That's when he spotted it.
Or her.
Another blonde of the hundreds that were at the beach today. But this one was unlike the rest. Her hair was slightly longer than the last time he had seen her.
Her pink shirt and short flowy skirt moved with the wind and he instantly felt his heart skip a beat.
Eleanor.
Chapter 40: On a Whim
The whimsicality of the day was immediately ripped apart when their eyes met, and a strong flood of emotions circled the two former lovers.
Everything came rushing back and in the depth of it all was the one emotion that they both intensely wanted to shake away and move on from.
Breathe.
In. Out.
Slowly so it fills the lungs.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
The sun was setting and created beautiful oranges and reds on the ocean surface. A perfect array of colors and a warm breeze gave a major beachy vibe and the breeze spun through the air. They were alone. At least that's what it felt like.
The mood had definitely shifted, and they were surrounded by silence. A peaceful calming aura embedded in the land rose above and wrapped around them.
The beach was still rattling with people, but in their heads, silence was the sole thing that was conceived. Their eyes locked and Eleanor stood frozen.
This is it. She thought, This is what I've been waiting for.
Her head spun. Eleanor felt as though someone had squeezed the breath out of her and paled. Adam couldn't look away.
What do I do?
Seconds passed and before she knew it, Adam stood inches away. His body heat smoldering against the area around him. He was stunning as always, hardly aged in the year that they'd been separated.
Gone but never forgotten. Their past was the epitome of this statement.
"Hi." Eleanor finally broke the silence like a shattering glass wall. It shocked them both. Her voice was so fluid, like a bird's morning chirp to his ears.
"Hi Eleanor." Adams soothing voice said, their hearts racing. It was another few moments before either of them spoke again. He was overjoyed to finally say her name and have her be in front of him to respond.
"Uh..." Eleanor paused, a warmth engulfing her even though the sun was close to disappearing from the horizon. It would get cold soon.
Flashbacks of their time in the late Dr. Josiah's home rampaged their minds, the negative memories trying to return and break the delicate glass between them.
"Do you want to... get out of here?" Adam finally asked, cautiously and afraid she would say no. He was hesitant to ask, everything was uncertain.
Nobody knew how long they stood staring at one another- disbelieving. A camera flashed and they snapped out of their trance. The sun was gone, and it grew dark and cold. Eleanor shivered, turning to look at where the flash of a camera had come from.
Adam put the suit jacket that he'd taken off earlier over her shoulders, his scent and his warmth engulfing her. She felt safe and warm. He didn't even have to ask, he always just seemed to know what she needed. Even having been apart for so long, at that moment, they felt as though they hadn't separated for even a moment.
Another camera flashed and within a few moments of however long they'd been standing beside each other, a rage of paparazzi surrounded them, taking as many photos as they pleased.
Adam and Eleanor were too engulfed in each other's presences until one of them began bossing them around and telling them to pose.
"Yes." Eleanor finally said. She was so overwhelmed; this was probably the hundredth time they'd tried to start over or fix things— she wondered if that sort of stuff only happened in fairy tales.
"So, Eleanor, how about I take you out to dinner first before you try getting in my pants again." What. Did. He. Just. Say. I froze now, my mouth moving but no words coming out. I had to think of something equally endearing.
"As long as you don't propose," I whispered, my voice shaking as I felt heat explode in my face. What the hell is wrong with me? I'm Eleanor Hays. I don't stutter, I don't get shy, I don't get shaky, and I definitely don't blush. Unless it's in front of Adam.
"I'll see you tonight then." He kissed me lightly and left me alone in the hallway.
She smiled fondly at the memory.
Adam didn't dare reach for her hand or touch her. He wanted to be sure she wouldn't be burnt by his touch. He missed her too much.
This was it right? All should be well?
The walked side by side, it was as though nothing existed but the two of them. Not even space was a thing.
Before they reached the boardwalk, Eleanor reached for his arm. Adam turned to face her, afraid she would say she didn't want anything to do with him and throw his jacket at him. His mind panicked with the possibilities.
"Adam, I just want to say... if it doesn't work out this time, I have no intention of trying again. If we don't work out this time, I want to move on and live my life how I want. I would prefer to omit our marriage certificate."
Adam's face was puzzled as he stared at her.
"Then I damn well better make this the best night of your life." Adam felt more confident now as a broad smile evaded Eleanor’s feature. He reached for her waist, putting his hands inside his jacket pocket to be closer to her. "I want you. I want us. I want it all. With you. Only you. I haven't been able to move on Eleanor."
She hadn't noticed when he'd gotten so close until she felt her breath hitch when his forehead touched hers. She breathed against his face, heavy slow breaths as her eyes slowly shut.
She didn't know what to say, the only thing she could think of doing was kissing the beautiful man in front of her. She moved forward, entangling her body with his as they stood.
"I'm sorry." She said, slowly pressing her lips to his. This felt so incredible. So surreal that it blew her mind.
"I'm sorry too." The words were gone with the wind as their lips slowly danced. It was soft and sweet and ended all too quickly.
"We should get going." Eleanor said, having been the one to cut their kiss short. Adam cleared his throat, flustered and his cheeks slightly pink beneath the chiseled cheekbones.
He reached for her hand this time, standing far too close as they walked. The stars began to shine, and the world somehow felt a bit brighter.
Chapter 41: Plots and Plans
Laci was patient. Laci was kind, she did not waste time, she did no evil. Until she saw Adam and Eleanor enter Eleanor's apartment one late night.
They couldn't keep their hands off of each other, it was sickening. She peeped through the peephole and watched as they smiled at each other. Then his tongue was down her throat and her shirt ended up in the hall. She giggled as she picks up the shirt and Adam smiled along. They looked like teenagers.
Eleanor wrapped herself around Adam as he kissed her jaw, then her neck, and soon they would be sleeping on that floor. Eleanor pulled a key from her jeans pocket and hopped off of Adam for a second. He, on the other hand, couldn't keep his hands off of her. His arm wrapping around her waist and him kissing her neck as she tried opening her apartment door.
Laci was disgusted, and jealous. She was mostly annoyed that Adam had gotten over her so quickly. Maybe she was being petty when she stepped out of her apartment and approached the door, maybe it was out of jealousy. Nevertheless, Laci now stood with her arms crossed staring at the pair and wondering what her next move should be.
Before she could think to say anything, they were in the apartment with the door slammed shut. She missed her chance.
When she discovered Magdalene existed and decided to join forces, their plan was simple. They now knew about Eleanor as she'd seen her with Adam on several occasions. The one she'd just witnessed included. It was a slimy grimy feeling of being jealous and not being able to do anything about it. She wanted to destroy Eleanor.
Perhaps she could be Eleanor's demi
se since so many before her and Eleanor herself had failed at doing it.
She was mainly angry. Her mature thick layer was slowly shaved off and her petty hatred was on full blast.
"Hey Mags." Laci said in the most sickeningly sweet voice she could conjure. She'd snatched her phone off her kitchen table and immediately dialed the other girl.
"Laci! How good of you to call. I suppose you have news for me?" Magdalene’s replied in an equally sickening voice.
"That I do Maggie. That I do..."
☣️toxic☣️
The stars were the only things that could be seen. It felt like hours had passed as Eleanor and Adam strolled hand in hand down the random streets of the city. It must've been way past midnight as no places were open any longer.
They talked. That was all.
And that beautiful night, they'd decided to start with a clean slate, wipe all of their ups and downs behind. The tears would be gone and the hurt and the pain.
Apparently, Zac was back in town, but his mind was no longer on investigating Hank Carnegie's murder— but rather on where his daughter was. The daughter he had never known existed who was the product of an undrunk night at a party and the mother whom he desperately wanted to love.
Once Eleanor had heard this news, she had given Adam a kiss. It was weird that she was celebrating something so messed up. She was wanted for murder then arrested then on house arrest then alone and the cycle never seemed to end.
Adam was Eleanor's beginning and end. He was the purpose behind her desire to live, her will for survival and the fact that she couldn't attach feelings to any of her many one-night stands. Some who had decided not to leave before she woke up and led to an awkward morning after talk.
If there was a purpose to Eleanor at this point in her life, it was definitely Adam as strange and pathetic as that might have sounded. He was the light to her shadow, and she wondered how she lived so long without his smile to brighten each of her days.
The more they talked, the more she realized she was falling hard for this man that she never stopped loving. It was a solid feeling and one that she didn't anticipate coming back and hit her so strongly.
It was his scent. The smell of whatever cologne he used that seemed to linger on his skin and lure her in like a siren without a sound.
"Adam." She interrupted whatever he had been saying, no longer listening but rather staring at his animated hands. The hands that she wanted to hold her and do crazy things to her body.
"What?" He asked, slightly tilting his head down to meet her eyes.
"Can we— can we uhm..." she began but stopped herself. She was feeling strangely sensual and his presence wasn't helping the vibe.
"Eleanor, head always in the gutter." He muttered before glancing back up at her. "Can we do...?" He continued, turning to face her.
"I'd like to..." she felt oddly nervous which was very out of character for Eleanor Hays Carnegie.
"To visit your family? To tell everyone you're alive? To create a time machine?" He threw out some random guesses, of which all were accurate.
"I wish but that's not what I was going to ask." She blushed, she felt so feminine and meek around him, her hormones were going crazy and she couldn't think straight anymore. Her strong persona had flown away with the wind and definitely didn't look like it would be coming back until tomorrow.
"I have a question for you in that case." Adam removed all contact from her and crossed his arms instead. She wanted to unfold those arms just so she could refold them around herself.
"Ask away." Eleanor smiled.
"Why did you... why did you run to begin with? Why did you fake it all?" His tone was light but the meaning behind those words was like a stone to the wall.
"I thought we agreed on a clean slate Adam. Can't we just leave the past behind us."
"Eleanor, you know that I of all people would love to do that. But I need closure from that entire situation before I'm able to just jump back in with blind faith."
"What do you mean?" She could sense a fight arising and it all seemed too good to be true, "that's how we started this whole thing. You married me without ever knowing anything about me. If that's not blind faith, I don't know what is."
All couples fight right? It's normal and a healthy part of every relationship. But was it actually important for this particular relationship where it was held by a thin wire that could rip at any moment if it was pulled too much in either direction?
"Eleanor... that was different. I had a contract to back me up if necessary."
"Right... that contract that you were so willing to annul by the command of your damned father." She felt heated as she too crossed her arms.
"Eleanor... that's not what I meant. Oh, my goodness you drive me crazy! Always putting things out of context and placing words in my mouth."
"What the hell Adam! That's exactly what happened! I was scared if you must fucking know. I was scared about our life together and the crazy damned hardships we went through! I really thought you were done with me and everything we had been through! It stung Adam."
She huffed as he stood patiently staring into ocean blue eyes. She decided it was time to be truthful and tell him the full story. It was time to admit the past and leave it where it belonged because there was no way to move forward without leaving that shit behind.
"Fine Adam, you want the reasons. I'll give you the reasons." She didn't miss the micro smile that twitched at the corner of his lips and disappeared instantly after, "I loved you. I was so hurt Adam. So, hurt and offended by everything your dad did to us. He'd forced us into a marriage, saw we were happy and decided he wanted to end that. He kidnapped me and used me as a sex slave so that Vladimir's porn company could increase in profit for crying out loud! And then when I got pregnant, he basically wiped my medical history from every hospital. No matter how many illegal things he did— he never got caught.
And there you were Adam, proudly supporting dear old daddy the entire time. I could handle some of it. Believe me I could put up with his BS as long as you were happy, and we were happy together. But after every terrible thing he did, having us pretend as though nothing ever happened and null our marriage would've been the most difficult challenge. It literally tore a hole inside me aside from the baby that you somehow killed which all doctors said didn't exist thanks to your dad. But that's beside the point Adam. Adam look at me."
Eleanor reaches for his face at that moment, watching him crumble into a shell of a man and shed a tear. The lone tear traveled down his face until it fell and soaked into his shirt.
"I'm so sorry." Adam said, "you didn't deserve to go through all of that."
"But wait, there's more." Eleanor rubbed his jaw and leaned forward. "No matter what happened Adam, I still loved you. I don't think I can ever stop loving you. I know marriage is hard work..."
He kissed her in that instant, perhaps to shut her up, perhaps to satisfy the feelings inside him.
"You didn't answer my question." He said softly. Pulling away ever so slightly yet wanting to recapture her lips with his again.
"I wanted revenge. And since you weren't willing to stand up to him... I had to do something about it. And I'm sorry and it was stupid of me and I should be in jail right now, but I couldn't have people come looking for me after that deed was done. I really couldn't afford it so I ran, and I hid for as long as I could. But you were constantly on my mind and on the TV... I just couldn't stay away..."
Adam was clearly frozen in his spot. Perhaps trying to absorb everything she'd just told him— the truth and all that could be taken from it."
She killed his father for revenge for their relationship drama. It seemed overly dramatic, but nobody ever said Eleanor wasn't dramatic.
She was perhaps the most confusing and annoying character some people might've ever met. But Adam loved her too much. He was lost in thoughts until she grabbed his forearm. The muscles flexed under her touch then loosened when his eyes met hers.
He just wanted to kiss her all the damn time.
"Let's head back to my place for a real clean slate." She said.
"I don't know what that means." Adam smirked, a hint of laughter in his eyes. But nevertheless, he stood up and followed behind her, knowing this new adventure wouldn't be any easier than the last, yet he couldn't give up now.
Chapter 42: Unmatched
"I will take your secret with me to the grave. I promise." Magdalene said to Laci as they sat at a clean table on Magdalene's quaint patio. Laci had also failed at achieving Magdalene's goal. She'd now prompted two girls to look into solving the issue with Adam. She just wanted his wealth. And now two had failed. One was Eleanor, because she was still with him. And two was Laci, because she'd broken up with him without him loving her. She was also mad at that. She couldn't get the reward Magdalene promised because Magdalene couldn't sneak her way back into his heart. Pitiful.
"I will take yours also... I know about why you needed to marry Adam... I won't fail you again."
"He didn't even know why." Magdalene sounded almost hostile. Their plan would be put in action soon and Eleanor would finally meet her demise leaving dead old Adam with no heir to share his riches with once he was gone too. "But I did love him..."
The Girl that Fled (Bliss Book 3) Page 20
