Page 33 of Touch Me

“Exactly.”

“Are you thinking like a security agent or a husband?”

He sighed, then rubbed his temples. “I don’t know. I believeshe’d never hurt me on purpose. But I also know that she’s jumped off many acliff without looking.”

“She has. But not since she married you.”

He thought about it. Evelyn was right. There might have beena leap or two from a street curb, but from those she always landed straight.

But this?

Someone fucking with her career. Someone manipulating herlike that?

That wasn’t the kind of thing the woman he loved would everput up with.

What he didn’t know was how far she’d go to get her revenge.“I need to find her,” he said, as Evelyn nodded. “But I don’t have a goddamnclue where she is.”

Evelyn snorted. “Don’t try that shit on me, Ryan Hunter.You’re the head of a world-renowned security company with an essentiallyunlimited supply of funding at your disposal. So quit whining and go find thegirl.”

ChapterThirteen

It’s hard to disappear in this world, but disappearing iswhat I need. So I leave my car in Santa Monica, buy a bus pass with the smallamount of cash I have in my purse, and get on the first one that comes by.

I have no destination. No plan. I’m not even sure what Iwant to think about. All I know is that I feel broken. But I’m not sure if it’sbecause I’ve been fired, because there’s a baby growing inside me, or becauseI’m not certain what I want to do about either.

All I know for sure is that I don’t want to think about anyof it. Not my career. Not my family.

Not even Ryan.

I close my eyes as the bus bumps along. Not even Ryan.

Has there ever been a time since that day so long ago when Ifirst made him eggs that I haven’t thought of him? When I haven’t wanted him inmy head, not to mention beside me?

There hasn’t, and that simple realization thrusts me backinto anger. Raine did this to me. He stole something from me.Something vital. And when he did that, he poisoned everything. And I don’t knowhow to dig out of it.

No, that’s not true. I know perfectly well what I need. Butgoing back in time really isn’t practical. I can only move forward and try tofigure out which twists and turns will lead me back to where I need to be.

When the bus stops near the Roosevelt Hotel, I get off, thenwander down the block for a while, just strolling along the Walk of Fame.

This was my favorite place when I first moved to LosAngeles. The Hollywood area isn’t glamorous. Honestly, it’s kind of grungy, andeven the lovely old Roosevelt Hotel feels a bit battered. Like a gemstone in adull, unpolished setting.

Even so, that line of stars is magical, and I would buy alatte, put on my headphones, start my playlist of favorite movie soundtracks,and spend blissful hours just walking and imagining my life to come.

It’s been a hell of a journey, and nothing like what Iexpected. I never planned to get married. Why would I when fucking around wasso much fun? And kids? Way too much trouble. I was more than happy with theidea that someday my friends would have them, and I’d be the favoritebabysitter who let them get away with anything.

I want to think I’m still that person. Fun, free Jamie witha huge career laid out in front of her.

But I’m not that girl anymore. And the truth is that I don’twant to be. I’m still a little wild—maybe a lot—but only with Ryan. He’s myanchor. My safety net. And I can’t imagine a world without him.

But my career…

I sigh, looking down at the stars under my feet. How manytimes had I imagined my name there? Or my hand and foot prints at the ChineseTheater?

And now?

Well, now I’m not sure if I’ll ever get there at all. And Ican’t even blame Bryan Raine. Well, actually I can. He knocked me off the path.

Still, the truth is that I can be right back on the pathtomorrow if I want to. But there would be a hefty price to pay.