Inseparable_A Second Chance Romance

by Mia Ford

  “I was just in the process of feeling her up,” Paulie said, laughing. “But hey, I like an audience. You can fucking watch.”

  He threw my head back down, and I lifted it toward him, gritting my teeth. I stared at him for several moments, picturing myself strangling him where he was standing. He snapped his fingers in front of my face and laughed, walking back over to Josie and stroking her hair.

  “I’m going to fucking kill you,” I said.

  “Sure,” he replied sarcastically. “You know, I’m thinking it’s actually going to be the other way around. In fact, you can now be a part of the murder-suicide that I’m planning. The two lovers are racked with guilt over the murder that the boyfriend, that’s you, set up, and Josie carried out. It’s all very romantic. You can both write suicide letters, and when they find the bodies, you can be the one holding the gun. Don’t you think that’s sweet? You put her out of her misery and guilt.”

  I could feel the wires pulling at my chest, and I knew that the FBI had heard everything. However, they didn’t have all the details, so I decided it would be a good idea to get as much information as possible. Paulie seemed like a complete idiot that would spill the beans without checking for a wire, and there wasn’t much more they could do before killing us. I took in a deep breath and fell back on my ass, rubbing the lump on the back of my head.

  “Whose death are we supposed to have masterminded?” I asked.

  “Not that it matters, but if it’ll make you feel better, it was this two-timing bookie who was skimming off the top,” he explained, taking the gun from his belt and waving it around. “Nobody steals from our family, so we sent Harry to take care of it. Unfortunately, some nosey old lady saw her, so we were forced to use your beautiful girlfriend here to take the fall. It was all too fucking easy in the end.”

  I knew that the FBI had everything they needed to come in and take this operation down, but that meant that I had to keep us alive a little bit longer until they moved in. Paulie laughed and put his gun back in his belt, lifting Josie’s face up and then dropping it. He shrugged and stepped back, putting his hand to his chin again and staring at her. I knew what was coming, and I needed to brace myself. He leaned down on one knee and grabbed her tits, squeezing them hard. He moved his hands all over her body and I grimaced, wanting to do something. Harry walked back over and grabbed me, lifting me to my feet, and putting the gun back to my face. Josie screamed out in shame, twisting in her chair as much as she could. I gritted my teeth as he reared back and slapped her hard, watching her head drop down again.

  I couldn’t stand any of it, not for one damn second. I couldn’t take the sounds of her screams, and I couldn’t take the vision of another man’s hands on her. I glanced over at Harry, who was looking around the room. There was a sound behind us, and I knew that was the perfect moment to make my move. As Harry turned her head to look at the doorway, I grabbed her wrist, twisting it so hard I could hear the bones popping inside and knocking the gun from her hand. She screamed and fell to her knees.

  I lunged forward and tackled Paulie, throwing him to the ground and punching him repeatedly in the face. He groaned and reached for his gun, so I kneed him in the balls and threw the gun to the other side of the room. I reared my arm back and punched him hard in the face. Blood poured from his nose and mouth. Suddenly, I heard the cocking of a gun, and I froze, feeling the barrel pressing against the back of my head.

  “Stop,” Harry said angrily. “Or I’ll blow your fucking brains out.”

  “Freeze,” voices shouted from behind us. “Drop your weapon, and put your hands in the air.”

  I slid off Paulie and leaned back against the wall, watching droves of FBI agents flood the room. I looked down at the broken skin on my knuckles and then back over at Paulie, who was laying in his own pool of blood, barely conscious. I stood up quickly and showed the agents my wiretap before bending down in front of Josie and untying the ropes from her ankles and wrists. She slowly picked her head up and smiled, rubbing her wrists. The paramedics moved me to the side and immediately starting to tend to her wounds. She looked worse than she actually was, but still, the sight of blood and bruising made me want to turn around and kick Paulie another couple times.

  I sat back down against the wall as another paramedic came over to me, wiping the blood from my hands and checking out the bump on the back of the head. They said neither of us had to go into the hospital, but we were welcome to get some x-rays if we were worried. Both of us refused and decided we just wanted to get back to the headquarters so we could get all of this taken care of. I was proud of Josie, and I could see that she was more than proud of me.

  Chapter 32

  Josie

  The FBI agents were really kind, probably the first law enforcement that had been nice to me since all of this crap had started. I couldn’t stop shaking as I sat in the chair and went over my story. I had to tell it from the beginning, when Paulie and Harry had first come to the house. I had to try to remember every single detail that I had experienced. It was a bit exhausting, and my face was throbbing. Blaine sat beside me, refusing to leave and claiming he had the right to be there because technically, he was my attorney. I was glad to have him there. Even though I’d wished he would stay away, now that the air was clear, I was so relieved that he’d shown up when he did. I couldn’t believe that I had given up the way I had, and all to keep a man safe. A man who would never leave me to die. I was silly for even thinking it.

  Telling my story was easy until it got to the kidnapping. Then, it became a little more difficult to talk about. It was starting to sink in that I had gotten abducted, that Paulie had groped me, and all the other things that happened behind closed doors. I was feeling a bit traumatized.

  After several hours, the FBI made sure we were safe, and they released us. I felt okay going back to Blaine’s house, although I didn’t know if I would ever go back to my father’s house again. There were too many bad memories there. The Giorntino crime family was pretty much screwed, and they ended up catching all but one of the members of the mob, the last making a run for it and plunging his car, accidentally, into the ocean. It was definitely a good day for the FBI, the state of Florida, and most importantly, me and Blaine. I knew then that all my charges would be dropped, and there were definitely some issues we had to take up with local law enforcement for not listening to me at all.

  Blaine helped me gingerly up from the chair and kissed my forehead, pretty much the only part of my face not black and blue. He held my hand as we walked through the FBI headquarters, smiling at the celebrations going on around us. I guessed that they had been trying to take these guys down for a long time. Who knew little ole me would help solve a ginormous case for the FBI? Well, I didn’t do it alone. That was for sure. I looked up at Blaine and smiled as we walked hand in hand out to the car. He opened the door to the SUV and got inside, reminding me that I had demolished his car.

  “Sorry about your car,” I said with a cheesy smile.

  He laughed. “That’s why I have insurance, love. Gonna get a brand-spankin' new one real soon.”

  I sighed with relief as we pulled up to his house, breathing in the salty sea air as I stepped out of the SUV and back on familiar ground. The security was still here, and Blaine planned on keeping them around until everything had settled down, just in case. We walked inside and put down our things, and Blaine gently grabbed my wrist and pulled me back toward the bathroom. Once inside, he helped me get my clothes off, hardening his face every time I winced.

  My wrists and ankles were all cut up from the ropes, and my face felt like a punching bag. He turned on the hot water and helped me in, taking his clothes off and climbing in after me. Very carefully, he filled the soft loofah with body wash and washed Paulie off my body, minding all the cuts and bruises. Then, as if he were reading my mind, he turned me around and washed and conditioned my hair, laughing as he struggled to get it all out. I reached up and kissed his cheek, lifting my arms painfully over
my head and rinsing it well.

  I was still amazed at this man standing in front of me, who happened to be the only person I had left in the world. When he was done showering, he helped me out of the shower and wrapped a towel around me. He dried my body and wrung my hair out before combing through the tangles gently. I smiled at him with every stroke, knowing I had never been treated this well by anyone in my life. It was almost astonishing what he was doing for me. I looked up in his big blue eyes as he pulled my hair back in a low ponytail to keep it out of my eyes. I didn’t have the heart to tell him no woman could sleep with her wet hair pulled back at that angle, and instead, I figured I would fix it when he wasn’t looking. He then sat me down on the stool in the bathroom and pulled out the tube of ointment the medics had given us. He got down on his knees and gently applied it, carefully running his fingers over the cuts. He smiled at me as he did the same with my wrists.

  I watched Blaine as he washed the ointment from his hands and dried them off. He walked over and grabbed me under the arms, helping to lift me up. My legs were still sore from being tied up, and my knees were weak, buckling at every turn. He walked me into the bedroom and helped me climb up under the covers, pulling them up to my chin and walking around the other side. I watched as he pulled his shirt off and showed his muscles, his body shimmering in the light. He was so sexy, but neither of us were in any shape to do anything about that. He pulled his arms around my body and tugged me in close, laying his head on my shoulder and watching my fingers move in and out of his. We sat there, silently watching each other for several minutes, just enjoying the silence and the ability to be close to one another. I couldn’t even begin to thank him for what he had done for me, and I decided not to try. The words were just not fitting together.

  “Why did you come back for me?” I asked.

  “Why?” He lifted his head and furrowed his eyebrows. “I had no choice. I love you. I couldn’t for one second be okay with letting you go. I will never let you go.”

  I smiled and laid my head down on the pillow, feeling his hands trickle over my back. He had risked his life for me, and not just once. This time, though, it was a life or death situation, and I was so glad he brought the FBI with him because if he had come in alone, we would have never made it out alive. I still hadn’t faced all the things that had happened. I still hadn’t mourned my father’s death or even made arrangements for him, but knowing that Blaine loved me so much really helped seal those wounds.

  “Why did you leave?” he asked.

  “I didn’t have a choice,” I said. “I love you. I wanted to protect you. I never wanted to think that I was responsible for you getting hurt or killed. I couldn’t have lived with myself if something like that happened. I was going to turn myself in and take the plea, because at least then, the mob would have left you and me alone.”

  He rubbed my shoulders. “Do you really believe that? The mob would have always kept you on a string. When you got out of prison, they would have had a new demand. It would have been a never-ending process.”

  “I just didn’t know what else to do,” I said, sighing. “My father was dead, and the only other person they had to come after was you. I could never live with being the cause of any pain in your life. I could never imagine my life without you. It would be horrible, and I couldn’t survive it. Honestly, a life behind bars sounded better than a life without you in it. It’s my responsibility to protect the people I love so that’s what I did.”

  “No,” he shushed. “It was your father’s responsibility. But I understand now why you go above and beyond to protect others. It’s because no one was there to do that for you. You were left as a kid to take care of your father, and he got so far into his addiction that he didn’t care anymore.”

  “You’re right,” I said, my voice beginning to shake. I turned over in the bed and faced Blaine. “I am so sorry. I have put you through hell and back. I put your life in danger, your practice in danger, and everything because my father didn’t pay his debts, and I was too afraid to tell the truth about the mob. I could have gotten you killed. I don’t deserve the amount of amazing things you do for me on a regular basis. I don’t deserve the kind of dedication you put into this whole case. You risked your life for me.”

  “And you did the same for me,” he said. “So stop. I would walk through hell for you. If I had the option to do this all over again, the only thing I would change would be being there for you more. I would have never let you go, and instead, I would have taken you to the FBI so they could clear up your charges instead of you putting yourself in harm's way. You are too precious to me to ever think otherwise.”

  “You are crazy,” I said, chuckling.

  “Well, everything is done now,” he said, sighing. “Now, we can really get back to life, strengthen our bond even more, and really let our love go free. You and I have such an amazing future ahead of us, and it’s just because we will be together. Everything we choose to do from here on out will be done as two people in love. There won’t be anymore drama or questions, and the only thing I’m hoping to have to save you from is when you stub your toe on the corner of the table.”

  “I do that a lot,” I said, smiling. “You might have to buy me special shoes when I’m old.”

  “I’ll get matching ones so you don’t feel self-conscious,” he said, leaning in and kissing my forehead.

  “Thank you,” I replied, smiling at him. “Thank you for loving me like you do. Thank you for changing who you are to be a better person for us. Thank you for holding my hand no matter what. It is absolutely the best feeling ever in the entire world.”

  “I will always be there,” he said, smiling. “Now, we need to cuddle up and get some sleep. It’s been a really long two weeks.”

  I smiled as I turned back over and let him slide his arms around me. I grabbed onto to his hands and pulled them close to my mouth, kissing each of his fingers. I had never felt so close to anyone in my entire life. I loved this man so much, and I owed him my life, something that I would spend the rest of my days making up to him with kisses, love, and support wherever I could give it. I truly felt that the universe had brought us together at the perfect moment, a moment when we needed each other, even if we didn’t see it right away.

  Chapter 33

  Blaine

  I grasped onto Josie’s hand, feeling completely and totally at ease. We were walking down a hallway layered in windows and bathed in light. The hardwood floors shimmered in the rays of the sun. I looked down to see that I was wearing a white shirt and white cotton pants like the ones you wear at the beach. Josie looked up at me and smiled, her face no longer scarred or bruised, and her hair cascaded in large curls down her back. Her white dress flowed with each step, and her adorable little feet were bare. The air was crisp, and the temperature was absolutely perfect. I looked out the window to see the ocean lapping gently against the shore, it’s blue color clearer than anything I had ever imagined.

  As we moved forward, the sound of birds echoed through the hallway, and I could see the doves sitting happily in the bushes to the side. We approached a room, the door sitting open and the sunlight cascading across the floors. I stepped forward, letting go of Josie’s hand but feeling her presence behind me. As I stepped through the archway, the sun brightened the room, and the sounds of the birds faded slightly into the background. I looked up to the side and closed my eyes, feeling the warmth of the sun washing over my body. It was the most complete and calm feeling I had ever experienced. I felt Josie’s hand slide into mine, and I opened my eyes to look over at her. She smiled and nodded her head toward a small oak crib in the corner.

  Suddenly, it all became clear. I was standing in a nursery, but instead of murals on the walls, there were real trees and animals running in and out of the limbs. Beneath my feet were soft grass and beautiful flowers. I stepped slowly toward the crib, hearing the coo of a child. When I reached the edge, I peered down into the crib, smiling as a small, dark-haired baby laughed and
giggled inside. I reached down and pressed my finger against its nose, something my father had always done when I was a small child. The baby laughed and smiled, reaching up and wrapping his small hands around my finger and squeezing. I looked over as Josie walked up beside us, smiling at me and then leaning over and picking the child up. I watched in amazement as she smoothed her hand carefully over the baby’s head, holding it close to her breast.

  I followed the two across the room to a bed of soft white pillows and blankets nested on the ground. We sat down in the softness and laid the baby between us, playing with him as he laughed and cooed, looking lovingly at Josie. The child shifted his glance, and I saw that he had Josie’s eyes, bright and wondrous, like they had been the first time I met her. We sat there for what seemed like hours, loving each other, kissing the baby, and basking in the light from the sun. There was a warm feeling in my chest, and though no words were being spoken, I could feel the bond getting stronger between the two of us. She looked so happy and pleased, just lying there with the child, unable to keep her hands off of his soft beautiful skin. I looked up at the sun as it began to dance toward the horizon, feeling saddened that the day was coming to a close.

  When I looked back, Josie and the baby were gone, and I stood quickly, walking forward into the darkness that had approached. My feet suddenly felt the sand, and I whirled around, realizing I was now walking along the beach under the light of the moon. I looked down the sand and saw Josie standing there, now wearing a long black dress, her body filling every curve. She was absolutely stunning, and she reached her hand out for mine. I walked quickly toward her and took her into my arms, looking deep into her eyes. She smiled up at me, her hands moving up my torso and landing on my chest. I could feel her body close to mine, and she leaned forward, closing her eyes and puckering her lips. I closed my eyes as well and leaned into her, feeling her lips brush across mine.