Lost in Silence (The Lost Series Book 1)(17)

My heart ached a little as I gathered my things, filling my bag with all that was mine, his words echoing in my head. You can eat on the road, get your things together. I wasn’t ready to leave him and my secret hope that he had felt this pull between us was wavering.

I was surprised when he stopped me at the door, his declaration filling me with hope. Now, sitting next to him I realized I had misinterpreted the entire morning. When he spoke of leaving, he always used the words us or we. It was his plan to take me with him all along.

Meeting his eyes, there’s a sadness buried deep. My heart and life experiences tell me something in his life has caused it. I can only imagine what might have put it there and I realize it had to be something awfully powerful to take down this strong and virile man. I’m familiar with this kind of sadness though, maybe we were kindred spirits.

I want him to know I will go with him, to take some of the sadness away, so I nod and allow a brief smile to touch my lips. It’s an odd feeling but the small gesture puts a light in his eyes, one I like seeing in their blue-green depths. After a few moments, I shift uncomfortably under his gaze and look away. The intensity between us too strong for me, too much, making me nervous.

“Thank you,” he sighs, his shoulders briefly slump forward in relief. He straightens quickly, his face more serious and determined. “We need to get going. I want to get some distance between us and this place sooner rather than later.”

I stand up from my spot on the bed and reach down for my bag but his hand comes out of nowhere and grabs it. I take an instinctive step back. He notices and allows me the space but continues to hold onto my bag.

“In case someone is watching me, I think we need to figure out a way to get you to my truck secretly,” he walks over to the windows and peers out, his eyes scanning. I nod and walk to the door, pulling on my gray sweater. “Wait, we need a plan.”

I turn to him and nod, motioning with my hand for him to stay put. I can be invisible when necessary. Opening the door, I peer out and slip out onto the breezeway. I make my way down the stairs and I look over my shoulder, knowing Hudson is watching, waiting for my signal. I flick my head and hear the door open as he steps out, our bags in hand. Slipping around the corner of the building, it’s my turn to wait.

I hear him shuffle by walking towards the office, his room key dangling in hand. From my spot I can see Norma, Roland’s wife, behind the front desk, her hook-like nose buried in a cheap harlequin paperback. She wasn’t a talker, so Hudson would be in and out of there in no time. I had to move quick.

Crouching low to the ground, I move slowly towards Hudson’s truck, using the vehicles around me to shield me from line of sight. His truck is one vehicle away when I hear the power locks release, my cue to move in. Slipping around the truck, I open the passenger door wide enough to allow my small form to slip in. I manage to squeeze between the seat and dashboard, out of sight and wait for him.

Hudson climbs into the truck a few minutes later. Worry etched into his face. His eyes scan the parking lot before landing on mine in the cab. He smiles slightly, the worry replaced with relief. With a nod, the truck roars to life and he wastes no time pulling out of the parking lot and away from the motel.

“You’re good,” he smirks. “I didn’t see you get in.”

I can’t help smiling brightly. He notices.

“A smile looks good on you, I like it,” his voice suddenly serious and an octave lower. My smile vanishes and I swallow hard. Looking away from him, my mind is reeling as his compliment hangs in the air.

Alice, what are you doing, my mind screams. Do you want to wind up in another closet?

I push the thought away from me. Hudson won’t hurt me. He’s nothing like Erik.

You never thought Erik was like Erik either and then it was too late, I ignore the thought. I always questioned Erik in the beginning but I was never strong enough to voice my questions. Despite my friends who said it over and over, I couldn’t do it. I wanted them to be wrong, I needed them to be. If they were right then maybe my parents were right too and there was no way I could handle that. In the end, they were all right.

I shake my head. Now wasn’t the time to dwell on my wrongs.

“You can sit up now if you want,” his voice sounds far away in my thoughts. I slide up the seat and face forward. I pull the seat belt across my body and click it in place, aware of his observant eyes. We were crossing into dangerous territory and I wasn’t sure how to feel about it. All I was sure of was where ever we were going it was going to be a long ride and plenty of time to come up with a plan to deal with what was developing between us.