Page 70 of Ruined
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
“If you keep looking at me like that, I’ll be forced to pull over.” Eli gave me a quick sideways glance before focusing on the road again. We were almost halfway between Willow Creek and TC, on our way to frame John Hammond.
I still couldn’t believe the lengths this man would go to for me; I only knew I wasn’t prepared to let him take this on by himself. It had taken hours and hours of convincing to finally get him to agree to take me with. He’d been adamant that it was safer for me to stay behind. He was probably right, but this battle was more mine than his. I was determined to be there when everything went down.
For a minute I felt guilty for what we were going to do, then I thought of my gallery and the other women who had suffered at his hands — Eli had told me I hadn’t been John’s first victim — suddenly there was no room for guilt in my heart.
He deserved everything that was coming his way.
Eli reached over and placed a hand on my leg. “What are you thinking so hard about?”
“Everything,” I answered honestly. “Don’t you find it funny how the little curveballs life throw at us always seems to take us exactly where we need to be when we need to be there?” I’d been thinking about that a lot lately. I wasn’t sure I would’ve embraced the feelings Eli had woken up in me during that first meeting if I hadn’t been forced out of my home and, essentially, my comfort zone.
Mom was right when she’d always said:‘No matter how dark the cloud, it will still have a silver lining. Sometimes you just have to look really hard to find it.’
Eli and Molly were the ultimate silver lining. I’d face a hundredJohnsfor just a few moments with the two of them.
His eyes met mine for a brief moment then he looked ahead again. “Yeah, apparently fate likes to show off at the exact moment we stop believing in it.” He squeezed right above my knee. “I’m glad it brought me you.”
My tongue snaked out to moisten my lips that’d gone dry. “I haven’t said this before, but thank you for fighting for me.”
I startled when he swerved off the road and the truck jerked to a halt. I barely had time to comprehend what was happening when my face was cradled between his palms, our noses almost touching. “I’ll fight for you, protect you until the day my lungs give out. You’re a part of me, Zoe. You hurt, I hurt. You smile, my heart freaking sings.” His smoldering dark eyes held me captive until he slanted his mouth over mine. My lids fluttered closed as his tongue slid along my lips before slipping inside.
With every bold stroke, the kiss intensified. It wasn’t one of those kisses that had me wanting to rip off my clothes and crawl into his lap — to be fair, though, all Eli’s kisses did that to me. This one was just…different. It was one of those that touched your soul and made promises to your heart. It was a remedy and a vow all rolled into one.
The moment he pulled back slightly, I didn’t need him to say the words. The love between us was as evident on his face as I knew it was on mine. A grin tugged at his gorgeous mouth. “Come on, sunshine, you ready to go?”
“With you? Always.”
After a few more kisses, we finally eased back onto the road. The remaining two hours flew by as we talked about anything and everything we could think of. I explained the ideas I had for the art program while he eagerly listened, even chiming in with a few of his own suggestions. We made plans to take Molly to the night market the following week.
By the time we stopped in front of Eli’s friend's house, I was already looking forward to going back home. Funny how things changed. TC used to be the place I thought of as home… not anymore, though.
We were still getting out of the truck when a man appeared on the porch. He raised his hand in a small wave then pushed it into his pants’ pocket. Eli laced our fingers, together we headed to where the dark-haired man was waiting.
“Good to see you made it all right.” His freakishly blue eyes wrinkled at the corners as he grinned at us while we ascended the steps.
The moment he was able to do so, Eli reached for the man’s hand, giving it a shake before pulling him in for a hug that ended with a smack to his shoulder blade. “Holden,” he said, “I’d like you to meet my Zoe.”
Holden stepped forward, greeting me with a handshake. “I’ve heard a lot about you, it’s nice to finally put a face to the name.”
“Likewise.”
Still holding onto my hand, he glanced over his shoulder at Eli. “Oh? What has this one been saying about me then?”
“Only that you’re one of TCPD’s best detectives.”
An odd expression fell over his face as he released my hand and motioned for us to follow him inside. “Did I say something wrong?” I asked Eli when I was tucked into his side again.
He shook his head. “No, sunshine, you didn’t.” Slowing his steps, he lowered his voice, “Holden’s daughter was kidnapped a long time ago, he still hasn’t found her. That kinda makes you doubt your ability to do your job, you know?”
“Oh.” I didn’t know a thing about the man, but that didn’t stop my heart from aching for him. Molly wasn’t mine, biologically, but if anything ever happened to her, I already knew I wouldn’t survive it.
Eli gave my shoulders a squeeze, then pressed his lips to the top of my head. “Come on.” We followed Holden through the living room into the kitchen. As we walked, I noticed that the walls held no photos. It probably hurt too much to have your happy memories displayed so openly while your heart’s broken pieces lay at your feet.
When Holden pulled three beers from the fridge, I politely asked him if I could have a water instead. I wanted to have my wits about me, alcohol would definitely not help with that. “I thought we could order in unless you guys want to go out for something?”
“Takeout sounds good.” Eli accepted the offered beer, taking a long pull from the bottle. On the outside he looked so calm, I wondered if there was a part of him that was nervous or worried that something might go wrong.
