Page 56

AVERY

T he suitcase on my bed was half-full, staring at me like some wide-open, judgmental eye.

For some reason, packing up to leave Harbor Mills made me much more anxious and sad than I’d felt leaving Perry.

Maybe because I was so angry when I’d left him, it had been more of a relief.

This time? It was nearly as painful as my first departure from Harbor Mills.

A lot had happened in a short amount of time. Part of me felt like we’d arrived not long ago, and another part felt as though we’d been here for years and were being torn away.

Things had been tough on Ash and me the last few days.

A heaviness hung over our house as we did our best to pack up.

Ashton, for the most part, was doing as well as could be expected.

After he returned from speaking to Cole, he seemed to be in a better mood, but I didn’t miss the sadness around his eyes.

He was still hurt that Cole wasn’t doing everything to fight to keep us here, even though he understood exactly why he needed us to leave.

Not only that, but he’d finally begun to make some real friends here in Harbor Mills, and I was ripping him up as soon as he’d started sinking roots.

Until Cole figured out what to do about Kyle, Ashton would need to leave all his friends behind.

I’d dropped Ashton off at the park for one last afternoon of basketball with Braylen and the other pack boys an hour before. All of his things were packed and ready to go, so why shouldn’t he get to blow off a little steam?

Kyle was still out there, a dark and ominous cloud waiting to spit lightning down to hurt us.

I was a bit worried about letting Ash go off and hang out with his friends, but over the last couple days, Cole had asked a few members of his pack to watch out for us.

When I’d driven to the park, I’d noticed two of the pack members tailing us in a truck.

They’d smiled and waved as I parked to let Ashton out.

Knowing they would be there to watch out for him and keep any trouble away eased my fears.

Ashton deserved a couple hours to say goodbye and have fun.

Plus, Kyle had given us a few days. He could have lied, true, but at least we weren’t on our own.

People were watching out for us, and that would keep us safe until we got out of town.

I zipped up my suitcase and rolled it to the garage.

Almost everything we owned was there, packed and in the back of my new car.

I stowed my bag in the back with everything else and walked through the house one final time.

After being gone so long, it had become so much like home, and it broke my heart that I had to leave again.

Whatever happened, I wouldn’t be selling this house.

It deserved to remain in the family. That thought didn’t make leaving any less painful, though.

Going from one room to another, I flipped off the lights and stopped in my bedroom, turning the lights off and looking through the window at the tree swing outside.

Would it still be here when I returned? How long would that be?

Months? Years? Decades? I hoped not, but I couldn’t know for sure.

It wouldn’t take that long to deal with Kyle, but it might take that long before I was ready to be here again.

Having said my goodbyes to the house, I had two more stops to make. Swing by Stormy’s to say bye, then the park to pick up Ashton, and then off to the highway, leaving Harbor Mills behind.

Stormy opened the door as I pulled into her driveway, Shiloh sitting on her hip and waving with that big, toothless, baby smile.

“Hey there,” Stormy said as I walked up the steps. “How are you feeling?”

“Like shit,” I admitted as I walked in.

“Yeah, I figured.”

We sat on the couch, Shiloh’s babbling the only sound that broke the silence.

“Don’t you two look gloomy,” Liz said as she joined us.

A humorless chuckle rattled from my chest. “Yeah. It’s kind of a weird day.”

“Are you all headed out today?” Liz asked.

“Yep. I came by to say bye to you all, then I’m headed for the park to grab Ashton. Once I have him, we’ll hit the road.”

“I’m gonna miss you guys,” Stormy said. “I was getting used to living near you again.”

“I know, but it’s for the best. We can’t guarantee our safety here. We’ve got to head back home.” I rolled my eyes. “Well, old home.”

“Did Gaige manage to get your old house off the market before it went under contract?” Stormy asked.

I nodded and reached out to rub Shiloh’s chubby cheek. “He did. It was a pretty close thing. We’d had two offers fall through due to financing already, and another was supposed to go under contract when I called him, but at least I have somewhere to go.”

Stormy sat Shiloh down, and she promptly crawled over to her grandmother, who picked her up.

“This all feels weird,” Stormy said. “I know pack stuff doesn’t really have anything to do with the humans in town, but it still freaks me out that this sick asshole has a shot at taking over.

Part of me wants to head out with you and Ashton.

Go back to Des Moines and our old lives. That sounds crazy, doesn’t it?”

It was a selfish thought on my part, but as soon as Stormy said that, I desperately wanted her to come with us.

Having a friend back home would make it a thousand times easier to get reacclimated, and if my return was easier, it would be simpler for me to help Ashton adjust as well.

Selfish, yes, but I couldn’t stop myself.

“Why don’t you?”

“Huh?” Stormy looked at me like I was crazy.

“Come back with me and Ashton. We could be somewhere with less drama, less danger, and back in a place we know. Come back with us.”

“Oh, Avery, I don’t know. There’s a lot of memories back out west. Marcus, for one, I’m not sure how I’d deal with being back where we started our lives together.”

“It would do you good,” her mom said, and we both jerked our heads to face her.

“What?” Stormy gaped at her mother.

Liz gave her a reproaching look. “You know very well what I’m saying.

I’ve been trying to tell you that you have to move on with your life.

I don’t want you to do what I did after your father died.

I want you to find someone or something new.

A career, a house, a man, a change of pace.

I’m starting to get the feeling you’re only staying here to keep me company.

I don’t want your life stopping on my account.

I’d love for you and my grandbaby to stay here, but if leaving is what it takes for your life to get back on track, it’s worth it. ”

Stormy chuckled. “Well, damn, Mom, don’t hold back.”

Deep down, I hoped she’d agree. Now that the question was out, some of my guilt at even bringing it up vanished. I wasn’t twisting her arm. It would still be her decision.

“I don’t beat around the bush,” Liz said. “If you want to go back, I can help you get packed up by tomorrow.”

Stormy chewed on her lower lip for a few seconds, then grinned at me. “What the hell. Let’s do it. Why not?”

“Oh my gosh,” I said, feeling like I might cry. “This will be great. You guys can stay with me and Ashton until you find a place. We’ve got a third bedroom in that house, and an office. You could use that for Shiloh. I’m fine working in my room until you guys are settled.”

“I’ll start packing tonight,” Stormy said.

I hugged her, unable to hold back my emotions. I’d lost Cole, but I was going to have my best friend, and that was something. With her by my side, it would be easier for me to think positively.

“Okay, we’ll see you there, I guess,” I said. “I need to get Ashton, then we’re hitting the road.”

I hugged Stormy and her mother, then kissed Shiloh’s cheeks before heading back to the car.

I smiled as I drove. Maybe things wouldn’t be as bad as I thought they would be.

It could all work out. In fact, it might lift Ashton’s spirits to hear that Stormy and Shiloh would be living with us for a bit.

By the time I pulled into the parking area, I was feeling better than I had in days.

The truck with the bodyguards still sat in the lot, tucked away at the far end under the shade of a tree, the truck’s hood pointed toward the basketball court to watch what was going on.

A massive cluster of boys were playing basketball as I walked up, their sneakers scuffing and sliding on the black pavement.

The boy I knew best, Braylen, caught a pass and dribbled between two other boys before laying the ball up to the basket.

“That’s twenty-one!” Braylen shouted with a smile. “Game over, baby. Wanna play again?”

He was addressing the other boys, and as I scanned their faces, I realized Ashton wasn’t there. Frowning, I glanced toward the small pavilion where the bathroom was. Maybe he’d gone to pee?

“Hey, Ms. Carlisle,” Braylen said, waving at me. “What are you doing here?”

Looking back at him, I gave him an embarrassed smile. “Oh, I came to pick up Ashton. We’re actually leaving this afternoon. Headed back west, unfortunately.”

Braylen nodded, but his brow was creased as he did. “Yeah, I know. Ash told us all he was going to have to move again. But why are you here?”

I narrowed my eyes at him, feeling almost like they were telling some joke I wasn’t in on.

“Uh, to pick Ashton up. Why else would I be here, Braylen?”

Braylen turned to the other boys, who all looked equally confused. When he looked at me again, Braylan was frowning even deeper. “Well, because he’s already gone. That guy that looks like Alpha Garrett came and got him like twenty minutes ago. Maybe thirty minutes, actually.”

My heart thundered in my chest, and a cold sweat broke out on my brow and arms.

“The man who looked like… you mean, he looked like Cole?” I asked, my tongue suddenly very dry.