Page 34 of Dread’s Beloved

The next morning, I wake up hanging half off the bed with Kitty’s face in the crook of my neck, her arm slung across me. Fuck me, she’s snoring and drooling.

I scrub a palm over my face and look around the room for a clock.

It’s nearly noon. We slept late, but hell, we were up all damn night. I slide the rest of the way off the bed and go looking for Nightshade. I need my phone and the hell out of this compound.

“Yeah. On the move. Talk soon.”

Dark chuckles. He doesn’t ask any questions. We had a list of plays and options should we need to move locations, and he trusted me to make the call as needed, so here we are.

Knives is standing off to the side as Nightshade hugs Kitty and tells her she’s welcome back anytime. If that dipshit says anything to piss her off or upset her, I’m kicking his ass.

I can’t hear what is said when he pulls her in for a hug, but she smiles, so I let it go.

Chapter Fourteen

Kitty

“Now, this is my idea of a vacation.” I grin at Dread as he unloads our small haul of groceries at the cabin we’ve moved to.

We’re back in Kentucky at Wolfe Lake. This cabin belongs to a friend of Dread. No one knows we are here. Not even my brother. Before we left on this crazy trip, the two of them came up with a plan to move from location to location. Everyone else thinks Hell’s Hollow was our only destination. Granted, we were meant to stay there longer. I kinda fucked that up.

Nightshade wouldn’t have cared if we stayed on forever if that’s what I needed, but being around Knives and Dread’s ex being there was confusing for both of us and clouding our judgement putting us both at risk.

We’ll stay here until he thinks it’s time to move on. There’s no going back to Kill Creek until Donavon Miller is caught or dead. I hate to wish death on anyone, but if God saw fit to strike him down wherever he stands, I wouldn’t be upset about it. He’s evil.

I stare out the picture window of the living room at our view of the lake and its breathtaking beauty. I may never want to leave. We stopped off at a small market on our way in and got essentials. Well, what would fit in his saddlebags. Though Dread says his buddy keeps this place stocked up.

“I’ll make us some lunch,” he tells me. “You like B.L.T.’s?”

“Love them. Think it’s okay if I sit on the porch and read?”

“Long as you don’t wander off. You see anything or anyone suspicious, hightail your ass back in here.”

I nod and take my water and paperback outside. There are two high-backed rocking chairs with thick cushions. I angle one to give me a good view of the lake and the driveway.

I pull my knees to my chest and open my historical romance book that was once either my mother’s or Pricie’s. It’s an oldie but a goodie by Johanna Lindsey. This poor book is so worn that the cover is practically hanging off. It has been well-loved.

I take in a breath of fresh air and try to escape reality. Every time I close my eyes, I can hear Zane telling me he misses me, and then all I see is his lifeless body just lying there with a hole between his eyes. Then I think about Blair and Mellie. All the mistakes I’ve made. All the choices in my life that led to these consequences. It’s a cycle that keeps repeating, and I don’t know where I go from here.

Still, I stare at the pages until the words begin to blur together. The snapping of a tree branch catches my attention, but it's just some adorable chipmunks chasing each other. I need to relax. No one knows we’re here.

It takes me a bit, but I get into the story about the time Dread walks out with my sandwich and some plain chips on a paper plate. “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.”

I lay my book on the table that sits between the chairs and balance the plate on my knees.

Dread sits in the other chair, and I appreciate that he doesn’t find the need to fill the silence. We eat and breathe the fresh fall air. I enjoy the beauty surrounding us, trying to latch onto it. Reaching for hope.

The next few days pass in about the same way.

I read my book and Dread whittles at a chunk of wood with a pocket knife. I don’t know what he’s making. I don’t ask.

Dread doesn’t push. Doesn’t ask. He simply holds space for me. He stays close but doesn’t hover. He cooks and cleans. Makes sure I eat and don’t puke it back up. We’ve started going on short hikes on easy trails. We don’t talk about anything important. I tell him about the book I’m reading, and he points out different birds and other wildlife to me. Yesterday we saw a beaver swimming in the lake.

Tomorrow we’re going fishing.

“We’ve gotta go down to the store to get a few things. While there, we’ll check in with your brother, and you can see if they’ve got any romances.”