Captivated (Partners in Crime Book 4)

Chapter 8

Cole sat across from Hazel in the café. They had done some more shopping, dropped off everything in the car, then came to the café for a very late lunch. Hazel enjoyed the view of the mountains outside, but the view in front of her was better. They had already ordered and were waiting for their meal to come.

"How are Kaden and Reed taking to this chauffeur thing? They kind of got the bad end of this deal."

"They'll survive. Besides, they were aching to get out of the house too." Cole sipped his mocha.

"They are like parents stalking their children on a date." Hazel commented.

Cole set his mocha down. "This is not a date."

Hazel took that like a punch to her gut. "What... do you mean?"

"I mean that once this is all over, I'm taking you on a real date. No security. A real date." He smiled at her.

"I would enjoy that. Presuming this does end." Hazel wiggled her fingers and toes in case another attack wanted to come.

Cole stopped her finger-wiggling and covered them with his hand. "This will end. I promise."

"Have you ever broken a promise?" She asked.

"Never. I take them very seriously."

Hazel smiled at Cole. "Good. So do you promise to take me on a date?"

He grinned, "I promise."

Hazel beamed at him. The wind blew a napkin off the table, and she reached down to pick it up.

The window exploded. Hazel was knocked off her seat.

"Hazel!" Cole shouted.

~~~~~

Hazel heard screams. She didn't know if they were her own or not.

Then she heard bullets.

And more screams.

And Cole.

"Hazel! Hazel! Hazel!" His voice was frantic.

Breathing became hard. The world started to close in. Was she shot? "Cole!"

Cole must have spotted her, because he ran towards her. She was curled up under a knocked down table. "Hazel."

He pulled her to him.

"Cole, I can't breathe." She coughed.

He lost all color. He pulled her away from him and checked her. Then he blew out a sigh of relief. "You were not shot. It's just a panic attack."

More gunshots. They were in the street this time. Cole pulled out his gun and held it out with one hand. This other hand was wrapped around Hazel, shielding her.

Hazel buried her head into his chest and curled into the smallest possible ball. This was not good for her anxiety.

"Cole! Hazel!" Muted shouts from the back of the restaurant could be heard. It was Reed.

"Reed, get them! I'll go after our shooter!" Kaden called.

Reed maneuvered around in the café, helping those whom he encountered with. Cole stayed put with Hazel.

~~~~~

Cole held Hazel close to him in a death grip. She wasn't going anywhere, not with a shooter running around the town.

Reed was moving closer to them, but all the people in the café had to be checked out before they were cleared to go.

Hazel was breathing rapidly. He looked at her. She had her eyes closed and her mouth was moving silently. Praying.

Sirens reached his ears and he strained his neck to look out the window. A couple squad cars drove up and what looked like the county sheriff came out of one. Then an ambulance.

"Cole." Reed stuck out his hand to help him and Hazel up.

Cole stood and pulled Hazel with him. She didn't move from his side.

"The officers are going to need your statements, then we're out of here. He knows where we are."

"We're leaving?" Hazel asked.

Reed nodded.

Cole waited until he heard Kaden's angry yell before he knew it was safe to leave the building. He brought Hazel to an officer then went to another one. Quickly explaining some background and what was going on, he gave his statement, then picked up Hazel after she was done giving hers.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her to the car. There was no time to waste. He shoved her in, then practically fell in after her. Kaden and Reed hopped in quickly and they started to drive.

Away from the safe house. And fast.

Hazel got the blank, emotionless look on her face again as Reed sped down the highway. "Hazel..." He reached for her.

She turned away from him. "No."

Cole dropped his hand and let her be. He watched her out of the corner of his eye for the rest of the ride.

Hazel bent down to pick up the shopping bags. She rummaged through them, found one of the books he had bought her, and started to read.

Two hours had gone by and Cole hated to interrupt her. "Hazel?"

She put her thumb where she stopped on the page and looked out the window. "Yes?"

He sighed, "Hazel, look at me." She turned and looked. It was what he saw that startled him. Her eyes - they were filled with intense emotions; anger, hatred, fear, exhaustion, yet the rest of face was completely devoid of emotion. "We're at the airport."

"Where are we going?"