Page 51 of Forbidden Access

Tears welled up in her eyes, but she only let them fall because she could hear the water running. Damian had gone straight to the bathroom to take a cold shower. There would be no hot water after this long.

Thorn sniffed and took a shaky breath. Maybe if she went outside into the sun, she’d cast off the shadows.

Out on the terrace, the sun hit her full in the face. Blinking, she sat down on the low stone wall and looked out over the terraced fields below—once full of olive trees, now just dried-up remnants of what used to be. She let her feet dangle, staring at the horizon. The view was the same, the house was the same, but everything felt different. Jaden was gone, and she was here with someone else.

The sun dried her tears, but she stayed put until she heard Damian step outside. “You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m just tired. How about we take a nap before we figure out our next move?”

He looked at her for a moment, then nodded. “Yeah, sure. Which room do you want me to take?”

She shot him a surprised look. After last night—she pushed the thought away, not ready to deal with that. She’d assumed he’d want to be with her.

“I think we could both use some alone time.” He kept his tone light. “And honestly, I’m just going to crash. I assume we’re safe here?”

She gave him a grateful smile. She needed time alone with her thoughts and the memories that haunted this place.

“Yeah, they won’t find us here. Not even Pat and the unit know about this spot, and it’s in my parents’ name, not mine.” If anyone was tracking them, they wouldn’t get past Las Piedras.

“Okay, then. I’ll see you later.” And he strode back into the house without another word.

Thorn showered and changed into fresh clothes that she found in the closet, then collapsed onto the bed. The door to the spare room was closed—Damian would be out cold by now.

Why had she brought him here?

Because there was nowhere else to go, she reminded herself. Damian needed protection, and this was the only place that came to mind where they’d be completely safe. But even knowing she’d done the right thing to protect her high-value target didn’t stop her emotions from spiraling.

Despite the years, the bed still carried a faint trace of Jaden’s scent. His things were still on the dresser—his comb, his deodorant. She picked up the deodorant before lying down, breathing in the familiar smell, and once again was overwhelmed with sadness.

The bedside table had a stack of books Jaden had planned to read but never got the chance. She ran her fingers over them gently. Like her, he’d loved to read.

It was stiflingly hot in the bedroom, even with the window open, so she reached up and pulled the cord for the ceiling fan. It creaked to life, slowly at first, like it had forgotten how to work, but then picked up speed, sending a light breeze over her.

That was better. She closed her eyes, letting the sound of the fan and the memories swirling around her lull her into a restless sleep.

When Thorn opened her eyes hours later, she thought she was back at the hotel with Damian. Then reality came crashing back, and the warmth of that thought was replaced by the cold, familiar grip of grief.

Pushing it aside, she got up and went outside. Damian was sitting on the terrace. He had set up the outdoor table and chairs, which he must have found stacked in the outdoor shed, and was sitting with a beer in hand.

He smiled when he saw her. For once, her heart didn’t do a flip-flop. “It’s warm, but right now it’s the best damn beer I’ve ever tasted.”

She joined him at the table. “I see you found the outdoor furniture.”

“Yeah, I hope you don’t mind. It’s such a gorgeous evening, and this view.” He whistled softly. “It’s incredible.”

She looked out over the hilly landscape to where the sky met the sea. “It sure is. It’s why my parents bought the place. They loved it here.”

“I can see why.”

Thorn forced her mind back to the practicalities. “We’ll need some food. There used to be a local farm store down the road. It should have everything we need.”

Damian nodded, his eyes bright and more alert since his nap. He’d cleaned up, too, the stubble gone, probably using one of Jaden’s old razors, but he was still wearing the same filthy jeans and shirt.

“You can borrow some of Jaden’s clothes,” she said, her voice tight. “You can’t keep wearing those.”

“You sure?”

“It’s practical. Besides, it’s not like he needs them anymore.” She bit her lip, hoping the pain would stop the rising wave of emotion.

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