I sit in the warm seat, and he shuts the door with a soft thud. The heat is blaring, but it hasn’t done anything to sooth my shivering skin. I didn’t realize how cold I was.
He hops in and rubs his hands together for a second before putting the car in drive. He turns the wheel in a sharp angle and makes a U-turn. “So how do you know Grayson? I didn’t think he had many friends.”
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“Well, all the boys that live there have a pretty sketchy past. Didn’t he tell you?” Officer Howard lifts a brow. For a cop, he’s a good-looking guy, but Isaac—Grayson, whoever he is, all I imagine is the picture he sent me.
Wide back, big shoulders, but lean all at the same time. He isn’t bulky, and the profile of his face left me wanting more. It looked like he had a sharp jawline, straight nose, and thick lips, but pictures can be deceiving.
I should know.
“Yeah, he did, but I didn’t think that would stop someone from making friends.” Grayson hasn’t told me anything about his past, but the last thing I want this cop to do is get suspicious.
“You’re right. They are good guys. They helped me crack a case not too long ago, had to in order to save Sebastian’s wife. She had a crazy man after her, wanting to sacrifice her to a cult; can you believe that?”
“Wow, he didn’t tell me that.”
“Oh, yeah. Great group of guys, dangerous, but loyal and protective. Can’t ask for a better bunch. I’m the law, but I’m glad I’m on their good side. I have no doubts I’d end up with a bullet in my head if I wronged them in some way.” Officer Howard casually turns on the blinker and takes a right, leaving me with a sour taste in my mouth.
Who is Grayson Campbell? Have I left one monster for another?
“You know, if you tell them who did that to your face, they would find him, and you wouldn’t have to worry about him again.”
“I just want to get there. I’ve had a long journey. I’d rather not talk about it anymore.”
“Sure, sure. I understand. Here…” He reaches into his pocket, and I eye the gun on his hip. It’s much bigger than mine. A nine-millimeter probably. Trevor had a few of those laying around the house, and I know a lot of cops carry them. “I want you to take this card. If you ever need anything, my number is on it.”
I slowly reach for the card and slip it from his fingers. It’s plain white cardstock with his name, station address, and phone number on it.
“Really, anything. Whenever you want to talk about what happened,” he says.
“Thank you.” We don’t say much else as we drive down the wet, foggy road. The twists and turns surprise me, but the views don’t disappoint. I can’t stop looking out the window and seeing the canopies of the trees disappearing into the thunderous clouds. There’s a gray hue on everything because of the storm coverage, fog, and rain, but I know these forests are just as green as Isaac—Grayson—said they were.
If Isaac doesn’t want me, I’m going to live in these woods for the rest of my life. I’ll never have to worry about someone hurting me or using me again.
“Beautiful, isn’t it? It’s the best place to be. Our little town is a hidden gem, and I want to keep it that way. Don’t go telling all your friends.” Officer Howard shakes a finger at me playfully as he pulls off to the side of the road.
Why are we stopping?
My backpack is between my legs, and I can try for the gun, but I know it won’t matter. He’ll probably be a quicker drawl then me.
“Okay,” he says. The car jerks as he puts it in park, and he turns in his seat to look at me. “Sorry, I can only go this far. There driveway gets a bit rough when the weather is like this, and I don’t think this car will make it out of there.”
I blow out a trapped breath and laugh. I’m an idiot. There’s been no reason for me to doubt the cop in front of me. He’s been nothing but nice.
“What?”
“Nothing. Just a memory. Thank you, Officer Howard. I appreciate the lift.”
“No problem, ma’am. Just doing my job.” He gives me a small salute as I shut the door. My feet slosh in the wet ground and mud, and the tires spray water on me as he does a U-turn, but it’s nothing too severe.
He rolls down his window and waves, vanishing into the smoke of the storm. With my heart in my throat, it turn around and stare down the dark driveway. On either side there are woods, and the road is big enough to fit a truck through. It looks like they have to trim away branches because the trees are too close.
Well, the driveway is too close to the trees. I’m going to take a wild guess and say the trees were here first. This is it.
This is either the road to my sanctuary.
Or the next place I’ll call hell.
Chapter Nine
GRAYSON
It’s early in the morning, and the waves are crashing vehemently against the cliff, sending foam to the thick glass barricading the windows. It’s what I love about living on a cliff. The waves can get so unpredictable, sometimes they engulf us, but we are safe inside. It’s a wild sight. I love sitting near the breakfast nook, drinking my coffee, and watching a storm rage. Everything around us turns into a symphony. The trees bend and the leaves rustle, the rain pelts against the ground and the waves roll and rock, lightning cracks and thunder growls.
It’s fucking beautiful.
“How’s Dillion?” Jaxon asks as he pours himself a cup of coffee. He’s still waking up. His hair is messy, and his eyes are barely open. He must have
