by Jill Sanders
“They’re out looking for you,” Zoey answered with a frown. “Didn’t you see them?”
“I could barely see anything out there. If I didn’t know this place like the back of my hand, we wouldn’t have made it back from the boathouse.”
“What are they doing here?” Zoey asked, glancing over at Bridgett and Martha. Bridgett was still crying and complaining about her broken arm while Martha looked stunned and a little in shock.
Aubrey sighed and glanced down at the gun in her hands. “They tried to kidnap me.”
Zoey chuckled. “I feel sorry for them.” She shook her head. “I can’t believe they’re still standing. Is Bridgett’s arm really broken?”
“Yeah,” she answered with a smile. “They weren’t fully conscious. I had to wait for Martha to wake up before getting them back here.” She motioned to Bridgett’s mother.
“Later, you’re going to tell us all every detail of what happened,” Zoey said and pulled out her walkie-talkie. “She’s here. Aubrey’s back here with me. She’s safe,” she said into the walkie-talkie.
Several seconds later, Elle replied, “We’re heading back.”
“Us too,” Scarlett replied.
“We’re on our way,” Hannah added.
Less than five minutes later, everyone rushed into the lobby, just as soaking wet and windblown as she was, and wrapped their arms around her.
“We were so scared,” Elle cried as she held onto her.
“What happened?” Hannah asked as she eyed the two women, who were looking tired and defeated. Martha had closed her eyes at this point, and Aubrey wondered if she’d given the woman a concussion. While they’d waited for everyone to return, Zoey had called Brett, who said that he would get out there as soon as possible to deal with the situation.
“Later,” Aubrey said with a smile as she glanced around. “Where’s Aiden?”
“He went out with Dylan,” Zoey said, picking up the walkie-talkie again. “Dylan, did you copy? Aubrey’s back here. Safe.”
They all waited, and Aubrey felt her entire body tense as Zoey looked at her with fear in her eyes.
“I’m going…” She turned to go, but someone grabbed her arm.
“You’re bleeding,” Hannah cried out.
She glanced down at her side where Bridgett had stuck her with the knife and brushed off Hannah’s concern.
“I’m fine. It’s just a scratch. We need to find Dylan and Aiden.” She looked out the front door.
“It’s crazy out there,” Liam said.
“He’s right,” Owen added. “Listen, I want to find my brother too, but at this point, if any of us go out there, we might just end up getting lost too.”
“I know this place,” Aubrey started.
“No, with the power out it’s easy to get lost out there,” Hannah replied.
“Not for me.” She smiled. “Since the first year I came here, I’ve practiced walking the pathways with my eyes shut. It’s how I found our way back here from the boathouse.” She started towards the door. “I like being prepared for anything.” She shrugged.
“They were checking the pool house,” Zoey called out to her.
“I’ll go with you,” Owen said.
He and Liam followed her outside. “Hold onto me,” she called over the sound of the wind. They all held hands as she led them towards the pool area. The hardest part now was fighting the wind, but since Owen and Liam were bigger and actually helping her instead of dragging their feet, they made better time.
“They’re not here,” Owen called over the wind.
“There,” she cried out when she spotted a dark figure heading towards them.
“It’s Dylan,” Owen yelled, rushing towards their brother.
“Where’s Aiden?” she cried out.
Dylan shook his head and she noticed a stream of blood dripping down into his eyes. “I don’t remember. I think a tree fell on us and…” He held his head. “I think he’s…”
“Where were you?” Owen asked.
“The boathouse.” Dylan motioned behind him.
“Take him back,” Owen said to Liam. “Go with them,” he said to her.
“No.” She shook her head. “I’m going with you. I’m not giving up until I find the man that I love.”
Chapter 28
Aiden was fighting to stay alert. He knew exactly where he was and how much trouble he was in. He’d been so determined to do everything he could to search for Aubrey that he’d put his own safety in the background of his mind.
When he’d seen the door to the boathouse wide open, he’d rushed inside, screaming out Aubrey’s name. He’d noticed the large oak tree that had been next to the building lying on the roof of the place and knew that any moment it could cause the old building to cave in.
But instead of being cautious, he’d rushed in and called out for Aubrey as he continued looking around for any sign of her.
When part of the roof caved in, Dylan had taken a blow to the head. He’d helped free the man and told him to go back to get help while he continued looking. Moments after Dylan had left, the rest of the roof cracked under the heavy weight of the tree. He had been able to jump out of the way, but had landed in the water.
The waves of the normally calm bay were causing the two row boats that were tied up in the two dock slots in the boathouse to bump into him. His hands kept slipping as he tried to grab hold of the slick ropes holding them in place.
He was pushed under the water several times before he was able to wrap his hand around the rope and hold on. It was like fighting a whirlpool. He couldn’t seem to pull himself out of the turning water. His head kept being pulled under and suddenly he realized that he was fighting for his life.
Water filled his lungs as he continued to fight to keep his head above the surface. He’d believed that tangling his hand in the rope was a good idea, but each time his head hit the side of the rowboat, he saw stars. Now he figured there was a possibility that it was going to knock him out and because of all the thrashing around, he was so twisted in the thing, he doubted he could break free.
Was this really how things were going to end? His mind kept returning to Aubrey. Was she fighting for her life now as well? Stuck somewhere trying to break free from the surging storm? Maybe trapped under a tree or worse…
Another wave forced his head under and this time he doubted he’d be able to break free. His mind was already oxygen starved, causing his muscles and limbs to be unresponsive to his commands.
He’d lost track of how long he’d been fighting to break free, to return to the surface, when hands gripped him and pulled him upward. He was waiting to take that first glorious breath of air but came to a jerking halt when the rope tore at the skin on his arm.
Everything was backwards. How could the rowboat be below him now? It was pulling him downwards now. The hands that had been trying to pull him up released him, and he reached out for them in the dark water as he was dragged downward.
Then he spotted a red streak heading towards him along with a glimmer of something sharp. He felt soft hands grip his arm and the sting of a knife nick his skin as it cut the rope. The hands paused for a moment as soft lips covered his. He relaxed into what he assumed would be his last kiss, only to have oxygen shoved into his mouth. He gulped it up, swallowing it and the water that had filled his mouth. The sawing motion on the rope started again and he ignored the pain in his arm as Aubrey worked on cutting the rope holding him and the now sunken rowboat, which lay at the bottom of the bay.
He felt his mind going fuzzy and watched in horror as everything started to gray. Just before he blacked out, he felt his arm jerk free and relaxed as he was carried upward.
“Aiden!” Someone was shouting his name over and over again.
Peeling his eyes open, he reached up to push Aubrey’s soaking strawberry hair out of her face.
“He’s back,” he heard a male voice say from somewhere beyond his sight.
Aubrey threw her arms aro
und him and held onto him while she cried.
“Shh,” he said softly, enjoying the feeling of her next to him. “I’m alright,” he promised.
His mind was too foggy at the moment to register that she was there. Safe and sound in his arms.
“I thought I’d lost you,” she said into his chest.
“We’d better move. I don’t think this place is going to hold up much longer. I’ll take him, you get out.” It was Owen, Aiden thought as he felt the man start to lift him.
“Hell no,” he growled. “Put me down. I’m not having you carry me out of here.”
Owen chuckled. “I would if I thought you could stand,” Owen said, lifting him.
“I can.” He shoved the man away and touched his feet to the ground, only to have it rush up towards him.
Aubrey and Owen grabbed him at the same time and the three of them wobbled out of the building and into the storm together.
He forced his legs to continue moving as they made their way through the rain and wind into the darkness. He shut his eyes at one point and just willed his body to keep moving. He didn’t want to be carried anywhere. Maybe it was his pride, but he wanted everyone to know that he was okay. He took deep breaths as he moved and, by the time they stepped out of the rain, his lungs burned and his head was throbbing.
“What happened?” someone cried out.
“He almost drowned. Somehow, he’d gotten tangled in the ropes holding a rowboat. A tree branch broke through the roof of the boathouse and punctured a hole in it, sending them to the bottom of the bay,” Owen answered quickly. “Aubrey used a knife to cut him loose.”
“He’s bleeding,” someone said as he was shoved into a chair.
“It was dark, I tried…” Aubrey said with a cry.
“Shh,” he reassured her. “I’m okay,”
“I’ll get the bandages,” someone else said. Since he still had his eyes closed and was fighting to stay awake, he couldn’t tell who was talking. But every time he heard Aubrey’s voice, he tuned back in.
“Help me get him in my office. We’ve made up a bed. He can rest there while you bandage him up.”
Just as he was helped up, someone mentioned Brett and he stilled.
“What about Brett?” he asked, opening his eyes to look around.
“He just called and said he can’t make it to come get those two until after the storm passes,” Owen answered.
“What two?” he asked. He looked around the room and spotted Bridgett and Martha. The two women were sitting on the floor with a rope tied around them. Bridgett was holding a very broken arm close to her chest. Both women looked tired and like they’d been beaten, badly.
“What the hell are they doing here?” he asked as Aubrey nudged him towards the hallway.
Owen was helping him walk and answered, “Later. We’ll make sure they stay locked up and out of the way until Brett can come get them. For now, you’re bleeding all over the place.”
“Don’t let them near Aubrey,” he said as he was shoved onto the sofa in Elle’s office.
Owen chuckled. “The way I hear it, we need to keep Aubrey away from them,” he said with a shake of his head.
“You’re safe.” He reached for Aubrey and brought her into his arms. Finally, his head was starting to clear. “I was looking for you.”
She held onto him for a moment before pulling back. “I love you,” she blurted out. “I didn’t mean to take so long to tell—”
He brought her to him and kissed her lips. How long had he waited for her to say those words? Why hadn’t he realized that it didn’t really matter. What mattered was that she was there, safe, in his arms.
“I love you,” she said again when he ended the kiss. “I should have told you years ago.” She shook her head. “I was a stubborn fool.” Her hands went to cup his face. “You’re the only man I’ve ever said this to. The only one I ever could say it to. You’re everything I’ve ever wanted. Everything I’ve ever needed, and I was a fool.”
He brushed a strand of her wet hair out of her eyes. “Now that we’ve got that out of the way, I’m going to have to work on getting you to agree to marry me,” he said with a smile.
She laughed. “Yes.”
“Yes?” he asked. “Yes, I’ll have to work on it or—”
She shut him up by kissing him again.
“Yes, you fool. I’ll marry you.” She laughed as she rested her forehead against his.
He took a deep breath and already felt much stronger than he had before. Maybe it was the oxygen getting to his brain finally or maybe it was the fact that he had everything he could ever want. Either way, Aubrey was his finally and life could only go uphill from there.
“Let me look at your arm,” she said, glancing down at it.
He noticed the sting of his torn skin for the first time and ignored the pain while she cleaned him up.
“You won’t need stitches,” she said with relief. She moved back, and he noticed the blood on her shirt.
“You’re hurt.” He pulled her up to sit next to him and noticed that she winced when he pulled the blood-soaked material away from her skin.
There, just below her last rib on her right side, was a large nasty gash.
“Bridgett’s handiwork. Actually, it’s thanks to her that I had the knife to cut you free. I knocked it out of her hands earlier when they jumped me in the boathouse.” She shrugged as he bent down and started cleaning the blood from the wound.
“You’ll need stitches.” He was worried about how deep the cut had gone.
“I’m fine,” she said, taking his hands. “Throw some of those butterfly Band-Aids on it and…”
“Let me,” he said, looking up at her. “You took care of me, it’s my turn to look after you.” He nudged her until she was lying down on the sofa. He took his time cleaning the wound and then found a bottle of liquid bandage. He pulled the skin together as tight as he could and doused the area several times. Then he covered it with several butterfly bandages and leaned back to assess his work.
Aubrey was staring up at him. “I love you. You know that.”
He bent down and kissed her. “I love you. Just so we’re clear, it will never get old hearing those words from you.” He grinned down at her just as there was a knock on the door and Zoey and Scarlett walked in.
“How is he?” Scarlett asked.
“Oh good, you patched her up,” Zoey said when they noticed Aubrey lying on the sofa.
Aubrey pushed her ruined shirt down and sat up. “I’m fine,” she said quickly. “So is Aiden.”
“The storm is just officially hitting us, and we thought you two would like to rejoin the party,” Zoey said, glancing towards the wall of windows that had been boarded up. “Safety in numbers and all that.”
“We’ll be right there.” He helped Aubrey stand up but pulled her into his arms. “Thank you for saving my life,” he said into her hair.
“Thank you,” she said, pulling back slightly, “for setting me free from my fears.” She leaned up and kissed him.
“Aww,” Zoey said as she wiped a tear from her eyes.
“God, are you going to cry for the next six months of your pregnancy?” Scarlett joked as she wrapped her arms around her sister.
He took Aubrey’s hand and followed them back into where everyone else was sitting around a circle of candles.
“This looks like a séance instead of a hurricane party,” Aubrey said as they walked in.
Food filled the table along the wall, untouched. When they stepped in, Aubrey was pulled aside by her friends as Elle started talking.
“Seeing as this is the last time we’ll do this, we decided it had to be a special occasion. And seeing as the pair of you cheated death tonight, we figured it was as good of time as any.” Elle chuckled as she pulled a small box from her pocket.
“From us,” Elle said, holding the box. Zoey, Scarlett, and Hannah all joined hands with hers as they handed the small box over to Aubrey.
�
�I never thought I’d ever get this,” Aubrey said, wiping her eyes as she looked down at the box. “I never thought I’d deserve it.”
Aiden glanced at the guys, who all just smiled at him and shrugged.
He moved over and watched her flip open the small box and looked down at an ugly rainbow unicorn ring nestled in the box.
Aubrey picked the small thing up like it was made of the finest jewels and slipped it on her finger, then held it to her chest.
“I earned this,” she said with a laugh as the five friends hugged one another.
Owen walked over and slapped him on the shoulder. “Out of all of us, I’d say you had to work the hardest to win the prize.”
“That’s a prize?” he asked, motioning to the ring.
Dylan walked over, a fresh white bandage covering the cut on top of his head, a goofy smile on his face. “Hell, yes, it is. The best sort of prize.” He shook Aiden’s hand and motioned to Aubrey. “One that’ll last a lifetime.”
He sighed and smiled at Aubrey as she looked at him over her friend’s head.
Epilogue
When the sun woke Aubrey up the next morning, she at first didn’t think anything of it. It had been just after one in the morning when Brett and his partner had come and hauled Bridgett and her mother away.
After that, the hurricane party had turned into more of a slumber party. They’d all gathered their sleeping bags around the candles and camping lanterns and chatted while the rain started to disappear.
“It’s morning,” she said, sitting up. “Oh god.” She glanced around and noticed a few windows had lost the protective plywood.
“What?” Elle sat up and then gasped. “I have to see…” She jumped up at the same time Aubrey did.
The pair of them rushed to the front doors together.
Brett had mentioned that several trees had fallen, which had been the reason it had taken them so long to get to them.
Aubrey helped Elle open the front doors and as they stepped outside, they were joined by Zoey, Scarlett, and Hannah.