Page 16 of Accepting Fate

Noah stares down at his feet and kicks the ground, “He almost fucking killed me, dude. I thought I was going to die right in front of you guys.”

My heart starts pounding in my chest, “What the fuck are you talking about? You had him in your control the entire time. Wes was right there if you needed him.”

Noah’s voice shakes as he explains, “No Gray, he saw my reflection on the tv. It was an act at first. At one point, he got the gun close enough to my chest to shoot me dead right there. The only thing that saved my ass was the round got caught in the chamber and didn’t go off. I got it away from him in a split second but holy fuck dude, that scared the shit out of me.”

I’m still confused.

“I was watching the entire time, I don’t understand. I would have seen that.”

“It was when the chair flipped, and we went to the ground. I was in a blind spot.”

Shit. I do remember them going to the ground, but I wasn’t worried because I thought Wes could see. I bring him back into a hug. I meet Landon’s questioning look over Noah’s shoulder and shake my head. This is Noah’s story to tell and if he’s telling me, chances are he doesn’t want to risk a lecture from Landon about safety.

We break apart and walk outside. Grabbing the car seat from the back I call over my shoulder to Noah, “Tattoo or hike tomorrow?”

Flipping the lid off the hot tub, he takes a second to think about it, “Tattoo. I want to celebrate not dying.”

I was hoping he would pick that option. I can use creating the artwork as a distraction from this action-packed day.

I walk back into The Hideout and my mind wanders to Logan.

I will see her again. I need to see her again.

After today, I need more of the light that follows that beautiful girl. I don’t know how I’m going to see her, but I will find a way.

Chapter Six

Logan

Thecoldmorningmisthits me in the face as I walk out of the hospital.

The last few hours have felt like I was on autopilot. Lily and her mother’s story hit me like a freight train. But Lily hit me the hardest. The moment I held her in my arms, I knew I needed to protect her with everything I had. Just thinking about what that little girl and her mother had to go through the past six months makes me physically ill.

As I reach my Jeep and sink into the seat and lock the door the dam breaks and the tears that have been threatening to fall all night stream down my face. I couldn't stop them even if I tried.

Leaning against the steering wheel, I let the emotions take over my body. Images of Lily and Alana’s battered and bruised bodies flash through my mind, making me cry harder.

I don’t understand why this world has to be cruel to such innocent people.

When my body exhausts itself, I glance at myself in the rearview. I’m startled by my appearance. My messy bun is barely hanging on, the dark circles under my eyes are almost black, and my eyes look like I just got done smoking a blunt.

Jeez, I look like a hot fucking mess.

I really hope I didn’t look like this when I ran up to Grayson.

Never in my life has a man captivated my attention as much as he did. I love my job and find it very easy to look past the men that walk into the ER, but Grayson is a whole different ball game. It should be illegal to have a man that beautiful exist on this earth.

This world is full of stepdads that beat the shit out of their wives and stepdaughters, and psychos who kidnap women who turn them down. We live in a never-ending cycle of deception and people pretending to be something they are not.

So how is it possible that someone as handsome and perfect as Grayson could be a good person? That sounds stupid but usually they bring you in with their looks and then show their real selves behind closed doors.

I was very skeptical that he was innocent but after talking to the cops and Laura, it turns out the giant was actually telling the truth. I wanted to believe him because the hurt in his eyes when I accused him of lying felt like a punch in the gut. But I couldn't.

I will never fully put my trust in a man when I’ve been burned so badly. It was my job to protect Lily and Alana and even though he was telling the truth, I would never be able to live with myself if I let my guard down and he turned out to be a bad guy.

I turn on the car and make my way out of the parking lot.

My mind wanders and I can’t stop thinking about those midnight blue eyes staring into mine.