We love you and know we’ll meet again. We hold onto that hope.
All our love,
Mom and Dad
Charity got to her feet,breathing hard. “My mother wrote it beforehand. She must’ve left it here while my father tied you to the chair. They knew and didn’t tell me. Why can’t they come back?” Her voice choked with emotion. “I didn’t know I was saying goodbye to them.”
Enzo reread the paper. They’d told her to go with him? They just assumed the enemy they’d kidnapped and threatened to kill would keep their daughter safe?
Charity put her hand to her throat. “Maybe they couldn’t reach the cabin because of the war. The roads around here are probably closed off. But why would they tell us to set off on foot when soldiers or raiders might still be in the area?”
And suddenly this entire trip made sense to Enzo—he and Charity, alone together for two weeks. Ben had known what would happen, he’d planned for it to happen, and nothing Enzo had done had prevented it from happening.
Enzo gripped the letter so hard the paper crumpled. “Because they knew I would take you with me and do everything in my power to keep you from harm.”
He thrust the letter back to her. “Our honeymoon was never about having a baby. Neither of us had to worry about that. The vision had us stay here for two weeks because at the end of that time, I’d be so attached to you, I would put my life on the line to protect you. The last two weeks were all about giving you your own bodyguard.”
She blinked at him. “You’d put your life on the line for me?”
“Turns out I have some weak spots after all, and you’re one of them.” He rifled through the box until he found a folded map at the bottom. Good. At least he could find a way back to civilization.
She clutched the letter to her chest. “Where will you take me?”
“Back to Kansas City.” The map was of Arkansas. A spot on the Ozarks was circled. Must be their location. “We’ll figure something out once we’re there. I’ll get you a new identity if I have to. Your parents knew I’d take care of you. That’s what they wanted for you—a normal, safe life.”
Her gaze dropped to the paper again. “The number can’t be a phone number. Maybe it’s a zip code? Maybe we’re supposed to go there?”
“Wouldn’t your father have told you if you were supposed to go to a place? It’s easier to remember a name.”
Charity didn’t answer, just repeated the number over and over again, reciting it like a prayer.
He hated to point out the obvious. “If that’s a zip code, it’s somewhere in the far west coast in the breakaway states. We wouldn’t have a way to get there if we wanted.”
She took a step back from him, shaking her head. “I can’t stay in Kansas City. How will I ever see my family again? How will they find me?”
“Your father is psychic. If he needs to find you, he can. For now, he told you to go with me.” Enzo ran his finger along one of the roads on the map, tracing it back to the city. “Looks like my mother will get to meet you after all.” She would probably love Charity. Charity was all sorts of wholesome and kindness that mothers appreciated.
While he studied the map, Charity read the letter again. “My father has always been able to keep me out of danger. I don’t understand why he’d give you that job … unless something bad is going to happen to them. My mom wrotewe’ll meet again. That sounds like something you say when you think you’re going to die.” The tears that had been threatening began to stream down her cheeks.
Almost reflexively, Enzo pulled her into a hug. “You don’t know that it means that. It probably doesn’t. Your father will get the direction he needs to stay safe.” He kissed the tears on one cheek, then moved to the other. “Don’t worry. They’ll be okay. I’ll take care of you. That’s what I’m supposed to do.” And suddenly that didn’t seem like such a bad task.
He left more kisses on her cheeks, on her jawline, on her neck until she stopped crying. Then he moved to her lips. Her mouth was soft and warm, and after a few moments, eager. She pressed closer to him. She wanted to be comforted.
Her hands roamed over his chest, gliding past the buttons but not staying there. He’d been so stupid to reject her before, to keep her at arm’s length. Right now, he wanted nothing more in the world than to feel her fingers undoing those buttons.
Last night, he’d laid in his bed, holding her hand, wanting her like crazy, and hadn’t done a thing.
He wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice.
Enzo picked Charity up and carried her into his bedroom.
26
Charity hiked behind Enzo down the road. The trees offered shade but did little to dispel the heat of the late afternoon sun. She resisted the urge to take another drink. The two needed to conserve their water.
The hike to civilization would take at least two days, maybe three if they ran into rough terrain. They’d only been able to fit a couple of gallons into their backpacks. Charity had a water filter, but that wouldn’t do them any good unless they came across a water source.
They’d hardly spoken all day. Talking would both alert anyone in the area of their position and mask any sounds they might need to hear.