FBI was after Raven? Did he have something to do with Ava’s death?
And what was with the weird address he’d rattled off?
Alex shoved his hands back in his pockets as he shuffled toward the parking lot of the old resort, planning to walk back on the street.
The last words rattled through his mind, and he wondered if it was some sort of trap.
He tugged his phone from his pocket and input the location into his map. The location was in the middle of nowhere. Why would Raven tell him to go there?
His sneakers slapped the pavement as he walked home, trying to push the situation from his mind. But Raven’s cryptic words gnawed at him, stirring a mix of dread and desperate hope. What if this was some sick game, another twisted manipulation? He shuddered at the thought.
Yet a tiny, rebellious flicker of hope whispered: What if this led to answers?
He clenched his fists, wrestling with the fear of being deceived and the fear of knowing.
He turned into his driveway, his stomach rolling as he considered heading back into the house. A house that was now too quiet without Ava.
He hesitated before he pulled his phone from his pocket and glanced at the map. What would he find if he went to that address?
There was only one way to find out. He eased the front door open, peering inside to make sure he was alone. Slipping in, he grabbed his keys and silently stepped out of the foyer.
Climbing into his car, he sat behind the wheel, hesitating. Why was he going to this address? What did he expect to find?
His fingers clamped onto the door handle, intending to return to the house when he shook his head. He fired the engine and pulled down the driveway.
In seconds, he was on the road, heading for the address Raven had given him moments before he raced away from the agents tracking him.
With each passing mile that he drove, his trepidation grew. What was he doing? Why had he made the choice to drive out here?
Over an hour later, he turned onto a narrow, gravel road, the tires crunching loudly in the oppressive silence. The forest around him grew denser, the trees closing in like dark sentinels. The only light came from the car's headlights, casting eerie shadows that danced across the gnarled trunks. The road was rough, jostling him in his seat as he navigated the winding path. An uneasy feeling settled in his gut, growing with each mile as the canopy above thickened,blocking out the last rays of the setting sun. The air felt heavy, charged with an eerie stillness that only heightened his anxiety.
This was getting creepy. He was relieved he hadn’t come here with Raven; that would’ve made things even more uncomfortable.
The trees thinned out and a cabin appeared in front of him. A few lights glowed from within, making him worried someone was here.
He slowed the car to a stop, keeping some distance between the cabin and himself as he stared at it before he killed his engine.
The front door opened slightly, and his heart hammered against his ribs. Someone was in the cabin. But who?
Why would Raven send him to this place?
The front door creaked open, revealing a shadowy figure that hesitated on the porch. Alex's heart raced, each beat thudding painfully in his chest as the figure moved slowly down the steps. The figure stepped into the pale moonlight, and Alex’s breath caught in his throat. He blinked, certain his eyes were playing tricks on him. It couldn't be...
His vision blurred with tears as the impossible became real. The world seemed to tilt, and for a dizzying moment, he thought he might faint. But there she was, unmistakably her, as if she had stepped out of his deepest, most desperate dreams.
“Ava?” His voice cracked, barely more than a whisper, disbelieving and raw. He remained frozen, every nerve in his body screaming to move, to reach out and touch her, to confirm that she was truly there. The weight of the world lifted, leaving him light-headed and weak with shock.
CHAPTER 16
AVA
Ava drummed her fingers against Sebastian’s laptop as she worked to bypass the multiple security measures he had in place to protect the computer at his safe house. The constant thought of whether or not Sebastian would connect with Alex distracted her.
She arched an eyebrow at the screen, the words on it melting together as she stared at them, her mind elsewhere.
“I should have told himnotto ditch the mask before Alex is here. He’s going to lose it if he knows it’s Sebastian.”
She puckered her lips, wishing he’d left her a cell phone to contact him with.
