I stare out at the trees where Bodhi disappeared. “He wouldn’t hurt me. Ever.”
“You know that. And I know that.” Natalie agrees. “But he won’t take that chance.”
Somewhere in that dark forest, the man who saved me thinks he’s helping me by staying away, when really, he’s breaking my heart.
I want him here with me. I want to feel his enormous arms wrapped around me and hear his deep voice telling me everything’s alright.
“He’s wrong,” I say. “He has to know he’s wrong. I need him.”
I sound pitiful, but I think I’m allowed to be. After everything, all the shit I’ve been through, I just want him here.
“He will. Eventually.” Beau approaches my side of the car. “But right now, he needs time to get his bear back under control.” Beau drags a hand down his face. “And he needs to pay Ben a visit.”
Taking a deep breath, I nod.
I can do that. Give him some time and space to gather himself.
“How much time? An hour?”
The silence stretches too long.
“We don’t know.” Chase admits. “But one of us will stay out here tonight and keep an eye on him from a distance. Make sure he’s not alone, even if he thinks he wants to be.”
Tonight? As in, all night? Oh.
Seeing my disappointment, Natalie’s expression turns serious. “You’re family now, Emma. We’ll take care of you. I’ll take you to Jake while they sort all this out, and Bodhi will find us there when he’s ready.”
“Maybe I can take some time before I see Jake…” Jake is my only living relative that I know of. And while I’m happy he’s alive, I’m still mad as hell at him for dragging me into this mess.
It’s complicated.
“Whatever you need, Emma. Nobody’s going to rush you into anything. Let’s just get you out of here.”
I nod, even as everything in me rebels at the idea of leaving Bodhi behind. But I’m exhausted, emotionally shattered, and still wearing a blood-stained red dress that I never want to see again.
Reading my mind, Natalie produces a soft lounge suit and Uggs. She sets them beside me on the seat and turns her back to block the window while I quickly change.
“What happens now?” I ask, finally feeling better now that I’m drowning in fluffy cotton and covered from head to toe.
“Now, we'll get you somewhere safe,” she says. “Unfortunately, that’s probably not home for now. But I’ll bring you somewhere you can get cleaned up, checked out and sleep. You need rest.”
I look back toward the cabin, where bodies are now being loaded into vehicles.
“Okay.”
“Is there anyone you need me to call for you? Family or friends?” she hesitates.
Blinking rapidly to force back the tears, I shake my head. There’s nobody. She hesitates for a second, then wraps me up in a long, comforting hug.
“Right. Let’s just go then.”
As we pull away from the cabin, I catch one last glimpse of the forest where Bodhi disappeared, praying he finds his way back to me.
29
BODHI
Van has set up a command centre in one of the conference rooms of Chase’s security headquarters. Multiple screens are casting blue light across the walls, and data streams scroll past faster than any human could read. Empty coffee cups litter the desk beside his keyboard, and the air smells stale, like too many people have been in here for too long with the windows shut.
