Cerulean eyes, cherry lips, and chestnut hair.
Noah.
I hope my husband understands that I love him beyond comprehension.
That loving him felt a lot like walkinginto a house and suddenly knowing you’re home.
Falling for him wasn’t falling at all.
It was coming home. He is home.
But it wasn’t safe anymore-- not for him and not for Adrian.
Noah can’t be my safety net if his life would constantly be on the line.
I hope he understands that because I love him, I have to go.
There's absolutelynothingI wouldn't do for him including betraying him by leaving now.
I have to go.
I slip the note under Adrian’s sleeve, hoping he stays asleep.
I’m grateful that Mina stayed back to be with me today. There is no one in this world besides Noah that I trust with Adrian.
We’re at the second block already and I pray the car’s child lock isn’t on so I can make my escape.
We stop at the light, and I muster up every single scrap of strength I have to nudge Mina. She turns back to me, nodding her head at the agent behind me to keep an eye out the windows.
I paste on the best apologetic smile I can fake and hand her my son.
The car starts moving again, we’re about to pull up to the light on the third block.
“Can you hold him for a sec? I think I pulled something when we hightailed it into the car. Just need to stretch for a few then I can take him back.”
There’s a furrow between her eyebrows, her worry evident on her face but she humors me, taking Adrian.
I make a show of massaging my arms and elbows.
The car comes to a stop and Agent Smith curses.
Both Mina and the other agent look over to see what the commotion is. That’s when I see a man in a wheelchair tipped over in the middle of the crosswalk.
“Mina...”
Her gaze snaps to me and I see the second it clicks as she shakes her head at me.
“Tell Noah I’m sorry. Tell him I love him.”
My door flies open at that exact same time and the agent who handed me the note pulls me from the car. I don’t resist as Agent Smith shouts for the other agent to grab me.
“RIA!”
Mina attempts to reach out but with Adrian in her arms, she fails to grab me and I land on the asphalt. I see the other agent scrambling to get across the backseat to get to me.
I meet Mina’s eyes with my tear-filled ones as I’m dragged to the gray suburban that’s waiting.
The door flies open, and he shoves me in.