Chapter Four #4
She touched the tip of her tongue to her lips.
“He went crazy. Insane. One minute we were talking like we sometimes could. I was being very careful, and then I turned around and he was holding out a ring and asking me to marry him. I remember staring at the ring, wondering what to do. How I was supposed to respond. I had never gone on a date. We hadn’t kissed.
I thought he might be joking, but I never understood humor, so I wasn’t certain.
I tried to be careful, but I waited too long.
I saw it on his face, and I think I tried to run.
I just remember seeing the knife in his hand and him catching me by my hair. ”
Those marks he’d thought were knife scars but dismissed because how could Lyric Johansen possibly have knife scars? He should have taken more care to ask.
“I don’t know how many times he stabbed me, but then he started stabbing himself. There was blood everywhere. I heard screaming all around us and people shouting to call 911, but then I just blacked out.”
“He tried to kill you because you took too long to answer his proposal.” He kept his tone quiet and thoughtful. Hiding the monster.
“That seemed to be his motivation.”
“Babe, if I ever lose my mind and propose to you, feel free to say no.” He lived his life free of all encumbrances.
She wasn’t a woman who shared. He didn’t plan on ever being a one-woman man, yet the moment he stated the words, intending to find the little well of amusement she reserved solely for him, he wished he’d chosen another way to lighten the situation.
“No worries, Keys. I would know you’d had a temporary breakdown, and I’d look after you until you came to your senses.”
“Did he die? This Miles, did he die from his wounds?”
“He’s serving a prison term.”
She hadn’t cried. Not a single tear. She knew she was safe with him, but she still hadn’t cried.
Her body had reacted, but she shut down all emotion, closing the door tight.
He knew about closed doors. He’d never believed it would do any good to talk to someone and let that shit leak out.
If it happened, he might burn down the world.
He had his monster to cover for him and keep vulnerable parts safe.
But Lyric, she was all compassion and sweetness.
She was entirely vulnerable. She needed to get that shit out into the open and cauterize the wounds.
“If he’s in prison, why aren’t you safe? Why do you live on the run?”
“His friends. They came to the hospital and told me I had to say the knife was mine and that I’d attacked him, or they would make me pay.”
That arctic-cold rage moved through him. “Did you?”
“I was so traumatized at the time, with no one to help me make sense of what happened, I didn’t speak.
I never opened my mouth to the cops or the judge or anyone.
There were too many witnesses, and he was convicted.
One day I came home and knew someone had been in my home.
I hid. I’m small, and I fit into very unlikely spaces.
It was Leo and Owen. They had trashed my place and left me a note.
It said they would find me and make me pay.
They’ve caught up with me a couple of times, but I’m good in the wilderness, and I always make sure wherever I set up a new life, I’ve got a retreat. ”
“These men have money?”
“Quite a lot of it. They’re very successful criminals.”
“Thanks for sharing that with me, Wildfire. I know it wasn’t easy.” Once more he brushed a kiss on top of her head and then gently set her back on the sleeping bag.
“I want you to rest, stay off that leg. Your feet too. Drink lots of water but stay put. Don’t move around. I’ll be back in a couple of hours.” He dragged on his boots.
She reached for her shoes. He took them out of her hands. “What are you doing?”
“Going with you. I think we should stick together.” Her little chin lifted.
He’d never had an urge to bite anyone’s chin until that moment. “Babe, you’re in bad shape, whether you want to admit it or not. I can cover ground faster without you. I’m just going to hunt around for a spot where I might be able to get a call out.”
“You can’t unlock their phones without passwords.”
“I spent some time figuring it out. They’re kind of idiots and very predictable. Often people use the same shit because it’s easy for them. Learned that from our resident computer geek, Code. Man can hack anything.”
“You really think you can break into their phones?”
“Yep. I only have to get into one, but most likely I would be able to get four out of five of them.” He was confident he could. “I would feel better, Lyric, if you stay here and keep our spot warm while I go pretend I’m saving us. I need that stroke right now.”
She gave him her smile, the one that lit his world. “You’re good. I’m going to remember this the next time you want your way.”
“Did it work?”
“Yes.”
Thank fuck. He needed time and activity to work off the rage rushing through his body. Keys leaned over the pile of clothes they were trying to dry out and brushed a kiss on top of her head. “Lesson learned, Wildfire. With you, I catch more bees with honey.”
“Flies, I think, is the correct term.”
“You’re more like a bee than a fly,” he pointed out. “You’ve got a hell of a stinger when you get going.”