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“I will. But I don’t want to leave things in a bad spot here. I need you to know I’m on your side. I know it’s terrible to have to give up control of your life, but the moment I can, I’ll be handing it right back to you.”
Rose wrapped her arms around herself, the cool night air suddenly biting. "I believe you. It’s fine. I can hang in a little longer. Just please try to keep me in the loop. Don’t lie to me.”
Mick's eyes held a sorrow that mirrored her own. He only nodded, and she thought maybe she should press harder. But he looked too sad for that.
Rose was tired of being a pawn in a game she never asked to play, her son's laughter replaced by whispered conversations and hurried departures.
Yet, as she looked into Mick's eyes, she saw not just the hardened resolve of a protector but the genuine concern of a friend. She wasn’t sure when their relationship had shifted in that way but she was happy for it.
As Rose retreated back into the cottage, the moonlight casting long shadows across the floor, she thought of her own mother. The long battle with drug addiction. The funeral. How it had been the start of her journey toward being completely alone in the world. At the time she felt a little relief that her mother’schaos tornado wouldn’t be blowing through her life anymore. But that faded and the grief was heavy. Life was so damn heavy.
Climbing back in bed she listened to the waves crashing loudly now. Closing her eyes, she tried to be at peace with her current situation. It could be so much worse. It had been worse for a long time. She just needed to hang on a little longer.
CHAPTER 11
It had been quiet. Everyone in town seemed to be breathing a little easier, but Harry didn’t think they should let their guard down yet. He’d reported everything to Kenan, leaving out the slice in his arm. A knife attack might make Kenan think he couldn’t handle things.
Harry strolled leisurely, listening intently for something that might be a sign of trouble. For the third night in a row, there was nothing. Familiar thoughts kept playing in his head.
Rose would love it here. Nathaniel could play by the fountain with the other children. He could climb the rocks. Learn Italian. Rose would look beautiful by the water with the setting sun.
As he turned a corner, Gio emerged, his arm wrapped around a young woman who was laughing, a bouquet of fresh flowers in her hand. "Harry!" Gio called out, a wide smile spreading across his face. "Meet Lena, my girlfriend."
"Pleasure to meet you," Harry said, offering Lena a warm smile. "Those are beautiful flowers." He never really spent much time thinking of new loves. The buzz of a new relationship. Normally he’d have rolled his eyes, or maybe just the mentalequivalent of that. But he was happy to see Gio smiling so widely.
Lena blushed slightly, holding the flowers up for him to see. "Thank you! Gio surprised me. Our second date is off to a good start."
“And you’re out for another stroll?” Gio asked, half his mouth raising for a smile.
“How could you not on a night like this? So quiet.” They were both grateful for the quiet. It meant maybe their opposition had been enough to keep those men at bay for a little while.
The conversation shifted to the undercurrent of tension that had taken hold of the town. "You're becoming quite the talk around here, Harry," Gio said, a hint of admiration in his voice. "Stepping in when trouble arises."
Harry shrugged, uncomfortable with the notion. "You were right there with me. He’s a good guy. Brave." Lena snuggled in closer to Gio and Harry felt like he’d done his part in paying the kid back for his help.
They shared a knowing look, an unspoken acknowledgment of the unending vigilance required in these troubled times.
Suddenly, a loud crash shattered the calm, pulling their attention toward the main street. Without a word, they all ran toward the source of the noise, only to find the storefront windows of the bookstore and bakery smashed, shards of glass strewn across the pavement like glistening tears.
"Damn it," Harry cursed under his breath, scanning the area for the culprits. He caught a glimpse of shadows darting away and, without thinking, gave chase.
"Harry, wait! Don’t trust them. Just wait.” Gio called after him, concern lacing his voice.
But Harry was already too far ahead, driven by a ferocious adrenaline. His focus narrowed to the fleeing figures, everyother warning, even his own gut instinct, fading into the background.
The chase led him down a dark alley, the perfect setup he failed to recognize until it was too late. Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows, a taser in hand. The electric shock hit him square in the back, sending agonizing jolts through his body. Harry's muscles seized, his body going limp as he crumpled to the ground, every nerve alight with pain.
Before he could recover, a second assailant appeared, delivering a brutal hit to his head. Darkness encroached upon his vision, the sounds of the night fading into a distant echo as Harry slipped into unconsciousness, the night swallowing him whole.
CHAPTER 12
Rose stood in the small, sunlit kitchen, the sizzle of bacon filling the air with its savory scent. She moved with a rhythm of someone who’d made a million breakfasts like this. Flipping the strips with practiced ease while whisking eggs in a bowl. She looked like a pro but she’d never had such beautiful appliances. Fresh organic eggs. Thick cut bacon. Everything was here for her. She didn’t have to fight for it. Work herself to death for it. It was just here in the beautiful cottage.
Nathaniel, already clad in his swimsuit, his excitement for the day palpable, bounced around the kitchen table. "Mom, can we go look for seashells after breakfast?" he chirped, his eyes alight with the simple joy of a child's anticipation.
Rose smiled at him, nodding. "Of course, sweetheart. We'll spend the whole morning on the beach if you want."
She'd made a pact with herself upon waking—today would be a day of positivity, a day to remind herself of the fortuitous turn their lives had taken. Despite the shadows that lingered at the edges of their past, they had found a semblance of peace in this quaint cottage by the ocean. It was a peace she was determined to nurture, for Nathaniel's sake and her own. It could be so muchworse. She’d lead by example and help her son see the unknown as endless possibilities.
