Page 50 of Unholy Cross

Epilogue

Seven Months later

Lorelei burrowed into her coat as a cold wind wrapped around her legs.She walked on the sidewalk in the shopping district, heading toward the craft store.Her knitting was slow going, and she still wasn’t sure how her grandmother infused healing love with each stitch, but she kept at it.

“Miss Lorelei.”

She halted, slowly turning to see a man, wearing a black trench coat and black gloves.Tall, muscular, piercing blue eyes.He looked vaguely familiar but she couldn’t place where from.Behind him stood three men, looking like the Secret Service, dressed similarly.Dark sunglasses obscured their eyes.

“No, sorry, you have the wrong person.”

As she took a step away, one of the bodyguards stepped in front of her, preventing her from leaving.At this point, fear slowly inched its way through her body.

“Please,” she pleaded.“Let me go.”

All she could think about was that these men could take her away from Cross.She’d rather be dead than locked up again.

“I’ve been searching for you for months.”

“I said you have the wrong person.”She took a step backward and bumped into another bodyguard.

“You don’t recognize me, do you?”the man asked.“Not that I blame you.I looked very different from when you last saw me, on my deathbed.”

Lorelei tilted her head, trying to place this very handsome man, until it suddenly clicked.“Mr.Thorp?”

He smiled.“Yes.”

She studied him up and down, noticing there was a glow to his skin.“You look healthy.”

“Thanks to you,” he said softly.Reverence resided in his eyes.“You literally pulled me from death’s hand.Plus, you erased all the damage from the chemo, and even replaced the brain matter the cancer had consumed.You’ve given me a second chance at life.You’re a miracle.”

“I’m glad you’re well,” she said demurely.

“Would you like to get a coffee?”He pointed to a coffee shop across the street.“It’s chilly, and I’d like to talk to you some more.”

“Oh.”She glanced around, glad there were other people bustling around them.Lots and lots of witnesses.“I don’t know.I guess ...maybe.Okay.”

“Excellent,” he murmured.He took hold of her elbow and as he started to cross the street, his men swarmed around them, looking every which way.

Warmth greeted them as they entered the coffee shop.Several tables had people working on laptops.A few others had people talking to one another.Mr.Thorp led her to a table in the back, where they could see the rest of the place and keep an eye on the door.They got a few questionable stares.

“What would you like?”

“Um, I think I’m too nervous to drink anything.”

“You don’t have to be nervous.How about water?”

“Yeah, sure.”

Mr.Thorp gave a nod to one of the men, who immediately went to place the order.

“They always do what you say?”she asked.

“Always,” he replied, smiling.

“How did you find me, Mr.Thorp?”

“Please, call me Joseph.”

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