Save Me

Hadley found herself taking the cab through midtown, stopping him when she spotted the black SUV parked out in front of a tiny cafe. She handed him the bills and got out, tugging her jacket closer to her body as she stepped onto the sidewalk.

He was waiting by the door, looking around as he shivered in the frosty breeze.

"You could have gone in," she said, walking up to him.

He turned and grinned, extending his arm to give her a gentle hug. "I know, but I wanted to wait on you."

Hadley grinned and gestured toward the door. "Well, let's go then. You're probably more freezing than I am."

Liam opened the door and led her inside, sliding into the booth in the back away from all the windows. "Sorry, I don't like sitting up front."

She shrugged, sliding off her jacket before joining him at the table. "It's not a problem." She grinned, setting her jacket aside. "Do you not like open spaces? I have a friend of mine who hates windows because she feels like someone's always watching her."

He grinned, folding his hands on the table. "It's something like that." He cleared his throat, leaning forward in the seat. "Tell me about yourself."

Hadley grinned, shrugging gently. "What would you like to know?"

"Anything," he said with a smile.

She smiled and rolled her eyes playfully. "Really helpful, Liam." He smiled, his eyes crinkling and Hadley grinned at the sight. Liam was really sweet, something that seemed to surprise her a bit. People were polite, but not sweet. Not in New York anyway.

"Okay, tell me about your family. Where you grew up," he said. "Any siblings?"

Hadley took a breath and grinned. "I grew up in a little town in Louisiana, north of New Orleans. After Hurricane Katrina, my family packed up and left to live with my aunt and uncle in South Carolina. I left the day after I turned eighteen."

"Why did you leave?" he asked.

She paused for a moment. "Family issues, I guess you could say." He nodded gently and didn't push the topic any further. "I'm the youngest of four, but the age gap was so big that by the time I was seven, they were all moved out. So, I was raised as an only child."

"What brought you to New York?" he asked.

She grinned. "It's magical. It's the one place I feel safe because it's so vast, you can walk down the street and blend right in. No one can find you here."

"If you don't mind me asking," Liam started, "Why would you not want to be found?"

Hadley took in a breath, grinning softly. "Running away lets you be your own person, right?" He nodded. "I ran away because I was becoming something I didn't want to be."