“Okay,” she whispered. She'd take this leap of faith. She'd stay and make a stand.
“Okay?” Dylan's eyebrows raised with hope.
“Okay,” she told him. “I'll stay. I'm done running.”
He leaned forward and kissed her. He kissed her like she'd just given him everything he'd ever wanted. He kissed her like she was the air he breathed.
Lightning flashed, and thunder rumbled, but they weren't in the storm. Together, they were safe. Together, they could survive any storm.
Chapter 33
Bonnie
Bonnie couldn’t sit still. She jumped at every sound. She saw shadows around every corner, and she heard every squeak, step, and breath of every person walking down the hall.
She was a mess.
Four days. Four days since they’d left New Orleans. She’d been jumping and living on little to no sleep for four days. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the man with the scar on his cheek. He would grin and then lunge for her.
She’d wake up screaming and afraid to go back to sleep. Not even Dylan could get her to relax.
She’d called Detective Patton, but he said there was nothing he could do. They didn’t have any reports coming into the station about the Trio. It was still business as usual. As far as the police knew, the Trio was still looking for her and didn’t know where she was.
So, today, she sat outside watching the horses and trying to stay calm. She felt better by the horses. Anytime anyone approached, they would lift their heads to see who it was. They were better at spotting people than she was.
So far, they’d seen two kids, Laura, and a security guard. Nothing too dangerous there.
She sighed and put her head against the fence post. She was so tired. This was going to drive her insane. The waiting was the worst part. She knew the Trio saw her. She knew it was only a matter of time before they found her.
She considered running again, but she couldn’t bring herself to even think of it. She didn’t want to leave Dylan. She was going to ask him if they could take a trip though. Maybe he could show her the farm he grew up on. She’d love to meet his mom and sister. Plus, his farm was in the middle of nowhere, Kansas. She’d probably be safe there.
“Bonnie?”
Someone touched her shoulder, and she spun, defensively putting up her hands. She was ready to fight whoever just snuck up on her. She’d only had her eyes closed for a second, but somehow someone had snuck up on her.
“Bonnie? Are you okay?” Tyson asked, taking a step back. His big brown eyes had a little fear in them, and she immediately felt guilty. She glared at the horses. They were supposed to warn her about people coming up. The nearest one just flicked its ears and walked away.
“I’m so sorry, Tyson,” she said, dropping low to be at his level. “You just startled me.”
“I’m sorry, Bonnie.” Tyson got smaller before her eyes.
“It’s not your fault, Tyson,” she told him. “I’m just feeling anxious today.”
“Oh. Sometimes I get anxious about things, too,” Tyson said, a smile brightening his face. He gave her a big hug. “Hugs help.”
Her heart melted into a puddle on the ground. This five-year-old was wise and kind. She hugged him hard back. “What were you coming to see me about?”
“I just wanted to see if we were going to have a swim lesson today. It’s almost time.”
“I would love to have the swim lesson,” she told him. “I just lost track of time. How about we both go change and I’ll meet you at the pool?”
She smiled and hoped he’d take her up on it. A swim lesson would help distract her.
Tyson nodded. “Okay.”
“Come on,” she said, rising up and putting a hand on his shoulder. “We can walk back together.”
Tyson reached for her hand and held it tightly as they walked. She liked having the physical connection. He could always make her feel better. She sighed and looked around. The camp was quiet.