G,
I knew you would come when you realized I was gone. I’m not stupid. I knew there was a microphone in the medallion. How else could you always know when I was in trouble?
Please take it with you when you go. I can’t do this anymore. Having your necklace around my neck made me think I was yours, that maybe I belonged to you, but I’ve realized that’s a fantasy I’ve been feeding myself. If you wanted me, you would have already made me yours. My mistake. I’m sorry, I just didn’t understand before now.
Maybe I am stupid after all.
Whatever. It doesn’t matter.
Take the necklace. Don’t worry about me anymore. I’m not your responsibility. I never was, although I’m thankful for all the times you saved me.
Goodbye, G.
Monroe
The paper fell to the floor without my realizing as I stared down at the medallion hanging from the chain in my hand. She had realized there was a microphone.
Which meant she really did know she was talking to me all those times…
Fuck.
And now I didn’t know where she was.
I sucked in a deep, calming breath that did nothing to ease the tightness in my chest or the constriction around my heart.
Unacceptable.
I needed to hear her voice. Her heart beating. I needed to know she was safe. That no one had harmed her. No one had taken my precious one from me.
I would find her.
Chapter 1
Monroe
The music was thumping so loud, it was as if it had moved into my chest, making my heart dance to the bass.
It was equal parts irritating and soothing. Irritating because I wasn’t a fan of the music the DJ was playing. Soothing in that it gave my heart a break from aching over something I had no business wanting.
I shouldn’t have dreamed of being with him. Shouldn’t have let myself think I even had a chance. Just because he was my real-life superhero, dropping everything to save me whenever things got dicey, literally saving my life over and over again, didn’t mean G belonged to me.
I’d fallen for a figment of my own imagination. Imagining there was more to him protecting me.
My naïveté knew no bounds, dreaming of a future with a guy I’d only seen randomly over a four-year period.
Blame it on all the books I read. All those strong alpha men who would do anything to protect the women they loved. Even if that was what it felt like G was doing, I should have known better.
I lifted my hand, my fingers searching for the medallion. When I didn’t feel it, they began to tremble, and I quickly blinked back the tears that were suddenly blinding, reminding myself yet again this was for the best.
I needed to let G go. Move on and forget all about him.
“You want some chocolate?” Maverick asked from where he was sitting across from me with River on his lap.
I nearly laughed at the look on my brother’s face. He was kind of adorable when he was trying to take care of me. Apparently he thought I was on my period and that was why I was being emotional and moody. If he knew it was because my heart was broken into a million pieces in my chest, he would have lost his mind, gotten one of Daddy’s guns, and killed anyone he thought was the culprit behind my pain.
He was just like our dad, especially when it came to protecting us girls.
Which was why I was never going to tell him a single thing about G, and I trusted both Mila and River to keep their mouths shut about him too. I kept plenty of secrets for the two of them, so I knew my most important one was safe with those two.