Setting Him Free (13 page)

* * * *

Danielle closed the remaining distance between them
and stepped into his waiting arms. The way he held her told her
everything she needed to know. Pressed against her with the whole
length of his body, arms wrapped so tightly around her it was
almost painful. He couldn't get close enough. Who cared if she
couldn't breathe? She'd got to him in time, and all that mattered
was being here, doing this, with him.

He held her like that for a long while, his whole
body hard and rigid, before she felt him start to relax and she
could wriggle herself free enough to look at him properly. A little
thinner, new lines around his eyes. Darker hair, different clothes.
His broken arm healed, but he
was
still Taylor. The man
she'd fallen in love with.

He still looked stunned, as if he thought she might
disappear at any moment. She raised herself up on tiptoe, holding
onto his elbows for support, and kissed him. He dipped his head,
closing his eyes when their lips touched, tentatively at first as
if they had to re-learn what to do. Building in intensity as they
remembered. His hands slid around her back, pulling her against
him. Letting her feel him.

A delicious, aching need began to spread through her
whole body. Now they didn't have to hurry, and it didn't feel
frantic or desperate. They had time.
Only he doesn't know
that,
she remembered.
Doesn't know that he's free at
last
. She pushed him away, and reached in her pocket.

"I have something for you, Taylor." He tried to pull
her back in. She touched her palm to his chest. "Wait," she said.
"You'll like it. See."

When she held up the envelope, her heart did a
backflip as he registered the gift.

His freedom. His life. And her.

* * * *

"Danielle, is that...?" Taylor's eyes flicked from
the envelope to her. She nodded, and the hope he saw in her eyes
told him it was true.
She'd bloody-well gone and done it.
Somehow she'd got the file. He could live again. With her.

His hand was shaking so badly he had trouble getting
the thing out of the envelope. "How did you get this?" He looked
up. Hope shone in her eyes, and also something else that made him
realise she wasn't the same Danielle he'd met two months ago.
Meeting him, coming into his world, had corrupted her in a way he'd
never wanted to happen.

She looked away in response to his question. He
turned her back, smoothing the wind-whipped hair away from her
face. "What did you do?"

"Nothing so terrible." The smallest hint of regret
laced her voice. He didn't miss it. She looked him in the eye,
steady and unwavering. "I did what I had to do, so you wouldn't
have to."

"Oh, sweetheart." He pulled her close again and
rested his chin on the top of her head. "I never wanted you to get
involved in all this. Whatever you did, you have to live with it.
It never goes away and it changes you. I'm so sorry."

"Sorry for what? That you've made me feel things I
never thought I'd feel? That you've given me a purpose in life
beyond partying and having a good time?" He felt her trying to pull
away again, and let her go.

"Danielle, I'm not worth it."

She moved away a few paces, and for a heartbeat he
thought she was leaving. He took a panicked step toward her. She
turned back to him.

"Taylor. Don't ever say that. I've come halfway
around the world to find you because you are the most amazing man
I've ever met. No, you're not perfect. None of us is, but I love
you. I think I've known that since the first time you looked at
me." She gave a shaky laugh. "Don't worry, I haven't murdered
anyone. And you wouldn't have either, would you?"

Amazing, she'd called him amazing. It didn't begin to
cover what he thought of her. He shook his head. "No, I wouldn't
have."

"Then you weren't coming for me?"

Hell, this was hard. She was so much stronger than
he. Knew what she wanted and went for it with all her heart. He
felt ashamed of his cowardice. He'd only been trying to protect
her, but he saw now what it would have done to her. How it would
have made her feel, knowing that he hadn't felt their love worth
the risk. Looking at her now, he knew she would have followed him
into hell itself if she'd had to.

And he would have denied her the chance.

How did I get it so wrong?
His stomach
clenched at the disappointment creeping into her eyes.

"You came for me, Danielle. Thank God one of us got
it right."

Two steps closed the gap between them.

"You did save me," he said. "And I need you, stay
with me. Yes, it'll be dangerous, but, hell, it's worth the risk.
I'd rather have one more day with you than a lifetime alone."

"Me too."

The biggest sigh of relief left his lips. Her mouth
curved into a smile. The kind of smile that would soothe his
shattered nerves. Mend his broken heart. The kind of smile he hoped
to see a lot of in the years to come. Taylor held out his hand,
smiling back at her for the first time. Her grip on his was strong,
and he knew that she
had
set him free. Free to love her like
she deserved. Free to have a stab at a normal life.

"Thank you," he said, pulling her towards him. "Come
home with me."

Danielle pulled the quilt around her shoulders. She
snuggled into Taylor's warm back and let her hand drift over his
waist, giggling when he wriggled away.

"Hey, cut that out!"

With a contented sigh, she relaxed against him. The
past few months had been hard, making this all the more precious.
This small cottage was their haven, this modest little bedroom
their sanctuary. They'd kept it simple, because life had been
complicated enough. Pine furniture, an old brass bed, rough
plastered walls. Here, in this unassuming place, she felt more
connected to life than she ever had.

"Want to do it again?"

"What, tickle you?" Her hand reached out. His covered
it and stopped her.

"No, the other thing. The one that makes you say
stuff like this." He turned, and whispered in her ear. His warm
breath made her tremble.

Her eyes widened. "I do not," she protested, although
she knew full well she did. "Where do you get your energy?" She
snuggled back into him, too comfortable to move. Listening to the
wind flinging rain against the window. "You're insatiable."

"Let's just say I'm well-motivated. And you don't do
too badly yourself, sweetheart." Taylor reached over and flicked
off the bedside light. "Okay, sleep it is. Come here."

There, lying close, his arms locked around her, she
felt sheltered, safe and loved. Taylor was vigilant to the point of
paranoia, and she knew he needed to be, so she let him fuss and
worry about her. Day by day she watched him heal and mend and start
to believe in himself again.

There were even deeper shadows in the darkness that
had been Taylor's life, but here, wrapped in warmth and softness,
his soul seemed to find some peace. Danielle still worried about
him. She did that willingly, never forgetting to appreciate the
blessings too. This was the
better or worse
they'd spoken
about in their marriage vows just a few weeks ago, and his solid
warmth reminded her always that she'd found something worth hanging
on to.

"Danielle."

"Hmmm?"

This was something else he did. Chatting with her
last thing before sleep. As if talking in the dark made things
easier to say.

"You never told me how you got the file."

He hadn't pushed her on that one. She'd told him part
of it. The bit about his grandfather realising he still loved him
and wanting to make amends before he died. She knew Taylor hadn't
believed her, but he'd seemed content to let it go at that.

"I told you already. I made your grandfather realise
what a shit he'd been."

"Yes, but you never really told me
how
."

Danielle pressed her face into his shoulder. "Is it
important that you know?"

"I guess."

"I told him I was having your baby."

Taylor's whole body tensed at the words. She felt him
struggling to relax, and it was a long while before he spoke. "And
are you?"

She couldn't keep the note of regret out of her
voice. "No, but I want to. With all the death and destruction
around you, it might give you hope, you know?"

"Danielle."

"I know what you're going to say, Taylor. Too
dangerous, wrong lifestyle. One day, maybe?"

"Yes, one day. How did the old man take it?"

"I don't know. It seemed to hit him, hard. The weird
thing was that even though I felt sorry for him, I was still able
to stand there and be the bitch queen from hell. I told him he'd
never see the baby."

"And you still feel bad about that?"

"A bit. Didn't know I had it in me to do that to a
dying man, but I had to. So I did. How long has he got?"

"Couple of months at the most, I think. Says he's
left an apology in his Will."

"You'd take it?"

"I don't know. He deserves to rot in hell. Seems as
if he's trying to buy himself out of it. Heck, maybe I'll meet him
there one day. The two of us can catch up on old times."

"Don't say that. He came through for you, with a bit
of persuasion."

Taylor released his death grip on her. "Always
thought you'd have made one hell of a spy. Shall we have one?"

"Have what?"

"A baby."

"You were right, Taylor. It's not the time."

"But when we do, how many shall we have?"

Danielle laughed. "The standard answer is one of
each."

"One of each it is, then."

Taylor sighed and she felt him settling, starting to
drift off.

"Danielle."

"Yes?"

"Love you."

"Love you too. More than you'll ever know," she
whispered. There was no answer. His deep, even breathing told her
he'd already fallen asleep. She lay awake for a while, thinking
about the database of European resorts she was compiling for Marc.
Good old Marc who'd come through as a true friend, inventing a job
especially for her. An income she sorely needed.

Feeling herself drift off too, she went through her
nightly ritual. A prayer of thanks. A kiss for Taylor. A few
moments of contemplating her good fortune. A few more of panic that
this was all too perfect and Fate would eventually snatch it away
from them.

It would always be a possibility. She knew that, and
was learning to live with it. But she'd felt it on the plane and
she'd felt it on the beach. The only place she wanted to be was
here, doing this, with him.

It was enough.

The End

Thank you for reading Setting Him Free. To find out
more about my other books, read a one chapter preview of my new
series set on the fictional Italian Island of Sorellina and where
to find me on the web, please read on, regards, Alexandra
Marell.

I'm a romance author, wife, mother, collector of
musical instruments and paranormal investigator whose idea of fun
is spending a Saturday night in a creepy mansion or castle, the
scarier the better. To date I've written paranormal ghost romance,
contemporary and historical romance as Alexandra Marell. I also
write adult rated romance as Candy Nicks and C A Nicks.

Find me on the web:

Website
www.candyandalexandra.com
visit to find out about
my free reads (Waiting For Eternity and Saving Susie) and other
books by Alexandra Marell.

Facebook page – C A Nicks Alexandra Marell

Twitter name - CandyNAlexandraM

My books are available at all the amazon countries
that sell kindle books as well as other outlets.

In the Dark With You
– Historical Romance

The Heart Wants
– Ghost romance set during WW2
and present day with bonus free WW2 romance, Waiting For
Eternity.

Something Worth Fighting For
– Contemporary
romance

The Island of Sorellina Series

Book 1 –
The Cursed Princess
– June
2012

Billionaire Dario Denaro hasn't come to the Island of
Sorellina to fall in love again. He's here to oversee the
renovation of Villa Cristina, the most exclusive of the Denaro
residences. And Elena Marcante, who's on the island to visit her
ailing grandmother, certainly doesn't expect to run into the man
who left her twenty years ago without a word of goodbye. But
Cristina the cat has other ideas. Once the most noble Princess
Cristina Denaro, she was cursed by her jealous lover, Bernardo
Marcante, to live as a humble cat until a Denaro and a Marcante
declare undying love.

But after five hundred years and with the family feud
still running deep, Cristina is desperate, while Bernardo's spirit
lurks in the ruins of the old temple wracked with remorse for what
he did to her. Dario and Elena are no longer a pair of love-struck
teens, but will they remember that magical summer they spent
together? With hope of ever breaking the curse fading and with a
few family secrets revealed along the way, Cristina is determined
the medieval cathedral bells will finally ring out for the union of
a Denaro and a Marcante. 53,000 Words. A one chapter preview of The
Cursed Princess follows the Siren Sweetly Singing Blurb.

Book 2 –
Siren Sweetly Singing
–
August 2012

Fresh out of rehab and with his singing career in
tatters, Stefano Denaro visits Villa Cristina, determined to
straighten out his life. While on the island, he meets a mysterious
woman who seems determined to make him forget his vows to clean up
his act. Alina is a siren, but she has a secret, she can't sing.
Having failed to take a single soul with her terrible voice, she's
been given an ultimatum. Now human and terrified, she must find and
harvest a pure male soul if she ever wants to go back to the sea.
And then she hears Stefano Denaro declaring he doesn't drink or
smoke, is celibate and loves early nights….