Guiding Lights

by Jessica Florence

A blonde woman stepped up beside him and spoke first.

  “Mr. Lennox will release his statement on his absence and then will take some questions, but please, no questions until he is finished.” She was strident then stepped back to let Wolfe speak.

  “Due tae the stress of last year’s events, which Ah won’t relive now, Ah needed a break tae figure out mah next move. Ah have decided tae resume mah music career and launch a worldwide tour starting in five months. There will be a new album releasing in two called Guiding Lights. There ye go.” As soon as he was done, the crowd of reporters started yelling and raising their hands. The blonde woman stepped back up and started pointing at the reporters, giving them their shot to ask him a question.

  “Wolfe! Amy from Starstruck magazine, what is your relationship with the woman you were seen with at the games? Is the world’s top bachelor finally been taken off the market?” I watched his face grow dark at the woman’s question. The blonde woman was about to speak when Wolfe cut her off and answered the question himself.

  “The woman ye are referring tae is just a friend. We met at a bed and breakfast in Scotland and became friends. But that is all. This rock star is very much still a bachelor.”

  I didn’t hear any words after that. I was vaguely aware of my stepparents laughing and saying things to further try and hurt me, but nothing they could ever do to me would surpass the pain I was feeling at Wolfe’s words. I was just a friend, nothing to him? Just like that, my whole world dimmed, and I was shattered. Wolfe had broken me, he’d always had that power, and he finally used it.

  I was numb; I no longer gave a shit about what happened to me. I’d given love a try; I’d opened myself up, and all I’d gotten was my heart obliterated.

  “Well, well. Looks like we won’t be getting anything from him at all. He doesn’t even care about you. Can’t say I blame him. You are nothing; he probably realized how much of a whore you really were and was relieved when you disappeared.” Mother’s voice was full of excitement, but I didn’t care. I turned my head away from the TV, not wanting to see his face anymore.

  “Now that’s over, go get dressed and showered. You have a doctor’s appointment in an hour.” She sounded tired, and strong hands lifted off of the couch. I was walked to my room in a daze and left in the bathroom. Mindlessly, I peeled out of my clothes and walked in. In the shower, I thought about the time I’d scrubbed the blood off Wolfe’s hands when he’d hit those men. I thought about all of those moments with him, and my heart hurt so badly, I gripped my chest, and the tears broke free.

  My legs gave out and I sobbed. I cried because I would never be whole again. I’d given him the last of the burning light in my soul. I was never going to break the surface of the sea of darkness I was drowning in. He’d taken the last bit of light I had and snuffed it out.

  The rest of my soul left through my tears as they swirled down the drain.

  I’d believed I was broken and numb before. I wasn’t. I’d found a chance to make myself whole again. Now, I was truly broken, and I’d never be put back together again. No more wishes for death; I was dead. Nera was gone, all that was left was her empty shell.

  I got out of the shower, dried off, and got dressed. As if my body was on autopilot, I moved, following my stepparents to the car and to the doctor’s office.

  I didn’t even flinch as the doctor drew blood from me and had to do a full physical. I merely lay there like the empty shell I was.

  We left the office as soon as I finished, and I was returned to my room; I didn’t even fight it when they laid me down on the bed.

  I stared up at the ceiling and thought of nothing. Nothing meant no more pain. I closed my eyes at the feeling of a light caress on my cheek.

  “My poor Monera, you see; he broke you, and I am here. You have already lost, my sweet. But I will put you back together again, and soon you will love me.” Zeyn’s voice was soft, as if he was trying to be sweet. I kept my eyes closed and didn’t move. His hands roamed over me, and his lips touched mine. My cursed lips. His tongue snuck out and entered my lax mouth. He growled, willing me to kiss him back. I didn’t. His hands touched me everywhere he could, trying to get a reaction out of me, but I didn’t budge. I was back in that place where he could do whatever to me, and I would let him. I had nothing left.

  One Day Later

  Two Days Later

  Chapter Thirty Three

  Three Days Later

  A commotion outside my door made me roll over. I stared at it blindly, and then the door snapped open and someone I didn’t recognize stood in the way.

  “Nera, wake up.” My eyes scrunched up in confusion.

  I tried to speak but I hadn’t uttered a word since HIS confession, so my throat was sore and dry.

  “My name is Lachlan Sloan; I’m here to rescue you. Now do you want me to take care of your stepparents or do you want the honors?” His voice was stern and he meant business, but I was still confused. I tried to take in his appearance with the little moonlight that shined through the small window. But in that sliver, all I could see was that he looked dangerous, and he was here to help me.

  “We don’t have time to wait, Nera; let’s go.” He reached out and waited for me to take his hand. My feet moved and I placed my hand in his. He tightened his grip and rushed us out of the room and out to the living room.

  For the first time in four days since becoming numb, I felt something inside me. Justice.

  Both my stepparents were tied to a chair, along with Zeyn. They all had blood coming from somewhere on their faces, and their mouths were gagged. It also looked like Zeyn was bleeding badly from his hands. My eyes narrowed in on them and saw that he was missing a few fingers.

  My eyes went back to Mother, and I saw she was sporting a black eye and there was blood was all over her nightshirt. Stepfather was in the same condition. Lachlan must have tortured them. Good.

  I looked around the rest of the room and saw Jason and another man on the floor. Their necks contorted in ways I was sure they shouldn’t be. I looked at Lachlan, waiting to see why we were just standing here looking at them.

  “Call me the bringer of death; I took care of those mercenaries, and these sick fucks need to be punished. Either you do it or I do,” he growled and I found myself touching him to calm the raging anger within. His head turned toward mine and I finally got a look at him in the lamp light. His dark brown hair was short and spiky. His green eyes were filled with so much anger, it almost distracted from noticing how beautiful he was. His jawline was covered by dark stubble, like he hadn’t shaved in four days. The muscles bulged out of his black t-shirt and bulletproof vest. He was tall and the vibes flowing from him screamed that he was one not to fuck with.

  Seeing me trying to comfort him softened that rage behind those eyes.

  “They will never hurt you again, I promise you, Nera.” His voice was low but ever so powerful. I nodded and turned to the other people in the room. I realized I had nothing to say to them. Each of their sins were all over their face, they all knew what they’d done and that punishment was coming. I looked at Lachlan again and he saw my intent. His eyes changed to sadness, but he nodded. With quick fingers, I gripped his gun and shot each one of them in the chest. I watched the eyes of each evil monster and waited for the light to leave them.

  I knew what I’d would come back to haunt me later. I was no killer, but for now, I felt nothing. No remorse, no happiness. I was still broken, but at least I was free. Lachlan was right, they would never hurt me again.

  “What now.” I finally spoke and my throat screamed at me for it. Lachlan looked around and took the gun from my hand before putting it back in its holster.

  “We have to hide out for a night then I take you to Wolfe.” I stopped walking at the name he’d just uttered.

  “Wolfe?” I whispered. Lachlan looked at me and wrapped his strong arms around me, comforting me this time.

  “He called in a favor—come get you and take you to home to him,” he wh
ispered into my hair. I barely knew this stranger, but I found solace in him. It was like he could connect with me over everything that happened and knew what I was feeling now. I believed he also had a broken soul in him, but I had a feeling his was broken by choice. Unlike mine.

  “Why would he do that? He cares nothing about me; I heard him.” The tears that I’d held back fell.

  “He loves you more that life itself. I told him to say what he did so your parents wouldn’t hurt you in extorting money from him. Cut the ties and they wouldn’t hurt you.” I swear I heard the heartbreak in his voice. I thought about what he’d said, and while it wasn’t hard to believe, I was still shattered.

  “Let’s go.” He pulled back and went into business mode. We walked down the street to a black SUV and he helped me get inside and fastened in. Once he was in the car, we sped away from the house.

  “You’re free, Nera.” He’d given me something that I’d never forget. He’d given me that freedom. I would forever be in his debt. I voiced such.

  “No, Nera, you just keep breathing, find your light again, and we are even. I bet you have a beautiful smile and one day I want to see that.” He gave me a breath-taking smile. I wished I could have smiled back for him, but I couldn’t even fake it.

  I was still reeling over what he had said earlier as he drove us farther and farther away. Wolfe had sent him and still loved me. Before a piece of me could start to gain hope, I squashed it.

  I was barely holding on as it was, and I couldn’t have my heart rebuilt then destroyed again. Instead, I closed my eyes, rested my head back against the seat, and willed myself to sleep.

  “Wake up, Nera.” I jumped at the sound of the voice. I looked around and saw that we had stopped at a small motel by the roadway.

  “What are we doing here?” I croaked. Lachlan helped me out of the SUV and took a step back.

  “We have to hide out for a night, make sure no one is coming after us for killing your stepparents. There needs to be no connection to you being around the area when they died.” He pulled out a key card as we approached door number twenty-one and slid it in. He opened it as soon as the green light blinked and turned on the lights as he opened the door.

  “Rest here, and in the morning, Wolfe will meet us at a safe location.” I simply nodded and sat down on the closest queen size bed. I was a bit unsure about Lachlan, but I knew we now had a bond; he’d seen my version of hell. He’d freed me. I lay back on the pillow and cried again, but this time, I simply cried for myself, for everything I had been through and survived.

  Lachlan’s arms surrounded me and held me while I let it all go. He didn’t know me, and he laid there for the rest of the night holding me.

  “What if he doesn’t want me anymore?” I said through a sob.

  “You are the light in his soul, Nera; he would never let his love for you burn out.” He whispered and gave me kiss on the top of my head. I swallowed my fears and slowly fell asleep.

  Chapter Thirty Four

  I woke up alone and sat up, looking around frantically. I was still in the motel room; it hadn’t been a dream. I was no longer under the control of my stepparents, and I didn’t have to marry the man who had sexually abused me. I was free; I killed them myself. I still felt nothing at the fact that I had done it. I felt too hard on the inside for those emotions to penetrate that shell.

  The door suddenly opened and Lachlan strolled in wearing fresh black jeans and a black shirt that showed off his athletic build.

  “Here, got you some fresh clothes. You can take a shower over there and get ready. We leave in an hour.” He set a small bag of clothes on the bed beside me and then walked back out of the room. He was an odd man. In the short time I had known him, he’d tortured my captives, watch me kill them, and then held me while I cried. He was dangerous, that was for damn sure, but he also had a soft heart.

  I grabbed the bag and headed to the bathroom.

  After I finished taking my shower and changing, I stared at myself in the mirror. My face looked the same, but I felt like I was in a different body. The woman looking at me looked normal, but you couldn’t see my broken soul in the mirror.

  I knew it hadn’t been that long since I had seen Wolfe, but in the time I was gone, so much had changed. I understood what Lachlan said about Wolfe making that story up, but what he’d said had really hurt. Plus, everything I’d gone through had changed me. Would he still even want me? I knew I couldn’t go back to the way things were before. I wasn’t that girl. I was broken. Either way, it was going to be a long road for me to become a normal human again. A normal woman. If I could ever be a normal woman.

  Turning away from the woman in the mirror, I opened the door and saw Lachlan had gotten us breakfast. Pancakes, eggs, bacon, and biscuits. A small smile tugged on my lips, trying to break free.

  “Wolfe said you had a biscuit addiction, so here you go. Your first fix,” he teased, and I shook my head. These men were crazy.

  “I had to threaten to beat his ass to stay away from here. He’s going crazy waiting for you, you know.” He grabbed a biscuit and wasted no time on it.

  “You two know each other well?” I asked as I walked to the table and made myself a plate.

  “We met when we were wee lads. We still keep in touch.” The barest hint of a Scottish accent came out just then. He grew up with Wolfe. They were friends.

  “So, tell me about you?” I mumbled with food in my mouth. Oh god, it was so good. I stuffed my face quickly with everything I could.

  “Never gonna open up, babe. I’m a nut that won’t crack.” He winked and went back to eating. He might not be willing to open up now, but one day, he was going to need me, and I would be there for him.

  “I think I’m stuffed.” I had over loaded on food and was feeling a bit uncomfortable. I hadn’t eaten that much since my breakfast with Wolfe. My face fell at the feelings that stirred, thinking about that morning. It was a day that started so beautifully and ended so horribly.

  “Hey, don’t stress. Everything is gonna be alright. Ready to head out now?” I looked at him and nodded. We left the plates and the food we hadn’t eaten behind and walked out of the room. I climbed into his SUV, and we headed to Wolfe.

  As we drove, I started to feel nervous. My hands were clammy, and I couldn’t stop fidgeting.

  “Relax, Laoch,” he said calmly.

  “Laoch? What in the world is that?” I was confused, and he just kept looking ahead. I rolled my eyes at his silence and turned my head around.

  We drove another twenty minutes before turning off the roadway and into a big hotel with flags from various countries hanging from the awnings. It was a large hotel, and very fancy. It felt surreal being here. Lachlan pulled up to the front and got out, handing the keys to the valet man. He walked around, and I started to hyperventilate.

  He opened the door and stood there, waiting for me to let go of the seatbelt that I held in a death grip, and get out.

  “Deep breaths. You have this, Nera. Don’t give up now; you’ve come too far.” He softly placed his hands on mine and helped me let go of the belt. I slowly unbuckled myself and got out. He wrapped a protective arm around me, led me into the building, and then to the elevator. He pressed the button that said Suite and produced a card out from his pocket that he slid in a slot then pulled it back out.

  The doors opened and there was no turning back now. I was about to see the man I loved. The man that had shattered me, and I would have to decide if I would give him the power to do it all over again, if he even wanted it.

  We walked farther into the penthouse and once we exited the hallway, I finally saw him.

  He was pacing back and forth in the large living room. His hair was up in that bun of his, and his beard was a mess. But he looked like the same Wolfe, grey shirt, jeans, and all. He looked like the woodsman that I’d fallen in love with. He would always be that man to me, not the rock god. When his head turned and saw us, he stopped. Those honey eyes always did know ho
w to trap me in their gaze.

  “Nera,” he said breathlessly, his feet moving swiftly, and before I knew it, I was in his arms. He crushed me against his hard body. A body I had once worshiped but now I felt nothing. I was stiff as a board in his embrace, I didn’t know how to feel here with him.

  “Nera?” He pulled back and looked straight into my eyes. “What’s wrong?”

  My eyes scanned over his beautiful face, those eyes, those lips. I felt a stirring of something inside me that I wasn’t ready to feel. I stepped out of embrace, not sure if I could speak.

  “Shit, Nera, say something, Ah have been going out of my mind tae see ye, tae make sure ye were ok.” He ran his hands down his face like he did when he was stressed.

  “You broke me,” I stated flatly. His eyes fell and he took a step closer to me, but I took an equal step back.

  “Fuck, Ah had to, Ah—” I cut him off.

  “I know, Lachlan told me.” There was nothing in my voice to let him know what was going on with me, there was no emotion, and right now that was how I wanted it.

  “Then what’s going on, talk tae me,” he begged and realized that I wasn’t going to jump right into his arms. I couldn’t, I didn’t know if I would ever be able to do that.

  “You broke me.” I looked back at Lachlan who was giving me sad eyes. He knew this was hard for both of us. I turned back to Wolfe who was watching me with desperation.

  “You were all I had, and you took that away from me and left me even more broken.” I told him. No emotions, no tears. The damage had been done, and I wasn’t the same. I turned and walked toward the elevator doors.

  “Wait! Nera, Ah fuck, Ah’m sorry. Ah love ye.”

  My eyes closed tight hearing him say that. It hurt. I gripped the ache in my chest and shook my head.

  “I can’t.” I moved my feet, one by one, until I reached the elevator and pressed the button to go down. I didn’t care at the moment where I went, I just couldn’t stay in this room.