“What if he finds me?” she asked, with a whisper.
“He won’t. Because he’ll find me first, and my face will be the last face he ever sees.”
I wanted to gather her into my arms and hold her close, but I felt like that was the last thing she needed. I heard Liam beginning to stir, and she went to move to get him off the couch. But I placed my hands on her shoulders and eased her back down underneath the covers before I handed her the glass of water.
“Finish that, but slowly. I’ll take care of the kids. Just get your feet under you and come out whenever you’re ready,” he said.
“I’m not damaged,” she said.
“No, you’re not. But you are shaken up. And it’s completely to be expected. Take your time. We’ll be out here when you’re ready.”
I went and checked on Liam on the couch before I got Hadley. She was a bit warmer than yesterday, which had me worried. She nuzzled into me and began to whimper, her lips rooting for something to drink. I placed her in her playpen with her favorite blanket before I set out to make her a bottle.
“Wanna watch a movie, Liam?” I asked.
“Yeah,” he said.
“Which one?” I asked.
“Aladdin?”
I chuckled at his choice as I shook my head.
“You know we rented Beauty and the Beast, right?” I asked.
“But I want Aladdin,” he said.
“Fine. Aladdin it is. Would you like a popsicle while you watch your movie?’
“Yes, please.”
“That was very polite. Thank you, buddy,” I said.
I snipped off the top of the popsicle and handed it to him. Hadley was already curling up with her blanket and her bottle as she watched the movie come on. They would be back asleep before it was over, and rest was exactly what they needed.
Which gave me more time to make sure Melanie was all right.
I walked back into the room and I could hear her crying. She was muffling her sobs into the pillow and my heart broke for her. I couldn’t imagine the nightmare she’d suffered at the hands of that asshole, and I felt the anger rise in my gut. How could a man do such a thing to any woman? I swore right then that if he came sniffing around my home, it would be the last thing he’d ever do in his miserable pathetic life.
The thought of what he had put Melanie through made me fucking sick.
I walked over silently and sat down on the edge of the bed. I rubbed my hand along her back, trying to get her to calm down without invading her space. She turned toward me and opened her arms, and I quickly slid underneath the covers with her.
We lay like that for a minute, looking into each other’s eyes. My chest ached with love for this woman. This perfect, beautiful, sweet, smart woman. I knew then that no matter what, I would never let her go. If she pushed, I’d pull. If she ran, I’d chase. I would do anything to make her see that she was worthy of the love and the life that I could give her.
She let out a shaky breath and I pushed a stray strand of hair from her forehead.
“What are you thinking right now?” I asked her.
“I’m thinking about running away. Far away. Packing a bag and never coming back,” she answered.
“Okay, we can do that,” I said.
She looked at me incredulously. “You would do that? You would uproot Liam and Hadley for me?”
“I would. Have you not heard anything I’ve said, Melanie? I love you. That means where you go, I go.”
She closed her eyes for a moment and when she opened them again, they were shining with unshed tears. Then she shook her head.
“No. No, I’m not running. He should run. I did nothing wrong,” she said, some strength returning to her voice.
“You are absolutely right,” I said to her. “You did nothing wrong. That fucking piece of shit animal is the one who should be afraid right now, not you.”
“I just can’t believe this is happening,” she said. “I thought when I testified at his trial, it would be the last time I would ever have to see him. Except in my nightmares.”
“It was the last time, I promise you. He won’t get near you. The article said the state and local police are both searching the mountain, and there are only so many places to hide up here. He’s going to be pretty exposed.”
“He had to have known that coming up here. He’s unhinged, which means he probably doesn’t have an endgame beyond getting to me,” she said. “That’s what really scares me, Evan. What if he comes here? What about Liam and Hadley? I would never forgive myself if anything happened to them because of me.”