Bryan ran to her side, and pulled her intohis embrace.
She clung to him desperately, her bodyconvulsing from the heart, piercing sobs wracking her body.
“No, baby, no. You didn’t.” He rocked hertenderly. “He didn’t die, Jessica. You didn’t kill thatbastard.”
Slowly, she pulled back from his embrace. Shelooked deeply into his eyes.
He nodded, smiling softly. “He’s where hedeserves to be … behind bars.”
Tears still streamed from her disbelievingeyes, and she looked up at Ayden for confirmation.
Ayden nodded too, and added.
“He’ll be spending the rest of life in a sixby eight-foot cell.” He directed his attention to Bryan and winked.“I’ve got a lot of paperwork to fill out, because of you,” hereplied jokingly. “Once you’re on your feet, mam, and ready to sitdown with me, I’ll need a deposition from you about everything thathappened, so we can close this case.” He looked at everyone in theroom, nodded respectively and exited.
She sighed deeply, content in knowing, thatall would be well again.
Bryan directed his attention to both Morrisand her Aunt.
“If you two don’t mind, I’d like to spendsome alone time with my girl.”
Florence walked over to Morris and laid herarm across his shoulder. “Come, dear. Let’s go back to your roomfor a short while, and we can discuss your future.”
The moment they exited, Bryan closed the doorto her room for more privacy, and returned to sit on the edge ofher bed.
“I’m sorry your association with me, pulledyou into one horrifying situation. Can you ever forgive me?”
“Forgive you. You can’t blame yourself forwhat happened. This was all, because of Hal. He concocted thiswhole scheme. I certainly don’t blame you. I … I just want to getback to normal.”
He chuckled lightly. “You call, what we do,normal?”
“Well,” she shrugged, “maybe, what I reallymean is, you and me.”
“I like that answer, even better.”
She reached for his hands, drew them to herlips, and kissed them tenderly. She couldn’t stop the tears thatmisted her eyes. She knew she wasn’t going to cry … outright sobanyway. She was just overwhelmed by the emotion she felt for thisman.
“When I was alone, in that cave, I couldn’tstop thinking of you. The thought of my time spent with you playedover and over in my mind. Those thoughts of you kept me going andgave me strength, and made me smile, and want to get through itall. It also made me realize, how much I love you and want to spendthe rest of my life with you.”
His eyes misted like a beautiful, blue ocean,and she knew in her heart, he felt the same. She wanted to hear thewords … words she had never heard spoken before. At that verymoment, she needed all he could give. And, he did not disappointher, or keep her waiting long.
“I want to feel the breath from your lipscaress my skin forever. I want to lie with you in my arms at night,in a home we create as our own. I want to be the father of ourchildren, your lover, your husband, and the only closest friendyou’ll ever need.”
Her breath hitched in her throat at his wordsand she gasped, as he pulled a tiny, velvet box from his pantspocket.
He opened the lid, and she saw the embossedname ‘Neal Lane’ at first and then the most gorgeous Emerald-cutyellow diamond. She didn’t give him time to ask the question. Thelook in his eyes spoke volumes. She threw her arms tightly abouthis neck and lathered his face with sweet kisses as she lyricallyspoke, “Yes. Yes. Yes. A thousand times yes.”
The End
