Book Read Free

Bound by the Heart

Page 11

by Ashley Goss


  Chapter 32

  Elijah

  We get up and ready for the long day ahead of us. Rachel, Chris and I go walking around town asking if anyone knows where she lives. Most people didn’t want to tell us because they didn’t want to just give out someone’s address. After about four hours, we finally found someone that would show us where she lives. I feel a little bit of hope in my heart for Nikki. There is no way I am just going to sit around and wait forty-eight hours like the police instructed.

  When we get to the house, it looks like no one is home. I knock on the front door a few times with no answer, and I didn’t hear anyone moving around inside. We go around to the back door, and it’s unlocked. I open the back door, and scream, “Hello?”

  No one answers me. We go inside and look around for any kind of clue as to where Nikki could be or if she is even here. I find a door leading to a basement, but it’s locked. We start going through all the drawers and cabinets in the house looking for the key but no luck.

  “Guys, we are going to have to wait until she comes home. It’s not here.”.

  We wait outside for her to come home. It seems like she is never going to show up until she finally does. She walks inside, and I peek in through the back door. She pulls a key out of her pocket, unlocks the door and walks downstairs.

  “This is our chance!”

  I open the back door and quietly creep down the stairs. There she is. Dwayne’s mom is holding a gun pointed at her and threatening her.

  “Please don’t hurt me. I swear I didn’t mean for Dwayne to get hurt. I’m so sorry.”

  She is begging for her life. She is saying whatever she could to get Dwayne’s mom to change her mind.

  I look at Nikki and put my finger over my mouth, instructing her to be quiet. I walk lightly and grab the gun from Dwayne’s mom.

  “What do you think you are doing? Are you trying to be like your son? You keep saying that he wouldn’t do anything like this, but you are doing the exact same thing?” I ask her.

  “My son’s death needs to be avenged. Someone has to pay.”

  Nikki runs to me and wraps her arms around me. She is ice cold. I take off my track pants and hand them to her. I have gym shorts underneath. I give her a kiss and tell her that she is safe now.

  “Rachel, call the police!”

  “You will never hurt or come near us again.”

  The police show up and take Dwayne’s mom away. Nikki wouldn’t let go of me. For someone so young, she has had so many bad things happen to her. Things she didn’t deserve. When I realize Nikki could be hurt or worse, I couldn’t imagine my life without her. I didn’t want to. She is the love of my life. I didn’t want to live without her. My days would be so dark. She makes me smile and happy.

  I take her home and get her something to eat. I wrap her up in a big blanket and get the fireplace going. It’s toasty. I know that it is time. I want to make sure that I would never have to wonder what my life would be like if I lost her again. I get down on one knee and say, “Baby, will you marry me?”

  “I couldn’t imagine spending a day without you.” She replies.

  Chapter 33

  Nikki

  5 years later...

  As I put on my dress, I try not to cry. Today, I am marrying the man of my dreams, my true prince charming. I am not sure if I would have lived if he wouldn’t have found me that day on the floor in my apartment or in the basement. He has indeed been there for me thru thick and thin. I put my veil on with help from Rachel.

  “Why are you crying? Are they happy tears?”

  She knows they are happy tears. Since the day Elijah asked me to marry him, never a doubt that I would end up here. I couldn’t imagine being with anyone else. True love prospered.

  My poor baby girl, Lily, is crying. She’s two years old and looks just like her daddy. He could never say she isn’t his. That’s for sure. She looks so cute in her flower girl dress.

  When we found out I had been pregnant, I’ve never seen Elijah’s face light up so bright. The wedding at that point had been scheduled for three months later, but we decided to push it back. We wanted our little girl to be there for our big day. I'm so glad we waited.

  “It’s okay, honey. Momma’s almost ready and then you get to walk down the aisle and throw flowers at everyone.”

  Lily isn’t hyper. To my surprise, she is pretty laid back. She hardly ever cried when she was a baby. Elijah did great with her. He always offered to get up in the middle of the night with her. She is a daddy’s girl.

  I put the final touches before heading out the door. I take a deep breath, it’s time. It’s time to say I do to my best friend and my hero.

  The wedding march begins, and as I walk down the aisle, he doesn’t take his eyes off me. His smile just kept getting bigger and bigger. We have been waiting for this moment for years. It’s finally here. We will be husband and wife.

  I take his hand as the officiant reads his spiel. Honestly, I don’t think either one of us is paying attention to what he is saying right now. It’s not often we get to see each other all dressed up like this. We take our cue when he asks them, “I DO’s.”

  “You are now husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”

  He didn’t wait, he is kissing me before he even gets to finish the sentence. I can’t wipe the smile off my face. I am finally his wife. I’ve been waiting a long time to be able to say it officially.

  “What do you want to do next, husband?”

  He shrugs his shoulders, “Something we can’t do with anyone else around.”

  He winks at me, and as we walk down the aisle, my heart flutters. The same flutters that I felt the first day I met him. I think my heart had been trying to tell me then that he had been the one, but I had been too stubborn to listen.

  Everyone throws stuff at us as we walk out of the church to head over to the reception area. We get into the limousine, and I tell him, “Thank you for being there for me. You are now and forever will be my hero. I’m so proud to call you my husband.”

  More from This Author

  Rekindled Love

  Different Worlds

  Rise of the Blood Lust

  You can also keep up with her on social media.

  Website: www.ashleygoss.com

  Facebook: /authorashleygoss

  Twitter: @Authorashleyg

 

 

 


‹ Prev