by Lucy Rinaldi
“What brings you here Detective?”
“Actually, it's Sergeant now. I just didn't correct the lady when she assumed I was an officer. Even though an officer would have been in uniform.”
I smile, I knew it.
“Congrats, man, I always knew you could do it.”
“Thanks. Look, I'm just gonna get right to the point. I'm here because I need your help with something. Something you've been unwittingly helping me with for months.”
I sit up straighter in my seat. “What are you talking about, we haven't spoken about my helping you with anything, Dax.”
“Kory, you're the best friend I ever had. I know what you're capable of deep down when pushed. I know the things you've done, remember?”
I nod.
He's right, he does not. Not that I've ever killed anyone, don't go thinking that. I'm a lot of things but I don't have that in me.
He's talking about all the years I made Aimee keep our marriage a secret, all the things I did to keep anyone from finding out about her. The things I did to keep myself alive.
He helped me cover up things I shouldn't have needed help covering up. But sometimes in this life, you don't have a choice. Some of the things I did could have landed us both in prison for a long time. Then some of the things I did, did land people in prison for a long time. I worked with the police to catch a crime family and finally put them away, all the time acting like a normal man going about his daily life.
It was hard, it was a struggle, but I did it and I came out on top. I'm a happily married man now with the most beautiful little girl in the world. If Daxton is here to ask me to go undercover with something, then the answer is no. I don't care what I owe him.
“I need your help now. Nine months ago, I planted a young girl in witness protection in this town. It was an unauthorized witness protection, but I did it anyway. This wasn't her first drop off, she's been all over the place because she could never settle.”
Who the hell is he talking about, I know everyone in this town, there's no one new here. Not since... “Dani?” He nods his head. “Jesus. Does my dad know?”
“He knows. I contacted him first before I brought her here. I needed to know he'd keep an eye on her. I knew you lived here, so I knew she'd be okay. Everything you know about her is a lie. Everything from her name to her past.”
“My god, Dax! My brother has been dating her for months!”
“I know this, your father told me when he called. I told her to have a normal life, Kory. But the truth is, I never expected her to find anyone. She's been on her own so long. Then her son was stolen from her a year ago, she couldn't cope, so I brought her here.”
“She has a son?” He nods and I'm shocked. She's never even acted like she lost her child. But I suppose a woman in her situation would find a way to hide it from those around her, break down when she's alone.
“I promised her that I would find her boy, and I have. He'll be with her soon.”
I scrub my hand over my face. I know Greg doesn't know about the kid, she's kept her identity well hidden from everyone here. But if her son is coming home, and Dean turns out to be Greg's, will they stay together, raise those boys together?
“This was the safest place I could think of to bring her, Kory. This place isn't even on the damn map. No one would know to come here unless they knew the place. I wanted her safe until I could sort things for her. I just didn't think she'd fall for anybody. But she has for your brother, hard. I don't know why he walked away from her, but she's now asking me to relocate her again. I can't do that.”
“Why not. If she wants to go, why not take her?”
“Because it's too dangerous, Kory. She is in danger every day she breathes air. You have no idea of what she's suffered, who I'm hiding her from.”
I steeple my hands together in front of me. If he wants my help, then he needs to tell me everything, and from the beginning. He's helped me enough in the past, so I know in my heart I won't turn him down. I'll help him, of course, I will.
“What is it you want my help with exactly? And how does it concern Dani? And why are you so desperate to help her?”
He looks worn out all of a sudden, tired, sad, deflated, desperate. What happened to my friend to make him look so desperate right now?
“Because Danika Ashford is really Alandra Flores.”
That name slams into me like a bolt of lighting. It's a name I haven't heard in a long time, but one I will never forget. If she is really who Daxton says she is, then there is nothing I won't do to help her.
“Tell me everything, Dax. From the beginning. Then tell me what you need from me.”
“We need to speak with your brother-in-law.”
“My brother-in-law?” Which one? And why the hell would we need to do that?
“Hudson Ryker. He came home a few years ago, right?” I nod. How does he know this? “He was away for five years?” Again, I nod. Daxton sits forward in his seat and looks me dead in the eye. “He's the reason I knew this place would be safe to hide Danika. He's also the key to ending this whole thing.”
What in the fucking world?
“Call him, Kory, this can't wait.”
I'll call him, but I want and need to know everything. How the fuck Hudson is involved in this and how in the hell I didn't recognize the girl I once knew?
Greg
I've been sitting by her bedside for the past hour watching her sleep. I arrived two hours ago. They told me at the desk she was in therapy but would be back soon. I watched them wheel her into her room, then waited until someone came to get me.
I walked in to find her sleeping. The nurse checking her vitals told me that Dani always falls asleep after therapy, it wears her out. So, I've let her sleep, not wanting to wake her. She needs her rest if she's to be released tomorrow.
But I won't leave until I've spoken to her. I need her to know the truth. No matter how cowardly it makes me look. Even if she throws me out and never speaks to me again, I need her to know everything.
I did a lot of soul-searching after Della left. I know I can be everything Dani needs, Maya didn't ruin me completely. I can love Dani, take care of her, make her mine forever. She'll be angry with me, I know this, but I won't give up until she forgives me.
Not that I'd blame her if she didn't. I walked away from her when she needed me the most without one word as to why.
But it's over now, I'm here and I'm not going anywhere.
I kiss her hand lightly. I've been holding it the whole time I've been here. I just wanted to feel her somehow. I've missed her so damn much. I honestly never thought I could feel like this. So in love, it's consuming me.
I loved Maya, but I honestly don't think I was ever in love with her. I was content with our relationship because I thought it was easy. Nothing was ever easy about being with Maya. But everything is easy with Dani.
It's the silly things that stick in your mind when you love someone, and you're always comparing them to your ex. Not in a bad way, in the way that makes you realize all the pain you went through before was worth it because of where you are right now.
If Maya hadn't cheated and lied, I wouldn't have met Dani and fell for her the way I have. I wouldn't have experienced all those days in the sun, all the adventurers she's taken me on. I wouldn't know how much fun life could be without her.
I don't know if I deserve a second chance, but I sure want one.
“What are you doing here?” There's little effort in her voice, and as I look up at her, I realize she's looking anywhere but at me.
“I know I'm probably the last person you want to see right now, but I needed to come and explain a few things to you.”
“Finally grew a backbone, did you?” She snatches her hand from mine and I sigh while sitting back in my chair.
“I know you're angry with me, baby, but please just let me explain.”
She doesn't say anything in response, so I continue.
“What happened to you because of
me, it killed me, Dani. I didn't feel like I could protect you. And I know that if I'd just told you about Maya when we first met, you would have been prepared for her crazy ass behavior. Maybe I could have stopped the inevitable. Maybe, I should have tried harder to talk her down. I don't know.”
I scrub my hands over my face.
This isn't going the way I thought it would,
“Seeing you lying there, blood coming out of your mouth, your body shaking, your skin so pale. God, I thought I'd lost you. All these things rushed through my head at once. Thoughts of how if you lived, I'd spend forever making sure nothing ever happened to you again, how I'd hold you close to me every day and tell you how much I love you. Because I do love you, Dani, more than I have ever loved anyone in my whole life.”
I watch as she closes her eyes, obviously absorbing the fact I said those three words. But I mean them. I mean them more than I've ever meant anything in my life.
“But then I thought about not being able to protect you. I couldn't think of anything else. I thought by staying away, you'd be safe. But Della's right, it doesn't matter if I stay away or not, things happen that are out of our control. I can either be there for them, or I can walk away and miss out on all the joy you could bring to my life.
“I'm not saying you shouldn't be angry with me, baby. You have every right to be angry about everything, me not telling you about Maya and Dean and what happened, why she lied to me about him not really being mine. I loved that little boy, Dani, but Maya lied to me his whole life. When she came clean it killed me. I should have told you about him, but it hurt to talk about him. I'm so sorry, Dani.
“I'm not asking you to forgive me for keeping my past from you, but I am asking you to understand that I couldn't bear the thought of anything else happening to you because of me. I can't even tell you how awful I feel that I left you here alone. I've wanted every day to come here and tell you how sorry I am, to beg you to forgive my cowardice.”
I watch her for a moment. She won't look at me. I doubt my words have meant anything to her.
Am I wasting my time?
Should I give her some space to think about it?
“You won't forgive me, will you?” Nothing. “Dani? Baby?” My heart deflates. She won't forgive me and there's nothing I can do about it.
What did you expect, Greg? You walked out on her when she needed you the most! You can't just expect to walk in here, spit some crap reason about why you did it and expect her to be okay with it. What planet are you living on, man?
“I'm sorry, Dani. For everything. I never meant to hurt you.” I get out of my seat, lean down and kiss her head, leaning my forehead against hers for a second, not wanting to leave. But I force myself to pull away when I get no response from her.
She's made her feelings very clear. She's done with me, and that's on me. Time for me to walk away and let her get on with her life.
“Goodbye, Danika.”
With that, I turn and walk away.
Dani
My chest heaves, tears clog my eyes. He came here to explain himself and I didn't even acknowledge the fact I could hear him.
My heart is breaking inside my chest. He left me, but I understand his fear. How can I not when I've lived in fear for ten years?
I'm not angry with him about Maya and Dean, he was hurting, I understand that and I forgive him for not telling me. I won't hold anything against him. What Maya did to me was not Greg's fault.
I don't want to be without him, but I know it's probably best for him if I let him go. If Joel ever finds me, he'll kill Greg for touching me. That's why I want to leave, I need to get away from here just in case.
But Daxton is right, I can't live my life like this, never having meaningful friendships and relationships. It's no life forever being alone. And I have never wanted to settle down somewhere with someone so badly in my whole life. And now my baby will be home soon, and he deserves a family. He deserves to be here with me and Greg. The man I love may have lost his son, but I know he'll love my baby as much as he loves me.
Greg told me that he loves me.
Greg Harper loves me!
“Greg, wait! Please don't leave!” Tears are falling from my eyes as I try to pull myself up in bed, wincing as I do.
He soon abandons the door and rushes to my side, helping me gently into position. It doesn't hurt when I move as much as it once did, but I won't be fully healed for six weeks. Six weeks of this!
I cup his face with my hand as he sits beside me, facing me on my bed. I just want to touch him. His hair is darker than I remember. It's natural, I can tell. It suits him. He looks so sad right now. He made a mistake. He didn't want to leave me, he was afraid. We all get scared sometimes, and it makes us do things we wouldn't normally do. And I know he had my best interests at heart. Deep down, I know that.
If he were anyone else, I could walk away, I've done it before. But he's Greg, the man I love, and I can't walk away, no matter what he did or the reasons he did them. The point is, he came here to make things right. He loves me enough to do that.
“I love you,” I tell him as the tears fall.
I watch his eyes close as he takes a deep breath, my hand from his face and kisses it hard.
He looks at me, tears in his own eyes. “I don't deserve you, but I'll keep you. I love you and I'm never leaving you again.”
I cry on his shoulder as he holds me, telling me all of the things we're going to do together, the life we're going to have. And for a while, I'll listen with an open heart and mind, a smile on my face. I want what he's promising, I want a life with him. He's my forever, and I'll do whatever I have to do to keep the life I've built here.
No matter what.
But I have to tell him my truth. He has to hear it from me, and right now.
If after I tell him my truth he changes his mind about me, then so be. At least I'll know one way or another of his true feelings for me.
I pull away from him. “I have to tell you something, Greg. Please listen to me, let me get it all out before you say anything. You'll be angry by the time I'm done, but I have to tell you. But before I do, you have to promise me that you will never breathe a word of what I'm about to tell you to another living soul. My very life depends on it, Greg.”
“Baby,” He breathes my name.
I press my fingers against lips, tears already pricking my eyes. “Please listen to me. I love you more than I have ever loved anyone in my life, Greg. I had to keep my past a secret. I didn't have a choice. But I trust you with my life.”
He nods, letting me know that he'll listen to me.
“My name is not Danika Ashford.” He furrows his brow, but he says nothing. “My real name is Alandra Flores. I had a wonderful childhood in Tulum, Mexico. I was born there to a waitress and a white businessman who slept with her one night. I saw my father once a year, we had a good relationship back then. When I was twelve, my mother died and I was sent to America to live with my father, his wife, and his son. I couldn't speak much English, I was bullied a lot. My father's wife had nothing to do with me, I was just a reminder of her husband's infidelity. My father didn't have much to do with me either.
“When I was sixteen, I met a man who soon became my husband.” Greg's eyes widen for a second, but still, he says nothing. “Even though I was young and the man I married was twice my age, my father was fine with the marriage and signed the papers, which allowed the wedding to go ahead.”
I take Greg's hands in mine. I need to hold him somehow, he grounds me. “My marriage was awful, Greg. My husband was a sex trafficker.” Yeah, that pulls a hiss from Greg. “I didn't know that until he started selling me to his friends. I didn't have a choice but to do what he told me, I didn't want to end up like all those other girls.
“I spent six years being his punchbag, sex slave, prostitute. But I ended up pregnant.” I stop talking for a second, hoping to let him process what I've just said so far. “My husband found out the baby wasn't his, it was one of his c
ustomers, and that man was helping me plan my getaway. Joel, my husband, shot that man in front of me, then he raped me right next to the dead body.”
I sob to myself. That image of Joel raping me next to that body will never leave me, no matter what I do.
“I managed to get away from Joel, my husband, with the help of the cops. They arrested him, put me in witness protection. But Joel has friends in high places, he got off with the murder because there was no body to find, and there wasn't enough evidence of my allegations of sex trafficking. No other girl would come forward, so he got off with that too.
“I was pulled out of witness protection, but one man wouldn't give up on me. He moved me from place to place, fitted me with a panic ring.” He knows which ring I mean, I've worn it almost every day since I've been here. Little blue diamond ring that I wear on the ring finger on my right hand. “I had three years with my son before Joel found me.”
I look down and sniff. I can tell how confused and angry Greg is right now, and that hurts.
“He beat me and stole my son from me. I was moved the next day. A short while later, I was moved to this town. I had to pretend like I was just a normal girl with a great past when inside I was dying. I miss my son every single day.” I let go of his hands and clasp mine over my face.
“Dani,”
I shake my head and look at him. “Joel is still looking for me, Greg. One day soon, he will find me. I've tried to push it out of my head, but the man who has been searching for my son, the man protecting me, he's found my boy, Greg. He found my little Alex.”
“Baby, oh god,” He grabs the back of my head and holds me to him. God, I feel safe in his arms.
“Joel will come looking for me, Greg. That's why Dax won't bring Alex to me, not yet, at least. Not until Joel is caught. But I know my baby is safe now, I've been without him for a year, a little while longer won't matter. But I'm so scared of what Joel will do when he finds me. He'll hurt you for touching me...”