Fuck.
I peek out from under the blanket I’ve pulled around me, making me look like an overstuffed burrito, trying to see through the slit in the curtain and decipher what time of day it is. It’s cloudy, giving me no indication. Groaning, I turn to my other side to see the time on the radio. It’s eleven a.m.
“Get up and take a fucking shower, Sloan.” I try to convince myself and jump out of my skin when I feel a tingling tug on my heart. At the same time, a familiar chuckle echoes in the small space.
“I can’t smell anymore, but your hairdoeslook quite greasy,” Saylor teases.
“Saylor…” I gasp, pushing the blanket away from me to free my arms and air hug him. I choke on all the emotions welling upinside. The sensation that spreads all over my back tells me he’s holding me too.
“Hey, Boo, missed you,” Saylor whispers in my ear, his tone soft.
“Where were you? What happened?” I ask him with desperation in my tone when I lean back, pushing a tear that escaped away from my cheek.
“It was a fucking shit show. I felt awful, and the next thing I knew, I was sitting in North’s BMW while he and Nash were arguing about who fucked up more while they were chasing after you.”
“They did what?” I ask, shocked, my heart fluttering even more, but my stomach sinks.
I don’t want them to find me.
But knowing they tried?
Yeah, I like that very much.
“Total fucking dickheads. It’s a wonder they didn’t bite each other’s heads off. Focusing on the wrong fucking thing.” He shakes his head with a sigh. “They somehow convinced themselves that you couldn’t have gone far since the van is such a mess and started scanning the area, mostly the rural roads. But none of those dickheads thought about looking at the campsites. Idiots.”
“Wait, they searched the area for me?” I ask, confused.
I‘d believed they might have driven after me at first, but I was sure they would give up if they didn’t find me on the first try.
I’m not worth the effort.
“Yes,” Saylor seethes. “And they left Hunter with Lio at the hospital for that. When they drove a longer distance two days ago, I felt weird again, and then I was back with Hunter in Lio’s room.”
Wait, North left Lio alone to look for me?
He can’t be fucking serious. They just found out what was wrong with Lio and started treating him. They did scary tests using big needles while I was there, telling me they would do more in the next few days. Lio took it like the trooper he is, but I saw the fear in his eyes while he clutched my hand.
I had to leave him to get away from them.
And now they leave him too?
Because of me?
The urge to drive straight back to be there for Lio and maybe smack North over the head is strong.
But I can’t.
I made the decision to leave them.That includes Lio.
He’s part of that family. I can’t have him without dealing with the rest. And even if it breaks my heart more, I need to distance myself.
“Why would they do that?” I frown at Saylor.
“Because they’re desperate and scared they lost you,” he explains.
“They did.” I shrug.
He eyes me warily but chooses to ignore the finality in my words. “Anyway, I tried hard to somehow find my way back to you, but I couldn’t feel or locate you. Only when I thought about the campsite we drove past, a flicker of you was there, and, well, here I am.” A heart-stopping grin spreads across his face, his dimples coming out to play.
