Three Thousand Miles - Forever, (book #3 of Three Thousand Miles, Series)

by Deila Longford

  “I am sorry; I didn’t know that you felt that way.”

  “You’re lying! You knew exactly how I felt about you, yet you continued to lead me on. I tried my hardest to move on from you, but you and Adrian wouldn’t let me. He made me fly three thousand miles to protect you and all I got in return was jealousy. He forced me into spending time with you, even though he knew how I felt about you. He watched as I suffered and he didn’t care.”

  “I can’t apologise enough for my behaviour. I know that I was selfish by loving Adrian and wanting you at the same time and will never forgive myself for what I have put you through. But Michael I don’t deserve what you are doing to me and Adrian is your brother. I know that deep down, you care about him, please let me go and we can forget that this ever happened. Adrian doesn’t need to know, I won’t breathe a word to him, I promise.” Michael considers my words and then he bursts out laughing. I stare at him as I don’t know if he is happy or sad. His eyes are bolting and his hands are trembling as he nervously taps his foot against the floor. I maintain my stare as I watch his crazy behaviour –I really feel that Michael needs help.

  “Your dramatic speech isn’t going work on me. I can’t be sweet talked into letting you go. Do you know how long I have been planning this for? How many nights I lay awake thinking of you with him. His sordid hands all over your precious body, his lips kissing you and his eyes staring into yours as you lay side by side.” I blush at his words and I don’t have time to respond as he begins to talk –again.

  “I gave you warning after warning and yet you always ignored my pleas. Why was that, Alanna, why did you ignore me?” My heart begins to race and I can’t breathe when I realise that Michael is the one who has been sending me those threatening messages. He had me scared for my life and he was the reason that I lost my job at the orphanage. My head is spinning and I can’t take this in. Michael is the one who has been harassing me for months.

  “It was you; you are the one who has been stalking me.” Michael laughs. “Ah the dumb American finally understands.” My heart is breaking as I watch Michael clap his hands in a sarcastic manner. “It was so easy for me to make Adrian believe that it was the Marshalls who were harassing you and you were too stupid to question your beloved Adrian’s opinions.”

  “What about the shooting? You took a bullet for me, surly you didn’t plan that?” Michael sighs and then he lightly graces his lower lip with his finger as he explains.

  “No I didn’t plan to take a bullet for you, but I knew that it would help me gain your trust. I will however admit that I sent them a tip off and I did ask that they shoot me in a less fatal body part. But as far as the Marshalls were concerned you were dead and they had their revenge. I knew that they had finished with you, but I saw an opportunity and I took it.” I feel sick and dizzy at his confession. I can’t believe that I cared about him so much, yet he was the one who was tormenting me.

  “How could you do this to me? I have done nothing, but be your friend and care for you ever since I met you. I confided in you about how much I was being tortured and you looked into my eyes and you knew that you were the one who was causing my torment. If you ever loved me then you would never have put me through this ordeal.” Michael looks at me and he laughs –again. I wish that I could lunge forward and wipe his smirk off his face, but my hands are tied and even if there weren’t, I wouldn’t have the strength anyway. I turn my head towards Chad who is standing by the door –chewing his nails. He looks nervous and then he smiles at me as he opens the old, rusty door. I watch him as he leaves and my heart is racing –where is he going? I start to panic and thoughts of Adrian are flashing in my mind. What if Chad is going to hurt him? I stare at Michael as I quiz him on where Chad has gone.

  “Where is he going?” Michael quickly looks at the door and then he smiles as he turns back around to face me. His lips are parted and his eyes are staring right through me –I know that he is hiding something from me. I impatiently wait as he considers his next words.

  “He has gone to … fetch… someone.” I cripple at his words. “No, you must call him back. He can’t hurt Adrian.”Michael laughs and then he leans in towards me. His breath is blowing onto my face and I can’t taste the bitterness inside. I wrinkle my nose from his closeness and my actions have seemed to anger him.

  “Are you repealed by me?” I clench my teeth together as I can’t stand the sight of him. I don’t reply to his question and he is angrier than ever. He quickly lunges towards me and he grabs my face firmly in his hand. He is squeezing my jaws and I am numb from the pain. I swing my head back and forth as I try to loosen his hold on me, but his grip is too tight. He squeezes me harder and then he leaves me with no choice, I sink my teeth into the soft skin of his hand and he falls back from my force. I stare at him –with tears in my eyes as he lunges towards me again, but this time, he stretches out his hand and he forcefully slaps me on my face. I scream out in pain and then Michael laughs as he sits back down onto the chair. “You deserved that,” he sniggers at me.

  My face is hot and throbbing from his violent touch and I can’t see through my tear-soaked eyes. I begin to cough from the bitter, wet, cold air which surrounds the room. I can hardly catch my breath and my anguish seems to spur Michael on. I look at him as he gently smirks at me and I truly believe that he is getting pleasure out of seeing me –suffer. I never thought that Michael would do anything like this to me because he was my friend. We shared so many precious, light hearted moments together and now as I sit, frozen and tied to a cold, hard chair, I begin to think that our friendship was nothing more than a lie.

  “Was any of it true?” I say through gritted teeth.

  “How I felt about you was true,” Michael says in a deep voice. “If that’s true then I don’t understand how you could hurt me in the way that you have.” Michael exhales and then he leans in towards me –again. He slides his hand along my leg, sending shivers down my spine with his acid touch.

  “It’s Adrian who I want to hurt.” I flinch as he continues to run his warm fingers along my leg.

  “Why? Adrian has stood by you in so many ways.” “He stole my parents from my brother and me and now he has stolen you. Before Adrian came into our lives, Chad and I were inseparable, we did everything together, but Adrian has ruined our relationship. I can never forgive him for that and I will not rest until he has suffered.” Michael’s hand is now on my stomach and I flinch as he gently pats my abdomen. He slides his fingers along my belly and I scream out in terror. I am scared for the safety of my baby and I can’t stand another moment of this torment.

  “Please don’t hurt my baby,” Michael looks up into my eyes as he considers my plea. He shakes his head and then he pulls his hand away from my stomach. His lips begin to curve as his eyes fill with darkness.

  “I never thought that I would be lucky enough to get two for the price of one. I want to watch Adrian’s life collapse when he realises that I have killed his wife and his unborn child.” I scream at the top of my lungs as tears pour from my eyes. I can’t take this any longer and I feel as if I am dying already. Michael has me trapped and I can feel my baby, urging me to carry on fighting, but I have no energy left –I might as well give up the fight.

  Twenty

  (Adrian)

  I dial Zara’s number as I need her to come and look after William. I hold the phone to my ear but there isn’t a dial tone. I hang up from the beeping disconnected tone and then I search through my contacts as I try to search for someone who can help me. I scowl the long list of names until I come across Edward’s number. I hover my finger over the send button as I rethink my intentions. Edward would be at the bottom of the list of people who I would ask for help from and I really don’t think that he is suitable to look after a child. But desperate times call for desperate measures and I really have no one else to call. I push send and I hold the phone to my ear as I anxiously await my father’s answer.

  “Hello,” he shouts down the phone and I can h
ardly hear him as the noise of his car takes over. I focus my mind back onto the task in hand as I ask him for help.

  “I need you to come to my house.”

  “Is everything, okay?”

  “No, Alanna is in danger and I need to go and help her, but I have no one to look after William.”

  “I am on my way,” I nod as I take in his words and then I urge him to hurry. “I don’t know how much time she has left, please hurry.”

  “I will be ten minutes.” I hang up the phone and then I rush into the hallway and into the coat closet. I pull out the first jacket that I see and then I run up the stairs to check on William. I walk into his room and I smile at him as I watch him sleeping. I gently close his door -a little and then I run back down the stairs and into the living room. I begin to pace the room as I wait for Edward, my head is pounding. I have images of Alanna in peril rushing around in my mind and I feel crippled by that thought. I want to kill Michael for what he has done to her and I don’t know if I will be able to control my anger when I lock my eyes on his. He has betrayed my trust and Alanna’s. When I think of how much she cared about him and how she would have done anything for him, my heart breaks. She was in agony when he called and told her that he was hurt and I can’t begin to think of how scared she must be. For the last year, Alanna has lodged herself into my heart even though she knew that every day that she is with me, her life is in danger. I am scared of losing her, but I am terrified that she will blame me for Michael’s actions. I brought him into her life andI exposed her to his obsession

  –even though I knew that he liked her. If anythinghappens to Alanna then it will be entirely my fault.

  The front door bursts open and Edward barges into the house. I run to the hallway to greet him.

  “What the hell is going on?” Edward says as he glides over to me. I look at him as I explain and give him his orders.

  “Michael has Alanna and he says that he is going to kill her. I need to go and find her and I need you to look after William for me.” Edward’s eyes begin to dart as tries to absorb my claims.

  “I knew that there was something off about that bloke.” Edward says as he gently strokes his chin. I move closer to him as I tell him how to look after William.

  “William is upstairs, he sleeping and I would like it if it stayed that way. Make sure that you don’t wake him up, but please make sure that you check on him

  – every ten minutes.” Edward looks tense as he takes in my words. He reaches out and he places his hand onto my shoulder.

  “Son, William will be fine now go and save your wife.” He smiles at me and then I briefly return his gesture. I take a deep breath as I stride over to the door. I lift my keys from the side table and then I turn and look back at Edward.

  “I’m trusting you with my son, please don’t let me down.” I rush out into the cold street and as the wind blows in my face, I have an image of Alanna in my mind. I lunge into my car as I remember our honeymoon.

  “Adrian, come back here,” Alanna shouts after me. I smile back at her as I continue to run down the golden beach. Her long, blonde hair is flowing as she tries to run after me and her floating green dress is mesmerising in the sunshine. The water is glistening and my yacht is securely anchored as it waits our return. I run further along the beach –with the warm sea breeze running through my hair. Until I end up in front of a largepalm tree, I stop as I take in its beauty and I decide to hide behind it as I hearAlanna edging closer to me. I position myself to the left side of tree so that I have the chance to grab Alanna when she runs past me. I can hear her shouting again and I smirk as I catch a glimpse of her green dress –out the corner of my eye.

  “This isn’t funny!” She shouts in her sweet American accent. I hold back my laughter as I don’t want to blow my cover. I can hear her panting breath and now she is inches from me, so I leap out from behind the tree and I grab onto my wife. She jumps from my surprise and then she playfully hits me on my chest as she pretends that she is upset with me. Her big, brown eyes are narrowed as she stares up at me and I try to redeem myself by spinning her around and clutching onto her back. I wrap my arms around her waist and then I gently blow her curly hair away from her neck. I lean down and I place my lips onto her skin, she sighs at my touch and her actions alert me that she has forgiven me for my childish behaviour.

  “You’re crazy,” she says as she spins around and wraps her delicate arms around my neck. I lean down to her and I place my lips on hers. Her kiss is tantalizing and I can hardly breathe from its dreamlike – pleasure. I slide my hands onto her waist and then I push her over to the palm tree. I lean her back against its rough skin and she slightly flinches from the feeling. But her uneasiness fades when I lean in and continue our kiss. Alanna’s lips are like heaven and I lose my grip on reality every time that my lips touch hers. I feel free in her arms and when I am with her, I don’t feel like the freak that I am. Alanna makes me love myself because she loves me and when I kiss her, my life feels complete. I never thought that I was capable of love until I met her. Alanna came into my life and with her kiss she pulled me out of my boy-like manner and made me into a strong man. She has shown me that love and living a happy life is important and I can’t thank her enough for everything that she has done. She has reunited me with my mother and she has discovered that I have a sister. She has opened my mind to all the possibilities that life has to offer and I can’t wait to share my life with her. I love –my Alanna and now she is mine –forever.

  I drive to Michael’s house with fire in my eyes and as I roughly park my car at his front door, I am seething. I leap out of my car and I run towards his front door. I begin to batter the door, but no one answers. I move over to the long window that looks into the living room, but I can’t see a thing as the curtains are closed. I rush back over to the door and I begin to hammer it again, but this time the door flies open. I jump back from the sudden impact, but I compose myself as I run into the house. I begin to scream out for Alanna, but after I have searched every room, I realise that she isn’t here. I run back out to my car and I throw myself into the driver’s seat. I start the engine and then I call Michael.

  “I must say that your constant phone calls is ruining my alone time with Alanna.” Michael says in a sarcastic voice when he answers my call –after ten attempts. My temper is rising and I feel like crashing my car into the nearest tree –out of frustration. But, I try to compose myself as I remember that Alanna needs me. I try to compose my anger as I talk to Michael.

  “Look mate, I know that you don’t really want to hurt her. It’s me that you have the beef with, so please just tell me where you are and I will come to you.” “What so that you can kill me? I don’t remember being that stupid, Adrian.” My temper is rising –again but I focus my thoughts on Alanna as the image of her face is the only thing which is keeping me sane right now.

  “If you tell me where you are then you and I can sort out our differences like men. Hurting an innocent girl is beneath you, brother.” Michael is quiet as he considers my suggestions. My breathing has become shallow as I wait for his cruel reply.

  “I would cherish the thought of you watching as I kill her, so come to us.” I ram my fist into the steering wheel at his remark and then I grit my teeth as I ask him where to go.

  “Tell me where you are!” I snap. Michael laughs down the phone at me and then he does the unthinkable. I can hear struggling and the sound of slapping and then I can hear Alanna’s voice in the background. She is calling out for me and my heart has smashed from the peril in her voice. I hit the steering wheel again –until my hand is numb from the pain.

  “We are at the old sheds; you know where they are, don’t you?” I hang up the phone and then I push my foot down onto the accelerator –with all my force. I drive recklessly around the streets of London as Ihead out of the posh are of Chelsea and into the roughness of Hackney. I whizzaround the streets until I spot the old garages that I used to hang around in.So many memories are
flooding back to me as I take in the familiar sight of my childhood play area. I remember walking around these streets –so hungry that I was numb. I remember getting into fights and almost being stabbed to death in this very street. I can’t believe how heartless Michael is being as he knows that the time that I spent here was the worst days of my life.

  The garages are situated next to one another and they are all in one long row. I park outside the first one and then I jump out of the car and rush over to its old rusty door. I push it but it doesn’t open, so I bang onto it as hard as I can but then I realise that this isn’t where Alanna is. I try another few of the garages, but every one of them is empty. I am nearing the last one and as I approach the door, I spot a black BMW parked outside. I recognise the car so I park next to it and I leap out of my car. I run towards the front door of the old rusty, cold garage and I take a deep breath as I push it open.

  Twenty-One

  The door surges open and I burst into tears when I see Adrian –he has come to save me. He walks into the large, cold empty space and he seems nervous as he looks at me. His eyes are full of rage and I can tell that he is about to lose his temper. My arms and legs are still tied to the hard chair as the duct tape begins to burn against my skin. Michael is lurking behind me and then I feel his warm hand press onto my shoulder. I flinch from his touch and then my heart bursts when he glides to the front of me –with a gun firmly in his hand. Adrian has a blank stare on his face as Michael begins to talk.