Embrace

by Fernandez, Michelle

  I nod and hate that I can’t do both, save Delilah and kill Meyers myself.

  Trees bristle above us as we survey the lay of the land. It’s eerily quiet and I don’t know if that’s a good or a bad thing. The SUV in the driveway confirms we’re at the right location.

  The rundown cabin is a piece of shit tucked in the hills of Big Bear Mountain, a couple of miles from the main road, and about two hours east of Los Angeles.

  Listening to Jackson outline the plan to rescue Delilah is killing me. And I pray that is exactly what we will do, a rescue instead of a recovery. I’m trained for this kind of thing, but it’s different if the target I need to save is the one I love.

  “Detective Solis and his officers have already taken position on the left side,” Jackson says. “Don’t go rogue, Brody. Rules of engagement . . . Fire only when fired upon.”

  “Fuck,” I snap. “Are you serious? He’s got Delilah. You need to empty your mag in that motherfucker’s body.”

  “I want him dead too.” Dylan speaks up, his jaw ticks as he levels his stare at me. “The objective is to protect and save my sister from that fucktard. If he has a gun, he’ll shoot her before he shoots us.”

  “If we kill him, he gets the easy way out,” Jackson says. “Meyers will go to prison for a very long time. Let the inmates have their way with him.”

  Anger consumes me, adrenaline courses through my veins, and all I see is red. My feet and trigger finger are ready to go and get this shit over with.

  Jackson speaks into the mic letting Detective Solis know we are in position at the front entrance. Just as the detective gives the go ahead to breach, we hear a scream from inside and rush forward, barreling through the door.

  Gunshots ring out. My heart freezes as my feet keep moving on their mission to find her. All I can do is pray that Delilah is alive as we travel in formation down the hall, checking each room.

  “Clear . . . clear . . . clear,” is heard from law enforcement, Jackson, and Dylan.

  When I finally reach the last room, the scene brings me to my knees, and the floor drops out from beneath me.

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Delilah

  My head is foggy, my eyes are heavy, and I can’t seem to open them up just yet as a hum echoes in my ear. I relish in the familiar melody and yet, I can’t place it because of the low, gruff whistle.

  It brings me back to my childhood. You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy, when skies are gray. You’ll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don’t take my sunshine away.

  The whistling melody repeats. I slowly open my eyes to a brightly lit room.

  The sun peers through the slats of the vertical blinds and my smile grows seeing Drake flipping through a magazine, with a toothpick in his mouth. I have always wondered how he does it. I tried whistling with a toothpick in my mouth once and failed miserably. I ended up spitting the saliva covered toothpick onto the floor.

  As if he can sense my gaze, he closes the magazine and places it on the bed tray at the foot of the hospital bed before he leans into me.

  “Hey, Lulu,” he whispers. The warmth of Drake’s kiss on my forehead brings a tear to my eyes and rolls down my cheeks. “I’m going to get the nurse and let her know you’re awake.”

  “No,” I croak out as quickly as I can with my dry throat.

  “Brody’s outside. Do you want me to get him?”

  “Not yet.” I try reaching for him, but the IV needle and tube restrain me from moving. “Please. Stay.”

  “Okay, I’ll stay.” He takes my hand in his and sits back down. “Do you remember what happened?”

  I survey the hospital bed I’m lying in. My body aches and my head hurts. My wrists are wrapped in bandages. I see scratches and bruises on my arms and there’s a sling around my shoulder. I take in a breath and a twinge of pain pierces my side.

  “Yes . . . No . . . Bits and pieces.”

  “You are definitely a Marshall lady. Fearless and a fighter,” Drake says, giving my hand a squeeze before he lifts the plastic pitcher on the bed tray, pours water in a small Dixie cup, and hands it to me to drink.

  As I slowly swallow the soothing water, it hits me like a tsunami. “Todd!” I gasp.

  “He’s dead.”

  “I thought he was still in jail. How did he know where to find me?”

  “He was released early.” He rubs his thumb on top of my hand and there’s sadness in his eyes. “I’m sorry, I fucked up. I should have paid closer attention.”

  “It’s not your fault he came after me.”

  “What do you remember?”

  Tears trickle down my face and I taste the salt as I lick my lips. “The alley. Then I woke up in a dark room. He had a gun. There was so much blood.”

  “It was Todd’s blood. You shot him. Twice.”

  “It’s over? It’s really over?” I mumble.

  “Yes, Lulu. It’s over. He can’t hurt you anymore.” Drake’s thumb continues to caress the top of my hand. It soothes and comforts me.

  My mind is going a thousand miles an hour as my body sags deeper into the bed, my head rests on the pillow, and I close my eyes momentarily.

  It’s as if a weight has been lifted and yet all the horrific images flash in my mind. Todd’s eyes, the pain he inflicted, and the cold steel of the gun against my skin. Although I did my best to fight back, I knew it was hopeless and I was ready to accept my destiny.

  But when the sun rose casting that flicker of hope making the room brighter, I saw my broken necklace and the cross shining on the dark floor. I took it as a sign of faith I would be saved.

  I must have dozed off because when I open my eyes again, another man sits in the chair.

  Brody. My Brody.

  His hands link with mine, his lips on my thumb, and his eyes are closed as if he’s praying. My mind is still in a haze, but I’m more alert now than before.

  I take him all in. His sandy-blond hair in disarray, his dusty black T-shirt, scuffs on his forearms, a sheen of sweat on his forehead, and dirt on his cheeks.

  “Hey,” I whisper as he lifts his head, his gaze meets mine, and a tear rolls down his face. He looks tired, like he’s been up for days with his red-rimmed eyes. “How long was I asleep?”

  “Delilah.” His gravelly voice is but a whisper, but I hear it and it gives me peace to hear my name coming from his lips.

  He rises from the chair and gently presses his mouth to my lips and keeps them there. He doesn’t say another word as we kiss each other, tasting the salt from his tears. When he finally pulls away, he sits back in the chair.

  His jaw clenches as he reaches out to caress my tender cheek but then pulls back. I can tell he’s afraid to touch me, as if I’ll break. His eyes are full of questions he wants answers to. But knowing him, he’ll want to take it slow.

  “You’ve been sleeping for the last ten hours.”

  I take in a deep breath as tears well in my eyes seeing him again.

  “I was so scared.” With those four words, it doesn’t take long for the uncontrollable tears to come down my cheeks as images flash through my mind.

  “Me too,” he says.

  “Please hold me,” I say.

  Brody climbs into the hospital bed with me, being careful to avoid the many tubes and wires monitoring me. I wince when he wraps his arms around my shoulders, but I don’t care. I need the warmth of his body on me. To know this is not a dream. He cradles me as I heave and catch my breath. He’s silent, giving me the time to grieve and regain my strength.

  It hits me like a freight train and I’m completely shell-shocked remembering everything.

  I cry for what happened and what could have happened to me.

  Regret for loving Todd and the gratification of killing him.

  For loving Brody so much and yet I ran away from him.

  I’m panting and out of breath.

  I cry until I have no more tears to shed.

  I lean back to see Brody’s shi
rt is damp from my tears, and I wipe my nose with the back of my hand.

  “I’m sorry,” I whisper. “I’m sorry I put this all on you, my family, my friends.”

  “They’ll be happy to see that you’re finally awake.”

  “They’re here? All of them?”

  Brody nods as the corner of his mouth tugs up into a smile. “Except for Daxton. He’s with Franny and Catrina.”

  “You gave us all a scare, sweetheart.” He shakes his head as his hand glides softly up and down my arm. “What happened? Why did you leave me?” He raises his hand. “Don’t answer that. It doesn’t matter anymore. All that matters is that you’re alive.”

  “I thought I was going to die,” I say, surveying the wrap around my shoulder, feel the bandages on my rib cage, IV in my arm, and cast on my leg. “He got me good, didn’t he?”

  Brody runs his hand through his hair, stands, and walks to the window. He stares out at the orange and pink hues in the sky for a moment. “When I heard the gunshots . . . fucking Christ, Dee . . . all I could think about was getting to you . . . I prayed to God you weren’t hurt.” He turns and kneels next to the bed. The hitch in his breath tells me he’s holding back from breaking down. “Then I saw you, blood all over your body, your dress, the floor, him . . . I didn’t know what to do.” His voice cracks. “I thought . . . I thought I lost you.”

  “I fought back,” I reassure him.

  “And I’m jealous that you got to kill him instead of me.” He sits on the edge of the bed and gives me a soft smile. “Dylan and Jackson had to peel me off you and hold me back so the paramedics could check you. I don’t know what I would have done if I lost you, Dee.”

  “I know I shouldn’t have left. But when I saw you with Sophia. The things you were saying to each other. How you looked at each other. I can’t compete—‍”

  “What are you talking about? There’s nothing to compete over and nothing to be jealous of. You have my heart. You’re it for me, Dorothy.”

  “But I saw you. She was playing with your buttons . . . she was—‍”

  “She was wiping off your lipstick. The lipstick you left on my shirt in the town car, remember? She's also been helping me with a surprise for you, that’s probably the things you heard us talking about. She was looking forward to meeting you and for us to meet her fiancé.”

  Suddenly, I feel stupid.

  “I-I don’t know what to say.” I shut my eyes in embarrassment and blow out a long breath.

  “Just say that you trust me, and you’ll never run away from me again.”

  “I trust you and I’ll never run away from you again because I love you.”

  “Say it again.” He tucks my hair behind my ear.

  “I love you, Brody Saint Clair-Reinhardt,” I repeat.

  “There is no other woman that can hold a candle next to you. You are all I want and all I ever need. You are my everything.” He cups my face and there’s a flash of desire in his eyes. “I love you and only you, Dorothy.”

  His lips meet mine again and the way he kisses me, it’s as if he is kissing parts of me he hadn’t touched yet. The deepest parts of my soul and my spirit. Kissing all my fears away and leaving his mark and erasing every uncertainty I ever had.

  When our lips touch, it’s as if the heavens open and answer all my prayers as he embraces me. I close my eyes while he holds me for what feels like an eternity.

  I don’t want to let go.

  I allow a single tear to fall down my cheek, but it’s not a tear of hurt or pain. It’s a tear of contentment, bliss, and the harmony I feel when I’m with him. This is where I belong, in his arms, in his embrace, and I never want to run away from him ever again.

  Epilogue

  Brody

  “Where are you taking me now?” Delilah asks as she fiddles with the blindfold over her eyes.

  “You better not peek,” I tell her as I reach out and link her fingers with mine, keeping my eyes on the road. “I told you, it’s a surprise.”

  “I hate surprises,” she pouts, hiding the tug at the corner of her pretty lips.

  “I can just turn around and we can go back to your place. Turn on some Netflix and order in some Thai food.”

  “Well, maybe I don’t totally hate surprises.”

  “At least this surprise is not at the ass crack of dawn,” I joke.

  It’s been seven months since that horrifying night. Seven months of therapy with one of the best doctors in Los Angeles. Seven months of healing. Seven months of helping her through the night terrors and being afraid of the dark.

  It’s like that saying, have you ever loved someone so much it hurts? It’s exactly how I feel everyday I’m with her. It’s worse when I’m not with her, on an assignment whenever Cole Security Forces needs me in Virginia or overseas.

  Our love for each other is intense. There is so much passion, it’s powerful and amazing. And along with this feeling, I truly am afraid to lose her.

  Am I a pansy-ass, as Drake would call me?

  Or pussy-lassoed, as Kyle would say?

  Hell yes, I am, and I proudly admit it.

  But I’ll never forget the words from Dylan, the night we rescued her. Delilah is a priority. She will always be my priority. This woman has turned my world upside down and inside out. She consumes me and I’m loving every bit of it.

  “Can you at least give me a little hint?” she asks, fidgeting in her seat before turning her body to face me.

  “Fine . . . Let’s just say we have reservations.” My left leg shakes. This is, by far, the hardest surprise I have hidden from her.

  Ever since she was discharged from the hospital, I have stayed at her home and taken care of her, hand and foot. I know I was a bit smothering, but fuck I cared.

  After several weeks of my smothering, it was quite comical when she actually pointed the pepper spray at me and forced me out of her house. She told me to go hang out with Kyle since he’d been bugging me to have a beer and shoot the shit. Dee also took advantage of it and had her girls’ night with Sydney.

  “Can I just take this off . . . um, ’cause I’m scared of the dark.”

  Her eagerness is cute as hell and I debate if I should take the long route to our destination just to watch her squirm in the passenger seat. But decide not to only because I remember I’m on a deadline.

  “Nice try, Dorothy. It’s just a few more miles.” I exit the freeway and wait for the light to turn green. “Why don’t you tell me about your week to help keep your mind occupied?”

  “Sure, I guess I can do that.” She takes in a deep breath and there is a brief silence as the music softly plays on the radio before she says, “Phoebe wants me to be a guest on her show. To talk about my experience.”

  My grip tightens on the steering wheel. Ever since that night, when I thought I lost her, when all I saw was her lifeless body in the dark room lying on the cold floor, all I want to do is make her forget it ever happened. And now Phoebe wants her to talk about that horrific night? That’s the last thing I want to see her go through. But this is Dee’s call, her choice, and I need to let her make it and support her, if she decides to do it.

  “Are you sure you’re ready?” I ask through clenched teeth, my thumb caressing her knuckles to calm my anxiety.

  “I am. Therapy and attending the group sessions has helped me. My nightmares aren’t as frequent. And it’s not just about me. I want women out there to know they’re not alone, and they can go find help. That they’re not victims, but survivors. I also spoke with Kayla yesterday and the retreat for battered women is all set. We have so much planned.” She claps her hands in excitement and a smile spreads across her face. “It’s scheduled for the first weekend of April and the entire resort is reserved. Phoebe’s friend, Chloe, is coordinating the event. It will be their time to be spoiled and enjoy themselves with other women just like them and eat lots of food.”

  “I think you are amazing and beautiful.”

  I kiss the top of her hand as
I glance at her from behind my sunglasses. I take in her chestnut hair as the breeze blows through the strands from the open sunroof, thankful for the warm November weather.

  “Oh, and Phoebe’s bachelorette party is next weekend,” she continues.

  “Next weekend already?”

  “Did you forget? We go to Napa and you go fishing with my brothers . . . at least that’s what you’re making us think you’re doing.”

  “I didn’t forget . . . and we are going on a fishing trip. It’ll be us guys, lots of beer, and hopefully we’ll catch some fish.”

  “That better be all you’re catching,” she chides as she straightens her shoulders.

  I kiss her hand and laugh at how adorably jealous she gets. But she knows I only have eyes for her.

  As I make a left on Birch, a right on Springdale, and up the winding road, it feels like it’s been forever since I have been here. The car idles as nostalgia hits me full force when I shift the gear and park.

  Being back here reminds me of the good times and there was so much of it that I want to share with Delilah. It’s the last piece of me that I have not been able to share with her.

  I cut the engine and can’t help but smile. “Okay, we’re here. But you can’t take off the blindfold just yet.”

  “Oh my god, Brody. Hurry up!” she squeals.

  I climb out, quickly walk to the other side of the car, and open her door. I help her out and steady her feet once they touch the ground. Unable to resist those soft lips, I give her a tender kiss. She wraps her hands around my neck, as her fingers play with my hair. She deepens the kiss when she opens her mouth, an invitation I would never turn down.

  I groan and regretfully pull away as our foreheads touch. “You’re killing me, Dorothy. I promise there will be more of that later tonight,” I say, drinking her in one last time by placing a kiss on her delicious lips.

  I loop her hand in the crook of my elbow and she takes a few wobbly steps. Before I remove the blindfold, I take a good look at her. I thought I’d never get a chance to do this, and it’s moments like this I’ll never take for granted.