Page 124 of The Marine

CHAPTER THIRTY

BRIAR

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Idon’t have a plan. All I know is that I have to get away. Like a madwoman, I stuff clothes into my backpack, toss it over my shoulder, then run downstairs after locking up my apartment.

I’m half expecting Kael to be downstairs but thank god, he’s not.

My phone will be blowing up but it's back at the wedding venue.

I need another one, so I jog down to the local store, withdraw cash from the ATM outside it, and then buy a cheap iPhone.

I’m super aware that I didn’t have time to change and must look strange in my bridesmaid dress, heels, and a backpack.

Don’t care.

Once I have the phone, I wave down another cab and spend the drive to my destination loading up my apps so I’m connected again.

I silence the phone as I don’t want to see or hear the notifications from social channels once people know I’m missing.

I know I should tell Alice and Trina...and everyone, but I think I’m going through an early midlife crisis.

Or some kind of crisis.

A crisis of the heart.

Maybe a crisis of my soul.

I throw my head back against the seat and let out a long and loud sigh.

“Change your mind?” the driver asks.

I lift my head. “Sorry?”

“The wedding?” He meets my eyes in the mirror and there’s zero judgment. I guess he’s seen this before as a taxi driver.

But it’s not what he thinks.

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