Blackstone Inc. (Book 2)

Part 40

*Daisys' POV*

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I had the cab driver bring me to a 24-hour car rental shop. I couldn't afford to wait for the next plane out of Dallas and back to Houston so I settled for the next best thing. It wouldn't hurt that I was in an unmarked car if anyone would be looking for me in my own.

I had decided to take a quick shower after I got back. The adrenaline had worn off on the drive back and I was, inevitably, crashing so when I realized how exhausted I was and that I would be no good with the brain of a zombie, I let sleep take over my already drowsy mind.

It had only been about six and I had figured Preston wouldn't be up for a while anyway. It also didn't hurt that it was a four-hour drive or a one and a half hour plane trip. So, if anything, I would have at least an hour and a half head start plus the time it took for him to buy the ticket and get through the airport.

When I woke up in a daze from my mini-coma wondering why my alarm hadn't gone off yet, I checked the time and saw that it was 9:23 in the morning. I had slept right through my alarm and was now very very fucked!

I also saw that I had four new notifications.

Shit!

I shuddered as I listened to Preston's third and last voice mail.

'Never doubt my reach, Daisy.'

Setting the phone down on my bed, I dropped my head in my hands and drew in a ragged breath.

Was I doing more harm than good by letting him go? From the sounds of it, he wasn't very happy about my choice...but then again, I figured he wouldn't be.

If he could only see that I was trying to save him, and myself, from the inevitable. I was no good to anyone, not even myself. I wanted so badly to be selfish and call him and tell him where I was and to come get me. I wanted to be selfish and tell him that I loved him with every fiber of my being and that being away from him was tearing a hole in me that I wasn't for sure would ever be fixed, but I couldn't do that to him!

No matter my feelings, his were more important and I never wanted to see the look of guilt and regret that I had at the party ever again! He had shown me more compassion, sympathy, support, and love than I had ever felt from my 'family' and that's precisely the reason why I had to let him go.

I decided that a text message would be enough to get my point across and also pacify him. He deserved more, but I couldn't give him that.

I sighed and picked up my phone again, pulling up our messages and typing something short and simple.

*I'm okay, I promise.*

I didn't know if he would accept that, but I didn't have time to think anymore. I needed to be quick. The moment he figured out where I was, and I had no doubt he would, though he probably already did, he would be on his way and there would be no running from him again.

I took a deep breath and set to work, pulling out a duffle bag from under my bed. If I was planning to run away and be out of sight and out of mind from the two men who would do anything to get their hands on me then I would need clothes for at least a few weeks.

I wasn't sure when I would be coming back, if ever, so I would need to take only what was important to me.

I was about to go to my closet when I got a notification.

I froze and a cement block of anxiety settled in my stomach.

I held my breath as I picked up my phone, seeing that the message was from Preston.