by Lee, Tara
Banging on the door echoes through the house.
You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. My cock is literally inside my wife, and someone chooses to come over now.
I lean my head back on the couch as I huff out a breath. Charli climbs off me, fixing her clothes as she goes to get the door. It’s after nine, so I shoot up to follow her. I’m behind her in seconds as she reaches the front door.
She smiles over her shoulder at me as I grasp her hip in my hand, giving it a squeeze.
“Later,” I say, nipping her ear.
She opens the door, and two police officers are smiling politely like they know they just interrupted something.
“Hello, officers. Can we help you?” Charli asks, sweetly.
“Sorry to interrupt your night, Mr. and Mrs. King,” one of the officers say
“May we come in?”
Oh, shit what’s happened?
“Is everything okay?” I ask, getting nervous
“Not exactly. We need to give you some information about a Hannah Giles.”
My face falls. Charli tenses up and grabs my arm.
We lead the officers into the lounge room.
They take a look around, seeing the pizza boxes, oil, and blankets. They know they interrupted us.
“Sorry to disturb you. But we were told you wanted to know of any changes about Hannah.”
I nod. “Yeah, we do. What’s the problem?”
They look at each other, and I know this isn’t good.
“Hannah has fled Pleasant Grove Sanctuary where she’s been since being arrested.”
“What,” I ask, because the last I heard she’d been put in jail, not in a loony bin.
“She's supposed to be in jail,” Charli says, gripping my arm tighter
“She wasn’t well enough to be in jail. Her attorney had her moved to the facility last month. There she was under constant supervision and on the medication she needed. She had a psychotic break, and it was found she’s schizophrenic. Her issues were unsettling. She tried to harm not only herself but other patients as well.”
Charli gasps, lifting her hand to cover her mouth.
The officer continues when he sees we don’t know what to say, “Unfortunately, she had some help and managed to leave the facility. Her room has been searched. What they found was disturbing.”
I nodded for him to continue.
“There were letters with great detail of what she wants to do to you and your family, Mr. King. Somehow, she knows about your daughter. There were photos.”
He swallows as if what he has to say next isn’t pleasant.
“She described in full detail how she plans to kill you.” He nods at Charli, then continues, looking at me, “Take your daughter from you and kill her if you don’t agree to be with her.”
“Oh, my God,” Charli gasps, rushing to get her phone. She’s calling Jensen.
I can hear her talking to him and telling him to bring Harmony home as the officers continue to talk to me. “Mr. King your family is in danger. We haven’t been able to locate Miss Giles. All we do know is she plans to confront you or your wife. And we fear she won’t stop until your family is dead.”
I look over at Charli still talking on the phone.
“What else?” I ask, knowing they haven’t told us everything.
They look at each other, and one of the officers goes towards Charli.
“The photos we found are ones that only someone who’s been inside this house would be able to take. They were taken by someone who’s followed you and your family for a long time. In one of the photos, your daughter is very little, probable still a newborn. And some of them she is pictured with her uncle.
I feel sick to my stomach. She’s had Jensen followed too.
In a panic, I say, “She's with him right now. We need—”
“There are officers at his home right now bringing them here. They’re safe,” he interrupts me.
I swallow hard. Charli joins me. She’s crying. I wrap her in my arms as she sobs.
“I want her found before she harms my family. I don’t care what it takes. She isn’t getting to my family,” I say over Charli's shoulder.
“We’re doing the best we can to find her, Mr. King. We’ll stop at nothing to find her. There were a few other items in her room besides the photos and letters. There were enough tranquillisers to knock out an elephant, and some photos from your wedding with her head glued over Mrs. King's.”
I sink down on the sofa, rubbing my face with my hands. I thought this woman was out of our lives. We hadn’t heard from her since she shot me.
Charli sits beside me, holding my hand. I know she’s freaking out and scared out of her mind.
“I won’t let her hurt you,” I say, not looking at her.
“I know,” she says through tears.
“She won’t touch our baby either. I promise you,” I say, grabbing her and pulling her onto my lap not giving two shits the officers are in the room with us.
She sinks into me, wrapping her arms around my neck. Her heart is beating rapidly as she tries to calm herself down.
“She won’t touch either of you, angel.”
She nods, but I know she is thinking the worst.
The only way to protect my family is to be with them twenty-four seven, and that’s impossible.
I have to be at work. With Charli off right now, we need the money.
This is not how I saw our night going.
What the fuck am I going to do?
26
Charli
A FEW WEEKS LATER…
I WAKE WITH A sudden jolt. I’m in bed alone. Jumping up, I run downstairs. I hear voices coming from the kitchen.
I sigh when all the faces stare up at me like I’ve grown an extra head.
Eli walks over to me and cradles my face in his hands, pressing a kiss to my forehead
“They’re safe,” he whispers so only I can hear him.
Jensen is trying to get Harmony to drink a bottle. She’s not having it. She keeps pushing it away and grinning at him. I smile. It’s nice having my brother live with us.
The phone rings, making us all jump. Eli answers and starts talking to whoever is calling at nine in the morning. I kiss my daughter before grabbing some breakfast for myself.
“That was the cops. They’re coming over to talk to us,” Eli says as he returns to the kitchen.
“Why? Did they catch her?” I ask anxiously.
“They just said they had some information we should know,” Eli says with a shrug.
“Why don’t I take Harmony to the park, so you can talk to them without interruption,” Jensen offers.
“I don’t know,” I stammer, nervously. “The park’s out in the open.”
“It’s a public place. I’ll get Max and Tyler to go with us just to be safe,” Jensen says, squeezing my shoulder.
I nod in agreement. As he packs a bag for Harmony, I move around the kitchen, cleaning to distract myself.
When they’re gone and I’ve cleaned the same spot on the counter a dozen times, Eli drags me to living room. I’m nervous and scared.
Eli paces around the living room, making me more nervous.
He lets out a panicked breath when a knock vibrates the door.
When he glances at me, I give him a nod. I just want this to be over. What does Hannah want?
Eli opens the doors to the officers. They talk for a second before Eli lets them in.
"Hello, Mrs. King," they say in unison.
"Hello," I say nervously.
They give me a soft smile and sit down across from me. Eli sinks down next to me, grabbing my hand and placing it in his lap as his thumb draws circles on my skin.
"So, we have some news," one of the officers says.
My heart starts beating rapidly. I can't control it. My breathing picks up. Instantly, Eli senses my panic and wraps an arm around my shoulders.
"It's okay," he whispers with his lips pressed to my forehead.
The officer clears his throat and places a folder on the coffee table in front of him.
He opens it and shows us photos of Hannah’s room—well what used to be her room. The images are disturbing and have my stomach twisting in knots. Image after image of Eli, Harmony, and myself and even Jensen from all over town are placed in front of me, along with notes and a bag full of what looks like hair.
I’m going to vomit. My hand reaches up, covering my mouth as I rush to the kitchen sink.
Eli is behind me, holding my hair back as I empty the contents of my stomach in the sink. He rubs my back, whispering sweet words in my ear, trying to comfort me.
I finally stop and make my way back to the sofa. Eli places a glass of water in front of me.
"Are you sure you're up for this?" he asks concerned
I nod because I need to see this. I need to know what Hannah wants and why.
He grabs my hand again and kisses my palm.
"Go on," he says to the officers.
They give each other a look. “Look, Mrs. King, we understand if this is too much and if you want to leave, that's perfectly okay."
I shake my head.
"No, I want to see this.”
The officer nods at me and continues, "We found out where she was staying, but by the time we got there she was gone. This is all we found."
He places a note on the table.
Eli and I both lean over to read it.
YOU OWE ME. YOU WON'T HAVE ANYTHING BY THE TIME I'M FINISHED WITH YOU!
"What the fuck?" Eli questions.
"We believe she thinks you owe her something. Maybe you owe her you. In her eyes, Charli stole you from her, and she’ll stop at nothing until you’re hers."
Eli leans back and sucks in a deep breath before letting it out.
“She’s seriously fucked up in the head if she thinks I'll ever be with her."
"I know, Mr. King. But that's how her mind works."
I squeeze Eli's hand, and he glances over at me.
"I'm so sorry I got you into this. I should never have—" He stops and curses. "FUCK," he roars.
"Eli, it’s okay. I’m just as much to blame as you are. I chased you, remember?"
"That's not the point, Charli. The point is I fucked up and thought with my dick instead of my brain. I didn't see how fucking insane this chick was. And now it's all coming back and threatening my family."
"Mr. King, no one could’ve predicted what Hannah would do or how she would react."
Eli sits down beside me and pulls at his hair in frustration. I know he's blaming himself right now. He hates himself for getting not only me, but our daughter dragged into this mess.
"If anything happens to you or Harmony, I’d never forgive myself," he sobs, looking over at me.
"I know," I say, wrapping my arms around him and placing my head on his shoulder.
"I can't live without you, Charli, and she wants to take you away."
He runs his hands over his face.
The officer continues to talk, "Look, we’re doing everything we can to find her. So far, our attempts have been fruitless, but we’ll find her."
* * *
After the officers leave, and Jensen returns, I lie in bed with Harmony, just staring down at my little girl.
I kiss her little head and pray they find Hannah, so I’m able to watch my little girl grow up.
Next thing I know a hand is on my shoulder, shaking me. I jump up and scream.
"It’s okay, baby. It's just me," Eli says, grabbing my shoulder to calm me.
He enfolds me in his arms and lies behind me as I sink into him. Harmony is still asleep beside me. Her little arms flinch in her sleep.
"Sleep, baby. I’ve got you," Eli whispers against my ear.
I close my eyes and drift into a peaceful sleep, dreaming of more babies and watching them grow up.
* * *
I feel like I'm being watched. I know she's out there. It’s putting me on edge. Would she truly hurt my little girl?
Every time I hear a noise, I jump. Eli is worried about me. I can tell. He hasn’t left my side, but he needs to work—me keeping him from doing so isn't healthy. But I can't fight the feeling she's out there—waiting, watching, lurking behind a corner waiting to hurt me or Harmony. I know Eli will never let anything happen to us, but he can't be with us all the time. I’m losing my mind.
I thought this was over, that she was forever out of our lives after she shot Eli. That should’ve been it. How could she not be in prison?
I want her to pay for what she put Eli through. Sometimes I still run my finger down his side and over his scar. It’s a permanent reminder of what happened, of what could’ve happened. I’m supposed to be relaxing. I'm sitting in bed, trying to read. Not that it's working very well.
Eli brought me a copy of Nicolas Sparks’s See Me Now. It’s quite good, and I'm halfway through. But even with Harmony sleeping peacefully next to me and Eli just downstairs, my mind is racing a million miles an hour.
This feeling isn’t going away until they find her.
27
Eli
TWO MONTHS LATER…
THE PHONE RINGS. I answer with a mixture of hope and dread. We’ve been living in fear for months now.
“Mr. King, I just wanted to call and let you know that we’ve found Hannah.”
I take the first full breath in months and sag with relief to the couch. “Where?”
“She was two cities over. It seems she died of an overdose.”
“Thank you for calling,” I say as I hang up.
The hell we’ve been living the last two months is finally over. Charli and Harmony have been with me or Jensen every moment since Hannah went on the run. I’ve lived in constant fear Hannah was going to come for my girls. I even told Charli I’d go with Hannah in order to keep them safe. Charli vetoed that idea instantly. But their safety comes first. I’m thankful it didn’t come to that.
I still can’t believe we’re finally free of this nightmare. No more hiding. No more fear. No more wondering when she was going to come for us.
I want to go tell Charli, but she’s passed out from exhaustion. She hasn’t been sleeping well. And hasn’t been for months. Between being a new mom and all this shit with Hannah, it’s really taken a toll on her body.
And Charli hasn’t been feeling well lately. I have a feeling I know what it is, but she’s not convinced. I bought a test for her earlier. I'll get her to take it when she wakes up.
Noise comes over Harmony's baby monitor. My baby girl is awake.
I rush to get her up, so Charli can sleep a little longer.
"Hey, baby," I say, picking her up and cradling her to my chest. I kiss her little head. She tries to grab my face. She is discovering everything lately and wants everything.
She grins up at me. With her new tooth, it’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.
She truly is precious.
After getting her changed and fed, we lie on the floor, playing. A knock sounds on the door. Picking Harmony up, I make my way to the door as the knocking continues.
"Yeah, yeah. I’m coming. Hang on," I say, getting annoyed.
I open the door, and the face that meets me on the other side is the last one I ever expected to see again.
My father, well my sperm donor, stands on my doorstep with hands in his pockets and a hopeful look on his face.
"She's beautiful. I'm guessing she's my granddaughter?” he says, smiling at Harmony who gives him a little grin back.
"No, she isn't your granddaughter," I say angrily.
"Eli, please. I'm here to make amends."
I let out a bark of laughter.
Is he being fucking serious right now? If it not for us looking alike I’d think it’s some random stranger standing at my door.
"You don't get the right to call her that. She will never know you."
"Elijah please."
"Don't call me that,” I snap.
I
’ve never gone by that name. I dropped it as soon as my father walked out of my life.
My breath is becoming ragged.
"That's your name, isn't it?" he says back, clearly annoyed I don't go by the name I was given, his name.
I shake my head and laugh. "No, my name is Eli, and that's that."
"Please, Son. I just—"
"No," I bark and make Harmony jump. She begins to cry a little, and now I feel like a bad father for raising my voice around her and scaring her.
"Shh. It’s okay, baby girl. Daddy didn't mean to scare you. The bad man was just leaving," I coo at her, and she smiles that beautiful smile.
"I'm not your son. You lost that right the day you walked out of my life. You left me when I was three. I blamed myself for years, thinking I wasn't a good enough son, and you didn't love me enough. Then as I got older, I hoped and prayed you’d save me from the hell I was living in. But you never came," I say, trying not to raise my voice again.
"Eli, your mother kicked me out, and I didn't know what to do. Then time went by, and it seemed too late to come back. I thought it was best for you and your brother if I stayed away."
I shake my head my anger seeping through my veins. Always full of excuses. The entire lot of them. Before Hannah shot me, I hadn’t seen my mom or brother in forever. Mom died of cancer a few months later. Harry called to tell me. But I haven’t seen or heard from him since.
I might have gone to my mom’s grave to forgive her for the past—it had to be done to move on with my future. But I’d never forgive the man standing in front of me, not now, not ever.
"Please leave and don't come back. You’re not welcome here. I don't want you around my family, and I certainly don't want you in my life."
I close the door in his face and stand there taking deep breaths. Harmony looks up at me. Her little, squishy hands cup my face as if to say, it’s okay, Daddy. I'm here. I kiss her little head and vow to do whatever I have to in order to protect her.