“This is it, love. Just over this last steep rise, and we’ll ‘ave arrived.” Kissing her palm, Behr guided his love up the rise, slowing their pace as they neared the top. Behr climbed ahead of her, turned to face Ellora, and stopped.
Now, he was twice the height he normally was, standing on the top of the rise. As the sun shone down behind him like a historical statue, it made him look more gladiator than man, his shadow casting down on her. Behr grasped hold of both her hands, drawing her up the rest of the way. Without hesitation, Ellora stepped into him, wrapping her arms around his neck, and pressed her lips to his. She was enthralled to be up in this solitary majesty with Behr by her side.
Softly, she caressed his strong lips with hers. With no concept of time, they poured all the love, need, and lustful wanting into that kiss, melting into one another. The slide of his tongue joined with hers in a tantalizing rhythm that mimicked the kind of love they really wanted to share.
With each pass of his driving tongue, or nibble on swollen lips, the need to be as one drove them higher to a destination Ellora had yet to experience… but desperately wanted Behr to be the one to take her there. Her need to get impossibly closer to her man was stopped only by the clothes that shielded them from feeling the warmth of each other’s skin.
The demand for air was the one and only thing in the world that could’ve separated the pair. Behr peered into the lust-hazed emerald eyes of his love. Ellora’s lips curled up in a naughty tell-tale grin, breathing just as heavily as the powerful man standing over her. Their heated breath fanned over their flushed faces.
“C’mon, love.” Behr pulled her up and stepped aside so she could get a look down at the impossibly enchanting view that presented itself to her. Ellora’s mouth hung open in wonderment. Smack dab in the center of the tall, jagged, rocky-mountainous cliffs was an impossibly level expanse of flat, wide ground, blanketed with jade-green spongy moss.
It imitated a gigantic football field hidden in the midst of the protective Quiraing Mountains. All around it were mammoth cliff faces standing tall and proud, lining themselves all the way around the plateau. “This here… is The Table,” Behr announced, sweeping his hand out and around the impressive God-made phenomenon. His deep baritone echoed around the secret location and bounced around the cliffs like a giant amphitheater.
Excitement was clearly written all over the girl’s face. Ellora wanted to get down there as fast as her clumsy legs would let her. The very first thing she planned to do on the impossibly flat-leveled ground… was to call upon her inner child and execute a series off cartwheels.
Once on The Table, Ellora took a running leap and successfully executed three pinwheel cartwheels, then flung her dizzy self onto the soft spongy ground. Lying on her back, Ellora gazed up at the perfectly blue, cloudless sky. Breathing in the crisp mountain air, she let her eyes drift closed, enjoying the peaceful moment.
“Well, well, well… what is this? A lil’ exercise kill your sensitive sensibilities, Yankee?” With her eyes still closed, Ellora’s smile widened at the sound of Patrick’s sarcastic voice as he approached.
Barely able to talk through her ceaseless snickering, Ellora answered back, “No, I could smell your stench from here and was nearly struck dead from it.” Laughing along with her, Behr crouched down to pull his love up to stand.
Once up, Ellora noticed for the first time as she looked around, that her newfound family was all there—Patrick, Lachlan, Kristy, Gerard, and of course… Grady. Gavin and Adelle were finally joining the party as they climbed their way down.
Ellora nudged her best friend as she came to stand next to her. Flashing Adelle a knowing smirk, she lifted a curious eyebrow. Adelle’s cheeks were flushed, lipstick gone, and her usually perfectly-in-place waves were a hot mess. When Ellora wiggled her eyebrows at her friend, all she could do was stick out her tongue.
Clearing his throat, Behr let out a rough gravelly cough. “Ellora, I have planned this out in my mind since the very moment my eyes witnessed you stumbling into Grady’s Pub, and every single day since. You are always on my mind. Crawled right into the very depths of my soul, ya did. You’ve captured my heart and will always be its keeper. I cannae bear to be without you for even a single moment, for it truly causes me great pain.” Stopping only to lace his hands through hers and kiss her knuckles, he continued. “I want you by my side through this life and the next. I love you.”
Water collected in the corners of Ellora’s eyes as Behr got down on one knee.
“Ellora Belle Sutherland, please do me the extraordinary honor… of being my wife.” Behr reached into his pack and produced a small, black, velvet box and held it up. “In front of all our friends, family, and God’s breathtaking majesty… Will you marry me?”
You could hear a pin drop as all eyes landed on Ellora. Not one person drew breath, waiting for her answer. Fresh tears of joy rolled down Ellora’s shocked face. Without a word, she leapt into his arms, kissing him senseless, pulverizing his full lips, cheeks, neck, and then his waiting lips again.
Realizing, after a few of their witnesses started fake coughing, that she never actually answered his question, she shouted out, “YES! I will!”
A collective gasp and whooshing of breath that’d been held was finally unleashed at the news. The group cheered and applauded as Ellora continued to worship her very own Scottish giant with her devoted kisses.
Cupping his face, she melted into his ocean blue eyes. “Oh, Behr, I love you so much. I couldn’t imagine having any kind of future without you by my side.” Lowering her voice as a rush of emotions overwhelmed her, she told him, “You’re my rock, my every happiness. You have fought your way into my broken heart and made it whole. I love you.”
Behr lifted his future bride and twirled her around in his arms. Kissing her through their delighted laughter, his stubble abraded her skin as he announced, “Come, Mrs. Buchanan. Let’s celebrate the beginning of our forever.”
Ellora followed her future husband to a large set-up of an assortment of picnic food, brought up by everyone in attendance, and ate at the most impressive table she’d ever dined on.
As the sun shone down on them all, Ellora sensed the presence of her parents right there with her. Finally, after so much time had passed, the empty hole that plagued her heart had been filled. She had an overwhelming sense that, in a way, the warmth of the sun as it wrapped itself around her was her father’s way of showing that they were watching over her, and that he’d led her right to Behr.
She smiled as the voice of her father was carried along through the whistling of the mountain breeze as it circled around them, instructing Behr to take care of his little girl for him. And she knew he would. Ellora’s heart was safe with him, and her life… protected.
The love that they’d found in each other was an unending love, just like the kind her parents had. And she was lucky to have stumbled into it.
Giddeon sat waiting for his first of many psych sessions he’d been court-ordered to attend. He’d gotten off a lot lighter than he anticipated after the stunt he pulled in Dalton’s jail cell. He thought they would’ve thrown the book at him; he deserved a lot worse. Dominick really came through for him, hooking him up with a cut-throat defense attorney.
He was ordered to keep his fat mouth shut throughout the proceedings, and to just sit tight and look as pathetic and crazy as he truly was inside. He’d pleaded temporary insanity, and his experienced lawyer argued that he’d suffered through years of undiagnosed PTSD after witnessing first-hand the savage and traumatic murder of his parents. This event was a catalyst for his future that went ignored by the very state that was in charge of his well-being. He’d suffered severe depression, attempting suicide on multiple occasions, along with the abuse he’d endured from his foster parents. These events had truly shaped him into the misguided man he was today.
Yup. He was good. After all the facts were presented against Dalton, and Giddeon’s willingness to help with law enforcement, not t
o mention standing up to accept responsibility for his own crimes, he’d gotten off pretty light, considering. He was sentenced to two years in a super maximum security psych hospital with intense therapy, anger management, and treatment for his depression. Once released, he would be on five years’ strict probation and have to continue his therapy sessions.
He was completely shocked that they didn’t just lock his ass up and throw away the key, to let him rot… forgotten. The detective made good on his promise. He testified on his behalf, even though Giddeon had told him not to bother. After his sentencing, he even had it arranged to have the officer in charge of transferring him to his new home for the next two years, make a detour over to the cemetery where his parents were laid to rest.
Dominick met him there with two white roses that he handed off to Giddeon. “It’s about time you visited them. Now, they can finally have peace. Let them go, Giddeon. It’s over. Now’s the time to better your own life. I’ve helped you get your second chance. Don’t fuck it up.” Giddeon glanced over at Dominick, who wore a smart ass grin plastered across his face. Nodding, he shook the cuffed man’s hand and walked over to the parked cars to give him a moment alone.
“Detective!” Dominick whirled around to face the broken man who, in a short amount of time, had grown on him. Lifting a questioning brow, he waited.
“Thank you. For everything.” The sincerity of his spoken words echoed loud and true between the two odd friends. Giddeon saluted the only man who’d ever made good on a promise and turned to face the two matching grave stones.
Kneeling at their headstones, the solemn man ran his hand down the smooth, polished stone surface. This was the first time he’d ever come to their resting place. Now, he was finally ready to accept their passing and move on from it. Bowing his head, a single tear rolled down his cheek. “I’m sorry if I’ve been a disappointment to you both. I remember you telling me a long time ago, Dad, that if life throws you a vicious beating, weather the storm against the ropes, and when you’re presented with an opening, don’t wait. Take your shot and fight back.”
Giddeon placed one rose on his mother’s grave, then the other on his father’s. “Well, I’ve gotten my second chance. I won’t mess it up. I’ll live my life… live it for you. I love you both so much.”
Giddeon quickly wiped away his stray tear when footsteps alerted him that someone approached outside the locked holding room. Following his two usual therapists was a beautiful, golden-haired Angel. She wore an infectious smile as she met his eyes. He was hit in the chest with the powerful force of his pounding heart. “Eva! What are you doing here?”
The rest of the world faded away as they regarded one another. Not an ounce of tension, anger, or awkward energy lingered between the two. The complete opposite—the air was charged with an undeniable pull that crackled like lightning around them. “I am still your counsellor, Giddeon. Detective Antonelli told your therapists that I’ve been of great help to you in our sessions, and he had it arranged for me to sit in on some of your sessions throughout your sentenced stay here.”
Giddeon’s smile widened. Dominick… that sly devil. He definitely owed him big-time. Eva was out of her usual torn jeans and t-shirt and dressed in a professional looking pencil skirt that was tight enough to leave nothing to the imagination, and a soft, delicate, silky top that accentuated every line and curve of her voluptuous figure. Her beauty left him tongue-tied. Even after everything he’d said to her, here she was, standing before him, wearing a smile that could raise the dead… and it was directed right at him. Hope crept up inside of him and grew. She was here. For him. She hadn’t given up on him or walked away, like he had done to her. Her strength and unbroken promises spoke volumes to Giddeon.
But, he had to know why. Why didn’t she just walk away from the train wreck that sat broken before her? “Can I talk to Eva alone for a minute? Please.”
The other two looked at each other, then to Eva. She waved her hand in the air nonchalantly. “I’ve worked with him alone on several occasions, gentlemen. I can handle him. I only need a minute.” Giddeon could tell his feisty little Angel fought to control herself from rolling her eyes at them. “I’ll be all right.”
They nodded at her request and gave a pointed look of warning at Giddeon. If they knew how much he treasured his Angel, they wouldn’t have a reason to worry. Warily, they stepped outside. Giddeon could sense that, under the surface, they all feared him. They had been given a detailed file on him. They knew what he’d lived through, had read all the reports about the abuse he’d suffered and of all the vile things he’d done afterward. Of course, they only knew about the things he was convicted of. The rest of his demons lay hidden inside of him, where they’d stay.
Giddeon had been handled with kid gloves around this hospital, which irritated the shit out of him. No one wanted to agitate, rile, or anger him for fear of a relapse. Everyone here used quiet, expressive words and exercises to communicate. His loud cursing episodes were extremely frowned upon here.
Once the others were out of the room, Eva skipped over, grabbed a folding chair, flipped it around, and sat. Her delicate yet strong arms draped over the chair-back in front of her. “How you holding up in this nut house?” Leaning her chin on her arms, she gave him the gift of another breathtaking smile.
Giddeon sucked in a breath at the beauty of it and sighed. He searched over her face, committing it to memory. Finally laughing at her statement, he was stunned at the music her voice made as she laughed along with him. He held nothing back, openly gazing at every line and curve of her body… remembering how she pressed against him in the blissful days he’d spent tangled up in bed with her. “Eva.” Her name was a prayer that fell from his lips. “I’m… I’m sorry.”
Eva interrupted him before he continued. She knew why he’d done what he did that day. No matter how misguided his intensions, she understood. Like a junkie needing a fix, he did what he had to in order to get the outcome that he needed in that moment. “Stop. You don’t need to apologize to me. I know why you did it.”
She paused for a moment, nibbling on her plump bottom lip, deep in thought. “The detective told me what happened. I’m glad you didn’t kill him. I know that’s what you sought out to do, and I know you had the opportunity.”
Giddeon broke eye contact with her, running his hands through his dark, unwashed mess of hair. Ignoring her observation, he continued. “I should’ve never said those things… not to you.” He raised his eyes, meeting hers through his thick lashes.
The brokenness and sorrow she recognized behind them stabbed at her heart.
“I’m sorry, Angel.” He brought his shameful gaze back up to meet hers, their sullen surroundings falling away as they locked eyes.
“I know.” Her voice cracked on the words. She wanted nothing more than to close the distance between them and wrap her arms around him. She could feel in his gaze as his eyes roamed over her that he wanted the same. But, their surroundings were heavily equipped with surveillance cameras, and their every move was being monitored.
If she wanted to keep coming back to see him like this, she’d have to watch herself. But their eyes spoke volumes, expressing everything they couldn’t say out loud. “How are you doing, Giddeon… in here?” With raised eyebrows, she waited for an answer, trying desperately to change the heated atmosphere they’d created before the other two men came back in.
The corner of Giddeon’s mouth turned up in a crooked smile. Tilting his head, he winked. “Best sleep I’ve ever had, Angel.” She laughed, loving that his cocky, sarcastic nature was coming back.
“Is there anything I can get you while you’re in here? Anything you need?”
Giddeon’s eyes bore into hers as he slowly nodded his head. “I need to know why…” Giddeon hesitated for a moment. “Why did you agree to come out here… for me?”
Eva stood from her chair, walked over to the man who’d captured her heart, and begged to heal his. She crouched in front of him, resting
her hands on his knees. “I made a promise, and I always keep my promises.” Lifting a curious brow, Giddeon leaned forward, waiting for the answer.
The sound of the heavy metal door opening had them quickly standing to their feet. Before the men entered, Eva leaned in and whispered in his ear, “You told me never to pull away… and to never let you go.” She brushed a feather-light kiss on his ear lobe just as the men entered, and then stepped back.
Giddeon’s eyes fell closed, sealing in the memory of her whispered declaration. When he opened them, Eva was looking at him with hope for a possible future between them. With a wink, Giddeon hoped they could work on getting there while he served out his sentence. He would hold on to that hope to help him get through.
After all, it was Eva who’d declared during their session, “There is always an opportunity to change course. Your choices can take you in a completely different direction than where you were headed. You just have to have the strength to reach for it. Hold on to hope. It’s as important as the air we breathe.”
“All right, Mr. Claiborne, it’s time to make your phone call. Make it quick.” The jailor looked around, making sure the coast was clear. Dalton, with his endless means and connections, had been awarded a private phone conversation on a private line, so as not to be recorded.
“I will take all the time I need. You have no say in the matter.” His hoarse voice was a threat to the guard to say no more. Once out of the infirmary, Dalton had permanently lost sight in one eye, while the other sustained lasting damage. All previous thoughts of Ellora had dissipated for the time being, in the wake of Dalton’s face-off with Giddeon.
After only two rings, the line picked up. “Detective Stevens.”
Dalton cleared his throat. “It’s me. The time has come to call upon the favor you owe me. I need you to call my lawyer, tell him to contact Judge Rothchild immediately, and tell him all deals are off unless he gets me out. I don’t care how he does it. Do it quickly and keep it quiet. I want no one to know about my release. Understood?”
Beyond Redemption (Marked Series Book 2) Page 23