Survival ( Book 2: Stronger Series )

30. New Boundaries

After running upstairs to change into some workout clothes and wash my makeup off, I practically skipped my happy ass all the way back to the patio. I decided I wanted to go for a run on the beach. But when I came back to the patio, there wasn't just one guard standing there, there were three. They were big guys, too, not nearly as tall as Darren, but still much taller than I was. I eyed them carefully as I stepped around them, looking them up and down and noticing everything I could about them. None of them even looked at me.

"Uh ... I'm gonna go for a run on the beach." I pointed with my thumb over my shoulder.

One guard, the one in the middle, nodded slightly but still didn't look at me. God, that wasn't just annoying, it was plain fucking rude. I rolled my eyes at them, turned on my heels, and headed down to the shore as my excitement quickly returned.

When I got to the sand, I took my Nikes off and left them on the grass as I walked barefoot to the water. A sense of freedom calmed me as I stepped into the oncoming waves of the ocean, and it felt like bathwater against my skin. The perfect temperature.

I took one last look at the guards before sprinting off down the shore. I started with a slow, easy jog just to soak up the sun and breathe in the salty air. I must have run up and down the shore for an hour, turning around every fifteen minutes. I was afraid I might leave the sight of the guards and then I'd be in trouble.

The sun was blazing out, and eventually, sweat covered my body. I could've gone back inside and showered, but I wanted to do something fun instead. So I ran into the water and dived with my clothes on with not a single care in the world. When I surfaced, I floated on my back for a while, just taking in the soft blue sky and watching the seagulls fly above me. At that moment, I forgot everything around me. I forgot about Darren, about his rules, about his name on my skin, and the cuffs around my body. I forgot about the pain, the grief, and the vengeance and I just ... drifted. It was everything I needed as the clarity I had longed for finally came to me. But it wasn't meant to last forever.

"Miss Jaden!" I heard someone shout my name. I immediately rose up from the water to address the voice, noticing it was a guard calling me from the beach. "It's time to come in for lunch!" he called.

Lunch? Fuck lunch.

Except I promised Darren I would listen to the guards. I didn't want to fuck this up, and I was actually a little hungry.

"Okay!" I shouted back to him as I made my way toward the shore.

The guard stood there watching me and waited for me to walk to him. He had a large beach towel in his hand, and he handed it to me when I reached him.

"Thank you," I said, taking the towel and wrapping it around myself to dry off.

I grabbed my shoes that sat in the grass and the guard escorted me back to the table on the patio where my lunch was apparently waiting. I ate my lunch quietly, trying to ignore the guards as they stood around, staring off into the distance.

"So are you guys, like, my permanent outdoor babysitters or something?" I asked between bites. I probably shouldn't have been talking to them, but ... I was me.

None of them said a word—didn't even look my way.

I nodded at their silence, not really offended but not really surprised. "Lucky you guys," I said, taking another bite of my turkey sandwich.

When I was done with my lunch, I headed back into the house to wash the salt water from my hair and body. The guards remained where they were as I went back inside. After my shower, I redid my hair and makeup, put on another black skort and a hot pink t-shirt, and headed back outside in my Nikes. I was determined to spend the entire day under the sun if I could.