by Lisa Lace
I sighed, and bit down on my lip, putting my head in my hand. I just wanted to cry. I did not want to put anyone I cared about in danger, but I also knew that my own life was on the line. I was so frightened. My head was cloudy from fear and lingering shock from all that had happened the night before, and I felt like I couldn’t think straight.
Nate could see that I was battling with myself, and he put his hands on my shoulders and turned me to face him. “Understand this, Jenna: we want to help you. You’re not forcing us. You’re not asking us. We want to help you. Honestly, Jenna—we would never leave you to face this alone. That’s not what good people do.”
Nate and Kacey were good people. The best people. Nate was wearing down my resistance. Honestly, I was far too scared to go anywhere on my own. I didn’t think I’d even be able to steer the wheel of my car with my shaking hands right then.
I nodded. “But we check the fire detectors, and then we pick up an extinguisher.”
“Deal.”
“And if I catch even a glimpse of Victor, I’m out of there. I will not put Kacey, or anyone else, in danger.”
“We’ll think about that if it happens.”
I looked up at Nate and spoke with sincerity. “I don’t know how I can ever thank you and Kacey enough.”
“You don’t need to.”
We did as Nate had described, and when Kacey arrived, we implemented some evasive techniques. Kacey picked me up from the back of the hospital. Nate quickly kissed me and urged me into the back seat.
I looked mournfully out the back window, staring at him as Kacey drove away. We’d decided it was best that Nate take a separate car so that if Victor was following his vehicle, he wouldn’t see where I had gone.
Kacey looked at me in the mirror. “I’m so sorry for what’s happened, Jenna. You must be terrified.”
I nodded. I felt like all the life had been drained out of me. “I just can’t stop thinking about what he might do next, and who he might hurt.”
“Well, put it out of your mind. I know it’s hard, but we’ve done everything we can do, and the rest is just about staying sharp. We’ll take every precaution we can, Jenna, and if even the slightest thing seems off, we’ll get the police right over.”
“Everything just feels so wrong.”
“You’re still in shock from the fire. You’ve been up all night. Get back to my place, get a hot drink in you and a good night’s sleep, and you’ll have a clear head to figure out what to do about this whole thing.”
I wrapped my arms around myself and leaned into the car door, watching the building pass by through the window. I sank down in my chair to try and be less visible. I didn’t want Victor to spot me and start to follow us. I didn’t even know if Victor was here.
“Do you think Victor would have followed me to the hospital?”
I saw Kacey’s frown in the mirror. “I guess it’s possible.”
I shuddered. I’d underestimated Victor; underestimated how evil he could be. He’d always been violent and irrational, but I’d often been able to predict what was going to set him off and could tread carefully around him to avoid a confrontation. Now I didn’t know how to handle the situation. He’d become unpredictable, and Nate was right—he’d started crossing lines even I thought he’d never cross. He’d become unhinged. That made him extremely dangerous.
It didn’t take too long to arrive at Kacey’s house after traveling back from the hospital in Fort Wayne. She lived in Brayford too, but on the other side of town to Nate, nearer the real estate office. She had a sweet little townhouse that was quiet and understated.
Once we’d pulled up, she ushered me through her front door. I made sure to scan the street up and down on the journey between the passenger seat and front door, searching to see if I could see Victor or his vehicle.
I couldn’t see him, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t there. I’d been looking over my shoulder for him ever since I’d received the first note, and I’d yet to catch even the slightest glimpse of him. In this game of cat-and-mouse, he was definitely the better player.
We entered the house and shut and locked the front door. Even when every key was turned and lock bolted, I still didn’t feel safe. I imagined I could smell gasoline, but I knew it was all in my mind. I had a flashback to dashing for my cell to call 911.
I’d managed to keep hold of my cell ever since the fire, but it was down to one bar of battery. It didn’t matter. I didn’t feel like I could use it now anyway. I was becoming paranoid. I still didn’t know how Victor had found me in Brayford in the first place, and I felt like I was being watched. I wanted to just throw out everything I’d ever owned and get everything new. I felt like everything was full of hidden microphones. I physically itched with the sense of eyes on me. Victor had gotten under my skin.
Kacey rubbed my shoulder kindly. “You look a million miles away, Jenna. How you doing?”
“Just tired.”
“I bet you are. I’ll get you some pajamas and get you set up in the guest room. We’ll pull the drapes, and you can go straight to sleep. I’ve taken a personal day off work, so I’ll be right here. You get some rest, and I’ll keep my eyes open.”
I was filled with gratitude, but so exhausted that I wasn’t sure how much of it came across in my smile. “Thanks, Kacey.”
“You want a shower first? I can still see the soot on you.”
I wanted to say no and just drop into bed, soot and all, but even in my wearied, exhausted state, I was still thinking about how I didn’t want to get black marks on Kacey’s bedsheets.
“Sure. Thanks.”
Kacey grabbed me a towel and some clean pajamas from her own closet, and I stepped into the shower. It did feel good to feel the soot wash away, and for that lingering smell of smoke to be gone from my hair. When I stepped out the shower, I felt more human.
After I was done in the bathroom, Kacey met me at the top of the stairs with a mug of hot chocolate. She smiled warmly. “I thought maybe you could do with this.”
“That’s really kind. Thanks, Kacey.”
“You drink that, and then get yourself into bed. Okay? I’ll be wide awake in my living room. You don’t have to worry about a thing.”
I nodded and gave her a thankful hug before I stepped into the guest room. I didn’t even drink my hot chocolate but climbed straight in between the fresh linen sheets. Sleep came surprisingly easy—I was exhausted—but I found that I was jolted awake often by every tiny noise in the house and on the street outside. It wasn’t an easy sleep, but at least my body could rest.
I thought of Nate, and how wonderful he’d been through all this. I felt physically and emotionally exhausted, but I tried to hold onto the hope that, after all this was done, maybe there was still a chance for Nate and I. After all, he’d stayed by my side this far.
Nate
It had been two days since the fire, and it was the first time I’d seen Jenna since the hospital. We’d kept away from each other to do our best to throw Victor off if he was still watching. We didn’t know if he was stalking my vehicle, or hers, and the last thing I wanted to do was lead him to Jenna and my sister. Jenna’s car was still outside the apartment block, so she’d taken a cab here.
I ushered Jenna quickly in the door and looked up and down the street cautiously. My eyes scanned the window of every parked vehicle slowly, looking to see if I could pick out the face of the man I’d seen in Jenna’s photograph. I kept Jenna shielded behind my back as I scanned outside, and then finally stepped in and shut the door.
I finally turned to face her and stepped forward to wrap one arm around her waist and hold her in a deep, loving kiss.
“I haven’t stopped thinking about you,” I told her.
She smiled. “Me, too. I’ve missed you.”
“How has everything been?”
“It’s all fine. Kacey’s a saint. She’s been so good to me.”
I nodded. “She’s always been good in rough times.”
“I just can’t believe how much she’s done for me. How much you’ve all done for me. I mean, I just drop into this town out of nowhere, bringing all my baggage…and you all just come to my rescue. One day, I’ll find a way to repay you all.”
“No repayment necessary. Your safety is all we want.”
She smiled softly. “He’s nowhere to be seen.”
“That doesn’t mean he’s not around.”
“How was work today?”
“Fine.”
It had been hard going back to work when my mind was still on Jenna. My work required utter focus. It was a dangerous profession where you needed your wits about you, and the last few days, I’d been completely preoccupied with worrying about Jenna, and being as vigilant as I could. Since the fire, I’d found myself scanning the face of every stranger that passed me in the crowd, looking over my shoulder after every few steps to try and catch the stalker in his path, and combing through the details of the debrief from the apartment building fire for clues that might help the police do their work.
So far, I’d had no luck. I’d not seen anyone that looked like Victor. Just the same friendly faces of the same old locals I’d known for years. Nobody new. Nobody suspicious.
It should have been a relief, but instead, it was frustrating as hell because I knew; I knew that Victor was still around somewhere. I just didn’t believe that he’d done what he’d set out to do. I didn’t think his goal was to frighten Jenna; I believed his goal was to punish her. To make her pay. Had he done that with the fire? Getting into the mind of a maniac was hard.
“How’s your arm?”
Jenna’s arm was already out of its dressing, and, aside from looking a little pink, it didn’t look too bad. She rubbed the injury with her palm and nodded. “It’s fine. It was never that serious in the first place.”
“And how’s your breathing?”
“My throat’s a little sore, but my lungs are fine.” She smiled at me. “Seriously, Nate, I’ve had a lucky escape.”
I took Jenna to the kitchen. The coffee maker was full of fresh coffee, and I poured us both a mug. We sat at the dining table on the other side of the counter, side by side, and continued to talk about everything that had happened since the fire.
“How are you getting on with replacing your things?”
Jenna sighed, then forced a smile. “I’m getting there. I’ve arranged to replace all my bank cards. They should be posted out soon. The new cell is working fine. I’ve closed my PO box. I’ve ordered some new clothes. Kacey’s given me a few things to borrow in the meantime.”
“Good.” I put my arm around her. “It sounds like you’re picking yourself back up. I’m proud of you.”
She let out a hollow laugh. “I don’t have much choice, do I? I’ve got nothing left.”
“It’ll come together.”
“It will.” She smiled again, but it was forced.
I had to admire Jenna’s strength and endurance through all this. Since the fire, she’d worked tirelessly to piece her life back together. She’d lost everything in the fire; all those little touches to make her apartment feel like home. She’d lost all her textbooks and favorite novels, and all her plants. She’d lost the decorative candle she’d been so excited to show me because it was just like the one Carla had. She’d lost all her new clothes and the cherished letters from her sister.
“We’ll replace all your stuff.”
Jenna’s little shrug showed a wealth of resilience. “They’re just things.”
They were “just things,” but I also knew they were so much more than that to Jenna. All those little touches had been proof of her accomplishments; a testament to her freedom. Now it was all gone, and she was back at square one. Yet she was being incredibly brave, patient, and strong. More proof that she was an incredible woman.
“Have you heard from Mrs. Gatsby?”
“She’s told me to take as much time as I need. She offered me boxes of her old bedsheets. She was so eager to help out that I took them. Didn’t have the heart to tell her I don’t have a bed anymore.”
“She’s a sweet lady.”
“Everybody here is sweet. I feel like I’m bad news. Everybody just got along before I came here.”
“Victor’s bad news. Not you.”
“I guess.”
“Have you heard anything more from the police about their investigation?”
“Nothing to report. They’re looking for him. Every time I call to check in, it’s the same thing: We’re looking for him.”
“Have they issued a warrant for his arrest?”
“Not yet. I don’t think they’ve got enough to go on. I think the official line is ‘he’s wanted for questioning.’”
“It’s not good enough.”
She shrugged. “I knew it would be like this. It was last time.”
“Don’t let it get you down, Jenna. They have protocols to follow. It’s a whole system. If they don’t follow the protocols, an otherwise solid conviction might not hold up in court. If they do it right, he’s got nowhere to hide.”
“He seems to be pretty good at hiding.”
Jenna was trying to be strong, but I could hear the strain in her voice, and see how exhausted she was. She was pale and had large, dark circles under her eyes. She was yawning every few minutes and kept resting her head on her hand.
“Keep your head up, Jenna. You’ve still got a lot to look forward to.”
“I have?”
“Of course. What about your degree?”
She perked up slightly and smiled. “That’s true. My sister’s coming to visit, too.”
“She is?”
Jenna nodded. “It’s not like I still have to worry about her leading Victor here, is it? It’s too late for that.”
“I guess not.”
“It’ll just be her. No kids.”
“Her husband?”
“No, he’ll be staying in Johnstone.”
“Well, that’s something to look forward to then, right?”
“I can’t wait. She’s going to stay in that motel and drive in to visit. It’s been so hard holding her at arm’s length all this time. We were always joined at the hip. It’s going to be so good to see her.”
“Have you told her what happened?”
“I told her there was a fire, and she guessed the rest. She said she got suspicious as soon as Victor went quiet for a while.”
“You’ve spoken on the phone, then? No more letters?”
“What’s the point? He already knows where I am. I’ve given her my new number.” She glanced up at me, and quickly added, “But I haven’t given her Kacey’s address. I’m still taking precautions.”
“Hopefully not for much longer.”
“I hope not.”
I moved closer to Jenna and leaned in to kiss her softly. After, I caught her eyes. “Everything will be okay.”
She smiled. “I believe you.”
Jenna leaned in to return my kiss with another. She rested her hand on my cheek as she pressed her lips against mine. It felt so good to feel her tender touch again. All the time together lately had been spent recovering from the fire and looking over our shoulders.
I parted her lips with mine and deepened the kiss. She let out a soft little moan and moved from her chair to sit on my lap, straddling me, so we were face to face.
She threaded her arms around my neck and caught my eye. “I’ve really missed you. If it wasn’t for you, I think I’d have left again. But I don’t want to leave you.”
“I don’t want you to leave.”
For a moment, Jenna just stayed still and looked into my eyes. It was a sweet moment of stillness after days of chaos. I didn’t realize just how quickly the earth had been spinning until Jenna’s kiss brought it all back into focus, and she rooted me in that one moment with her gaze. “I love you, Nate Blaze.”
“I love you, too.”
I put my arms under her. She wrapped her legs around me, and I carried her to the b
edroom. It was a school day, and Harriet was in class. Jenna and I were alone.
Jenna kissed me as I carried her. Her kiss was soft and sweet and wanting. I was gentle with the kiss I gave back to her. She held onto me tighter.
Once in the bedroom, I laid her on the bed, and Jenna lay back to wait for me. I lingered above her for a moment, letting my eyes wander over her, still fully-dressed, appreciating the strength and tenacity of her.
Her hands tugged at the bottom of my shirt, and I pulled it off for her. Her hands ran down my abdomen, and she bit down on her lip. I smiled—she was still Jenna.
She was wearing a buttoned blouse, which I slowly undid. I threw the blouse to the floor, followed by the plain green cotton bra that she was wearing. Jenna’s clothes were different, but her body was the same.
I leaned down to kiss her familiar breasts, and she lifted herself to kiss my forehead when I did. She placed a hand beneath my chin and lead my lips to hers again. She kissed me deeply, and with sincere, true affection.
I wrapped my arm around her waist to hold her body against mine, and then we rolled so that she was on top of me. She took off her jeans and threw them aside. Then she reached for the buttons of mine, and I readily took them off, followed by my boxers.
I was completely naked; she, in her panties.
Her expression looked wondrous as her eyes roamed over my body, and I was filled with equal admiration for her pert breasts above me. I let my palms trace the hourglass curve of her waist.
She removed her panties, and I pressed my fingers between her legs. Jenna let out a soft sigh and leaned into my touch. She was wet.
