I don’t know that I should have moved home. The first few months back here in Fort Bragg were pretty boring, but these last several weeks have me thinking I’m going to lose my mind. Actually, maybe I shouldn’t have broken up with my ex. Or the guy before him. The longer I think on it, and the farther back I go through my exes, the more depressed I feel. I go to open my mouth and tell Mindy that I’ve always dated assholes, but my lips aren’t able to move. The duct tape pulls at my skin, so I stop trying to force out sound.
Mindy leans back and rests herself against me. My eyes narrow, and I find myself realizing that perhaps there is one more poor choice I’ve made in life—renting an apartment with Mindy. Every inch of my body aches, and I’m cold and tired, and she has the nerve to use me as a support system. The extra pressure sends a painful spasm down my spine. I’m tempted to push her off me, but I don’t want her to get hurt, and I have the kind of luck that if I push her, she’ll fall in the water and I might go with her. So instead, I take the high road and hold back the tears that form at being in this situation. I remind myself that she's in this situation because of my association with Grady, so I let her lean on me while I quash further thoughts about sending her overboard.
Noise sounds to my left, and I turn my head to see what’s going on. My heart beats faster with worry that the crazy mafia guy is back. He wasn’t exactly rude when he insisted that we get into his car with him, and he was pretty polite when he explained what he had to do and the message he wants me to give to Grady. He and his two men were even quite considerate as they walked us down this seawall and asked us to sit facing opposite directions. They made sure we didn’t hurt ourselves when they tied us together and were quite delicate when they applied the duct tape to our faces. Still, we were kidnapped, tied up, and left on a seawall, so it doesn’t really matter how goddamn polite they were about it.
Rushing down the seawall, coming right at us, is Sterling Grady. The very sight of him makes me stop breathing for a good second. His face is red, and his wavy hair whips itself across his face and covers his eyes. He doesn’t let it deter him, though. My chest constricts with every step that he comes closer. I can’t even begin to process how it feels to see him right now. A hundred emotions swell inside of me—gratitude, anger, self-pity, fear, relief, anxiety, lust.
Barely a foot away, he drops to his knees. My eyes don’t leave his as he reaches forward and takes my face in his hands. It’s a simple gesture, yet so intimate and gentle that it brings tears to my eyes. I might be losing my mind, but I need a little safety right now. Even though Grady is the most dangerous person I know, I don’t feel it in my heart. Right now he looks like a man wrecked. His chest is heaving, and his eyes are turned down like he’s in pain. The last time we were this close, I kissed him. I just took charge and did it and he liked it. Maybe if I had stayed then, we wouldn’t be here now.
Behind Grady stands a younger man, around my age if I had to guess. He is tall and lanky, with wavy blond hair and a nasty scar that runs from his ear to his mouth. I see little else about him because I don’t want to take my eyes off Grady. There’s something in Grady’s expression—like he’s a man destroyed—that I don’t understand. But it doesn’t matter. He came to save us. I don’t think I can let go of him. Ever.
Very slowly, he removes one of his hands and peels the duct tape off my face. It stings as it goes, but every time I jerk back, he whispers gently and shushes me into silence. He leans in closer, a pout practically covering his entire face, and says, “It’s okay.”
When he gets the tape off, he leans me forward and inspects the rope that binds my and Mindy’s wrists together. In a matter of seconds he has the knots untied and our wrists are free. Out of my line of sight, I can hear the telltale peeling of tape, and then Mindy gasps. Grady stands and backs up a foot to make room for his companion. The man steps forward and offers Mindy his hand, which she takes and awkwardly stands. He leads her down the seawall and toward the cliff side.
Grady crouches down and grasps my upper arms with both of his hands. We stand together. I lose my footing and accidentally step on his booted foot, which sends me sideways, but Grady pulls me into his chest and holds me tight to his leather vest. My eyes close, and I pull in a deep breath, absorbing as much of his scent as I can. I’ve always loved the salty ocean air. It was a sign that I was home or close to it, and even though I didn’t want to be here, I never wanted to be too far away, either. Only now, the last thing I want to smell is the ocean.