Rescuing Stitch (Guardian Hostage Rescue Specialists: CHARLIE Team Book 2) by Ellie Masters

Author:Ellie Masters [Masters, Ellie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: JEM Publishing
Published: 2024-03-05T00:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-ONE

Stitch

Minutes later, we’re driving down the Pacific Coast Highway in his truck. The bright city lights fade as the untouched coastline takes over, casting everything into shadows. The sea to our left, gleaming under the moonlight, stretches as far as the eye can see. Its rhythmic crashing sounds are both calming and tumultuous, mirroring the storm of emotions brewing between us.

Without a word, Jeb steers the truck into a scenic overlook, parking near the cliff’s edge. The panoramic view of the ocean and starry sky above feels infinite, making my worries seem minuscule.

Jeb reaches for my hand, fingers twining with mine. With a gentle tug, he guides me to the low rock wall separating us from the sheer drop to the raging waters below. Though cold and hard, the wall offers a contrasting comfort as we settle against it. His fingers, still laced with mine, pull me a fraction closer until our shoulders touch, adding another layer of warmth.

Jeb’s free arm wraps around my waist, anchoring me against the sudden gusts of wind that attempt to disturb our solitude. With him, I feel both vulnerable and shielded, an odd combination. The ocean’s roar, coupled with the salty breeze that tangles my hair, heightens the raw intensity of the moment.

“It’s beautiful here.” My voice is almost lost in the symphony of crashing waves, trying to fill the silence and ease whatever Jeb is going to tell me.

He nods, his gaze fixed on the horizon, where the last remnants of sunset give way to the creeping darkness of night. “It’s one of my favorite spots. A place to think. A place to remember.”

The depth in his voice suggests layers of memories, some perhaps too painful to revisit. But tonight, with me, he seems ready to share.

I tilt my head to look at him, studying his face, bathed in the moonlight. His strong jaw is set, eyes shadowed, haunted even.

“What did Ethan mean?” I shouldn’t push, but I can’t help myself. I like Jeb, and the thought there’s something bad in his past makes me question our future.

“It’s not an easy story to tell, especially not one I share often.” A sigh escapes his lips as he turns to face me.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t push. You can tell me, but only when you’re ready.” I give his hand a reassuring squeeze, trying to convey my support.

He smiles weakly, appreciating the gesture, before taking a deep breath. “It’s about my fiancée and our son, Maverick.”

The world stops spinning.

It halts in its tracks.

Fiancée?

Son?

A bitter, cold sensation spreads through my chest, like icy tendrils gripping my heart. Every word after fiancée sounds distant, muffled as if I’m underwater. For a split second, the rock wall under me feels unsteady, and the ocean’s vastness seems to swallow me whole.

Memories of the countless foster homes, the rejections, and the feeling of never being enough rush back in a suffocating flood of inadequacy.

Is history repeating itself?

Panic grips me, and I fight the urge to run.

But I can’t.

I can’t let Jeb see how much his words affect me.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.