Tag: dark

Standing at the window, staring at nothing, Jacob thought about the last two years and everything that had happened.

He had lost so much and some days the pain of knowing that everything could have been different if he had made just one simple change was almost too much to bear. This was all on him and while he wished he could go back and undo it that wasn’t possible and he had to live with the choices he had made.

Some days the loneliness was crushing.

On those days he almost did something about it, almost tried to figure out a way to change what he knew couldn’t be changed.

Arms slipped around his waist and lips touched the side of his neck.

“What are you thinking about so hard?”

Jacob turned and pulled her into his arms. If it wasn’t for her he never would have been able to get through this. But she had given up even more than he had and she was the one true innocent in all of this. “Thinking about how strong you are, how brave, to give up your whole life, your family and friends and job, all because of the mess I got you into.”

Elle gave him a stern frown. “You gave up your family for me too. And as long as I still have you then everything is okay.”

“How can you be so accepting of this … mess?” She had been a trooper, never once complained as they entered witness protection and were given new names and identities and moved halfway around the world.

“Because whats done is done, we can’t go backward and if we try all we find is pain. Forwards is the path to freedom. I miss my family every day but they know I love them and they know I’m safe and loved and cared for with you.”

“You’re something else, you know that?”

“I think you’re something else too.” She grinned, then kissed him, hard. “So, where do you want to go? Bike ride? Surfing? Beach?”

“I don’t care, as long as I’m with you wherever I am is exactly where I want to be.”

She should be happy.

The case was over, they’d gotten the guilty verdict they wanted, but Elle had never felt more empty in her life. For her this wasn’t over, never would be, she still had a target on her back which meant she was going to have to leave.

She couldn’t do that until …

The doorbell rang and she jumped nearly a foot in the air. For some reason this was more terrifying than facing down the MC club.

Because she knew answering the door was out of the question, she was still in protective custody before she joined the witness protection program, so she sat where she was a fiddled with the hem of her dress.

The door to her room opened.

Jacob stood there.

She stared at him, unsure what to do or what to say. These last fourteen months without him had been Hell. She had missed him every day, raged at him in her head for getting her mixed up in this mess, and dreamed about what she would say when she finally saw him.

Now the moment had arrived she appeared to have been rendered speechless.

Neither of them moved for what seemed like an eternity but then she finally found her voice. “We should talk.”

Jacob just nodded and followed her over to the two armchairs by the window and took the one she didn’t sit down in.

This one moment would decide her entire future.

Looking into Jacob’s eyes she knew there was only thing she could do.

Standing she straddled his thighs, planted her hands on his chest, and kissed him. “I love you, Jacob, these last months away from you made me realise that despite everything thats happened I love you and thats all that matters. I know its a lot to ask of you and I understand if you say no, but will you come with me? Will you start a new life with me someplace where no one will ever find us?”

Beneath her Jacob’s whole body shuddered and then his arms were coiled around her, bring her flush against him as his mouth crashed against hers, kissing her with all the desperation of a drowning man.

Finally.

After fourteen long months they finally had a guilty verdict against several members of the MC club.

Although Jacob was glad it was bittersweet, because eighteen months was exactly how long it had been since he had last seen Elle.

Not by choice, at least not by his choice, since he hadn’t seen Elle he couldn’t speak for what she wanted.

After he’d shot their would be abductors, Jacob had carried Elle in his arms back to the cabin and called in the cavalry. She had woken up to Jacob putting her in bed but had promptly passed out again and then his colleagues had arrived, they’d both been taken to the hospital, and while he was in surgery having the bullet removed Elle had been whisked away and placed in protective custody.

He had pleaded until he was blue in the face to be taken to her but been denied over and over again. Elle was the only one who could testify against the MC club they weren’t willing to risk her safety by telling him where she was.

But now the case was over and Jacob had no idea if that would change anything. She was still in danger, the entire club couldn’t be prosecuted for the crimes which meant that her only option might be witness protection.

Where did that leave him?

They hadn’t had a chance to discuss his lies and the danger it had placed her in. They hadn’t had a chance to see if they could move past it. He hadn’t had a chance to tell her again how much he loved her and beg her for forgiveness and a second chance.

“Detective Keaton?”

He turned when someone called this name. “Yes.”

“She asked me to give this to you,” the young man said holding out an envelope.

“Who did?”

“Elle.”

Jacob took the envelope with shaking hands almost dreading opening it. What did she want to tell him? That she loved him and wanted him to come to her, or that she couldn’t forgive him and it was over?

Very carefully without alerting their captors Jacob moved behind her. His hands lifted the hem of her t-shirt and he took the gun.

“Move behind the tree, I don’t want you getting hit by a stray bullet,” Jacob whispered.

Elle bit back a sigh, she wasn’t sure she had enough energy left to move. It had all gone on trying to keep herself and Jacob alive and get the information he needed to prove the MC club had killed those judges.

“Elle?” he prompted.

“Can’t move, too tired,” she murmured, letting her eyes drift close, her chest hurt and her shoulder hurt and her arm hurt and she was cold and sleepy.

“Alright, baby, hold on. Its my turn to take care of you”

It happened so quickly.

One second the night was quiet and the next gunshots erupted.

Elle screamed and curled herself into a ball, trying to make herself as small a target as possible.

Then as suddenly as it had started it was over.

Just like that.

But who else was still alive?

Elle was attempting to sit up and find out what had happened to Jacob when arms suddenly wrapped around her. She would have freaked out but she smelled Jacob’s scent.

“They’re dead?” she asked.

“They’re dead,” he echoed.

Relief flooded through her but there was fear too. She was the only one who could testify that the MC club had killed those judges which meant she was going to be living the rest of her life with a target on her back. What did they mean for her future? What did it mean for her and Jacob? Was there even a her and Jacob?

Exhausted, Elle closed her eyes again and let herself drift off to sleep.