by Ravenna Tate
“He knew her,” said Addison. “A custodian they hired at the school.”
“That was his MO,” she said. “Take a job, find a victim, get to know everything about them, and then use that knowledge to threaten them and intimidate them into not reporting it. Then he’d leave the job and the city and move on.”
Dixon’s jaw twitched, and his eyes flashed with anger. His mouth opened several times, but nothing came out for what felt like long moments. “You should have told me.” His voice held a note of barely controlled rage.
“I know that now. At the time, I couldn’t. I told no one but Brenda and the police. I didn’t even want to talk to the DA, but I finally did because I didn’t want that bastard doing this to anyone else.”
Dixon swallowed so hard that Addison heard it. “Did you see a doctor?”
“Yes. I did all the right things afterward.”
“What about … diseases?”
“He wore a condom. I was tested anyway. I’m all right.”
Dixon’s gaze swept over Addison, his eyes cold now. “When did you know?”
“Not until we went to the surface to find you.” The relief on Dixon’s face nearly broke Addison’s heart. He’d believed that she had told him but not her own father. “She’s lived with this hell in her soul for four years, and wishes now she’d told you right away. She’s also seeing a psychologist.”
“But I haven’t done so consistently.”
Addison squeezed her shoulder again. “You will. I’ll have one brought here to make it easier for you.”
“You’re damn right you will.” Dixon held out his arms. “Come here, my sweet girl.” Nadine hugged her dad, and Addison cleared his throat because he was going to cry. “It’s gonna be all right,” said Dixon, over and over again. Addison could picture Dixon doing the same thing when Nadine was a small child, and he had to swallow against tears a second time.
“I know that now,” she whispered.
“One question. Have you and Addison made love?”
She straightened up, her face coloring again. “Yes, but I hadn’t done so since the rape. I hadn’t even dated anyone. I’ve done nothing in four years, Daddy. I went to work, and then I went home. Addison saved me. He pulled me out of the black hole I’d climbed into and helped me face the fear. Even my nightmares have stopped.”
Dixon’s face filled with confusion again. “So you two haven’t been dating?”
“No,” said Addison. “We haven’t been.”
“How do you know this is real then?”
“Because I’ve always loved her.”
He and Dixon locked gazes, and finally the anger left his eyes. “Then you both believe this truly is love.”
“Yes,” said Nadine. “Absolutely.”
“I respect you too much to use her or hurt her,” said Addison. “I would never do that. I do love her, and I do want to marry her.”
Dixon eyed them both again for so long that Addison became fearful he wouldn’t approve. Would Nadine defy her father and marry him anyway? Probably not. Finally, Dixon sighed. “All right. If you need my blessing, you have it, but on one condition.”
“Name it,” said Addison.
“I want this done right for her. A real engagement with a real ring, and a nice big wedding. She deserves all that.”
Addison couldn’t stop the huge grin that spread across his face. He pulled Nadine tightly against him. “She shall have that, and anything else she wants, for the rest of her life.” He shook Dixon’s hand. “Thank you.”
“No, thank you. You saved my life, Addison. And it appears you’ve saved Nadine’s, too.”
To know he had this man’s praise, his approval, and now his daughter made this the happiest day of Addison’s life.
****
The next week flew by in a blur for Nadine. Addison was true to his word and found a psychologist who came to the house to speak with her. Her name was Marcia, and of all the shrinks Nadine had spoken to in four years, she liked Marcia the best. They made appointments once every two weeks for two months, after which time Marcia said they’d decide whether Nadine needed her regularly.
It was so encouraging to know she might not need therapy one day that her outlook on everything brightened. She spent the week reconnecting with her father and getting to know Addison all over again, this time as her lover instead of merely a long-time family friend.
His home was like a palace to her, and she delighted in exploring it. Her favorite thing to do was go up to the tower and look out over the lake. It was fake, of course, but still quite beautiful, and she hoped she’d have a chance to be out on a boat once more. When she told Addison about the memories she had of going out there with her father, he promised to take her himself.
The other Weathermen called or chatted with her father online, as did most of the Storm Troopers when they could reach a shelter or bunker and use a computer. She secretly believed he was enjoying the break from being on the surface all the time, and wondered if he’d return once his leg had healed.
Her mother finally emailed her, saying she’d been out of town and had just been able to retrieve her email. The email said nothing about her father, but Nadine emailed her back and told her in graphic detail about being on the surface, what they’d gone through, and how close to dying her father had been. The only response was that her mother was happy it had all worked out.
Nadine showed the email to Addison, but decided not to show it to her father. He didn’t need any negativity right now. His only mission was to take it easy for once and allow his leg to heal.
****
Two weeks after they had found her father in the cave, Addison came home from work early and asked if she’d like to take a boat out on the lake. She clapped her hands. “I’d love to!” He brought along a woven basket but refused to tell her what was inside. “Is it a secret?”
Addison ruffled her hair. “Yes, so stop asking. You don’t like surprises, do you?”
“It depends on what they are.”
His sexy laugh sent shivers down her spine, as it always did now. “If you know what they are ahead of time, you can’t really call them surprises, can you?”
He rowed them out to the middle where no one was around, and opened the basket. When he pulled out a bottle of champagne, she asked if they’d found the names of the hackers on Rob’s laptop. Why else would he be home early from work and want to celebrate?
“No. That project is going to take a while.” Addison opened the bottle and then removed two glasses, which he filled. He handed one to her. “This is a celebration just for the two of us.”
“I’m intrigued.”
He clinked his glass against hers, and it was then she noticed the slight tremor of his hand. Was everything all right?
He glanced at her left hand. “Do you still have the twig I gave you in the cave?”
“Of course I do. I’m keeping it forever.”
“Then here’s to us, forever.” He drained his glass, so she did too, then giggled as the booze went straight to her head.
“Guess I should drink more often, or is that your grand plan this afternoon? Take me out on the lake and get me drunk where no one else can see you do it?”
“Not even close.” Addison took her glass and placed it next to his on the floor of the boat, then he reached into the basket and pulled out a small velvet box. Nadine gasped. “My plan is to give you something to replace that twig.”
He opened it and got down on one knee. Nadine couldn’t stop staring at the ring. It was the biggest diamond she’d ever seen, surrounded by tiny pale blue topazes. It was stunning, and she couldn’t believe this was happening.
“These blue gems remind me of your beautiful eyes. Nadine, will you marry me? I know you said ‘yes’ once, but I need to hear it again. I’ve loved you for so long, and I can’t imagine my life without you.”
“Oh, Addison.” She swiped at the tears rolling down her cheeks, and gazed into his sexy eyes. “Of cours
e I’ll marry you. I love you, too. I have for so long now. It just took me a while to figure that out.”
He slipped the ring on her finger, and it was no surprise that it fit perfectly. “It took me a while to figure out you were the only woman I wanted, but now that I have you, I promise to never let you forget how precious you are to me.”
Nadine wrapped her arms around Addison, laughing softly as the boat rocked. She clung to him, and when he kissed her, she was lost in a sea of familiar and exquisite sensations. This man had always been in her life, and he would be now until the day she ceased breathing. She loved him with her entire heart and soul, and now she’d be his wife. Nadine intended to spend every single second of her life never letting him forget how very, very much she loved him.
The End
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Other Books by Ravenna Tate:
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