Guarded Secrets Part II
*An excerpt from Part II*
“Hold on!” Nick yelled as he slammed his right foot onto the accelerator pedal, driving the jeep as fast as he could.
They had been in hiding for a total of 42 days, and in that time they had stayed off the grid. The one time they decided to go into town they had been spotted.
Elayna was in full panic mode. She didn’t want to go back to her abysmal life or her gilded cage. She couldn’t see herself going back to her monster of a husband, but it would seem that on this dark and stormy night seventy miles outside of their campsite in the middle of nowhere that was going to be the case. She would be returning back to her prison.
The last eighty-seven days with Nick had been some of the happiest, even if they had been in hiding. She saw the worried look on Nick’s face now, and wondered if he would be able to let go of her when the time came. He was driving the hell out of this jeep, maneuvering it as if they were in a race. She was buckled in and holding on to the handle screwed into the ceiling. He was tense all over. She could visibly see it. It made her nervous. She saw a road blockade and swirling yellow and red lights up ahead with two police cars on either side of it. It was a dead end.
It was over.
She felt him slow down the vehicle.
He looked at her then.
“What do you want to do?” He asked her simply.
She took a deep breath and looked from him then back to the barricade.
“The only thing we can do. Give up.”
She saw the hurt in his eyes. She knew he felt like he was letting her down. She knew he hadn’t. This was inevitable. She knew her husband wouldn’t stop looking for her, not because he loved her, but because she was his property. She touched his forearm lightly and then took off her seat belt. She leaned forward and kissed him on his lips. He kissed her back. A loud sob escaping. Neither knew if it was theirs.
“No matter what happens Nick, I love you. Do you understand? No matter what you see or what you hear. My heart is yours. It always will be.” She felt the tears sliding down her face then. She let them fall.
“We will be together again. I promise.” He said it more as facts than as a statement.
They both saw the police lights flashing behind them and heard a voice on a bull horn speaking.
“Step out of the vehicle slowly, with your hands up.”
Elayna smiled at him once more, wiped her tears away, and stepped out of the vehicle first, pulling her hood up so she didn’t get her blonde hair wet. The rain was cold.
As soon as she did a tall, muscular man approached her quickly.
“Are you Elayna King?” He asked in a rushed tone.
She nodded her head ‘yes’.
“I’m Detective Lawrence. Come with me.”He instructed.
He grabbed her by her arm and guided her in the direction of his black, unmarked dodge charger. He opened the passenger door for her.
She stopped before she got in.
“What is to happen to the man I was with?” She asked.
“He will be charged with kidnap and attempted murder, Mrs. King.” He stated in a matter of fact tone.
“What! He didn’t kidnap me or try to murder anyone. He saved my life ! He is a hero, not a monster! ”
“Mrs. King, please, don't’ work yourself up about this. Your husband, Mr. King and his team have been especially generous in helping with this search and I know for a fact your husband will be very happy to see you.”
There was nothing she could do or say to this officer to get him to believe her. She stopped talking. Nick did nothing wrong, yet he would be punished for trying to keep her safe. The rain began to pick up and she got inside of the car. He shut the door behind her and got in as well. They drove off.
Elayna was taken to the nearest airport which was about two hours away from where she had been picked up from. From there, she took a private jet and was back home within a few more hours. It was late. When the airplane hatch opened she saw Pete standing there in front of a luxury car waiting for her. She didn’t know if she should be happy or sad to see him, considering the last time she had he had left her and Nick at the party to die.
He opened the car door for her, but said nothing directly to her. She was grateful for that. She thought she would get to at least enjoy her ride home in silence and would be able to collect her thoughts, but she was wrong. Bradley sat on the opposite end of the seat. Her heart was beating fast now. She couldn’t believe he was here. She also didn’t know what mood he would be in. It had
