Burke felt him go limp, and sighed. It was about time. There was no way this kid was going to get away from him, and he was glad he finally understood this was a losing battle.
As Burke let go, to stand them both up, Zach rolled to the side and reached across the sand, popping up with his gun.
“Who’s in charge now?” He scoffed at Burke.
“Zach, let him go,” Grace yelled, struggling to get free from Anne’s grasp.
The last thing Anne was going to do was to let her sister near that madman again.
Grace’s voice was filled with anxiety. “Let me go Anne … I need to get to Burke.”
Grace struggled, but Anne was stronger and kept her sister at bay.
Zach expected Grace’s reaction. He knew she’d try to leap to her man’s defense, just like she’d tried to protect her friend back at the beach house.
He didn’t even have to look behind him, in their direction, to sense the panic that had probably crossed her face. No, he expected her reaction, and was looking forward to this. He smiled, with the expectation of watching Burke drop to his knees when he shot him. What he didn’t expect was to be hit again.
When Chad turned from the girls, he thought he’d be helping Burke wrap up the grizzly duty of teaching this guy a lesson. What he didn’t see coming was Zach retrieving his gun and pulling it on Burke. With no other options, he threw all of his weight into tackling Zach once more, hoping that the gun would get knocked loose.
As he went down, Zach curled his fingers around the handle of his gun, determined not to lose it this time. He knew he still held the power if he was in possession of it.
Only this time, he had two men on him … not one. Burke immediately dove back into the battle, trying to pry the gun loose.
Both girls froze when they heard the gun go off. Forgetting about everything but saving their men, they ran forth to find all three laying eerily still.
“Chad!” Anne dropped to her knees next to him.
Grace dove down to Burke, praying for his safety.
Both, Chad and Burke, slowly sat up. The sound of the gun was so startling that everything seemed to stop in time, neither knowing if they were hit.
As they rose, they pushed at Zach’s listless frame, below them. Chad rolled him over, while Burke kicked away the gun.
Anne watched the scene unfold, as if it were in slow motion, only to see headlights from a jeep pull up behind them. She lifted her hand to shield her eyes, as Janie bounded out with her crew. As her eyes adjusted, she turned back to Chad to see his blood-soaked shirt.
“You were hit!”
Her eyes flew up to meet his, before darting back down to the dark damp stain on his shirt.
“Please be okay…please be okay,” she whispered, and deftly lifted his shirt to check the wound.
Chad patted himself down. Through the adrenaline rush, he didn’t feel any pain, but the sticky feel of blood was starting to register on his side.
Anne pulled him closer to the jeep’s headlights and ran her hands along his ribcage, only to find smooth skin beneath.
“Where were you hit?” She asked, frantically searching his side.
Chad looked down to Zach, who was openly bleeding from his side.
He let out a sigh of relief, took Anne’s hands in his, and said, “It’s only transfer. I’m okay.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m fine. We’re fine.” He leaned down to kiss Anne gently on the lips, and said a silent prayer of thanks.
God had heard him after all and he was filled with so much awe that his prayers were answered.
Grace leapt into Burke’s arms as soon as he could stand, and squeezed him, like her life depended on it.
“Whoa. I got you.” Burke whispered, grateful she was in one piece. “I got you babe.”
He wrapped her in his arms, and let her release all the emotions she’d had pent up. He tilted his head back to search the heavens.
Thank you, he prayed.
As Zach lay unconscious, the rest of the world seemed to crash in, like the waves, around them. The local police and EMSA pulled onto the sand, while the camera crew continued their job, by filming it all.
Burke let go of Grace temporarily to check Zach’s pulse.
“Is he alive,” she whispered, not knowing how to feel.
“Barely,” Burke said in a gruff tone. “He might make it. He might not.”
Four sets of eyes stared down to the one man, who’d just put them through hell, wondering why he’d gone off the deep end.
Chapter 36
At the break of dawn, Anne peeled her eyes open and rolled over to face her little sister, who was finally asleep, as if she didn’t a care in the world.
Good, Gracey ... sleep as long as you can, she thought sadly.
Last night was something she never wanted to relive again, but knew by the way her sister had fitfully tossed through the night that it may haunt her dreams for a long time.
Anne stood and walked over to window, which overlooked the beach. Although she was battling the panic that still threatened to bubble up, she refused to give into it.
Quietly, she slipped outside Burke’s bedroom, where both he and Chad were bunked on the floor, sleeping soundly.
She smiled down to her man, unable to believe that he was really hers and counted her lucky stars that she still had him in her life. Last night was not only a close call for the girls, but for their men as well.
Anne softly walked past them, picked up a thin blanket, and snuck out the back door. The beach was calling her name and at the moment the only thing that could calm her soul was the soothing sounds of waves as they lazily brushed up against the sands.
Once outside, she ran down to the shore … thankful that this time it was running to her haven, versus rehashing what had happened the night before.
Anne wrapped the blanket around her shoulders, and stepped into the cool water until she was ankle deep. It swirled around her legs, sending shivers up her body. It was exactly what she needed.
“You think I’m going to let you come out here all by yourself?”
Anne spun around to see her sister’s lazy but sad smile. She opened the blanket up, motioning for her to step in.
Grace stepped in the water beside her sister, as she draped an arm around her shoulder.
“This should keep us warm,” Anne said, wrapping them both up.
This was exactly as she remembered some of her most fond memories of Anne, on the beach, except something told Grace that this would be the most poignant memory yet.
“I was worried when I woke up and you weren’t there,” Grace said softly.
“I was hoping you’d sleep in. You didn’t get much shuteye last night. Bad dreams?” Anne turned to look into her sister’s tired eyes.
“Yup.” She exhaled and shook her head.
“It was a long night.”
“Even longer after having to go to the police station, to give our statements. I never want to go through that again.”
“You won’t have to,” Anne squeezed her sister tightly, before continuing. “Zach is being heavily guarded in the hospital, and will be going away for a very long time.”
Grace dropped her head back, taking in the twilight of the morning hours.
“Come here.” Anne stepped from the water, guiding Grace back to the sand. “Sit with me. Let’s just enjoy the time we have right now, and not think about last night.”
“How can we not think about it?” Grace asked, before joining Anne on the soft sand.
Anne pulled the blanket back around their shoulders, and tightened her embrace.
Grace leaned into her sister and rested her head on her shoulder. “I’ve missed this so much. And although I’d have given anything not to put you in danger last night, I was glad you were by my side. Does that make sense?”
She knew exactly what she meant. She nodded and let Grace continue.
“I don’t think I’d have made it thro
ugh it without you. I was so scared, but at least I had you there comforting me. I just hate that my bad choices put you in danger,” Grace said softly.
“You didn’t put me in danger. You are not at fault here.” Anne looked to her sister, who didn’t seem convinced.
Grace dropped her eyes, out of shame.
“Hey, look at me. I mean it.” Anne pulled her chin up, so that they were face to face. “The only one to blame is Zach … and well, maybe grandmother.”
“Ugh, grandmother. She’s going to hear about this on the news. It’s bound to be a big story. I can see the headlines now … missing heiress found after gun battle with ex-boyfriend.” She groaned.
Anne laughed and quickly apologized, “I’m sorry. I know it’s not funny, but can you imagine the look on her face.”
Grace looked to the twinkle in Anne’s eyes, and couldn’t help but giggle.
“See, made you laugh after all,” Anne said, smiling.
Chad stretched, trying to work the knots out of his neck from sleeping on floor. In the distance, he heard a phone ringing but didn’t know whose it was.
“Is that yours man?” He threw a pillow at Burke, trying to wake him up. All he heard was a groan in return.
“I guess not,” he said, talking to himself.
He slowly stood and made his way to Burke’s bedroom door, where he heard the chirp of one of the girl’s ringtones. He poked his head inside, hoping to grab it before it woke them up – only to find an empty bed.
After last night, his first reaction was fear, but tried to shut it down. They could be somewhere in the house safe and sound. Zach was no danger to them anymore.
He scanned the room and walked inside to grab the cell phone, which looked nothing like Anne’s. He made the obvious deduction that it had to be her sister’s, and picked it up, before walking back into the living room.
“Wake up man.” He pushed down the fear, which threatened to wash over him. He nudged Burke with his bare foot, and tried once more. “The girls are gone.”
Burke shot straight up. “Gone? What do you mean?”
“They’re not in there.” He motioned to the empty room.
Burke looked out the back window and smiled, knowingly. He stood to push open the back door and stepped outside.
“Come with me.”
Chad followed him, only to see both girls huddled together on the beach, watching the waves crash onto the shore.
“See?” He smiled.
Chad exhaled, thankful that they were safe.
“It’s going to take a while until I stop worrying about her.” His chest constricted.
“I know how you feel.” Burke nodded, soaking in the view. “Come on. Let’s join them.”
Burke grabbed a light blanket from the papasan chair, and started down the sandy path toward the girls.
“Here…” Chad handed Grace’s phone to Burke, saying, “I went in their room to see whose phone was ringing, and saw Grace had a missed call. After last night, I thought she’d want it sooner rather than later.”
Burke nodded, took the phone, and made his way to Grace.
Both girls sat with their heads leaned in for comfort. It was almost too precious of a moment to interrupt, but they did.
“Morning,” Chad smiled down to Anne, thinking she had never been more beautiful.
She smiled up to him, and patted the sand next to her.
“You didn’t wake me,” Burke said softly in Grace’s ear, as he settled in next to her.
“I know. I’m sorry. I only came out here, because I woke up to find Anne gone. It scared me a little bit,” she admitted.
“That’s okay, because Chad over there was about to call the police when he saw you were both gone.” Burke laughed.
Chad grimaced, and then reached for Anne’s hand.
“Sorry everyone.” Anne smiled sheepishly. “I didn’t think I had to announce to everyone about my whereabouts, but after last night … I can see where you would be worried.”
Anne took Chad by the hand, and laid her head on his shoulder. And, that’s how they stayed for the next few minutes, silent as the world woke up around them.
As Anne rested against him, she took in everything from the strength she felt from his body, the sounds of the myna birds, as they serenated them from above, to the floral scents of the island, which cascaded around them.
It was the most serene moment she could remember in a long time. It was as if they were on vacation without a worry in world, with no interruptions from reality … until the phone began ringing again.
She lifted her head. The spell was broken.
“It rang earlier too.” Burke softly dropped it into Grace’s hands. “It woke Chad up, so we thought we’d bring it to you in case it was important. You know … after last night.”
Grace rolled the phone over in her hands, debating on whether she should answer, but the truth was she wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone. Once the call went to voicemail, she checked her home screen. It showed three missed calls from her best friend, Mercy.
“It must be important for her to call this early. She knows the time zone difference.” Grace stood to check her messages.
Anne watched her sister’s eyes cloud over, as she listen intently to her voicemail. She slowly stood to stand next to her sister, knowing the world was getting ready to crash in around them.
“Everything okay?” She searched Grace’s weary eyes.
“I just listened to Mercy’s message.” Grace bit her lower lip, searching for the right words. “She said our story made the national news. We’re all over the networks.”
“Okay, well we knew that would happen.” Anne slowly reminded her.
Burke and Chad stood to join them, knowing their lives were about to change dramatically.
“No, you don’t understand.” Grace’s eyes watered. “I know you don’t care what happens to her, but I do.”
Anne wasn’t following. “Slow down. What are you talking about?”
“That was Mercy …” Grace blubbered. “And, apparently she not only saw our news story, but I guess grandmother did too.”
“Sweetie, we talked about this.” Anne tried to reassure her sister.
“I know, but I didn’t think it would break her heart … literally break her heart. According to Mercy, once Lilah Aundine,” Grace rolled her name off her tongue, and continued, “… saw the news reports; she had a heart attack and was sent to the hospital.”
Anne’s hand flew to her mouth. She was angry with her grandmother, but never wanted anything bad to happen to her.
“Oh Gracey, I’m so sorry.” She pulled her sister in tight.
“I’ve got to go see her. I have to get to her,” she said, through tears.
“I know.” She rocked her sister in her arms. “I know. I’ll go too.”
Burke and Chad quietly stepped in close, and laid hands on the backs of both women for comfort.
“We’ll all go,” Chad said softly.
Burke nodded, and looked over the heads of both women to meet Chad’s soft but determined eyes.
Chad looked from Burke to both girls, as they wrapped their arms around one another. He knew this would make the executives of Broadcast Affair salivate, as one more dramatic turn had taken place.
Both he and Anne were no stranger to the spotlight, but he would give anything to keep Anne from facing the pain he already saw in her and her sister’s eyes.
He was heartbroken for them both and knew Burke was too, especially after hearing his rugged voice, which was barely audible.
“We’ll go with you. I’m not leaving your side,” Burke whispered down to Grace, who whipped from her sister’s arms and clung into his.
Chapter 37
Eleven hours later, after packing and flying out, all four of them whisked inside the hospital entrance, trying to avoid reporters and cameras. Grace did the best she could to appear presentable, as the press would expect it, but making sure she fit her esteemed loo
k wasn’t the priority … getting to her grandmother was.
As Anne rushed up to the visitor’s desk, she had never had so many mixed emotions. She wanted to hate Lilah for what she had done to her and her sister, but also for shutting out their mother. But, as her grandmother was possibly on her last breath, she felt remorse for not trying harder to form a bond with the woman. It was then that Anne realized how death put things in perspective, in ways she should have seen before.
“Excuse me, miss?” Anne anxiously looked to the nurse behind the counter.
“We’ve been expecting you. This way Miss Aundine.”
Anne quickly replied, “It’s LaSal.”
“Of course … I’m sorry.” The nurse lowered her eyes and motioned for the group to follow.
Grace followed, as if in a fog. The last time she was near a hospital is when her parents passed. It was as if every emotion from that memory came tumbling back, as she stepped into the elevator.
“You okay?” Burke put his arm around her waist.
Grace said nothing. She just stared ahead wondering how she was going to get through this. It felt like her feet were glued to the elevator floor.
As they exited and approached the suite, Burke nodded Chad back.
“I think we should stay out here,” he said quietly.
Chad looked to Anne, silently asking her what she wanted.
Anne firmly nodded once, and grabbed Grace by the hand.
“See you in a bit,” she said roughly, before turning to step through the door to her grandmother’s room.
She also was experiencing sensations that came back from the night of her parent’s accident, but as she was the older sister, she needed to push them aside to be there for Grace.
Slowly, she slid the door open, where her grandfather sat next to Lilah’s bed. She paused before stepping in. He had aged more than she expected, and it took her a few seconds to recover. Then her eyes landed on her grandmother, who lay almost lifeless in the bed.
Grace stepped in behind her sister. When she saw how many monitors and tubes were hooked up to her grandmother, she drew in a sharp breath.
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