Page 99 of Too Far

Sam raps his knuckles on the door. “Hey, kiddo,” he says from the other side. “You up?”

“I’m up,” I reply, sitting up in bed.

“Are you alone?”

The words slice through me with such intensity I startle.

I’m alone.

I have three men who love me. Yet we’re all broken and battered. Is there a difference between being alone and being incomplete? Will the crater of loneliness created by the decision Decker forced on our group fill in over time, or will we learn to live with the emptiness?

Gulping past the overwhelming sadness, I shoot for upbeat when I respond. “Yep, just me. Come on in.”

Sam pushes the door open, but he doesn’t step into the room.

The forced smile he wears is far too bright for the circumstances.

“I made breakfast. Hungry? I also wanted to check in about the evacuation orders. I was planning to head to Louisiana this afternoon anyway. You’re welcome to join me.”

My heart warms at his offer. This man has done nothing but support me since the day I arrived in Lake Chapel.

“I have plans,” I assure him. “But thank you.” I gulp past the emotion burning up my esophagus. “It’s nice to know I have this place—and you—to fall back on.”

“Of course, Jojo,” Sam chides, his brow furrowed. “Always. That’s what family is for.”

The ride to the marina is mostly silent. The whole way, Kylian keeps his hand on my thigh, squeezing now and then to assure me.

When we arrive, he angles close and places his hand over the seat belt latch. “Before we get going…” Then his lips are on mine. At first, the kiss is desperate, but as we melt into each other, a peaceful calm washes over us both.

“I love you,” he whispers against my lips. “But last night was bullshit. I didn’t sleep, and I’m not doing that again.”

Frowning, I pull back and get a good look at him.

His eyes are watery and a little bloodshot, and the lines in his forehead are more defined, as if he’s been deep in thought for hours.

“When this storm is over and we get back to Lake Chapel, things have to change. Either Decker leaves the isle, or we get our own place, or—”

Pressing my lips to his, I nod frantically.

There’s so much to figure out. Logistics. Finances. So many of the resources we’re all accustomed to are either provided by Decker or are made possible because of him, but I have no doubt that Kylian will find a solution. Just as I’m certain all three guys will do whatever it takes to move on and get us back on track.

High-pitched squeals catch my attention then. Before us, Jade and Emilia are running circles around Kendrick and Nicky.

A rush of love washes over me, and a smile so big it hurts stretches across my face.

“The girls are going with us?” Quickly, I unbuckle my seat belt and collect my things. I packed enough for three days; Kylian assured me we’d be gone a few nights at most.

“I told you, everyone will be there. Sherriff Taylor has to work. They always come with us when we evacuate.”

Nervous to ask my next question, I worry my lip and scan the marina parking lot. “And byeveryone, you mean…”

“He’s not riding with us.” Kylian’s tone is firm, sure.

Dropping my shoulders, I let my head fall forward and close my eyes. That answer is more telling than Kylian realizes.

“He’ll be there, though?”

For a breath, he doesn’t respond. When I pull myself together again and turn to him, he’s inspecting me from behind his glasses.