Chapter 1
McKayla
Caine’s Beach has become home to me, and it scares me to death. I haven’t been able to stay in one place for a long time. Every time I got comfortable, I would be found and have to flee again.
None of the places I’ve moved to have made me feel as safe as Caine’s Beach. It’s a small community that booms in size only during peak vacation season. It makes it easy to go unnoticed.
I’d only been here a few weeks when I met Tabitha. She came in with horrible injuries from a car accident. When she woke, I could see how confused and upset she was, but she still managed to be kind. And for the first time in what felt like decades I felt like I could have a friend.
That was also the day I met Hatch. He walked into the room as if he were a king. His friend who was Tabitha’s boyfriend also walked in. Hatch looked like every girl’s dream of a bad boy. His brown hair was cut short, and his eyes looked like melted milk chocolate. He looked at me and smiled, causing my stomach to erupt in butterflies.
He flirted as if it were second nature to him, and I tried to keep myself grounded. Even the nicest man who flirts could turn out to be a monster. I’d learned that lesson the hard way.
After that first meeting in the hospital, Hatch seemed to be everywhere. I went to the grocery store, and he was there. Pumping my gas, yup, he was there. In the beginning, he never said anything to me; he just watched from afar trying to act like he didn’t follow me to those places.
Then one afternoon I was at the grocery store, I found him standing in the baby aisle holding what looked like bags for holding breast milk.
“So, doing a lot of breast feeding Hatch?” I asked, raising a brow.
“Yeah.” I gave him a look, and he backtracked. “No, I, uh, was looking for my sister. She’s got a baby, and she needs these.” His ears were bright red on top.
“Oh, it must be nice to have a niece or nephew. I think she’ll like these bags; they seal better than some of the other cheaper brands.” I said, starting to push my buggy away.
“Yeah, thanks.” I had almost made it to the next aisle when I heard him again. “McKayla, uh, I was wondering if you wanted to grab a bite to eat, as a thank you for taking care of Tabitha while she was in the hospital.”
“Hatch, you don’t have to thank me for that. It’s my job, and it was a pleasure to help Tabitha. She’s an amazing woman.” I say, smiling.
Everything I said was true. She was someone who went to hell and back but could still smile. I felt honored to help her with her injuries.
“I’d still like to thank you. You are a beautiful woman, and I’d love to spend a night getting to know you.” He smirked.
He had almost made me believe he was a decent man. It took him only one sentence to ruin that image. I just knew I would never find someone I could trust again, and Hatch had proven that.
“You almost had me there Hatch. I thought you might be one of the decent ones, but then you had to fuck it up by insinuating you wanted to get to know me at night. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out you want to fuck me and that’s it. Have a nice day.” I turned and walked away as fast as I could.
For the next couple of days, I didn’t see Hatch lurking around. I felt relieved and sad at the same time. I knew I shouldn’t have felt sad considering everything he said. But my heart wasn’t getting the message. I guess after all I’ve been through, my heart wanted someone to protect it.
I was called one day to see if I would go to Tabitha’s home and help with her bandages. My mind was warring with itself about whether or not I should go. There was a chance I would run into Hatch. But the longer I thought about it the more I knew I needed to go. Tabitha shouldn’t suffer for my fear and falling for someone.
I went and helped Tabitha. I thought it would be something simple, and I’d be in and out within an hour. That turned out to be a pipedream. I wouldn’t get out of there for hours, and I found myself deeply embedded in something I didn’t want to be involved in.
Selina, who I learned was a club girl, showed up and was causing problems. There were many points in the time she was there with us I didn’t know if I would make it home or not.
Selina’s actions were not what I would consider normal by any means. She was showing classic symptoms of many mental disorders that would need treatment to control. And with the way she was looking at Tabitha I feared she would seriously hurt or possibly kill her.
Once Selina left, and Hatch and Grim came I felt relief for the first time that day. Hatch ran to me and pulled me into his arms. I was shaking, and I didn’t know what was scaring me more — the present or the past. Grim and Hatch start asking questions.
“She set up Abigail to go crazy and start shooting. She kept referring to a he. There is someone who’s pulling her strings and who is after Tabitha. She never said his name, but whoever he is, he’s making promises to her. I don’t know what is going on, but it’s getting dangerous. I can’t be found!” I cried out, lifting my hand to my mouth.
“McKayla who’s after you?” Hatch asks.
“I can’t.” I couldn’t tell anyone about him for fear of them finding out who I am and then he could find me.
“Who McKayla?” Hatch asks again.
“My ex.”
Luckily, we made it through the ordeal with no one being hurt. Tabitha and I were already on the way to having a strong friendship, but the ordeal with Selina just solidified it.
That day wasn’t the last day that Tabitha and I would face danger. Staying at the Thompson's brought all new dangers, but somehow we made it through. I was questioning whether I should stay in Caine’s Beach. It felt like I was always in the middle of some kind of danger, and I couldn’t afford that. But every time Hatch would bring me back from the edge and make me feel safe.
Safety wasn’t something I had felt for a long time. I had long ago given up on the idea of it, of being blessed enough to walk through life without looking over my shoulder. It was all because of one man, a man with powerful connections and an obsession, me.
Hatch and Grim had made promises to help me keep my job and to keep me safe, and so far they had. I still have my job, and no one has found me.
Today is the first day I’ve had off in a week. I felt guilty about being off so much before that I’ve offered to cover for all the people who covered for me. The news of the shootout and arrests has reached everyone in town. As far as everyone knows, I wasn’t there for the craziness; I was sick with the flu.
The more I listen to the surrounding people talk about the incident, the more I’m questioning my sanity. I watched a man get shot right in front of me, was held at gunpoint, and I’m totally fine. Shouldn’t I be upset, crying, or in fear? I’ve had no bad dreams no flashbacks, nothing. It’s almost as if it never happened. Maybe it’s just that the past has turned me into someone who doesn’t scare easily.
“You’re going to burn yourself out if you keep working like this,” April says over the phone.
“I’m fine. I’m taking today off, and I’m going to enjoy the day. Filling in for you on Tuesday is something I really don’t mind.
April has been one of the best nurses I’ve ever had the privilege to work with. She’s sharp and knows what the patient needs even before the doctor does. There’s been so many times that she’s said something that has made it easy for me to cover my big mouth. Trying to leave the side of me that is a medical doctor hidden is a lot harder than I thought it was going to be. In order to stay safe, I have to do it.
I’ve played every part in this perfectly. I had studied him long enough to know what he would think. He would think I would change my name and stay away from any type of healthcare work. So I did the opposite and kept the same first name and worked in healthcare just in a different career.
I finish up talking to April and get ready to head into town. I live in a small apartment on the outskirts of Caine’s Beach. It gives me a sense of safety to be away from all the hustle and bustle of the town. It’s a nice day, so I think I’ll walk into town. I’ve been wanting to get a couple of new books and see how Tabitha is doing.
I feel like an awful friend for not being around much lately, but Tabitha knows I needed to work to make up for some of the income I lost. Although Hatch had told me not to worry about money, I couldn’t help it. I wasn’t about to take any of the money he offered. I would never put myself in the position of owing anyone anything ever again. Being in someone’s debt gives them the feeling they have a right to hold it over your head.
The summer tourist season is ramping up, so there are people all over the town looking for places to spend that vacation money. I smile at the sight of families walking down the streets, looking at all the stores and restaurants with that joy you only get when you’re carefree and with your loved ones.
I’m about to turn a corner when I see him. Standing on the sidewalk talking to a group of women or should I say girls by the looks of them. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t think Hatch would ever do anything inappropriate, but he is a self-proclaimed flirt. Everything in me wants to turn and go the other way, but he looks up just in time to see me.
“K!” he yells out. I still can’t remember when I gave him permission to give me a nickname, but he seems to have done it anyway. He leaves the group and runs up to me.
“Fuck, I thought I was never going to get to see you again unless I got myself shot.” He says, grinning like he’s the only one in on some secret.
“Here I am.” I raise my arms slightly as if I am giving him a glimpse of all of me.
“Here you are.” He whispers, looking me over with that look that makes my spine tingle. “You avoiding me K? Or is it that you can’t trust yourself around me?”
