I feel the wetness of tears filling my eyes, but I fight them back. “No. Don’t do that.”
There will be time to cry and get all weepy—there will be years and decades for that. I’m free tonight and I’m going to enjoy it. There will be no tears.
I take a deep breath and head over to the beautiful kitchen, loving the way the hardwood floors feel under my bare feet. It’s the little things you miss when you’re in prison—the control of light switches, a nice breeze coming in through the window, moving around freely without someone watching you at all times.
His kitchen is gorgeous. There’s a granite island, and the cupboards and appliances look fairly new. You’d never expect that a cabin in the woods could look so beautiful on the inside.
I run my hand along the smooth cool island as I look around with a smile on my face.
This is so nice. After how my shitty day started, I can’t believe it’s ending like this. I put Declan’s hoodie to my nose and inhale deep, breathing in his rugged manly scent. I’m engulfed in it. He ran me a bath, left me his clothes, and then took off to take care of whatever he’s doing right now. Maybe he’s checking to see if there’s a bounty on my head and he’s going to turn me in to the cops to cash in. With my luck, I wouldn’t be surprised.
This man is so big and he didn’t have any clothes that fit me. I was secretly happy that he didn’t have any womens’ clothes from old girlfriends lying around. All he could give me was this huge sweater, but it kind of fits well. It’s like a dress, ending just above my knees and the head hole is big enough that my shoulder sticks out of it. It’s kind of cute and I really don’t want to give it back.
I check my bandage and it’s still pretty bloody, so I change it over the sink. It fucking hurts. I don’t know what came over me, but Declan looked so determined to get my blood on my jumpsuit. He said it was crucial to his plan, so I just humored him and cut my arm.
Kind of regretting that now. Especially if it was for nothing and I’ll be going back tomorrow.
My stomach starts growling, so I open the fridge to look for something to eat.
“What the fuck is this?”
It looks like deer meat or something. I poke it with my finger and my nose curls up.
The front door opens and I slam the fridge closed and spin around with my heart pounding.
Oh no.
My first thought is the cops, but they don’t open doors. They kick them down.
“Kennedy?” Declan’s deep sexy voice rumbles out. I’ll never get tired of hearing my name coming out of that man’s throat.
“Over here,” I answer in a shaky voice. I don’t know why I’m so nervous, but there’s an empty feeling in the pit of my stomach as he walks into the kitchen.
The sight of him shakes me. It always does.
Even looking like this—soaking wet, tired, cold—he’s gorgeous. His shirt is plastered to his firm body, showing off every tempting curve of hard muscle. My body hums as I remember being pressed against it. It’s craving that feeling again.
“Is everything okay?” I ask in a trembling voice.
He nods as those dark brown eyes focus on me. “I think so.”
“Are the cops coming? I understand if they are. I wouldn’t blame you.”
His jaw tenses and my stomach drops. They’re coming… Of course, they’re coming…
“They’ll never come again,” he says as he slowly walks forward. I swallow hard as he comes up to me, towering over my body. He’s so big. So powerful. I stare up at him in awe. “I told you I’d take care of it and I did.”
“But how?” I ask with my pulse racing. “What did you do?”
I’m in shock as he tells me everything. I can’t breathe.
He did all of that for me?
He broke the law. He dug up a grave. He faced down a pack of hungry wolves…
All for me.
I feel like I’m frozen as I listen to him. There’s a heaviness in my limbs that I can’t quite shake.
“I know the park ranger,” he says as he tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “I’ll make sure he knows where to look. He’ll find the remains and that will be that. Kennedy Ripken will officially be dead and you’ll be free.”
“Free…” I whisper, testing how the word feels on my tongue. A wave of heat takes me over as overwhelm sets in.
I have to sit down. I’m feeling light-headed and dizzy.
Declan keeps those intense dark eyes on me as I stumble over to the couch and take a seat.
“I’ll have to change my name.”