Page 134 of Hold Me Before You Go

“Hello, James,” I said softly, standing up and grabbing Grayson’s limp hand.

The agent got straight to it. “Carrie, let go of his hand.”

I didn’t.

He sighed, removing his hands from his pockets. “Don’t make this harder than it has to be.”

“How’s Haley?” I asked.

His nostrils flared. “Dammit, Carrie. I’m warning you right now, this is the only warning you’re going to get, do you hear me? Let. Go. Of. His. Hand. Or you’ll leave here in cuffs.”

My breath hitched then, the fingers I’d been holding onto flexing. A whimper left me as I turned to find Grayson’s eyes opening.

“Grayson?” I breathed, not caring about James or the Feds surrounding me. “Grayson, can you hear me?” I scrambled back onto the bed, hovering over him, my curls falling off my shoulders.

His eyes held mine, his hand tightening around my fingers. He nodded, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw a flash of his white snake before he pulled the oxygen mask off his face.

“Carrie,” he pushed out weakly.

A sob left me. “Hi.”

His features were the softest I’d ever seen them. “Hi, baby.”

I leaned back down, pressing my lips to his as my body shook.

“Carrie,” James called out to my back softly. That was when I heard it, the regret in his voice.

I pulled myself away from Grayson, shifting to stand beside his bed again. “Please,” I begged.

James shook his head.

“I know he has to go,” I cried, losing my grip. “I know, I’m not asking for his freedom. I know you can’t give it to me. I just want five minutes with him, James. Please.”

“Garner,” Grayson greeted, his voice weak. “What a fucking pleasure.”

I laced my fingers through his then, his warm hand tight around mine.

“There’s nothing I can do, Carrie,” James said softly. “It’s out of my hands.”

“Then I suggest you find a way to get it back into your hands,” a deep voice said.

James turned to the side, his eyes on the doorway as a tall, dark figure rounded the corner, stepping into the room. The sunlight hit him then, highlighting his tattoos, his sharp, ice-blue eyes, jet black hair. He was dressed in an expensive black suit, a gray button-up sans the tie with the top two buttons undone, showing his tattooed chest.

All the air in my lungs left me then.

The man shot a glare to James before they sliced to me, quick as a blade. Chills scattered down my spine, but they always did when he looked at me. “It’s good to see you again, Carrie, despite the unfortunate circumstances,” he greeted, his deep voice carrying across the room like a dark melody.

“H-hello, Collin,” I stammered.

He gave me a small smile before addressing the rest of the room. “Gentlemen, if you would be so kind as to give Agent Garner and me the room. We have some things to discuss.”

All the agents looked to James, waiting for instruction.

With a sigh, the lead agent jerked his head to the door, and everyone moved. Seconds later, it was just the four of us, and Collin murmured a thank you to the last agent, shutting the door calmly. He put his hands into his pockets then, walking back to the end of Grayson’s bed, facing the three of us.

“What the hell are you doing here, Stevens?” James asked, sighing.

“Cutting a deal,” he answered.

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