But this would have to do. I didn’t really have another choice. I could handle a shitty haircut. I could handle having nothing. I could handle being on the run. Nix proved last night that he still wanted me. What we had surpassed my appearance. I was banged up, exhausted, and worn down, but he lapped me up like I was a decadent treat. I wanted to look good for Nix, but our relationship was so much more than looks.
Not to mention, I refused to be vain while running for my life.
"It'll grow out," Kaydence whispered, losing some of her bravado while eyeing a spot in the back. Nope. I refused to look at the back. As long as I could put it up in a messy bun, I'd survive.
“Thank you for this. Seriously. You have some major balls. I wouldn’t trust myself with a pair of scissors,” I joked while giving her a tight smile.
“Oh, I absolutely didn’t want to touch your hair. I’d kill for your red locks. And it was so long. So healthy—”
“Yeah. Let’s stop talking about how perfect my hair used to be,” I teased.
“Right. If it makes you feel better, I once accidentally gave myself a mullet,” Kaydence replied with a smile.
“I’m glad you waited to tell me that after you cut my hair,” I said. Both of us burst out laughing, and I had to clutch my stomach as I bent over in hysterics. It felt good to laugh about silly, normal things.
Once the last of the giggles faded, she spoke up. "I'm going to go look for those fake glasses I bought you," she chirped while exiting the bathroom. I watched her go, then turned my attention back to my reflection.
I looked in the mirror while trying to find traces of myself. Even though it was a drastic change to my appearance, there was still something new buzzing in my expression. I still had bruises and scratches from the blast. There were bags under my eyes from the lack of sleep, and there was a hickey on my lip.
But I stood taller. I looked alive for the first time in five years. There was a bright newness in my sparkling eyes. My smile felt wider. My shoulders were rolled back.
I had Nix back. Everything else was just the consequences of my happily ever after.
"Grace!" Kaydence yelled.
The urgency in her tone made me stop looking at my reflection and run toward her. She was standing in the kitchen, looking through the blinds outside. "Unmarked car. Not sure how long they've been parked out there."
"Where are the guys?" I asked.
"Still trying to cash out the money."
"Well, don't tell them someone is camped out. They'll run back and try saving our asses," I replied in a whisper, as if the parked SUV across the street could hear us. Hell, maybe they could. I didn’t know what kind of technology these people had.
Kaydence grinned and looked at me. "I knew I liked you," she whispered. "I’m not in the mood to be rescued. Ready to run?"
"To where? How?" I sputtered.
Kaydence pulled out her cell. "John has a tracking device on my phone. He'll see us leaving and will meet us. I don't want to call or text in case it tips them off."
“Meet us where, exactly?” I asked.
“An old meeting spot from when we were teens. He’ll realize where I’m going immediately,” she replied with a wave of her hand. Sounded like a solid plan, but I only saw one car. How were we going to get there? "Do you ride motorcycles?" she then asked innocently.
"Not really. That's more my brother's thing."
Kaydence spun me around toward the back door. "It's easy. You just have to hold on."
She quickly slipped on some combat boots, as if running from an evil organization was normal to her. Tying up her blond hair, she gave me a mischievous smirk and rolled her shoulders back. "You ready? I've always wanted to do a car chase."
"Yeah, I hear they aren't as fun as they look on TV. And what about flying bullets? We'd have no protection," I stammered, knowing there wasn't really another option.
"Right. You can use my helmet," she whispered before digging in a trunk and pulling it out.
I looked at her outstretched hands, then let out a sigh. “Yeah. If you’re not wearing one, then I’m not either. Let’s do this.”
I followed her into the garage and blanched at the sporty, neon green bike parked there.
She mounted it like a skilled, sexy badass, and I kind of found myself having a slight girl crush at the sight of her. "You coming?" she asked.
"I guess I don't have a choice, huh?" I laughed nervously. Could I stall more?
I got on the back and wrapped my arms around her. She let out a puff of air and hit the button for the garage before turning the key to the powerful machine we were sitting on and revving the engine.
The moment the door was raised enough for us to fit through the opening, she peeled out of there. I might have screamed. Her phone started ringing in my pocket the moment we were on the street. I couldn't very well grab it and answer, but I hoped it was the guys realizing that we were fleeing their house.
I looked over my shoulder and watched in horror as the SUV followed after us. What if we led
