Chapter 17
“Do you have her all situated?” I asked, running my hand through my hair. I was so fucking annoyed. I had a million places to be and none of them was where I was now. I just wanted to get out of here and get to Aurora’s. I hated that she lived so far away. Why the hell couldn’t she just live closer? Why couldn’t she just live here? Maybe even with me. It just made more sense for things to work out that way. That way we wouldn’t spend so much time fucking traveling. We both worked long hours, and we both worked on this property. There were plenty of places for her to stay around the retreat that weren’t even on property. We could probably find something. Something we could afford that wasn’t too much to handle since we weren’t home a lot. I bet we could find something.
I frowned, pausing mid thought when I realized I kept saying “we.” We would find something. We would make things work.
As if there was a true future. As if I wanted her for more than just this moment.
But I did, didn’t I? I had said care instead of love earlier because I had copped out, but I knew this feeling. I had felt it before, even though it had been a little different. But I knew that feeling.
That intense heat and churning and connection that came with knowing that person fit you perfectly.
And I had ignored it because I had been so damn scared. But what if it was okay to lean into that fear, to lean into being scared? What if it’s okay?
Oh dear God, I loved Aurora Lee. I loved that damn beautiful cake maker who made me smile. Who made me believe.
How the hell had that happened? How had I gone from hiding within my own family and moving across the state so I wouldn’t have to deal with anything connected to my past or feelings, to wanting her to be closer. For wanting us to be so close we practically lived together, or actually wanting to live together. How the hell had that happen?
“Ridge? Are you listening to a word I’m saying? What is going on in your head right now?”
I looked up at Trace who frowned at me, and I swallowed hard, running my hands over my face. “What? What did you say? What did I miss?”
“First, your voice is going really high-pitched, and I can see your heart beating with that flutter on your neck. So, breathe in and out, calm yourself, and slow down that pulse rate for me.”
I did as he asked, mostly because I needed to do something other than have that quick panic attack in my head over and over and over again.
“Sorry. What did I ask?”
Trace gave me an odd look, and I realized I had possibly lost my mind.
“You asked if I could handle her. The obsessed fan who really wanted to get to know Lark and her husband. Yes, I can handle this. Why don’t you go see Aurora, because I have a feeling whatever the hell is going on in that head of yours is something about her, and maybe something you want to tell her?”
“How the hell do you know that?” I asked, confused as hell.
“You have the same look that I had when I realized that I was fucking things up with Elliot and Sidney. I’ve got this, thanks for the help since two of our men are down with the flu. I appreciate it. Now, go see your girl. I like the two of you together.”
“Really?” I asked with a snort.
“Yes. You two fit. She’s so bubbly and happy when she lets herself be, and you need that.”
“I don’t like this whole intuitive side of you,” I said dryly.
“Maybe not, but this is why we’re friends. Go see my girl too and pick up some flowers.”
I raised a brow. “Relationship advice?”
“I’ll have you know I’m married to not one but two fucking fantastic people. If anyone is going to give you relationship advice out of every single person on this property, it’s going to be me.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “Well, I guess the odds are in your favor.”
“May they ever be,” he said with a laugh, and I ignored him, before taking his advice and going to Sidney to pick up flowers. I was a flower kind of guy. But I didn’t know what I was doing.
I had just realized that I was in love with Aurora. So maybe I should do something about that. Maybe I should figure out exactly what I was supposed to do. Tell her? Well, that would probably be a good thing. Or maybe I should keep apologizing for being such a fuck face. Yes, that seemed like the thing to start with.
Or maybe I should just see her. I smiled, my shoulders relaxing. Yes, I just wanted to see her.
When Sidney smiled up at me, her fingers covered in band-aids and her hair piled on the top of her head in the messiest bun I’d ever seen, I just laughed.
“You okay?”
“Huge rose delivery day. I love roses, but I hate thorns. I’m sure there’s a nice poetic thing that I could say, and Elliot would probably be the best at it, but I’m not in the mood. I just want wine.”
“We do work at a winery. You’ll probably figure it out.”
“Yes, but I try not to wine and snip.” She held up the snippers, and I winced.
“That makes sense. I mean, look at your hands with thorns already.”
“I know. And both Elliot and Trace are going to be pissed off at me.”
“Speaking of Trace, it was his suggestion I come over here for flowers.”
Sidney smiled so wide I was afraid her cheeks were going to burst. “Really? For Aurora? That’s the sweetest thing. I’ll whip you up a bouquet real quick.”
“Nothing too fancy? I mean, she deals with cakes every day. I would say wildflowers, but we are out of season.”
“Very true. But I have an idea. A couple of roses, but light ones, just blooming from the hothouse that we have. I have a few other things that I could add so it’s colorful and fun. You guys need fun after everything that happened. I hope that’s okay to say.”
“It is. Thank you, Sidney.”
“You’re so welcome. I love Aurora. The two of you are adorable.”
I just shook my head, a smile playing on my face. “That seems to be the consensus.”
“Well, we have good taste.” She handed me a bouquet full of bright yellow and purple and red and orange and yellow flowers. “Here you go.”
“How did you do that so quickly?”
“My hands are numb at this point,” she said with a laugh. “And I like you. And I love Aurora.”
“I’m family. Shouldn’t you love me?” I asked, noticing that I could say the L word quite easily now. Look at that.
“Shush. I love you too. But you get all squirmy when I say it, so I don’t.”
I moved around the counter and hugged Sidney close, keeping the flowers safe.
“You are such a bright light. Thank you for bringing Elliot back when I hadn’t even realized that we’d lost him.”
I said that softly, so soft I could hear Sidney’s sniffs.
“That’s the sweetest thing. The freaking sweetest thing. And now I’m crying and I’m going to be all puffy for my date with my men tonight. But seriously, how do you know how to say the right thing?”
I pulled away, flowers in hand, and shook my head. “I’m the worst person when it comes to saying the right thing. Just ask Aurora.”
“But she fixed it. Because those aren’t apology flowers, are they? Because if so, I should have used different colors.”
I shook my head. “No, we’re past that. Well, at least a step past that. So these aren’t truly apology flowers, but somewhere close. In the vicinity. Maybe just some ‘I’m thinking of you and I missed you’ flowers.” I winced. “I have no idea how to say things with flowers.”
“Flowers have a language of their own. So you’re right on that.”
“And these say what I need them to say?”
“I think you being there says that too.” She smiled brightly, wiping away her tears. “Now, go see your girl. And tell her that girls’ night with lots of cheese and lots of wine is tomorrow.”
“That means she’s staying here, and I can get a nicely cheesed up woman. I like that.”
“All the men love that. It is one of the perks.” She winked, and I just laughed, heading out to my car with a spring in my step.
I was excited to see her. It was about time.
I was just getting into my car when Wyatt came up, a frown on his face.
“You okay?” I asked, eager to get to Aurora’s.
“Yeah. Just dealing with bullshit.”
“Still waiting on papers?” I asked, since Wyatt had finally told me some of why he was such an asshole sometimes.
“Yep. And I have to pay another lawyer fee. I really love this. Don’t you?”
“Are you good for it?” I asked, hating talking about money.
“Yes. I am. Plus every time that I try to pay, our baby brother and all his millions decide to get in the way. It’s really fucking annoying.”
I pressed my lips together, knowing that if Gabriel wouldn’t do it, the rest of us would. Because we needed to take care of each other. And it was about damn time we got our heads out of our asses and figured that out.
“If you need anything, let me know. I’m heading to Aurora’s tonight, but tomorrow’s girls’ night with wine and cheese. So maybe during that we can sit down and hash it out?”
“Maybe. I don’t know. It’s just a shitty night. But I have to head to the bar anyway.”
“Okay. But maybe talk to Brooks. If you’re in this mood, Brooks will help.”
“Brooks has his own moods,” he grumbled before stomping away as he muttered under his breath.
I had no idea how to fix things for him, but maybe it was time I tried. My brothers were floundering, just like I was. But I was getting out of it. Finally. So it was time to pass the torch.
Once I figured out exactly how to explain to Aurora what I felt. With words and everything.
I got in my car, kept the flowers safe on the front seat, and got on the highway to make the trip to Aurora’s. It was only forty minutes without traffic, and thankfully we were past the major rush hour. But with the construction, you just never knew.
I was about five minutes away when my phone rang, Aurora’s name coming over the dash.
I smiled, hitting answer as soon as I could.
“Hey, babe. I’m almost there. Can’t wait to see you.”
“Ridge?”
Aurora’s voice sounded stilted, so fucking scared, and my hands gripped the steering wheel, because I could tell something was wrong.
“Aurora? What’s wrong?”
“Ridge, stay away.” She shouted the last part, and then there was a sound of flesh meeting flesh as she screamed, and I sped up, going ninety in a seventy.
“Aurora!”
“So sorry. Aurora can’t come to the phone right now. But I see you’re on your way. That saves some trouble. Get here soon, Ridge Wilder. I’m going to kill another one of your girls. I so liked doing it the first time.”
The phone clicked off and I slammed my fist into the steering wheel, going far too fast down the highway, and hoping to hell I didn’t crash or get pulled over.
I pressed the talk button, my voice brittle. “Call Trace.”
Calling Trace.
“Hey, what’s up,” Trace asked after a single ring.
“I know who it is. It’s the third asshole. The one that they thought went to Mexico. He’s here. He’s in Aurora’s house. He has her. Call the cops. Do something. I’m like two minutes away.” I skidded off the highway, praying that I didn’t flip my fucking car.
“What, slow down. What’s going on?” Trace pulled the phone away from his mouth and called out a few things, and I heard Elliot over the line saying he called 911.
“The third guy. The one they never caught? We all thought he was either dead or vanished. But he’s not. He’s the one who mugged her. Had her address. I don’t know how he got in, but he found a way. And he has her.”
“I’m on my way. But it’s going to take me some time. We’re calling the cops. Don’t do anything stupid, Ridge.”
“He has Aurora. I’m going in.”
“Fuck. Don’t die. Don’t get Aurora killed. We’ll be there soon.”
“I know.” I hung up, grateful that Trace had everybody’s information so he could handle the authorities.
I needed to get to Aurora.
I skidded into the driveway, and I knew that anyone who saw me probably thought I was insane.
But I didn’t care. I didn’t know how that man had gotten in there, but if he had evaded the cops for this long, he could find a fucking way. And I had let her go in alone. Again. But I’d be damned if she got hurt again because of me. I hadn’t been there before or now. Because all of this was my fault. Because I’d identified those men.
Fuck this. I wouldn’t let her die. This would not happen again.
I got out of the car and made my way to the door, my hands shaking until I forced myself to remember my training. I needed to be calm. I needed to be the guy who trained for this.
“I see you. You better not be armed.” I looked up at the camera and realized he could see me, and would be able to hear me over the mic.
“Don’t you fucking hurt her.”
“Too late, bro. You got my brothers put in jail. I’m going to take what’s yours again. I had so much fun the first time.”
“You said that already. But why don’t you take me instead? Let her go. I’m the one who fucked you over. She doesn’t deserve any of this.”
“She’s trying to crawl out from where I hogtied her under the table. She’s so cute. We left the front door unlocked for you. I want to see your face in person when I kill her.”
I wasn’t armed, I didn’t carry a gun. I had only been driving to Aurora’s house to see the woman that I loved. And now this man was going to try to take everything from me again. But I’d be damned if I let that happened.
I held up both hands so he could see I was stupidly unarmed. I looked straight at the camera, knowing I’d kill this man if I had a chance. But I didn’t care, so I walked slowly to the front door and then opened it, and I knew this was one of the most idiotic things I had done.
He could shoot me right in the face, and there wouldn’t be a damn thing I could do about it.
But if I didn’t go in there? He’d kill her. There was no doubt about it in my mind.
“Be quick about it, bro. Before I kill her. Because I will. You know I will.”
I opened the door and took a step in.
There was some blood on the carpet, but only a little from where her nose had bled and her lip had split. But she was alive, her mouth clamped closed as she looked at me with wide eyes. He must have told her not to scream.
I wanted to tell her that this would be okay, that we’d fix this, but I couldn’t.
Not until I got her out of here.
“I’m here. You can let her go now.”
“I don’t think so. I’m the one who holds all the cards here. You’re such an idiot. You should have just stayed away and stayed safe. But no, you always try to rescue the girl. Couldn’t do that before so you got my brothers put in jail, but now it’s my turn to finish you.”
“Do what you want to me, just let her go.”
“Ridge, don’t.”
“What did I fucking say?” the man snapped as he turned the gun to her.
With his back to me I did the one thing I could do. I moved. I was trained, and this man wasn’t. His grip on the gun looked like he had learned it from watching movies, and no practical experience.
He whirled on me as I hit him and a shot rang out, going wide.
And then another, and another.
But the man hit the ground with me on top of him, and I slammed my fist into his face, and then again and again, using my other hand to squeeze his wrist, and moved my leg to kick the gun away once he finally dropped it.
Fire spread over my shoulder, and I realized that a bullet had grazed me, but it wasn’t a direct hit so it was fine. I’d been here before, after all, but I’d be damned if it ended like it had before. Blood seeped down my shirt, Aurora was crying, and sirens rang in the distance, growing closer. But I kept punching as the man went unconscious, blood splattered over my chest, over my fist, and then Aurora was moving towards me, her hands and legs still tied.
I looked over at her and nearly passed out. Before I went to her, I made sure the man was tied up and down for the count, then I moved to the woman I loved. She was so pale, so scared, but the man hadn’t covered her mouth. He wanted to hear her screams.
“Ridge, you came.”
“I’ll always come when you need me,” I whispered.
And then I moved to untie her wrists and her ankles, knowing that the man was unconscious but alive.
I hadn’t killed him. I wanted to. I wanted to take him from this life so he could never hurt another person that I loved.
But I wouldn’t. Not in front of Aurora.
If she hadn’t been here? That might be a different story.
But for now, I just held her in my lap and let her shake as the sirens got closer.
“I’m here. I’ve got you.”
“I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry that I didn’t know he was in the house.”
“We’ll figure it all out.” I held her face and looked over her bloody nose and lip.
“Are you hurt anywhere else?”
She shook her head, leaning back on my chest. “No, he just slapped me. I’m okay. But you’re bleeding. Oh my God, Ridge, you’re bleeding.”
“I’ll be fine. It’s just a flesh wound.”
She scowled. “But the knight who said that eventually lost all his limbs.”
“I’m fine, I promise. I love you so fucking much, Aurora. You just need to be okay.” My heart raced and I did my best not to squeeze her too tight, or set her aside so I could kill the man beside us.
“I’m okay. And I love you too. So much.”
“I’m never letting you out of my sight again. You’re going to move in with me and you’re never going to leave. You’re going to be stitched to my side until the end of days. Because I’m never letting this happen again. Do you understand me?”
Her eyes widened before she laughed, and I couldn’t believe that we were laughing in this situation. “Did you just say you love me and ask me to move in with you within like three breaths?”
“I didn’t ask, I said it was happening. That’s an order, a demand. So get over it.”
She shook her head before she leaned over and kissed me, and I knew this was it. This was everything.
This was the woman that I loved.
She pulled back and winced, so I held her close and rested my forehead on hers. “Sorry. That’s got to hurt your lip.”
“I’m fine. And okay, I’ll move in with you. Because I love you too, and I really hate the drive.”
I laughed as the cops came in and asked for Ridge Wilder, and everything became chaotic again.
We tried to explain to authorities what had happened as Trace barreled in, who must have somehow driven like a bat out of hell to get to us so quickly, and I knew we would be okay.
Because this was the woman that I loved. The woman that was mine.
I hadn’t been too late this time.
I hadn’t been too late.