As soon as I closed the front door, I leaned against it. The knot in my stomach had remained since the fire. My sleep had been fitful, dreams turning into nightmares similar to what I’d experienced days and weeks after the Undertaker had murdered the man in the alley. Vivid. Bloody.
Terrifying.
The sun was bright, not a cloud in the sky, yet the beautiful morning was unsettling as hell. With Hudson out of the house, I felt lost. He’d promised to join us at the safehouse, but he was out for revenge. It wasn’t just about seeing the need for retaliation in his dark eyes but hearing the change in the inflection of his voice that had pushed me to an edge I thought I’d never be forced to face again.
With my arms folded as another chill slid down my spine, I returned to the kitchen where the little princess was finishing her bowl of cereal. Seeing the colorful Froot Loops floating inher bowl remained amusing. Who knew grown men still enjoyed kids’ cereal well into their forties.
“Finish up, baby girl. A new adventure awaits.”
She peered up at me and with her little scrunched-up face, I could tell she was attempting to figure out what the hell Mommy was telling her. I wish I could figure it out myself. The thought of another unknown and for how long was almost as terrifying as what everything else had been.
Roger and Carla had been understanding, asking me if there was anything they could do. My boss from the other job was none too happy, acting as if the fact my apartment building had been reduced to rubble wasn’t a good enough excuse to be missing work for the rest of the week. Fuck him. I’d certainly come to realize that even after all I’d been through, I’d been taking life for granted.
No longer.
Somehow, I’d make ends meet, but I’d also spend more time enjoying life in whatever small way possible. As long as I could do that with Hudson being even a small part. My, oh, my. Wasn’t I becoming possessive?
The television was on, reporting from the courthouse steps. The same courthouse where I’d testified for the grand jury. Also, the location where I’d asked for a restraining order. And the one in which I’d been given sole custody of my daughter. Not a place I ever wanted to visit again.
I returned to my mug of coffee, praying the caffeine would kick in quickly. Every muscle ached, my entire body filled with tension. Along with the exhaustion, I had a massive headache. I stared at the television, my mind wandering. When the camerapanned the crowd and I caught sight of Hudson, a tiny smile curled across my lips. And why? Because even from afar, the same electricity stifled my breath.
I’d been on this earth for twenty-eight years and I’d never felt such a strong attraction to anyone. It made the way I’d swooned over my ex forgettable. He was standing with another man, chatting while never taking his eyes off James Worthington. I hadn’t even known who the man was except by name only. After Hudson had left, I’d googled him.
The man certainly wasn’t well liked. Plus, I’d navigated to a single article accusing him of being corrupt. I couldn’t wait to hear what Hudson’s plans were in taking him down.
As the idiot droned on about the case, I purposely blocked out what he was saying. Other than that he blamed everyone for Jacob Jones being released. Except for himself.
Classic.
When I finally heard the spoon hitting the bowl, a strange feeling of sadness enveloped me. Maybe the reason was that I was leaving somewhere that had been a safe harbor from the storm. Multiple storms. Not just four walls and a roof keeping Bella and me safe from the elements, but the strong arms of a man who would go to great lengths to keep me safe.
My father and mother would adore him, although Daddy would tell me Hudson was too old for me. Tough. This was one decision that I felt very good about.
Grabbing the bowl, I wiped Bella’s face until she giggled.
“Why don’t you go to the potty. Okay? It might be a little while until we’re able to stop.”
“Where we going, Mommy?”
Since I’d been in the shower, I’d had a terrible feeling I’d never see Hudson again. I’d almost begged him not to leave. The painful feeling in my heart and stomach wouldn’t go away. “Someplace special.” How was I supposed to answer her when I had no clue. All Hudson had told me was that it was a safehouse in Jupiter and that one of his poker-playing buddies owned the place.
Not much to go on, but maybe it was better I didn’t know.
She finally accepted my answer, the usually dramatic nod of her head giving me a sense of relief. The last thing I needed was a cranky child while trying to hold my shit together. As soon as she scampered off, I allowed myself a few seconds of closing my eyes and envisioning Hudson just before he’d left.
“I’ll meet you at the safehouse.” He cupped my face, taking a few precious seconds to caress my skin.
“You wouldn’t lie to me. Would you?”
“Don’t worry, baby. I might be many things, but a liar isn’t one of them.”
The kiss after his declaration had been sweet, but unable to calm my fears.
And he’d called me baby.
The little things in life truly mattered.
I was jolted out of my moment of insanity with a sharp ring of my phone. I’d turned up the volume and the shrill sound did nothing more than annoy me. The officer outside had been givenmy number by Hudson just in case something was amiss. When I noticed the unknown number, I immediately froze, fighting not to panic.
