Counting Sheep

Hi, my most amazing and beautiful readers! I am sorry I have been gone so long, but so much has been going on. My dog, Koda, died around two days ago. My heart is hurting so much and usually when I need to get away is when I write, but this time I just didn't have the energy to get up and write even though my heart cried out for me to do so. Also, I had to have an MRI scan of my brain because my illness has again, been progressing. Things have just been crazy, but I am going to try to go back to posting for you all amazing people regularly! I hope you all are doing amazing!!! This is the first chapter of 2017 and I cant wait for the many more to come. Since I have been gone for so long I wanted to repay you back with an EXTRA long chapter!! YAY! Anyways, it is going to be so fun and so amazing and I can't wait for the journey I will be taking with you guys yet again. I will be updating again soon, so keep your eyes open and I hope with all my heart that you guys enjoy! Love you! XOXO -Hannah

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CHAPTER 9: Layla walked in a haze.

She enjoyed the scent of rain on the wind, the soft brush of air that caressed her cheeks like a tender kiss, but she barely noticed it because of the turmoil going on in her mind.

She was still swamped with confusion over everything that had happened with Frank and she tried to tell herself that it didn't matter, but she knew that wasn't the truth.

He confused her not only because of how he made her feel, but in the fact that now that she thought about it, she knew nothing about him, really.

Sure, she knew her good friend liked the man and respected him-which was a good thing and showed Layla a lot, but she still wondered about him-couldn't help it. What had he meant when he said that Frank was not his name?

She felt her brow furrow as she debated it.

She would have to talk to Alice some more and see if she knew anything about that or just anything about him in general. Layla told herself that she wanted to get answers so badly for Alice and Alice alone, but in reality, Layla wanted to know more about him.

She wanted to know him.

She wanted to know about what had made him the way he was today.

She wanted to know where he had gotten all of those scars and why his eyes looked so dark at times and why he was so guarded about his past or even about his present.

He was an enigma and Layla burned to find out more about him, but she also knew that it wasn't good for her. She knew that thinking and wondering about a man such as Frank, or whatever his name was, could only result in the growth of feelings which even in just the past day or so that she had spent with him since she was attacked outside of The Crown that night.

He was dangerous—Layla sensed and not only in the physical sense.

For her, he was dangerous to her head and her heart.

Blinking back to the world, Layla heard a car engine rumbling from behind her and she turned to find a large black truck barreling down the road on which she walked. Her shoulders stiffened, a zing of fear shooting through her as the large car began to slow. She hunched her shoulders, spine snapping straight as she resisted the fight or flight instinct that was starting to flare to life inside her chest like a match to dried cotton.

She only relaxed when she heard her name being called, the voice familiar, although she was still unable to exactly pin-point who it was who sat at the driver's seat. Turning, her eyes connected with Danger's kind eyes.

"Layla?" He asked, confusion and concern heavy in his voice. "What are you doing all the way out here? The nearest bus station isn't for another 5 miles."