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Bea
Aweek has passed since Ash came to me with the best news I’ve ever gotten. A week of kissing, or long rides along the winding country roads, of making love under the stars and in his bed. A week that makes up for at least half of the years I lost to the stalker.
We’re on the way to Sanctuary, where I will meet the man my father died to save. The man who ultimately wiped away my nightmare as though it never was.
Last night, Fuse surrendered to the police for Aaron’s murder. He broke into my apartment after my date with Aaron, stole my kitchen knife, butchered Aaron with it and then returned it to my house. And he only did it because he saw me with Ash who he was going to frame for the murder. He also confessed to scaring my high school boyfriend, and choking my college roommate almost to death to frame the man I’d been seeing.
Even as I list his crimes, I feel they’re part of another life, one I’ve now well and truly left behind. I couldn’t face him. That would ruin the happiness I’ve now found and I couldn’t risk that.
I’ll go see him in prison, when I’m ready. I’ll get my answers then.
Sanctuary is a gorgeous turn of the century building in the middle of the thickest redwood forest. The thick cloud of dust Ash’s bike kicked up as we approach it, clears to reveal a group of people standing by the tall, wide open oak door.
I recognize Cross right away and would even if Lily wasn’t standing next to him. They have the same eyes and the same look in them, the same black hair and the same way of attracting, no, demanding, all the attention of everyone around them.
“Welcome, Bea,” he says and offers me his hand. “Your father died saving my life. I wish we’d met sooner so I could repay that debt.”
“It’s repaid,” I say solemnly as I shake his hand.
“It’ll never be repaid,” he counters. “But whatever you need, you can always come to me.”
To say the man makes me feel at ease would be a total lie. He’s intimidating and I wouldn’t want to get on his wrong side. But at the same time, I know that side does not exist for me. He will keep his promise. Always.
“Do you know you look exactly like your mother when she was your age,” a stocky dark haired guy with piercing blue eyes says. “She was a fine woman, and so are you.”
Lily rolls her eyes. “You’re doing the creepy old guy thing again, Tank. Stop it.”
He chuckles and offers me his hand. “I’m Tank, your father was a good friend of mine.”
“There’s several more people that want to meet you inside,” Cross says. “Come on in.”
I’m still overwhelmed by the welcome I got here, images of my father, the few that I have, mixing with those of him lying in the snow, bleeding out, the stain of red growing larger and larger around him.
“Give her a moment, geez,” Lily says and laced her arm under mine. “I’ll show her around first.”
No one argues with her as she leads me away into the huge garden that encircles this mansion, Ash walking by my side.
“You looked like you weren’t ready to go in yet,” she says as we stop in the shade of a huge, flowering magnolia tree. “They can be a bit much, but they’re great guys, you’ll see.”
“I know, I know, it just all a little overwhelming,” I say, smiling at her and reaching out to take Ash’s hand. He has a worried look in his eyes and I have no idea why.
“Do you want to go home?” he asks quietly.
“I think I want to take a walk in this garden,” I say and smile. But the truth is, I don’t know what I want.
“I’ll leave you to it,” Lily says. “But don’t get lost, this place is huge.”
Then she turns and strolls off, her long hair flapping behind her.
I turn to Ash, whose eyes are not only confused, but sad now too.
“What?” I ask.
“Is all this too much for you?” he asks, and I know he doesn’t just mean right now, but in general.
“It’s not too much, it’s just too sad,” I say. “My daddy is dead because of them.”
“I’m thinking of joining them,” he says and looks at me with a mixture of hope and dread, but also love and devotion in his eyes. “There’s the matter of avenging my father, but also of having a family. These people are our family. If not by blood then by creed.”
And I know it. I felt it all my life. Had it confirmed as they greeted me at the door. They didn’t kill my father. That’s just something my mother told herself, told me, so she could move on with her life, so she could let go of my father. These people were his family. So they’re mine too.
I take his hand in both of mine and smile at him. “You’re right and I’m with you.”
The love in his eyes drowns out the fear and dread completely right before he kisses me, the sweet scent of the magnolias the perfect back drop to the clear waters of bliss running through me now.
“Let’s go inside and meet these people who loved my father,” I say. “It’s all I have left of him, and I’m so ready to hear more about him.”
And I’m almost surprised to hear myself say that. But it’s the truth. Just as the love blossoming between me and Ash is the truth. And something I will never willingly give up. Not for anything. Not ever.
