Chapter 21 #2
“Listen to me closely, spitfire. I know you have feelings for me, and you’re probably scared as hell about them.
I know you’re scared as hell about Andrei, too.
I know this is a lot to process, but I’m confident you’ll understand where I’m coming from in due time.
Andrei is going to be eliminated—one way or another.
You won’t have to look over your shoulder anymore. ”
“Yeah, not from him at least. But from you? Yeah, I’ll always be looking over my shoulder for you. Or worse—you’ll keep me prisoner, hoping one day I come around.”
“Dani, please. Just see this from my point of view.”
“I see perfectly clear, Kayden. You’re taking away my choice in the matter, plain and simple.”
I go to move around him and exit the room, but he blocks my path. I narrow my eyes at him, daring him to try me.
“Move.”
“Angel. Where are you going?”
“I need time to think. I need to process everything you’ve said, how I feel, and where I go from here.”
“You’re not leaving Eden.”
“I never said I was,” I reply, throwing my hands up as I’m completely fed up with this conversation.
“I have a ring to dismantle this afternoon and I won’t be back until this evening. Promise me you’ll really think this over. I can’t lose you, Dani. I refuse to let that happen.”
“Therein lies the problem, Kayden.”
He shakes his head and moves out my way to grab a duffel bag at the foot of the bed that I hadn’t even noticed. As he turns to leave, he looks back briefly over his shoulder but refuses to meet my gaze.
“I’ll be back before dinner, and then we can talk again.”
I cross my arms. “Yeah, whatever, Kayden.”
He turns back, opens the door, and leaves.
The moment the door shuts, I scream as I grab a pillow and throw it at the door.
I crumple to the floor in defeat. I don’t understand how this conversation took such a drastic turn.
I was so close—so ready—to pour every feeling at his feet.
I thought I loved him, but I don’t know how to love someone that takes away my choice—someone that would hold me prisoner again.
An hour passes before I finally lift myself up from the floor. I spiraled, went completely numb, and literally just sat there trying to make sense of my situation. My resolve has hardened though. I refuse to be caged again, to lose my freedom of choice.
Me
Hey, Melody. I need a favor, and I need you not to ask questions.
Her reply comes seconds later.
Melody
Oookay… what do you need?
Me
I need to get away. Somewhere I can think on my own.
Melody
Is this about Kayden?
Me
It’s hard to explain, but just please, Melody. I really need this.
My phone rings a second later. Melody.
I pick up the phone hesitantly and steel myself to keep my voice even. Melody would know something was up if my voice shakes even the tiniest bit.
“Hey, Melody.”
“Dani, I swear to god if he hurt you, I’ll kill him myself.”
“No, no. Well, not in the way you’re thinking. I just need to get away from him, from this place, and clear my head. Can you help me? Does Jaxon have some sort of vacation home that Kayden doesn’t know about?”
I hear Melody’s sigh as she hesitates to answer. “He does… yes. How far away are you wanting to go? For how long?”
“Honestly, it doesn’t matter how far it is. As long as he doesn’t know about it.”
“Jax recently purchased a home out in northern Wisconsin. I suppose I can give you the code to the house. Do you think you’ll fly or drive?”
“I was thinking of driving. I feel like flying would be too easy for him to figure out where I went. Too traceable.”
“Are you sure, Dani? Google Maps shows it’s nearly a forty hour drive. We can always get you on Jaxon’s private jet, no credit card to trace, no cameras to track, and no security to go through.”
“Ya know, I’ll actually take you up on that,” I respond. “That sounds so much better than spending all that time in the car.”
“OK, then it’s settled. Do you have enough money?
I can make a deposit if you need me to,” she replies, anxiety clear in her voice.
I know Melody would do anything to help me, but that doesn’t mean she won’t be nervous about it.
Plus, I don’t need her money—she doesn’t know about the hundreds of thousands of dollars I have sitting in my account.
“I’ll be OK. I have enough saved up from my tips at the diner. Don’t you worry—though, I know you will anyway.”
“You know I will. I love you, girl. Please call or text me everyday on your trip. How long are you staying?” she asks, rambling on. “Oh, and Dani? I’ll make sure the house is fully stocked with food and necessities before you make it out there.”
“What would I do without you?” I ask, already knowing the answer. Melody has been an amazing best friend and I know I would not be able to get away without her help. “And I think I’ll need at least a week. I have a lot that I need to sort through.”
“OK, I’ll arrange for a driver to pick you up from the airport when you land. So, where are you now? Do you have your car?”
“Weeell, that’s the thing. I need you to pick me up, too. You can’t ask me any questions about the place you’re picking me up from, though.”
“Why do you have to be so cryptic, Dani?”
“Just trust me, please,” I plead. I have a feeling Kayden has kept this place a secret for their own wellbeing.
“Alright,” she replies with a sigh. “Text me the address and I’ll pick you up in two hours.”
“Thanks, Melody. See you soon!”
I hang up the phone, text her the address, and continue throwing clothes and necessities in a backpack I found in Kayden’s closet. Slipping out of Eden should be pretty easy. I know Dr. Crawford and Jackie are busy with patients from the influx of new arrivals from the recent ring busts.
I slow down as I look around the room, despair washing over me in waves.
It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Any of this.
I feel like everything I had hoped for slipped right through my fingers.
After all this time, having Kayden in my life felt like fate.
But it’s been nothing but a nightmare since Derek barged through my door.
Now, I just need to wait for Melody to text me and I’m out of here.
Nearly two hours pass before the text comes through from Melody.
Melody
Hey girl I’m here. This place looks like a dump. Are you sure I’m in the right place?
Me
Yeah I’m sure. I’ll be out there in a min.
Melody
Kk.
Hauling the backpack over my shoulder, I head over to the door but stop short at a tiny meow.
“Oh fuck!” I exclaim. I completely forgot. “I can’t take you with me, baby girl. I’m sorry.”
Tears well in my eyes. I know Kayden will take care of her for me—I know he would never hurt her or get rid of her.
Over the past two weeks, she’s become a favorite of his, though he’d hate to admit it.
A small smile appears on my face as I think of how she quickly wiggled her way into his heart.
Giving her a quick scratch under the chin, I straighten and take a look back at her before opening the door and leaving the room.
The facility is busy today and I use it to my advantage. Walking through the common area, I get a sense of déjà vu seeing the women sitting on their cots, vacant looks in their eyes. Feels like just yesterday I was in their same shoes.
My phone beeps with another text from Melody. Time to move.
Opening the door to the warehouse, I’m momentarily blinded by the sun. Placing a hand over my eyes, I look around for Melody’s car. Spotting the black sedan near the edge of the parking lot, I continue on, shutting the rusty door behind me as the hinges squeak in the silence, making me flinch.
“Where are you going, missy?”
“FUCKING HELL, DONOVAN!” I exclaim, my life flashing before my eyes as I put a hand to my chest. Donovan is one of Kayden’s lead operatives alongside Axel and probably one of the sweetest guys here. That makes this even harder to do.
“Sorry, Dani, didn’t mean to startle you.”
Internally I’m freaking out. My heart races and my stomach turns. Melody is fifty yards away, but what do I tell him?
“It’s OK, I’m just bringing a few things out to the dumpster.” Fuck, I hope he believes me.
“We could have done that for you, Dani.”
“No, no. Really, I want to be the one to do it. Sentimental items and all that.”
He looks at me with pity as he knows the exact situation I was rescued from.
I shrug my shoulders and walk with what I hope are measured steps. Sweat breaks out above my brow and my hands shake. My eyes lock on Melody’s vehicle, and I try to signal her over but I come to the conclusion I’m just going to have to make a run for it.
As soon as I get to the dumpsters, I hightail it, Donovan yelling behind me. Melody must realize the situation because she floors it and comes to a screeching halt that nearly takes me out.
I yank open the door and jump in, slamming the door behind me. “GO, GO, GO!”
“Fucking hell, Dani! What have you gotten yourself into?” she asks as she peels away from the lot. Instead of answering her, I watch Donovan in the mirror getting smaller and smaller, but there’s no mistaking the phone he puts to his ear. Fuck.
Melody is going to take me to the private jet which has been prepped and ready to take off.
Whatever gets me out of this city and to the house the fastest is fine by me.
Not only do I want to leave Kayden behind me for now, at least until I can think straight, but hopefully it’ll keep Andrei off my tail too.
“You have some explaining to do, Dani.”
“I promise when this is all over, I will tell you anything you want to know. Actually, I’ll fill you in once I get to the house. Deal?”
“Yeah, it’s a deal,” she replies with a roll of her eyes. “Why do I have a feeling Jaxon is going to flip his shit when he finds out I helped you?”
I can’t even argue with her on that. Jaxon probably will flip out. But not on her. No, he’s going to tear Kayden a new one when he finds out about everything. I think my little stunt opened the proverbial door on that one.
I’m glad I won’t be around to see it. Kayden will have some damage control to do, and hopefully it slows him down enough from tracking me.
There’s really no going back now.