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“Either you start moving, or I’ll have to do it for you,” he says firmly.
I cross my arms defiantly, meeting his stern gaze with a mix of frustration and exasperation.“That’s very caveman, even for you,” I retort, unable to contain the hint of sarcasm in my voice.
His unyielding expression tells me he’s dead serious, and my resistance begins to waver.With a heavy sigh escaping my lips, I hastily slide my feet into the closest pair of shoes I can find.I hurriedly gather my laptop and carefully tuck away my most cherished possessions into my backpack.Before I can fully process the chaos unfolding around me, Sanford snatches my bag and swiftly lifts me off the ground, catching me off guard.His abrupt actions leave me momentarily speechless, my heart pounding in my chest as I try to grasp what’s happening.
“What is with you, Sanford Orion Bancroft?”I demand, my voice tinged with frustration and confusion.Instinctively, I wrap my arms around his neck, seeking stability and reassurance so that I don’t lose my balance.Pressing my face into his shoulder, I squeeze shut my eyes as he swiftly descends the stairs.
It’s as if I’m in the middle of a tornado, and I’m suddenly Dorothy about to be thrown into Oz.My mind ...No, the entire world is spinning out of control.One moment I’m getting ready to meditate, and now, I find myself forcefully ushered into a black SUV by a man who bears a striking resemblance to Sanford but acts like a complete stranger.I can’t wrap my head around it.
Should I jump out of the car and just run?
ChapterFour
Aerin
The SUV lurches into motion,and I try to wiggle myself out of Sanford’s tight grip, but his arms are steel bands around me.“Sanford, you’re squeezing the life out of me.”
He kisses the top of my head, and that’s when I hear him sobbing and laughing at the same time.
“Are you okay?”I ask, concerned about his well-being.
Maybe Greyson isn’t the only one who needs help.What happened to these men?It takes me only seconds to remind myself what happened to us.But shouldn’t they be okay?I’ve watched them in concerts and interviews.It seems like they live a perfect life.
“Better now,” he murmurs, his grip loosening slightly, allowing me to catch my breath.
“Could you ease up a little more?You’re smothering me,” I request, my voice filled with a mix of playfulness and a genuine need for space.
He complies, helping me to shift onto his lap.I reach up, using the sleeve of my sweatshirt to gently wipe away his tears.Concern etches my features as I ask, “What’s going on, big guy?”
“Who the fuck decided to publish that biography?”He chides me.
His question makes me freeze, and I fix a hardened stare on him.“It was my right.I need it.We all did,” I respond, matching his tone.
In return, he offers a helpless shrug, his expression laden with a mixture of confusion and concern.“You opened Pandora’s box, Aerin.Do you know what that means?”
I can’t help the smile that crosses my face.“Sure, everything is out, but guess what remains in the box?”
His brow furrows in confusion, and I answer before he can.“Hope, Sanford.I needed some hope.”Instinctively, my arms tighten around his neck, my face burying into the comforting familiarity of his scent.It’s been an eternity since I last saw him or felt him.
“Where’s Grey?”I ask, my voice is muffled against his shoulder.“He didn’t look well.”
“I’ve no fucking idea, but don’t worry about it.Someone’s keeping an eye on him.”
I pull back slightly, cupping his face in my hands.The man gazing back at me isn’t the Sanford I remember.This one is worn and haunted as if he’s lost a part of himself.“What happened, San?You look exhausted.Your soul looks like it traveled to hell and back.”
He releases a heavy sigh, the sound reverberating through his chest and against mine.“Lack of sleep, someone wrote a big fucking lie in that biography.I thought you were ...”His words trail off, and without further hesitation, he claims my mouth with a desperate, aching kiss.
The kiss is full of emotions we have buried inside us, hidden so no one could take them.I should push him away, but the truth is, I’ve dreamt of this moment for years, even though I never thought it would happen—even when I’m aware that it can’t lead anywhere.
“Hate to interrupt you, but you’re switching cars, Sanford,” someone says from outside our bubble.
Sanford hesitantly pulls away from me, his gaze serious and focused.He reaches beneath the seat, retrieving a baseball cap.“Wear this and keep your eyes down.”
Fear slithers down my spine at the hard edge in his voice.It sounds nothing like the Sanford I knew but more like the no-nonsense FBI agents who badgered me while I was in the hospital or the marshals bossing us around.
“San, what’s going on?”I ask, my voice shaking.
He takes my hand in his, the warmth is comforting against the cold fear inside me.“You’re safe, but I’ll explain the rest when we arrive at our place in Brooklyn,” he reassures me before he tugs me in the direction of a green SUV.
