My heart thumps so hard in my chest I’m almost sure he can hear it. I look up, a scream trapped in my throat when I see his face. His gaze connects with mine with evil promises in their depths seconds before they roll into the back of his head and he sways to the left.
I hear the thump of his body on the ground, and when I get up enough courage to lift slightly, I see Luke standing over him, his hands clenched at his sides.
“Luke?” I whisper, almost sure he won’t be able to hear me, but when his head whips up, I know he has.
He watches me for a beat, his chest rising and falling before he closes his eyes, opening them a second later and walking around the front of the car and jumping inside.
Placing my palms on the floor, I try to push myself up but my energy is waning and the pain is rushing back—the adrenaline disappearing.
His hands come under my arms and he lifts me without effort before he places me back in the seat and leans over, pulling the belt around me. I want to tell him I can do it myself, but I can’t bring myself to say a word so instead I watch as he starts the engine and peels out of the small lot. Gravel kicks up against the side of his SUV but he doesn’t flinch at the sound.
He places something on my lap and when I look down, I see my license and my birth certificate. “What’s this?”
His low breath sounds in the car but he stays silent until we’re just outside of town. He pulls over but keeps the engine running as he turns to face me before lifting up and switching the interior light on.
“I want to keep you safe. Protect you.” He takes hold of my hand, his thumb stroking on the soft skin between my thumb and first finger.
“I—”
“And I know now I can’t do that with things the way they are.” His eyes flash as he runs his other palm over his face. “I never thought I’d say this.” Shaking his head, he leans forward. “Marry me.”
“What?” My head reels back, my eyes widening.
“Mom told me what your dad was going to do: marry you to Jonah. And I know they’re not gonna stop. At least not unless you’re already married and inside the safest compound in the state.”
“I… I don’t understand.” Frowning, I remove my hand from his. “This is crazy.”
“I know, darlin’, but all that matters is you not getting hurt anymore.”
“But… Marriage?”
He shrugs but I can tell there’s more behind his action than he’s showing. “I know you’re meant to love the person you get married to, to know them inside out, but I…” He pauses. “I think I could get there with you.”
“You could ‘get there’?” I repeat, not believing what he’s saying. “You really think that’s gonna work? ‘Marry me so you won’t get hurt anymore and maybe I can start to like you’?”
“No, that’s not… Fuck!” He slams his hand down on the steering wheel. “That’s not what I’m saying. I’m trying to… dammit!” He focuses his attention on me. “I like you. I’ve liked you far longer than I should have. I care for you. I may not love you yet, but I know I can.” His hand grasps mine again and my face falls as I realize what he’s saying. “I want to marry you to keep you safe, and I know it’s not the best way to start out, but it’s… it’ll be our way.”
I stare at him, wondering where I would be right now without him. However much I like to tell him I don’t need him to save me, I did—I do. I need him more than I’ve ever needed anyone else and the fact I’m nearly eighteen and he’s twenty-eight doesn’t mean a thing, because he’s right. I could love him too. No one else would understand me the way he does.
“Yes,” I whisper, not believing I said that but knowing it’s the right thing—no, that’s wrong. It’s the only way I see my life; with him by my side.
“Yeah?” he asks, his eyes wide and a smile lifting the corner of his mouth.
I nod, repeating my answer again.
Moving toward me, he places a soft kiss on my lips, staring at me for several seconds before shaking his head and turning to face the front of the car.
“We have a five-hour drive ahead of us. You should get some sleep.”
“What? Where are we going?”
“Ohio.”
LUKE
Turning the engine off, I push out of the SUV, stretching my back after driving for five hours without any stops. The sun shines bright in the sky, promising a nice day, but when I look back at Lily, I wonder if a day will ever look bright to her again.
Her face is against the glass of the passenger window, looking a strange mixture of peace and pain. The purple bruising around her eye and along her jaw have me gritting my teeth, and the dried blood on her arms tells me there’s things I can’t see right now. She looks like she went ten rounds with Mike Tyson.
My gaze flows down to her legs and follows the path of dried blood.
The day you get married is meant to be the happiest of your life. A day where memories aren’t just made but also captured on camera. A day full of family celebrating the love you share.
We won’t have any of that tomorrow. All we’ll have is a piece of paper we both sign, but that doesn’t mean she can get married in the state she’s in. Not that I care what she looks like—she could be wearing a paper bag for all I care—but one look at her and me together tells people something that isn’t true.
Running my hand through my hair and down my face before looking at the time, I run through my plan in my head.
The courthouse opens in an hour and I need to go and make an appointment for tomorrow.
I need to check all of Lily’s injuries and make sure she’s physically okay before doing anything else.
That’s more important than anything.
Closing the door before walking around to Lily’s side of the car, I remember coming out of her house where I managed to walk right past her dad and Jonah without them even knowing, and running back to the SUV, seeing Jonah looming over Lily.
When I saw him the night we went bowling, I thought he wasn’t a danger. How wrong was I?
Something inside me snapped and I couldn’t stop myself from hurting him. I have no doubt in my mind if Lily wasn’t there I wouldn’t have stopped. I would have carried on hitting him, destroying him—just like I did to my dad.
I’m inside my own head so have to lunge forward to catch Lily after I pull her door open. She startles awake with a gasp before her eyes widen with terror. The look destroys a part of my soul and I promise myself there and then that I won’t let her dad or Jonah get away with what they did to her. I’ll make sure they pay with every breath they take.
“Hey,” I murmur, pulling my lips up into the same fake smile I hate seeing on her face. “I need to go in and get us a room.”
She looks behind me at the motel, her gaze searching the lot we’re parked in. “I’ll come with you.”
“Maybe you should stay…” I trail off, giving her a pointed look. “Just until we get you cleaned up.”
I watch the pain flicker through her blue eyes at the realization coupled with memories I wish I could take away from her. “I’ll be back in a couple of minutes.” She nods in reply, but I can tell she’s not really there, she’s back in that basement with her dad and Jonah. I only witnessed five minutes of her in that place and that was more than enough to tell me what they both did to her. “Hey… hey.” When her attention is back on me, I cup her face in my hands. “We’re in this together, okay? Me and you.”
“Right,” she whispers.
I pierce her with my eyes, conveying I really mean it before letting her go. I can’t do this with her in the open. I need to get her in a room and make sure she’s safe.
Stepping back, I then walk toward the motel and hand the woman behind the screen enough money to stay for a week when we only need the room for one night.
Once I’m back at the SUV, I help Lily down and support her as we walk the short distance to our room. I check everything, along with all the escape routes before pulling a chair out for her to sit on.
I know I need to tell her the plan—to let her know what is going to happen—but when I look at her, all I want to do is hold her close to me and never let her go.
A tear slides down her cheek, her chest lifting as she takes a deep breath before she whispers, “I’m really out of there.”
“Yeah, darlin’, you are.” Crouching down in front of her, I place my hands on her knees. “We need to get you cleaned up and your wounds checked.” She looks down at me, the film over her eyes lifting the longer she stares.
“Are we really going to do this?”
“Yeah, angel, we are.” I smile, the first real smile in what feels like forever as I lean forward and press my lips against hers. Knowing she’ll be my wife tomorrow has something inside me releasing. Some kind of pent-up tension being let go of.
She looks down at herself when I’ve pulled away and plucks at her t-shirt. “I can’t get married in this.”
“You sure?” I ask, smirking. “I kinda like that you’re wearing a My Little Pony t-shirt.”
She chuckles, her face opening up completely and it’s then I know what my gut has been telling me all along. She’s it. She’s the one that people talk about. The one person who makes everything brighter, sharper. Makes every single thing you do worthwhile.
When her laughter dies down, I run my palm over her hair. “I’ll head to the store and get some supplies and some clothes before going to the courthouse.”
She doesn’t say anything for several seconds, and when the silence stretches, I stand up.
“Wait!” I look down at her, seeing the indecision on her face. “I want…” She trails off and looks down at her hands.
“You ain’t gotta keep anything from me, darlin’. You want something, all you gotta do is tell me.”
Her gaze meets mine, the blue shining brighter. “I want to choose a dress. Can I… can I do that? I know it’s not a real wedding, and we’re only getting married because—”
I cut her off with a finger against her lips. “You want a dress, you’ll get a dress. And just because we’re getting married right now to keep you safe, doesn’t mean it wouldn’t have happened eventually.”
“I… what?” she mumbles through my finger, and when I remove it, I see the smile starting to work its way over her face.
“I pulled away because you weren’t eighteen, but I knew as soon as you had your birthday I wouldn’t be able to hold back. You do something to me. Make my mind go crazy but calm it all at the same time.”
“I… don’t know what to say,” she whispers.
I shrug, pulling my keys out of my pocket before stepping away. “You ain’t gotta say anything. I’ll get supplies and we’ll fix you up. We have until tomorrow to get you your dress.”
Stepping backward, I keep my gaze connected to hers as my stomach bottoms out. Even covered in bruises, she’s still the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.
LILY
Am I really doing this?
I look down at my dress and swallow.
I’m doing this.
Running my hands over the white overlay material, I stare at the scalloped edge that lands just below my knees. The grazes from trying to get away from them cover my legs along with purple and green bruises. But that’s all you can see on my body because the sleeves come to my wrists, veiling the injuries there too.
I look up as my fingers flutter to my neck and over the marks there. What will people here think when they see me? Will they assume Luke did this? Will they call the authorities?
My stomach churns and dips causing me to stumble forward and lean against the counter. I stare at my face as I remember Luke’s grunts yesterday when he was tending to my injuries.
I hated the touch, but I knew it was necessary. Several times he begged me to let him take me to a hospital, but I couldn’t because they’d contact him, and then it’d all be over.
Sighing, I close my eyes and remember the feel of Luke’s soft hands as he checked the bruising on my jaw and my swollen eye. He was so tentative and gentle—such a contrast to what I’m used to. He didn’t look at me the way they did when they were touching my body, it was the opposite.
When I open my eyes and see the smile on my face, I’m taken aback for a second. But isn’t this what I should be doing today? Smiling?
It’s not real though—this marriage, this wedding, if you can even call it that. It’s to keep me safe, and I need to remember that.
Standing up straight before pulling out some foundation Luke bought me, I attempt to apply it to my face. It may not cover much, but even a little is better than nothing.
I try to push all my warring thoughts to the back of my mind and be in the moment as the dark purple becomes muted. But in an hour when all this is over, and we have to leave for the drive home, I won’t be able to stop the memories rolling to the forefront of my mind.
Blocking them out isn’t possible, no matter how much I tried last night. Their eyes haunt me. The feel of their hands on my skin making me shiver. I’m not sure I’ll ever get away from them—at least inside my head, anyway.
When I step back and take a good look at myself one final time, I see it in my eyes: emptiness.
Will I ever be who I used to be? I scoff at the thought. Of course, I won’t. They achieved what they set out to do: break me.
A knock on the door startles me, and when Luke asks, “Lily? You ready?” my heartbeat picks up its pace.
I’m doing this. I’m really about to get married.
Taking one final calming breath, I reply, “Yeah,” before walking toward the door in the white ballet flats Luke bought me to match the dress. When I open the door and see him standing there in dress pants and a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, showcasing his tattoos, I nearly melt.
“Happy birthday.” My gaze flicks up to his face, and I swallow at the smile he sends my way. The last time someone wished me happy birthday was when I turned thirteen.
“I… thank you.” I clear my throat, shuffling on the spot as I wave my arm toward him. “I didn’t realize you were going to wear a—”
“Yeah, yeah.” He grabs my hand and starts walking down a hallway, but I see the redness on his cheeks he tries to cover up by not looking at me. “You only have this day once, so I thought I’d make an effort.”
“I…” The words get lodged in my throat as we walk past several doors and then up a set of wide stairs. I keep my head down when we make it to the top and Luke halts, finally looking up after several seconds.
My skin burns from everyone’s attention, and I can almost see the wheels turning in their heads when their gazes flick from my face to Luke. I know what they see when they look at him, but they couldn’t be more wrong. Just because someone seems a certain way, doesn’t mean they are. I know evil better than most people and how it can hide in plain sight.
Never judge a book by its cover. These people need to remember that.
Luke squeezes my hand to gain my attention, and I turn to face him, focusing on the small smile on his face.
“This is us. We should be going in soon.” He pauses a beat. “You okay?”
Biting my bottom lip, I try to form an answer. Am I okay? My body aches and my thoughts are fuzzy, but I’m safe. And that’s all that matters for now.
I nod, afraid to speak up with other people around before sitting on one of the chairs outside the door marked “Room 12.” My side smarts with the movement, but I manage to hold back my wince. Everything is a reminder of what they did.
I’m inside my head, caught up in the what-ifs, so when Luke touches my arm, I don’t expect it. I gasp before looking up at him with wide eyes.
“Ready?” His ice-blue eyes watch me in the same way they always do: assessing.
I swallow past the lump in my throat before standing up and taking hold of his outstretched hand. We walk into the small room and past three rows of chairs before stopping in front of a podium.
A woman with a black robe covering her
body steps forward and smiles. There’s no suspicion behind her eyes as she looks at us, and I can’t work out whether it’s refreshing or a trap to catch us out.
“Luke and Liliana?” she asks.
“Yeah,” Luke replies, and I hold his hand a little tighter.
“Do you have the rings?”
He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small black box before letting my hand go and opening it. I want to move closer to him as he steps forward and hands the woman the rings, but I manage to keep my feet planted on the floor.
Everything's happening so fast, but the thought of who else I could be marrying today has my stomach churning. Doing this is the only way out. The only possible solution to my problem.
I look up at Luke as he smiles at the woman and they talk, none of what they’re saying registering. Am I disloyal by marrying someone who I don’t love? Because I don’t love him. Do I? But as I stare at his side profile, I realize that in a way I do. He’s been there for me when no one else was. Most importantly, he listened when everyone else ignored me.
“Shall we get started?” the woman asks as she focuses her attention on me.
I nod, stepping forward so I’m next to Luke before turning to face him after taking a deep breath, and when my gaze meets his, I get lost. Maybe doing this will allow us to be honest with each other and expose the parts we keep buried deep down inside?
The woman—who tells us she’s a judge— holds a book in front of her with the rings on it.
“We’re gathered here today in front of God and the presence of these witnesses to join together Luke and Liliana in the bond of matrimony.” I turn my head to look at her, and when she smiles a little wider, I start to relax. “Luke.” I turn my head back toward him. “Do you take Liliana as your wedded wife? To have and to hold, to love, honor, and cherish, as long as you both shall live?”
Luke’s throat bobs as he swallows and grips my hands a little tighter. “I do.”
“Liliana.” I can’t look away from him, too enthralled in all that he is. “Do you take Luke as your wedded husband? To have and to hold, to love, honor, and cherish, as long as you both shall live?”
Catching Teardrops Page 21
