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Wait. What is she saying? She did it to protect me? "Did you believe I was a cop?"
"I wasn't sure at first, but it didn't take long for me to decide I believed you over him. But I couldn't tell you right then. I realized the best way to get you to leave was to make you think I was betraying you. I wanted to leave with you. I did, but I couldn't risk it with Donnie listening in."
"So you believe I wasn't trying to bring your dad down? I only wanted you."
"I believe you." She looks down. "I'm sorry I couldn't say it then. I thought it was better if Donnie thought I was still on his side."
I grunt because I had no idea Donnie was threatening her. Looking back, I should've wondered where he was.
"You said I'm one of them." She takes another step closer to me. "I really don't want to be someone who hurts you. I'mnot one of them. I want to be the one in your corner. I was lucky to be someone you loved."
She's saying everything I want to hear. "Fuck."
"After we talk, ya know, have some breakfast, maybe you'd consider letting me be someone you love again?" She raises her shoulders.
That hits me in the gut. I want that. I want to love her again. I still do. Never stopped. She's driving me nuts coming back here and putting me in this situation. Damn her for drilling into my heart and settling in like she belongs there.
Without thinking, I rush her and pin her to the wooden cabin wall. My hands grab hers and force them over her head. My body smashes into her and she's warm, curvy, soft. Everything I remember. "You screwed up, baby. You screwed up bad. You shoulda left with me right then. He wouldn't shoot you."
"But he would shootyou." She gazes up at me with doe eyes. "I was scared and confused. Everything you said made sense. I needed time to process it all. I know now he's evil. I shouldn't have doubted you, even a little. As soon as you left, I texted you and got no reply."
"I ditched my phone. I didn't know this." Shit. I fucked up too.
"Now you do." She smiles a soft smile up at me.
I'm still angry we got so screwed up because she didn't trust me. "Don't ever let this happen again. If someone is threatening you, tell me. Trust me to get you out of there. Don't take it all on yourself. In every situation, the sky falls, the forest burns, the sun doesn't come up, I'm going to fight fire and earth for you, and I need to know you'll let me do it. I can't be worried someone is hiding in the shadows and you didn't tell me."
"I'll tell you next time. I panicked."
"Okay. God, I'm sorry that happened. I didn't think Donnie would take it that far." I lower her arms and pull her head to my chest.
"He did." She grins. "But I made up for it. I have evidence. I have everything. Even a recording of my dad confessing to the murders."
I pull back and stare down at her. "You did this alone? Shit. I should've been there."
"It's okay. I turned it all over to the FBI. They already arrested Donnie. They're looking for my dad."
It's hard to hear what she's saying. She went through all that without me. "That was so risky." God, I'm proud of her. She finally left her family.
"I got a video of him hitting me too," she says quietly.
I freeze for a minute and step away from her. I can't stand to think of him hurting her. "God dammit!"
"It's okay. I'm okay now."
"That shit is not okay. No one touches you. No one hits you. I missed all this? I was here drinking myself to death and you were going through all that alone?"
"It worked out. I'm here now."
I smash my lips to hers because I'm angry. Angry she took this all on herself.
She whimpers like she's going to cry and my gut tightens. I squeeze my eyes shut and just feel her.
"God, babe." My voice comes out gravelly. "I missed you."
"I missed you too." I can hear the relief in her voice.
I hold her face in my palms and lean down to look her in the eye. "Couldn't sleep, couldn't swim."
