Then Came Absolution (Southern Love #3)

by E. L. Todd

  Cole walked in a moment later. He’d been on the porch the entire time, witnessing the brutal fight Blaise had with Alexandra. He stared at his brother for a moment before he sat beside him on the couch. “I’m sorry.”

  “Sorry for what?” Blaise snapped. “That I’m a fucking idiot.”

  Cole stared at the blank television screen.

  “Fuck her.” His nostrils flared with every breath he took. His knuckles hurt because he clenched them so tightly. “I don’t know what the hell I was thinking. She’s a piece of work…”

  His brother rubbed his chin but kept his silence.

  “She was the biggest mistake. I never loved her.”

  “But you did.”

  “No, I didn’t.”

  Cole turned to him. “You can’t rewrite history. And even now, you still do.”

  Blaise rubbed his temples. “How could she possibly pick him? The fucker cheated on her.”

  “She’s been living with him for the past few months. It makes sense why she’d be torn.”

  “Who’s side are you fucking on?”

  Cole raised his hands. “I’m not anyone’s side, alright? I’m just trying to make you realize what’s important.”

  “What’s important?” Blaise asked incredulously. “What the hell does that mean?”

  “It means, she’s still here, living with you. She may have picked Paul, but she could change her mind.”

  “No.” Blaise shook his head. “I don’t want a woman that clearly doesn’t know what she wants. Call me selfish but I want my woman to only want me, not think about someone else when she’s in my bed every night.”

  “Alex doesn’t seem like the type.”

  Blaise couldn’t deny that. She would have slept with Paul if she really wanted to be with him. But she didn’t.

  “Go get her.”

  Blaise sighed. “I have no idea where she went.”

  “You know her better than anyone. Where would she go?”

  “Probably Rob’s.”

  “That’s where you should start,” Cole said. “Especially if Evan is still intent on hurting her.”

  Blaise felt his heart clench painfully. “Fuck.”

  “You need backup?”

  “No,” Blaise said. “I’ll get her. I want to rip her throat out, but I fucking love that stupid brat.” He marched to his keys then bolted out the door. Cole came behind him and watched him peel out of his dirt driveway.

  Blaise’s truck was big and powerful, but the weight made it difficult to accelerate. He pressed the pedal to the floor and raced to town. If a cop followed him and tried to pull him over, he would just keep going.

  When he saw Alexandra’s pickup in front of the bar, he breathed a sigh of relief. But it was followed by anger a moment later. It was stupid for her to go somewhere so public. He pulled into a parking space, taking up two spots because he was too flustered to park.

  Blaise bolted inside then looked for her in the seats. She was sitting in the corner with Lisa. They were talking quietly to one another. Gabe was sitting across from them, looking down at the table like he was being excluded.

  When he approached the table, he saw the tears falling down Alexandra’s face. But it didn’t ignite the pity he would normally feel. He grabbed her wrist. “Let’s go.”

  She jerked it away. “I said I need my space right now.”

  Lisa eyed them then leaned back, trying to give them privacy.

  “I don’t give a shit what you need.”

  “Go away,” she said with a sniff.

  He grabbed her neck and brought his lips to her ear. “I don’t want you to be seen—especially by Evan. If you resist me, I will drag you out of here. Don’t call my bluff.” He pulled away then glared at her.

  “Leave her alone,” Gabe said. He stared at Blaise, the fear deep in his eyes. He kept his shoulders squared and his jaw tense, but the anxiety was still clear.

  Just looking at Gabe drove Blaise insane. Imagining him kissing Alexandra, holding her down while he tried to force himself inside her, made him crash and burn. The night he broke into his house came into his mind. He wished he killed him then.

  Blaise grabbed him by the neck and slammed his head into the table. Gabe moaned then rubbed his head. A line of blood was on the wood.

  “Blaise!” Alexandra looked at him like he was crazy. “I’ll go, I’ll go!”

  Blaise continued to glare at Gabe.

  “I said I would go,” Alexandra repeated. She left the booth and grabbed his arm. “Leave him alone.”

  “I will when he’s buried six feet under.”

  “Knock it off,” she hissed into his ear. She dropped his arm and moved to the entrance.

  Blaise glared at him once more before he followed Alexandra outside. “Get in your truck.”

  “Don’t tell me what to do.”

  Blaise grabbed her arm and pulled her into the parking lot. She jerked away from him then pushed him. He released his hold then stared her down. “Get inside.”

  “Just leave me alone.”

  “No!” He grabbed her again and pulled her to the door. “Go back to my house. I’ll leave you alone if you want. But you shouldn’t be here. It isn’t safe.”

  “Like you care,” she whispered.

  “Oh, believe me. I care.” He opened the door then pushed her inside. “I’ll follow you.”

  “I thought you didn’t love me? Why are you chasing me?”

  Blaise clenched his fists. “I’ll always love you. You already fucking know that.” He slammed the door closed then walked to his truck. He waited for her to pull out of the parking lot before he followed behind her. Blaise noticed there was no one else on the road. If he was lucky, no one noticed Alexandra in the bar, and if they did, they wouldn’t mention it to Evan. But if she was at his house, at least she would be safe. He wanted to be apart from her as much as she did, but he couldn’t abandon her.

  When they returned to the house, Alexandra ran inside without looking back. Blaise followed her a moment later. Cole was gone, probably back at his house. The living room was empty. Blaise kicked off his shoes then went to Martha’s room. When he opened the door, he realized she was asleep. Then he went to Alexandra’s room. When he tried the handle, it was locked.

  “Alexandra,” he yelled.

  “Go away!” Her voice cracked.

  “Just don’t leave the house,” he said. “I mean it.”

  “Go away, Blaise.”

  “Promise me.”

  Alexandra was quiet.

  “Promise me you won’t leave. I won’t go to bed unless I have your word.”

  “Fine.”

  That was good enough for him. Alexandra wouldn’t make a promise she didn’t intend to keep. He went into his bedroom and collapsed on the bed. When he stared at the ceiling, he reflected on everything that happened that afternoon. He woke up that morning, broken and alone, but everything changed that afternoon. But then he lost everything again. Blaise couldn’t gamble his feelings anymore. While he loved Alexandra, she was clearly unavailable. There was no point in hurting himself over someone who would never really be his. In reality, she had never been his anyway.

  Chapter Twenty One

  When Blaise was asleep, Alexandra snuck out of her room then walked onto the porch. She was too upset to go to sleep. And she was too hurt to be in the same house as him. But she kept her word and stayed on the property. She wanted to run away but that was as far as she could go.

  She sat in the rocking chair and pulled her knees to her chest. She yanked the shirt down and encompassed her entire body. She rocked herself slowly, resting her chin on her knees. Her mind was racing with her dilemma. She never thought it was possible to be in love with two men at the same time, but it clearly was.

  Paul was everything she wanted in another person. He supported her every decision, and he never pushed her too hard. When she said she didn’t want to be a nurse, he accepted that and said she didn’t have to work at all.
He was patient with her, not pressuring her to be physical with him even though he clearly wanted to. And he was sweet to her, had always been sweet to her. And he was the love of her life—until she met Blaise.

  Blaise was different—indescribable. When she came to Georgia, the moment she saw him in the fields changed everything. Initially, she thought it was just a strong physical attraction, but as soon as they spoke, she knew there was something more. Without even trying, he healed the wounds that were far underneath. Everything felt right with him—at the time.

  Having to rewrite history made her dilemma worse. Blaise was never the liar or the cheat she assumed he was. And she treated him so horribly for something he didn’t even do. The guilt formed in her stomach and stretched outwards. All that time they lost could never be regained. And now she was with Paul…could she just leave him and return to Blaise? It would hurt Paul so much, more than anything. The idea of hurting him made her sick. But the pain on Blaise’s face was even worse. She had never been more confused about anything in her life.

  “You already know your answer.”

  Alexandra turned to the front door. Aunt Martha was standing on her crutches, smiling down at Alexandra. “

  You heard everything?” Alexandra asked.

  Martha sat in the nearest chair and rested her crutches on her lap. “It’s hard to ignore Blaise when he yells like that.”

  Alexandra ran her fingers through her hair. “I don’t know what to do…”

  “I wish I could help you.”

  She stared at her aunt. “Help me.”

  “Help you do what, exactly?”

  “Choose.”

  “That’s something I can’t do.”

  Alexandra pulled her knees closer to her chest, trying to fold her body as much possible. “How did you know Uncle Mike was the one?”

  “No reason,” Martha said. “But I think that’s how I knew.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Martha tightened her blouse around her chest. “You can’t make a list of things you love about him and decide that way. You can’t use his flaws against him. In fact, you could hate everything about him but still want him.”

  Alexandra was confused. “What?”

  Martha smiled. “That’s the secret—there is no reason. It just is.”

  That didn’t help Alexandra at all.

  “Why do you love Paul?” Martha asked.

  “I don’t know…he’s a compassionate person. He cares about his friends and family more than anything. He’s passionate about his job. He’s funny and smart.”

  Martha raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t ask why you like him as a person. I asked why you like him as your lover. From the description, he sounds like everyone else.”

  Alexandra shrugged. “He’s sweet to me. He’s handsome.”

  “Is that all?”

  “Of course not,” Alexandra said. “I just can’t think when you put me on the spot like that.”

  Martha smiled then rested her hand on top of hers. “Why do you love Blaise?”

  Alexandra looked at the American flag that hung from the top of the house. It flapped in the wind. Even in the darkness, the stars still shined bright. “When I met him, I couldn’t stop staring at his eyes. They are blue, but so unusual. When he’s upset or angry, his eyes convey all of it. That’s how I know what he’s thinking.” She clutched her hands together. “I opened up to him even though he never asked me to. When I’m around him, I’m always nervous, even after all this time. For the short time we were together, I felt better about myself, that I could be better than I used to be. When I saved those people from that car, he said he was proud of me. He wasn’t upset. And he’s always pushed me to be a nurse again even though I’m still unsure how I feel about that. I don’t know…I guess I don’t have a specific reason. And the reasons I do have don’t even make sense.

  Martha patted her hand then stood up. “You have your answer.”

  “I do?”

  She walked toward the door but stopped before she walked inside. “You’ll realize it.”

  “Aunt Martha?”

  “Yes, dear?”

  “Who do you think I should be with?” Her aunt was an amazing judge of character. If she chose between the two, it would obviously be the right one.

  “You already know.” She walked into the house then closed the door behind her.

  Alexandra was frozen to the spot, processing the conversation they just had. Even if she made a decision, it wouldn’t be easier to go through with it. One of them would get hurt. So either way, Alexandra would still lose. She tried to clear her thoughts and stare at the pasturelands she’d grown to love in such a short amount of time. The weeds pricked her palms when she yanked them out of the soil, and there was still dirt under her fingernails from her days working in the fields. But she had grown fond of it.

  The sound of moving gravel came to Alexandra’s ears. When she looked up, she saw a truck pull into the driveway. But the headlights were off. And from what she could see in the dark, she didn’t recognize the vehicle. The car stopped and the ignition was killed. Alexandra suddenly felt cold. Something didn’t add up. Her heart thudded in her chest.

  The dogs pricked their ears and stared at the truck. None of them moved as they waited for the driver to open the door.

  Alexandra stood up then crept to the door, hoping not to be seen. When she heard the hinge of the door, she froze. The dogs started to growl, and the feral sound made her blood pound in her ears. She peeked over her shoulder and saw a man standing in a hoodie. His face was concealed in shadow, but the outline of his frame showed his aggression.

  “Good evening,” he said with a pleasant voice. “I would love a quick word.”

  The sound of his voice made her skin prickle with unease. She had no idea what Evan looked like, had never heard his voice, but she had a strong feeling the man walking toward her porch was him. She sprinted to the door and turned the handle.

  The dogs barked and sprinted to the attacker. Alexandra hoped they wouldn’t be hurt, but she was thankful they were there. She got inside the house and locked the door. But the handle was broken. When she turned the lock, it did nothing.

  The door burst open and he grabbed her by the neck then covered her mouth, stifling her scream. Alexandra felt her survival instincts kick in. There was no doubt that Evan intended to kill her. She tried to move out of his arms but his grip was too tight. His hold on her neck constricted, making her lose her breath. Unable to get away, she kicked the table in the entryway. The vase on the surface tipped over and crashed to the floor.

  “Fucking bitch,” he hissed. He pulled a knife out of his pocket then pointed the blade at her.

  Her eyes widened and she tried to scream through his palm. Her heart was working in overdrive, and her muscles never felt as strong as they did in that moment. She stomped her heel down onto his foot, making him moan, then she bit into palm hard, drawing blood.

  “Fuck!” He loosened his hold on her for a moment and she moved away.

  “BLAISE!” She screamed at the top of her lungs. “Blaise!”

  Evan’s hood fell back and his eyes widened. He rushed to her, his knife still drawn. Alexandra scrambled away then ran behind the couch, trying to put anything between them. Blaise had to have heard her call. He would be there in just a second.

  The sound of footsteps down the hallway announced Blaise’s presence. Alexandra knew Evan was frightened by the look of fear in his eyes. He bolted to the back door. Alexandra wanted to stop him, but she stepped out of the way, knowing she couldn’t block his path.

  Blaise’s arms shook when he entered the living room. His eyes were wide with an insatiable blood rage. His chest rose and fell, giving him the energy he needed to tear Evan apart. He glanced at Alexandra then sprinted to Evan, a look of murder on his face.

  “You piece of shit!” Blaise grabbed him by the arm then threw him to the ground. “I’ve wanted to kill you for a long time.”

&nb
sp; Evan rolled out of the way then aimed a punch at Blaise’s face.

  Blaise returned the strike with two of his own, making blood spill.

  Alexandra tried to move out of the way. “Blaise, he has a knife.”

  “Stay back,” Blaise said without looking at her.

  Alexandra didn’t need to be told twice.

  Blaise reached for him again, but Evan grabbed his knife from the ground and aimed it at Blaise. He aimed for Blaise’s chest, but got his arm. The wound was deep but superficial. Blaise acted like it didn’t hurt at all. He stepped back then adopted a defensive stance.

  Evan moved toward Alexandra, his bloody knife still in his hand. Alexandra tried to move away but he was too fast.

  Blaise screamed. “No!” He sprinted to Alexandra and pushed her aside, making her slam into the wall. He grabbed Evan’s arm and stilled the knife. Evan pushed with all his might, but Blaise steadied his hand. Evan suddenly kicked him in the knee, making Blaise lose his concentration slightly. With his free hand, he punched Evan in the jaw, pushing him back.

  Immediately, Blaise grabbed the table then flipped it on its side, blocking Alexandra in and protecting her. “Stay down.”

  “Blaise, watch out!” Alexandra said.

  Evan swiped his knife toward Blaise, impaling him in the side.

  “No!” Alexandra covered her face.

  Evan smiled. “I’ll kill her when I’m done with you.”

  If Blaise was in pain, he didn’t show it. He grabbed Evan by the neck then squeezed him tightly. Evan pulled the knife out then aimed again.

  A loud shot rang out and echoed around the house. Evan suddenly dropped to the floor, his body collapsing on the hard wood floors. Blaise clutched his stomach then fell to his knees.

  When Alexandra looked up, she saw Martha standing in the entryway, a shotgun held in her hand.

  “I’ll call 9-1-1,” Martha said.

  Alexandra rushed to Blaise then lifted up his shirt. The blood was pooling out, gushing to the floor. “Oh my god.”

  Blaise’s eyes flickered from side to side. “Are you okay?” he asked with a quiet voice.

  “I’m fine,” she said as pressed his hand against the cut. It wasn’t enough. She grabbed a sweater on the couch then tightened it around his waist. She put as much pressure as she could. “You’re going to be okay,” she said in a calm voice.