11.Jane

The storm begins to clear, the wind"s howls fade into a gentle rustling of leaves, and the rain slows to a soft patter against the roof. Danny and I lie side by side on the bed, wrapped in the silence that follows a tempest. The air is thick with unspoken words, and I know it's time to tell him the truth, to lay bare the secrets that have haunted me for so long.

"Danny," I whisper, my voice barely above a whisper. "There's something I need to tell you."

He turns his head to look at me, his eyes filled with concern and curiosity. "What is it?"

I take a deep breath, gathering my courage. "I know you're not the murderer. Because… I am. I killed that man in the swamp."

The silence stretches between us, heavy and charged. I watch as Danny processes my words, his expression shifting from surprise to something unreadable.

"And I know you know. You saw me that day, didn't you?" I continue, my voice trembling. "You saw what I did."

Danny's eyes never leave mine, and he nods slowly. "Yeah, I saw you."

My heart pounds in my chest, the weight of my confession lifting slightly but still pressing down on me. "I came back to the swamp to understand why you didn't tell anyone. Why you didn't turn me in."

"Because I wanted to protect you." He sighs, reaching out to take my hand in his. His touch is warm, reassuring. "Your secret is safe with me. I understand why you did it."

I blink, taken aback by his calm acceptance. "You do?"

Danny nods, his grip on my hand tightening slightly. "The man you killed… he would've hurt you if you hadn't hurt him first. I saw the way he was coming after you. You did what you had to do to survive."

Tears well up in my eyes, a mix of relief and sorrow. "I've carried that night with me for so long, Danny. The guilt, the fear… it's been eating me alive."

He shifts closer, his presence a steadying force. "I get it. And I'm here for you, Jane. You're not alone anymore."

I look into his eyes, seeing the sincerity and understanding there. It's more than I ever expected, and it gives me a sense of peace I haven't felt in years. "Thank you," I whisper, my voice breaking.

Danny pulls me into his arms, holding me tightly. "You're safe now," he murmurs. "I'm with you in this. You've never been alone."

We lie there in the dark, our bodies close, our breaths mingling. The swamp outside is still, a stark mirror to the turmoil inside me..

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" I ask softly, needing to understand his reasons.

Danny sighs, his breath warm against my skin. "I saw the fear in your eyes that day, Jane. I knew you weren't a killer by nature. You were just trying to protect yourself. I couldn't let you go down for that."

I nod, tears spilling over. "I was so scared. I thought I'd never be able to escape it."

The man had killed my cousin Joy a year earlier. He was her boyfriend and he'd lured me into the swamp under false pretences, claiming he'd seen Joy wandering around. Stupidly I believed him, until I realized he'd been the one responsible for her death and that I was going to be his next victim. I managed to save myself, but then later I had this nagging feeling I was being watched.

As I dragged the body into the swamp, I could feel eyes staring at me. Eyes in the dark. And then they quietly disappeared, as if they hadn't seen anything at all.

Coming here, I didn't know Danny would hold no grudge. Didn't know he'd be so different from what I expected.

"Danny, I threw the body into the swamp," I say, licking my lips. "Do you think…?"

"The gators took care of it," he whispers and I frown. "I saw him get crushed between their jaws myself."

I swallow. "I'm so sorry everyone suspected you were the murderer, I'm so sorry your reputation's been ruined because of me…"

"It was worth it." His eyes shine, warm even in the dark. "Because it brought me you. Besides," he adds teasingly, "it's not like I did completely out of the kindness of my heart. Men always expect to get something in return."

I gasp, pretending to be shocked. "What would you like in return?"

His brows wiggle. "More of that," he says with a nod at my body and I squeal, before we both dive underneath the covers.

****

Six months later.

The sun is setting over the bayou, casting an orange glow across the water and the moss-covered trees. It's that magical time of day, the golden hour. I sit on the porch, sipping sweet tea, and watch as Danny finishes up the last of his chores. He's covered in a fine layer of dirt and sweat, but he looks up at me with that crooked grin that makes my heart skip a beat.

I've made an honest man out of him, and he's no longer a bachelor.

"You know," I say, trying to sound casual, "I was thinking we might need a bigger house."

Danny raises an eyebrow as he wipes his hands on a rag. "Bigger? You planning on bringing in a herd of gators?"

I laugh, shaking my head. "No, but maybe a couple of kids. Gators are easier, I know, but kids might be more fun."

He comes over and sits beside me, pulling me into his arms. "Fun, huh? You think sleepless nights and shitty diapers are fun?"

I nestle into his shoulder, inhaling the scent of him – a mix of earth, sweat, and something uniquely Danny. "Maybe not the diapers part, but the rest sounds pretty good. Besides, we'd have the best built-in babysitters with all the crickets around here."

Danny chuckles, a deep, rumbling sound that makes me smile. "Only you, Jane, would think a bayou full of wildlife would make good babysitters."

"We'd always have plenty of excitement. And I bet our kids would grow up loving this place as much as we do."

He looks out at the water, where the last of the light is dancing on the surface. "You're right. They'd be lucky to grow up here. Just like I was lucky to find you."

I tilt my head back to look at him, my heart swelling with love. "You didn't find me, Danny. I found you."

He leans down and kisses me, soft and slow, like he's savoring every second. When he pulls back, his eyes are twinkling with mischief. "So, how many kids are we talking here? A whole football team or just a couple?"

I laugh and swat at his arm. "Let's start with one and see how we do. We can always negotiate for more later."

Danny wraps his arms around me tighter, and I feel like there's no place in the world I'd rather be. "Deal. One kid, and we'll take it from there. But just so you know, I'm aiming for a whole team."

"You'd have to. I know you need the muscle force?"

"Is that your way of telling me I'm getting scrawny?" He throws his head back and laughs, a sound that echoes across the swamp. "You always know how to keep me on my toes."

"Only because I love you," I say, snuggling closer. "And only because you love it."

Looking over the water, I feel a deep sense of peace. Peace I'd never think I'd find. We have our dreams, our love, and this beautiful, wild place we call home. And soon, maybe, we'll have a little one to share it all with…

The End