Into The Night

Chapter Eighteen

Wearing her elaborate feathered mask, and with Nathan dressed all in black with a matching black-and-gold mask covering his entire face, the two of them headed downstairs to the playroom at seven o’clock sharp to give them both time to mingle before separating to put their individual plans into action.

First things first. Nicole made sure that Sloane saw her. As he took in the seductive costume he’d specifically chosen for her to wear tonight, his eyes glazed over with lust and a lascivious smile curved his lips. She gave him a demure, accommodating nod of acknowledgment that seemed to please him, then turned her attention back to Nathan.

The main lounge area was filled with costumed men and girls in sexy, revealing outfits that ranged from lady pirates to maidens and jesters. Their face masks were decorated elaborately, making it difficult to recognize anyone at first glance. While the guests seemed to find that element of obscurity exciting, Nicole was just grateful that the disguises worked to her and Nathan’s favor.

The music in the room was loud and pulsing, and even though the party had barely begun, couples were already grinding against each other and delighting in their brazen behavior. Just like the real Mardi Gras, the mood was bawdy and salacious, with liquor flowing freely and the atmosphere charged with the excitement of immoral temptations. Bright, colorful bead necklaces were tossed to the girls daring enough to flash their breasts, and masked men didn’t hesitate to grab and grope the exposed flesh. Squeals of laughter pierced the air, along with cheers and catcalls.

Twenty minutes later, Nathan gave her the look, and they gradually separated to execute their plan.

Nicole made her way through the wild, gyrating crowd to the women’s lounge, and immediately saw Angela standing at the far end of the long vanity mirror set up for the girls to use. There were at least half a dozen other girls vying for the use of the mirror to check their hair and makeup, but Nicole was only concerned about Angela, who was wearing a provocative blue-and-silver maiden’s outfit. Her matching sequined mask was in place, but there was no mistaking how nervous she was about leaving the party without getting caught.

But when she was halfway to reaching Angela, another girl dressed as a court jester in a low-cut blouse and pantaloons stepped in front of Nicole, bringing her to an abrupt stop.

“Oh, my God,” the girl exclaimed, her green eyes brimming with envy behind her plain black-and-white feathered mask. “How did you score such an amazing costume?”

Momentarily startled by the interruption when her mind had been so focused on Angela, it took Nicole a few extra seconds to realize that she’d just been presented with a golden opportunity.

“Amazing?” Nicole injected a believable amount of doubt into her voice. “Personally, I think your outfit is way cuter.”

“Are you kidding me?” The other girl shook her head. “I somehow ended up with the most unflattering outfit I’ve ever worn in my life!” She indicated her loose-fitting top and baggy pants. “I’d love to have that sexy corset and fun skirt instead. The colors are so bright and festive next to my boring black and white.”

In this case, boring was good, Nicole decided. Very good. “Would you like to trade?”

The girl’s eyes widened with excitement. “Are you serious?”

“Sure.” Nicole shrugged nonchalantly. “It might be fun to switch things up and surprise my boyfriend with a different costume.”

The girl giggled. “Then let’s trade.”

They headed into the adjoining bathroom and within five minutes they’d swapped their outfits. The other girl, a brunette with long, flowing straight hair, looked stunning in the tight-fitting black-and-purple corset, skirt, and mesh stockings. In comparison, Nicole looked ordinary and charming as a jester. There was absolutely nothing head-turning about the black-and-white disguise, which gave her the ability to blend in, rather than stand out.

Realizing that they were running about five minutes behind schedule, she quickly donned her feathered mask and exited the bathroom. It took Angela a few extra seconds to register the costume change, but as soon as she had the girl’s attention, Nicole slid into the vacant spot next to Angela at the vanity mirror. Reaching into her bra, she withdrew the two hair clips she’d stashed there before leaving her room with Nathan.

She handed one to Angela, then began pulling her own hair back and away from her face to secure the mass at the nape of her neck. “Take off your mask and pin your hair up,” she said, wanting to do whatever they could to change Angela’s appearance, too.

While Angela did as she asked, Nicole cast a glance at the girls standing to her left, who were talking and laughing while they primped. Three of them had taken off their masks to fix their lip gloss and makeup, and Nicole decided that one of the girl’s ugly mustard-yellow and puke-green sequined mask would make a nice disguise for Angela-which she would casually poach when they were ready to leave the lounge.

So far, everything was going smoothly, except for finding the one person who had the ability to put a major crimp in tonight’s rescue attempt. Even knowing that Holly was a potential problem, she couldn’t leave her behind.

“Have you by chance seen Holly tonight?” she asked Angela.

She nodded. “I saw her getting a drink at the bar on my way here.”

And most likely, Holly was still near or around that area. “Okay.” Nicole gently grabbed Angela’s wrist with one hand, and pilfered the ugly mask with her other as she guided them out of the lounge and away from any listening ears.

Finding an unoccupied alcove, she stopped again and gave Angela her new mask. “Put this on,” she said, and nearly cringed at the grotesque colors now covering Angela’s face. As a disguise, it definitely worked. “I have to find Holly and I need you to listen to me. While I’m doing that, you head to the grotto, then make your way to the outside pool area. There’s a darkened pathway to the left of the cabanas that leads around the side of the house, and I want you to wait for me there.”

She shifted anxiously. “Are you sure this is going to work?”

God, Nicole hoped so. “As long as you do exactly what I tell you to, we should be out of here very soon. Now go, and I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

They parted ways. Nicole walked the perimeter of the room, desperately trying to find Holly in a sea of costumes and masks designed to conceal identities. She scrutinized shapes of faces, color of hair, and what would be close to Holly’s height. Just as she was starting to panic that she’d never be able to find Holly in time, she gave the bar area one last look and saw someone dressed in a red, gauzy sorceress outfit who looked like the young girl.

Wearing a feathered mask and holding a tall drink that the bartender had just made for her, the girl was walking away, more than a little unsteady on her feet. She was definitely inebriated, and Nicole said a little prayer that she’d finally found who she’d been searching for.

“Holly?” she called out.

The red sorceress spun around, nearly tripping on the long hem of her gown. She wobbled on her high heels and just barely managed to regain her balance, but not before she sloshed half of her drink down the side of her dress. While she surveyed the damage to her costume, Nicole lifted her mask to show her face just as the girl glanced back at her.

“Damn it,” the girl muttered, then narrowed her gaze at Nicole. “What do you want?” she asked, her words slurred.

Even though the other girl was still wearing her mask, Nicole was familiar enough with Holly’s angry glare to confirm it was her. Knowing she had to act fast to meet up with Nathan on time, Nicole stepped up to Holly, took the drink from her hand, and set it on a nearby table.

“Hey!” Holly said indignantly. “That’s my drink!”

“You don’t need it,” Nicole said, hooking her arm securely through Holly’s to lead her away from the main festivities. But as soon as she started forward, Holly pulled back and stiffened, forcing Nicole to a stop.

“What are you doin’?” Holly asked, clearly not budging unless it was for a good reason.

Nicole planned to give her one. “We have to hurry,” she said, the urgency in her voice real. “Preston is waiting for you.”

Holly’s wide, glassy eyes, framed by flamboyant red feathers, blinked at her. “He… he is?”

The soft hope in the girl’s voice pierced Nicole’s heart, and a part of her hated that she had to lie to make sure that Holly cooperated. But using Sloane as an incentive was the only way to save her, and that’s all Nicole cared about.

“He told me he wants to meet with you secretly. Kind of like a Mardi Gras rendezvous.” This time when she guided Holly toward the grotto, the young girl stumbled along beside her.

“Where is he?” Holly asked as she pressed a hand to her head.

“I’m going to show you,” she said in a soothing voice to make sure she kept Holly calm. “Just keep following me.”

There were a few couples in the grotto, already in the process of peeling off their costumes for a dip in the hot tubs. The men were so focused on the eager-to-please girls they were with that they didn’t give Nicole and Holly a passing glance.

“He loves me… doesn’t he?” Holly’s words were slowing, as if she was having a hard time stringing her thoughts together. “I knew he did. I told you if I was good… and did as he said… he’d take me… take me back.”

“Shhh. You have to be quiet, Holly.” They made it through the grotto and up to the pool area outside. There was no one there. Yet. It was only a matter of time before party revelers decided to go skinny-dipping. “He doesn’t want anyone else to know that the two of you are meeting.”

“You’re moving… too… fast,” she complained, sounding like a petulant five-year-old who’d been drugged. “I feel… soooo… dizzy.”

“We have to hurry.” It was the truth. Nicole veered toward the left of the cabanas and picked up her pace. She still had Holly’s arm looped through hers, but the other girl kept slowing down and falling behind. “I don’t want Preston to leave,” she said, hoping that would urge the other girl to move faster.

It didn’t. If anything, each stumbling step Holly took seemed to be weighted down with concrete. “Me, either,” Holly whispered, the sound of tears choking her voice. “Don’t leave… don’t leave… don’t leave,” she chanted.

Holly seemed to become more lethargic, and Nicole was beginning to feel like she was dragging the girl through quicksand. She had to keep her cognizant, and the only way she could think to do that was to keep her talking.

“Holly, what is your last name?” she asked, because she needed the information for Nathan anyway.

“Last… name?” Holly sobbed, clearly falling apart emotionally. “I… I don’t have one.”

“Yes, you do. I need to know what it is,” Nicole urged as she eased them toward the pathway where Angela was waiting for them. “Preston needs to know what it is. Think real hard, Holly. We can’t get to him without your last name.”

“Oh, God,” she said, crying in earnest now as she honestly struggled to remember her surname. “I… It’s Holly… Holly… Davis.”

Nicole patted her hand. “Good girl.”

“Where’s… where’s Preston?” Holly’s breathing was labored, and she was leaning heavily against Nicole for support.

“We’re almost there.” She guided them down the pathway. Surrounded by lush foliage, they blended into the darkness.

“I’m… I’m not going to… to make it.” Holly tripped and could barely hold herself upright. “I… don’t… feel so good.”

Nicole was glad to see Angela just up ahead on the pathway. At least one thing had gone right tonight. “Holly, what have you taken?”

“Just… just my… pills.”

And unknown quantities of alcohol. Shit.

Before Nicole could catch her, Holly unexpectedly dropped to her knees, clutched her stomach, and threw up on the grass. She moaned as she continued to heave. All the while, Nicole prayed that the sound didn’t echo and prompt someone to investigate.

When there didn’t seem to be anything left in Holly’s stomach, she gave one last groan, then passed out cold.

Nicole stared in disbelief. How in the hell was she going to get Holly’s deadweight all the way to the Hummer where Nathan was waiting for them?

Right on time, Nathan left the party and headed upstairs. He stopped for a moment to make sure no one was behind him, then made his way to the front door of the house. With the entryway in his sights, he pulled off his mask and set it on a side table he passed, his mind already on the next phase of the escape plan and hoping everything went smoothly for Nicole.

“Are you leaving, Alex?”

His hand was on the doorknob, but the question stopped him cold. Jesus Christ! Where in the hell had Gwen come from? The only good thing about running into Sloane’s assistant was the assurance that she wasn’t following Nicole. Remaining calm, he turned back around to face her, an excuse for his abrupt departure already forming.

“I just got a call on my cell,” he said, as she stopped a few feet away. She was dressed as a sultry Mardi Gras vixen, her sequined mask in her hand, giving him a clear view of her very direct gaze. “I’ve got a problem with my Tokyo deal. I have to fix the contract and get it sent back immediately so everything is ready for signatures on Monday morning.”

“On a Saturday?” she asked, her tone tinged with skepticism.

He flashed her a smile. “International business never sleeps.”

“True,” she replied, and seemed to relax. “Is Nikki going with you?”

“No, she’s having too much fun at the party,” he said easily. “I’ll leave her here while I take care of business. I should be back in an hour or so.”

Seemingly satisfied, Gwen let him exit the house without further questioning. Even if she immediately reported his absence to Sloane, it would take them both a while to realize that he wasn’t coming back… and that he had Nicole with him. Longer still until they discovered Angela and Holly missing, too.

He walked toward where the Hummer was parked, which was around the corner from the front of the house, in a darkened area. The vehicle was still parked as he’d requested, with no other cars blocking his escape. Because of his delay with Gwen, he expected Nicole to be there with the girls, but she hadn’t arrived yet.

He swore beneath his breath, knowing that their chances of being discovered increased with each minute that passed. He wondered where Nicole was, and prayed she hadn’t gotten caught sneaking Angela and Holly out of the house. He worried most about Holly putting up a fight and blowing their escape.

Shit .

Just when he thought he’d have to go searching for Nicole, and possibly abort their escape, he saw three figures come around the side of the house. As they neared, he realized that Nicole, now dressed as a court jester, and Angela were struggling to support Holly between them, straining to keep her upright as they hauled her unconscious form to the Hummer.

Rushing to meet them, he scooped Holly up into his arms and carried her back to the vehicle. Questions would come later, once they were safely out of the estate. As quietly as possible, he got all three girls situated in the Hummer’s cargo space and draped a dark blanket over them. For the moment, he was grateful Holly was passed out so there was no chance of her kicking up a fuss and blowing his cover when they reached the guard at the gate. As he rounded the front of the Hummer, his gaze scanned the vicinity to make sure the area was clear and there were no witnesses.

Using the spare key he kept in his wallet, he started the vehicle and headed for the main gate. The security guy waited for him to stop, then came up to the driver’s window, which Nathan rolled down.

“Everything okay?” the guy asked.

Judging by the other man’s relaxed attitude, Nathan was certain Sloane hadn’t yet discovered that the girls were gone. “I just have some business to attend to. I’ll be back.”

The guard gave him a nod, then returned to his post and opened the gates. Once they were clear, Nathan drove out onto the main road. He immediately called Caleb to give him an estimated time of arrival. His boss let him know that Angela’s parents had arrived and that Skye and Valerie were at his place to balance out the male-to-female ratio, and to make sure Angela felt comfortable. Nathan couldn’t bring himself to tell Caleb that they’d taken Holly-he’d find out soon enough, and they’d deal with the situation then.

He disconnected the call. Five miles away from Sloane’s estate he told Nicole they could come out, but should still lie low.

“What happened with Holly?” he finally asked.

“She passed out on me after throwing up,” Nicole told him. “She wasn’t very cooperative, either. I’m certain if she was awake she would be fighting to get back to Sloane.”

As if on cue, the young girl stirred and moaned. “Where… where are you… taking me?”

“You’re fine, Holly,” Nicole said gently, keeping her reply simple and vague. “Just relax and we’ll be there soon.”

“With Preston?” Holly asked, her voice raspy.

“Yeah, with Preston,” Nicole lied, obviously not wanting to upset the girl.

Reassured that Holly didn’t need to be rushed to the hospital, Nathan glanced in his rearview mirror at the other blonde they’d rescued. “Are you okay, Angela?”

“Yes.” Her voice was soft and low, with the slightest hint of nervousness.

Nathan guessed she was worried about the reconciliation with her parents. But considering the Ramseys had gone to such great lengths to get their daughter back, he knew Angela had nothing to worry about.

He called Caleb again just as he turned down the street, and when he reached his boss’s house, the garage door was already open for him. Pulling the Hummer inside, he waited for the steel doors to slide shut before helping the girls out of the back.

Angela was the first to exit, then Nicole. Nathan had to lift a still-groggy Holly from the vehicle, and help her stand. She was unsteady on her feet, and as she looked around the garage, her changing expression reflected her bewilderment.

She looked at Nicole, her gaze dazed and confused. “Where am I?”

Nicole stepped up to Holly and gently grasped her hand. “You’re somewhere safe.”

Nathan took Angela’s arm and led her into the house, with Holly and Nicole following behind. As soon as they walked into the kitchen area, they were greeted by Caleb, Skye, and Valerie. Being in a strange place was all it took to set Holly off.

She glared angrily at Nicole. “Where’s Preston? You told me you were taking me to see Preston!”

“He’s not here,” Nicole said, trying to reason with the girl. “But you’re safe and you’re going to be okay.”

“You lied!” She jerked away from Nicole, stumbling backward and almost tripping on the hem of her sorceress dress. “I want Preston!” Her eyes were wide and wild.

Without asking questions about who the girl was, Valerie and Skye stepped up to Holly, each of them gently taking one of her arms to subdue her. She struggled to break free, but the two women held her without hurting her. They’d been trained for situations like this, and Nathan knew they’d be able to get through to Holly once she calmed down.

“You bitch!” Holly yelled at Nicole as tears ran down her face and smeared her makeup. “I hate you!”

Nicole winced, a pained look on her face. “I know you’re upset right now, but in time you’ll be glad you’re out of there.”

“No, I won’t,” she sobbed. “You had no right to take me away from Preston!”

“Let us take her,” Valerie said to Nicole, obviously wanting to defuse the situation. “We’ll get her settled in the guest bedroom and calmed down. You go with Nathan and Caleb. Angela’s parents are waiting for her in the living room.”

“Okay.” Nicole sighed as Valerie and Skye led the hostile girl away.

“I want Preston,” Holly wailed, the pitiful sound echoing down the hall. “Take me back. Please, take me back.”

“We can’t, honey.” Valerie tried to soothe her. “But you’ll be fine here. I promise.”

Seeing the worry lines creasing Nicole’s forehead, Nathan sought to comfort her. “She’s in good hands. Let’s reunite Angela with her parents.”

Nicole nodded. Putting on a smile, she turned back to Angela. The young girl had been through so much, but she’d survived and had her freedom back, unlike the girls they’d had to leave behind. “Are you ready?”

Angela appeared anxious, but the look in her eyes was cautiously hopeful. “Yes. I think so.”

Taking Angela’s hands in hers, Nicole gave them an encouraging squeeze. She wanted to make sure there were no doubts in the girl’s mind that she’d made the right choice in trusting her and Nathan. “Remember, we did this because your parents wanted us to find you. Don’t ever doubt that they love you, no matter what has happened.”

Tears shimmered in Angela’s eyes. “Thank you for getting me out of there. I was so scared that I’d never see my mom and dad again.”

If not for her and Nathan’s involvement, she probably wouldn’t have. “Then let’s go and see them so they can take you home where you belong.”

Caleb led the way into the living room, and as soon as the four of them walked in, the man and woman standing by the fireplace stared at the girl still dressed in her Mardi Gras costume. Time seemed to stand still, as if Angela and her parents were uncertain as to who should make the first move.

“Oh, my God,” the woman whispered, and pressed shaking fingers to her lips. The heartbreak of missing her daughter shone in her eyes.

“Smidget,” the man said in a voice choked with emotion.

The sweet endearment was spoken with such warmth and affection that Nicole had no doubt everything among the three of them was going to be just fine.

“Go on,” she gently urged Angela, who seemed to need that extra bit of encouragement. “They’re waiting for you.”

A sob broke in her throat, and then she was rushing toward her parents, who welcomed her back with open arms, embracing her with unconditional love and compassion. Nicole stood beside Nathan and Caleb, barely holding back her own emotions as the Ramsey family shared hugs, tears of joy, and the kind of reassurances that told Nicole that Angela was going to be just fine.

“I want to go home,” Angela said, and her parents were quick to agree.

Tom Ramsey stepped toward Caleb and shook his hand, then Nathan’s. “Thank you both for saving my daughter. Considering the police weren’t any help, I appreciate your assistance.”

“You’re welcome,” Nathan replied.

“Once I have Nathan’s full report written up, I’ll be in touch,” Caleb told the other man.

“Great. I appreciate it.” The relief at having his daughter back was visible on his face. “We have a flight back to Arizona tonight, so we’d better head to the airport.”

Nicole knew the Ramseys weren’t going to press charges against Sloane. They just wanted their daughter back safely. Since Angela, at sixteen, was at the legal age of consent in Nevada, they couldn’t prosecute Sloane.

It made Nicole sick to think that Sloane was getting off scot-free for abducting Angela, and every other girl he’d enticed to The Sanctuary, when he deserved a long sentence in prison.

Everyone said their good-byes, and once the Ramseys were gone, Caleb didn’t waste time addressing the other issue still left unfinished.

“Who is Holly and why do we have an extra girl when you were only supposed to extract Angela?” Caleb asked, direct and to the point.

Before Nathan could respond, Nicole stepped forward and accepted the blame. “It’s my fault that we took Holly.”

She didn’t feel she needed to explain her reasons to Caleb, because it wouldn’t change anything. Besides, it only mattered that Nathan understood why she’d felt the overwhelming need to save the girl.

“I’m pretty certain that she’s underage,” Nicole went on, a little intimidated by Caleb’s intense, piercing stare and commanding presence. “She slipped up and told me she’s fifteen. Her full name is Holly Davis, which should help you locate her family.”

“I’ll find out who she is,” Caleb said.

Before Nicole could ask what would happen to the young girl, Valerie walked into the room.

“How’s Holly doing?” Despite knowing the girl hated her, Nicole was still worried about her emotional and mental well-being.

“She’s a little calmer and resting, though I’m guessing her obsession with Preston is a result of Stockholm syndrome,” Valerie suggested. “It’s very common with runaways and girls that are kidnapped to fall in love with their captors, which seems to be the case with Holly.”

“How do you know she was kidnapped?” Nicole asked, wondering how Valerie had come to that conclusion.

“I asked Holly how she got involved with Preston, and she told me that she ran away from home nearly a year ago, when she was fourteen.” Valerie exchanged a quick glance with Caleb that Nicole couldn’t read before continuing. “She was picked up in San Bernardino, California, by someone named Gwen, then brought to Las Vegas and taken to Sloane’s estate, where she’s been ever since.”

Nicole was shocked that the belligerent young girl had shared so much with a virtual stranger. “Wow, you got all that from Holly?”

Valerie shrugged. “I just know how to ask the right questions.”

“I have to say, you’re good.” Nicole still couldn’t believe Holly had given up so much personal information so easily. Then again, judging by her own experience with Valerie, there was something very intuitive about the woman. She had a way of reading people that was both unnerving and fascinating.

Nathan glanced at Caleb in pleasant surprise, along with a bit of triumph shining in his eyes. “I’ll be damned. Looks like we have enough evidence to bring charges against Sloane in a federal case, outside any influence he has with local law enforcement.”

Caleb’s look echoed Nathan’s satisfaction. “We can bring in the FBI to start an investigation on the charges, as well as look into his connections in human trafficking.”

An adrenaline rush of excitement pulsed through Nicole at the thought of Sloane going to prison for what he’d done to Holly, and every other girl he’d violated. No doubt many other girls had been picked up off the street and taken to Sloane’s estate to be prostituted out to his buddies. The charges would be myriad, not to mention that Sloane would have a lot of company in prison.

“So, he’s going to be arrested?” she asked, needing confirmation that the bastard would soon be behind bars.

“Just as soon as it can be arranged through the proper channels,” Caleb replied with a business-like nod. “I’ll give the attorney general a call and start the ball rolling, then I’ll run a background check on Holly so I can contact her parents.”

Nicole breathed a sigh of relief that something good had come of all this. That not only had she rescued Holly from a dire situation, but soon Sloane would no longer be able to prey on young girls’ innocence and naïveté.

Caleb left them to make some phone calls, and Valerie headed back to the guest room to check on Holly, leaving Nicole alone with Nathan.

“You did good,” Nathan said to her, the admiration and respect in his gaze genuine and warm. “You should be proud of yourself.”

“ We did good.” She couldn’t have accomplished any of what she had without him by her side, and she’d like to think that she’d been a necessary component to helping him get Angela out of Sloane’s estate, too. “You and I make a good team.” The words spilled out before she realized the double meaning to them.

“Yeah, we do,” Nathan replied huskily as he brushed his thumb along her jaw and his fingers caressed the side of her neck in a tender, romantic touch. “In more ways than one.”

He was referring to the two of them-not professionally, but intimately. Beyond the case and working together to rescue the two girls, to the deeper feelings that had developed between them. Feelings she’d desperately tried to keep contained to physical attraction alone, but somehow, someway, they’d evolved into something far more real that scared the hell out of her and threatened everything she’d worked so hard to achieve.

Her heart beat faster in her chest, and an overwhelming sense of vulnerability swamped her. Over the past few weeks with Nathan, from the moment they’d met at the speed-dating event, he’d become her greatest weakness. Sexually, she couldn’t get enough of him. But it was the underlying emotions he evoked that struck fear into her heart, because she didn’t trust her ability to fall in love and not lose her sense of self all over again.

She took a step back from him, her stiff body language speaking volumes. Knowing it was best that she kept their conversation focused on the case, and off them, she thought about the young girl in the other room. “Thank you for letting me take Holly.”

“I don’t think you would have given me a choice.” His smile was a little sad, as if he realized she was pulling away from him, retreating from everything they’d shared. And that there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it.

“Probably not.” She swallowed hard. The hurt she saw in his eyes was much more difficult to bear than she realized. “I’m happy to hear Sloane will get his comeuppance. Knowing that is like icing on the cake.”

“Nicole… are you okay?” His voice was soft and worried, like no other man’s had ever been before.

No, she wasn’t okay. She was a wreck, inside and out. She could feel pieces of her heart splintering, and wondered how long the ache in her chest would last. “I’m just tired.”

His jaw clenched, and he pushed his hands into his pants pockets, as if that would keep him from reaching out and touching her again, which would undoubtedly be her undoing.

“You and I need to talk,” he said.

Not here and not now. She just couldn’t handle what was bound to be a painful discussion after the day, and evening, she’d had. She was mentally exhausted, and too emotionally raw.

“I need to be with Holly right now.” It was the truth and an excuse, all in one.

To her immense relief, he let her go without a reply, but it was the unspoken emotions lingering in his gaze that told her she’d only been granted a brief reprieve.