Page 68 of Look for Me

“Maybe never. All our lives are in danger.”

Martin stopped walking. “That serious?”

“Keep walking,” Corinne said.

“Where are you going?”

“I don’t know.”

“Who will be a father to your children?” Martin asked.

“God the Father takes care of widows and single mothers.”

“Let me help.”

“I don’t need help. I can fend for myself. I’ve been fending for myself since I was a teenager.”

“I’m sorry.” Martin choked up. “I didn’t mean that way. I don’t want to let you go, and I’m trying to find a reason for us to be together.”

“Pray that this situation is only temporary. You know they’re looking for the third person. Until then, they’re putting Dahlia and me in a safe house.” Corinne drew a deep breath. “I can’t even attend Wanda’s funeral.”

“Too public.” Martin nodded. Flavian and Nikos were both dead, but Oscar was still at large. Somewhere in their lunch conversation, Pilar had said that the INTERPOL was after Oscar. Drug and diamond smuggling, plus human trafficking.

“Until they find him, my daughter and I have to disappear again,” Corinne said quietly.

“I want to go with you,” Martin said suddenly.

Corinne was speechless.

“Let me go with you.”

“No, Martin.” It was a firm response. “Go home to Savannah. Your family’s probably worried about you by now. Get on with your life.”

“I found you again.”

“You never lost me, Martin.”

Martin stopped. Tears pooled in his eyes. Man tears, he told himself. Man tears. “I thought you meant that for…”

“For my ex?” Corinne held Martin’s hand. “You never lost me. You never left my mind. He never had me.”

“Wow. So it was meant for me, after all.”

“Yes. If you must know, I had to sell my body to survive, but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t concerned about his salvation.”

Martin flinched. Oh, how he wished he had somehow prevented Corinne from leaving Savannah four years ago. Then she wouldn’t have—

No. In fact, because he loved her, he had to let her go. She had to make her own choices. If she wanted to be with Martin, she had to decide to do so. He couldn’t make her or force her to do anything. It wouldn’t be love.

“I’m a survivor, Martin. I’m not a victim,” Corinne stated.

“I’m glad.”

“It was the darkest time of my life,” Corinne explained. “God used it to bring me here, where I got saved—the brightest time of my life. Key Largo will always be a special place to me because this is where I met Jesus.”

“God worked it all out for your good,” Martin said.

“Yes, He did. And for Dahlia too. I wouldn’t raise her anywhere outside the church, to be honest. That has been my sanctuary.”

---