STAY WITH ME (WATTYS 2023)

CHAPTER 22. BLIND SIDE

*Author's note: Strong trigger warning! This book contains graphic depictions of violence with some disturbing scenes involving m*rder and the use of weapons, torture, domestic violence, including mental and physical abuse, sexual situations and mature language. It may trigger certain individuals who are sensitive to this subject matter. It is marked mature. You must be 17 or older to read this book.

We get out of the car and start walking toward the hangar. I'm not crazy about being here. I'm irritable, I'm hungry, and I have no clue how I'm going to pull this off. I suddenly stop when I hear something rustling around in the bushes behind us. When I stop to listen, it stops too.

"Why'd you stop? Did you hear something?"

"Yeah, I thought I heard something in the bushes right over there."

"It's probably just a wild animal or the echo of our own footsteps against the building."

"Oh ok, it's just kind of spooky out here at night."

He unlocks the gate and politely waits for me to catch up. I try to distract my nerves from my overactive imagination and immediately change the subject. "Bryce, can I ask you something?"

"Sure. What's on your mind?"

"Well, do you ever get the feeling that we've somehow met before? I mean, I feel like I've known you forever."

"Funny you should say that because, yeah, I've had that same feeling myself. At first I thought it was because you sort of reminded me of my sister, Paige, but there is definitely something familar about you."

"I'm so glad you felt it, too. I thought it was just me. Wait a minute, you have a sister? Why haven't you mentioned her before?"

"I don't know. I guess it never came up until now. She's lives in Las Vegas now and is a hot shot defense attorney. I also have a nephew named Colt and two nieces, Sadie and Victoria. Sadly, we're not that close anymore. When she got divorced and moved away, we don't get to see each other very often. I was just out there a few months ago, but she's been begging me to come back out when I get some time off."

"So how do I remind you of her?"

"Well, I'm not a weirdo, so it's definitely not the way you look." He chuckles. "I can't quite put my finger on it, but I guess it's the way you carry yourself. You're a strong, independent woman and you have a great sense of humor, just like her. You and Paige will get along great, and I can't wait for you two to meet."

"She sounds great. Yeah, I would love to meet them all some day."

"Oh, and Katrina, I really hope you're not upset with me that I went behind your back and did that background check."

"No, I'm not, but Bryce, you could have just asked me, you know."

"I didn't feel comfortable bringing it up, I guess. Forgive me if I made you feel like I didn't trust you. I've just learned that people aren't always who they say they are. I had to learn that the hard way, unfortunately."

"It's ok. No need to apologize. I understand more than you know. Now, I'm starving and I really need to get something in my stomach to absorb all of this alcohol. Maybe we should just go to dinner and come back some other time when it's not so dark and creepy?"

He reassures me that our dinner plans haven't changed and that this is just a pit stop. When he leans over to kiss me, I suddenly forget all about how spooky it is out here and how hungry I am. He has that effect on me.

When he pulls back, he pauses for a moment and I'm mesmerized by the sparkle in his hazel blue eyes. They seem to dance in the moonlight as the brisk, chilly air swirls around our bodies. When he holds me in his arms, I feel safe and whole again, and all the horrible things I've done in the past become a distant memory. This is the last thing I wanted along this trip, to fall for a man. But at the same time, it's what my heart must have been searching for all along.