Page 36 of Into the Light

“Hell no, it’s not a fluke.” I kissed between her neck and shoulder, felt her shudder underneath me. “El, I was scared before. There’s still a lot about me and my past that you don’t know, and we’ll get to that. But I can’t stay away from you. You’re all I’ve ever wanted.”

A crease formed between her eyebrows and she rested her palm against my cheek. It felt too good to be soothed by Ellie. I didn’t deserve it. But I wasn’t good enough to turn it down.

“What do you mean, your past? Tell me.” I leaned into her hand, and then turned my face to press a kiss against her palm.

“I promise I will. But right now, I just want to live in this moment.”

She looked at me, probably unsure for a moment, but then nodded.

“You’re all I’ve ever wanted, too.”

My heart fluttered like a damn butterfly at her words. The entire night and morning felt like chasing a high, but I was hooked. No doubt about it. I only hoped that the comedown wouldn’t destroy us.

eighteen

ELLIE

I’d thoughtI’d felt happiness before, but after last night with Raf, I was in a perpetual state of delight. I spent all day cleaning the shop, dusting the shelves, and doing inventory. All things I hated, but today I did them with a spring in my step.

Raf had to leave early for work, but not before giving me the most passionate kiss I’d ever experienced. I floated through my morning routine, daydreaming about seeing him again. And once I started working, I was so happy and carefree that I didn’t realize how late it had gotten.

The sky outside the window had darkened, and I still needed to count the till. I hurriedly got to work on my closing procedures, packing up my expensive pieces, moving them and the cash to the safe. I locked the back door and decided to go out the front again to pick up some beer and food. Raf said he’d come over after work and I wanted to surprise him with dinner.

I grabbed my keys and locked the front door behind me, then turned right to head to the liquor store. It wasn’t on Harbor Street, but it was on one of the cross streets near McClintock’s. I walked briskly, happily thinking about Raf and how good he made me feel last night. Which was my first mistake.

The farther away from my shop I got, the more I realized Harbor Street was deserted again. Fog had descended on the town, blanketing the streets in a misty haze. The darkened sky made it even more difficult to see, so I turned on my cell phone flashlight to light a path. But then, as I picked up the pace, I felt that familiar chill in my bones from the other night.

I looked to the side, and then behind me, but the fog made it impossible to see anything. I heard footsteps behind me, so I stopped. They stopped too. I knew that wasn’t good.

I hurried along faster, following the light, but then realizing I was only making it easier for whoever was out there to see me. I was literally lighting their way through the fog. I turned off the light and shoved it in my bag. I moved quietly now, keeping my steps even. The goosebumps were back, the hair on the back of my neck was up again, and I couldn’t do anything but keep going until I reached an open store, anywhere I could escape into.

A strange and overwhelming scent of clove surrounded me. I looked to the side. But then it happened. I almost felt like it was a nightmare. It didn’t seem real. I took a step forward but something pulled me back into a wall of muscle. In what seemed like slow motion, a hand in a blue latex glove came up over my face and covered my mouth. All I could think was “don’t breathe” in case he was trying to drug me, but I didn’t feel a cloth.

Then the slow motion ceased and real life took over again. I was capable. I was tiny compared to whoever this was, but I was feisty. Fuck him.

He held one hand around my left side and his other over my face. But that left my right arm free, and I was holding my keys in that hand. I couldn’t scream or use my whistle because he covered my mouth, but I flipped the cap of the pepper spray. I had one shot. If I missed, I’d get myself instead. Hell, I was so close to this guy, I’d probably get myself either way. But it was worth it to fight back.

I figured he wasn’t drugging me since I hadn’t passed out yet. So I let the anger fuel me, took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and readied my finger on the nozzle. Then, as fast as lightning, I bent my elbow upward, aimed as best as I could, and let that sucker loose.

A moment later I fell to the ground, coughing and sputtering. I crawled over to the street and as soon as I could stand, I ran. My eyes stung, but not nearly as bad as I expected, so I must have aimed well. Tears ran down my face, my lungs burned, but the adrenaline of getting away pumped through my veins. I could barely see from the stinging, and the fog didn’t help, but through my tears I was able to make out the red neon liquor sign a few buildings away.

I didn’t stop running until I pushed through the door.

* * *

Theo had me wrapped in a blanket in the back seat of his truck. He’d been at home when the liquor store clerk called 9-1-1. I knew the other deputies could handle it, but I called Theo anyway, and since he and Sara lived nearby, he was here before they were.

“Sam’s still out of town, right?”

“Yeah, he gets back tomorrow.”

“Okay. Why don’t you come back to our place tonight? I don’t want you staying at your apartment by yourself.”

“Oh, I—” But I was cut off by a booming voice, panic-stricken and angry. Raf.

“Where is she?! I don’t give a fuck what your job is, where is Ellie?”

Theo hopped off the running boards and whistled at him from across the parking lot. Raf sprinted over.

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