Page 37 of The Hermit

No. I’m the farthest thing from okay.

I told Ciara I would protect her and she didn’t trust me to do so. Instead, she ran away from home.

She ran away from me.

“Yes,” I murmur. “I’ll be down in a minute.”

“Okay,” she replies before leaving.

The strength I had to face Dad and Dominik is nowhere in sight. With Ciara gone, there’s nothing to fight for anymore.

I feel abandoned and lost as I brush my trembling hand over my stomach.

I can’t believe Ciara left without me.

I suck in a shaky breath as a tear spirals over my cheek, and using the pads of my fingers, I brush the drop away.

My throat strains as I fight to suppress a sob, and my breaths become choppy.

“Grace! Ciara!” I hear Dad’s voice thunder through the mansion.

Automatically, my legs move, and with every step I take, my world darkens.

Many times, I’ve said I would marry Dominik, but now that there’s an actual possibility of it happening, my own fear takes precedence over Ciara’s safety.

She’s out of their reach, which puts me in the direct line of fire.

I won’t survive a second marriage. Just thinking about being intimate makes me feel sick to my stomach.

I’d rather die.

DOMINIK

I’ve been waiting impatiently for the women to join us so we can put this matter to rest. I have a shit ton of work and need to get going.

When Grace finally steps into the office, I immediately notice her pale face and unnaturally dark gaze.

My heart slowly starts to beat faster as I ask, “What’s wrong?”

She looks as if she’s been dealt one hell of a blow, and there’s no fire anywhere to be seen in her eyes.

She sucks in a breath, and it shudders over her lips as she exhales.

Instinctively, I step closer to her and take hold of her arm. “Grace? What happened?”

Her eyes lift to mine, and there’s no fight in them as she says, “Ciara’s gone.”

“What?” Ian gasps. He darts around his desk and shouts, “What did you do?!”

“Watch your fucking tone,” I snap angrily at the bastard before looking at Grace again. “What do you mean she’s gone?”

Her face tightens as if she’s in an unbearable amount of pain, then she says, “She ran away.”

Grace lifts her hand and seeing the piece of paper, I take it from her and read the short note before passing it to Ian.

“God dammit,” he hisses. “I’ll send men to search for her immediately.”

I don’t give a shit about Ciara, and not missing the chance she’s offered me by running away, I say, “I don’t have time to look for her. I’m marrying Grace.”

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