Page 65 of Hold Me Before You Go

Carrie was safe?

She was okay?

Ash rounded his desk, snatching the radio from its base. “This is Ash. Over.”

Hayes put his hand on my shoulder as we waited for Mags to come back.

More static cut through the air, followed by my best friend’s rough voice. “Ash, we have Carrie. Is Grayson there? Over.”

All I could hear was Carrie’s laugh in my head, and once more, my chest was heaving as the organ inside it worked on overdrive.

“She’s okay,” I said, shaking my head as I shoved my fingers into my hair. I looked at Ash. “She’s okay?” I asked.

“Is she okay? Over,” Ash replied, his eyes burning into me, his jaw tight.

Jake looked at me, emotion painted all over his face, his chest heaving. Dominic came to stand beside Ash, his eyes on the radio as he remained still as a statue, waiting.

More static and then, “She’s okay. Over.”

I fell to my knees, and for the first time in my life, I didn’t feel any pain. Not anywhere in my body, not in my dark soul, or even in my heart. For the first time, I felt a sense of peace I’d never known.

My sunshine was safe.

Before I could stop it, my shoulders were shaking, sobs leaving me as I shoved my hands back into my hair.

She was fucking safe.

“We can’t get anything in the air tonight, Grayson,” Hayes told me.

We’d moved the radio into my office, waiting for an update from Mags. I was behind my desk, Tic-Tac on my lap while Hayes and Ash were seated in front of me. Jake and Dominic were packing, getting everything ready to go to Hallow Ranch.

I looked up from the radio in my hand and out the windows, seeing nothing but a sheet of white. The second round of the storm was here, and I was beginning to remember how much I hated the fucking snow. Despite the need to get to Carrie as soon as possible burning inside me, the fire growing by the second, I couldn’t risk anyone’s life. Hayden was only three hours away, but we had to fly over mountains to get there.

I didn’t feel like crashing into a mountain tonight, and neither did any of the other guys.

I nodded and looked back to Hayes. “I understand,” I rumbled, my voice still thick.

My team had seen me lose my mind and then cry over my woman all within a week’s time. Truth be told, I didn’t know how to feel about that. I was so used to being closed off, not showing emotion for or to anyone.

I was used to being cold, and then Carrie came into my life, warming me for the first time.

“Gray?”

Ash’s voice pulled me from my thoughts, and I jerked my chin to him. “What is it, Ash?”

His rugged, handsome face was serious as he leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, letting his hands hang down. “Carrie is safe, you understand that, right? Hallow Ranch is the second safest place in the world for her,” he said gently.

Tic-Tac took a deep breath in my lap, whimper in his sleep, and all eyes went to him. I brought my hand to his head, stroking him as I said, “I know that.”

“Then why do you look like someone just gutted you?” Hayes asked softly.

Looking up, I saw the concern in their eyes—concern for me. “I’m alright, boys. Better than alright. Carrie is safe, and that’s all that matters.”

Ash shook his head. “Wrong. You’re wrong, Grayson. You matter too. What you went through this week…It was a lot.”

My eyes bounced back and forth between them. “What is this?” I asked, my voice growing hard.

Hayes leaned forward then. “This is us coming to make sure you’re okay.”

---