Time For Love Box Set

by Karen Deen

  Just like I pictured, today is turning out just perfect.

  Catching up to Ally, grabbing her from behind, we both stumble and roll to the grass on the side of the trail, laughing loudly while we catch our breath.

  I have known for a while that I’m falling hard for this woman, every day I’m in deeper and deeper. Looking up at her lying on top of me, I see my future. I need to make sure she knows that.

  “Xavier,” she whispers, sensing the emotion we are building just here in the middle of the mountains.

  “It’s okay, baby, I feel it too.” Pulling her face towards me, I slowly place my lips on hers. Ever so gentle. Not demanding. Just communicating all that I’m feeling inside. I want to tell her but not just yet. I don’t want to ruin my surprise. Gently pulling back and kissing each cheek then her forehead, it’s time to move.

  “Up you get, we are nearly there, and I have so much to show you. But tonight, we are continuing that little discussion with our lips. That is, of course, if you can hold out that long.”

  “I don’t have to worry because I know you won’t be able to. Lucky me.” She is on her feet waiting for me. “Hurry up, lazy bones, what’s taking you so long?”

  “Now you’re pushing it.” We both start back up the last incline. My heart is beating hard and it has nothing to do with the physical exertion.

  “Are you ready to be overwhelmed with the beauty from the lookout? It’s just around one hundred more metres through that group of trees.” Pulling Ally by her arm, I’m excited to show her the place I love to stand and just breathe. I stop her just before we reach the clearing. “I want you to close your eyes so I can walk you to the perfect spot. You need to see this the way I do. You will never forget this picture in your mind. Close your eyes and take my hand.

  I can see she is a little scared to walk with her eyes closed.

  “Do you trust me?”

  Nodding her head, her eyes close and her hands come out for me to take. I tread carefully making sure she is placing her feet on solid ground every step. We break through the edge of the trail to the best view in the city. Walking her carefully to the perfect spot, I come beside her and place my arm around her shoulders.

  “Open up, baby, and see the most amazing view.”

  Slowly her eyes flutter open and adjust to the brightness. “Oh, my goodness. It’s so much more beautiful than I remember. You were right, you can’t appreciate this kind of spectacle as a child. It’s like I’m seeing it again for the first time.” We stand there joined for a while, not talking, not moving, just breathing.

  Ally turns and looks up with watery eyes.

  “Thank you for bringing me here. I’ve been missing out on something special.”

  I know it’s time. I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life.

  Reaching my hand into the backpack and then lowering it to the ground, I turn to face her.

  “I thought the view from this lookout was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, then I met you. You stole my breath away. Having you standing here with me now just proved me wrong about this view. The most captivating view I have ever seen is now standing in front of me. Your beauty in front of this view is a vision I will have for the rest of my life.” Already she is blushing heavily but I’m not stopping, I need to tell her how I feel.

  “Ally, I know everything is happening fast, it’s only a short time ago we met. Yet I feel like I’ve known you forever. You are the woman I never expected to find and now I never want to let go. Here is your surprise. It’s a promise to you of how committed I am to this relationship. When you’re ready, I will marry you one day. The circle will be a little smaller and more sparkly and it will say you’re mine. But in the meantime, this is so you know that I want you and I never intend on letting you go. Our relationship is like this circle, there is no end to it.” I slip it over her wrist as the tears start to trickle down her cheeks.

  “Xavier.” She starts to talk but I put my finger over her lips.

  “I’ve fallen in love with you, Ally. I love you more than I ever imagined I could love someone.” Now the tears are running fast down her face. Stumbling to get her words out through her emotions.

  “I love you, too. I can’t believe I found you. Someone who completes me.” The only way I think I’ll ever stop these tears is to distract her with the most earth-shattering kiss she has ever had.

  We stand there for quite a while just holding each other. No words are needed. Just physical connection that represents the connection between our souls.

  I get her to stand looking out off the cliff so I can take a photo. I want to remember this day for a long time to come. It’s a story to tell our grandkids.

  Pausing to just take in her beauty in this moment, she turns to look at me over her shoulder as I snap the perfect shot. Then the look on her face changes and she is yelling my name.

  “Xavier…” is the last thing I hear as I feel immense pain at the back of my head and the world goes black.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Alesha

  My heart has never felt so full. Standing in front of Xavier, listening to the words I never believed I would hear from a man who’s not my dad.

  I’ve known for days that there is no turning back. I have such deep emotions for him and what I am feeling must be love. It completely takes over your body in a way that everything just seems so much better, bigger, brighter and the only person you want to share it with is the person you’ve fallen in love with.

  When I first met Xavier, I thought he was just another hot guy who was so cocky and full of himself. He definitely caught my eye that first night, but I never expected him to see me. Usually no one notices me, but he did.

  Xavier sees the real me. The woman who just doesn’t know how to step out of my little world where I’m in my comfort zone. He didn’t push me out of it, and instead took my hand and showed me the way.

  To hear him say he loves me, broke me in the best way possible. All the happy emotions I have been storing inside since we met just come pouring out. That he planned such a beautiful moment, in a place I will always remember, is so romantic. I can feel his presence behind me, insisting to take my photo looking out at the view. Something is making me feel tingly, though, and it’s not a nice feeling. The air has changed. I don’t like how it feels. I’m sure it’s just nothing and I’m feeling super emotional.

  I turn to see Xavier so he can make me feel better, for him to calm me down. My worst nightmare is happening before my eyes.

  Standing behind him is a man dressed in green camouflage clothes with a big tree branch, swinging at his head.

  “Xavier!” I scream. It’s too late as the wood connects with his head and I see the light in his eyes fade and he drops to the ground. I freeze. I want to get to Xavier, but the man is standing above him, poking him with his foot to make sure he is knocked out. I should run. I know in my head I should run but my legs won’t move. I can’t leave Xavier. I need to fight for him. I only just found him, there is no way I can lose him now.

  “He’s out. Get rid of her,” the man yells.

  “Please, leave him alone. My brothers will be here in a minute. They were only a little bit behind us.” I’m panicking and trying to think of anything to stop them from hurting him again, while I work out what to do.

  Slowly, I start to edge forward closer to Xavier so I can see if he’s breathing. I need to know he is still alive. He isn’t moving.

  “You’re lying, bitch. There’s no one coming. We’ve watched you all morning. Say goodbye to lover boy. He was never yours, you little slut, he was always going to be ours.”

  My heart is thumping fast in my chest. Who is he and what the hell is going on? I’m close enough now to see Xavier’s chest rising up and down slowly. Thank God he is still alive. Now I need to fight. I have to save him.

  “Stop wasting time, get rid of her,” the man yells towards me. It’s then that I catch movement out of the corner of my eye. Quickly, I turn
to see Dana with another stick up over her head, getting ready to strike at me. I jump sideways to get away from her.

  “Dana!” I scream, trying to move quickly. “Please don’t hurt me. We’re friends, remember? You need to help Xavier. You like him.”

  “You are so dumb. That’s why we are here. Of course, I like him. We both do. We’ve been watching him for months, and then you had to turn up and wreck things. He’s my lover, not yours. He was never yours, you were just a fling. He never loved you. He loves me and he will love Bear. Now finish her off, Bear.”

  Her smiling gloating face is the last thing I remember as I hit the ground.

  Ooohhh… my head hurts. I don’t know why, but I can’t even open my eyes it hurts so much. It’s hot. I feel wet from sweat. Maybe if I sleep more, I will feel better. It just hurts so much. I fade into the unknown again.

  What is that noise? It’s making my head hurt. It sounds like a bird screeching. Xavier said there was eagles up here.

  Xavier! Oh no. I try to sit straight up but my head hurts so much, I fall back down. I try again and just sit for a minute trying to stop everything spinning. Opening my eyes, I desperately look for him.

  No! He’s gone. They’re all gone. Where did they take him? What the hell happened? I’m confused, and nothing makes sense. I need to find him. If I could just stand up and move. Running my hand over the back of my head where it hurts, it feels moist. I can feel liquid on my fingers. Pulling my hand back in front of my face, I see blood. I need to stand up and get my balance. I need to find Xavier, but I also need help.

  Getting my bearings, I see the sun is getting low in the sky. I must have been passed out for a while. I need to get help before dark. I feel torn. I don’t want to leave Xavier up here, but I don’t know where he is or what they have done. I can see drag marks where they have taken him somewhere. I walk slowly, trying to follow them, but it stops at a point where it looks like some tire marks start. My vision is still slightly blurry. I stagger backwards and see Xavier’s phone still on the ground in the dirt. His bag is gone so I grab his phone and head towards the trail. There is no signal on the phone up here. Goddammit. I need to get to the car before it gets dark. I know Dad taught us how to get to safety here but not in the dark. I need to stick to the trail and get to the parking lot. I need to find some people to help me.

  I’m so scared on my own up here.

  What if they are still watching me?

  I can do this.

  I have to do this. Xavier needs me.

  I need to save him.

  He’s mine, Dana, and you can’t have him.

  Hang on, baby, I’m coming for you.

  Just promise to hang on.

  My footsteps are getting quicker as I start to run down the trail. It’s hard on my wobbly legs and with a head that feels like it’s going to explode. I stumble a few times and pick myself up and keep running. It feels like hours before I finally break into the parking lot, just as the last of the sunlight disappears. I run to the Jeep only to realize I don’t have the keys.

  “Fuck!” I scream out at the top of my lungs.

  The only other car in the parking lot is the black SUV that was there this morning. Suddenly, I have a flashback to the day out front of my office building when the car went screaming down the road as Xavier arrived. A black SUV just like that one.

  Shit, I need help. Anything could be happening to Xavier. I feel sick thinking about where he is and what their plans are.

  His phone still has a weak signal, so I start to run along the gravel road that takes me back to the highway. Still not strong enough to make a call, so I just keep running. It is now dark, and I think of everyone at dinner wondering where we are. I’m hoping someone will think something is wrong. Surely Lilly and Luke will know I’m never late. Please, for once let Lilly be on time so she notices I’m missing, or Luke think it is weird for me not to be there first.

  I just keep putting one foot in front of the other. I’m running out of energy fast, but I can’t stop. I can feel the blood still running slowly down my neck. I have no idea how far the road is. I need the adrenaline to keep me going. Xavier’s phone starts vibrating in my hand as messages start lighting up. I stop dead as the phone starts ringing. I see Kane’s name light up. Thank God. He will know what to do. He will save my Xavier.

  “Come on, lover boy. Stop playing with Ally—”

  “Kane, help me!” I scream into the phone.

  “Shit, Ally, what’s wrong?” I can hear the change in his voice. Kane the cop is now on the phone. “Where are you?”

  My breathing is fast and I’m feeling dizzy again. “Dana, she got him. They hit him and took him. I can’t find him, Kane help me.” I’m crying and screaming now. I’m so scared I’m no longer calm.

  “Try to breathe, Ally. In and out. Slow it down. I need you to tell me exactly where you are.” I can hear him telling the others in the background and there is noise that sounds like they are moving.

  “I’m in the mountains. We walked the trails. We were at the lookout and they took him. Dana and some man. Someone she called Bear. They knocked me out and took him. Kane, I can’t lose him. Please, you have to help me find him.”

  “Over my dead body are they taking him. You are not losing him, and neither am I. We are on our way to you now. I want you to stay on the phone and talk to Luke. I need to get help on the way. Can you do that, Ally? I need you to stay calm and safe.”

  “I’m trying but I’m so scared.” Shock is now setting in and I’m trembling.

  “Lesh, are you okay? Talk to me. We are coming to get you. Talk to me, I need to know you are all right.” Hearing my brother’s voice just breaks me.

  “Luke…” I’m sobbing, and I can’t talk.

  “I’m here, sis. Just take some deep slow breaths. I need you to calm down because we need your help to find you. Now take a big breath in and slowly let it out. Let’s try that again.” His voice is soothing. It’s a familiar sound. I try to concentrate on his voice.

  “That’s it, Leshy, now talk to me. I’m going to put you on loud speaker so Kane can hear everything too, okay?”

  I’m nodding my head, but they can’t see me.

  “Good girl, now tell me everything from the time you arrived at the trails,” Luke says, nice and calm.

  I recap what happened from the start, telling them about the car in the parking lot, right through to me now standing in the complete dark on the side of a road by myself, scared out of my skin.

  “You are doing great, Alesha,” I hear Kane say. “We have police on their way to you, but we will be there in less than ten minutes. I want you to stay on the phone so I can talk to you the whole time. I need you to move off the road to the side. If you hear a car coming before I tell you it’s me, then I want you to hide. Do you understand?” I nod again. “Alesha, I need words, honey.”

  “Yes,” I whisper. I’m scared to talk now in case they know where I am. They said they were watching us today, so maybe they are watching me now.

  “Good girl. Now tell me how you are feeling. You said they hit your head, are you bleeding still?”

  “Yes, a little.” I hear Luke swearing in the car as well as other voices.

  “Are you sitting down? I don’t want you passing out on me.”

  “Yes. I’m hiding like you said.” I don’t feel very strong, so I don’t say much.

  They stay on the phone with me, still asking me questions and keeping me talking. I’m struggling to stay with them, but I try my best because Xavier needs me. They keep me alert until they make the turn-off on to the gravel road and are almost to me.

  “Good girl, you are doing great. Just stay with me. I will keep talking to you. We are only about two minutes from you now. We are turning onto the gravel road now. Can you stand on the side of the road when I tell you? That way we will see you.” Kane amazes me how calm he is staying. My insides are going crazy, but my head is pounding, I just want to close my eyes again. I know I can�
��t. Xavier needs me.

  “So tired. My head hurts.”

  “Lesh, stay awake, sis,” Luke says, his voice tense. “We are almost there, we need you awake, to be able to find you. Okay?”

  “Yes,” I mumble. My body is now shaking uncontrollably. I don’t know if I’ll be able to walk.

  “Luke. I can’t walk. I don’t feel good.”

  “It’s okay. We will find your hiding spot. I just need you to stay awake. Can you hear us on the road yet? We are getting close.”

  “I can hear you. You’re near me.”

  “Slow down, Kane, so she can tell us when to stop,” Luke is yelling at Kane. “Leshy, can you see the road from where you are?”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay, I want you to tell me when you see the lights from the car. We are nearly there, just hang on.”

  “Okay. You’re getting close now. Hurry.” I’m worried I’m going to pass out any moment. The running has made the blood run faster from my wound.

  “Good, keep talking. You’re doing great,” Kane says. His calm voice reminds me of Xavier. He always makes me feel better.

  My eyes are sliding down. I’m trying to force them up. Then I see it.

  “I see lights.”

  “Thank fuck,” Luke yells.

  “Keep coming, just a bit further. Slow down. Stop.” I see Luke jump from the truck running towards me and I finally close my eyes and let go.

  Kane

  “Dispatch, we’ve got the girl. ETA of the ambulance to location?” I scream into the phone as Luke jumps from the truck and runs to Ally.

  “ETA is three minutes. We have squad cars and rescue units on route as well as the ambulance,” the operator relays down the phone.

  Shutting down the call to dispatch, and I’m on the move to Ally. Jordan is behind me. When I told everyone we needed to leave, he didn’t hesitate to jump in the truck with us. The girls have gone to get Alesha’s dad who knows these trails and the mountain like the back of his hand. I think it was a smart suggestion from Zoe. Lilly would be hysterical right now seeing her sister unconscious and hurt.