by Lana Hartley
He looks slightly taken aback, and I realize this must mean a lot to him. It’s his brother who is changing faces. It’s as if Leo, too, sees a glimmer of hope there. If anything, Leo’s probably just glad to get my divorce off the table so he can get on with me.
“Wow, hon, that’s great. I’m really glad to hear he’s grown some balls and is acting normal for once.”
“Yeah, I mean, it almost seems too good to be true. No lawyers!” I beam into his mouth as he comes in for a kiss. As he does I let my hands trickle upon his abs, just for my own pleasure. Leo’s happy for me, I can tell.
“So, he’s coming over here?”
“Yeah, I should get ready.” I jump up to start my process and look for my bra, flung somewhere in all of last night’s passion.
“Okay, well, remember everything I taught you about how to stay safe? Keep the locks on the door until you see him, don’t let anybody else in even if it’s just a package guy or whatever, only answer calls from me or from work, also...”
“Leo,” I cut him off. “I’ll be fine. I remember the drill. Plus, you’ve got squad cars coming by like every ten minutes. Remember?”
“I know,” he says. “But I won’t feel comfortable until this bastard’s behind bars. And hopefully today I can do that.” He pulls his hands through his hair and sighs. “I wish I could be here when Barry comes over. Give him my best, will ya?” he says mockingly.
“Leo! He’s still your brother,” I remind him, hoping he can think of some of Barry’s redeeming qualities. “Besides, it’s probably best to keep you two apart, at least until he becomes comfortable with us.”
“My thoughts exactly,” he says. “Gotta run, babe! Remember to keep the garage closed!” he shouts over his shoulder. “And also, lock that back door and don’t go outside for anything, at least not until I get back.”
“Okay, okay, now go!” I blow a kiss to him as he heads out the door. I love to watch him walk away, especially in his suit.
Leo
In the light of day, I’m feeling better and more optimistic than I was last night. At least I know the cops probably brought Darius back in for questioning and it’s gonna be revealed that he’s our guy. Then we can lock him up for good and this whole mess will be over. Normally I enjoy a strong caseload, but when it’s regarding someone I care about, it’s just too much. I need to keep Elena safe at all costs. I need to be her hero. God knows she could use one right now.
What we had last night was awesome. And now that we’ve revealed our true feelings for each other, there is no going back. Not that I would want to. Elena is the perfect girl, and I worship the ground she walks on. I will do everything to keep her safe, and that’s why I’m so glad to be on my way to the station right now. The sooner I get there the better. I’m starting to think my staff is incompetent. They couldn’t even catch the guy, and they let him out on bail. Unbelievable! I hate to leave Elena right now, but I’ve gotta resolve this mess. I will use all my resources to get this thing under control for good. Last night was just too close of a call. I need my baby safe forever.
I’m driving fast, swerving in and out of cars. She’s definitely mine now, I think. After last night we’ve got that confirmed. Now I feel possessive and the thought of that perpetrator even touching her gets my blood boiling. I’m getting angry again thinking about it. That asshole’s hands were all over my girl, hurting her, and the thought of Elena being in danger just makes me wanna take out everything I have on this guy.
Finally, I arrive and pull off into my usual spot. I think about how I’ll approach the situation. I’ve gotta get all the pieces in order. I’ll need to arrange the Special Forces unit to surround Elena’s house and to track her every move until we’ve got the culprit securely in our grasp. I’m going to make sure she has so much security that she’ll feel like a celebrity with bodyguards tracking their every move.
I walk into the precinct with purpose and people move aside. They know I’m a man with a mission, and they’ve probably all heard about what happened.
Bobbi’s waiting for me outside my office. “What’s up? Tell me something good.”
“No, Leo, it’s not good.”
“What? What is it? Did you guys pick Darius up again like I asked?”
“No, he’s been released officially. We can no longer hold him.”
“What the fuck, Bobbi? What the hell is going on? After last night you just let him walk?”
“Leo, listen to me, it’s not him. He’s not our guy. His prints didn’t match and at the time of Elena’s attack last night, he was just leaving the station on bail. We have that on record. It’s not him.”
“Okay, then what?” I ask her, wondering what’s happening.
“We’re charging Darius for harassment, and he’s not going to get away with making those intimidating phone calls to her.”
“Okay, Bobbi, that’s nice, but we’ve still got to catch this guy. He can’t get away with...”
She cuts me off right there. “There’s more, but you need to prepare yourself, alright?”
“What? What more, Bobbi?” I yell. “You better tell me in the next five seconds or else.”
“It’s Barry okay, your brother. Barry’s the guy we need to catch. He’s the one who attacked her. His alibi didn’t check out, and we’ve got a match on his prints. Okay? I don’t know how we missed it, but it’s okay because you’re here now and we’re gonna go pick him up. He’s gonna go to jail and this will all be over. Alright, Leo?”
I’m weak in the knees. I have nothing to say. It feels as though someone punched me in the stomach. Barry? Barry’s the criminal? I left her just now, and Barry’s on his way to her house. I’ve left her alone. Oh God! What have I done?
Bobbi looks at me strangely. She doesn’t know why I’m upset. She doesn’t know that I’m frozen in time, just understanding the ramifications of what I did. Bobbi doesn’t know that Barry’s headed to Elena’s right now and that he’s probably actually there.
The words finally come to me. I know I have to act fast. “It’s Barry! God, Bobbi, what have I done? I just left her alone, and he’s on his way to her. He said he wanted to apologize about the divorce and she, I mean, we never expected it was him. He’s going to meet with her right now. I’ve got to get over there!”
And without another word I’m running out of the office, my weapon in hand. I’m gonna have to race to get there. What if I’m too late?
Elena
I’m tidying up the apartment getting it ready for Barry to come over. There’s no need for him to see all Leo’s stuff lying around. I might as well not rub it in his face that we’re seeing each other. Frankly, it’s more than just seeing each other at this point. Leo and I are in love. We’ve admitted that to each other, and it feels so good. I kind of wish I could ride this morning’s high by treating myself to something special, like a spa day or something, or by going shopping. But it’s worth seeing Barry over here if it means this divorce will finally be over. I’ll do anything to get Barry off my back. And I’m just so glad he’s willing to cooperate.
I straighten up myself too. I’m not gonna get dressed up for Barry, but I want to look good in case Leo stops by. I wish we’d been able to sleep in and spend the day together. Maybe I could’ve dragged him down to the spa with me for a couple’s massage. I wonder if he would do that? Oh well, another time.
I’ve got the coffee on and put out some brunch items just in case this meeting goes longer than anticipated. Hopefully it will make Barry feel welcome in my new home. Barry did apologize and that makes me feel good moving forward. I even dare to hope we can be friends one day. Since he made an effort with me it’s only fair that I return the favor.
The doorbell rings signaling Barry’s arrival, right on time. I’m dressed casually in my faded jeans and t-shirt. I open the door with a big smile.
“Hey, Barry! It was so nice to hear from you. Come on in.” I figure that I can at least meet him halfway since he made the effort to ma
ke amends. I hope my cheerfulness rubs off on him.
I usher him into the kitchen and once he’s seated I strike up the conversation. “You know, Barry, I’m so glad you contacted me and that you’re willing to put the past behind us and just move forward with our divorce.”
He looks at me in an odd way. “You think we can put this to bed?” he asks.
“Yes! Of course we can,” I say as I make a tray of coffee for us. “Now that you’ve come around and have decided to compromise, I think a lot of things are possible.”
“You do, huh?” He sounds different, not cheerful at all. Guess my plan to rub off on him isn’t working, but he’s probably just sad because this is really the end of our marriage.
“You know, Barry. I think in the end we’re just different people and we want different things from life. That’s not a bad thing really.” My back is toward him as I put the finishing touches on his drink, cream and lots of sugar. “In fact, I really think you’re going to meet the right girl. I think some woman is going to realize how great you are and you will scoop her up and never look back on what we had. I really hope that for you.” I’m laying it on thick, but it’s also a sincere effort to move things forward for both of us.
“Is that right?” he says in a brooding manner. “So, let me guess, you think I’m gonna find someone the way you’ve found Leo. Is that what you’re saying?”
I don’t know where he’s going with this, but I warn him, “My relationship with Leo is not going to be a topic of conversation between us. It’s private, okay?”
“You know he’s going to use you and treat like a whore, right? He does that all the time. You know he will dump you, just like he dumped Ava. He will ruin your life.”
Now this statement makes me angry and I turn around to tell him so, but when I do, to my utter fear and amazement, I see that’s he’s got a knife, a big one, and it’s pointed directly at my stomach. In one giant flash, I see all the events leading up to this moment replaying in my head. I see the threats and the time I was assaulted. And now, here in my own kitchen and without Leo to protect me, I realize that I’ve just invited the enemy into my home. He’s my stalker. Of course, I should’ve known. Except I never even suspected.
He goes on some psychotic rampage. Everything is moving in slow motion, and yet I hear him going on. “You and I were something special, you know. We could’ve been good to each other. Wasn’t I good to you? Wasn’t I? If only you could’ve listened to me. But no, you had to run around town and get yourself a career when I told you not to. And then, you started fucking my brother. How do you think that made me feel, Elena? It made me feel like shit, okay? You got that? You did this to yourself. You’ve got only yourself to blame.”
He’s goes on and on, and I’m afraid of the knife being wielded at me. I feel hurt by the things he’s saying, but then my senses come back to me in full force and I feel nothing but anger toward him. I wasted years of my life on this loser, and now that I’ve finally got it back, he’s trying to come between me and the only guy I’ve ever really loved. And more than that, he wants to kill me over it. I feel rage and sadness as I realize this moment, here in my kitchen, might be the end of Leo and I and the potential life of happiness we could have had. I didn’t even get to say goodbye.
Thank God my senses have come back and they’re heightened by the sense of danger, because Barry makes his move and lunges forward with the knife. I’ve had my hand on the handle of the coffee pot the entire time and as he lunges forward, hoping to murder me, I throw the hot coffee all over his face. His legs give way to his weight and he falters, clawing at his face in agony. I dodge around him to make an escape, but there isn’t time. He gets up and charges toward me with the full strength of his body and knocks me down. He’s on top of me and we’re both struggling for the knife. It’s either him or me.
Leo
Bobbi and I race down the streets of the city with the siren on. I’m going as fast as the car will take me, and I don’t even hesitate to plow through alleyways, onto sidewalks, and over the side of the highway. I surpass every car and every pedestrian. Nothing will stop me from getting there on time. I just have to get there. I don’t even think about what will happen if I don’t. Deep in my heart I know that I’ve got to save Elena. I know she’s in trouble. This could be the end.
“Come on, Leo, that’s too fast. We’ll never make it if you get us in a wreck. Just be careful. Come on, think straight.”
I hear the words, but I don’t even listen. I know that we won’t wreck. I don’t have time for a wreck, and so even though I’m flying, I’m laser focused on the road. My only mission in life is to get there on time and to save my angel.
Finally, I see her house and I drive up onto the grass. I jump out of the car while it’s still moving. Bobbi leans over to put on the e-brake before she jumps out to be my backup. We rapidly bang on the door, jiggling the knob, and as I realize it’s locked I kick it open.
I race through the house yelling for Elena.
“Elena! Elena, honey, where are you? Just call my name, tell me where you are, baby. Elena!”
I hear noise from the kitchen and run in that direction. Once I’m there I find my great horror. Barry’s got Elena pinned to the ground, with his knees on her throat, and he’s trying to stab her with a giant hunting knife. She’s struggling every which way to avoid it, but I see her strength giving out. All I see is red. I jump into motion immediately, pulling Barry off of her. There is coffee and glass everywhere. When she sees me I know that she’s relieved, but then her head falls back to the floor and she gasps for breath.
Barry stumbles to his feet and he tries to swipe at me, but he misses. I punch him in the face and he falls backward, and I go in for more. I’m just pounding on him. He gets a few in on me, but mostly it’s just me pulverizing him, this bastard, my own brother the murderer. I can’t believe what he’s become, and mostly I can’t believe he almost stole the love of my life away from me. She would’ve been gone forever.
Bobbi is helping Elena up and getting her out of the way. I try to see if she’s alright or not. She’s got some cuts, probably from all the glass. I don’t think he stabbed her. This momentary lapse in my focus allows Barry to reach for my gun. He knows it’s his only chance since I’m beating him to a pulp. We both struggle for the gun, but his plan defeats him as it goes off. A shot’s been fired, but it’s Barry who has been wounded. In his efforts to kill he’s accidentally fired it upon himself. He’s wounded, thank God, but not dead. It’s over. I leave him in a pile of his own blood and go to check on Elena. Any one of us could’ve been shot, and I’m so grateful that it wasn’t her. She’s my dream come true, and she’s still here.
I hold her and kiss her, and whisper my desperate apologies into her ear. She holds me in her arms, and I tell her that she’s safe now. Forever she is safe.
Bobbi has called for backup and they arrive quickly and with an ambulance. Barry’s wounds are tended to, and he’s taken away. He will be locked up for a long time for this. My brother, the insane criminal.
I’m just overwhelmed with satisfaction in knowing this whole ordeal is over. I try to reassure Elena. She’s crying, clinging to me tightly, but she appears to be okay, aside from a cut on her head and a couple of scrapes. I want to mend them for her. I want to make everything better for her. She’s been through more than anyone deserves, and I wish I could just make it all go away. I want to fix everything for her.
Bobbi sees our affection and takes that cue to get everybody out of the house so Elena and I can be alone. In this moment, I’m just with her and I can hardly see the people around us anyway.
“Look at me,” I say gently to her. “Look into my eyes. I want you to know that this whole thing is over. You will never be hurt again. I promise you that. Okay?”
“Yes, Leo,” is all she says. I can tell she’s overwhelmed. The extent of these circumstances would gut just about anyone. My girl is strong, though. And now I want her to know that I wil
l be strong for her, and she can finally relax; no more nightmares, no more terrors. It’s all over.
We kiss and our tongues find each other, and we connect once more as real, true blue soul mates. It’s in this place that our love resides and whenever I’m connected to it, I’m connected to her and the whole world melts away. I try to make her content and to pacify any sad feelings she may have. I want to be her world forever now. She is mine.
Epilogue - As told by Elena
The day has come that I’m moving into my dream house. Yay! Leo had me tell him exactly what I wanted in a home, and then he knew some architect who drew up the plans according to my wishes, and Leo had the home built for us. It took some time, but it’s finally ready and it includes all my favorite essentials.
Besides a grand kitchen, I made sure to add an aromatherapy steam shower on my list so that we can make steamy love in it.
I have planted a little herb garden under the kitchen window, for Leo to use in cooking, not me. I laugh to picture myself even trying. The house has a game room for Leo and his friends, a theater room, lots of space, and my favorite part is the custom master suite that Leo helped design. It’s huge and it has a terrace. He made me a coffee bar so I can have my morning espresso right in the room, and he designed the biggest master closet ever. I actually can’t even fill it up.
The gym on the main level has French doors that lead out onto the pool patio where there are gardens and trees surrounding it. This way I can workout and do my yoga at home. I’ve included a spin bike, so with the music pumping it’s like my own personal Soul Cycle. There are also machines for Leo to use so that we can workout together and then we can jump right into the pool, naked I’m assuming. I have my swimsuit on under my slip dress, ready for a dip, and I’m looking all over the house to try and find Leo. Where has he gone?
