From this distance, I can barely make out the man’s face. Not that being able to recognise him would make much difference to anything if my uncle sent him to take me. My head spins with different scenarios, all of which end with me being taken back to the prison I escaped from. There might not have been cells and bars on the window, but I would be trapped all the same.
What if Vincent told him after all?
I’m going to be sick.
Where’s Mason?
Why can’t I move?
The man shifts, standing straight so that his back is no longer leaning against the wall. My hands start to shake when he takes a step in my direction, having never taken his eyes off me.
“Grace, are you okay? You’re white as a ghost.”
My head snaps towards Lauren. She stands by our small table, a plate in either hand and a crease in her brows. “I…I…”
“Grace, you’re shaking,” Lauren says, placing the plates on the table.
“T-there’s a m-man,” I say, barely able to push the words out.
“What? Where?” Lauren asks as concern etches into her expression.
“There…” I start as I shift my gaze back to where I’d seen the man, but just as my eyes find him once more, a woman appears from the hall beside him. She says something to him before linking her arm with his then they leave without so much as a glance in my direction. “I…” Confusion fills my stomach as I try to make sense of things. Then, with any immediate danger gone, I notice that the hall he’d been standing by leads to the restrooms.
He wasn’t trying to kidnap you. He was waiting for his wife.
“What’s going on?” Mason asks from beside me.
Whilst it feels like I had been locked into a stare with the stranger for a while, I doubt it was even longer than a minute. “I-I thought…” I look to Mason. His expression is serious, but the concern in his eyes is obvious. “It was nothing,” I say, feeling stupid for nearly having a panic attack in the middle of the shopping centre for what turned out to be nothing at all.
Mason studies my face for a long moment. “Maybe it’s best if we call it a day, huh? You can always come back another time.”
Lauren stands beside Mason, worry still shining in her eyes. Our lunch sits on the table beside the coffee we’ve barely touched. “No. I’m sorry, I’m okay,” I say. I don’t want to be the one to ruin the day. Everything had been going well until now.
If Mason had thought someone was going to hurt me, he would have done something. Taking a deep breath, I try to settle any remaining panic still lingering in my veins.
Giving them both a smile, I reach for my cup of coffee. “I think I just need a little more caffeine. I didn’t sleep well last night.”
“Are you sure?” Mason asks.
“I’m sure,” I say. I suspect Mason sees through my half-truth, but he doesn’t call me on it. Sebastian asked me to try, so that’s what I’m doing, except this isn’t for him. I need to do this. I don’t want to live my life forever being afraid. Besides, Mason’s not going to let anything happen to me.
After a couple more minutes, Mason leaves Lauren and me to eat our lunch. Even though my panic has mostly subsided, I try to ignore the uneasiness still sitting at the bottom of my stomach.