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It was intimate, but not sexual. We were fulfilling a need that went way beyond carnal. We were two people in love who had just had the worstnightof their lives and needed each other to be strong again.
As if she read my thoughts, she brushed her hand over my face, wiping away the dirt that stayed there all night while she slept. I turned and kissed her wrist, holding her close to me. My eyes stayed on hers, soaking in her pure existence.
But we had been brave and strong long enough and we both broke down again. We held onto one another as the water hit us, washing away every tear we shed. I don’t know how long we were in there, but the water began to run cold, and eventually, we let go.
After wrapping a towel around her, I picked her up and carried her to bed, gently laying her down. I climbed in behind her, holding her as the final shocks left our bodies.
“I promise to keep you safe,” I whispered.
“I don’t need a hero, remember?” I could tell she was trying to tease me, but I meant my words to my core.
“I’m not making the promise as your hero, Baby. I’m making it as your man, your lover, and the person who promises to love you forever.”
She silently kissed the arm I had snuck under her neck then turned back to face the window. We fell asleep listening as West and Max laughed in the living room, knowing that he was safe and that it may take some time, but together we would both heal.
Chapter Forty-Three
JESSE
The next day,when Easton and I pulled up to what was left of my house, I was finally able to see the reality of what happened firsthand. A fresh wave of emotions came over me as I walked as close as I could, given that there was tape keeping anyone from getting too close. The wordscrime sceneon the barrier made me suck in a sharp breath and close my eyes.
“I’m here,” Easton assured me, rubbing a hand up and down my back.
“It's so hard to believe that Clay was capable of this.”
Miles pulled up behind us and stepped out of his patrol car. When he sidled up next to me, he pulled me into a hug, making me feel like he was not only Easton’s brother, but mine as well.
“You okay?” He asked, looking into my eyes.
I nodded, but it was halfhearted and sad.
“What’s the word?” Easton asked.
“Rory is the only one talking, but apparently she knew Clay Tamlin from her time in Atlanta. When Clay found out Jesse wasin Harmony Haven, he called Rory up as an excuse to linger here in town.”
The fact that Clay had been in Harmony Haven all that time, possibly watching everything I did, and getting information about Easton from Rory, sent a fresh wave of shudders down my back.
“According to Rory, Clay called her before you two had ever met. He asked her to scare you away from Easton. I think he knew as long as Easton was around, he wouldn’t be able to get to you.”
“How would he know I was close to Easton, I hadn’t met her until I was at the station and…” I paused, thinking back, always feeling like the entire neighborhood had been watching me. “What if he was always around? What if he saw Easton coming over?”
“Fuck,” Easton growled, “I should have killed him when I had the chance.”
“According to what we’ve found so far, he was fired from his job a week after you moved to Harmony Haven. Maybe he found out where you were and spent too much time here?”
I felt sick to my stomach thinking of all the things Clay could have been around for. And thinking of how he was definitely in Atlanta while I was there for my meeting made it even creepier. He was clearly keeping tabs on me. Following me.”
“Rory swears she had no idea Clay was going to do anything as bad as arson. She said no one was ever supposed to get hurt. But she did admit to telling Clay how our parents died. That night I saw them at Fiddler’s, she was acting funny because she hadn’t expected us to be there and Clay didn’t want to leave.”
“Fuck,” Easton groaned, shaking his head back and forth and pulling on his short locks.
“Hey,” I tapped his cheek gently. Nothing made me stronger than knowing someone I loved needed me to be strong. “Look at me.”
He did and I waited a minute to make sure he had come back to the present before I continued. “We are all okay now. Despite their messed up attempts, we are together, we are over our own hurdles, and we can move on.”
“You’re right,” he whispered. “We can move on.”
“So,” Miles clapped. “It’ll be a process, but Rory and Clay are both in big trouble. Rory is spilling her guts so she may get a deal, but Clay is going to have attempted murder charged against him. He won’t be around, I promise.”
