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“What’s the message?” Thorne asks.
The young girl closes her eyes before speaking. “If you want the boy, you know what you must do.” Autumn wipes large tears from her eyes. “She’s going to kill him if you don’t do what she wants.”
I wrap an arm around her shoulder. “I’m not going to allow that.” I turn toward the paranormal team. “I won’t allow her to kill him.”
“I think I speak for everyone when I say, we won’t allow that either.” Amelia props her hands on her hips, copying Luna’s stance. “Let’s go kill the bastard.”
“No,” I interrupt. “This is something I have to do alone.”
“Elsie—” Thorne starts.
“I’m sorry, Thorne. I have to do this alone. She has Alex. I won’t allow something to happen to you or anyone else for that matter.” I turn back toward the group. “I’m the only one who can do this.”
“The boat is on its way to pick us up.” Amelia slides a phone back into her pocket. “We’ll discuss this further at the house.”
I nod, knowing I have no intentions of discussing anything. Discussing is all we’ve done. It’s time for action.
On cue, the roar of an engine echoes off the concrete walls of the lighthouse. Topher carries Autumn, while Thorne carries Everly. We load the boat in silence.
“You folks look like you’ve been in a fight,” the captain announces with an awkward laugh. “Everyone okay?”
“We’re good,” Micah smiles. “Just ready to get back to land.”
“I can understand that.” He turns toward Amelia. “The boy is with the woman who paid me.”
“Good. Thank you for taking care of him,” I answer for the group.
We pull back into the Riverwalk and to the dock we departed from earlier. “Oh, I almost forgot,” our captain says as we unload. “The woman asked me to let you know that the SUV is parked in lot G.” He shrugs. “I’m guessing y’all will know what that means.”
“We do, thank you again,” Luna answers. We move in slow motion into the parking lot area, searching for G.
……
Several hours have passed since being back at the house. Thorne hasn’t spoken much since returning. Angry energy pours from him, and if the tables were turned, I’d feel the same.
“You know I have to do this alone,” I announce as he exits the shower. He’s wearing nothing but a towel,hung low on his hips. I focus on keeping my attention on his face.
“No, I don’t know that.” He pulls the towel off, revealing every inch of him while he dries his extremities. “Why are you always doing this?”
I clear my throat before responding. “Doing what?”
“This!” He throws his arms to the side. “You insist on doing everything alone. You’re going to burst in there with guns blaring and get yourself killed. Kragen has been building a crew, and we have no way of knowing how many people you’re going to come in contact with.”
“Thorne, you have to…”
“No, Elsie. I don’t have to do anything except protect you.” Tears fill his eyes, and guilt fills me at the sight.
“I’m sorry, Thorne.”
“I spent two hundred years searching for you, and now that I’ve found you, you’re…you’re…”
“What? Being stupid? Crazy? What label do you want to put on me?”
“I’m not labeling you.” He wipes a tear from his cheek. “You’re asking me to lose you again and again and again.” Thorne slips on a pair of loose-fitting sweatpants before sitting heavily on the bed. “I can’t keep doing this.”
Tears well in my eyes. “I understand.” My words are no louder than a whisper.
“I don’t think you do, Elsie. I’m not telling yougoodbye. I’m telling you I love you, and I need you to lower those walls you keep bound around your heart.” He moves in front of me. “I’m not Kragen. I’m not the men on his ship.” His voice trails off as he moves until there’s barely space between us. “I’m Captain Hawthorne Rex. The man who fell in love with the strongest woman he’d ever met.” Warm fingers slide along my cheek. “You’re still the strongest woman I’ve ever met, but you can’t ask me to stand by and allow you to walk into the unknown alone.I’mnot strong enough.”
