Sold to Them

Chapter 42

Kaylee's POV

A storm of confusion and regret churned within me, threatening to swallow me whole. What had I just done? The fragments of the night's chaos replayed relentlessly in my mind, each memory a blade slicing through the semblance of peace I'd fought so hard to maintain. But it was Grayson's wounded gaze that lingered longest, a haunting specter of betrayal and hurt. His eyes, once pools of warmth and trust, had transformed into wells of anguish, reflecting a pain I'd inadvertently caused. Grayson, who had been my rock for so long, now viewed me as a stranger, perhaps even an enemy. The realization was a bitter pill, laced with guilt and a piercing sense of loss.

I wrestled with the weight of my actions, the silent question of whether I'd taken him, and what we had, for granted gnawing at me.

A knot formed in my stomach at the thought. Had I taken Grayson for granted? Our relationship wasn't perfect, but I cared for him so much, too much to have him look at me like that. Too much to be the cause of his pain, instead of his relief.

And then there was Hunter. His plea for me to trust him, to follow his guidance without question, had led me here, to a decision that felt like a betrayal of my carefully laid out plans. Why did leaving him create an empty void in my chest that screamed at me to turn around? It felt like I was leaving a piece of myself behind as well.

This was it, the moment I had to make a decision. I could either trust Hunter and go towards the kitchen or head outside to complete my escape plan. Each moment I debated put me at higher risk of discovery.

In that moment, a choice had to be made—fear or faith.

Drawing a deep, steadying breath, I opted for the latter, letting trust guide my steps toward the kitchen. As I entered, the silence enveloped me, thick with anticipation and unease. Why here?

My heart nearly jumped out of my chest at the sight of a figure standing in by the counter, his back turned to me. I took in his attire; he was just a waiter, probably coming into the kitchen to grab a fresh tray of drinks.

I tried to calm my racing heart, taking a deep breath to calm my nerves. Whatever Hunter sent me here to find was obviously no longer here.

"Excuse me, I didn't realize someone was—" The words faltered, dying on my lips as he turned, revealing a face I never thought I'd see again. Time seemed to stand still, the air thick with disbelief.

"Xander?" My voice was barely a whisper, laden with shock, the name tumbling past my lips before I even had time to process.

In that instant, a tidal wave of emotions crashed over me—relief, confusion, joy. Xander, a name I'd whispered in countless prayers, now stood before me, tangible and real. His initial shock melted into a warm smile, and within seconds, he closed the distance between us in swift strides. Before I knew what was happening, I was swept into a hug so tight it lifted me off the ground, his hand cradling my head with protective tenderness. "Oh god, Kaylee," he breathed, his voice thick with emotion. "I never thought I'd see you again."

The warmth of his embrace, so familiar yet so unexpected, sent a wave of conflicting emotions through me. Happiness surged at the sight of him, someone I thought I might never see again, mingled with confusion over his sudden appearance. As he set me down, his intense green eyes searched mine, looking for answers I wasn't sure I had.

"I'm so happy to see you," I managed to say, my heart swirling with emotion. "But what are you doing here?"

His hands cupped my face tenderly, as if he couldn't believe I was actually there in front of him and he needed to touch me to make sure I was real.

"I've been looking for you all this time," he said, the intensity in his eyes unwavering. "Ever since you were taken, I've been searching for you." The idea that Xander had been out there, tirelessly searching for me, filled me with a profound sense of gratitude, but I couldn't help the pang of guilt. He had been out there worrying about my safety while I had been here doing...whatever the hell it was that I had been doing with Grayson and Hunter.