He kissed the top of my head and I felt Blaire walk up behind me and wrap her arms around us both. “The only person to blame is Cameron and we have to put all of this behind us,” she said, and I agreed.
Stepping away from their embrace, I looked at my parents and smiled. I picked up the bowl of soup and walked into the kitchen, sat at the table and enjoyed my dinner. They sat with me and I chewed over all the questions still swirling around my head.
Turning to Chuck who was enjoying a bowl of peach cobbler, I asked, “How can you be so sure I can trust Devlin?”
He set his fork down and picked up my hand. “I spent all night with him, driving around trying to find you. He told me some of what happened all those years ago and I know in my heart, his intentions were honorable. He was ready to destroy the whole city to find you.”
“How do I know it isn’t some kind of obsession?”
“Isn’t all love an obsession, in one form or another? You need someone near you, you crave their touch, you long to hear their voice, and you’re heartbroken when they’re not around. It’s the level of obsession and the love that grows that balances you out,” Blaire reasoned and I looked at her with appraising eyes.
She was right and I knew what I needed to do. Standing from the table, I smiled at them, and went into my old room to put on a pair of yoga pants, a clean bra, and a shirt. Looking down, I realized I didn’t have any shoes, so I went back into the kitchen.
They turned from where they were next to the sink and Chuck stepped forward. “Are you ready to go home?” He smiled and his eyes went to the floor, observing my bare feet.
I wiggled my toes at him and looked up with a nod. “Can you drive me? I don’t even know where my car is. Or my cell phone.”
Chuck handed me my phone, the screen cracked but not shattered. I would pick up one tomorrow, but for now I was happy to have my lifeline to Devlin back. Resisting the urge to call him, I hugged Blaire and followed Chuck out to his car.
The drive back was quiet, and I saw a car trailing behind us. I looked at him and he nodded with a smirk. “It’s one of his guys. They followed us from the hospital, and I took them some food a few hours ago. I told them they sucked at surveillance and left them to their dinner.”
I laughed, knowing Chuck was one of the best at cover and concealment during his service in the Rangers. He offered to walk me to my apartment, but I declined, wanting to enter my home without needing someone to protect me. I had to be stronger than the demons that tried to destroy me.
“Listen to what he has to say. Your heart will know if it’s the truth,” he offered and I hugged him before getting out and looking up at the building I had called home for three years.
Glancing back at my father, I smiled and unlocked the building’s exterior door with the key. Standing in front of the elevator, I saw my bruised face looking back at me in the mirrored panels. The doors opened and I stepped inside, my fingers hovering over the button to my floor. On a snap decision, I pressed the button for the fifth and was quickly moved up to Devlin’s level.
I inhaled deeply and blew the breath out, before I raised my hand and knocked on the door to Devlin’s apartment. I heard the lock turn and I felt my nerves rising higher and higher as the door opened slowly. The man from the beach, the same man who was following me the night I was taken, stood inside the open doorway with a look of shock and confusion on his face.
I stumbled backward, stunned to see him in Devlin’s apartment. I was hyperventilating when the man was pushed to the side and I saw Devlin walk into the hallway, stopping a few feet from me. His blue eyes were filled with worry as he asked, “Elise, are you okay?”
I grasped my chest and closed my eyes as my head swam. Falling toward the ground, Devlin swooped me into his arms with a grunt and carried me into his apartment, placing me on a soft leather couch. He sat next to me and brushed the hair off my face, instructing the man, “James, get a bottle of water and a washrag.”
He nodded before disappearing into the kitchen. Devlin turned his eyes back to mine and I looked up at him. A sad smile was on his face as his fingers softly brushed the bruise on my cheek and I winced from the contact. He moved his hand and blew out a breath as a bottle of water and a rag was handed to him.
“I’m going to leave you two to talk,” said the man I now realized was James, and I sat up, turning to him.
“Please stay for a minute. I need to ask you something.” He hesitated and looked to Devlin for guidance. “Please,” I repeated quietly.
He nodded quickly and Devlin sat on the couch, his full attention on me. Taking a sip of water, I tried to untangle the confusion ruling my thoughts and closed my eyes briefly. Opening them, I found both men looking expectantly at me.
“You’re James?” I asked and they both affirmed my question. “And you’ve worked with Devlin for how long?”
“I’ve known Devlin over twenty years.”
“And you were the one that day on the beach with my adoptive parents?”
He slowly nodded and Devlin’s eyes grew wide as I swallowed thickly and continued, “What did you say to them that day that made them so mad? I have to know what made them hate me so much.”
James eyes glistened and he leaned forward, his arms resting on his knees as he stared at the floor. Looking up he glanced at Devlin before explaining, “There are things that Devlin needs to explain to make what I told them make any sense. But to be honest, they didn’t hate you. They hated that I stopped them from . . . shit.”
James stood and ran his fingers through his hair. Devlin sat forward with a questioning look on his face and his eyes locked on James.
“I went to check on you and found out they wanted to pimp you out. They found out who your mother was somehow and figured no one would know. I threatened them with their lives, and I thought that would be the end of it. I never knew they took that anger out on you. I . . . my God, I’m so sorry.” He turned to Devlin. “I’m sorry I never told you. You had just assumed control and I didn’t want you worrying about her, so I went andchecked in on them. I realized what they were doing when he approached me on the beach, offering me a half hour with her for fifty bucks. I told them I worked with you and I was keeping an eye on them. When I found out what was happening those few years later, I brought it to your attention. I swear, I had no idea. Please, you have tobelieve me.”
I stood and walked in front of James who cast his eyes to me. I hugged him and he stood awkwardly, his hands softly tapping my back. I was grateful he saved me from countless years of sexual abuse, even if it meant I had to wear their bruises on my skin. Stepping back, I explained, “There is nothing to forgive. You saved me from something worse than a few beatings. Thank you for protecting me.”
He smiled at me and his eyes moved over my head to Devlin. I glanced to find him watching us with a mixture of anger and amazement. “What she said,” he replied, and James walked over, offering him a handshake.
