by Trisha Grace
“He’s just worried about Hayley,” Colin said as he took the detective’s hand. He flashed a charming smile and gestured for the detective to take the seat next to him.
Julian would have been annoyed at Colin for trying to smooth over the situation. He wasn’t interested in playing nice with the detective, but he was glad Colin had turned his charming self onto her. “So what news do you have on Ted Shears?”
Detective Miller took a seat and tucked the mess of her black hair behind her ears. Her hair, which hung slightly above the chin, looked as if she’d walked through a hurricane to get to his apartment. “Not much, but we’re doing everything we can to find him.” She went on to explain the network of police out searching for the escaped convict.
“So you’re basically just casting as wide a net as possible, hoping to catch him.” Julian raised a hand before Detective Miller could continue. “What do you need to talk to Hayley about?”
“I wanted to go over the case with her again.” Detective Miller looked over at Hayley. “It may help us figure out what Ted Shears will try and do next.”
Leanne rolled her eyes again. “If the cards were from him, it’s clear he’s coming after Hayley.” She threw her hands in the air. “I don’t like Mr. Nicholson over there, and the last thing I want to do is agree with him. But I think he’s right about needing someone more senior on the job.”
Julian didn’t care that Leanne didn’t like him. He appreciated the honesty, and it was clear she was protective of Hayley as well.
“May I see the cards?” Detective Miller asked.
Hayley pulled out the card from the back pocket of her jeans. “The other one is in the bedroom. I’ll go get it.”
Leanne watched Hayley leave, then turned to the detective. “Do you know what Ted Shears said to Hayley as the guards dragged him away?” She sighed at Detective Miller’s blank expression. “‘You will be my sixteenth. I’ll never let you get away. You’ll spend your whole life thinking about nothing but me.’”
Colin covered his face. “That was why she bolted when I said ‘Whoever it was probably wanted you to be thinking about nothing but this.’”
“It took a lot of counseling with our church pastor before she stopped jumping at every shadow, before she allowed herself to believe she was safe again.”
“You were kidnapped along with her, right?”
“Yes,” Leanne answered the detective. “So you can ask me anything, but don’t make her recount the story again.”
“Here.” Hayley came back in with the card.
“There’s something I need to let you know,” Detective Miller said with a grim expression. “We found these in his cell.” She tapped on her phone and pushed it toward Hayley.
Julian leaned forward. On the screen was a newspaper cutting of their engagement announcement.
Detective Miller swiped her finger across the screen. “And this.”
Another newspaper cutting, this time of their wedding.
“He’s been keeping track,” Hayley said with a tone of finality. “So the cards were from him.”
Julian had never cared if people found out the address to his penthouse. He didn’t think anyone would be able to break into his place. So far, no one had. But he wasn’t willing to sit around and wait for something to happen.
They had to move.
Chapter Eleven
HAYLEY STEPPED OUT of the bathroom and skidded to a stop. Julian was sitting in his wheelchair, seemingly waiting for her. Over the last four months, she’d waited for Julian to finish before she got ready for bed. She wanted to make sure that he was in bed without any issues before she wound down.
By the time she was done, he was usually asleep in bed.
But tonight, she’d been tired and needed a bath. She wanted to wash away the thoughts of Ted Shears and thoughts of what she would have suffered if it hadn’t been for Leanne.
Hayley clutched at the towel she’d wrapped around herself. She wasn’t sure if she should turn back into the bathroom or hurry into the dressing room to get some clothes on. He’s already seen you in your lingerie. And he hadn’t cared for what he saw. So get over yourself.
Hayley straightened her back and dropped her hand from the towel to brace for whatever Julian was about to say. He had been frustrated during their meeting with Detective Miller. He hadn’t directed any of it at her, probably because Leanne and Colin were there, but they weren’t here anymore.
“A security team will arrive tomorrow. They’ll take us to a safe house.”
“Safe house?”
“Hayes Security set up a safe house for us.”
“I thought you said we were safe here.”
“Colin said the truck driver ambushed you outside the apartment building.”
Hayley sighed and walked over into the dressing room. “I told him not to tell you.” But clearly Colin was more Julian’s friend than hers.
“Why not?”
“Because I knew it would only make you more frustrated with me.” She opened the drawer with her silk pajamas. “Go ahead. Tell me how stupid or pathetic I am that I can’t handle a simple trip to the café without causing problems for you.”
“I wasn’t going to do that. What makes you think I’m frustrated with you?”
She laughed without turning around. “When are you not frustrated with me? Everything I do irks you.” Her mind fast forwarded through all the things Julian had said to her and she forced her shoulders back.
“Hayley.”
She paused for a moment and tried to come up with one nice thing he’d said to her—just one. Nope. Nothing. Not even one. “I’m tired, Julian. I’m not up for listening about what a terrible waste of life I am. Tomorrow. You can do that tomorrow.”
He wheeled himself into the dressing room. “Hayley.” He put a hand on her waist, and she jumped away from it as if his touch burned her.
“I know I’m causing you trouble because of this, but I didn’t ask for it. I didn’t ask to be just the type of young girl that Ted Shears liked. I didn’t ask for him to escape and come after me. I didn’t ask for the truck driver to show up outside the apartment building.”
The muscles along his jaws twitched.
Ugh. It seemed having a serial killer coming after her wasn’t enough for her husband to give her a break from his unhappiness.
She sighed and put her hands on her hips. “Fine. Go ahead. Get it over with.”
Hayley gasped, and her eyes widened when Julian suddenly tugged her onto his lap. She pressed the towel to her chest and tucked the end back in place. “What are you doing?”
Julian wrapped his arms around her, and she stiffened.
What is he doing?
“I’m sorry.”
Hayley blinked. I’m sorry? She must have heard something wrong, or she was hallucinating.
“I’m sorry about how I’ve treated you,” he said and paused.
Okay. Something’s wrong.
“I’m not angry with you. I do wish you’d told me about the truck driver and the cards, but I understand why you didn’t.”
Hayley looked up at him. “Are you okay?” She touched the back of her hand to his forehead.
He took her hand from his forehead and ran his thumb over the back of her fingers. “Why aren’t you wearing your wedding ring?”
She was certain now. Something was wrong with Julian. She should book a doctor’s appointment for him. Or had she passed out? Perhaps this was just a dream.
“Why aren’t you wearing your wedding ring?” he repeated.
“You’re not wearing yours either.”
Julian looked down at his ring finger.
A corner of her lips hooked into a wry smile. “You didn’t even know you weren’t wearing it, did you?” When he didn’t reply, she pushed to her feet. “Do you even know where it is?”
Of course he didn’t.
“It’s in here, in case you’re wondering.” She opened a small drawer and pulled out the box t
hat held their wedding rings. “The nurses removed it before your operation.”
“Where’s yours?”
She put the box back into the drawer. “In there too.” Right where it belonged.
Julian wheeled over to her and took the box out of the drawer. He put his ring back on and turned the box to her.
She stared at him for a moment. “What’s going on with you?”
“What do you mean?”
“Why the sudden concern about a wedding ring?” She looked down at the ring. “The sudden need for me to wear it.”
“It isn’t that I wasn’t concerned. I’ve just been busy with my recovery. You should’ve told me when you got the cards. I was worried when Colin told me.”
She laughed and reached to the back of her neck to remove her necklace.
“What’s so funny?”
“What injuries did I sustain from the accident?”
Julian stared back at Hayley, his mind blank. He knew she was hurt, but he never asked exactly how. “You weren’t hurt too badly.”
She smiled, a wry, wistful smile that made his heart ache. She plucked the ring from the box and slipped it onto her finger. “There.” She wriggled her fingers. “Happy? That’s what I live for—to make you happy.”
She grabbed her pajamas and strode out of the dressing room without waiting for his reply.
Julian rubbed at his chest. Could Colin be right? Did Hayley still intend to annul the marriage when he recovered? She sure didn’t seem as if she wanted to wear the ring. He hadn’t meant to force her into wearing it either.
He thought the only reason she wasn’t wearing hers was because he wasn’t wearing his.
But if she was still intent on leaving him, why did she tell her father that she would stand by him?
Maybe she was just upset with him. Christians didn't believe in divorce, right? Or was that just Catholics? Was she Catholic or some other kind of Christian?
Julian ran through all the prayers she’d said over him when she thought he was asleep. She didn't mention if she was Catholic in those prayers. He took the phone he’d placed next to his leg and googled ‘how to know if someone is Catholic.’
None of it helped much until he found something about the difference in cross pendants. He pulled out the drawer she had dropped her necklace into. It was just a simple cross, not a crucifix. Probably not Catholic, then.
Next he googled if Christians were allowed to divorce. There were as many denominations that said ‘yes’ as there were that said ‘no.’ He groaned and tipped his head back.
Forget it. She said she’d grant him the annulment when he got back on his feet, so he just needed to make sure that he became the best husband she could ever ask for before he recovered fully.
He’d formulated a plan by the time he got out of the shower. Once he executed his plan, she would be head over heels in love with him and the thought of divorce would be long forgotten.
He got into bed as gently as he could so he wouldn’t wake Hayley. He had just lain back when Hayley started making distressed noises.
Julian looked over and thought about what Leanne had said. It took a lot of counseling with our church pastor before she stopped jumping at every shadow, before she allowed herself to believe she was safe again.
He reached over and put a hand on Hayley’s shoulder, and she immediately curled into a ball.
“No, please don’t hurt us.”
Shaking her gently to wake her, Julian shifted himself closer to Hayley. “Hayley, wake up.”
“No, please.”
Though he didn’t want to jar her, he didn’t want her to remain in the nightmare. “Hayley, wake up,” he said and shook her harder.
Hayley gasped and shot upright, shielding her face with her arms.
“It’s okay.” Julian sat up in bed and took her hand. “You were having a nightmare. It’s just a nightmare. You’re safe.” He brushed the hair plastered to her forehead away from her face and tucked it behind her ear. “It’s okay.”
She pressed her hands to her face.
“Did the guy hurt you?” Julian had surmised that the version Leanne and Hayley had recited to him and Colin was a censored and condensed version. He hadn’t pushed because he didn’t want to force Hayley to live through her nightmare again.
Hayley dropped her hands after a moment and shook her head. “He roughed us up a little and told me in detail what he’d like to do to me.” A teardrop rolled down her cheek. “And he would’ve done it if it weren’t for Leanne.”
Julian brushed her tear away and pulled her into his arms. “You’re safe now.”
She sighed, and he smiled as she softened in his arms and leaned against his shoulder. Such a simple gesture, but it roused something in him. Her reaction made him want to go out and make the world a better place for her so she would never have to be afraid of anything.
The moment was quickly broken when she suddenly pushed away from him. “I’m sorry,” she said and brushed the back of her hand against her cheek. “I didn’t mean to cling on to you.”
“You—”
She quickly turned and lay back down on the bed with her back to him. Suddenly he felt as if a wall as wide as the Sahara desert separated them.
“Goodnight,” he said.
“Goodnight,” she mumbled without looking at him.
Three seconds? Three seconds of having Hayley in his arms and he was addicted. He was sorely tempted to lie down and pull her into his arms. Could he? How would she react if he did that?
She hadn’t fought him when he pulled her onto his lap. He hadn’t been thinking when he did that, but he couldn’t make himself let her go once he did. And this time, she hadn’t been the one who clung to him. He was the one who’d pulled her against him, and he wanted to do it again. He wanted to spend all his time holding her.
But he couldn’t. Not now. Perhaps halfway through his formulated plan.
Julian leaned back on the pillow. It was nice to hope.
Chapter Twelve
THE GLINT REFLECTING off her full eternity diamond ring caught Hayley’s attention. She looked down at her hand resting on the edge of the black granite vanity. The wedding ring felt strangely heavy. She hadn’t worn the ring since the nurses at the hospital took it off. This doesn’t mean anything.
Julian hadn’t asked for his ring since after the operation either. She didn’t blame him. He’d received terrible news, and she was certain the ring didn’t mean anything to him in the first place. Just as she didn't mean a thing to him.
His sudden decision to wear his ring didn’t mean anything. It doesn’t mean anything at all, Hayley.
But something was different about him. Cut out the daydreaming, Hayley.
She had, after all, done a lot for him over the last few months. Maybe he just felt bad or obligated.
He might have gotten her security, but he was off-loading her to a safe house. Should she ask Leanne to go with her? Leanne wouldn't hesitate, but she didn't want Frank to worry. He’d had a heart attack less than six months ago. Perhaps they could lie and say they were going away for a vacation.
Hayley ran a hand through her hair. Ted Shears.
She stared at herself in the mirror. I’m okay. I’m safe. And she would be safe at the safe house. London sounds a lot better than a safe house. Maybe she could try floating the idea with Julian. He wouldn’t care where she went, and Leanne could be ready to leave in under an hour.
She pursed and released her lips. Why did she even have to ask Julian? She could just make the decision to go to London. She was her own person.
Hayley sighed. She’d be her own person once the annulment went through. Julian had already arranged for security, and she didn’t want to mess up his plan.
She strode out of the bathroom and stopped when she noticed a large black leather suitcase beside the bed.
Had Doreen packed her bag for her? But that wasn’t her bag.
She’d better take her things out of the suitc
ase before Doreen got into trouble with Julian for touching his things without permission.
“You should start packing,” Julian said as he wheeled out of the dressing room. “The security team should be arriving in an hour.”
Hayley thanked God she wasn’t someone who blushed. The moment she saw Julian, the memory of last night came rushing back. Why had she clung to him in bed? He must have thought she had gone mad.
“Doreen must have taken your suitcase by mistake. I’ll pack the things in my own bag.” She dropped to her knees and unzipped the bag.
“Hayley.” Julian reached over and took her hand. He was doing that an awful lot. “That’s my bag.”
“I know. I’ll—”
“I mean the things inside are mine.”
Hayley looked up with a frown, and Julian stared back at her with an amused smile.
“Wait. You’re coming with me?” She’d been surprised that he bothered with hiring security. She didn’t think he would care, and she couldn’t help but laugh when he said he was worried about her because she wasn’t sure how else she was supposed to react.
“Did you think I was letting you go alone?”
Of course. She dropped her gaze to the bag again. “What about your sessions? You can’t miss them.”
“I’ll get back to my sessions when Ted Shears is back in prison.”
“No. You don’t understand. You’re making great progress. You shouldn’t stop now. Your brain circuits and synapses are still going strong because you’ve only recently been hurt. If you allow too much time to pass, it’ll be more difficult to get back on your feet.”
Julian opened his mouth to speak, but she noticed his hesitation.
“I’m not going to let you stop your sessions.” She stood, intending to walk away, but he held on to her hand. Why wasn’t he letting go? Why did he keep taking her hand? Why was his hand always so warm? It made her want to melt against him.
Hayley glanced into the dressing room and thought about how Julian had pulled her into his lap and held her. So much had happened last night that she still wasn’t quite sure if that actually happened or if she’d imagined it.
