Chapter 39
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Henry
An aching sensation crept over me, dull at first. Like my body didn’t belong to me.
Then it grew stronger and stronger as it traveled through me.
A sharp pain in my abdomen.
Dryness coating my throat.
A steady beeping nearby.
I tried to open my eyes, but even that required a Herculean effort, a bright light making it impossible to discern anything other than muted shadows.
For several long moments, I had no idea where I was or how I got here.
Or why my body felt like it had been split open and stitched back together.
Then snippets of memory flashed before my eyes.
The chapel.
Ariana stabbing Josiah.
The gunshot.
Abigail pointing a pistol at me.
Ariana sobbing as she knelt beside me.
After that, there was nothing.
I forced my eyes wider, doing my best to focus through the fog clouding my brain. Little by little, the room came into view. Not completely. But enough for me to make out a figure nearby.
Ariana sat curled in the chair near a window, her legs tucked beneath her, a book in her hands.
Sunlight spilled across her frame in soft golden streaks, illuminating the light waves of her hair, making her look like an angel.
Her brow furrowed slightly as she read, completely absorbed in the pages.
And just like that, every ounce of panic inside me eased.
I could have watched this woman read for the rest of my life.
During those early days, I remember pretending to work while secretly watching her read instead.
The way her entire face transformed with every emotion. How her breathing quickened during tense scenes. How she’d sit straighter when she reached an exciting part, like she couldn’t physically contain her anticipation.
And then there were the emotional scenes…
Christ.
Those were my favorite.
Her expression would soften, shoulders falling as if the story had reached inside her and given her a piece of its soul. Sometimes she’d clutch the book against her chest afterward, holding it there like she wanted to crawl inside the pages and stay there.
I used to think if I somehow made it into heaven, despite all the shit I’d done, my personal heaven would look exactly like this.
Watching Ariana read forever.
As if sensing my gaze, she looked up, her eyes widening instantly. She scrambled to her feet and hurried toward me, the book slipping from her lap.
“Hey,” she breathed, lowering herself into the chair beside the bed. “Can you hear me?”
My lips felt dry and cracked when I tried to smile.
“I can.” My voice sounded rough. Broken. As if it hadn’t been used in a while. “Is this… Is this heaven?”
She scrunched her brow. “Heaven?”
“I always imagined my heaven would be somewhere I could watch you read.” I winced as another wave of pain rolled through me. “Didn’t think it would feel like this, though. Thought there wasn’t supposed to be any pain in heaven.”
She laughed gently, the sound like music to my ears. “You’re not in heaven. You’re in a hospital in Fort Myers.”
I groaned. “So hell, then.”
That earned a fuller laugh from her, her eyes dancing with amusement.
“I can see why you’d think that. Pretty sure the coffee here was brewed in the depths of hell itself. But no. You’re not in hell, heaven, purgatory, or any other afterlife.” Her expression softened. “You’re alive, Henry.”
I closed my eyes, allowing the reality to settle into me. When I opened them again, I reached my hand toward her face. The movement sent pain tearing through my abdomen, but I didn’t care. The second my fingers brushed her cheek, I sighed.
Warm skin.
Soft hair.
Steady pulse.
“How long have I been out?”
“A couple of days, more or less.” She covered my hand with hers, then set it onto the bed beside me, our fingers linked together. “You woke up a few times, but they wanted to keep you sedated through the worst of the pain.”
I attempted to sit straighter and immediately regretted it, another sharp bolt of pain ricocheting through me. “Based on how I feel right now, it’s probably a good thing.”
“Why? Are you in pain? I can call a nurse to give you something.”
“No.” I tightened my hold on her before she could stand.
“Henry,” she cautioned.
“I’d rather be awake. I can deal with the pain.”
Her lips pinched in mock irritation. “Stubborn.”
“It’s why you love me.”
She brought my hand to her lips, pressing a kiss against my knuckles. “One of the many reasons.”
I savored the feeling of her soft skin against mine, shifting slightly in an attempt to get comfortable, when I caught a glimpse of the television mounted in the corner of the room. News footage showed dozens of investigators swarming the compound I’d rescued Sarah and Ariana from a few days ago.
Even seeing it on TV made my stomach turn with what could have been.
“What’s been happening with the investigation?” I asked, nodding toward the screen.
“As you can see, there was no avoiding involving the police this time.”
“I figured.”
“They’ll want to question you once you’re up for it.”
“I figured that much, too.”
“Blake and I gave them enough information to get started,” she explained, brushing her thumb over my knuckles absentmindedly. “Mostly Blake, since he spent years trapped in that hell. It’s all so…horrible.”
I nodded. “As awful as it must have been for him and everyone else, I can’t help but be grateful he survived.” My throat tightened. “Otherwise, I never would have found you.”
Ariana squeezed my hand gently, pressing a soft kiss to it.
“The investigation is still ongoing,” she continued. “But apparently Isaac started everything decades ago.” Her voice turned hollow. “When Blake killed him, Josiah continued his legacy. They found records.”
“What kind of records?”
“Both Isaac and Josiah kept records of everyone they targeted. Psychological profiles. Family history. Educational background. They studied each and every victim. Learned exactly how to manipulate each one into becoming completely devoted. And for those he couldn’t break… ” She gave me a knowing look.
“They killed them,” I finished.
“Not exactly.”
“No?”
“They ordered the others to eliminate the less faithful in a ceremony like the one…” She trailed off, but I didn’t need her to finish her statement. I knew what she was talking about.
The chapel.
The women.
The blind devotion in some of their eyes.
I’d seen violence before. Cruelty. Evil.
But that place… It was something else entirely.
“Those girls are going to need therapy for the rest of their lives,” I muttered as another thought slammed into me, my pulse quickening. “Sarah,” I said frantically, my wide eyes searching Ariana. “What about Sarah? Is she okay?”
Ariana’s expression softened. “She’s fine. She’s stubborn. Just like her father.” She winked. “Her room was next to mine,” she offered softly.
“Where?”
“There.” She nodded toward the television. “My first night, she heard me through the wall. Encouraged me not to give up and to stay strong, even though I wanted to, especially after he…”
“After he what?” I seethed, my jaw tightening.
Ariana hesitated, opening and closing her mouth several times. Then she tugged the collar of her shirt aside, revealing a bandage.
She didn’t have to explain for me to know what was beneath it. Not when it was in the same place as Blake’s brand.
Fury exploded through me so violently it momentarily eclipsed any pain I felt.
“It’s a good thing he’s fucking dead. Otherwise, I’d kill him all over again. Slowly.”
Ariana allowed her shirt to cover the bandage once more. “The doctor recommended a plastic surgeon who specializes in scar removal. Said they’d be able to take care of that one, and any other scars I’d like removed.”
“Are you going to?”
She nodded slowly. “I want a fresh start. Don’t want to be reminded of my past every time I look at my body. Don’t want you to be reminded of my past every time you look at my body.”
“Don’t do it for me, Ariana. Do it for you.”
“I am.”
“Good.” I managed to squeeze her hand.
“Speaking of fresh starts…” She cleared her throat, pulling her hand from mine. “The police found a rental car registered to Victor a few miles north of your property line in Georgia, near the head of a hiking trail.”
This didn’t surprise me. After all, I was the one who’d abandoned it there.
“They believe he’d hoped to access your property on foot in order to get to me.”
“What did you tell them about us? How we met? Why you were with me?”
A sly smile curved on her lips. “The truth, more or less. That we met at a charity gala and, after you learned Victor had been abusing me for years, you vowed to keep me safe. What else is there?”
I took her hand in mine and brought it to my lips, feathering a light kiss to her skin. “What else is there, indeed?”
“Investigators also found torn pieces of clothing with Victor’s DNA near an area populated by black bears. They believe he got lost in the mountains and encountered wildlife. The rest, I suppose, is karma.”
She flashed a smirk, fully aware I was the one to dispose of Victor’s body in those mountains, since the wildlife would destroy any evidence of what really happened to him.
“He definitely got what he deserved,” I remarked.
“He certainly did. Authorities also uncovered his trafficking operation. Raided his casinos, hotels, and nightclubs. Found dozens of women he’d abducted and forced into prostitution for wealthy guests and clients.
The world is finally learning about the real Victor Kane.
I doubt Kane Hotel Group survives to the end of the year, even with the board naming an interim CEO. ”
“How do you feel about that?”
She peered into the distance for a minute, collecting her thoughts. “Relieved it’s finally over.”
I gently squeezed her hand. “So am I.”
A mischievous smile tugged at her mouth, a break in the tension. “Although I’m not sure what I’ll do without all of this excitement.”
“I have a few ideas to keep you busy.” I waggled my brows.
“Oh?” She curved toward me. “And what exactly do those ideas involve?”
“Spending the next several weeks in bed with you. Clothing optional.” I tried to move closer toward her before pain seared through me so sharply I groaned. “Once I stop feeling like I got shot by a crazed religious zealot.”
Ariana giggled, inching toward me so I didn’t have to move. “It’s a date.”
“Good.”
She leaned down and kissed me softly, and I sighed into her, relishing the feel of her kiss, especially after fearing I’d never be able to kiss her again.
I lifted my hand, tangling my fingers through her hair, but a knock at the door pulled her away.
Sarah peeked her head inside. “I’m going to go grab some lunch with my parents,” she started, then hitched a breath, noticing my eyes were open. “Oh, my god. You’re awake.”
“I am.”
She stepped fully into the room. “How are… How are you feeling?”
“Like I’ve been shot.”
She laughed, the sound so damn similar to Amber it was uncanny.
“But I’ll survive,” I added before lowering my voice. “How are you?”
Her smile softened. “Good. Really good.”
“Good.”
Silence settled over the room as I stared at Sarah, unsure what to even say to her.
Since I found her all those years ago, I’d watched her from a distance. I never thought I’d be this close to her, let alone speak to her. God, she looked so much like Amber. Chandler. In her smile. In the shape of her face. In her raw determination.
“I didn’t mean—” I started at the exact moment she said, “I just wanted to—”
We both stopped short with a nervous laugh.
“You first,” I told her.
She took a breath. “I just wanted to thank you.” Emotion filled her voice, making it waver. “For everything. For keeping tabs on me all this time. For not believing any of the police reports. For never giving up.”
Her eyes welled with tears as she shifted her gaze toward Ariana. “And thank you for risking your life for me, not even knowing if I was still alive. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.”
“No repayment necessary,” I assured her evenly. “Just promise me one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“Start making those videos again. Traveling the world. Going on adventures. I miss watching them.”
“I’m not sure my family will be overly enthusiastic about the idea after all this,” Sarah laughed, “but I’ll see what I can do.”
“It sounds like you have really good parents.”
Sarah met my gaze, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder. “I have four amazing parents.”
Her statement hit me harder than I had expected. When this all began, my goal was never to tell Sarah who I was. I just wanted her safe. Happy. Alive.
Her acceptance of me and who I was never entered into the equation.
Still, I couldn’t help but feel grateful for it.
“Thank you.”
She nodded. “Would you like to meet them? They’re just outside. It’s okay if you’re not up for it,” she added quickly. “They’d like to meet you. Thank you for themselves, but only if you’re up for it.”
“Of course. I’d like that.”
“Great.” Sarah beamed and spun on her heels, her brunette waves bouncing with her steps as she rushed into the hallway.
A few moments later, she returned with a couple in their sixties.
I already knew exactly who they were. Gregory and Jocelyn Laurendeau.
Gregory taught film history at a university in Atlanta. Jocelyn worked as a dental hygienist. Married for thirty years. No biological children. But they’d adopted Sarah a few years after they’d adopted their son, Lucian.
Good people.
Hell, great people.
The kind of people I’d prayed Sarah would end up with all those years ago.
And looking at the love I could physically feel they had for their daughter, I knew she had.
“Mr. Fontaine,” Gregory said with a mixture of emotion and relief. “I’m Greg and this is my wife, Jocelyn. We’re Sarah’s parents.”
“Adoptive parents,” Jocelyn added nervously.
“You’re her parents,” I corrected gently. “That will never change.”
“Of course.” Gregory offered with a grateful smile, his voice hoarse. “We just wanted to thank you for everything you did to find our daughter and bring her home. I never…” He swallowed hard. “If I’d known there was even the slightest chance she was alive, I never would have—”
“You couldn’t have known,” I assured him. “It’s how they wanted it.”
He nodded before pulling Jocelyn and Sarah close against him.
“You gave us the greatest gift,” he whispered.
“Twice,” Jocelyn added.
I nodded, stealing a glance around the hospital room.
At Ariana sitting beside me.
At Sarah smiling through her tears.
At the two people who raised my daughter as if she were their own.
And for the first time in years, a strange feeling of peace overcame me.
For so long, I’d been content to live my solitary existence.
Thought it was what I deserved for failing my mother and brother all those years ago.
But sitting here, surrounded by the people I loved most in the world, I finally understood something.
Every terrible choice, every mistake, every loss had led me here.
To Sarah.
To Ariana.
To this moment.
I wouldn’t trade this moment for anything.