Page 11 of Brave Horizons (Barrington Billionaires #19)
ALEX
The dawn broke gently over the campsite, casting a golden glow through the trees and illuminating the small clearing where Topeka and Alex had spent their last peaceful night.
He’d gotten up to tend to the fire, making sure it was safely put out.
He’d glanced around in the darkness to secure the campsite.
Then he had one of the best night’s sleep of his life.
Waking up with her in his arms was a dream he didn’t want to wake from, but alas, there they were. Awake.
Now the crisp morning air carried the scent of pine and earth. Topeka shuffled around the camp slowly and he turned to see her gorgeous silhouette against the rising sun. Stretching as if she didn’t have a care in the world, he knew otherwise. It was time to break down the camp and move on.
He smiled, recalling the warmth of her embrace and the ferocity of their lovemaking. It had been a moment of connection amidst the chaos of their circumstances, a brief escape from the relentless fear that had shadowed them. She got up, stretching and taking in the quiet serenity of the morning.
"Morning," she called softly. She left out the word good, and he knew it was because of what the morning held. Change.
“How’d you sleep?” he asked, handing her a cup of juice.
"Better than I have in a long time," she admitted, walking over to him. "Thanks to you."
Her arms encircled his waist and she nuzzled against his chest. Alex hadn’t been sure what the morning would bring as far as moments like this went. He knew he wanted to hold her again, but wouldn’t make any presumptions about what she wanted. This simple hug was a relief.
They shared a quiet moment before diving into the task of packing up their camp. They worked side by side, synchronized and efficient.
"Do you think that cougar will miss us?" Topeka teased, folding up her sleeping bag.
Alex laughed, shaking his head. "Maybe it will miss the excitement. We certainly gave it a show."
She chuckled, but as the minutes ticked by, Alex noticed the shift in her demeanor. The lightness in her eyes dimmed, and her smile became more forced. He could see the realization settling in—this little respite was over, and the next phase of their journey was about to begin.
Alex's heart ached for her. He wished he could shield her from the danger and the emotional toll of what lay ahead.
He had vowed to stay with her, to see this through, but the thought of her facing her father in a courtroom filled him with dread.
Protecting her from imminent danger was one thing, but helping her confront the man who had caused her so much pain was a whole different level of intensity.
They finished packing in silence, the jokes drying up like dew evaporating under the heat of the midday sun. There didn’t seem to be any place for laughter as they loaded the last of the gear back into the truck.
Alex again considered stalling, making up some lie to tell Kenan that would buy them more time out here, away from the dangers and the inevitable confrontation. But he shook off the idea. It wasn’t right. Topeka needed to face this, and she needed to do it now while the momentum was on their side.
Closing the tailgate signified some finality and Alex walked over to her, gently cupping her face in his hands. "You could come back here someday. When this is all over, maybe you’ll be desperate to camp.”
Topeka leaned into his touch, closing her eyes for a moment. “This place is amazing but I can confidently say I’d much rather camp in a hotel that overlooks the woods.”
“Oh please, this campsite won you over. You’ll be begging to come back.”
They climbed into the truck, and Alex started the engine, the familiar rumble breaking the morning’s stillness. The narrow road and dense woods started to give way to more room, and they were soon on a two lane road again, moving toward civilization .
The drive was long, and the closer they got to their destination, the more palpable Topeka’s anxiety became. Alex reached over and took her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
"We’re almost there," he said, trying to keep his voice calm and steady.
Topeka nodded, her grip tightening on his hand. "I’m stopping here and then going into Canada? Then where? What happens next?”
Alex could only shrug. There wasn’t always a clear picture of what was to come. Sometimes only the next step was all he could see.
They pulled up to the address Alex had plugged into his GPS and he warily looked around at the small house.
“Let me go in first and check things out. I’m not sure who we’re meeting here.
It’s not Kenan. He was on his way home for a small break.
He’s been wrapped up in Vera Lago for so long. He sent someone else.”
She took a deep breath, and shook her head. “I’m not staying out here. If you’re going in there, so am I.”
The house was a single story dated bungalow with a crooked swing on the front porch.
It sat at the end of a cul de sac with similar looking houses to its left and right.
There were no cars in the driveway. No motion he could see from inside the house.
Alex considered arguing with her. Demanding she stay put.
But he could tell by the way she held his hand, she wasn’t looking to be anywhere alone at the moment .
As they stepped out of the truck, Alex stayed close by her side, a steady presence as they approached.
“Do we knock?” she asked in a hushed whisper. “No one has told me how to act in these situations. Like I’m supposed to know what to do when I show up at the next random spot they send me.”
Alex lifted his hand to knock and kept his other close to his weapon, though not in a position to draw quickly. He wasn’t trying to alarm her or anyone else in the neighborhood who might be watching nosily through their blinds.
Before he could make contact with the door it swung open and he felt an even stronger urge to grab his weapon. The noise that escaped Topeka only made that harder to ignore. It was a gasp mixed with a little squeal. Something he initially assumed was fear but then deciphered as excitement.
“Russ?” she finally sputtered out. “Oh my God, Russ.” Topeka pulled away from Alex and jumped into this man’s arms. He hugged her tightly and she kissed his cheek multiple times, the way someone returning to land after being lost at sea kisses the ground.
These pecks were of sheer gratitude for the turn of events.
“Come in,” he said, ushering them both in and closing the door quickly behind them.
Alex was glad they were safely inside and everyone had their hands to themselves again.
He knew who Russ was and how scared for his life Topeka had become.
Alex saw her clear relief that he was alive.
Alex wondered if there was more. Something between the two that Topeka had kept to herself .
“How are you here?” She raised her hand up and touched his cheek as if to confirm he was not just a ghost or a dream.
“Your people found me,” he said, jutting his chin out at Alex.
“Crazy group you’ve got. It runs deep. Completely based on secrecy and loyalty.
Two ideals humans are not really built for.
Yet it sounds like they’ve got a storied history.
I was hiding out in some drug den of a hotel, pretty sure my days were numbered and then I get this guy at my door saying they’re here to help.
I, of course, think it’s some kind of trap but then he shows me a picture of you in Italy.
He tells me you’ve been on the run and they’ve been helping you.
I still am pretty sure he’s there to kill me until he tells me something only you would know.
Something that made it very clear you were with them. ”
“What did he say?” she asked, covering her heart with her hand and looking at him curiously.
“It doesn’t matter. Just in that moment I realized even if these were your father’s henchmen, they had you and I was going to go along.
I got you into all this shit and I couldn’t live with myself if that bastard killed you because of it.
” Russ grit his teeth and closed his eyes.
“I’m sorry for how all of this turned out. ”
Alex spoke for the first time, unable to hold back his thoughts. “You must have realized it would turn out this way. Her father is objectively horrible. Did you think he was going to look the other way or something?”
“I uh...” Russ seemed as though he was at a loss for words as he looked to Topeka for some kind of assistance .
The tension in the room was palpable. Alex felt a protective instinct flare up, while Russ seemed genuine but also defensive.
Alex felt bad that Topeka seemed to have to move between them. He wasn’t trying to put her in a tough position but Russ had been the one to first approach Topeka. He’d put all this in motion and that meant Topeka was in danger because of him. But she wasn’t having it.
“Guys, this isn’t helping,” she said firmly. “We’re all on the same side here. Russ, you did what you had to do, and Alex, I appreciate your concern, but I made my own decisions. I could have said no when Russ approached me about what my father was involved in.”
Just then, another woman entered the room. She was in her mid-thirties, with sharp features and an air of authority. Her dark hair was pulled back in a tight bun, and she wore a professional suit that commanded respect. She carried a briefcase and looked at the trio with piercing eyes.
“Hillary Jones,” she said, introducing herself briskly, not wasting any time. “I’m here to get a handle on all the evidence and interview both of you about what you have on Topeka’s father. We need to make sure you’re ready to go to war in court when it comes to that.”
Hillary set her briefcase down on the table and opened it, pulling out several files and a laptop. She didn’t seem interested in the tension in the room, her focus entirely on the task at hand.