Page 93 of Win My Heart

“Ms. Ross, I’m sorry this happened,” Detective Green says. “I know it’s overwhelming, but if anything is missing, we need to know.”

“How the hell is she supposed to know if anything is missing? He destroyed everything.” Wade bites out.

“I know. We will get justice for you, Ms. Ross, and insurance should help a lot.”

I can’t bear being in this apartment any longer than necessary, so we work though each room with the detective quickly. Tears stain my cheeks. I know this is all just stuff. Most of it can be replaced, but I don’t know that I’m going to ever be able to step foot in here again. I know I’ll never feel safe in here.

I nearly suffocate in my office. My computer looks like he took a baseball bat to it. Actually, he did. Apparently, said baseball bat was found in my room. It was taken away as evidence. At some point, Link calls Wade and tells him that my Twitch account has hacked and deleted. So my stalker clearly took his vengeance out on me.

Surprisingly, my bedroom was mostly intact. His intentions as to what he was going to do when I arrived home are still unclear, but I don’t think I even care to know. After the worst night of my life, Wade ushers me back to his place with the promise that I’m to come down to the station tomorrow morning.

Our friends are waiting for us in Wade’s apartment, and I lose my control on my emotions as I’m wrapped in hugs from the girls. Wade, nearly unhinged, tells them what happened.

My night ends in Wade’s bed as I cry in his arms.

“It’s over now, Bernadette,” he whispers in the dark. “It’s over now. You will move on from this. You are strong and wonderful, and you will overcome this. I’m going to be by your side through it all.”

I sniff though my tears, nodding. I know I will rise above, but right now, I’m so overwhelmed.

“I love you so much, Bernadette.” His voice is soft but strong.

I peek up at him as we lie face to face, his arms wrapped around me. “You do?”

“Yeah, Benny, I do.” His lips quirk.

Despite the shit show that is my life right now, I smile at him, and with all my heart, I tell him, “I love you too.”

His smile is massive, and his arms pulls me closer to him. I snuggle into him and breathe him in. Somehow, I’m able to control the tears after that. Because Wade is right, I’m strong. And I will overcome this. It will all just become a bad memory eventually.

With Wade and my amazing friends, I know I can make it through anything.

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