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“You don’t even know that man,” she says with disgust. “Adrian hired an investigator to look into the man that absconded with you.”
“He didn’t abscond with me.” I roll my eyes and try to find a way to reason with her. “I hired him to fly me out of there. When Adrian’s men attacked me, Hunter saved me. He’s been saving my butt every day since. He gave up everything to be with me. That’s what a man does when he loves you.”
My mother stares at me, a mixture of disbelief and disappointment crossing her features. "You can't be serious, Paige. You're willing to throw away everything we’ve built for you, everything we are, for some stranger?" Her tone is laced with incredulity, unable to comprehend my defiance.
"Hunter is not just some stranger, Mom. He's the one who showed me what love truly is. And I won't let you or Dad or anyone else stand in the way of that."
“You have always been stubborn.”
“I need to see him one last time,” I plead, tears welling up in my eyes. “I don’t think you understand how much I love this man. I know I’ve only known him a short time, but I’m absolutely in love with him and I know he loves me. He gave up everything to be with me. I owe him an explanation. Don’t let him think I walked away from him. It would kill him.”
My mother's expression softens, and she hesitates for a moment before nodding slowly.
"Fine," she concedes, her voice tight with tension. "But make it quick. Your father wants to go. If he finds out I let you call him, he’s not going to be happy.”
“My phone?” I ask. “They took it.”
She walks to the small table and retrieves it. I take it, feeling like I’m holding my lifeline. I get a glimpse of my future and I hate it. I can’t imagine my life without Hunter in it. I don’t want to imagine it. But I can’t just leave without saying goodbye.
My heart pounds in my chest as I dial his number, tears streaming down my face in a torrent of fear and desperation. He answers before the first ring finishes.
“Where are you?” He practically yells into the phone. “Are you okay?”
I try to speak, to tell him where I am, but the words catch in my throat, choked by the overwhelming sense of despair that threatens to consume me. “Hunter.”
“Paige. Tell me where you are. I’ll come for you. I need to know where you are.”
“I’m okay,” I manage to choke out the words. Tears stream down my cheeks. There’s so much I want to say to him, but my mother's piercing gaze reminds me of the limited time I have.
“Where are you?” He asks again. I can hear the fear and urgency in his voice. I get it. I feel the same way.
“They're taking me back to LA,” my voice breaking with every syllable. “I’m so sorry. I never wanted it to end like this. I love you.”
There’s a moment of silence on the other end of the line, a heavy pause pregnant with unspoken words. “I love you too, Paige. I’ll find you. I promise. Just hold on for me, okay? Don’t give up.”
His words are a lifeline in the darkness that threatens to engulf me, a beacon of hope amidst the storm that rages around me. I can’t get words out.
“I’ll find you,” he repeats, the determination in his voice echoing in my soul. “Where are you?”
“Um,” I look around. “I’m at—”
My father walks into the room and sees the phone in my hand. “What the hell is this!”
My mother snatches the phone. I shout the hotel name before my father walks over and takes the phone from my mother. I watch in horror as he drops it to the floor and stomps on it.
“No!” I cry out.
“What are you doing?” My father’s anger is directed at my mother who is used to his quick temper.
“Stop it,” she says with a defiance in her voice that makes me proud. “She was saying goodbye. You can’t expect to pluck her away. And what’s this about Adrian’s men roughing her up.
Adrian walks into the room just as she says it. He immediately looks guilty.
My mother stood her ground, her eyes flashing with defiance as my father stares her down. Adrian's presence only added to the tension in the room, his guilt written all over his face.
“Let me go, Dad,” I whisper the words. “I will never stop fighting. Making me go home with Adrian is only going to make me miserable. Do you really want your daughter unhappy?”
“Stop with the drama,” he sighs. “Let’s go.”
