by Alexa McLean
I ground my teeth. What was I supposed to do? This was Tori’s life at stake but if I took Morgan’s offer, I’d lose everything I had ever worked towards.
“Okay,” I said after a moment.
“How did I know you’d end up picking the girl? I’ll text you the address. I hope you’re ready to pull your weight as a partner.” With that, she hung up the call.
I dropped my arm to my side.
“Sir?”
“We have to make a few phone calls.”
“To whom, may I ask?” Porter was already headed for the phonebook. “It is still quite early.
“I know I barked at you for suggesting the police but at this point, I think they are our only option.” I ran through a mention list of all my contacts. “Get me Sergeant Montgomery. He’s with the DEA. Morgan always has a couple of ounces on her. If they can get her on a drug bust then she’ll be behind bars sooner rather than later. Any other course would take far too long.”
“Good thinking, Sir.” Porter smiled knowingly before making the call.
I ARRIVED AT THE WAREHOUSE an hour later. It looked rundown and abandoned but a few lights flickered from the second floor. It was almost blatantly obvious that this was a trap but what choice did I have other than playing along?
As I approached the metal doors, they opened. Two men stood beside them, dressed all in black. They didn’t speak a word as I walked past them.
Inside the warehouse, I was met with the thick scent of weed. It clouded my vision, making it hard to see. Still, I managed to spot the stairwell against the back corner.
The metal steps were all but rotted. I looked around for an alternative route to the second floor – an elevator perhaps – but I couldn’t see much through the darkness. Time pressed down on my shoulders. The more time I took to get to her, the more likely Tori would get hurt. I couldn’t take that risk.
So, I started up the stairs. They creaked under my weight, threatening to collapse at any moment. It’s a miracle they survived long enough for me to get to the top.
There, I found Morgan standing beside my girlfriend. She had a diabolical look on her face. “Honestly, Hunter, this is what you come after?” She pointed her thumb at Tori.
It was then that I noticed that her head was slumped forward. “What have you done to her?” I bellowed and before I could stop myself, I charged forward.
Morgan was quick. She had a blade pressed against Tori’s neck before I could even make it halfway across the room. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you because one more step and she’s as good as dead.” Her diabolical grin deepened. “Although, I’m tempted to just kill her anyway. I don’t need my partner distracted by some stupid relationship. Besides, how do I know she’ll keep her mouth shut?”
“Don’t you dare.” I stood in the middle of the room and tried to bid my time. I knew Sergeant Montgomery and his team would infiltrate the warehouse soon. I just needed to wait for them to arrive. “Look, I agreed to be your partner so why don’t you calm down and hold up your end of the bargain?”
“Do you think I’m stupid, Hunter?” She grabbed Tori by the hair and tilted her head back, exposing more of her neck. “I know why you agreed to become my partner. You don’t actually care about this girl. You never did. You were only using her to get to me.” She chuckled. “I’ve always been the jealous type. I guess you can call that one of my flaws.”
I listened to her talk. “Absolutely.” I lied. “I’ve wanted you all along.” I played into her narcissism, knowing it was probably my best bet at getting her to stall. “And now we can be together and rule this town.”
“Oh, you don’t know how long I’ve waited for you to say that.”
She finally stepped away from Tori and flashed a smile. Just then, a little red dot appeared on her arm. It moved toward her chest before lowering to her leg.
Pop!
The sniper’s bullet came flying through the shattered window. It tore through Morgan’s leg. She screamed in pain and fell to the ground, clutching her wounded leg. “You betrayed me!” She howled.
“I’m sorry, Morgan, but I don’t work for anyone.”
Chapter 13: Tori
I woke up in a strange white place. I blinked but the whiteness was too bright to see. I tried to shield my eyes with my arm but that particular limb felt like it weighed a thousand tons.
As I came back to consciousness, the pain came with it. Every muscle in my body ached. I tried to will it away but it lingered with a burning stubbornness.
“Tori.” Someone took my hand and squeezed it. “Wake up, Tori.”
Again, I blinked into the whiteness. This time, my vision adjusted and I was able to make out the square ceiling tiles above my head. Where was I? I turned my head toward the voice and found Hunter sitting by my bedside with a concerned expression on his face.
He offered a smile. “How are you feeling?”
“Awful,” I admitted. My voice sounded like it had just emerged from a toad. “What happened?” My memory was hazy and I couldn’t remember much. “I remember settling into your couch and then all of a sudden, here I am.”
He sighed. “I’m sorry, Tori, but this is all my fault. I should have been more careful.” He brought my hand to his lips and kissed my knuckles. “I was careless and you almost –” His voice cracked and I swear I saw tears in his eyes.
It was strange seeing Hunter acting this way. He was one of the strongest people I knew. I reached out my hand and cupped his cheek. “Tell me.”
“Morgan kidnapped you from my home. She used some pretty heavy sedatives to keep you quiet so that’s the reason why your memory is so hazy. The doctor said that it should all clear out in a couple of days.”
“I see.” I dropped my hand and brought it back to my side. “What happened to Morgan?”
“I know a couple of people in the DEA. They came along with me and helped make the drug bust. They predict she’ll be behind bars for a long, long time.”
“And, what about us?” My mouth felt impossibly dry as I asked the question. “I mean, what’s to stop this from happening again? I’m sure Morgan had her fair share of friends. Won’t they try and get their revenge or something?”
Hunter frowned. “As much as I want to, I can’t guarantee your safety, Tori. I can do my best but that’s about all.”
I bit my bottom lip as tears burned at the corner of my eyes. It felt like Hunter was telling me his goodbyes. But, that’s not what I wanted. After everything that happened, the last thing I wanted was to leave him. “Isn’t there something we can do?”
“I think the best thing we can do is get you out of town. You need to lie low for a while.”
“What about you?” I asked. “You aren’t going to stay here, are you?”
“I have no choice. Someone has to testify in court. Besides, I have to show these people that I’m not someone they want to mess with. Only then will I have the peace of mind to bring you back.”
“You can’t send me away,” I said in protest. “I won’t go.”
“Please, Tori, don’t make this any harder than it needs to me.” He took my hands and rubbed his thumbs across the back of them. “I don’t want to see you getting hurt.”
“I won’t!” I pleaded. “Please, don’t make me leave.”
“I’ve already called your grandmother. She’s coming up from Florida so you can live with her for a little while.” He moved closer and squeezed my hands. “And, I promise, as soon as things are safe, I’ll come and get you. All I ask is that you wait for me.”
AND, THAT’S EXACTLY what I did. I waited and waited and waited. Countless nights, I sat up near my window, watching for his motorcycle but it never came. Days turned into months and soon months turned into a year.
I tried to contact him but he never bothered to answer me. So, I started to lose hope. I went about my days like a zombie. I dragged my feet at my new job. I barely ate. My grandparents were worried sick but I couldn’t tell them the truth. My grandmothe
r even signed me up for an online dating service. I went on a few dates just to humor her.
But I could never forget about Hunter. He was my one true love and I’d never find another like him.
TWO YEARS AFTER THE kidnapping.
“Here you are. I hope you enjoy it. I hear it’s a great read. I haven’t gotten around to reading it myself.” I smiled at the young man at the counter.
“Thanks. I look forward to it.” He nodded his head and left.
A few minutes later, a regular walked in and returned a few of his books. “Thanks, Thomas,” I said. I waited for him to walk away before I started checking in his pile. I flipped through the pages. He had a habit of leaving behind old bookmarks.
In the third book, I found a slip of paper. I grabbed it and my heart stopped. My eyes widened. No. It couldn’t be.
It was a love note, written in the same exact handwriting from before. With my heart pounding, I read the words.
Love,
I know you have waited for me
You’ve been more faithful than a flower to the sun
So, now, won’t you be my eternal rose
And I’ll cherish you forever more.
Just then, the door chime echoed. I looked up and there he was. “Miss me?” He asked with a wild grin on his face.
Before I could stop myself, I was already flying out of my seat. I flew into his arms and sighed as he held me in his strong embrace. I was greeted by his familiar scent and it lulled me into a deep sense of calm.
With my head pressed against his chest, I could hear the beating of his heart. It sounded like it was going to explode at any minute.
He pulled back to look at my face.
And, that’s when I slapped him.
He reeled back with a look of utter shock on his face. “What was that for?”
“For leaving me for the last two years! I didn’t think you were coming back!” I pounded his chest with my fists as I lost my composure. The tears fell down my cheeks like an undammed river. “Don’t you ever do that to me again.” I threatened. “Or, I swear –”
He stopped my rantings with a kiss. Oh, I cannot even explain how good it felt to feel his lips against mine after all that time. I melted against his body as he ran his fingers through my hair and pulled me close.
Our lips danced together, making up for lost time.
“Ahem.” My boss appeared and gave me a reprimanding look. “If you need a minute, take it outside.”
“Sorry, sir,” Hunter answered politely before walking me out the front door.
Once on the library lawn I turned and looked at him. “I expect answers.”
“Okay.” He nodded in agreement before leading me toward a vacant bench. “I’m going to assume that you want me to start with why it took me so long to come and get you.”
“Yes, and you better have a good reason or I’m not going to forgive you that easily.”
He chuckled. “Well, Morgan had a bigger operation than I originally imagined. Despite her dim wits, she was able to control a whole system of drug dealers. The DEA had a hard time sorting out the mess and I wanted to be absolutely sure that no stone was left unturned.”
“So, everything is taken care of now?” I asked.
“Yes, you can come home if you’d like.”
“I just have one more question.” I was still holding the love note in my hand. “You told me that you weren’t the one writing these...”
“I wasn’t.” He chuckled once more. “Any guesses as to who did?”
“Who?” I asked totally neglecting to guess.
“My butler – Porter. I asked him about it and he said he wanted to set me up with a nice girl.” Hunter laughed. “I hope the love notes were decent, at least.”
“Oh, they were charming. I still can’t believe they came from your butler. Are you sure you didn’t write them?”
“As much as I want to take credit for stealing your heart with a poem or two, I can’t.”
“You should tell him that he needs to publish a book or something.” I felt a bit cheated but at the same time, it was sweet that the butler cared that much about his employer’s love life. But, now that I think about it... sending me love notes is a bit creepy on his end.
“You can tell him yourself since you’ll be living with me.”
“Really?” My eyes widened. “I mean, I don’t want to impose.”
“I’m not going to take no for an answer.” All of a sudden, Hunter got off the bench and dropped onto one knee. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box.
My heart skipped a beat. Could it be...? No. I blinked, half expecting the scene to fade away into a dream. It didn’t.
“Tori, I have waited a long time to be able to ask you this and I pray you tell me yes.” He took a deep breath. “Will you marry me?”
I knew it was coming but the question still struck me like an arrow straight through the heart. I just couldn’t believe it. My childhood crush was asking me to marry him. With tears in my eyes, I nodded. A second later, I jumped into his arms.
We fell back, landing in the grass. We would have rolled down the side of the hill if it wasn’t for Hunter’s quick reflexes. He tightened his grip around my waist and kept me in place.
A couple of people walking along the sidewalk tossed us dirty looks but honestly, I didn’t care.
Hunter slipped the ring onto my finger and smiled. “How do you feel?” He asked.
“Honestly, this feels like a dream. I’ve always wanted to be your wife – ever since I was a little girl, really. And now, it’s actually happening.”
“Well, in a couple of months.” He corrected. “I’ve had Porter and a few others arrange everything for us. Of course, you’ll have the final say but I have everything worked out for us.”
“What if I said no to your proposal?” I asked.
“I knew you wouldn’t.” He grinned confidently.
I laughed. “So, the wedding is in a couple of months, is it?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“Portugal.” He answered.
“Portugal?” I repeated. “Why Portugal?”
“Oh, you’ll see.”
Epilogue: Tori
A few months later.
My heart felt like it was going to pop out of my chest at any moment. My skin prickled with heat as I started to sweat inside my dress. One of my attendants passed me a hand fan. I opened it and started to fan my face. The small breeze it provided wasn’t enough to cool off my pre-marriage jitters.
“It’s almost time.” Someone called out and I swear my face became a shade redder.
“How are you feeling?” One girl asked me.
“Like I’m about to throw up,” I admitted.
“Oh no, don’t do that.” She took my hand and patted it in a maternal gesture. “Everything is going to be okay. You look stunning. Hunter won’t be able to take his eyes off you.”
I took a deep breath. “You’re right,” I said in an attempt to calm my nerves. “How much longer?”
“Just a few minutes.” She answered.
“Okay.” I busied myself by looking around the spacious office we had transformed into a changing room.
I still couldn’t believe that Hunter had rented out one of the world’s most beautiful libraries for our wedding. It was surreal.
Suddenly, the organist started to play. The attendants flocked around me. A bouquet of flowers was thrust in my hand. A shawl flew over my shoulders. Hairspray hovered around my head before settling into place.
I felt unsteady on my feet but somehow, I managed the courage to walk down the aisle. Hunter stood at the altar, beaming. He looked ruggedly handsome in his white tuxedo. I couldn’t keep my eyes off him.
When I reached the altar, he took my hands and we stood side by side as the priest performed the ceremony. Most of it ended up becoming a blur. I was much too excited to pay attention. But, I do remember the kiss.
He kissed
me with such fire that I swear my lips were about to burn. And, at that moment, it felt like we were the last two people on earth.
A FEW YEARS LATER.
I was settled in my office with the fireplace crackling in the background. Outside, the estate was being covered with a fresh blanket of snow. I watched it fall through my window and smiled to myself.
Suddenly, I heard a loose floorboard sound behind me. I swiveled in my chair to find Porter walking into the room with a tray of hot chocolate. “I hope I am not interrupting.” He bowed his head in apology.
“Not at all. I was just looking for some inspiration.” I said as I got up and took the mug he offered me. “You know, I’ve never had the chance to ask you about all those poems you sent me.”
The elderly man seemed to blush but I couldn’t be sure in the firelight.
“They were quite beautiful but I was a bit disappointed to learn that Hunter hadn’t written them himself. He didn’t put you up to it, did he?”
“Oh, heavens no.” The butler waved his hand, dismissing my hypothesis. “I did so on my own accord. I’ve been working for Hunter for a long time now and I’ve seen how loneliness has affected him. I knew he needed a push in the right direction.”
“How did you know about me?” I asked.
“Hunter spoke about you all the time. At first, I tried to get him to see other women. My apologies but I thought you were simply a ghost haunting him from his past. But then I realized that he would never be satisfied with anyone else. He needed you. That’s when I started sending over the love notes with Rebecca. She was eager to join in on my ploy to get you two back together.” There was a certain tone of excitement in his voice like he enjoyed playing the matchmaker.
“I see.” Before I could say anything else, Hunter walked into the room. He was wearing his usual business attire. Most days, he didn’t even bother to take off his coat before coming upstairs and greeting me with a kiss. And, that’s exactly what he did. He walked right past Porter, took me in his arms, and kissed me.