I don’t know how long he held me for, but eventually a light tap on the door caused me to raise my head from Gray’s shoulder.
“You ready for a field trip?” Jett asked me as he looked me over with concern.
“I guess.”
Two hours later, we were cruising down the streets of Nashville as Ash drove us past all the tourist spots into the business district. I directed him past it, and then we were on side streets, still very prominent with business occupation, but not as high spec as the others.
“There.” I pointed to the two-story building. I saw Jett grit his teeth as he looked at the boarded-up windows and the mail choking up the letterbox.
“You sure?” Gray asked me as he peered through the car window to the surrounding occupants.
“Positive.” I leaned forward. “I remember the blue trim. They looked weird then and worse now.”
Ash grunted his agreement. “Who’s going?” he asked as he looked at Jett, then Gray.
“I’ll go,” I said, surprising them all. “You may be recognized. No one noticed me last time when I needed help; they won’t notice me now.” Hearing my own bitterness and being mad at letting my emotions show, I slipped off the seat belt and then got out of the SUV.
“Quinn.” Gray grabbed my hand. “I’m right here.”
Forcing a smile, I nodded. “I know.”
My feet felt like lead as I walked to the front of the building, and I kept my head down when I saw the camera. I knew thebuilding might be abandoned, but I would bet the cameras were still active.
At the door, I reached out to grab some of the mail, checking the dates on some of the flyers. Some were dated a few months ago. Looking around, I kept my back to the surveillance before I picked the building on the left to make my enquiries. A launderette. Had that been there when I was here last time? I had no idea. I’d had tunnel vision then, and it was taking a lot of willpower now to walk through the door of the building.
There were no customers and no staff. A machine on the wall dispensed quarters, and I noted that a few of the newer machines had card payments. I’d not known that was a thing, but in this day and age, who used money anymore?
Leaving the launderette, I went to the other business on the other side of the abandoned agency. Lawyer’s office. Closed.
With a sigh, I turned back to the car where the guys were waiting for me. My feet turned me away, and I walked slowly toward the parking area I had parked in all those months ago. Hesitating at a turn, I took it, and then, within a few feet, I was standing at the top of the stairs I had fallen down.
I almost expected there to be some mark or acknowledgment from the hard concrete to note my loss. With slow, measured steps, I went down the stairs, and then, turning, I looked up them.
They were steep and narrow, the handrail a thin wooden strip that I would never have noticed had I not been looking for it now. I never had a chance to even catch myself, I realized as I looked at the ground at my feet.
The sound of the car pulling up behind me alerted me to the fact that they were here. Thathewas here. Turning, I saw him coming toward me, his hood up and his bandana over his face. He looked intimidating, but I saw the pain in his eyes as he reached for me and folded me into his embrace. Gray bent his kneesslightly, and then I was wrapped around him as he carried me back to the car, and I let my silent tears fall.
No one said anything as he placed me gently into the back seat and closed the door behind me. Moments later, he was on the other side, pulling me tenderly onto his lap, and wordlessly, I curled onto him and silently took the comfort he offered so freely.
I knew we were heading back to school, but no one spoke for the entire drive as I stayed wrapped around the man who was slowly piecing the broken parts of me back together.
Helping me.
Healing me.
“I love you so much,” I whispered into his neck, and I felt his arms tighten around me in answer. “I’m so sorry.”
Pulling back from him, I looked into those blue eyes that saw past all my bullshit. Cupping his face with my hand, I dropped a kiss to his lips.
It wasn’t enough, I wanted more. My teeth nipped his lower lip, and he opened for me. My tongue stroked his, and I felt his hand grip my jacket as he kissed me back.
Gray knew my need, but he also had the sense to be more aware of our surroundings, and he finally drew back, his eyes holding a promise that he would finish this later.
A surge of guilt swept over me, and I grimaced when I thought of Ash in the front of the car.
Tucking my head back into the crook of Gray’s neck, I pressed my lips to his pulse and smiled when I felt him thicken underneath me.
“You okay?” Jett asked me quietly.
