Save Me From the Dark (27 page)

“Fine. Then let me pick something up for you.”

Agreeing, I rambled off something and Gary left. Looking back at the bed, I reach out and hold her hand again.

“Please come back to me. I can’t live without you any longer. I promise, I’ll spend the rest of my life protecting you.”

“Go away,” I hear her scratchy voice reply.

Before I can stop them, tears start to fall as a smile spreads across my face. Without her words fully registering in my head, I fly up out of my seat and kiss her with all my heart has to give.

“Oh God. Baby, I thought I lost you. Don’t you ever scare me like that again.”

“Go away,” she opens her eyes and looks at me.

The look breaks my barely healed heart. She believed that picture.

“Before you make me leave, can I please show you something first?”

She stares at me for a moment and I pray that she lets me. Finally, she nods. Reaching over on the table, I grab the two pictures I have. Showing her the one that was changed, I watch her visibly flinch and tears fill her eyes. Kissing her forehead, I show her the other picture. The one of her and I sitting outside the hotel in Saldotna laughing about something Jarrett and Dawn had done the night before.

The tears slowly trickle down her temple as she looks up at me. “I thought… It looked so…”

“Shhh, I know baby. I know. You are it for me. My one and only. I’ve never liked Alexis nor have I ever loved another. Only you.”

“I love you too.”

“When I entered that room and saw you like that…” I swallow hard. “Baby that killed me. Please believe me. Please.”

“I do. I’m so sorry,” she sobs.

The nurse walks in then. Checking her vitals, she calls the doctor. Once everyone leaves the room, I look at her.

“Marry me, baby. I can’t live without you. Please, please, please, Marry me.”

“Seriously?”

Before I can say anything, Gary walks in the door with my food. He sets my food on the table and starts to talk, but immediately stops when he sees Bella awake. Tears fill his eyes and he quickly moves to hug her.

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” his voice cracks.

“I’m okay, Dad. Don’t worry.”

He pulls back quickly and stares at her. His mouth drops open, but no words are coming out.

“I’m… I’m sorry. I thought…”

“You thought right. It just stunned me. I’ve always wanted kids. Sadly, Pamela couldn’t conceive. But what an honor it would be to be your father,” he chokes out.

Smiling, I sit back and watch Gary fawn over Bella like she’s going to break. Things could have turned out so differently if we hadn’t found the house when we did. I shudder at the thought of losing her so permanently. All I can keep telling myself is that she’s better now and that’s all that matters.

Bella

It has been two months since I was rescued from the hands of Heath. I’m still getting over the nightmares, but with Ace by my side, I’m sure I’ll be over that soon. The world now knows that I’m Ace Jergens’ girlfriend. It gets stressful and scary at times, but we are doing so much better with not having to hide.

‘Family’ have been coming out of the woodworks now, all wanting a bit of the fame. Of course, now that my last name is Miller, they are quickly turned away as they did me when I needed them the most. Ace convinced me to write a book based on my life. It actually helped a lot on the healing process. It turned out to be number one bestselling self-help book. So, I’ve made a name for myself as well.

Things are going so much better. How bad they were before, they are that much better now and I owe that all to Ace and my dad. I love them both so much. Today, we are getting together with Jarrett. We did this once a week, to keep his spirits up. Dawn still will not take him back and my heart breaks for them.

I talk to Dawn about three times a week, but it wasn’t our usually easy conversation. No, now, there is a certain amount of tension in our conversations
.
The conversations seem forced and the subject that I so desperately want to discuss with her is off limits.

Jarrett still holds hope that she’ll be back with him, but I’m not sure she will. I don’t know what happened with Alexis, but whatever it was has really stuck with her and she just can’t seem to let it go or move past it.

Walking into our hotel room, I’m stunned speechless when I see all the flowers all over the place. There in the center of the room is Ace down on bending knee holding out a box.

“I asked you when you were still in the hospital if you’d marry me, but you never got around to answering me and I wanted to make it special when I asked you. So I asked your dad for permission and arranged this moment,” he tips his head to the side.

Out walks Jarrett with his guitar singing his song
For the love of an Angel
softly. My eyes turn back to Ace’s.

“From the moment I saw your profile online to every moment after, I’ve been yours completely. Please share with me the love I have for you and you for me and do me the greatest honor of becoming my wife Bella Miller. Will you marry me?”

The only thing I can do is nod my head, smile through my happy tears, and nod my head yes again. He’s up off the floor, gathering me in his arms, twirling me around before sealing his lips over mine. After a moment, he breaks from the kiss to slide the ring on my finger.

“I love you,” he breathes before kissing me again.

I love him more than anything. My life is great for a change. I have no regrets at all.

Jarrett

Bella has overcome a lot in the short time I’ve known her. She is definitely one tough cookie. Watching Ace propose to her kills me. The ring I had just given Dawn before that day still sits in my pocket. I carry it with me everywhere. One day, I pray that she will come back to me. The more time that passes, I begin to doubt she ever will.

My heart was ripped out of my chest that day. I’ll never be the same man again. No woman will ever be welcomed around me. If I can’t have Dawn back in my life, in my heart, then I want no woman at all.

She said yes to marry me that day, what could have happened that changed her mind so completely. When I saw her and she threw my ring back in my face, I think I turned to stone. One day… One day I hope to have the love of my life back, but until then I want nothing from life.

My only wish is that I – at least – know the reason she suddenly can’t stand the sight of me.

Coming Soon

Release Me From the Dark

Jarrett once had it all. His music, his family, and the love of an amazing woman, but suddenly it was gone. She ran from him without a reason or explanation why. She gave him nothing but a broken heart and a ring.

Dawn has loved Jarrett Vera for as long as she’s known him. Walking away from him that day was the hardest thing she’s ever done, but what else could she do. Nothing in Dawn’s life has ever been easy. She should have known that being with Jarrett wouldn’t be easy either.

When two lovers find each other, but are torn apart, can you hear their cries in the dark? Dawn’s past is preventing her from seeing the light and Jarrett’s present is only allowing him to see the dark. Will the two stubborn souls ever find their way back to each other? Or will their souls forever cry to be released from the dark?

*Preview to Release Me From the Dark up next*

Jarrett

In the beginning…

Sitting against the table, I look around the room judging the options for tonight. Life on the road is one hell of a good time, but there are times when you just need any kind of company. And I made sure I had that any kind of company as often as I can. Now, I’m no… Okay, I can’t lie. I’m a bit of a man whore, but who can blame me. The women these days seem to be getting prettier and sexier.

My gaze falls on this red haired beauty leaning over a table as she wipes it down. Nothing else in the room exists. It is as if I suffer from severe tunnel vision. This woman this red head bomb shell, is all I can see.

But she’s got to be one of those girls that wants commitment. And, well, frankly, I’m not a dating kind of man. Not anymore, not since meeting one woman five years ago who changed all that for me.

Just as I’m getting ready to tear my eyes away from this woman, she turns and our eyes meet and the breath leaves my lungs. Her bright green eyes assess me before giving me a polite smile and she turns to walk away.

Well, holy shit! She walked away!

Without thinking before I act, I hurry after her. “Excuse me, Ma’am?” I say with my southern boy drawl.

She turns around and her eyes widen.

“My name is Jarrett Vera,” I smile politely, extending my hand out to hers.

“Aww, isn’t that cute. You know your name,” she taps my face with her hand. “Find your way back to your table darlin’. I’m a bit busy.”

With that she walks away with a little shake in her shoulders. Oh this woman will be trouble for me, but I was more than ready for what she has to throw at me.

Little did I know at this moment in my life that I’d not only break my cardinal rule with her – to never fall in love again – but I would also be doing the one thing that brings a man to his knee and willingly becomes vulnerable in hopes that she will wrap up the gaping center with the love that can only be filled by hearing a three letter word.

I got that answer too. She said yes. I was the happiest I’d ever been, but then… but then something changed. She left me with no explanation of why or a chance to fight for her to stay. Just hands me my ring and walks away, ripping that hole back open bigger than before.

Dawn is all I see. She’s all I want and need. Without her, well, to hell with everything. If you had the one you knew was meant to be yours, would you let them walk away? Well, I did. To be truthful, I didn’t have a choice. When the door closed behind her, everything was destroyed.

See, she saved me. I’m not sure she knows that, but she did. The life I was leading, the world that was crumbling around me, it was going to consume me – kill me – in a way I never saw coming. Just as afraid as I was to ask her, I’m even more afraid to find out why she walked away.

With a past like mine, a past like hers, anything could have caused her to walk away. But there was one thing that I’d hoped she’d never find out… Something that I’m afraid could be the reason she walked away and I can’t blame her if it is.

Does the fact that I can’t change it change the fact that I can’t live without her. No! In order for you to understand the reason for my fear, the reason for my darkness, you have to know the past. Dawn knew as much as I could tell her. But if she found out the rest – and knows I didn’t tell her – all my efforts may be for nothing.

So, here I sit, getting ready to go on stage and I’m praying. I’m praying with all that I am to be released. Looking up at the stage ceiling, I take a deep breath.

“Please, release me from the dark,” I whisper just as the lift starts to carry me through the stage.

***Release Me From the Dark (From the Dark, #2) will be releasing in Winter – 2015***