Page 108 of An Eye For Illusion

Donovan gives an approving nod. “I’ll be there as soon as this shit show is sorted out. I’ll have to answer questions about shooting that piece of shit Vinny.” He twirls his finger for effect.

Colin chuckles. “I’ve got my girl; I’m good.” He pulls my hand to his lips and gently kisses my knuckles.

“Alrighty then, pull your train in,” the EMT says with a grin as she shoos me with her hand.

I do as she says, and the ambulance doors slam. The paramedic next to Colin monitors his vitals, and within seconds we take off. I hang on to Colin’s gurney because it feels like I might topple over.

What a fucking day this has been. I’m riding in an ambulance, clinging to a man I couldn’t stand just a few months while wearing a wedding dress that I bought to marry another man.

I feel Colin’s stare before I see it. “What?” I ask when I meet his eyes.

“Nothing,” he says with that familiar grin.

“Are you ever going to tell me exactly how you managed to pull all of this off?” I ask him, sort of in a teasing way but hoping he’ll tell me. I’m dying to know.

“I’m the best, babe. What can I say?”

“Colin…” I scold, urging him to tell me the whole story.

“Okay, okay. When I was tailing Moore, he frequented a bar that caters to an unsavory crowd. Once I was able to see who Moore was meeting with, I reached out to Donovan. He realized he had an old connection from his crime days. We infiltrated the group, gathered evidence, and sent the evidence anonymously to the local investigation unit. We knew they’d be more than happy to make the bust.”

My mind is blown, and I know it’s written all over my face. I can’t believe he did all of that for me. “How did they manage to kidnap you?” My stomach turns just imagining what he went through.

He pauses for several seconds, his eyes leaving mine. “I let my guard down. It was stupid. I was overconfident and slipped up.”

“But why did they kidnap you?” I’m still trying to make sense of it all.

He looks me in the eyes again and takes my hand in his. I can see him struggling to tell me this part. I wait patiently, allowing as much time as he needs.

“When we were together that night at your place… Elliott saw me walk into the building. He was there to pay you another visit but instead waited and watched from a parking garage across the street. Apparently, there’s a decent view into your living room from the top floor. By using the zoom on the camera on his phone he was able to see us together. He confronted me the next day while I was out suit shopping. I don’t think he knew then that I wasn’t ‘Jax,’ the name I’d given them when I introduced myself to the group. He was pissed that you and I had been together, but I still didn’t expect it to escalate to kidnapping. At some point today, they discovered who I really am. I think that upped the ante for Vinny, and that’s why he took the shot at me when I showed up and he had the chance.”

My hand immediately goes over my mouth to stifle my gasp. “Colin, I’m so sorry. If I had… I should have…” I’m at a loss for the right words.

“Shhh, no, none of that. I’d do it all over again and again to be here with you.

I take a deep breath and decide to be very honest and vulnerable with him. “I’m free, and it’s because of you. I’ll never be able to apologize enough for the pain you’re in and what you went through to get me here, but I’ll spend eternity showing you how thankful I am for you, Colin Brooks.”

“You don’t need to do a thing, babe. Being with you forever is enough for me. I love you.” His hand caresses mine in the most soothing motion.

Tears spring into my eyes, but I make no effort to stop them. I can be myself with him, now and forever.

“I love you more, Colin.”

The End

Epilogue

Jade

Two Years Later

“Oh, honey! You look gorgeous in this one!” Mary, Colin’s mother, says.

I twirl and then look back down at the long train. I think it’s my favorite part of the dress, but I love the rest of it almost as much. It’s definitely my favorite so far.

Butterfly sensations start low in my belly the longer I look at myself in the stunning white wedding dress. It’s everything I’ve imagined walking down the aisle in plus more.

“Bridge, what do you think?” I want to hear her thoughts before I fall in love with this one, even though I’m already halfway to paying for it and running out of the store with it in my hands.

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