Left for Wild - Harloe Rae Page 0,88
claps my back, gripping me with a warning squeeze.
“It’s just a precaution, right?” His focus is on me, but he’s addressing the detective.
“Completely. Mostly for your safety, Halder.”
“But everyone after me is in custody.”
“There’s always a straggler or two. We’re gathering more details about your disappearance. That young woman you were stranded with adds another complex layer to this mess. There’s a process we must follow. Patience will pay off in this case.”
I can feel my body vibrating under Paul’s hold. Fucking awesome. “I’m caught in another waiting game.”
“Again, I apologize for your frustration.” He passes me a card. “I’ll be in touch tomorrow. Thanks for your cooperation.”
The cops always recite that as if I have a choice. I snatch the shiny rectangle from his hand with a scowl. Paul ushers me into the hall before another word can be spoken. The noisy lobby booms against the disaster raging in my mind. Only one person has the ability to calm me down, but what do I have to offer her in this moment? I’m one second away from going nuclear on the impenetrable barrier being stacked between us. Will she even want to see me? I clench my eyes shut while picturing bottomless baby blues and brunette hair so dark it gleams black in the sun.
“Let me give you a lift home.” Paul begins steering me to the parking lot.
I slam to a stop on the sidewalk. “Don’t wanna go there.”
He turns to me and seems to brace for impact. “I’d bet my left nut you don’t wanna stay here.”
“I need to make a call. Where’s the closest store I can buy a phone?”
The thunder of my pacing cracks across the wooden floorboards. Even with a layer of flimsy carpet on top, there’s no disguising my agitation. Another bolt streaks through my bloodstream when further silence is the only thing to greet me.
There is worse torture than being locked in prison. Those five years behind bars seem to pale in comparison to being kept away from Blakely. I wouldn’t have believed it myself if this wasn’t my current predicament. I’m a free man, yet they’ve corralled me into another pen.
A ping from my new cell provides a much-needed distraction. One glance at the screen cracks the iron I’ve been encased in.
Lee: Good morning, SBM.
I chuckle at the secret name Blakely coded me with. Another message comes through before I can respond.
Lee: Just wanted to say that I’m thinking of you.
Me: Damn, sweetheart. That’s what I needed to hear. You’re always on my mind. How’d you sleep?
Lee: Not super great. Is it weird that I miss lying on our cavern floor?
Me: I feel the same way.
There’s so much more that I want to add. Civilian life sucks donkey dick without her. My loft is pitiful. I can’t leave. The hours drag by without change. I’m merely existing in a stale standstill. There’s no sense of weakness in admitting that I’m bored. Sad. Lonely. The wind rattling against a nearby window is my only company. My fingers are hovering over the keys to reply when the device begins to ring. I swipe to answer, a grin already chasing the empty sorrow from my chest.
“Well, hello.” I’m sure the gravel in my voice travels across the line. Even after covering the grit with a cough, there’s no hiding the cobwebs from more disuse than normal.
The soft purr Blakely gives in return soothes my rough edges. “I figured calling would be more efficient.”
“Listening to you is always my preference.”
She sighs, and the sound twists around the most sensitive parts of me. “I’m hoping we can erase this unnecessary divider between us. It would be much better talking to you in person.”
A familiar stab punctures my gut. She mentions something similar during each of our conversations. “I want that so fucking bad, sweetheart.”
“It’s only been two days, and I’m already going batty without you.”
I catch myself nodding along with her words. “That’s what I’m dealing with, too. Not sure how long I’ll last, Lee.”
“They can’t hold you hostage forever. I’ll send you a little care package in the meantime.”
“What’re you gonna include?”
Blakely hums, and I can picture her squinting into the distance. “Well, the contents are meant to be a surprise. Maybe some baked goods with a crowbar mixed in. Or is a screwdriver more useful? I can find stuff that reminds me of our wilderness.”
A groan falls off my lips. “That sounds damn good. I’ll be ready and waiting to receive whatever you give