happening.
CHAPTER 24
Hayes
Work has been a bitch this morning.
The storm hit hard, and the aftermath is a mess no one can quite get a handle on. The mayor’s been breathing down my neck, barking orders like the world’s on fire, and I can’t seem to find a damn moment of peace. I’ve been running from one problem to the next all day, and my brain’s fried, overstuffed with deadlines and stress that just won’t quit.
How could it not be after what happened with my pack and Lo?
Thank God it’s lunch time.
But I don’t even get out the door before the next stress comes my way. Only this time, it’s Lo herself. In the form of a text message.
Lo:Can we meet? I need to talk.
I don’t hesitate. I don’t even think about it.
Hayes:Sure, where are you?
Lo:Let’s meet at The Honeycomb Café.
Hayes:I’m already on the way.
I don’t waste a second. I hop in my truck and head straight for the café. Lo’s text hit me hard, and I find myself speeding a little more than I probably should.
I try to convince myself it’s just a normal catch-up, that it’s fine. But deep down, I know it’s not.
It can’t be, and I’m concerned it’s because of our night together. I don’t want her to regret a thing.
But if she does… well, we’ll all have to immediately back off.
When I get there, I spot her right away. She’s sitting at one of the corner tables, hands wrapped tightly around her coffee cup. She looks… different. Fragile, as if she’s trying to hide behind the wall she always builds.
But I see it.
I walk up, take a breath, and stand across from her. She looks up, and for a second, I think maybe she’s going to smile, but the curve of her lips is faint and uncertain. She looks tired, drained. Not just from the storm, but from something more.
“You good?” I ask, as I take my seat.
She runs a hand through her hair, looking down at her coffee, trying to gather her thoughts.
“I… I don’t know, Hayes,” she says, laced with an intense sadness. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
I can see the hesitation on her face, the way her shoulders tense. She’s holding more back. The part of me that’s always looked out for her wants to push her to say it, but I don’t. I wait. I’ve learned with Lo that sometimes she needs to get to the point on her own time.
“Lo,” I say after a beat, “I know it’s been a lot recently, but you can still talk to me about anything.”
