Total pages in book: 12
Estimated words: 11137 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 56(@200wpm)___ 45(@250wpm)___ 37(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 11137 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 56(@200wpm)___ 45(@250wpm)___ 37(@300wpm)
She was down twenty fucking pounds from the last time she’d seen her doctor almost a month ago. It was fucking alarming. And being starved while she’d been gone hadn’t helped a single fucking bit.
“It’s bad,” I whispered. “Dehydrated. Starved. Down twenty fucking pounds. But she’ll make it. God knows she’s a damn fighter.”
Quinn nodded and leaned over the bed to press a kiss to her forehead. He looked at me. “I’m taking Isabelle home and crashing for a couple of days. Let me know when she’s back home, yeah?”
I nodded. Oh, he’d hear from me alright. Because as soon as Hayley was out of the hospital, I was slaughtering every fucking person who had a hand in her disappearance. The FBI had told me to play by the rules so we could get her back.
Well, now she was back. She was home.
And I was about to become every fucker’s worst goddamn nightmare.
10
Miles
After three days in the hospital, Hayley was finally released with orders to rest, eat, and see her regular doctor in a week. She was to be closely monitored until she was back at the weight she was supposed to be. They’d put her on a medication her doctor hadn’t tried yet, and so far, it seemed to be working. But if she got back to the point she was throwing up all the time again, she had to go right back to the hospital.
Quinn arched a brow at me from the other couch when Hayley disappeared into our room to go to the bathroom. “You look like you’re up to something,” he finally said. “And I’m not sure if I like it.”
I just shrugged at him. He frowned at me. “Miles—”
Hayley came back out into the living room before he could finish what he was saying. I smiled at her and gently tugged her onto my lap, unable to keep my hands off her. I knew what I was planning on doing might get me arrested or even killed, and I wanted to spend as much time as I could with her.
Because I was defying orders, and even worse, I was doing this with no back up.
“You still feeling okay?”
She rolled her eyes at me. “Yes, Miles, I’m fine.” She pressed a light kiss to my lips just as William began to make noise from his room. She quickly stood from my lap and walked down the hall to his room. Quinn studied me but didn’t say anything because it was too easy for Hayley to overhear him.
Sighing, he shook his head. “Don’t do anything stupid,” he muttered.
I pretended I didn’t hear him.
I pressed a soft kiss to Hayley’s lips before I stood back up to my full height. I had men guarding the house. I knew she’d call Quinn in the morning when she noticed I was gone. But I had to do this.
I’d failed her once. And I was making sure that those same fuckers couldn’t come finish what had been started.
They’d never get their fucking hands on her again.
I dipped into William’s room, running my eyes over his sweet face. Fuck, looking at him was like looking at Damien. It made my heart ache.
“I love you, baby boy,” I whispered. I pressed my lips to my fingers and then gently pressed them to his forehead.
Then, I left.
11
Hayley
I jerked awake, something not feeling right. I quickly sat up and turned on the lamp. Miles’s side of the bed was empty, and when I patted it, I found it cold.
He’d been gone for a while. A bad feeling settled in the pit of my stomach.
My hand hit a piece of paper, and I quickly grabbed it, crinkling it in my grip.
Hayley,
If you’re reading this, baby girl, I’m probably already on the road. I’ve got some unfinished business, but I waited until you were home and okay again before I left to take care of this.
Quinn is still in town, but I’m okay; I promise. I know I could have woken you up, but I didn’t want to alarm you. You’d have begged me to stay, and baby, I couldn’t stay. I need to do this for you, for William, for us.
I love you. I love you so fucking much that sometimes, my goddamn chest hurts with the force of that love. Don’t ever lose sight of that, baby girl.
Yours always.
Miles
“No!” I screamed. I grabbed my phone, my hands shaking so badly I could barely grasp it. I tried calling him over and over, but it just kept going to voicemail. Sobbing, I dialed Quinn.
“Hayley?” he groaned, sounding asleep. “You okay?”
I hiccupped. “He’s gone, Quinn. Miles left.”
Quinn stepped into the living room a few days later, a frown pulling at his lips. I swallowed thickly and tightened my hands around my phone. I’d been keeping it close by for days now, silently begging Miles to call me. But so far, he hadn’t. I’d already filled up his voicemail.