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"That’s an interesting naht-faced "The town is just as hard to find as the garden"

"Ha, ha," I teased, unimpressed with his joke "So do we have an actual destination?"

Jared shway, I thought of the perfect place"

"Which is…?" I trailed off

"Virginia Beach"

I smiled "I’ve never been there"

He ht it would be a relaxing place for you to hile the investigators figure out what happened, and then when they contact us--and they wil --il return in a few days, upset and flustered"

I frowned Jared’s plan wouldn’t work If anything, once the Providence PD fol owed the breadcrumbs we left for them, ould look more suspicious Jared’s loft had already been declared an act of arson, and they had assues were filed But now that ation again If they found out ere there at the tie and hold us for a nuht, my concerns compounded

"It’s not the first time I’ve had to explain myself to the police I promise there is no need to worry We’ll explain our version and leave for Jerusalem as planned If I can kill a dozen or so dirty cops in one night and keep our names out of it…"

"But her fa back then because they dug deep enough to see as going on? Sasha’s family ant answers"

"Ryan and Claire wil take care of it The family wil have answers They’l just have ones that don’t iuard that everyone knows about, Nina Now everyone wil knohy You’re a target, and Sasha was col ateral dae It’s not far from the truth, actual y The only difference is that on’t have to explain e fled the scene"

Jared took ers, and then pressed my knuckles into his chest "I’m sorry about Sasha She didn’t deserve to die, but you can’t blame yourself for her death If it’s anyone’s fault, it’s mine"

I stiffened "How can you say that? You couldn’t have known--"

"I should have known That very easily could have been you" He frowned at the thought "I’uilt about what her faet the cal , but I want you to think about the moment that car exploded If it wasn’t her? Honey, I would have watched my wife and child’s death in the same moment You can’t wish that for me" He released er, and then sighed "I’lad it wasn’t you"

I wanted to tel him that it shouldn’t have happened at all , but I was afraid it would only hed

"We won’t have anything before long"

"We need to take out whoever the hel knows anything about explosives, that’s for sure" He laughed once, sounding exhausted "This being so in tune with you and Bean that I’s like a boative" He shook his head "It was ignition-based, so it couldn’t have been there before you left for Titan It had to been set up between the tiot there and when it blew Bex would have sensed it

The only time they would have had ais after I arrived"

"How is that possible? You were in the Escalade a few feet away"

"Exactly," he said, his expression unsettled "It was difficult to focus before…"

"Before what?" I asked, knowing better Jared had beco me out of the loop It wasn’t like hih, but he was visibly upset It was then that I er wanted to be in the dark I was a s at stake, it was time I took an active role in the effort to save our lives

"Tel me," I said

"After we…I’ve been more in-tuned to you for a while I had just becoet to the basics of what I used to feel when you…e…"

"This would be a good tiet down to the naked truth"

"The baby I sense it, too It’s a"

"You sense the baby?" I smiled "So is Bean your Taleh, too?"

Jared frowned "This whole situation is unprecedented That would mean the baby is human, and that’s obviously not the case Maybe it’s because the baby is a part of you I just don’t know"

From that point on, Jared remained silent except for the few tian to set, we had just breached the outskirts of Myrtle Beach I couldn’t help but think about the fact that Sasha’s mother hadn’t heard froo to her ho any ain, so much so that it was hard to take in the beauty ahead

While ere eating a late lunch, Jared had cal ed ahead and reserved a condo at Myrtle Beach’s most Northern Point, the Grande Dunes Oceanfront As we pul ed up to the resort, I gasped at its extravagance It worsened uilt

"What is it?" Jared said I could see the hope in his eyes He wanted this to be an escape, but I couldn’t sto h hel

"I appreciate what you’re trying to do I real y do But this is not a real vacation We’re hiding out while most of the people I know think I’m dead, and Sasha’s family frantical y search for her"

Jared nodded and squeezeda tent on the beach for nant wife You deserve a little co out for everyone"

"’A little comfort’ would be the Super 8 down the road, Jared This is a resort"

"It’s beachfront, and the ocean wil clear your head C’mon"

Jared checked in while I tried to seee ful suitcases for a quick getaway The staff was too pleasant, ale for two reasons: One, Jared cal ed for reservations just a few hours before; and Teren’t celebrities Their behavior quickly had me convinced that they were shel s, and they would attack us at any moment

"Sweetheart?" Jared cal ed over his shoulder

I glared at the girl behind the desk Her blonde spiral curls bounced against her ful , pink cheeks Her warlazed over with the absolute captivation she felt standing before Jared I re Jared was ridiculously beautiful, and his looks and confidence alone must have made them think he was famous in soirl was stil looking at my husband as if she wanted to eat him