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“Felt it how?” He asked, tension deepening the lines in his forehead.
She could see the pulse beating in his neck as she placed her hand on his chest. “Here,” she said, then moved her other hand to her head. “And here. It just, I don’t know, exploded through me, reverberating inside me or something. And then the universe decided to kick me while I was down and play it again, and again for a third time.”
Caden covered her hand on his chest with his hand, and sweetly cupped the side of her neck. “Did you recognize the building?”
“No. I tried drawing it, well the part of it I saw, but I suck at art.”
Caden let out a ragged breath and ran his hands over her shoulders and down her arms, as if checking to make sure she was in one piece. “Let me see what you drew. Go get dressed. I’m not leaving you here, and if we have any chance of finding this building in time, I’ll need my friends’ help.”
Hallie looked at him with wide eyes. “You’re going to try to find it?”
“Yeah, Hales, I’m going to try to find it and stop it from exploding, if for no other reason than I can’t bear to see you like this. I won’t just sit around waiting for it to happen if I can prevent it and get you some relief sooner rather than later. Come on, we need to get going.”
She started toward her closet, then stopped and looked back at him. “What if you can’t find it?” She asked, her voice filled with the fear that had built up inside her after all those years of seeing awful things she couldn’t do anything about.
Caden closed the distance between them and held her close. He brushed his lips across her forehead then pressed a kiss there. “Trust me, please. Dress, okay?”
She nodded and retreated to her closet. She chose her favorite pair of jean shorts, a sleeveless floral top that cinched at the waist, and her favorite cute sandals with little rhinestones. It took her longer than usual to do her hair because she’d left it wet and uncombed for a while, but after about twenty minutes, a quick application of concealer to hide the dark circles under her eyes, some mascara, and a touch of lip gloss, she was ready to go.
Caden held her close as they walked out of her apartment building to his car. When they stopped in front of his car, he kissed her hand, then her forehead. “I won’t stop looking. Not until I find it and stop it, or it happens. Watching you suffer while I do nothing just isn’t an option. Not this time.”
The only glimpse she’d ever even come close to preventing was Blake’s. And that was only because she’d seen his badge with his name on it. She had no idea what this building was or even where it was. For all she knew, it could be on the other side of the world.
Caden drove fast. Not reckless, but with purpose. When they pulled into Garrett’s long gravel driveway, memories of the last time she’d been here flooded Hallie’s mind, but Caden squeezed her hand, bringing her attention back to him. “You okay?” He asked.
She nodded and started opening her door.
“Wait,” he said. “Let me come around.”
Hallie would’ve insisted she was fine, if only because they were trying to get to his friends as quickly as possible, but at that moment her glimpse replayed, making her body jolt at the sound of the explosion.
Caden’s arms were already around her when she opened her eyes. “Hales.” It came out soft and pleading. His gaze met hers as she reached for his hand, taking it in hers.
“I’m okay.” She reassured him. “They don’t actually hurt me. Mostly they just startle me or catch me off guard.” When they came on this strong, they also made her stomach a bit queasy and gaveher a headache, but she left that part out. Caden was clearly having a hard enough time dealing with this without knowing the full extent of how these glimpses affected her. She only wished she could be stronger to somehow shield him from it all.
“Stay there until I come around,” he repeated before getting out of the car. When he met her at her door, he said, “We’ll need to tell them.”
“I know. It’s okay. They’re your closest friends. They should know.”
Caden led her to the metal gate she remembered all too well and stopped just before going in. “I love you so much, Hales. I’m going to figure this out for you.”
“I love you too.” The hope that coursed through her veins was almost palpable. But with it came the fear and doubt that no one would be able to find that building, and that it, like everything else she’d seen over the years, was doomed.
Chapter 28
Caden felt her weakness and knew she wasn’t telling him everything. These glimpses took a toll on her she wouldn’t admit to, and this one was by far the worst. He loved the steel in her, but he also wished she would let herself lean on him more. As soon as they entered the yard, his friends turned to greet them.
“Hey,” Garrett called out. “Glad you could come. Make yourselves at home.”
“We’re just starting to grill some burgers. Any special requests?” Tanner asked.
Luke came over and hugged Hallie, then slapped Caden on the back. “Martin got called out on a two-alarm fire, but he’ll be here soon enough, and Blake is - hell I don’t know where Blake is,” Luke said with a chuckle. “Anyone know where Blake is?” He asked no one in particular.
Garrett snorted. “He’s off being Blake.”
“I’m right here you assholes.” Blake’s voice came up from right behind where Caden and Hallie were standing.
Hallie jumped a little in surprise, and Caden held her tighter to him as he turned to see his friend carrying a case of beer that looked ice cold.
