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“I was the one who hurt her,” I said, taking a step toward him now. “And I’m not sorry about it, by the way. She knew what she was getting into. The same way that Lisa knows the score. Our entire relationship has been a ruse. You did your research, so you must know this.”
“That’s a lie.”
I laughed cruelly. “You, of all people, know I’m not going to lie about that. I’m not capable of love. I’m a narcissistic man, so I don’t give a damn. If you kill Lisa, I won’t give a damn either.”
“You’re lying,” he spat out. “I’ve seen you with her. I watched the two of you. You love her.”
“Narcissists are very good at acting, don’t you know?” I mocked him. “Seemed to have fooled you well enough.”
“Stop,” I heard Lisa say in a panicked voice. She seemed to have figured out what I was doing, and she shook her head fiercely. “Stop this right now!”
“I said shut up, you bitch!” Her movement startled him into action, but before he could swing the knife back toward her, I charged, knocking him off her. Pain exploded in my stomach as the blade of his knife cleanly pierced my flesh, but I didn’t care. With one blow, the intruder slumped over and was unconscious. Good. It was over.
“Oh my god,” I heard Lisa scream as she ran toward me. “Are you okay?”
I turned around to tell her that I was but then found myself swaying toward the floor instead.
“Nick!” I heard her screaming my name. “Oh my god, Nick.”
“I love you, Lisa,” I told her, feeling the pain ricocheting throughout my body. I placed my bloodied hands on her cheeks, drawing her panicked eyes to me. “No matter what happens, Lisa, always remember that I love you.”
“I…” Her lips trembled as tears filled her eyes. “I love you too.”
I smiled. “Good. That’s all I needed to know.”
EPILOGUE
LISA
“Daddy, look!”
I heard my daughter cry out as she ran ahead of us into the town square. The fair was crawling with tourists and well-wishers, but that was to be expected, given the popularity of the event. It seemed like half the city was here, and the buzz of excitement was in the air. Violet was definitely very excited as she danced around the place, but then again, she’d been excited ever since Nick was released from the hospital.
I glanced at Nick out of the corner of my eyes as he smiled at where his daughter was pointing. My hand was firmly in his, but he was watching Violet the whole time, ever careful. We’d all been on high alert ever since the intrusion, and even though both the authorities and Robbie thought it was all over, I knew it was hard for him to relax completely. The situation must still haunt him somewhat.
I knew it haunted me.
When he’d taken the knife for me and knocked out that psycho, I knew I would have nightmares about that night. Especially since as I watched him bleeding out in my arms, his blood turning the carpet beneath him crimson, he’d stared up at me, his eyes full of concern. But not for himself. For me.
“Are you okay?” he had asked me, grasping my hands desperately. “Did he hurt you?”
“I’m fine,” I said. “You’re the one who’s hurt. Oh my god, Nick. You’ve been stabbed.”
And then he smiled in satisfaction even though he was most likely going to die.
“Good,” he’d said, taking a deep breath as his eyes slid closed.
I’d been inconsolable, sobbing and calling his name, even as Taylor charged back into the house. After he called backup to take care of Violet, he helped me carry Nick to the car and drove him to the hospital, even as he apologized profusely for not being there.
“I was only gone for a second to take a walk,” he’d said as he drove. “ And then I come back and all the guys are passed out and…Jesus, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize,” I practically snapped. An apology sounded too final. Like everything was already decided. I didn’t want an apology. I wanted them to save the love of my life. “Just get us there. Fast.”
I held my hand over the bleeding as we drove, praying to every single deity there was that Nick would live.
And one of them must have listened.
By the time we got to the hospital, Nick was completely unconscious. The doctor let us know he’d lost a lot of blood, but the knife had missed his major organs. They simply had to stitch him back up, and he would be right as rain.
