Chapter 39
Maggie
“Holy fucking shit, we’re not going to the wedding.”
I spin around, my dress twirling around my legs. “Don’t be ridiculous. Of course we are. We’re in the wedding.”
Adjusting himself, Ian walks toward me. “I’ll tell them we’re sick.” He licks his bottom lip. “You look so fucking sexy.”
His arm snakes around my waist and pulls me against his solid body. My palms go to his chest, running my hands up and around his shoulders. He’s dressed in his all-black suit minus his jacket.
“You look pretty sexy yourself. I love you in jeans, but every time I see you in this, it does something to me.”
His hand slips down my back and settles on my ass. “You know, if we don’t go, I could do something to you. Probably multiple somethings.”
I pat his chest. “The second we get home, I promise you can do any something you want to me.”
His eyebrows jump. “Anything?”
“No butt stuff,” I say in a mock stern tone.
He harrumphs. “One of these days…”
I laugh as I rise onto my tiptoes and peck him on the cheek. “Give me ten more minutes, and I’ll be ready to leave.”
With a quick kiss on the lips and a squeeze of my ass, he leaves me in the bedroom.
Turning back to the mirror, I smile at my reflection, feeling a happiness that lights up my soul.
I hardly recognize the woman I see in the mirror.
My skin looks brighter. My eyes reflect someone who is starting to rediscover herself in a way that allows for forgiveness and acceptance, for herself and others. And love. I see the undeniable sparkle.
Tonight is the night I’m going to tell Ian how I feel. I don’t want to hold it in anymore. Even if he isn’t ready, I need him to know.
My heart sings as I quickly finish getting ready for the first night of the rest of my life.
Ian grins at me as he leads me out onto the dance floor. The wedding has been absolutely perfect. There aren’t many people here, but the group that gathered to celebrate Ella and Jack is loving and enthusiastic. We’ve been having the best time.
But now I’m soaking in the euphoria of being held against Ian as he leads us around the dance floor, his heartbeat steady against my ear.
The wedding and ceremony were in Becky, Jack’s cousin’s, backyard. Fairy lights are strung between the trees over the dance floor, giving it an ethereal, romantic feel.
“Ella did such an amazing job. Tonight was perfect.”
Ian hums his agreement. “Not as perfect as you, but it was pretty great.” He looks up at the lights twinkling above us. “Is this the kind of wedding you would want?”
I bite back a smile. “To be honest, I wouldn’t want to plan something like this. I would be just as happy eloping to Vegas. Or even the courthouse.”
He nods slowly with a lazy smile on his face.
Leaning back so I can look up at Ian, my stomach flips with nerves. I lick my lips and swallow before saying softly, “I have something I want to tell you.”
He smooths a hand down my back, landing low on my hip, and with affection glowing in his gaze, he says, “You can tell me anything.”
On a rushed exhale, my words come tumbling out. “I know this might be too soon. And I’m not saying this to get you to say it back to me. Because it’s okay with me if you’re not ready. But…” My heart thunders in my ears. “I love you.”
His feet freeze, and our slow circles cease.
Oh no. I made a mistake.
His throat muscles work with his swallow.
I try to take a step back out of his arms, worried he might want to take a moment to himself. “I’ll give you some space.”
The grip on me increases.
“Don’t.” It’s practically a whisper.
My efforts stop, and I search his face.
His voice is deep and quiet. If I weren’t pressed against him, I might not have heard him. “I love you, too, Maggie. More than I thought ever possible.”
I exhale a breath of relief as a tear slips past my lashes. “Thank goodness. You scared me for a second there.”
With his hand on the back of my neck, his lips find mine. The kiss is passionate and filled with all the feelings we just expressed to each other and so many more left unsaid. When we break apart, I recognize the light I saw in me earlier shining back.
“You ready to go home?” he asks.
I smile. “So ready.”
By the time we arrive at his house, we’re frantic for each other. Before we’re fully over the threshold, Ian spins me away from him and unzips my dress. His teeth find the muscles connecting my shoulder to my neck hungrily. When he bites down, my core clenches, and a moan fills the electric air.
“Ian, I need you, like, yesterday.” My voice is as desperate as I am.
He propels me forward until the front of my thighs hit the dining room table.
I lose the connection between us when he steps back, allowing my dress to pool at my feet, and a shiver runs down my back.
His hands grip my butt and squeeze, separating my cheeks, and I feel my body flush in exhilaration and self-consciousness.
“Mags, you were fucking forged from my dreams. Made with every fantasy in mind. I’ll never understand why you love me, but with you, I’m selfish as hell, and I’m never letting you go.
Do you understand?” His hand presses on my back until I’m lying on the table.
Moving my thong, his two thick fingers slide inside me, and I let out a long moan. “Tell me you understand, Mags.”
I pant as his fingers move to my clit. “Yes, Ian. Please don’t ever let me go.
I’m yours and you’re mine.” His breath hits the backs of my thighs as he kneels behind me.
I have a flashback to the night he showed up at my apartment, and I can’t help but tease him for leaving me that night, even as desire rockets through my body.
I lift my head and look back at him. “I’m having some déjà vu…
you sure you aren’t about to walk out on me? ”
A husky laugh blows across my skin. “Not a chance in fucking hell.”
Ian sucks my clit hard, and I forget about any moment other than right now.
With only the illumination from a small lamp in the living room guiding my path, I walk down the short hall to his kitchen.
The ecstasy filling my heart is so palpable that it gives me chills.
When we arrived back at his house from the wedding, we spent the hours wrapped in each other’s arms, letting our bodies convey our feelings even more deeply than our spoken words could express.
Ian loves me.
And I love him.
Standing in the kitchen alone, my smile makes my cheeks hurt. Ian wanted to take a quick shower, so I told him I would make us a snack. Glancing at the clock above the oven, I see it’s a little past one in the morning.
I pick up my phone from the counter.
Five missed calls.
That’s odd.
I raise my phone to listen to one of the voicemails from a number I don’t know.
“Miss Smith, this is Connie from the State’s Attorney’s Office of Chicago-”
Rancid breath tickles my cheek as the voice that haunts every waking, and lately every sleeping, moment of the last six years rings in my ears. “My dearest Maggie, I’ve missed you so much.”
My chest heaves as my breathing accelerates. My skin crawls. Tears well in my eyes, immediately slipping down my cheeks. “Reese,” is all I get out.
Something cold touches my chest right above my tank top, and I shift my eyes down. Terror ripples through my body as the blunt side of a knife slides along my skin.
“What…what do you want?” I stammer, knowing I need to tamp down the panic so I can figure out how to get away from him.
A humorless laugh fills the air as Reese’s body presses against my back. “What I want is for you to pay.” The knife flips, so the sharp edge is against me now. I close my eyes and freeze. “You betrayed me, you little bitch.”
I hiss as the blade slices my skin. The cut isn’t deep, but it hurts like hell. Warmth runs down my chest. My eyes open to find the top edge of my yellow tank top now stained red.
Reese’s lips touch my ear as he murmurs, “I would’ve preferred a gun. Quicker. More precise…but this seemed much more satisfying and…intimate.” He cuts another line next to the other. More tears spill down my cheeks. “I don’t hate this.”
I whimper as he presses his groin against me, his hardness digging in. His arm wraps around me tightly when we hear a faint voice call my name.
Ian.
My head turns slightly toward the hall. It’ll only be moments until he comes out here.
I’m panicking, trying to figure out what to do.
Part of me hopes Ian will save me, but an even bigger part wants Ian to stay as far away from Reese as possible.
Even if that means there’s no saving me.
He can’t be hurt because of me. Not ever, but definitely not after the night we had.
When Reese and I hear the click of the bathroom door opening and the sound of heavy footsteps echoing loudly in the stillness of the house, my mind races with different scenarios.
“Guess our fun’s over.” With those simple words, he plunges the knife into my stomach three times in quick succession.
Releasing me, I drop heavily to the floor, landing on my side.
A pain that takes my breath away explodes through my body.
My eyes slam shut in a useless attempt to get the searing sensation to stop.
To try to ease the throbbing, I roll onto my back as the front door closes almost silently. My hands hold my stomach. Within seconds, they’re warm with liquid as blood flows through my fingers.
There’s so much blood.
“Maggie!” Ian is next to me suddenly, his face filled with terror. He leans over me and picks up my phone. Holding it up to my face, he quickly unlocks it. I can hear him saying that we need an ambulance and that they need to hurry. His voice seems so far away.
Seconds later, he moves my hands so he can put pressure on my stomach. He’s calling my name over and over, telling me I’m going to be okay.
I wish, with every fiber of my being, that were true.
“Ian,” I say weakly. His distraught face hovers above mine. Are those tears running down his face? I try to shake my head to get myself to focus. “Ian, please listen to me.”
He nods, so I continue. “Reese did this. He’s here.
” My inhale feels like my insides are being ripped apart.
“I’m so sorry that I’m going to leave you.
I wish more than anything I didn’t have to.
But I would never trade my time with you for more time here.
I’m so incredibly lucky to have been loved by you.
” Breathing and talking hurt so much, but I need him to know.
“Please don’t let this ruin the rest of your life.
You have to live for me. For us. And most importantly, for you. ”
“Maggie, stop. You’re going to be fine. They’ll be here soon, baby.” His voice cracks.
“No, Ian. I won’t be. I love you so much.”
His body heat covers me as his body quakes. I can’t tell whose tears are whose as he presses his lips to mine.
There couldn’t be a more perfect ending to our utter devastation.