Page 20 of Rescuing Rebel

With plenty of condoms.

EIGHT

Rebel

I meanderthrough the buildings that make up The Facility until finally coming to the raw beauty of windswept grasses that blanket the cliffs of Northern California. The blades of grass bow and dance in the gusts, whispering to the rhythm of an unseen force. To the west, the Pacific Ocean stretches to the horizon, its vastness a weighty presence anchoring me to this moment.

My promise to Violet weighs on me like a silent, heavy thing, dragging me down to the depths. She’s everywhere and nowhere—whispers in the wind and echoes in the waves.

It's time to leave. Time to keep my promise. I’ve lingered here too long.

But first, I pray Ethan will come. Hope pulses through me that he read my note and will come. It’s selfish of me to use him, but I can’t leave before stealing one night of intimacy—one night where I can get lost in the illusion that everything is okay, even if just for a fleeting moment.

And then it happens.

A subtle change, a softening in the relentless wind. I pivot away from the churning of the ocean, my heart kicking against my ribs.

It's Ethan.

He came.

A wave of relief surges through me, so intense it nearly buckles my knees. There's a flutter in my chest, a rapid dance of anticipation at the sight of him, knowing what his arrival means.

As he nears, there’s determination in his approach, a cadence of assurance that thrums through the air. It's in the certainty of his stride, the resolute tilt of his jaw, and the unwavering focus in his eyes.

This man has the power to carry my pain away.

Despite his determined stride, Ethan's pace holds a deceptive calm, an unhurried ease that belies the purpose that drives him. He moves with a tranquility that's out of place in this landscape, a stark contrast to the storm of memories churning within me.

His intense and piercing gaze wraps around me long before he's close enough to speak. When his eyes meet mine, they steady the chaos of my thoughts. Of course, he knows nothing about my past. I hold that close, revealing it to no one.

Nevertheless, I find haven in the depths of his eyes. It's a look that doesn't just see me, but finds me. With just a glance, he offers a lifeline, and in that moment, I'm not just seen—I'm known.

If only I could trust him with my secrets. Instead, I will use him and lose him.

“How is therapy going?” Ethan’s words reach out, grounding me back to the present, to life, and to hope.

“Therapy is stupid, and it’s the last thing I want to discuss.”

“I’m worried about you. If something’s bothering you, I’m here.”

“You’re determined to fix me, aren’t you?”

“I’m determined to ensure you’re in a good place mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically before you’re—”

“Released?”

“That’s not what—”

“Then you mean to ask if I’m in a good place mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically before I consent to sex?” I scoff at him. “Seriously, if I thought it was going to be this hard—”

“That’s not a character flaw.”

“I don’t need to be mentally, emotionally, or spiritually anything. I just need to want it.” I pull up short. “Look, if you’re not interested, then by all means…” I make a sweeping gesture back the way he came.

“Rebel…” He pauses. “Would you rather me take what I want and not care what you need? That’s not the kind of man I am.”

“Look, right now, I want to do what men and women do when their chemistry is off the charts hot. I don’t want to be reminded I was a victim you saved. There’s nothing sexy about that. Stay or go. Choose now. Decide now. But choose me.”

---