Page 56 of Phoenix

“No buts, I’m taking you home and we’re calling him,” she says before leaning in to wrap her arms around me. I instantly melt my resolve and nod, letting her make this decision for me.

“I’m going to call Theo, just in case,” Izzy says before walking over to give me a hug. “Niamh, you can come back any time. I think you’ll make Stella mope if you don’t.”

“Thank you.”

_____

Niamh

“Oh, thank God,” I hear Lou whisper at the same time as she pulls into the driveway.

I look up to see a sight that literally makes my heart soar and my tear ducts fill up all over again. Sitting in the middle of the turning circle is Warren’s bike with him straddling the saddle and his back to me. Before the car has even stopped, I’ve unbuckled my seatbelt and have gripped hold of the handle to let myself out. The car screeches to a stop and I burst out of the car with Lou shouting after me. Her cries prompt Warren to finally turn around to face us. He’s barely dismounted his bike before I lunge for him and wrap myself so tightly around his waist that he grips hold of me just as hard.

“Warren,” I whimper, “Warren, please don’t ever leave me again!”

He lets go for just a moment to remove his helmet. He then grips hold of me again to deliver kisses to the top of my head.

“Baby,” he whispers, “I don’t ever plan to. I’ve missed you so much.”

“Phoenix,” Lou says from behind us, “you ok?”

“I’m fine, Lou,” he says with a laugh, “apart from being dependent on this one for my eternal happiness.”

“It was bound to happen sooner or later,” she teases. “Niamh, you need to tell him what you saw.”

“What?” he says with a hint of fear in his voice, pushing me back to look into my eyes. “What’s going on, Niamh?”

“I thought I was going mad,” I whisper ashamedly, “I’m used to seeing the shadow of a man when I’m anxious; I saw him all the time back home…well, my parents’ home.”

I watch as his expression morphs into one of deep concern, as though the idea of this man being real isn’t so far-fetched, and perhaps I’m not mad. My heart rate picks up rapidly and I can already feel my hands beginning to tremble.

“I thought it was just my imagination again, but then Stella began to growl and bark at it.” I notice him momentarily flicking his gaze over to his sister, telling me that what he’s discovered isn’t good news. “He wasn’t there, was he?”

“Phoenix, what happened?” Lou asks, stepping toward us with her own fear. “Is Jake ok?”

“He’s fine,” he says after swallowing hard, “he’ll be back tomorrow.”

“Warren, answer me,” I demand of him.

“No, Niamh,” he says seriously, gripping hold of my arms for fear I’ll bolt, “Robert wasn’t there. No one was there. I’m getting you back to the bar now.”

“Take me home, Warren,” I whimper, watching as a flicker of a smile kicks up at the corner of his mouth. It doesn’t honestly matter where I go, as long as it’s with Warren. He’s given me what I haven’t had since before I was taken – a home. He is my home.

_____

Phoenix

“I’ve already called Daniel,” I tell Lou while Niamh goes to grab her bag, “I don’t want you here on your own at night, just in case. He’s on his way now.”

“What are you going to do, Phoenix?” she asks with worry etched all over her face. I feel it too; I can’t lose another important woman in my life. If it wasn’t for the fact Niamh’s been seeing this shadow man, I’d feel a little more at ease over the fact he hasn’t tried to contact her in all these years.

“I don’t know for sure yet, but I’ve called Javier and Len has gone to do some research in town,” I tell her with a tired sigh. “Jake has made contact with some old relatives of his, but so far, nothing.”

“Do you think he’s after her again?”

“It depends if this shadow is real or not.”

“I hate to say it, Phoenix, but Stella was really freaked out,” she tells me, wincing over the prospect of who that shadow likely was. “I don’t think she would have reacted like that if it was just Niamh’s imagination.”

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