Midnight Rose

by Dani Hart

  “They are afraid he will let his love for you cloud your mission. I don’t agree with how they went about it, but I can’t argue their logic. Not if it means your safety is in jeopardy.”

  His hand slid down my cheek and hooked my chin, his thumb caressing my cheek now, sensations numbing the pain, and desperation begging for comfort no matter what form it came in and no matter who projected it.

  “My dad would never put me in danger.”

  “Not on purpose, but an unconditional love such as that makes people do crazy things.”

  “And what about you?” I locked my hazel eyes with his sea of green. I knew he cared for me. How deep it went I wasn’t entirely sure of, but it was there, and it was strong. I could feel it flow through his touch.

  “For now, that will remain our little secret,” he whispered, leaning in.

  His lips hovered in front of mine, waiting. Waiting for permission? Waiting for me? My emotional state was frenzied, and my loneliness was insurmountable. I needed to feel something else even for just this one time. I pressed against his lips, entangling my fingers in his hair, pulling him tight to me. He pressed back and took my cheeks in his hands, lifting me up to a sitting position, his passion helping me lose myself in the moment. His lips were warm, his touch causing my heart to flutter and raising goose bumps on my arms.

  My guilt finally pushed me away from him. “I love Wes,” I said simply, needing to reinforce it even though my actions were proving the opposite.

  “And I love you,” he said truthfully. “Quite a predicament.” He smiled as he brushed his hand over my cheek.

  “Yes, quite.” Moments like this conflicted my heart and made me question my choices, but Wes had always been my forever, and nothing would change that. “So, what do we do?”

  “We go about business as usual. Use that anger as fuel to become what you’re destined to be, Abigail. Extraordinary.”

  I teased, “I thought I already was?”

  He stood up. “I’ll make sure you have a free pass today, but tomorrow you have to be on your game. They won’t let you lose control. This place is about proving to yourself that you can make a difference. You have nothing to prove to them.”

  “Thanks, Elijah. I don’t think I would survive this without you here.”

  “The feeling’s mutual.”

  He took my hand and placed something cold and smooth in my palm. It was the infinity charm.

  “How—” I couldn’t believe what I was holding.

  “Stealth is only one of several things you will master here.” He smiled mischievously.

  “But they’ll know it’s missing.” I shuddered to think what they would do to Elijah if they found out.

  “I replaced it with a fake. They’ll never know.” He paused. “That charm belongs to you, and I believe it’s only worth a damn if you have it. I don’t believe in coincidences, so if that was meant to keep you safe, I’m not taking any chances.”

  I squeezed my palm shut around it. “Elijah, thank you.”

  “Keep it hidden, Abby. Don’t leave it where they can find it. They search these rooms all the time.”

  “I won’t.”

  “I have to go, but if you need anything, let me know.”

  I jumped off the bed and wrapped my arms around his neck, inhaling a deep breath and relishing in the comfort he offered unconditionally. He wrapped his arms around my waist and lifted me up.

  “You know we can’t do this out there, right?” he joked as he put me back down.

  I laughed lightly. “I know.”

  “I’ll see you later, Abs.” He kissed my forehead and left.

  I locked the door immediately, staring at the charm. Where was I going to hide it? I looked around the room for a spot, but there were only a dresser and a nightstand. They would surely search those. I heaved open the closet door, my dirty and worn red Chucks staring back at me. They would never touch those. I pulled them out and sat on the floor. The fabric inside one of the shoes was lifting, making the perfect hiding place for the charm. I lifted the fabric and slid the charm all the way underneath to the toe where I had hidden my grandpa’s key. The fabric was still a little sticky from the glue, so I pressed the fabric down hard, concealing and securing the charm. They would never find it there.

  I put the shoes back on the shelf and closed the closet door. I slid under the sheets. Today I would rest, but tomorrow I would train. This was going to be the longest year of my life, but I would come out on the other side stronger, wiser, and back in the arms of Wes.

  I stared out the window and watched the stores pass by, my little, six-year-old fingers splayed on the glass excitedly. I had never been on a bus before. I bounced in my seat, free from a seat belt.

  “Sweetie, sit down, please.”

  I was sitting up on my knees so I could see everything. I slid back down, kicking my legs excitedly as they hung well above the bus floor.

  The bus stopped, and my mom stood up, holding her hand out for mine. “This is our stop.”

  I took it eagerly, jumping off the seat and hugging to her side tightly as we waited for other riders to pass by. When it was our turn, my mom pushed me behind her to navigate the narrow walkway. The older woman who was knitting behind the driver’s seat during the ride smiled widely, stopping me as my mom and I waited in line to get off the bus.

  “Aren’t you a pretty thing?” she said as she put her knitting down on her lap.

  “Thank you.” I giggled. Her eyes were a crystal blue, and her cheeks were rosy, some wrinkles settling into her face.

  She dug her hand into the pocket of her dress and held out a closed fist to me.

  “Can I see your hand, dear?”

  I trusted her kind eyes, so I put out my hand. She flipped it over and placed a charm in my palm. Her hands felt cool and soft.

  “For me?” My little heart was happy at the unexpected gift.

  “For you,” she confirmed. “Keep it safe, for you never know when you’ll need it.”

  I stared at the shiny, round metal. “Thank you.”

  My mom moved forward. “I have to go.”

  The woman clenched both of my hands tightly, her mood shifting from carefree to intense. “Life is infinite,” she said passionately.

  “Come on, Abigail,” my mom summoned.

  I smiled uncomfortably, and then the woman released my hands. “Until we meet again, Abigail.” She winked.

  I sat up in bed, my heart racing and my whole body shaking. Polly was the old woman on the bus.

  I have so much to say and yet, not enough. Publishing again terrifies me. Everything that comes with putting myself out there scares me. But then I remember, writing is not about how many read it or what people think of it. It’s about doing what I love and having the courage to try. To pick myself up, brush off the fears, and stand tall. Words give me life, stories give me a voice, and publishing tells my children to never give up. To chase the dream. No matter what your heart sings, it only matters if you listen. I’m listening.

  I have an amazing team behind me and publishing wouldn’t be possible without them. To Paige Maroney Smith, my editor who has been with me since my first book, thank you. My manuscript would be a grammatical nightmare without your expertise. To Catherine Jones, my beta reader whom I stumbled upon a few years ago, thank you for taking a hot mess and making it shine. Your advice, notes, and friendship has given me the confidence to come back to the publishing world. You are nothing short of amazing. New to my team Cassy Roop with Pink Ink Designs, thank you for capturing the true essence of this book and designing the perfect cover.

  To anybody out there who chooses to spend their hard earned money on a complete unknown, thank you. Your purchase means the world to me, and believe it or not, strengthens my confidence. The only reason I publish is to bring my stories to life in the eyes of others. Otherwise, I would keep them safely tucked away.

  And lastly, I will always be thankful for my husband’s support and for the loves
of my life, my children. Life is fuller with them.

  DANI HART graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in Theatre and a concentration in Screenwriting. Dani also writes under the penname D. Hart. To find other books by this author, please visit her website.

  Website: http://www.danihartbooks.com/

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