Page 60 of Saved by my Baby Daddy Spy
I smile, but the guilt is still there, even if it is fading. I don’t know if the guilt will ever entirely go away. I hope it does. I want to be able to enjoy the life we have without worrying about all the things that I should have done.
“When we get back home,” Holden says, his gaze glued to Kerri. “I want this to work. I know this can work. I’m going to get out of my own way and be the partner you need me to be. I will communicate better and more often. No more secrets between us.”
My heart skips a beat as I study him. There is hesitation in his eyes, but there is also a hard set to his jaw. He means his words. There isn’t a doubt in my mind that this time is going to be different. He’s going to be the man I know he is inside.
He’s going to step out of his own way for us.
“As much as I’ve loved our vacation, I can’t wait to get back home.”
Holden smiles and reaches up to cup my face. “I know what you mean. Thank you for giving me chance after chance, Hannah. I’m not going to let you down again.”
And this time, I know he means it.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Holden
Wepackourbagsand by that I mean, we packed one of my bags and about four of hers and Kerri’s. I really enjoyed our time here and I wish we could stay here forever, just breathing the fresh mountain air with my daughter and making out almost every night.
I try not to think of it too much, I know that we both have to get back to the world, hopefully it’ll be better this time.
My gaze shifts from the window to the gathering dusk outside, a subtle unease settling in the pit of my stomach. A figure moves at the periphery of my vision, and a ripple of tension courses through me. The intricacies of a world from which we may never truly escape disturb the peace of the mountain hideaway.
"We need to leave," I murmur to Hannah, my eyes lingering on the silhouette beyond the glass. She turns from the half-packed suitcase, sensing the shift in the atmosphere. In unspoken agreement, we hasten our efforts, making hasty decisions about what to take and what to leave behind.
The bags are unevenly filled – one of mine and a handful belonging to Hannah and Kerri’s.
As I glance around the cabin, a pang of nostalgia hits me. The scent of pine lingers in the air, a testament to the moments we've shared—laughter, quiet conversations, and stolen kisses beneath the starlit sky. I find myself yearning for the simplicity of these stolen moments, where the only worry was the next adventure we'd embark upon.
Hannah's voice interrupts my musings, a gentle reminder of the reality we're returning to. "Have you seen Kerr's pacifier? She might need it for the flight home."
"Yeah, you left it on the kitchen counter," I reply, the mundane task grounding us in the present. The cabin, which was once a sanctuary, now seems to be a short-term escape from the turbulent world outside.
As we finish packing, the cabin takes on an air of abandonment, its walls holding the echoes of our laughter and whispered promises. We gather our belongings, our steps echoing in the now-hollow space. The mountain air feels different, tinged with the bittersweet taste of departure.
I help them into the car before taking my pistol from the glove compartment. Hannah stares at me in bewilderment.
“I’ll be back in a minute,” I promise. “I need you to sit in the drivers seat. There is a gun under the seat if you’ll need it. If I’m not back soon, I need you to drive to the airport as fast as you can okay,” I kiss her forehead.
“I’m not leaving here without you, Holden.”
That’s what I fear. I quickly head into the forest, tracking the figure I saw earlier. How long has he been watching us? I really messed up. I let my guard down.
I sight the exact spot where he was standing and move in to examine it, I see a note. I carefully scan the place and pick up the note gently in case there’s any traps lying around.
Your days are numbered, Holden.
The note read. I squeezed the note and tossed it aside before rushing back to the car. I heave a sigh of relief when I see Hannah right were I left her. She is worried but that’s far better than her being attacked.
“What was that?” she asks.
“Nothing, just wanted to make sure everything was alright,” I try to kiss her but she blocks my lips with her index finger.
“No more lies Holden! You promised,” she says.
“Hannah…”
“Don’t,” she interrupts me. “You don’t have to do this alone, Holden. Do you think we’ll be safer if we are ignorant about this?” her voice trails off.
