Finding Erin

by America Leigh

  Faith, Justice and Peace stood a vigil outside the door. They wanted to be in here when Maggie woke, but the doctors feared that if Maggie saw anyone she didn’t recognise could cause a relapse. No one wanted that, so they begrudgingly paced the hospital corridors until they could see her.

  The covers twitched under Maggie’s silent movements. Her body was lethargic and adjusting to her body waking up. Her pale face had gained a little colour, but I was focused solely on her features, waiting patiently for those beautiful eyes I longed to see.

  Maggie fluttered her eyelids a few times, before she decided they would fully co-operate. Her eyes darted around the room, as if she was searching for someone.

  Me. Let it be me?

  Our eyes connected and everything in the room froze. Nothing else in that room mattered at that moment. A small smile tugged at Maggie’s lips and I smirked in return. She could always cause a reaction out of me. Our bodies were so in-tune with each other. I swear I could feel her, before I could see her. She had been made for me and I was getting another chance. This time, no one would get anywhere near her.

  “Eddie” Maggie said, her voice croaky from the sedation.

  “Its ok baby. I’m right here.” I spoke softly, walking over to be closer to her and placing my full palm over her heart. I wanted to make her see that I belonged with her. My place in this life would always be beside her, nothing would change that.

  “I dreamt about you.” She told me in a sleepy voice.

  “Rest, baby. We can talk later.” Her eyes had fluttered closed before I had finished talking. Her lazy smile and her small nod told me everything I needed to at this moment. She was back.

  Chapter Twenty-Two.

  Erin.

  My whole body ached. I moved slightly and felt the pain radiate up my legs and penetrated my head. My head throbbed with the insistent pulse of pain that sat right behind my eyes. I squeezed them shut a little tighter. I just needed another minute. I heard his chuckle before I could see Eddie, but I knew he was there. The light in his tone infused my body with relief. Eddie was here. Thank God!

  “Open your eyes, Baby” Eddie coached, still chuckling softly.

  “No” I tried to shake my head, but stopped with the pain. I pouted and repeated, “No”

  Eddie laughed once again. His beautiful voice filled the room. I peeked through my lashes, wanting to see him again, but not aggravate the ache between my eyes.

  “Come on baby. I need to see those pretty eyes of yours” Eddie asked playfully. I had never seen him this happy, maybe that had something to do with me? Maybe? I never questioned the connection between us. The ultimate question was, did he want me too?

  I opened my eyes fully and froze still. Where was I? I looked over to see Eddie and what looked like doctors in long white coats and stethoscopes drooped around their necks. They were watching me closely. They studied my movements like I was an experiment.

  I looked straight over to Eddie, “Wh..What’s going on?” I stuttered, as fear and pain ran through my aching bones. Eddie’s face fell and a hard look replaced the playful look he had just had. Did I do something wrong?

  “Get out!!” Eddie ordered the doctors. I was prepared for the doctors to tell Eddie to leave, but they nodded and exited the room. What the hell was going on here? I looked around the room. The room was mixtures of creams and gold’s and was furnished in expensive looking chairs and throws. It was beautiful. It didn’t resemble anywhere I would be allowed into. I glanced over at the window and it looked like early morning if I would chance a guess. The view still reminded me of London. Were we still in London? Had Eddie changed his mind about the wedding?

  I remembered the Savoy and the registry office. No. I shook my head. I looked down at my hands and my rings remained. Thank God. I thought I was dreaming. The marriage and Eddie were all real.

  “What do you remember?” Eddie asked cautiously. His eyes searched me intently. His eyes were dark. He looked like he had been up for days.

  “I remember you taking me to London and us getting married. Everything after that is a blur.” I rushed out.

  “Fuck.” Eddie swore loudly. He paced the room purposefully. His hands were fisted as he paced and the indecision was plastered all over his body, like a canvas.

  “What happened?” I asked when Justice barged in the room. Eddie continued to pace, blinded by whatever anger he was dealing with internally. His gaze remained blank.

  “Justice” I cried. Her face flashed with something I couldn’t quite understand. Justice moved quickly to envelope me in one of her bear hugs and literally climbed on the bed with me. I laughed with nerves. As if on cue, the others piled into the room demanding what the hell was going on. Even Peace’s voice raised an octave or two, which was an achievement for her. Justice babbled something incoherent to the other girls and they all piled on top of me, crying and laughing in return. I felt pure joy in my heart. The girls encased me with their warmth.

  Rhodes marched into the room and the marine stopped abruptly making Rafi barrel into him from behind. The looks of pure astonishment were priceless. I was just in the dark on why they were all looking at me like that.

  I cleared my throat as gently as I could. My throat was still sore. “Does someone want to clue me in or are you all gonna gawk at me?” I questioned. Their stunned faces remained. I blew out a frustrated sigh and ran my hands down my legs through the covers. Faith followed my movements.

  “You collapsed and had several seizures, but Erin… you…you woke up…” Faith fidgeted with her dress and swallowed hard. I had never seen her this nervous. I could have said that about every member of this room. Each and every one of them were looking everywhere expect for me.

  “Eddie” I shrieked and started to remove my covers. I needed to get out of this bed and get some answers, because obviously no one wanted me to know what was going on.

  “Calm down, Maggie” He cooed. I whipped my head up to meet his gaze. What did he just call me? Eddie hadn’t worked it out yet, but I had. I was back, but for how long?

  My entire world was falling apart and my husband calling me Maggie just confirmed it. The darkness swept me into its arms and slipped me into the peace and quiet. “Shit” I whispered and fell to the floor surrounded by the darkness.

  * * *

  “Erin. Please come back to me. Don’t leave me again. You have to fight baby, fight for me.” That familiar tone was so near but felt like worlds apart. After I collapsed, I realised a few things. One that I had obviously woken up as Maggie after all the seizures had happened and two, was Eddie relieved or saddened by the fact that I was back instead of his precious little Maggie. I knew I wasn’t ready to hear that particular answer. So I kept my eyes tightly shut and my head in the preverbal sand.

  I heard a few voices float in and out of my subconscious. I couldn’t seem to hold on to them. The darkness beckoned me once again.

  * * *

  “There you are?” A quiet voice asked.

  “Who are you?”

  “You already the answer.”

  Was that? It can’t be? Molly?

  “Come on Maggie. I need you to concentrate, so I can get you back to my sweet little Eddie.” Molly said with a smile. A smile full of love and regret.

  “Where are we?” I asked whilst I glanced around the darkness.

  “You’re sleeping in your bed, baby. Eddie’s there with you, but I need you to remember what happened that last day before you were taken. It’s important. Remember Maggie. Remember Erin. You have to remember, you’re both in danger.” Molly’s voice pleaded with me. I needed more answers. The darkness was disappearing and the light was pulling me back.

  No.

  What did she mean?

  “Danger from what?” I screamed into the darkness. Fear crawling up my spine and my body was coated in sweat.

  “Not from what? You need to ask who?” Molly’s whispers swept around my subconscious until I was staring at four pale and frightened fa
ces.

  An array of doctors pushed my husband and family out of the way, much to Justice’s annoyance, who was sending daggers towards the doctors around the room.

  “How are you Miss Frost?” The handsome doctor gently questioned, giving me a warm smile. He checked my reflexes as he spoke and assessed me for damage.

  “Mrs Vance.” Eddie’s scowl skittled over the room before I could correct the doctor. Eddie was grinding his teeth and stood with his arms crossed and his chest puffed out. Fucking hell. He was jealous. Well unbloody believable, it only took a seizure for me to see this side of Eddie. I kind of liked it. He was all hot and bothered. I could feel my cheeks flush involuntary. Eddie’s smirk sent another wave of hot arousal through my core. Eddie chuckled softly. Well I was glad I was amusing my husband, while I was under the microscope.

  The doctor quickly resumed his duties and then quietly left the room.

  I was mortified.

  “Well I’ll be dammed. Miss little sweet and innocent over there nearly undressed her husband and laid him down right in front of the good doctor’s.” Justice mocked.

  “I wonder what position Eddie could teach us, eh Just?” Faith challenged. I knew what they were playing at, trying to get a rise out of us. It wouldn’t be me. I smiled sweetly. Rhodes low growl sent chills through my bones though. Rhodes reaction made Faith jump and spin around to see Rhodes standing there glaring down at his little firecracker. I laughed silently. Rhodes was going to get a rude wakeup call if he thought anything with Faith was sweet or innocent. She may be the shortest of us all, but she held more backbone than some men I had known.

  I giggled again and Eddie pinned me with a stern look. What the hell had I done now? I have had enough of this. Faith and Rhodes had already left the room obviously to get things straight. I needed to do the same.

  “Guys, could you give Eddie and me a minute.” I asked sweetly. Justice looked between Eddie and I and smirked and gave me a sly wink. Justice knew me better than I did myself sometimes.

  I waited for the door to click shut and I wanted to rip into Eddie, “What the hell is your problem?” I blasted. His mouth dropped open in shock.

  “Nothing” He stuttered, at a loss for an answer.

  “Nothing?” I repeated through gritted teeth.

  “Nothing” Eddie said again, silently challenging me.

  He moved closer. The way he looked at me was if a thousand volts of electricity were being pumped into my body.

  The minute I moved in the bed, Eddie was at my side. I was breathing heavier now. I hated the fact that he held this much power over me. One minute I wanted to grind up against him like a Cheshire cat and then I wanted to throttle the life out of him.

  That was my first mistake as understanding flickered across his hazel eyes and his mouth took mine with such passion and possession that I fully surrendered to him. Eddie brought every ounce of passion to the surface and I wanted to explore that, with vengeance. His tongue slipped into my mouth gaining full access to everything I had to offer him and his greedy hands pulled my hair by the scalp and pleasure rippled through me. I could have come right there and then. “Eddie, Please” I moaned into his mouth. I was in pure ecstasy. I just needed more. I needed to feel him inside me, pulsing inside me until he claimed me forever. I needed that. I slammed our bodies together and couldn’t get close enough. Our position was awkward. The burn wasn’t enough to set me off. I just needed….

  “Baby” Eddie moaned into my ear.

  I continued to thrust my hips to meet his frame. He was completely on the bed now. I hadn’t realised Eddie had climbed on and covered my aching body completely. Oh god! Yes this is what I need. Eddie making my insides burn.

  “Erin” Eddie tries again, but I was deep within my lust fuelled coma. I was screwed when it came to this man.

  Eddie pulled me back and held me at length. I whimpered at the loss of his lips.

  No.

  “Don’t pout baby.” Eddie chuckled playfully.

  “I want… I need…” I didn’t know what I was asking for, but I did know that I needed him more than my next breath. My breathing was eractic. I panted.

  What the hell was Edward Vance doing to me?

  “I know baby. Me too. But this isn’t the time or the place. When I lay you down to make love to you for the first time. I will take it slow and easy so I can savour you and claim what has and always be mine. No one will ever taste what belongs to me.” Eddie told me seductively. He leaned in and ran his nose down the side of my neck and started to whisper, “Then when I’ve taken you slow. I’m going to devour you and take your hard and fast over and over again.” When Eddie had finished talking, I shook with need.

  “Fuck” I said breathlessly, not meaning to say it out loud.

  “I would love to.” Eddie chuckled, “but I would like to take my wife home first.” Eddie finished on a whisper.

  “I will murder you in your sleep.” I joked. “But I agree, so please take me home.” I conceded.

  Eddie nodded, still laughing at my witty comeback. The last few days had been a complete blur. I knew deep down that Eddie would explain what happened after my seizures, but for now I wasn’t ready to take that kind of emotional baggage. I wanted to take my husband home and make love to him.

  When I woke up, Molly was the first thing I remembered. The look of fear and panic on Eddie and the girl’s faces made me keep what I had remembered to myself for now. I could piece together fragments, but nothing was clear. I was a jumble of pieces trying to find their place. One thing for sure, Molly held a connection with both Eddie and I. Her words rang clear in my mind, we were in danger. This was so much worse than waking up alone. I had a nagging feeling that someone wanted Eddie and I apart, permanently. First the shooting and now the seizures.

  After the hospital discharged me, Eddie took me home. He carried me upstairs to the room I had before we left for London. The memories of our last time together made this blow even bitterer. My mood plummeted. He was distancing himself from me. I could feel it. We had been married exactly four days and fifteen hours and he was already trying to put walls between us.

  “Pouting doesn’t become you?” Eddie mocked in a posh English accent.

  “Too bad.” I spat back. My accent getting broader the angrier I got. His cool exterior was starting to piss me off. I wanted the Eddie who made me come just with his hand and who could set my body on fire every time he was near. I didn’t want this preserved and distanced version of him. At least he had the nerve to step back as if he was scared of my response. I knew Eddie well enough now, to know he did it to give me space. He could no doubt take me with one touch or a kiss from those luscious lips. I could feel my knees shake at the mere mention of something that could get me wet!

  “Is that so?” Eddie baited me.

  “Yes it is, because I will do what I want Mr Vance and nothing will ever change that.”

  “Well I would disagree with that statement Mrs Vance” Eddie chuckled when I whipped my head up to stare him in the eyes. My body was on fire with rage.

  How dare he?

  “So I’m Mrs Vance now?” I snorted and climbed down from Eddie’s tight grip trying not to devour his tight hot body with my eyes. Shit! What the hell was up with my hormones? There was definitely something wrong with me. This was nowhere near normal behaviour for a woman my age. I started to move further into the room and Eddie gripped my wrist. He was breathing heavy. He was trying to gain control over his feelings or was it anger I saw flash through his eyes.

  “Don’t ever question my need for you. I need you to breath. I always have. You are my everything.” He whispered at the end, before crushing his lips against mine with a passion I had only felt once before.

  The willow Tree.

  Silent kisses and secret touches underneath our Willow tree.

  “I need you now, Eddie. Please tell me you want me because I can’t take this anymore.” I moaned into his mouth. My thighs rubbed up against Eddie i
n all the right places. If I just moved half and an inch to the right, I could get myself off. Where the hell, did that come from? Edward Vance was turning me into a wanton creature and I kind of liked it.

  Shit! Justice would freaking love this. My inner seductress was obviously taking lessons from her.

  Eddie wrapped my legs around his waist and walked us into his room. The friction from the sudden movements were hitting the right spots. Oh Yes! Right there, I silently thought. I needed to take this ache away and I knew only Eddie could give me that. Eddie laid me gently on his king sized bed. “Strip” Eddie ordered as he stood back to watch. His eyes were wide with lust and excitement. I was in so much trouble. I slowly stripped out of my sweats and laid there letting all my inhibitions float away. Eddie’s gaze never faltered, sipping me in slowly like an expensive wine to savour me completely. I licked my lips in anticipation that I would finally get to see Eddie’s glorious body and explore that mysterious ink that caught my eyes the very first time I met him. I had a glimpse of the man I married the night we shared a bed. Having him look at me as If I was his next meal made me want to come before he had chance to touch me.

  “Eddie” I sighed, “Please” I begged. I needed him to touch me more than anything else.

  “I’m coming, baby”. He laughed.

  I rolled my eyes in his direction. “You won’t be if you don’t touch me. For fuck sake.” I threatened, blowing a frustrated breath in his direction. He was perched between my open legs sat back studiously. He was fully dressed. Eddie moved as fast as lightening and he overwhelmed my senses. His soft and urgent hands kneaded my breast’s until they screamed from pain and lust combined. His greedy mouth trailed the length of me and I completely surrendered to his touch. Eddie removed my knickers and grinned seductively at me. This man had a mischievous side and made me feel at ease, only Eddie could make me smile when I was anxious and nervous. What if I wasn’t any good? That thought suddenly overwhelmed me. Why I hadn’t thought about this before I dragged him to bed. Oh god! Eddie must have sensed my panic because he crawled slowly back up my body and placed his hand over my chest and whispered, “I’m right here, baby. This is just you and me.” Eddie’s words were gentle and soothed my fragile nerves. “Ok” I said breathlessly. Eddie was right, ever since he had found me up north, he had been right here, where he belonged, bedside me. Eddie continued slow, continuously checking if this is what I wanted. The need penetrated my gaze as much as his cock was grinding up against me. Eddie flexed his taut body and settled in between my legs gently nudging my wet folds. His hot breath ran down the pulse of my neck and I shuddered right down to my core. I growled with need.