She shook her head. “I can’t put it off anymore. I’ve got to take my life back.” She turned to him. “Thank you so much for everything you’ve done.” She held a finger up to his lips. “You’ve been so wonderful these past two months, never leaving my side, giving me everything I needed. Things I didn’t even realize I needed. Because of you, I can do this now.” She rested her head on his shoulder.
Lexi took a deep breath and stepped away from Noah, turned and opened the door, and went in. Everyone had made sure her house was put back together and cleaned up. They’d removed the cameras and bugs from her house and she smiled at the flowers on the table. Her ladies. They’d been so wonderful to her. At least one of them came to visit every day. They hadn’t gotten into trouble but she knew that wouldn’t last forever. Then there was Evie, who’d spent so much time by her side, her rock after the first attack and now again, after this one. What she would have done without her?
The picture of her grandmother had been ruined by blood. She turned to Noah. “Thank you for getting a new picture of her made up for me. One of the last images in my head from that night was seeing it crash to the ground all covered in blood.”
“I knew you would want her back up there, not as a negative reminder as to what happened here, but as the love you two had for each other.”
Lexi and Noah walked through the house, taking time to look and touch everything, tell happy or funny stories that popped into their heads. They made new memories of her home. They sat in the living room by the fire while a storm raged outside, spent a long time talking before exhaustion took over Lexi’s body. They walked upstairs hand in hand and climbed into bed.
*
Laying with Lexi in his arms Noah thought back about everything he had thought and felt since the morning. Not realizing at the time how much coming here with her had also helped him to heal.
Even though he’d been in the house, the feeling that coursed through his veins when they stood at the front door surprised him. He remembered everything and knew that it would worse for Lexi, wished he could take her all pain so that she’d never have to feel that way again.
He wasn’t sure if he’d ever get that night out of his head. He had to be strong but the words she’d said to him that night were ingrained in his brain. He knew now what she’d really been trying to tell him, but at the time, her words had cut deep.
Breaking the door in and seeing that monster on top of her... He closed his eyes. The blood had been everywhere.
A small smile crossed his face at the thought of the pain he’d caused Jeremy. He’d been filled with so much rage, he hadn’t been able to stop until Jeremy had crumpled to the ground. Then the shock of finding out it hadn’t been Anthony all this time, but Jeremy Ellison. His smile faded. He’d been so scared she was going to die in his arms. Even now, he still woke up in a cold sweat at the thought. Hoping they both had taken a positive step in healing he hugged her closer and breathed in her scent. Finally relaxing he joined her in sleep.
*
Noah woke in the early morning to an empty bed. He panicked, calling out for Lexi. When there was no answer, he raced down the stairs and skidded to a stop when he saw the door open and her standing on some rocks with the waves crashing around her. As he walked towards her, she turned to him and smiled and it took his breath away. In a short sundress with flowers on it, her hair flying in the breeze, she looked like an angel to him. He wrapped his arms around her as the waves crashed over their legs. She leaned into him and sighed with contentment.
“How are you doing, love?”
She turned and smiled at him. One that finally reached her eyes. “Wonderful, absolutely wonderful.” As the sun peaked over the horizon, she gestured toward it. “You see, Noah, there’s always light after the storm.”
EPIL
OGUE
He rolled over in the cheap bed in the dirty room. Every part of his body hurt. How could everything have gone so wrong? He played everything over and over in his mind until he wanted to scream with rage. Twice now she’d escaped him. But this time, he also carried a scar from their battle.
He slowly sat up and looked at his left forearm where the jagged scar was still red and oozing. He knew he should’ve seen a doctor weeks ago, but he didn’t want to chance it. He wanted the heat to go down before venturing out. Lucky for him, he’d found a woman on the internet while watching Alexia. She was stupid enough and so starved for love she’d never questioned the state he was in when he showed up at her door in the middle of the night.
He had money and credit cards that weren’t in his name with him at all times for emergency purposes. He’d have to watch himself until he could get to his secret stash of cash. He ran his hand through his hair. This bitch was so stupid. She never watched the news or picked up a newspaper. She was all about the gossip rags. She even laughed and pointed out how much he looked like Jeremy Ellison when the breaking news alert interrupted her nightly gossip show. He shook his head. As soon as he was healed and figured out what was next, he was killing the bitch. Painfully, for being so stupid.
The End
Special Sneak peek:
Eye of the Storm
PROLOUGE