Chapter 6

Danika couldn't believe how nice James had turned out. He was really the perfect gentleman. They'd eaten dinner, had some wine, then headed up to bed. She'd felt awkward, but James wasn't a jerk. He made her feel comfortable instead of frightened that he would do something.

For the first time in a long time, she got a good night's sleep. She woke to an empty room and a note in the bathroom explaining that he was downstairs and that no one would be coming into the room, so she didn't need to worry.

She thought it weird that she hadn't heard him leave the room. The exhaustion must really have taken her under. Of course, Ezra didn't know where she was, so she felt safe. No one knew about her plans or where she was headed.

When she'd run, she'd taken a train north but gotten off in Birmingham. That's when she'd mailed her phone to a random business in Glasgow. If he had a tracker on her phone, which she knew he did, it wouldn't be anywhere close to her. Then she'd picked up a return train to London, glad she had gotten rid of her phone. She'd thought about leaving it on the train but didn't want some helpful person finding her phone and trying to get it back to her. The phone being mailed north would direct his attention somewhere other than London.

After a few stretches and some yoga, she showered quickly and dressed. Should she go downstairs to eat? She was hungry, and she needed coffee.

"Screw it," she said as she grabbed the room key and headed out the door. The elevator opened downstairs, and she stepped out. Suddenly, James was by her side.

"Hey, you came down."

She nodded. "Yeah, I was hungry."

"That's reasonable. The coffee is good."

"That's a plus." She looked out the window, and all she saw was white. "I guess it hasn't stopped snowing?"

James shook his head. "No, and it's only going to get worse today. It should start to clear tonight. The planes aren't flying yet."

"Shit, how am I going to get to the airport?"

"They say the subways and trains out to the airport should be running by tomorrow afternoon. You'll be able to get there. We're only a few blocks from the station, and it will be easy to walk once they start clearing the sidewalks."

She nodded, glad that she would be able to leave eventually.

The coffee machine set up was nice, and she chose a flat white. Once the machine finished, she lifted the mug to her nose and breathed in deeply. The aroma made her sigh. After she had set her coffee on a table, she turned to get food and saw James coming over with two full plates.

"Sit," James said .

"I need?—"

"I got you food. Sit down and eat."

"Okay."

He'd practically gotten her one of everything. Her stomach growled, and she realized how hungry she was. James shot her a lopsided grin, before he picked up a piece of toast and bit down.

"Did you sleep well?" He asked after he finished chewing.

"Yeah. I'm a little surprised it's so late. But this is the first time I've known for a fact he wouldn't find me."

"How did you get rid of your phone? Did you toss it in the river?"

She shook her head. "No. I put it in a package at a mail drop when I was in Birmingham and mailed it to Glasgow. He lives outside of London, and I took a train north to throw him off since I knew he was tracking me. Maybe he'll think I went north and am with one of his friends in Scotland."

His eyebrows shot up. "That's genius. So your phone is on the way north. Amazing."

Pride filled her. She felt like it was the one thing she'd done right. He wouldn't know where she'd gone, and if he chased her, he would never find her.

"I'm hoping that will buy me enough time to leave without him catching up to me," she said before taking a sip of her flat white, which tasted so good.

Danika felt comfortable with James, almost like old times—not really, though. They'd both been so young and now they were adults. She studied him as he ate. It seemed like he never let down his guard. He was constantly alert, his eyes drifting around the room as if looking for potential threats .

Questions came to mind. Where did he live and what did he do for work? She should ask, but something told her not to do so in public.

"So what's next for you?" James asked, interrupting her musings. "After you get back to the States?"

Danika frowned. She hadn't thought far beyond getting away from this place safely. "I'm not sure," she admitted. "I'll have to figure that out. Nebraska isn't home any longer, but maybe it would be a safe place while I get back on my feet."

"You should be careful," James said gently. "If this guy is really determined to find you, he might look for you there."

Danika's stomach dropped at the thought. "Yeah, you're probably right. I guess I have more planning for where I go next."

James studied her for a moment as he chewed a piece of bacon. She might have been imagining it, but his eyes seemed to fill with concern. "If you need help, I have contacts."

Danika's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?" She glanced around, making sure no one had moved to sit near them. They were off to the side, away from all the other guests who had come down for food, but still, they weren't in private. "What kind of contacts?" She wasn't sure if she should be relieved James was willing to help her or worried about who these mysterious contacts were.

"Just people I've worked with who are experts in helping people start over when things happen."

James's answer seemed evasive. She didn't blame him. The need to disappear and leave her old life behind for good was dangerous. She imagined that if the wrong person learned how people accomplished the task of starting over, it would be bad for everyone. As terrifying as the idea of starting over was, it also offered her freedom she hadn't felt in years.

She took a deep breath. "Let me think about it?"

James nodded. "Of course. Whatever you decide, I'll help you as much as I can."

His words and concern made her heart swell unexpectedly. Whatever happened between them in the past, James had already helped her more than anyone had in years. She reached out and squeezed his hand gently.

"Thank you. Really, you being here for me helps so much."

He gave her a small smile. "Don't mention it."

Another couple came close and sat at the table behind them, stopping their conversation. The snow continued to fall outside, blanketing the city even deeper. How would the trains run if this kept up? The flight to the USA would save her, but she had to leave before Ezra figured out where she'd gone.

Ezra might chase her overseas and possibly find her, but she knew he would find her if she stayed here in London. After they finished eating, they headed back upstairs. She watched TV while James stepped out into the hall to make some calls. Again, the urge to ask him what he did for work hit, but she didn't want to pry. He'd helped her immensely already, and she didn't want to seem ungrateful.

Worry still clawed at her. What if James wasn't a good guy like she thought he was? She didn't want to contemplate how bad it could be if James was secretly working with Ezra. Just the idea of that betrayal made her chest hollow with fear.

But James wasn't like that, or she didn't think he was. She wanted to believe that he wasn't corruptible. If she couldn't trust James, the one person from her past she truly missed and thought about often when alone, then what was life even about?