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I jump out of bed, suddenly activated, and look out the window. The backyard looks clear. The lights are on, and there’s a soft wind blowing, making the hydrangea bushes sway delicately in the moon’s silvery glow. It seems so tranquil, so peaceful. “Where are the guards?” I wonder aloud.
“One of them is out front on his phone. Drake sent him a racy photo of a chick. The other one is in the den, likely slugging down your dad’s whiskey,” Orion replies. “Come on, Nadia, tick-tock!”
“Oh, my God, you’re serious,” I say.
“Northeastern fence. I’ll be waiting.”
He hangs up, and I take a deep breath, ridiculously excited. It’s as if I’ve been brought back to life all of a sudden. Looking around, I put on the first cotton dress I could find and slip into a pair of sneakers, then cautiously step out of my room. The lights are off, and I expect the motion sensors to activate, but then I remember Orion’s words and start walking. None come on. I walk in absolute darkness and pass by my father’s bedroom door.
I hear his light snoring, then breathe a slow sigh of relief and glide down the stairs.
My pulse is racing, my blood red-hot as I unlock the door and head out.
Standing on the back porch for a moment, I listen to every sound around me. The whispers of the nocturnal breeze, the rustling of leaves, and the muffled voice of the second bodyguard, currently engaged in what he will soon realize is a bogus conversation. I have maybe thirty seconds left, and I am determined to get out of here before I go stir-crazy.
I run as fast as I can through the garden, zigzagging between flower bushes and decorative trees until I reach the northeastern side of the fence. There’s an old walnut tree there that I used to climb as a kid. It’s big and sturdy enough to hold me even now, and two of its biggest branches happen to reach out above the fence.
“Perfect,” I whisper to myself and stick my phone in my bra before I start climbing.
It’s been years since I’ve done something like this, but my muscle memory does not fail me. My arms and legs still know the drill. My fingers know where the right grips are, and my breathing is measured while I keep my eyes on the next branch, always on the next branch as I make my way up.
Higher and higher I go, excitement building up inside of me at the thought of seeing my men again. It feels like it’s been forever, not just a handful of days. It doesn’t matter. I’ll be with them soon enough, provided I don’t fall and break my neck. I do the foolish thing and glance down for a moment. It’s enough to make me dizzy.
I gasp and hold on to the branch with every ounce of strength I’ve got left. Once I’m sure I can get past this moment, I tap into my inner child, that blonde-haired monkey that used to jump from tree to tree when she was a kid, giving my father a heart attack whenever he couldn’t find me in the garden. Nimble and agile as I used to be, I manage to make my way along the thicker branch over the northeastern fence.
It stretches to the street as I scamper to its end.
I land on my feet, laughing delightedly and reveling in this small but precious victory.
“There you are,” Orion’s calm voice startles me.
I whirl around to find him coming out of the dark sheath of the night, smiling broadly as he offers me his jacket.
“You are insane!” I tell him.
“I am where you’re concerned, Nadia,” he chuckles softly and wraps me in his arms.
I welcome his embrace and his sweet and loving kiss. They do wonders for my soul, instantly alleviating my pain and longing. Now that we’re together again, it’s as if we were never apart. My heart sings as I melt in his arms. I wish this moment could last forever.
“We need to go,” he whispers in my ear while I breathe him in.
The scent of his cologne has my insides turning into mush.
“Where?” I manage to ask.
“Somewhere far away.”
We stalk around the estate like thieves in the night, but once we reach the side of the road where Kai and Drake are waiting for us, I get all giddy and ridiculously happy, the surge lighting me up from the inside. I hug my men and let them shower me with warm, sweet kisses before putting on my helmet and letting them take me away.
I ride with Kai this time.
His Harley is bigger and bulkier, and the engine rumbles in a way that has my whole body humming, resonating with the steady rhythm. I hold on to him, breathing in deeply as I get drunk on his particular scent—leather and sweet tobacco, the latter being the top note of his cologne. We ride through the country, farther and farther away from Anaheim.
We’re headed north this time, unlike our previous escapades. We reach the shoreline around two in the morning, the full moon glowing like a pearl above the rippling ocean. I love the feel of the salty air and the breeze tickling my face as I get off the bike and give myself a minute to thoroughly enjoy this newfound freedom. “Sorry, I’ve been cooped up inside for what feels like forever,” I giggle softly as I notice the guys watching me.
Drake points to a lovely beach house just a few yards away. It rests on a solid stone platform, its walls painted white, and the roof is covered in state-of-the-art solar panel tiles. “I’ve had this place for a while, but I rarely get a chance to come up here,” he says.
“Oh, it’s yours?” I ask, raising my eyebrows in surprise.
