Ransom (43 page)

As far as I was concerned we could have driven forever, in fact I was looking forward to the possibility that we would stay in a hotel room and go back to the cottage the next day.
 

I laid a hand on Ransom’s thigh, appreciating the feel of his corded muscles that pushed against his jeans. I closed my eyes, completely content. Before I knew it I had drifted off to sleep.

“Lexie.”

Ransom’s voice pulled me out of my dreams.

I cracked my lids. I was met with his startling brown eyes that held me entranced for a few seconds.

“We’re here,” he said.

“Really, that was fast,” I said, surprised. I was a touch disappointed that we hadn’t got the chance to stay in a hotel room after all.

The sun was just beginning to set, bathing Ransom in a golden light that had him looking absolutely angelic. I brought my hand to his cheek and pressed a kiss to his lips, he responded with passion that I hadn’t expected. He parted my lips with his tongue and I fell in step with his lead.

I grabbed handfuls of his silky hair that had grown longer in the time we had been at the cottage, appreciating the feel of it against my skin. His smell, cologne and soap encapsulated me and had me wanting to ignore that we were still in the car. Right then having sex just feet from the cottage seemed like a perfect option.

Ransom was the first to pull away. I groaned with displeasure. Now more than ever, after the amazing day we’d had together, I needed to possess him in every way possible. I wanted to feel him move inside me, and remember how easy it had once been between us. When he leaned back I saw that we weren’t anywhere near where I had expected. Something shrill and icy worked its way through me. I sucked in a halting breath.

“What’s going on?” I asked, staring at Ransom with absolute horror.
 

His look of resignation said it all, but the words that came next confirmed it.

“I can’t even begin to describe how you’ve made me feel Lexie. I never thought that anyone could care about me the way you do, or at least the way I thought you did. And even when I realized that it had all been a plan to get to Gab, I couldn’t hate you.”
 

He raked a hand through his hair viciously, as if it was taking everything in him not to hit something.

“Fuck Lexie, I’m pretty damn sure that I even love you…” His voice wavered for a second before he regained control. “And that’s why I’m doing this, that’s why I’m here, to show you that you mean everything to me, and that your happiness is all I care about…”
 

One single tear trailed down his sculpted cheek. It meant more than if he had cried a river.

“No, oh my god, no, Ransom, don’t do this you can’t, you can’t.”
 

The tears came quick and raw, and the sensation that everything in my life was suddenly spinning out of control made me grip the dashboard until my fingertips went white.

“Lexie, it has to be like this…you knew coming into this that it wouldn’t be forever.”

“No, I won’t let you do this…” I screamed.

“It’s already done…” he said.
 

He moved out of the car, coming around to my side in a few long strides. He opened the door, and reached out his hand for me to take it.

“No, I’m not getting out, just sit your ass back in the car and let’s go, we can go. Please Ransom, let’s just go…”
 

I clasped my hands together, praying for it all to be just a horrible nightmare. I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping that when I opened them again everything would have disappeared.
 

It didn’t.
 

Instead I felt Ransom’s gentle tug on my sweater. He scooped me into his arms, and we were moving away from the safety of the car, away from our future together, away from nights and days making love…away…just away…

I kept my eyes closed, refusing to see, to accept that it was happening with or without my permission, it was all happening.

“Ransom, I’m begging you,” I murmured.
 

My throat was raw with emotion and grief. But he didn’t stop, I wondered if he even could.

“I do love you Lexie, only you,” he whispered into my ear. I felt his large hand reach under my sweater. He placed his warm hand against the bare flesh of my stomach. The act sliced me into little pieces.

“No matter where I am Lexie,” he murmured, stretching his fingers wide. I wanted the ground to open beneath me and suck me into its depths, so I wouldn’t have to feel the emotions that were ripping me into a million pieces of sorrow.
   

I finally relented and allowed my eyelids to flutter open. I gazed at him, the amazing man that had turned my life on its axis, who had made me feel that I was beautiful even if I didn’t believe it. Who had shown me that wounds could be healed. Mistakes could be forgotten and love was real…

“Well, well Ransom, it’s so great to see you again.”

 
The voice that came from behind him was smooth as satin, but the malice was crystal clear.

“Pa,” Ransom said, then my whole world tilted.

EPILOGUE

They say that it is better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all, I disagree, because the unrelenting ache that eats at my every waking moment is worse than anything I could have ever felt if I had never met Ransom Sanders. But if I say that it would have been better not to have loved him at all, I would be lying too.

They also say, though I have no idea who
they
are, don’t wish for something that you’re not absolutely sure you really want, because you just might get it. No words more sage were ever spoken because I got the wish to meet Gabriel Sanders all right, and it will be something that will go down in my life as one of my worse days ever.

I still can’t believe that Ransom did it, brought me to the rehab facility to see Gabriel, knowing that there was no way he was going to leave other than in handcuffs. But I guess he knew that he couldn’t run forever, no matter how much I hate the consequences of his decision.

Now he’s in jail and all fingers point to him not getting out anytime soon, but I can’t allow myself to believe that. I won’t believe that. If I do, then I will have to admit that evil has won, and I won’t let that be the case. No matter what happens in the future, I plan to make it my lifelong goal to undo everything that I started. I will get Ransom out, one way or another we will be together again, that’s a promise.

Ransom says love is about sacrificing for the people you care about, I don’t agree, for me love is about never giving up, fighting for what matters and despite how horrible the odds, knowing there is always a chance for a better tomorrow.

Lexie

This is dedicated to all the people who think they are imperfect, and can never be loved, and for those that have forgotten what it means to love unconditionally. Remember, and love will find you…

Denise