23. Chapter 23
Harley
Where am I? Where is Kingsley?
The panic pooling in my stomach rose to my chest, constricting it, as I stumbled on in complete darkness.
I loved the sound of crickets, but right now they made for a haunting track.
What if I got lost in the jungle? I’d already checked my phone.
No bars, which wasn’t surprising on this side of the island.
Hopefully Kingsley was okay. And what about Rome? What if he got shot? What if he was bleeding out and needed help while I was stumbling around here?
For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.
Yes, He was with me. He would help them, and He would help me.
My sneaker hit something hard, and I stumbled. Hit my knees.
“Ow.” I fought back to my feet. If only I could use my phone’s flashlight. But it would only drain the battery and give away my location—
An arm coiled around my waist, a hand slapping over my mouth. I screamed, but it came out muffled.
No, no, no! I thrashed. Kicked. Writhed.
“Easy, Harley. It’s me, Kingsley.”
His familiar voice sucked all fight out of me. I stilled in his arms. He was okay. Kingsley was okay.
“I got you, Sweetheart.” He supported my weight until I was able to stand on my shaking legs.
“Are you hurt?” I whispered, clinging to him. I didn’t want to let him go. Ever again.
“No. I mean, you almost clawed out my eyes, but other than that I’m fine.”
I cringed. “I’m so sorry. Is Ro—”
“I’m good, too,” Rome’s voice came from somewhere beside us. “Got shot, but I’ll live. Thanks for asking.”
“Thank God you’re alive!” I let go of Kingsley and stumbled in the direction where Rome’s voice had come from. I found an arm and squished it.
He let out a grunt. “Told you I was shot, right?”
I instantly let him go. “Sorry.” Now my hands were slick. I wiped my palms on my pants, grimacing when I realized I was wearing my white pair. “You’re bleeding.”
“Usually happens when lead penetrates skin and flesh.”
I wanted to smack him. “I’m panicking here, okay? I just got chased through the jungle by psychos out for my blood all the while thinking you two were dead. You can’t expect my brain to work. Now tell me what happened.”
“Bossy much?” A grin was audible in his voice. “They discovered me, and I shot at them. Unfortunately they shot back.”
“Are you serious?” The way he’d uttered the words so nonchalantly made it sound like he was joking. But Rome wasn’t one to joke about stuff like this.
“We better get out of Dodge before they come back,” Kingsley cut in.
Even though I wanted to know more details, I didn’t argue. According to Rome, the men were gone, so we used the flashlights to get back to Silent Wharf. Relief washed over me when we left the jungle behind.
“Can you ride your bike?” Kingsley shone the light of my phone on Rome’s shoulder.
I sucked in a breath at the sight of blood glistening on his black button-down. So much blood.
“Yeah, shouldn’t be an issue.” Except his face contorted when he lifted his arm.
“You need to go to the hospital, or you’ll bleed out,” I demanded, not caring how commanding I sounded.
He straddled his bike, clearly favoring his arm. “Stuffed some fabric in there. Won’t bleed out that quickly.”
Only now did I notice that the bottom of his shirt was ripped. “Geez, Rome.” I shook my head. “You’re crazy, you know that?”
“So I’ve been told.”
“Is that your blood, Harley?” Kingsley pointed at the bloody hand prints on my white pants.
I grimaced. “No, that’s Rome’s.” And my hands were stained, too. I lifted my gaze to my boss. “What exactly happened?”
Sighing, he raked a hand through his hair.
A darkness lingered in his eyes, like he was just emerging from the place he’d gone to when he had to pull the trigger.
“I killed two of them. You guys distracted your ex and the other dude, and I could escape. I’m pretty sure they took all the weapons.
” He tilted his head back with a groan. “Which means I have to start the search all over again.”
“He killed two men,” I muttered as I frantically scrubbed my hands in the sink of the tiny guesthouse bathroom at Saint James. Kingsley and I had managed to sneak into the monastery and dodge everyone to avoid being asked why my pants were bloodied.
A strong body nestled against me from behind, calloused hands stilling mine. “It was his life or theirs,” Kingsley said quietly.
Warmth spread through me when he took one of my hands, pumped soap into it, then started massaging my palm.
“I know. And I’m aware that this comes with who he is, but still .
. .” I closed my eyes, relishing Kingsley’s touch.
“I’m so sorry I dragged you into this mess.
What if they think you’re an accomplice to murder? ”
Although I was certain if the police found out, Rome would take the blame. He wasn’t one to throw others under the bus, not even if they were actually involved.
Kingsley rinsed my hand with warm water, then switched to the other. “I chose to be there, and I would do it again if it means I can protect you.”
Red soap water dripped into the white porcelain sink. That was me in Kingsley’s life. He’d been clean before me, then I came along and defiled him.
“Stop blaming yourself, Harley. I make my own choices.”
The kiss he pressed to my temple left my skin tingling. Lord, I love this man so much.
“I know,” I whispered. But he couldn’t make wrong choices if I wasn’t in his life.
The revelation cut into my heart like a dagger—so painfully that my breath caught. I had to leave him. I had to pack my things and get out of this monastery.
And Kingsley’s life.
Oh God, I can’t . . .
“Hey, breathe.” Kingsley gently turned me around and wrapped me into his strong arms. “It’s okay.”
I buried my face in his neck, his familiar scent enfolding me like a comforting blanket. I don’t want to leave you. How am I supposed to live without you?
“I want to show you something.” His chest rumbled as he spoke.
“What?”
“A place I haven’t shared with anyone.”
I wriggled out of his arms so I could look at him. “I’d like that.”
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “All right. Let’s go.”
Holding hands, we hiked through the field and woods until we reached Serenity Lake. The water stretched before us, the moonlight reflecting on the glassy surface like liquid silver. It couldn’t get any more romantic than this.
Kingsley slipped out of his sandals, then removed his belt and rosary. “Take off your shoes.”
I did as told.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
“Ready for wha—”
He hoisted me up and tossed me over his shoulder, eliciting a squeal from me. Thank God a strangled one, because although the monks staying in the main building were too far away to hear us, the worry of getting caught loomed like a shadow wherever we went.
Kingsley sprinted into the water, causing it to splash everywhere, including my face.
Uncontrollable laughter shook me, and it took everything in me to stay quiet.
Finally, he stopped and lowered me into the hip-deep water, his arms tightly wrapped around me.
Pressing his lips to mine, he smothered my giggles.
I snaked my arms around the back of his neck and melted into him. This man was a blessing from God. Or maybe a punishment. Whatever he was, this was our last night—I would sear every second of it into my memory.
Kingsley broke off, resting his forehead against mine. “I wish I could put into words how much you mean to me, Sweetheart.”
Warmth spread from my chest into my limbs and all the way to my fingertips and toes. There was so much I wanted to say, but emotion clogged my throat.
Kingsley claimed my lips again, so much passion in his kiss that my head swirled. “Let me show you why we’re here.” He thumbed over his shoulder. “Hop on.”
Excitement bubbling in my stomach, I climbed on his back. I loved surprises.
“Whatever happens, don’t let go.” He lowered us into the water.
Cold swept over my stomach, then chest, causing me to gasp. “It’s f-frigid.”
“Nothing compared to winter.” He started swimming, his strong, hard strokes quickly bringing us to the middle of the lake, then the other side to a rocky cliff in the green mountains. “Hold your breath.”
I inhaled deeply, and Kingsley submerged with me still on his back. Darkness swallowed us. I clung to him as he dove with powerful strokes. How did he even know where he was going?
My lungs started to burn, and just when I thought I couldn’t hold my breath any longer, we broke through the surface. I gulped air. Blinked against the water running into my eyes. “If you want to break up with me, you can just tell me rather than drown me.”
Kingsley’s chuckle echoed in the dark space. “Where’s the fun in that?”
“Do you need a reminder that I’m behind you and can easily put you in a choke hold?”
Whatever move he pulled next, I got dragged through the water in one swift motion and ended up in front of him, his arm loosely wrapped around my torso. “Not anymore,” he said at my ear, his voice low.
My heart raced. This man . . .
“Look up, Sweetheart.”
I lifted my gaze to the ceiling of the tunnel we had ended up in. “Oh my . . .” Thousands of bluish glowing dots were sprinkled six feet above us, almost like the Milky Way. I couldn’t remember ever having seen something this beautiful. “Are those fireflies?”
“Glowworms. Breathtaking, aren’t they?”
“Yes,” I whispered, indeed sounding breathless. “I thought there weren’t any on this island.”
“Allegedly not. There are more.” He turned us around, taking me in a rescue tow. “Dip your head back and look up.”
As I did, he pulled me deeper into the tunnel. The little lights grew denser the farther we swam. I’d seen fireflies one time I went camping with my parents near Roan Mountain, but this was different. Absolutely magical.
The ceiling lifted and broadened into a cave.
Kingsley stopped, and when I lowered my legs, I felt sand under my feet.
He lifted me into an upright position, the water now only reaching up to my thighs.
Clothes plastered to our bodies, we waded onto the small sandbank in the middle of the garage-sized cave.
“Care for a dance?” Kingsley twirled me twice, then pulled me against him, one hand resting on my lower back.
Placing a hand on his chest, I tilted my head back and smiled up at him. “I thought you’d never ask.”
We swayed to nothing but silence and the soft glow coming from the glowworms scattered above us like stars.
The thought that this was our last moment together coiled like barbwire around my heart.
And the pain I knew was about to come . .
. It was like God’s punishment for our sins, except it wasn’t. We’d done this to ourselves.
I would leave him tonight, once he was asleep. Quietly, like the coward I was, because having to watch his heart shatter . . . My throat thickened. I didn’t want to give him a chance to beg me to stay. My resolve was too fragile for that.
Don’t think about it. Focus on the here and now. On Kingsley’s strong body pressed against mine, his beard scratching my temple, his love for me palpable in the way he held me.
Kingsley dipped me over his knee, then brought me back up, only inches separating our lips. “I wish this night would never end.” His voice was low. Guttural.
“So do I.”
Except it would. And tomorrow morning I would be gone.