He reaches his hand up and traces a line across my cheek with his finger. He tilts his head to the side and stares into my eyes. “I’m sorry, Lena.”
I nod, unsure of what to say. I tuck my bottom lip between my teeth and bite down. This tiny bit of pain is nothing compared to the agony I’m feeling inside.
I move my gaze past Logan, watching as police and paramedics move in and out of the building. Once they walk out the door pushing a stretcher with Abby’s body wrapped up in a black bag, I turn away.
Logan tucks my hair behind my ear, pulling me back to him.
“How did the police know we were here?”
He sighs, his eyes focused on my forehead. His hand continues to caress my skin, tracing invisible lines. Every stroke is a silent promise, healing me with every touch. “Max called the police. Abby sent him a resignation email posing as Natalie. I recognized the email it was sent from as the same one Abby was using to send you those emails.”
Again, I nod. I’m at a complete loss for words. Outside my body is calm, slowly digesting everything. On the inside, I’m torn apart.
Finally, I move my eyes to Logan’s. There’s a battle waging inside them. He’s both relieved to know it’s over but concerned for me.
“Logan?” I stare into his eyes, swallowing the sadness threatening to swallow me whole. His hand slides from my forehead to my cheek. I lean into him, feeling his warmth. “Where do we go from here?”
His shoulders fall and his hand wraps around mine. His finger circles my wedding ring. “We go wherever you want to go.”
Thirty
Logan
The house has been eerily quiet these past few days. For the first few days after Abby took Lena and told us the truth, Lena has been distant. I don’t fault her for it, giving her the time she needs to heal. I knew it would take longer than a simple few days to get over the events that happened inside the four walls of that abandoned office building.
Lena and I had escaped nearly uninjured. But our wounds weren’t on the outside. They were buried inside, deep within our souls. For months we lived with the belief Julian had been the one stalking us, but in fact it was Abby. Our whole relationship had been built on a foundation of lies and deceit.
Guilt is still embedded in my bones. I had been the one who ultimately killed Abby. My finger was on the trigger, the barrel of the gun pressed against her chest. Although Lena assured me she understood how it happened, I couldn’t reconcile with myself. Even if Abby had wanted Lena to herself, she didn’t deserve to die.
I stare at my hands, thinking of everything they’ve ever touched. A knife slicing tomatoes. Clenched into fists, blocking punches from Julian’s assault. Pulling the trigger of a gun and killing my wife’s best friend.
But when I look up and see Lena sitting on the edge of the bed, sliding on her shoes, I think of how my hands have held her. It’s funny how our hands have the power to change our lives so easily.
Lena stands from the edge of the bed and slaps her hands on her thighs. “Are you ready to go?”
I’m leaning against the doorframe to our bedroom. It’s a chilly fall day but the sun is shining bright today. Lena’s opened all the curtains, allowing the most sunlight possible to filter in. It covers every surface of our house, even Lena. Her smile has changed since the other day but her warmth reminds me she’s still herself.
The bandage wrapped around her head is now gone. She needed several stitches to close up the wound Abby had given her when she knocked Lena to the ground. Afterward, when the police had conducted their investigation, they found out Abby had struck Lena with a hammer. The doctors had said she was lucky she didn’t receive any more damage than a concussion and a few stitches.
Aside from a few bruised ribs, I made it out virtually unharmed. But I knew Lena and I would need some time to get over the wounds on our souls.
And we were starting with today. I push off the wall and close the gap between us. I slide my arms around her waist and pull her close to me. She tips her chin up, matching her eyes with mine.
“I’m definitely ready to go,” I tell her. I place a kiss on her lips, savoring the way she tastes. My chest explodes, the sparks spreading out across my body. I pull away from her but keep my arms wrapped around her.
“Do you know which kind you want?” I ask her.
“I want one that’s cuddly, loving, playful, and big.”
I laugh, running my hands through her hair. “That’s a pretty tall order for getting a dog.”
She shrugs her shoulder. “Honestly, I think I’ll know when we get there. We have to have a connection.”
“A connection, huh?”
“Yeah,” she says, standing on her toes. She ghosts her lips across mine. “You know, like me and you.”
“You’re right.” I nod, running the tip of my nose across hers, my lips dancing around hers. “I do know.”
The End
Epilogue
Lena
“Well, it’s finished.” I slide my laptop to Logan, showing him the new logo I designed for Bistro 59. “What do you think?” I bite down on the tip of my thumb, waiting for his reaction.
It’s been three months since Logan officially signed the paperwork to become Max’s business partner. Max didn’t rush Logan to come back to work, knowing we needed to take the time to heal. Candace didn’t rush me either. However, after a few days, I started working from home, doing anything and everything to keep my mind off Abby and what had happened.
It’s been three months since Logan signed the paperwork to become Max’s business partner, but it’s been eight months since Abby died. For a
