19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

“ I almost thought you weren’t coming.” Noah kissed her like they had been apart for years and not mere days. “You took forever.”

“I’m sorry, but this is the first time I’ve ever been whisked off to a new life, Noah Anderson,” she teased, beyond happy to be in his arms again. “Forgive me for not knowing I should rush.”

With a growl, his tongue coaxed past her lips, sweeping in to claim what was already his to take. “I’m half tempted to stop by the cottage before we depart and teach you the importance of being prompt.”

“Well, maybe you should.”

He nipped at her bottom lip. “Tempting, but I don’t want you sore for the ride.”

The moon overhead chose that moment to peek out from behind the clouds and shine directly on them. Noah’s excitement faded swiftly when he saw the bruise on her cheek, his expression slowly—painfully—morphing into absolute rage.

Holding her chin, he examined the mark. “Who did this?”

“So, much has happened.”

She told him everything, and with each sentence, his anger deepened. “He struck you, and you had an attack, and they still did not call for me? ”

“It wasn’t a bad one.” Conditioned to defend them, Willa tried to shrug off his concern. “The tea worked, and I made sure to rest today and not do anything too strenuous, so I was prepared for tonight.”

“If I ever see him again, I’ll kill him, Willa.” Noah’s thumb stroked the underside of the bruise. “I’m half tempted to go into that God-forsaken house and do the deed now. The world would be a better place for it.”

“No, you will not. We’re leaving and will never think of him again.” Taking his wrist with two hands, she halted the caress against her cheek. “Let your family’s mill merge with ours. Let them have their win because it doesn’t matter. I’m free. I’m yours.”

His lips claimed hers, the desperation and rage merging with desire. “You are mine, and I will spend the rest of my life proving it.”

“Promise?”

The single word was all she could muster, and the two of them separated to grin wildly in the dark.

“Promise,” he replied with one final kiss on the tip of her nose. “It’s time to go.”

Taking the satchel from her, he held her hand and led them down the lane to where Hope waited at its end. From all around, Haven’s nighttime chorus of birds and vermin chittered about as they walked. The evening breeze shaking the trees and moss overhead in a noisy farewell.

“It’s a shame,” Noah observed. “This place is lovely, albeit remote.”

Willa smiled. “When I left, I was thinking that maybe Haven would one day know peace.”

“I’m sure she wil—”

A crack echoed through the night. Sharp and final, it silenced the world and had Noah shoving her behind him.

“What was that?” Willa whispered, sandwiched between the base of a pine tree and Noah’s massive back. “It sounded like a gun—”

A series of shouts carried over on the wind, and Noah pressed her further against the tree. “It’s coming from the mill. ”

The extensive side and rear yards could be seen from their position on the lane. It was a wide, open space with a handful of trees spread around the main central oak standing guard over the estate. And at the end of it all, where the thick pelt of green grass ended at the bayou, a line of pine served as the barrier between Haven and the mill’s land.

Noah squinted at a figure emerging from the house. “Where the devil is she going?”

Looking over his shoulder, Willa could make out a lone figure walking across the lawn. “Is that Bonnie?”

Bundled in her dressing gown and robe, complete with her usual nighttime hair wrappings, Bonnie strode across the lawn at an even pace.

Not but a second later, Willa’s mother appeared, exiting from Haven’s rear kitchen door just as Bonnie had. The pair headed toward the forest trails where the narrow paths led out to the inlet point and the mill, passing their family graveyard on the way.

They waited a moment, and when nothing else happened, Willa tugged on Noah’s shirt. “Let’s go.”

Another shot rang out.

“Hell.” Noah spun around and gave her a quick kiss before preparing to dart across the lawn. “Stay here.”

“Absolutely not!” Willa chased after him, cutting across the thick green grass. “You are not about to run off in the direction of gunshots and expect me to stay behind.”

He didn’t argue and took her hand as they sprinted to the forest. Upon entering the dense woodland canopy, Willa shrunk behind Noah when she immediately noticed the unnatural quiet. There were no animals—no noise—almost as if the forest were as frightened as she was.

“This isn’t right,” she said, clutching his hand tightly. “Something is very wrong here, Noah.”

He signaled for her to be quiet with a finger to his lips, and they kept to the side of the trail, making sure to stay well hidden among the trees. The deeper they went, the more the silence grew until they reached the sharp bend leading directly into the graveyard .

Stopping behind Noah, she tried to make out the soft rumble of voices ahead. “Whoever is out there is in the graveyard,” Willa whispered. “I can see movement but can’t make out how many.”

“I hear your brother.” Noah turned and grabbed her upper arms, moving her further into the brush. “Don’t leave this spot. I’m going to sneak along the water’s edge and try to make out what is happening.”

“I will do no such thing.” She shook her head furiously. “You either take me, or we turn around and leave.”

Noah swiped a hand through his hair. “Are you always going to be this stubborn?”

“Yes, she is.” From behind Noah, a figure emerged from the shadows. “And now that you’re getting a taste of our Willa’s true nature, I hope you’re not having second thoughts on marrying her, Dr. Anderson.”

Bonnie.

Holding a gun.

A gun aimed at Noah’s face when he spun around.

Immediately, Willa was in front of the man she loved, blocking him from harm. Bonnie didn’t scare her. The woman had practically raised her.

“What are you doing?”

“Why didn’t you just go, Willa?” Bonnie sighed but kept the gun level. “I swear sometimes you’re no better than my cats. You’re always so curious until a tail gets cut right off.”

Perhaps she should be afraid. The look in Bonnie’s eyes held a hint of madness in them. Noah must have noticed, too, because she was quickly shoved behind him again. “We’ll leave.”

“Oh, I’m afraid it’s too late for that, but this turn of events is a good thing. You see, we’ve come to an impasse and need assistance.” The gun wagged in the direction of the graveyard. “Walk ahead, please.”

Noah debated, assessing how much of a threat Bonnie was to them. “And if I don’t?”

“Then we’ll have three bodies to bury instead of just the two.”