Forsaking All Others Page 17

  Where is she? Why isn’t she here with me?

  He stepped into a pair of pants, opened his drawer and withdrew his gun, his jaw set in a determined line. Although he didn’t know what was occurring outside of his home, he knew it had something to do with Devon.

  This fucker has a lot of nerve.

  He cocked his gun, reveling in the familiar click he heard before he made his way throughout his bedroom, in search of Julianna. He needed to find her. He wasn’t sure what was going on, and he wouldn’t rest easy until she was back at his side.

  “Julianna!”

  His voice was a tight whisper. He forced his eyes to acclimate to the darkness surrounding him. It was now eerily quiet as he waited for any form of a response. When he didn’t receive one, he made his way out of his bedroom, his footsteps inaudible as he cautiously descended his staircase. He paused when he heard another loud boom; the walls of the house now shook. He tried to locate the direction of the sound. It seemed as if were coming from the front door, and he immediately scowled. Whatever the hell Devon was doing outside would have to wait. He had to find Julianna to make sure she was all right. He continued to move stealthily between the rooms in his home in search of her, his anxiety mounting with each empty room.

  She has to be here somewhere.

  His search finally took him to the kitchen. It was pitch black; the silence was deafening, and his eyes strained in the darkness while he frantically scanned the area, in search of anything out of the ordinary. Although things seemed benign enough, there was still a sense of danger surging in his gut as he raised his gun in anticipation. Finally, he saw her; she was crouched in the corner of the kitchen next to the fridge. Her eyes were wild, and she looked as if frozen in fear, and he took a step forward.

  “Julianna. It’s me.”

  She didn’t move.

  Evan furrowed his brow, confused why she remained where she was. Then Evan saw him. He was dressed in all black and was crouched next to her—too close for his liking, with one arm around her shoulders. The man’s arm was at an awkward angle, and it was only then he noted the shiny material of the knife he held at her throat.

  Rage surged in his gut. “Let her go.”

  The man grinned, the gesture eerie in the minimal lighting provided from the moon shining in the window, and he responded by pulling her even closer. He brought the knife closer to Julianna’s throat, dragging another scared cry from Julianna’s lips. Evan didn’t recognize him, but he knew Devon had sent him. The pompous ass didn’t even have the balls to handle his own problems. Evan’s fingers gripped the gun tightly as he raised it and aimed it towards the intruder’s head.

  “I won’t ask again.”

  He kept the gun trained at his forehead as the man paused, a moment of uncertainty on his face before he remained where he was.

  He suddenly jumped up without warning and bolted for the door, dragging Julianna with him.

  She cried out and struggled against him when he roughly grabbed her arm and pulled. Evan chased after them, doing his best to keep the gun trained on the back of the man’s head as he continued to struggle with a writhing Julianna.

  When the man stopped and slashed the knife across Julianna’s chest in frustration, Evan’s finger pulled back on the trigger and he watched the man fall to the ground with a loud thump. He watched with horror as Julianna also fell to the ground, a pool of blood forming on the ground. Terror gripped at his insides as he raced over to her, immediately gathering her up into his arms as he searched her body for any signs of injury. His hands shook as he noted the slash in the front of her shirt as he frantically pushed the material out of the way, in search of her bare skin. He needed to assess the damage. She had to be okay. He turned her body, his brow furrowed as his search turned up empty. He continued to search when he heard her small voice.

  “Evan, I’m okay.”

  He barely registered her voice as he frantically continued to search her body. There was blood—so much blood. He had to make sure she was all right.

  “Baby.” Julianna’s voice was more insistent this time as she took his face in her hands. Her hands were shaking as he she forced him to focus on her face. “He didn’t get me.”

  He paused, staring down at the man’s crumpled form. A large pool of blood had formed around his body, and he lay unmoving as Evan stared down at him.

  “What did he say to you? How did he get to you?”

  He gripped her shoulders tightly, his eyes boring into hers as she shook her head. His expression softened as he registered the fear in her eyes and the tremor in her hands. He paused and held her close, comforted by the steady beating of her heart against his body.

  She’s okay. She’s safe.

  “How did this happen? How did he get to you?”

  His voice was barely above a whisper. He willed himself to remain calm as he waited for her to respond.

  “I couldn’t sleep. I got up to get a glass of water and I heard a sound. I came back to bed to find you, and then I felt something cold on my neck. It was a knife. He told me to be quiet or he would cut me.”

  Tears rolled down her cheeks, and she shook her head. Evan scowled as he comforted her, his mind already drifting. Things were continuing to escalate with Devon. Now he was coming for her at his home. The question was, how did he find her? What did he want? Agitated, he stepped over the man in his kitchen to get the phone and first called his brother. He quickly explained the situation and hung up, without waiting for a response. He needed his help. Now.

  Julianna stood there, frozen as she stared down at the man that was lying on the floor. She suddenly looked up at him, her eyes wide. “Is he dead?”

  “Yes.”

  She jolted at his response but didn’t avert her eyes. “Oh.”

  She continued to stand there, her eyes shifting between the gun in Evan’s hand and the man on the floor. Her eyes finally met his, and she opened her mouth to speak. Before she could, they heard another loud boom at the door. She jumped. He signaled for her to stay close as he once again raised his gun and slowly led them toward the front door. He stopped several feet in front of it and crouched down, waiting in the darkness for any sign of movement. Before waiting for much longer, he heard loud yelling coming through the front door.

  “Julianna! Julianna, you get your ass out here right now!”

  Devon. Evan scowled and motioned for her to remain silent.

  “I know you’re in there, you fucking bitch. I’ve waited long enough. Get out here!”

  Evan moved forward but stopped when he felt Julianna’s hand on his arm.

  “Evan, please. I don’t know what he has waiting out there.”

  He continued to stride forward, irritation sizzling low in his gut.

  “This man comes into my fucking house and cause all of this shit? Hell, yes I’m going out there.”

  His voice was a harsh whisper as he quickly scanned the area behind them. He focused his attention on the front door once again, his muscles taut. Before he could open the door, there was another loud boom, followed by Devon’s angry voice.

  “Fine. I’ll get you one way or the other, Julianna. Know that you brought this on yourself.”

  Evan paused, a chill snaked through his veins. Instead of continuing toward the door, he sprinted to Julianna and pulled her away from the front of the house. As he did so, he heard a loud popping sound followed by a bright flash. He yanked Julianna down to the floor as the window several feet from them exploded. Their ears rang and shards of glass showered the room. Light immediately filled the dark space as flames engulfed the curtains near the window.

  The son of a bitch is trying to force her out.

  He barely had time to think as more flames broke out within the house. Julianna stared up at him, her eyes wide, fear etched into her face as she glanced around. Evan pulled her towards the back of the house when his eyes registered movement. Someone else was inside. The muscles in his neck instinctively tightened as he drew Julianna
close and raised his gun. He aimed toward the moving form and fired, satisfied when he heard a yelp and a thud. He grabbed her arm and started for the kitchen, but soon noticed further movement. Without warning, two more men ran out from the darkness and approached them. Evan quickly dodged the first man, and punched him full in the face, reveling in the sound of crunching bone as the man stumbled backward. He fired a shot toward the other man, who gripped his leg and fell to the floor. Evan barely spared them a glance as he tugged on Julianna’s arm.

  “Let’s go.”

  He made his way toward the kitchen and squinted in the darkness for any further signs of movement. He continued forward, quickly and stealthily, with Julianna close by his side. He soon heard the roaring of flames as the fire continued to grow behind them, and he knew he had to get them out of the house, and quickly. They didn’t have much time. He reached for the door and felt a pair of strong arms shove him in the darkness. He tightened his grip on Julianna, who also clung to him. He forced his eyes to adjust in the darkness and noticed a form advancing on him once again.

  “Stay close.”

  He didn’t wait for her to respond as he turned his attention to the man in front of him. As he lunged, Evan quickly side-stepped him and shoved him into the wall. The man groaned and lunged for Evan again, a quick flash of shiny metal gleaming in the night as he moved forward. They struggled for a few moments before Evan gained control of the weapon which turned out to be one of his own kitchen knives and drove it into the intruder’s side. The man yelped out in pain, and immediately descended into the darkness, wounded.

  Evan took a step forward, ready to finish him when he heard Julianna cough beside him. Smoke was now filling the house, and he needed to get them out. He grabbed ahold of her once again, and burst through the back door, embracing the cool, fresh air of the night. He took Julianna’s hand in his as he they ran for the road. He briefly paused, glancing back at his home as flames erupted from the windows, lighting up the night sky and filling the surrounding space with a thick cloud of ash and charred material. Evan clenched his jaw as he watched.

  This was my home. He will pay dearly for this.

  Knowing time was limited, Evan turned to Julianna as they continued to make their way up the road. The wail of sirens grew louder as concerned neighbors emerged from their homes in the middle of the night. Surely one of them had called the police. He would deal with the police later. He would handle Devon on his own. At the thought of him, he scanned the area, his senses on high alert. Surely, the son of a bitch had fled right after what he’d done.

  His senses guided Juliana along the road. They hadn’t gone far before a car squealed to a stop in front of them, and the passenger side door swung open. Hudson. Despite everything that had transpired so far that night, a grin broke out on Evan’s face. He knew he could always count on Hudson. He ushered Julianna into the car and was barely inside before Hudson sped off.

  “We need to disappear. At least until we can come up with a plan.”

  Hudson briefly glanced at his younger brother before he returned his gaze to the road, his brow furrowing in deep thought. He did however, give a single nod before he responded.

  “Already ahead of you, little brother. We’ll fall off the face of the earth.”

  31

  Julianna was slowly nudged awake. She registered the warmth of the body next to her, and the steady beating of his heart. During the drive, Evan had climbed into the back seat with her and she had fallen asleep in his arms. She wasn’t sure when it had happened, and she wasn’t sure for how long she’d been asleep, which left her without a reference point for how long they had been driving for. She rubbed her eyes sleepily as she felt the car come to a stop. She stretched and stared out of the window. She had no idea where they were and how far away they had traveled. In front of her stood a large wooden structure with clean modern lines mixed with rustic wooden touches. It was secluded, the only structure on the land for as far as she could see, and it was also far back from the road, enshrouded by trees. It looked like the kind of place that could only have been found if it were someone who knew where to look. For that simple reason alone, she already liked it. Evan rubbed her arm as Hudson pulled around the side of the house to the garage and slowly guided the car inside. When the door closed behind them, lights illuminated the space, and he opened the door to the interior of the home.

  Dark wood floors extended throughout the space, gleaming as they stepped inside. Immediately to her left hung a large circular mirror on the wall, followed by tasteful artwork in neutral gray and gold tones that carried them through the foyer to the living space. The furniture was sleek and modern—definitely masculine but inviting still in a sleek black leather. A fireplace with a white-quartz outer hearth was situated along the far corner, bringing her eye to the kitchen which also boasted clean lines with a hint of rustic charm; a gleaming white quartz countertops and exposed wooden beams stood proudly against stainless steel appliances. It took everything for her jaw not to drop open as she continued to admire the space, her curiosity dragging her eyes up the stairwell, drawn by the same gleaming hardwood and polished banister before they settled on the two men in front of her.

  “Wow. What is this?”

  The corner of Hudson’s mouth lifted as he turned and disappeared around the corner. She stared up at Evan who shrugged.

  “Home.”

  At her confused expression, he brought her close and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

  “Sometimes, I need to get away. When I do, I come here.”

  “Does Hudson stay here, too?”

  Evan chuckled as he watched his brother walk around the house, looking for any signs of tampering.

  “Sometimes. He has his own place not too far from here.”

  Hudson was now accessing a small device, his expression brooding before he looked up with a gruff nod. Evan nodded his head as well before he returned his attention to Julianna. His eyes bore into hers as he tightened his grip on her.

  “You can feel safe here. I, we won’t allow anything to happen to you.”

  “And the police?” her voice was tired, drained. As much as she wanted to rest, Devon had to pay.

  Evan sighed. “We can call them as soon as we get settled.”

  She lowered her head as she watched Hudson continue to walk around the space. His eyes continuing to search, his muscles taut, unsatisfied with his previous inspections.

  She picked up on Evan’s tense energy; his muscles were tense, as if poised to strike, and his eyes always seemed on alert, always searching, as if he didn’t trust what they were showing him. Images from what had transpired a few hours before flashed through her mind and goose bumps rose on her skin. That was the man that Evan had been trying to warn her about. It was still just lost on her how she could’ve been so blind.

  “I know. I’m just so sorry about all of this. I never knew just how seriously to take anything until now.”

  He remained silent but pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head before he led her up the stairs.

  “We’ll have to get you a few things. Even I don’t have too much stuff here.” They ascended the stairs and Evan paused in front of a room before he opened the door. What struck her first wasn’t the size of the room, which was massive and airy, but the wall to wall glass windows that allowed for a view of the wilderness and sunshine outside of the home. She gasped, her hand at her throat as she stared out, enjoying the tranquility of the field giving way to the trees in the distance. It was breathtaking.

  “This is my bedroom.”

  He paused, his arms folded across his chest as he watched her. Julianna continued to walk the space, enjoying the dark tones of the modern furniture that were offset by the bright light bursting forth from the windows. The sun was high in the sky and the sky was clear. A soft breeze ruffled the green grass of the field outside. The walls of Evan’s bedroom were painted a neutral beige, and a large king-sized bed with a navy-blue comforter was situated
in the middle of the room, its placement likely influenced by its ability to appreciate the views from every angle. She finally turned, nodding her head.

  “It’s beautiful.”

  He nodded his head in thanks as he blew out a soft sigh.

  “You must be exhausted. Let’s find you something to wear so you can become more comfortable. I want you to feel at home here.”

  Julianna nodded, only now registering the tiredness that weighed down on her. It seeped into her bones and made her physically uncomfortable. She wanted a moment to just…be, and not have to worry about the next thing that Devon did or what he would do next.

  “I’m going to call my sister first to let her know I’m okay.”

  Evan nodded, handing her his phone. She sat down and dialed. She blew out a breath, hoping that she could muster up some semblance of a normal tone before she talked to Danni.

  “Hello?”

  “Danni. It’s me. I’m calling from Evan’s phone.”

  “Oh. Hey, sissy! What’s wrong?”

  Despite herself, a few hot tears rolled down Julianna’s cheeks. She quickly wiped them away and blew out a sigh.

  “Oh, Danni. Devon is…crazy.”

  She quickly recounted the last few weeks and the events from the night before. Her shoulders slumped forward when she finished, and the exhaustion set in once again. After a few moments of silence, Danicah spoke.

  “Oh God. Where are you now? Are you safe?!”

  “I’m safe. I’m with Evan.”

  “Okay.”

  That was all her sister said as they lapsed into another silence.

  “Please take care of yourself, Danni. Be safe. I don’t trust him at all.”

  “I never did.”

  Danicah couldn’t help but to throw in that last comment before she heaved a sigh. So, Julianna was finally seeing Devon for who he was—a controlling, unhinged individual. A part of her felt justified for her hatred of him. However, most of her felt scared for her sister.