Rescue Me(72)

I tilt my head down and look at her. “And what’s that? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I just need to make sure that you’re fine.”

“Am I worried about this shit that’s going on? Hell, yes, I am. But I am not scared of him. He’s weak and I believe he isn’t smart enough to follow through with his plan. He’s too fucked up on his drugs. He will make a mistake soon, and when he does they will catch him. The main thing for me right now is to keep my family safe and I will stop at nothing to do that.”

Both of us lie still and are speechless for a moment.

“I heard Shelby talking today about getting a gun,” I venture.

Erin shoots up into a sitting position on the bed. “She was just expressing her feelings about how she felt. We don’t really have a gun.”

Capturing her hand in mine and bringing it to my lips, I kiss the inside of her palm.

“I know you don’t have one, but I do. I want you to know where it is.”

Erin takes a sharp intake of breath and her eyes go wide.

“I don’t even know how to shoot a gun, and I am sure Shelby doesn’t, either!”

“I don’t mean to scare you. I just want you to know that in my safe in the office is a small handgun. You know where the key and the code to the safe are, so if you ever feel like you need it, take it. Monday when Sierra is at school I will show both you and Shelby how to use it.”

She plops back down on the bed and gazes up at the ceiling.

“I just pray to God none of us have to use it, Adam.”

I arrange my body so I am half on top of her because I need to be looking into her eyes when I tell her what I have to say.

“Erin, I hope none of us have to use it either, but baby, even though today was one hell of a day and we both tried to push the situation to the back of our minds, he’s out there. Like I said, he will fuck up and get caught, but just like you said to me this morning at the police station, I wouldn’t be able to survive without you. Twenty seven years I have waited for you to walk into my life and I didn’t even know I was waiting.” I stop and run my hands down the side of her face. “You are all I can think about. The first moment I saw you in Texas was the day I stopped thinking about ‘me’ and started thinking about ‘us’. And I will always love that beautiful little girl that is sleeping so peacefully in her room, and cherish every moment I have with her. The two of you are mine and I am yours. Now even though I would love more than anything to lose myself inside of you, it’s time to go to sleep.”

She gives me a provocative look.

“You’re not tired?” I ask with surprise.

“Yes, I am tired, but you can’t just say stuff like that to me and not expect me to respond.”

“You don’t have to say anything back. I see how much you love me every time I look at you.”

I can see her love for me right now. It pours out of her and consumes me.

“You keep telling me how strong I am and how I have done all of this on my own. Some of that may be true, but I could have never done any of it without you. I am so in love with you, Adam,” she says as she runs her soft hands in circles across my chest.

“I love you, too. Good night, sweet cheeks.”

I reach over and turn out the lights, then pull her back into me. We both fall asleep not knowing that the fantasy is about to be replaced by our worst nightmare.

We are woken yet again to the sound of my cell phone ringing. I jump out of bed still half-asleep as I search for my jeans. I pick them up off the floor just in time to miss the call. Digging into my pocket I retrieve my phone just as it starts ringing again. The screen reads ‘private caller’, but I answer it anyway.

“Hello?”

“Is this Adam Payne?” the unidentified caller asks.

“It is. Who is this?”

“This is Fire Chief David Myer and I am sorry to wake you sir, but there is a fire at your construction site at 3253 Mulberry Lane. We have a crew over there now and I am heading in that direction. It’s my understanding that this is a home you’re building and that no one is living there, is that correct?”

I feel numb and like I am about to lose my mind right now.

“Sir, is that correct?” he asks again.

“Umm, yes. Yes, that’s correct and I will be there as soon as I can.”

“FUCK!” I throw my phone on the floor.

“Adam what is it?” Erin asks as she climbs out of bed and turns on the light. I run my hands through my hair and then down my face because I just can’t fucking believe this shit.

“That was the fire department. The house we were building on the side for Trevor is on fire and I have to get my ass over there now,” I tell her as I pull my jeans on and race into the closet for a sweatshirt.