Page 122 of Say You're Mine

One evening, as the sun sets in a blaze of orange and pink, we settle into the couch, Onyx asleep in her crib. The house is quiet, a peaceful lull that feels almost foreign after the chaos of recent months.

"Feels strange, doesn't it?" Cara murmurs, her head resting on my shoulder.

I nod, wrapping an arm around her. "Yeah. Like we're finally coming up for air."

She looks up at me, her eyes searching mine. "Do you think... do you think we can really move on from this? From everything Elaine did?"

I take a deep breath, considering my words carefully. "I think it's going to take time. And a lot of work. But yeah, I think we can. We have to. For Onyx."

Cara nods, a small smile playing on her lips. "For Onyx."

We sit in comfortable silence, watching the last rays of sunlight fade away. The room grows darker, the only light coming from the soft glow of the lamp beside us.

Just as we're about to head to bed, a sound shatters the quiet. A creak of floorboards. My heart leaps into my throat.

"Did you hear that?" I whisper, already rising to my feet.

Cara's eyes widen with fear. "June... what if...?"

I hold up a hand, motioning for her to stay quiet. Moving silently, I make my way to the hallway, every muscle tensed, every sense on high alert.

Another sound, closer this time. Footsteps.

I reach the end of the hallway, my heart pounding in my chest. The silhouette of a figure stands in the doorway, bathed in the dim light from outside.

"Who are you?" I demand, my voice a low growl. "What do you want?"

The figure steps forward, and my blood runs cold. Elaine.

She smiles, a twisted, malevolent grin that chills me to the bone. "Hello, Juniper," she purrs, her voice dripping with venom. "Miss me?"

The world tilts, my mind struggling to process what I'm seeing. She should be in prison. She should be rotting away for the rest of her life.

"How... how are you here?" I stammer, unable to keep the fear out of my voice.

Elaine takes another step closer, her eyes gleaming with cruel amusement. "Did you really think it would be that easy to get rid of me? Oh, Juniper, you have so much to learn."

I glance back at the living room, where Cara is still frozen in fear, Onyx asleep in her crib. I have to protect them. I have to keep them safe.

"What do you want?" I ask, forcing my voice to steady.

Elaine's smile widens. "I want what I've always wanted. To destroy you. To take everything you love from the moment you were born."

Before I can react, she lunges forward, a glint of metal in her hand. I barely have time to shout a warning before she’s upon me, the blade flashing in the dim light.

Cara screams, and the world explodes into chaos.

I throw myself backward, narrowly avoiding the blade. The knife grazes my arm, a sharp sting of pain. Adrenaline surges through me as I scramble to my feet, eyes locked on Elaine.

"You won't win," I hiss, feeling a surge of defiance.

Elaine's laughter is chilling, echoing through the darkened house. "I already have, Juniper."

In the background, I hear Cara's frantic whispers, trying to soothe Onyx's cries. The sound fuels my resolve. I can't let Elaine harm my family. Not again.

With a roar, I charge at Elaine, tackling her to the ground. The knife skitters across the floor, out of reach. We struggle, a tangle of limbs and fury.

"June!" Cara's voice is a beacon, grounding me. I glance up, seeing her standing at the end of the hallway, Onyx clutched protectively to her chest.

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