“You’re next you little bitch,” he growled in my face.
His fingers dug into my arms, pinning me to the door of my parents’ room, and then he leaned in and kissed me.
I was tossing on the couch, when I heard a strange noise. My eyes opened, my senses on alert, and I sat up in the darkness of the room. I gasped when a shadow shifted against the wall across from me.
When the face was no longer shielded by the obscurities of the night, I wasn’t flooded with any sort of relief. She stood across from me, a gun in her hand, and there was no tremble as she took a step forward and pointed it at me.
“What are you doing here, Vick?” I asked, standing from the couch and praying my knees held me up.
“Don’t play stupid, Rosslyn, you know why I’m here,” she hissed.
The moonlight peeking through the curtains reflected against the metal in her grasp, and I watched her eyes shift toward the gun briefly before turning hate-filled eyes on me.
“Ironic, isn’t it?” she asked.
“What?” I tried to keep the shudder from my voice.
“That I’m going kill you with the gun I killed your parents with. I know you don’t want to hear this,” she shrugged, “but it was a fucking rush like no other.”
My stomach lurched, but I didn’t give her the satisfaction of reacting to her words.
“You’re lying. That gun’s in Sebastian’s safe.”
She scoffed, “I took it, you little twit. After you ran out and Sebastian followed, it wasn’t hard to grab.”
“Why are you doing this?”
“Because you’re a bitch who took something that didn’t belong to you. Sebastian’s mine—always has been. I should’ve been the one he fell in love with. We’re the same, him and I.”
“You’re wrong,” I said calmly. “He’s not a killer.”
“Even after everything he told you, you’re still in love with him, aren’t you?”
I knew answering her was only going to piss her off even more, but if I was going to die, I needed to say it out loud.
“Yes. I still love him.”
I closed my eyes and envisioned Sebastian’s face—his smile. He was such a loving person—broken, but loving. I suddenly had a clear head, which was weird, considering there was a gun pointed at me.
The clarity of the situation hit me. Seeing how sick and twisted Vick really was, there was no way Sebastian was anything like her. Sure, he had no business being in my house the night of my parent’s murder, but Sebastian could never kill someone—he couldn’t.
“You forgive him?”
“I’m not so sure there’s anything to forgive. He didn’t pull the trigger, you did. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“You’re a stupid bitch. I’ll be doing the world a favor by taking you out,” she said, leveling the gun at my face.
My heart was beating so hard, it was beginning to hurt. “If being in love means being stupid, then yeah, I guess I’m a stupid bitch.”
“Well, the world’s about to be one stupid bitch short. He’s mine, and I don’t share.”
“I’m not going to tell anyone, Vick.”
“And I should believe you, why?”
“Because, if I was going to turn you in I would have gone straight to the police station after I left Sebastian.”
“Maybe you won’t tell, but I’m not taking any chances.”
“Sebastian won’t want you just because I’m dead. And when he finds out you’re the one who…” I couldn’t get the words past my lips.
“Killed you? Pulled the trigger? Ended your sorry life? Don’t worry, Sebastian will realize I did this for him. I’m the one who stuck with him over the years. I watched from the side as he fucked everything with a pussy, but I never had to worry because Sebastian didn’t fall in love. At least he didn’t, until you.”
“I’ll leave.” I grasped for straws. “I’ll go far away from here and then you can have Sebastian all to yourself. He doesn’t have to know and he won’t be upset if I’m still alive.”
She looked as if she was actually thinking about it, and for a moment, I felt some sort of hope.
“Nah, killing you sounds better. Sebastian won’t just let you leave. He’ll search until he finds you. I’m sorry, Jessica, but this is the only way.”
“No, it’s not, Victoria.” Sebastian’s voice sounded from beside us.
I nearly cried out in relief at the sound of his voice and Vick spun around, just as stunned as I was.
He stood tall in the doorway. The darkness of the night covering half of his face. He stepped into the room, making it feel smaller. I wanted to run to him. I wanted to hold him in my arms and tell him I forgave him. If I was going to die, he needed to know he could go on with my forgiveness.
“What are you doing here?” Vick hissed. “You just had to come to her rescue, didn’t you?”
“I’m not going to let you kill her,” Sebastian’s deep voice brought me an ounce of relief.
“Well, since I’m the only one with a gun here, it looks like you’re fucked out of a choice.”
“Don’t do this. Even if Rosslyn wasn’t in the picture, you and I would’ve never happened. You were different after killing her parents and I never looked at you the same.”
I listened to Sebastian try and talk Vick down, all the while trying to think of a plan. He wasn’t going to be able to distract her forever. I reached back toward the table next to the couch, my fingers barely touching the edge of the bag I’d brought with me.
I breathed a silent sigh of relief when my fingers brushed against the cold metal tucked beneath my wallet. Wrapping my fingers around it, I stood up and held the gun behind my back.
“After everything we’ve been through, I can’t believe you’re saying this to me,” Vick sniffled. Raising the gun again, she began to silently cry. Except this time, the gun wasn’t pointed at me, it was pointed at Sebastian.
“I guess this isn’t going to end in anyone’s favor because if I can’t have you, than neither can she.”
I froze, her words destroying my whole world. The dreaded sound of a gunshot filled the apartment, echoing off the walls and slamming into my chest.
“No!” I screamed.
Sebastian fell back against the wall. His eyes locked on mine in anguish, as he began to slide down to the floor. His body went limp when he fell to the carpet and his eyes closed.
Vick turned toward me, black mascara-filled tears streaming down her face. She raised her gun at me again. “You did this, you bitch. You made me kill him.”
My grip tightened around the gun in my hand as my thumb went over the safety, unlocking it. “You were wrong about one thing, Vick. You’re not the only one...”
Her eyes filled with confusion and then panic when I pulled the gun from behind my back and shot once.
Vick’s eyes went blank as she blinked and stumbled backwards. She looked down and touched her chest, blood tainting the tips of her fingers. She fell to the floor with a heavy thud and the gun fell from her hand sliding on the floor.
I moved across the room toward Sebastian, and fell to my knees next to his still frame. Snatching my cell from my pocket, I dialed 9-1-1 and screamed into the phone that I needed help.
I didn’t listen to the dispatcher, instead, I pulled Sebastian’s head into my lap and pressed my cheek to his.
“Sebastian,” I sobbed, shaking him. “Don’t you dare die. You can’t leave me, you can’t. We just found each other, remember? Please, I just found you,” I cried into his neck.
He didn’t move. I held him close and waited until I heard the sirens from afar. I remained there, holding him in my arms, begging him not to leave, while the cops burst through the door.
Everything happened in a blur and I felt like I was no longer a part of my body as I watched them cover Vick’s body. When they finally got me to let go of Sebastian, I was pulled over to the couch and questioned. I nodded my answers and cried.
&n
bsp; “So then she pulled the gun on you?” the officer asked. “Can you tell me what happened then?”
I was talking, but it didn’t sound like me. I explained to them everything that happened, and how Vick had been the one who killed my parents twelve years before. I didn’t tell them about Sebastian, I didn’t want his name linked to their murder. He was there, but I knew in my heart that he was just as much a victim as they were.
I was outside, standing on the sidewalk, when they brought Vick’s lifeless body down and wheeled her past me. I wrapped my arms tightly around myself and cried when Sebastian’s followed.
“I want to ride with him.” I told the paramedic as they put Sebastian in the ambulance.
The paramedic looked at me funny, but nodded and helped me into the back. Another paramedic got in behind me and closed the doors.
I didn’t know if they were scared of my catatonic like state or what, but they didn’t protest when I crawled onto the gurney with Sebastian and wrapped my arms around him. He was still warm, and his pulse was slow, but at least it was still there.
Epilogue
“Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same.” ~ Flavia Weedn
I stood there staring down at the flawlessly chiseled headstone. I hadn’t been to the grave since the day we put the coffin in the ground. I hadn’t been brave enough and the guilt only made it worse. Guilt for loving the man who’d altered my life so completely in so many ways.
I’d like to think my parents would have forgiven Sebastian, too. He was so young the night they were murdered—only seventeen. And although he’d broken into our house, he never expected for anyone to get killed. Vick was the killer, and now she was dead, too.
Kneeling down, I placed a white rose on the grave and ran my fingers over the rough engraving.
“Roz?” Kyle whispered, coming to stand beside me. He gave me a small smile and then wrapped his arm around my shoulders.
I wiped at the single tear that slid down my cheek. “Hey, kiddo,”
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah. Just sad.”
I hadn’t told Kyle about Sebastian’s role in our parent’s murder. I didn’t know if he’d understand why I’d forgiven so easily. All he knew was the person responsible for our parent’s death was finally found and closure was ours.
“I think it’s okay to be sad, as long as you know it’s okay to be happy, too.”
I smiled up at him. “When did you become so smart, kid?”
“I had some help from my big sister.”
“Hey, what about me?”
Kyle pretended to be annoyed as a big hand ruffled his hair, before pulling him into a playful head lock.
“Sebastian,” he groaned. “You messed up my hair.”
Sebastian’s deep laugh was like a soft caress as it wrapped around me. Moving my arm under his, I wrapped it around his waist and pulled him close. He gave me a gentle squeeze and we moved back to give Kyle a little privacy with our parents.
I watched as he put a white rose down next to mine and then whispered something, before getting up and putting his hands in his pockets. There were no tears as he looked up at me, but his eyes glistened.
“I’m going to go wait with Mr. Martin,” Kyle said and then ran toward the car.
“Are you okay?” Sebastian asked into my hair, planting a soft kiss in the strands.
“It’s always hard visiting them, but I needed to do this for Kyle.”
“You both needed this.”
“Thank you for coming,” I said, looking up at him.
“I owe you this, Rosslyn.” He was silent for a second. “I’ve been here before.”
I pulled back. “You have? When?”
“About a year after it happened. I needed to apologize for taking them away from you and Kyle. I visited them once a week, until Vick found out and freaked.”
I didn’t want to talk about Vick, or anything to do with her, so I didn’t respond. We were together. We were both alive. That’s all that mattered.
Sebastian pulled away and took a step forward, kneeling so he could place his rose next to Kyle’s and mine.
“I’m so sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Harris. I plan to take care of Rosslyn and Kyle for the rest of my life.”
His declaration brought tears to my eyes. I took his hand as he stood and held it out to me. Pulling me into his arms, I laid my head against his chest, feeling soothed by the sound of his heartbeat.
I moved my fingers along the buttons of his shirt, until I found bare skin, and then the scar of his bullet wound. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to forget what it felt like to almost lose him, focusing on the fact he was still here with me.
“We’re going to be late,” he whispered.
I nodded, letting him pull me toward Mr. Martin and Kyle.
“Jonathon Hale,” the dean called over the microphone.
The closer he got to the name Harris, the more nervous I became.
Looking up into the stands, I smiled at Sebastian, Kyle and Trish—flashing our secret wave. I’d done it. I’d gone to school and I’d finished the first two years at tech. After that, I’d be moving onto Cornell University for my master’s degree.
“Rosslyn Harris.”
I moved toward the stage. When I took my diploma and shook hands with the dean, I could hear Sebastian’s cheer above the applause.
After the ceremony, the crowd was clearing out and we made our way to the car.
“I’m so proud of you, Roz.” Kyle threw his arm around my shoulder.
His was taller than me now, had been for the last year. He was turning out to be such a good kid, and did well in school. Not to mention his art, which was already being sold in a few select galleries New York City. Kyle was amazing—strong for such a young age, and I couldn’t help but feel pride over playing a major part in raising him.
“Yes. We need to celebrate,” Sebastian said.
“I don’t know. I kind of just want to go home, pop some popcorn, and watch a movie,” I replied.
We all walked to the car in conversation, and when I started to get in, Sebastian pulled me to the side.
I tugged at my black dress and smiled up at him. His eyes devoured me and memories of all the times he’d loved me came rushing back.
“You look beautiful,” he said, running a single finger down my bare arm.
“Thank you.”
“I’m so proud of you, Rosslyn,” he grinned.
“Well, thank you, sir. It makes me happy to please you,” I said, as I playfully flirted.
“Is that so?” he flirted back.
“Yes.”
“So you’d do anything to make me happy then?”
I loved how frisky he was being. It was never boring with Sebastian. He kept me on my toes and made each day an adventure.
“Absolutely.”
“Then in that case, I have a new proposal for you.” His smile was so big, his adorable dimples were making an appearance.
I couldn’t help myself, I giggled. “Oh really? What kind of proposal?
He moved in, his unique scent swarming all around me. Pulling me closer, he cupped my face with his hands and stared into my eyes. “My name’s Sebastian Black, and I’d like to spend the rest of my life with you…”
The Fucking End…
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Acknowledgements
From Tabatha & Melissa
To Cover It Designs, thank you for knockin
g this cover out of the park. It was a joy working with you again and we look forward to working with you again in the future.
Victoria Schmitz, our sweet and wonderful editor, you’re the most patient person alive. No seriously, we want to be you when we grow up. Had we been you, we would have climbed through the computer and knocked us the hell out, but you didn’t. You sent smiley faces, even when I knew you were cussing me. Thank you for picking through Little Black Book and finding the gold that lies beneath. You rock, chick!
Thank you to Holly Malgeri, Cheree Crump, Annie Gabor, Sarah Davey, and Jennifer Wedmore for giving Sebastian a beta spin. You girls are speed reading divas and we freaking adore you.
From Tabatha Vargo
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! Yes, you! If you’re reading this, then you’re awesome. No, you’re freaking amazing. I have the most incredible readers. You guys pick up my books, you read them, and you love them, and that to me is just the most wonderful feeling ever. So to you, the reader, you kick way more ass than I could ever dream of kicking. Thank you from the depths of my heart and beyond.
Secondly, thank you to the amazing Melissa Andrea for becoming a part of my work and helping me make it all it can be. You’ve been there for me like no other and I no longer look at you as a co-worker, but as a best friend and a sister. I can’t wait to spend an amazing summer with you and your family.
I want to thank my husband Matthew. He has taught me everything I know about love and romance. He’s my biggest supporter and always has been. Thank you, baby. I love you.
Melissa Burek, we’ve known each other for years, but just this past year we’ve gotten super close. Thank you for coming into my crazy author world and loving it as much as I do. I appreciate you having my back in this. You’re amazing and I thank you.
To best freaking street team on the planet, you girls are die hard. I love each of your faces and I’m so thankful to have such kick ass chicks on my side. Thank you for every share, idea, comment… just thank you for everything. The support you give me blows my mind and I’m so thankful for each and every one of you. If I could, I’d give you all great big squeezing hugs.
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