Page 17 of Hunted Innocence
He shrugs a shoulder, not impressed by my suggestion. “Or, I don’t know,” I continue, “maybe get a woman?”
He snorts at my words. “Yeah, fucking right. The last thing I need is a fucking woman.”
Arching a brow, I tilt my head to the side. “Why not?” I ask. “I’m having fun.”
He places his hands on the armrests of the chair and pushes his body up to standing. “You’ve been with Nadine for about five seconds, and she’s got some husband coming after her who is a whole-ass dick, but also a whole-ass dick with power. Don’t get cocky, and also, that doesn’t appeal to me.”
I could be offended by his words, but I’m not. Instead, I grin as I watch him gather his shit to go home and get some sleep from working an all-night shift. He moves toward the door and reaches out, his finger curling around the knob as I call out to him.
“Boden?”
He stops but doesn’t turn around fully. Instead, he just looks back over his shoulder at me, arching a brow as he waits for me to continue.
“I’m telling you right now, no matter what that fucker tries to pull, Nadine is worth it.”
Chapter Seven
NADINE
Smoothingmy palms down the front of my skirt, I stand at the closed front door of my apartment, ready for work. Months ago, I would not have paused. I would have hitched my purse over my shoulder, swung my door open, and been on my way.
Today, I pause.
My dark hair is smoothed down and straight, pinned behind my ears so it doesn’t get in my face while I’m working. I can’t stand to have flyaways tickling my skin or in my eyes. My cream-colored blouse is tucked into my pencil skirt, and I’ve decided not to wear a blazer today, mainly because I’m so nervous and hot.
And sweaty.
Hitching my purse over my shoulder, I clear my throat as I look down at my phone and wait for Hale’s response—his all clear. And as I wait, I think about the fact that I’m going back to work and everything it will entail.
I’m sure papers have piled up on my desk, and it’s no longer neat and organized the way I prefer it to be.
Theron was kind enough to allow me to do what was imperative from the safe house, but there are things I needed to physically be in the office for, and I’m already feeling overwhelmed by it all.
The phone buzzes in my hand, causing my entire body to jump. I am lost in my own mind, much like I’ve been lately. The text is a response from Hale. The message I’ve been waiting for.
Sliding my thumb across the screen, I glance down at the incoming message. He says I’m good to open the door, then reminds me to lock it behind me. I don’t think I will ever, in a million years, forget to lock a door behind me. Living in fear for years imprints that physical response onto your soul.
Lock doors, check mirrors, have a bag ready to run, and keep large amounts of cash on hand.
I’m not sure how long I stare at the text message. I know it’s a while because my phone screen goes to sleep. But it takes me a long time, far too long, to work up enough courage to actually reach for the doorknob, twist it, and walk out into the hallway, alone.
Honestly, I can’t even comprehend how I’m feeling. I’m not quite as terrified as I was when I finally decided to run from Landon, but it’s close, and I know it’s because Landon himself is close, and I’m bait.
Maybe Grayson shouldn’t have even told me the plan, although I’m sure he hasn’t told me everything, but still. Maybe I didn’t need to know anything at all. Inhaling my breath, I hold it in and begin to move.
One step in front of the other.
That’s what I need to do, and that is what I focus on. To the point where I’m murmuring to myself as I walk.One foot in front of the other,over and over. Until I’m down in the parking garage and standing at my driver’s side door.
When I have to actually unlock the door, that’s when I realize I went down the elevator and took a staircase, and I remember nothing. This is the absolute worst thing I could have done.
I know better than this.
Everything I’ve been doing the past several years, the highly vigilant person that I've become, simply goes straight out the window. Someone could have been watching me, following me, anything, and I wouldn’t have noticed shit.
Not a single damn thing.
Unlocking my door, I sink down into my driver’s seat and touch the push button to start my car. Trying to shake myself out of the haze that I’ve somehow not only allowed myself to become consumed with but have also, for whatever reason, accepted. I try to refocus on the task at hand.
