AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She led me from the stall to the washbasins, wet a tissue, and wiped my mouth. “How do you feel?”
I was shaking so much I could barely speak. “Terrible…”
She hugged me. “I was so scared for you. For both of ya. That dude was crazy.”
So was my uncle…
Just the thought of what that man had tried to do to me, a little girl for God’s sake, made me want to throw up again.
Phoenix squeezed my hand. “C’mon, sweetie, I’m taking you back to Pierce. I had to bar the door to stop him from following us. Jake has arranged a VIP room for us to wait in while he clears shit with the cops.”
We went through the door and Pierce’s strong arms wrapped around me. “Are you okay, baby?”
I buried my face in his chest. This man, this amazing man, made me feel safe. He’d helped me recover what I’d never had. The part of me stolen by someone who should have protected me, not violated me. Pierce raised my chin and gazed down at me. I caught the questions in his smoldering eyes. I wanted to tell him about my uncle, but this wasn’t the time or the place. “I’m a lot better now I’m with you, honey.”
“Likewise.” He bent and pressed a kiss to my forehead.
“Oh, my God, I didn’t ask you how you are,” I murmured.
“Physically, I’m fine. Just a little shaken up,” he exhaled a breath. “Can’t wait for us to get out of here.”
“Me too.” I leaned into him and he half carried me over to where Axel was waiting with Phoenix.
The four of us headed off with Joe, through a crowd of people who were recording everything we did on their cellphones. The thought struck me that I’d signed up to living in a goldfish bowl with Pierce for the rest of my life, and I furrowed my brow. With him by my side, I’d cope with it, though. But only because I loved him so much.
We arrived at a room at the back of the terminal where everyone else was sitting expecting us. They leaped up from their chairs and surrounded us, their faces still reflecting shock from what had gone down with Ramos.
“We thought you were paranoid, man.” Rhys’ deep melodic voice echoed.
“Yeah,” Zach added. “How the fuck did that motherfucker get here so fast?”
“There’s only one explanation.” Pierce faced them. “He must have already been on this island. God knows how he found out we’d gone on vacation in the area.”
I started shaking again, and Pierce lifted me in his arms. He sat with me on the sofa and settled me in his lap. For a second or two I recoiled. Uncle Earl had sat me on his lap. Then I told myself, no, don’t let that bastard affect you anymore. You’re with Pierce, remember. He loves you and would never do anything to harm you.Our 747 took off from Manila International shortly before midnight with us all on board. It had been doubtful whether Mike would have been able to fly out so soon after Ramos had been shot dead, given that foreigners weren’t supposed to carry weapons in the Philippines. But Jake had called in some favors with the concert promoters in Manila, who’d known the right people to bribe. Videos of the incident had started to appear on Social Media, clearly showing Ramos attempting to murder Foxy. None had identified Mike as the shooter, thankfully, as everyone had been too focused on Pierce. The police had taken statements, from us as well as from bystanders and, eventually, we’d been allowed to continue our journey. An hour after leaving the island, we arrived in Manila and immediately transferred to our jumbo jet. It was like we were escaping from hell, which was such a shame after the peace and beauty of our retreat.
I closed my eyes as the plane lifted into the sky. So freaking tired, but my mind was in a whirl and I knew I wouldn’t be able to get any rest. Pierce had gone to talk to our flight attendants. I watched him nod, then head back up the aisle toward the seat next to mine. “There’s a stateroom we can go to, sweetheart. I’ve arranged for us to sleep there. We don’t tend to use it when we charter the aircraft, but, in the circumstances…”
It was like I’d been holding my breath the entire time since the shock of the attempted murder had jogged my memory. I so wanted to unburden myself to Pierce, and that’s what I did as soon as we’d shrugged off our clothes and clung to each other under the comforter on the double bed.
I told him everything. Told him about my cousins not letting me play on the tire swing. Told him how I’d gone inside to find my auntie. Told him what had gone down with Uncle Earl.
