Page 79 of Heston
As the wheelchair thumped gently down the steps, Kelsey tossed a glance over her shoulder, and winked at London. “Call when you’re ready to meet the rest of the girls, London. They’re going to love you. Just wait and see.”
“I will. Thanks, Kelsey. Now go home and rest, okay?”
“I will. Love you, London. See you soon.” Lifting her left arm, Kelsey fluttered her fingers. “Bye!”
With that, the wheelchair settled onto the front walk and Alex aimed his sweet wife toward their car.
Heston closed the door behind them. Finally, he was alone with London and the elephant in the room. “What girls?”
London shrugged both shoulders. “Kelsey’s friends, the TEAM wives. Did you know Mark’s wife is a general practitioner, and they have five kids?”
“I did, yeah. Most of the wives work. Libby’s no exception. I mean, err, outside the home. Most TEAM wives are professionals and work outside their homes, but not all of them, but... I mean…” Heston clapped his mouth shut to keep from making more mistakes. When had relationships between men and women become minefields of political correctness?
“Hes.” Just one word. One quietly spoken word. But when London said it, it came with so much feeling. So much promise.
Not believing it could be this easy, Heston breathed, “London.”
That was all it took., and she was in his arms, peppering his face with kisses.
Slowing the tender assault, he cupped her jaw between his hands. Tears fell, his and hers. “I love you, babe, so much more than I can ever tell you. So damned—”
She slammed into his lips and cried into his mouth, “Shhhhh. It was me, not you. It’s my fault. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I—”
“You have nothing to be sorry for.”
She tipped back on her heels and looked up at him. “I do. I was scared of what you’d think of me. I felt dirty and used, and I couldn’t understand why, because I was still alive, and you came for me, and—”
“Did he… rape you?” Heston asked as gently as he could. He needed to know how to proceed and who else to kill.
She shook her head. “N-no, but…” Her shoulders lifted. “He made us undress in front of him and his creepy friends, and then we were supposed to run for our lives, and if one of them caught us… but he caught me and… and he said… he was going to…” London scrubbed a hand up Heston’s chest, not petting him. Just seeming to need reassurance he was still there. That whatever she said next or whatever happened before wouldn’t make him leave.
He took hold of that nervous hand and plastered it flat to his chest to get her full attention. “I’m not going anywhere, babe. I’m here for you, and no matter what, I will never leave. We’re in this together. We’re getting married, remember? You and me.”
Her free hand skimmed into her drab, mousy-brown hair. “Oh, yeah, I… I forgot… I… ah, I lost that beautiful ring you gave me, and he said… he said…” London looked up at him, her bottom lip caught between her teeth.
“I know what that piece of shit said to you, babe, and I heard what he’d planned. Don’t worry about that ring.”
“But you bought it for me and it means so much and—”
“Hear this now and know deep in your wild, crazy heart, London,” he interrupted, “that none of what he did is your fault. You didn’t kidnap, beat, or kill anyone. You don’t sell children or girls or women. You meant to rescue Maria and Felicia, for Christ’s sake.”
“Well, yeah. B-but I really need to see them again,” rushed out in a frenzy. London’s nerves were strung tight. Her body was literally vibrating with fear and anxiety.
Heston dropped a kiss on her forehead and told her, “Agreed. Anytime you’re ready. I’ll drive you wherever you decide to go, but be prepared. They may not want to see you again. Keane had them longer than he did you.”
“Were they—?”
“Raped? I have no idea, but I’ve been around trauma victims enough to know they don’t always deal well with triggers, things or people that remind them of what they’ve been through.”
“Oh,” London breathed. “I guess I’m a trigger, huh? I never thought of that. I mean… I should’ve, but…” Her voice trailed away.
Heston tipped her chin up with his thumb to get her to look at him again. “They’re probably as nervous to see you as you are to see them. Give them time. If they reach out, you’ll know what to do. In the meantime, you need to decompress. You don’t have to rescue the whole world, you know.”
“Yeah, but…” Her heart rate was still too high and her pulse fluttered in the hollow of her neck, that tiny divot above her breastbone.
Heston opted for distraction. “What was funny? What were you and Kelsey laughing about?”
“Umm, make-up sex.”
