by Jill Sanders
“Like hell I will,” he growled out and got out of the car with Joseph, who just sighed.
“Listen, we don’t know if he’s brought her here or not. If so, he’s armed with this.” He waved the gun he’d drawn. “And possibly the shotgun from his trunk.”
“Then give me one of yours,” Adam said plainly. “I’ve spent enough time at the gun range to handle either of them.”
“You’re not trained in situations like this,” Joseph started to say.
“And you are?” Adam questioned, causing the man to halt.
“Fine, but we go in together.”
“Of course.” He nodded, then walked around and took the shotgun he was handed.
“Don’t shoot. I mean it. You’re only there to back me up,” Joseph warned.
“Fine,” he said, knowing full well he would break that promise if it meant saving Lilly.
Adam followed Joseph up the long drive. The sky was full of clouds that blocked out the starlight and the light from the moon, making the trek slow and troublesome. He stumbled too many times to count and grew more frustrated as they went along.
Finally, he could see a dim light come from a small building.
“I’ve only been here once, but there’s a back door. I’ll knock on the front door, you go around to the back and don’t make a move until you hear me. Got it?” Joseph relayed.
“Sure,” he agreed, then moved around the building, keeping as low as he could. He found the back door and started to move slowly towards it, just as the bottom of the door burst open and a large black dog rushed towards him.
He braced his feet, ready for the impact that never came. Instead, the dog stopped a foot from him and sat down in the dirt. Adam watched with amazement as the dog’s tail wagged a million miles an hour, clearing the spot underneath its tail.
He could have sworn there was a grin on the dog’s face as its tongue lapped the air around him.
“Hi,” he said. He was surprised when the dog barked in reply.
“He’s not here,” Joseph called out, causing Adam to jump and spin around.
“How do you know?”
“He left the door open. I had a look inside. Roscoe,” he said, getting the attention of the dog, “where’s Carl?”
Roscoe barked and took off through the trees. “Follow him,” Joseph called out, taking off.
Adam raced after the black spot as it weaved through the darkness, afraid he’d lose the dog and Lilly forever. His breath hitched and his entire body ached as he forced himself to speed up. He lost sight of the dog only once and stopped to listen. When he heard the panting straight ahead, he sped up and almost stumbled into a clearing.
“There,” Joseph called out. “There’s a light.” He pointed to a small speck in the distance. The building was no more than a shack hanging on the side of a bluff surrounded by trees. If it hadn’t been for Roscoe racing towards it, he would have overlooked the spot.
Then, while they were watching, he saw the light grow stronger. His mind whirled as he raced towards the growing brightness. By the time he was a few feet from the door, the entire building was engulfed in flames. Joseph was close on his heels and he was reaching out his hand for the doorknob when the building shifted and he was blown backwards through the air.
The wind was knocked from his lungs and he hit a few tree branches as he flew through the air. He finally landed on the ground with a thud. Then the darkness overtook him and his mind cried out for Lilly and the future they would never have together.
***
Lilly waited and watched Carl work on making the soup on an old propane stove. She decided against trying to talk to him after the last time. She’d asked him how long it had taken to build the shack and had almost gotten slapped in response.
His moods were growing odder and she was afraid he was building up to something. He started mumbling to himself as he cooked. Every time his back was to her, she would scoot closer to the fire. If he asked, she would say she was just trying to get warmer.
She had to be a few steps in front of him. That was the only way she was going to get out of this alive.
“I’ve practiced this,” Carl said over and over again. She noticed that he had started swaying slightly.
“What?” she asked, inching towards the fire.
“This!” he barked out and turned towards her. She released her breath when he didn’t say anything about her being closer to the fire. “Us!” He set the bowl of soup on the table. “Being with a woman.” His eyes narrowed. “I told myself I had to wait for you. Forced myself to wait.” He grunted. “You’re the only one.” He moved closer to her. “The only one I’ll be with. You’re perfect. Just like I said you would be.”
He was a foot from her. She could see the bulge in his pants and felt her stomach roll. Then he stopped. “But first”—he glanced back— “food.” He nodded. “Yes, that’s how it goes. Food first, then…” His smile grew and she knew she wouldn’t be able to ever smell tomato soup again without thinking of this moment.
He turned to go back towards the table and she jumped, her legs still tied together. She hit the gas lamp, knocking it from the small table. It landed just outside the fireplace, causing Carl to spin around and jump.
Oil splattered over the wood planks, as she reached for a piece of glass that had broken. She cut her hands on it as she swiped at the rope. He rushed towards her and yanked her arms back, but he was too late. The fire had leapt from the hearth and had now engulfed the oily planks of the floor.
Her feet were still tied together, but she swiped out with the broken glass and felt the skin on his face give way to the sharpness.
He howled out in pain as blood splattered over her shirt and face. His hands dropped away from her, causing her to lose her balance and fall forward only feet away from the growing fire. She rolled away, tucking her arms as she rolled over the broken glass from the oil lamp.
When she stopped, she reached down and continued cutting her rope, only to be yanked once more from behind. This time, when she kicked out, the rope broke free from her legs and she connected with his shin. He cried out in pain. She felt the butt of his gun jamb into her ribs. Closing her eyes, she counted and waited for death as the fire lapped around them, growing stronger and stronger.
Then, the pressure of his gun disappeared and she was tossed forward. Pain shot up her arms as she connected with the panes of the window. The glass broke under her fingers, cutting her.
She heard Carl cry out and when she glanced back, noticed that the other oil lamp had burst next to him and he was completely engulfed in flames. He stopped for a moment, and his eyes traveled down to his feet where the propane tank sat, surrounded by fire. Then he looked up at her.
“Run!” he shouted just before a bright light flashed before her eyes, sending her flying out the barricaded window. She heard bones snap, felt skin break open, and smelled her hair sizzle in the flames. Then she felt nothing at all.
***
He heard the dog whimper and reached his hand out for it, only to have it come away wet. Then he was being shaken, and the pain was almost too much to bear.
“Stop.” He cursed in French. When he opened his eyes, it took a moment for his eyes to focus.
“What the hell?” Joseph knelt next to him. Then he pulled out his radio and called for help. His words were muffled as Adam tried to clear his mind. The dog crawled towards him as blood splattered from a large cut just above its shoulder.
He glanced down and assessed his own damage. He was pretty sure he’d broken a rib or two, but other than some scratches, he looked okay. Then he remembered the building and moved to rush towards it. He started calling for Lilly over and over again as the heat grew.
Joseph was trying to pull him back from the fire, but he needed to get in there, to save Lilly. Even the dog was trying to stop him from rushing towards her.
He collapsed to his knees when reality set in. No one could have survived that! His mind went numb. H
e’d lost her. The moment he’d waited for all his life had just been ripped out from under him. Happiness was gone. Forever.
Then the dog’s head jerked up and he whimpered. When he started crawling towards the tree line, Adam glanced around, hoping. Praying.
“Lilly!” he called out. He listened, watching the dog’s ears perk up in reply.
The dog tried to crawl towards the sound he couldn’t hear. Adam rushed towards the trees with Joseph on his heels and the dog crawling along.
He must have gone about a fifty feet when he finally heard the soft sound himself.
“Adam,” Lilly croaked out.
“Here,” he called searching the darkness for her.
Joseph appeared and handed him a flashlight. When he turned it on, he gasped. There, near the foot of a tree was Lilly, her body covered in cuts, blood flowing from almost every exposed spot of skin. Her face was pale white and her hair was matted around her, singed around the edges.
“Tell me I don’t have bangs,” she replied, moaning. “I hate bangs.” She looked up at him, her blue eyes clouded with pain. “I knew you’d come for me,” she whispered when he knelt next to her.
“Don’t move her,” Joseph called out. “Help’s on the way.” He turned away and yelled into the radio. “We need a chopper, ASAP!”
Adam felt his heart skip. “I’m here.” He brushed a strand of burned hair away from her eyes. “Don’t move.”
“Okay.” She smiled. “For you, I’d do anything,” she said, her eyes closing slowly.
“Keep her awake,” Joseph called to him.
“Lilly,” he said softly, as the dog crouched up next to her body and whimpered. “I know this isn’t the right time, but can we have a dog?”
He heard her chuckle and her eyes opened again. “Anything.” She smiled. “But I want at least four kids.”
“Four?” He smiled down at her, brushing a tear from her dirty face. “I was thinking of five.”
“Sounds good.” She sighed. “I hurt.” She frowned.
“I know, baby. Hang on. I can hear the chopper now.” The sound was almost deafening, but he didn’t remove his eyes from her face.
“Lilly.” He waited until her eyes moved to his. “I’m sorry, baby.”
“What?” she asked, her eyes focusing slightly.
“It looks like you’ve got bangs.” He smiled as a tear slipped down his nose and landed softly on her lips.
She licked her lips and smiled. “Salty. Don’t cry,” she said. “They will grow out.”
He laughed and then was pushed away from her as the paramedics took over.
He stood back and watched them shove tubes into her arms, tie her body up tight into a gurney, and load her into a chopper. He held onto the dog until the sound of the blades disappeared. Then he was pushed onto a gurney himself. When they tried to take the dog away, he refused to let go until they promised they would patch him up and keep him until he could pick him up.
As they drove him away, he saw the last embers of the building that had been her prison. He wasn’t sure what had happened to Carl, but somehow he knew the man was no more.
He felt torn. He wanted to hurt the man who had ripped his happiness from him, but at the same time he was so relieved that Lilly was safe that all his anger was now gone.
All he could think about was Lilly. He couldn’t wait to see her again. To hold her in his arms. To kiss her and tell her how much he loved her.
There was no question in his mind that she would be alright. He’d seen it in her eyes as she’d laughed at him. Five kids. They were going to have five kids. He kept saying it over and over again as they worked on him during the drive to the hospital.
“Congrats,” one of the paramedics had even said. “I’ve got three of the little rug rats myself. Number four is in the works right now.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
The sounds were the first thing she remembered. French curse words slurring together, so loud that she finally opened her eyes.
“Would you stop cursing,” she growled out. When the room turned silent, she smiled. “There, that’s much better.”
She felt her hands being taken, then kissed.
“I’m sorry, love. I promise never to raise my voice again,” Adam said next to her ear.
She snorted, then groaned. “Damn,” she said under her breath. “Life would be boring if you kept that promise.”
She heard a few chuckles and glanced around, blinking a few times until she could focus.
“Tell me.” She took a shallow breath. “How bad are the bangs?”
Several more chuckles echoed in the room. Then Sarah walked over and leaned over her.
“You only have half bangs.” She smiled down at her. Lilly could tell she’d been crying. “And half mullet.” She ran a hand over her hair. “Sorry, but this whole side of your hair got singed.”
“Okay.” She rested her face in her sister’s hand. “What else?” She looked to Sarah.
When Adam started talking, she shushed him. “You’ll tell me what you want me to know, my sister will tell me everything.”
Adam frowned down at her. “Go pout somewhere else.” She smiled up at him. “Now, talk.”
“Well.” Sarah looked to Adam, then nodded. “You’ve got three broken ribs.”
“Two more than me,” Adam added in.
“You’ve got burns on the left side. They aren’t bad, but you’ll be covered in bandages for a while. The doctor doesn’t think there will be too much scarring.”
“What else?” She could already feel most of it, but knew there was something else.
“Um, a broken leg.”
“And?” She waited.
“More cuts and bruises than I can count.”
“Sarah.” She twisted her head around until she could see her friend. “What else?”
She bit her lip. “You were missing part of a finger. But they sewed it back on. They aren’t sure if… if it will stay.” Her friend’s eyes turned red and she started crying.
“Yeah, I figured that.” She closed her eyes. “I had to cut the ropes off my legs.” She sighed. “Tell me I didn’t lose my ring.” She wished she could feel the numb digits.
“It’s here.” A woman with a very thick French accent and long dark hair stepped forward. She held up the ring and smiled. “I’ll hold onto it until you’re able to fit it back on your finger.”
“Lilly, my mother, Adeline.” Adam smiled over at the woman and Lilly could see the love in his eyes.
“Okay.” She smiled. “Thanks.” She turned back to Adam. “Anything else?”
He smiled. “You may have almost lost a knuckle, but you gained a dog named Roscoe.” He smiled. “Do you remember him? He was there, he led us to you.”
She shook her head. “No, but I love him already then.” Everyone laughed. “What about you?” She reached up with her good hand and brushed it down his face.
“Broken rib.” He smiled, then frowned. “Cuts and bruises, nothing more.” Someone coughed. “Okay.” He rolled his eyes. I might have sprained my ankle.”
She looked down and saw the crutch under his armpit.
“Why are you standing?” she asked. “Go, sit.”
Everyone laughed again. “Why don’t we leave these two to talk. Now that we know she’s alive.” Sarah turned to the room. “Oh, and don’t think that getting yourself blown up gets you out of being my new manager,” she warned with a smile.
“Never.” Lily smiled in return.
After everyone left the room, Adam scooted the chair closer so he could sit right next to her bed.
“So, what are we going to name them?” he asked.
“What?” She blinked and then decided to just keep her eyes closed.
“The five kids we’re having.”
“Five?” She smiled slightly. “I only remember saying four.”
“Yes, but you agreed to five.” She felt his fingers brush the side of her neck.
“I was
under duress.” She could feel the medicine kick in again as the warmth spread up her arm through her IV.
“Yes, but I have years to persuade you to change your mind,” he murmured next to her.
When she woke again, the room was dark and she could feel Adam’s hand in hers. She heard him breathing lightly and instantly relaxed and slipped back into the darkness.
By the end of the fourth day stuck in the hospital, she was ready to pull out the rest of her singed hair. Her back and butt hurt from laying in the bed so much and she’d been caught trying to use Adam’s crutch so much that he’d taken to storing it outside in the hallway when he came in.
“Please,” she begged. “Check me out. Take me home. I can’t stand one more night in here.”
He rolled his eyes. “One more. That’s it. Then tomorrow you start physical therapy.”
“How about you take me home tonight and we come back for therapy tomorrow?” she pleaded.
“Tomorrow,” he promised. Then Sarah and Ben arrived with a stack of DVD’s and they all sat around and watched Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure.
Before they left, Rowan walked in, all dressed up, with a pretty brunette following behind him.
“Oh!” she exclaimed. “The party.” She’d totally forgotten that she’d promised to go with Rowan to his party.
“It’s okay.” He smiled. “You had an excuse.” He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. “Besides, I hear you’re already taken.” He shook Adam’s hand. “This is Kayla Thomas…”
“His date for the night.” She stepped forward and smiled down at him. “We’re old school friends. Actually, Rowan used to date my sister Lori,” she added.
“Yes,” Lilly remembered. “I’ve heard of you, well, your sister, before.” Lilly glanced over at Sarah, who was frowning into her lap. “Are you back in town? I heard you were…”
“In New York for school. Yes, I’ve moved back and ran into Rowan the other day, and since you were tied up.” She smiled. “He invited me to fill in for you. I heard you had quite the adventure.”
She chuckled. “I guess you could say that.”
