Bonus Epilogue
Esme · June
“ E sme.” I pause at the sound of my name as I step outside to carry a bag of trash out of Main Street Coffee.
Most everyone has left the book signing, but I stuck around with Noah, Sam, Ethan, Ashton, and Branda to help clean up.
I look around, but I don’t see anyone. I hear a branch snap, and I twist toward the direction of the sound.
I notice the dark silhouette of a person against the backdrop of the woods.
I instinctively take a few steps back toward the door, a nervous hum running through my veins, but when the shadow steps into the dim streetlight, it’s only Bryan.
I let out a shaky breath. “Hi, Bryan. How are you? I haven’t seen you around in a while.” Months, really. Though I didn’t realize it until this moment.
His lips twitch upward, and at that small show of expression, I fully take him in.
He’s standing straighter than I’m used to seeing.
His shoulders are squared, and he’s cut that mid-sized beard of his that always gave me an ick.
To top off the weird factor, he’s wearing a full-fledged black suit.
He looks the most handsome I’ve ever seen him, but also—creepy.
Who emerges from the woods in a suit like that?
He continues to stalk closer, and I find myself pressing my side against the wooden building. Splinters poke at my bare arm.
“I hear congratulations are in order.” He nods at the wedding band on my finger.
I clasp my hands together and fiddle with the ring as I respond. “Thank you. I, uh, hope it’s not weird for you.”
Bryan once told me the real reason he bailed on our wedding, and while I don’t have any qualms over my decision, I also don’t want to make him uncomfortable.
He is the one still stuck with the memories, not me.
But Ashton would tell you to get over it.
Noah, too. Some things never change, though.
Like kindness and consideration for others. That’s a piece of me I’d like to keep.
“No, not at all. He was never a part of the plan. It killed me to see you making out with him back here earlier when the two of you snuck away from the crowd.” Bryan’s voice is steady and painted with the color of annoyance, but I am on high alert. He was spying on us?
I drop my hands to the side as a coolness trickles over my body despite the humid heat. “Plan?”
Bryan shakes his head, coming to a stop directly in front of me. He’s still not tall. He still gives off the vibe of a squirmy rat. But there’s an aura of crazed confidence around him. And a smidge of blood at his brow line.
“I was tasked with an assignment, and while I succeeded—against my will, might I add—my partner failed and managed to get himself killed. So, imagine my surprise and utter delight when you showed up back in this town after Bora Bora. I just had to find a way to get around my boss, which didn’t go as planned. ”
“What do you mean? What are you going on about?”
Bryan’s snakish smile grows. “From the onset, when I was assigned to you, I didn’t expect to fall in love with you.
But I did. You’re beautiful and poised and full of grace.
There’s a reason they chose you.” Bryan pauses, looking thoughtful as he continues to walk my way.
“I didn’t want to leave you at the altar, Esme, but my boss was…
punishing me … for getting my emotions tied up in the assignment.
But he’s gone now, and though it’s taken months for me to get rid of him and you went and married yourself off to the man who wasn’t a part of my plans, it can happen now.
I am free to have you. We can finally be together. I won’t be taken away this time.”
I can’t stop staring at the blood on his eyebrow or, as he leans closer, his bloodshot eyes.
I reach for the door, a million alarm bells ringing in my ears.
Byran grabs my wrist and yanks me toward him.
My freeze response activates as he says, “I’m saving you, Esme.
You were supposed to be a sacrifice in Bora Bora, and while I owe much to the man who rescued you, his job is done.
You are mine now. I will rise to my boss’s former position, and you will be safe.
They can’t use you if you’re mine. You can forget that other man ever existed and come back to me. ”
Sacrifice. One Love. Saving me.
Memories of a pentagram with a heart in the middle resurface.
Noah said it was all real, but he didn’t know about the branding tattoo.
While I’m unwillingly pressed against Bryan, I use the moment to look at his neck, but nothing is there.
“Do–do you have a tattoo?” I ask, my voice shaking and breaking.
Bryan chuckles, his hands splaying across the small of my back and pressing me tighter against him. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
I don’t know anything that’s going on, but I know I don’t want to stick around to find out. He smells like bleach, and I need to find Noah.
A thousand Bora Bora suns.
I bring my knee flying into his parts, and when he releases me, I bolt back inside the dim-lit coffee shop. “Noah!” I scream, looking around for him. “Noah!” I maneuver around tables, my breaths coming quickly and irregularly. “Noah!”
The world spins around me. But then I see him—my tall, handsome husband—coming from the back room of the shop. I collapse into his arms, my chest heaving. “Noah! Outside. Bryan. Talking nonsense. Trying to take me.”
Noah tenses and grabs Ethan, who just approached us. “Watch her!” he barks before stalking toward the back door I bolted in from.
I stumble after him in my dizzy state, but Ethan grabs my hand. “Esme. What’s going on?”
Sam stands next to Ethan, and Ashton and Branda are making their way into the dining area. “Is everything okay?” Ashton asks, concern written in his features.
“What’s happening?” Branda asks at the same time.
I fight to gain control of my breathing as Sam takes my hand from Ethan and squeezes.
“Bryan. He’s saying—” I try to make sense of Bryan’s words, but I can’t. And he had blood on him. And Noah … “I’ve got to help Noah!”
I yank free of Sam’s grip, clarity seeping into my system at the thought of Noah and Bryan outside. Alone. I race toward the backdoor exit, my heart pumping with adrenaline. I fling the door open.
But no one greets me on the other side. Not Noah. Not Bryan. Just the chirping crickets, the twinkling stars above, and the woods from which Bryan appeared out of earlier.
“Noah!” I shout, yanking my shoes off as I push myself to run as fast as I can to the woods. I vaguely hear my family on my heels, but my blood is thumping too hard in my ears for it to register completely. “Noah!”
A guttural scream slices through the fog in my head, and I run faster than I’ve ever run toward the sound.
Branches whack my face, briars scratching my legs as I dodge trees and bushes.
I stumble into a clearing to find a knife at the throat of the man I love.
Noah’s eyes are pools of anger while blood drips from some wound on his face.
But Bryan isn’t any better off outside of having a weapon.
I don’t stop to process or think rationally when Bryan grins, blood dripping off his chin. Rage fills my vision, and I let out a war cry as I sprint. Not again. Not again. Not again.
“Freeze!” A booming voice echoes from right behind me. And I do, only because I know the sound of that voice. A low growl sounds from Ares.
I don’t have to turn around to know Sheriff Hodges is behind me. He was still hanging around the area as we cleaned up.
I don’t take my eyes off Bryan, whose face is a cool mask of confidence as if a gun isn’t pointed at him. No, Bryan smiles. As if this is his idea of fun.
A sick, twisted wave of nausea churns in my stomach. I was going to marry this psycho.
“Let me have my Esme, and I will release the guy.”
“Not on your life!” I shout as shocks of exclamation come from behind me.
Bryan gives a bloody smirk. “But you will, darling. Or it’s his life.”
My blood runs cold. “Fine. Let him go and I will be yours.”
“Esme, what the—” Ethan barks, moving to stand beside me as Sam rests her hand on my shoulder as if to hold me in place. Ethan spits into the grass as he stares daggers at Bryan.
“You don’t mean that, Esme. The second I let him go you’ll run into his arms. I’m not stupid despite the role I’ve played.” He drags the tip of the knife along Noah’s neck. “I think, at this point, the only way to make you mine is to kill him.”
Bryan’s right. As much as I want to pretend that I will go to him, I wouldn’t be able to sell it. How do I get Noah out of this situation without any more harm? What do I need to do? This can’t be happening right now. No, no, no! What do I do?
“Drop the knife,” Sheriff Hodges commands. He’s on the other side of me now, his dark skin blending into his black T-shirt against the night as he levels his sights at Bryan. Ares stands at attention, moving when the sheriff moves.
“So help me God, Bryan. If you don’t let Noah go, I will—” Ashton stalks up beside us in a swarm of insults, threats, and curses, Branda standing behind his back.
“And you’ll have me to deal with, too,” Branda proclaims.
My heart beats steadily for the first time. The guys have flashlights and have turned them on, illuminating the night around us as shouts of rage and curses fill the air.
I’m not alone.
I find Noah’s eyes from across the clearing. Though worry is etched into his features, Noah smiles brokenly and gives the barest hint of a nod. He mouths, One. Two. Three—
Noah lifts his arm from underneath Bryan’s and swats away the knife. Just as Noah pushes himself free of Bryan’s hold, Bryan lunges for Noah, I bolt toward Noah, and the shot heard around Whitney rings out.
***
I scream, bolting upward with a start.