by Darla Lark
“Thanks, Mrs. Warner, but looks shouldn’t have anything to do with attraction.”
“Yeah. Look at us.” Raina piped up. “You fell for Tyler and I fell for Jack, who are currently our ex’s.”
“But, Rain, you married Jack because you thought he was hot. I married Ty because he was fun, had character, and was smart.”
“Excuse me? Uh uh. No. I did not.” Raina held up her hand in objection. “Jack was, well….hot. Okay. Fine. But I was much younger.”
“Some excuses are better than none,” Cheyenne offered.
With a roll of her eyes, Raina said, “I’m glad you still have your sense of humor.”
Mrs. Warner slapped her knees, interrupting their banter. “So, who’s going to drive me home? I’ve got to fix dinner.”
“Give me a minute and I will, Mom.”
“Actually, I can drive her home. I’ll be going that way, anyway.”
Michael looked at Raina with raised eyebrows. “Are you sure? I can do it.”
“Nah. It’s okay.” Raina went to Mrs. Warner and draped her arm around her shoulder. “It’ll give us time to discuss the upcoming wedding and give you two sometime alone.” She wiggled her eyebrows at Cheyenne, which made Cheyenne roll her eyes.
Michael shrugged. “Okay. Thanks.”
“No problem.” Raina turned her attention to Mrs. Warner. “Are you ready to go?”
“I am.”
Mrs. Warner said goodbye to Michael while Raina lectured Cheyenne about taking better care of herself.
“Look, I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be here. Stop worrying and before you say it, I know that you’re my big sister and you’re supposed to look out for me. I don’t need you to take care of me. I’ll be okay. I love you and will talk with you later.”
Raina kissed Cheyenne’s forehead. “My little sister, the strong, independent, defiant one.”
“No. Just determined not to be a victim.” She pushed Raina toward the door. “Well, you better go. You’ve got to get Mrs. Warner home.”
“I’ll call you later. Love you.” Raina waved as she left the room.
“Love you, too.”
~
Finally alone, Cheyenne looked over at Michael who was sitting in the recliner. “You never finished telling me about Eric.”
“Huh. Oh yeah. Right. I guess I didn’t. Well,” he took a deep breath, “he murdered a woman by the name of Kimberly Thompson. He had done the same things to her that he did to you. Before she was killed, he murdered an elderly gentleman and stole his ID.”
“Let me guess. The gentleman’s name was Daniel Schindler.”
“You got it. The FBI has been investigating Eric and was even following him, but somehow, he went under the radar and disappeared. They’ve been looking for him ever since.”
“So now the FBI is involved in my case?”
“Yes.” Michael studied her. “You know, you’re holding up pretty well for someone who was beaten and raped.”
Cheyenne turned away and thought about it. No one left her alone long enough for her to think about it. It’s not like she wanted to relive any of it, but, regardless, she knew that it was going to be her living nightmare for a long time. A tear slid down her cheek. Quickly wiping it away, she sighed and forced a smile.
“Chey?”
“I’m fine.” She turned to face Michael. “Really. I am.” He gave her a look letting her know he didn’t believe her. “Look, Michael, it was a horrible thing to experience and I would much rather forget it.”
“I understand, but you really do need to talk about it.”
“I don’t want to,” she said firmly.
“I’m here when you’re ready. Okay?”
“Thank you, but I won’t be ready for a long time. There’s too much to worry about. He’ll be back. I know he will. It’s so sad that he killed an elderly man, especially just for his identity. And that poor girl. I know what she went through, but at least, I’m still alive.”
“Thank God for that.”
The thought of him murdering two innocent people made her feel extremely lucky that she made it out alive but she knew it wasn’t over yet. He would be seeking his revenge after what she had done. It was getting more and more difficult to put on a brave face for everyone’s sake. She was terrified. What was he planning? When would he show up unexpectedly? There was no way she was staying cooped up forever. She couldn’t give him that much power, no matter how terrified she was. All she could do was put on her brave face for now and be strong. What else could she do?
“Yes. Thank God.” He’ll be back and we might not be so lucky next time.
Chapter 45
“Are you hungry?”
Cheyenne shook her head. “Nah. I don’t think I can eat anything right now.” She rubbed her eyes. “I do feel like I could sleep. This medicine and all the excitement has drained my energy, but thanks for offering.”
“No problem. If you need anything, let me know.” He knelt down next to her and traced her jawline with his finger. “I’ll be right here.” He bent her head down to kiss her. “I love you.”
She touched his cheek. “I love you, too. My only concern is that this is happening so fast between us. It might not work out. I don’t think I can handle another divorce.” Her eyes locked with Michael’s. “Are you sure this is what you want? Are you sure I’m who you want?”
“Without a doubt. Stop worrying about it. We’re going to make it work. Okay?”
“Things are still difficult. It’s not over yet and I don’t want to cause anyone more trouble than what I already have. Gabrielle is dead. You got hurt. My sister has to have someone protect her and her family and her husband was murdered all because of me.”
“Stop.” His voice was firm. “It’s not your fault. You need to get some rest.” He kissed her again. “Don’t stress yourself out. Things will turn out all right.”
~
She awoke a few hours later and discovered Michael placing a plate on the T.V. table he had set up in front of her.
“Mm. Smells delicious.”
He looked at her and smiled. “I hope you enjoy it.”
“What is it?”
“Do you like chicken marsala?”
“You made it?” Michael nodded with an expression of pride. “Wow! A man who can cook. I like.” He flashed a smile. If she had been standing, her legs would’ve gone out from under her.
He slid the tray toward her. “Do you need help sitting up? Or, do you even think you can sit up?”
“I think I can sit up thanks to the pain meds.”
Michael leaned down and guided her into a sitting position. Once she was up, he moved the tray closer to her. She watched as he got his plate and sat next to her. She loved to see him in jeans and t-shirts. Mmm. He looked so sexy.
“You all right there?”
Her cheeks, which were already flushed, became even more so. Cheyenne rubbed the back of her neck. “Yeah. I’m good; I was just waiting for you.”
“Is that why your face is red?”
“Blame it on the meds,” she said and shrugged while he raised an eyebrow and grinned. “What? You don’t believe me?”
“I didn’t say that.” Michael winked at her.
“Mm hm. You don’t have to. It’s written all over your face.”
“Okay,” he replied and took a bite of food. “You’d better eat before your food gets cold.”
“Yes boss.” They laughed then and ate in silence.
~
Michael brought a sleeping bag and pillow and placed them on the floor next to the couch.
“Uh….what are you doing?” Cheyenne leaned over to watch him on the floor.
“Well,” he began, without looking up, “I’ll be sleeping here with you. I don’t want you to be alone.”
“Michael, I’ll be fine here. Really. Go sleep upstairs. Don’t make yourself uncomfortable.”
“Baby, I’m at your beck and call.”
“You’re not my
slave. You’re my… fiancée.” Cheyenne bit her lower lip and began to think how odd, yet wonderful that sounded. “That sounded strange to say it out loud.”
“But it’s nice.”
“Yes,” she said with a smile. “It is.”
~
She tossed and turned for most of the night. All she could think about was Eric. He was never far from her thoughts. He was definitely going to haunt her no matter how she tried not to think of him, but no matter what happened, she would win in the end anyway. She would fight him—even if it was to the death. Hopefully it would only be his death.
Chapter 46
For the last six weeks Eric had been quiet and Cheyenne’s ribs healed. Michael tried to set a wedding date, but Cheyenne hesitated. She was afraid of what Eric might do. Michael attempted to keep life as normal as possible but Cheyenne knew Eric would eventually come out of hiding to strike. It was just a matter of time. He’d stop at nothing—even murder.
Cheyenne smiled and put Eric out of her mind for the time being. “What are we doing tonight?”
“I thought we were having dinner with your sister.”
“No. That’s tomorrow night.”
He rubbed the back of his neck and he sighed. “Well then, how about dinner and a movie? Just the two of us.”
“You mean actually going out for dinner and a movie?” she asked as she gazed at him with hope resonating in her eyes.
“Cheyenne, you know how I feel about going out right now. It’s not safe.”
She clenched her fists. “Are you serious? Look, I understand the risk, but I’ve been cooped up for weeks and I want to get out. Do you understand me? I WANT TO GO OUT!” She paused. “I’m going with or without you.”
Michael stared and shook his head in exasperation. “All right, but we are going to have a police officer with us. I won’t risk losing you again.”
“I’m glad you care, but I need air. I need to be around other people. I need to know that life is still out there.”
“I understand your frustration, but I’m more concerned about your safety. I love you.”
She shrugged, leaned in, and kissed him. “I love you, too, but I need to get out. Again, I appreciate your concern. It is an amazing feeling to be so loved. You must understand what I’m going through and how I feel. I need to get out every once in a while.”
“We had better get ready to go, but first, I’m going to call your sister and let her know what the new plan is. You go ahead. I’ll be right up.”
“See you upstairs.” She gave him a quick kiss, jumped up from the couch and bounced up the stairs. She was happy they were going out. It was long overdue, but then she realized what he had just said. “Michael,” she called out.
“What?”
“Why are you calling my sister? We’re supposed to go out with her tomorrow night.”
Michael hesitated. “I guess it was a case of old-timers. Now, I’ll call to see if she wants to come with us. Is that all right?”
“Yes, but I doubt she will be able to because she won’t be able to find a sitter on such short notice. Even though the kids are old enough to fend for themselves, Raina doesn’t like to leave them alone. Now that I’m done with my rambling, go and call her. I’ll get dressed.”
~
“Are you ready, my love?”
She turned to face Michael. “Yes I am. I can’t believe that I’m actually going out. It’s going to be the best night I’ve had in a long time.”
“Maybe after dinner, instead of going to see a movie, we can go dancing.”
“Dancing? Really? I haven’t been dancing in a long time. By the way, what did my sister say? Is she joining us?”
“No. She said that one of the boys is sick. Raina said she was going to call earlier, but forgot. Not only is it a no go for tonight, but tomorrow as well.”
“Guess I’ll call her tomorrow. It’s too bad she can’t go.”
“Yeah, but we do get to spend time together out in the real world. Won’t that be nice?”
“It sure will.” She smiled broadly. “But it would have been really nice to have my sister with us. Another person to converse with.”
He flashed a smile and squeezed her hand. “Yes, but we can be together, just the two of us, out in public.”
“Let’s go then.”
“That’s my girl.”
~
The dinner was delicious and they enjoyed country line dancing at Wild Boar Saloon. Cheyenne was surprised how good a dancer Michael was. She decided it was time for a drink. When the song was over, Michael got them a couple of beers.
“Wow! This is a really fun night. It’s so nice to be out like this. We shouldn’t wait so long next time. The only thing I can complain about is my feet hurting.”
“Then maybe you should wear more comfortable shoes next time.”
She laughed easily. “Maybe, but I am having so much fun. Thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome. I’m glad to see you happy. You deserve it.” He stared at her as he took a swig of his beer. “I was thinking about something.”
She then took a swig of her beer. “About?”
“We can do this again tomorrow night with or without your sister.”
“Sounds good to me. I just wish that Raina could come out with us. I’ll try to talk with her tomorrow. I know she said she couldn’t, but I can still try.”
“Great. So,” he nodded toward the dance floor, “you ready to get back out there?”
“Sure. Let’s go.” She began to look around at her surroundings. “Where’s the police escort? I don’t see a uniform.”
“He’s here, but is dressed in regular clothes. I don’t want to point and give him away.”
Cheyenne shrugged. “Okay. Let’s get back out on that dance floor.” An uneasy feeling briefly came over her but quickly vanished.
~
It was late and they left with arms around each other, still talking and laughing as they made their way to their car. Headlights flashed out of nowhere and the car aimed directly at them. It seemed to happen in slow motion, like she was in a movie. Michael pushed her out of the path of the car and fell on top of her. The car peeled out of the parking lot.
“Are you okay?” Michael asked.
“Yeah. I think so.”
Michael stood and held his hand out to help her. She looked at him and saw he was staring off in the direction where the car had disappeared into the night.
“It was him, Michael.” Cheyenne’s voice a whisper. “It was him. I know it. I just know it.” Her heart raced.
“Hey. Are you guys all right?” someone asked.
“Oh. Uh. Yeah. Physically we’re okay. Thanks,” Michael replied.
“My partner has called Detective Lawrence. He should be here pretty soon.”
“Thanks. We appreciate it.” Michael pulled Cheyenne closer and tried to console her. “Baby, it’s all right. We’ll get him. I promise.”
Cheyenne couldn’t even speak. Her entire body trembled. When was this going to end? With her death? With more people getting hurt or killed? Would he ever stop? She hoped no one else would have to endure what she had. Hopefully he would be caught before anything else happened. If not, she was going to die. On the other hand, she still had plenty of fight left in her. If she could help it, she was going to win. Fight first. Die later.
~
Detective Lawrence arrived twenty minutes later. Cheyenne sat in the front passenger seat holding a steaming hot cup of coffee. Michael knelt beside her, comforting. One of the police escorts leaned against the front fender keeping a vigil surveillance of the area. Cheyenne watched Detective Lawrence approach. “It seems like when things are good, Eric shows up to take away my sense of security,” Cheyenne said and Michael squeezed her shoulder as he stood. “I wish this would end.”
“We’re doing all we can, Ms. Harrington. I promise you.”
“Promises are meaningless unless they come through, Detective. I wish I could
be more positive, but things haven’t been so good for me as of late.” Cheyenne shrugged. “I’m sorry, Detective, but this is how I feel.”
“I understand, Ms. Harrington, but we are trying.”
“I know, Detective. I know.” Looking up at Michael, she said, “Let’s get out of here.”
“Thank you, Detective.” Michael shook hands with the Detective. “Call me with any new developments.”
“Will do.” He glanced over at the assigned policeman. “You keep a close eye on her.” He nodded at Cheyenne. “In the meantime, I’ll get a team down here to check things for possible clues.”
~
They were both silent and deep in thought on the ride home. How could an innocent action turn into something so big, dangerous, and dramatic? All because she let him into her apartment. How could she have been so stupid? Why didn’t she follow her instincts about him? Maybe she wouldn’t be in this predicament if she would have. For now, she was in trouble and had to wait to see what he was going to try next. Whatever it was, it was big and she, somehow, didn’t think she was going to make it out alive.
Chapter 47
They arrived home and Cheyenne kicked her shoes off, picked one up and threw it, watching it bounce across the room. She plopped down on the couch. Resting her feet on the coffee table and head on the back of the couch, she closed her eyes. Her mind raced with thoughts of Eric. Though she was tired, she knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep. How could she? Eric almost hit them. Yet, despite everything he has done, the police had difficulty keeping up with him. He’s sly and cunning to be able to slip away like that.
“Arrogant jerk,” she muttered.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
He shrugged. “You want to talk about it?”
“Not really. I’d just rather forget about it.”