When Johanna wasn’t in class Monday, Reider accepted she might be taking a day to let things cool down. James wasn’t there either, and a sub stepped in to give them the hour to work on their projects. He ignored the questions from his friends and the curious stares at the bruises and cuts on his face caused by the fight. Micah was forced to drive him to campus since his dad saw fit to leave his vehicle impounded. Reider didn’t care until his dad took his cell and disconnected the number.

Tuesday, he stayed in his room all day and prayed Johanna would appear on Wednesday, but a note posted to the classroom door said class was canceled for the day. He stopped by James’s office, but the door was locked and there was no answer. Each passing hour away from Johanna, not knowing what she was dealing with, not able to be there for her, drove him mad. He hardly ate and didn’t speak a word to anyone. Micah tried and earned another black eye along with a quiet threat of more to come if he continued to harass Reider.

“You should be thanking me,” Micah snapped, groaning as he held his face.

They returned home, and Reider stomped towards the front door until Micah’s words hit him. “You think I should thank you for driving away the woman I love?”

“Yeah, you should. Her family’s a bunch of liars and murderers,” Micah muttered darkly.

“She isn’t, you asshole! When are you going to get it through your head that not everyone in her family is like that!” He backed Micah up until his cousin was trapped between Reider’s raging body and the car. “If you ever talk to me about her again, her family’s going to be the least of your worries.”

He stormed into the house, leaving his cousin to either stay outside and cower or follow. He needed to see Johanna and didn’t care anymore how he got there.

“There you are,” his dad called from the kitchen. “You’re coming with me.”

“Not in the mood,” he snarled and moved for the stairs.

“Your Wrangler is being released, and we have to go get it,” Peter said. “You will drive it home and will hand the keys back over.”

“Why would I do that?” he asked and glared at his dad.

Peter’s lip twitched, and Micah came inside. “Micah, you’re coming with me. I need you to drive the Wrangler home.”

Reider twisted around to walk away, but his dad called him back again. “What? You don’t need me if you have him.” He pointed, and Micah flinched at the action. Reider smirked until his dad spotted the new black eye blooming on his cousin’s face.

“Touch your cousin again, and you’ll regret it,” Peter growled. “Let’s go. I don’t have all afternoon, and I’m not leaving you home so you can try to contact that woman.”

The three men drove to the station, and Reider sulked the entire way, sitting in the front seat with his dad so he didn’t have to deal with Micah glaring continually at him. Peter opened his mouth a few times, and Reider braced for the lecture, but his dad never said a word. They walked inside to get the keys, and his dad cursed under his breath. Reider glanced up and spotted Fredrick at the counter, speaking quietly with Sheriff Princeton.

But when Fredrick straightened and his eyes caught Reider’s, there was no hate in them nor the usual haughtiness. A sense of urgency and apology stared back at him. His hands twitched, and he took a step towards Reider before he shook his head to stop himself.

“I would appreciate if I could have that duffel, Sheriff,” Fredrick said.

“It’ll be brought up in a minute. Be patient,” the older man said, but his face scrunched in worry as he turned away, leaving the deputy at the desk to deal with Peter about the Wrangler.

Peter told the man they were there for the car, and when he walked away, he leaned against the counter and glared with open hostility at Fredrick. “How is your brother doing?”

“He’s fine. I’ll tell him you asked after his well-being,” Fredrick sneered, but the tone of his voice was off. Reider studied his face again. His usual hostile stance was relaxed, and his hand twitched at his side as if trying to tell Reider something. “I assume Reider is healing?”

“He’s fine as long as he stays away from your damn sister,” Peter growled.

“Dad, don’t,” Reider warned.

Fredrick watched them both closely, but when he spoke next, his words were only for Reider. “She won’t be anywhere near the families again, I swear it.”

Reider straightened at his words. They weren’t a threat, but a message? His mind racing, he tried to make sense of them, but another officer handed him Johanna’s duffel from the Wrangler and Fredrick excused himself quickly. He wanted to run after him and ask what the hell he meant, but he was gone too quickly. A few minutes later, Peter handed a set of keys to Micah. Numbly, Reider followed them out, his only respite watching Micah’s face pale as he climbed into the Wrangler and started the engine.

“The nerve of that family,” Peter ranted as they followed Micah back to the house. “They always think they’re better than everyone, and now look at them. One daughter shaming the family with her affair and the other a lesbian, running away to paint for a living.”

“Don’t forget, I was part of that affair, too, before you start judging people,” Reider mumbled.

“I won’t ever forget what you put this family through, trust me,” Peter replied, his hands gripping the wheel until his knuckles whitened. “And you will pay for it the rest of your life.”

“Right, keep telling yourself that, Dad.”

“You think I’m kidding? You think your actions only affected you or her?” he asked. “Tell me, have you seen my cousin on campus lately?”

Reider frowned. “What did you do?”

“What that damn headmaster should’ve done when that man first paired you two together. Fired him and sent him packing. He doesn’t belong anywhere near us—any of us.” Peter nodded firmly. “He’ll be gone soon, and then everything can go back to normal.”

Reider scowled at his dad and leaned his head against the window. “No, it won’t, Dad. You can’t make me forget that I love Johanna, and no matter what you do to me, that will never change.”

* * *

Firing James from the college wasn’t the only person Peter Marquette took his anger out on, as Reider soon found out. Benny, the guy who had helped him switch vehicles the first weekend he spent with Johanna was let go the same day. Reider raged at his dad for getting rid of one of their best employees, but his dad simply turned the blame back around on Reider and told him to grow up. This was what it meant to be an adult and clean up his son’s mess.

The next few days passed in a blur, and before long, the weekend was there again. He’d heard not a word from Johanna, and the few people he did ask about her on campus said they hadn’t seen her at all either. He considered walking to her house and banging on the door until someone answered, but if her brothers were home, another beating would be imminent. Sheriff Princeton wouldn’t be so lenient the second time, so Reider stayed locked in his room all weekend, fuming at the world. He put more than one hole in his wall, venting his frustration the only way he really could.

Sunday night, the house erupted in a fight as Micah screamed at Reider’s parents. Worried he’d finally lost it, Reider charged out of his room and downstairs. His mom was in tears, and his dad snarled at Micah on the other side of the foyer.

“What’s going on?” Reider yelled.

“Your cousin has gone insane,” Peter yelled.

“You’re all too stupid to see it!” Micah argued. “They did it, and I’m going to prove it!”

“No one murdered your parents,” Reider said, but stopped short and rubbed at his neck. “Micah, did you go to the sheriff with your questions about the case?”

“Reider, what are you doing?” Peter warned. “There’s no case. Don’t encourage him.”

“Shut up,” he snapped at his dad, stunning him into silence. “Micah, listen to me, I know the PI you hired said he had proof, but what if I told you I heard something else that might help prove it wasn’t an accident.”

Micah eyed him and shook his head. “Why would I trust you?”

“Why would I help you after you ruined my life, you mean?” he raged. Quickly, he reined in his anger. He needed an ally if he were going to see Johanna again, and if he managed to get his cousin back on his side, he would have one person in the world he could trust. Well, two, if he saw James again. “I’m telling you the truth, but if you keep spouting off conspiracy theories about murder, no one is going to take you seriously.”

Slowly, his cousin nodded, and his body sagged. “You’re right, I… I know it wasn’t an accident.”

“I know you do, but you can’t do this on your own.”

“What the hell are you doing?” Peter marched forward and planted himself between them. “You are going to drive him straight to the loony bin.”

“You know, if you ever bothered to listen, you’d learn about your family and what we all need from you besides your endless lectures about how imperfect we are,” Reider said, standing to his full height and glaring down at his dad. “I’m going back to bed.”

His mom called him back, but Reider ignored her. The past few days had been Janet trying to explain to Reider how Johanna was wrong for him and how she planned to throw a party soon, inviting all the single women they approved of. Reider shut down after that and refused to even look at her. Peter yelled his name, but Reider didn’t stop. There was no point, not anymore.

Sleep came that night, but it was filled with nightmares of watching Johanna ripped from his arms and he, unable to do anything, like he was chained to a wall. He woke in a sweat, clutching at the sheets and desperate to see her again. Fredrick’s words from the other day plagued his mind, but nothing ever came of them, and little by little, his hope dimmed.

After a cold shower and a quick glance in the mirror to see the bags under his eyes worse than yesterday, Reider grabbed his bag and hurried down to wait by Micah’s car. His cousin, though, was already outside and shuffled his feet.

“Hey, uh, I think… I’m sorry, Reider,” he said lamely, hanging his head.

For the first time since he’d moved in, Reider saw the side of his cousin he always got along with. The fun-loving guy who wanted to see everyone around him smile. Reider rested a hand on Micah’s shoulder until he met his gaze.

“We all do stupid shit, man, but it might take me a while before I trust you again.”

“I know, and if I could somehow get you guys back together, I would. I was pissed, no one was listening, and I messed up. Big time messed up.”

Reider nodded. There was nothing else to say. His cousin had screwed up his one chance at happiness, but he had one more trick to try. While Micah was in class that afternoon, he was going to find a way to get to Johanna’s house and see where her parents had locked her away. They’d probably call the cops on him, but he was out of options.

On his way to his morning class, he passed by James’s office and paused because the door was cracked open and the light was on. Rustling papers sounded inside, and Reider knocked on the door frame.

“Come in,” James called and glanced up from a stack of papers in his hand. “Ah, Reider. You look terrible.”

He smirked. “Thanks, I think.”

“Pretty sure I looked like that for a few months after I was kicked out of the city,” he said and sat down in his chair. “I was hoping to catch you before I left again.”

“I’m sorry he got you fired.”

“Nah, I knew what I was risking, and I’d do it again.” He spun idly in his chair. “I wish it had ended differently, and I wish I could help you now, but I’m afraid the sheriff has warned me to stay away from Johanna before she goes as far as filing a restraining order against me.”

“She wouldn’t do that. You haven’t heard from her, have you? Johanna?” Reider asked, sitting down in a chair and holding his head in his hands. “I feel like I’m barely hanging on, no one’s seen her, and I can’t call her. I hate not knowing!”

His world had fallen apart in a night, and the pieces were so scattered, he didn’t think he’d ever get them back. Johanna’s amber gaze haunted him at all hours of the day, the way they lit up when she smiled or darkened when he kissed her. How she chewed on her damn pen caps and twirled her curls, tugging on them when she was lost in thought. He missed the sound of her laughter, like rain on a hot summer day, calming him like nothing else could. She was meant to be his, yet they were forced apart.

“You can’t give up,” James told him firmly. “There’s always a chance things will work out.”

Reider didn’t answer but stood in silence. He gripped the strap on his bag and held out a hand to shake James’s when he noticed the phone on the desk. A red light blinked with a number beside it. “Were you planning on listening to your messages before you ran off?” he asked. “There’s quite a few.”

James waved them off. “Probably nothing,” he said, but as Reider said his goodbyes, hoping he’d see the man again, James hit the play button.

“Professor Ashford, this is Fredrick Chadwick. I need you to get a message to Reider for Johanna,” the gruff voice on the phone said. Reider’s chest tightened, and he whipped back around, holding his breath. “Tell him she’s safe and away from our parents. She’s staying with… with someone who will look after her. He needs to go to the following address so they can get away. Please, pass this on and call me if you have any questions.”

Fredrick rattled off an address. The next message played, and then the next. All of them were from Fredrick, repeating the exact same words in hopes of reaching Reider.

“James,” Reider whispered, heart pounding with a sudden rush of adrenaline. “How long ago was that first message?”

James bent down and replayed the first one, checking the date scrolling across the screen. “Last Tuesday,” he whispered. “Reider, I’m sorry. I wasn’t allowed in my office until today; otherwise, I would’ve tracked you down.”

His hand to his mouth, Reider smiled for the first time in days. “I need to borrow your car.”

* * *

Johanna huddled on the couch in the living room, aimlessly watching TV. Rosaleen had asked if she wanted to go shopping with her and little Travis, but the depression hovering over her like a dark cloud refused to break. Every day, her brother called to say he left another message for the professor, and every day, she waited anxiously to hear from Reider.

But he never called. He never texted. Nothing happened.

She settled on some cheesy movie, hoping it would get her to laugh, but she tuned it out and closed her eyes. Sleep didn’t come to her at night anymore, leaving her groggy all day long. Rosaleen told Fredrick she was worried about Johanna. She’d overheard her on the phone last night. Johanna wanted to act like she was fine and full of hope, but after putting on an act for most of her life, she was tired of hiding her true feelings.

Her eyes slid closed and sleep settled in when the doorbell sounded. Frowning, she set the pillow in her lap aside and got to her feet. Rosaleen had left only five minutes before, and Johanna had seen the keys in her hand. She considered not answering, but the bell rang again and she groaned. She couldn’t sleep if this person wouldn’t go away. Knowing she looked horrible in her sweat capris and hoodie, Johanna opened the door wide, ready to send whomever it was away, but she sucked in a breath and staggered backwards.

“Jo,” Reider whispered in relief.

She fumbled for words, wondering for a horrible moment if she were dreaming, but his hand stretched out and cupped her cheek. Sighing, she melted into his touch, and her amber gaze held his fierce green one. “What took you so damn long?” she breathed.

He laughed and dragged her into his arms. His lips captured hers, and she clung to him tightly, never wanting to let go again. Fire coursed through her body, chasing away the darkness weighing her down since the night she had been torn away from the man she loved. Reider moved her back inside the house, pressing her against the wall as his kisses trailed from her lips to her neck, nuzzling her shoulder as he shoved her hair out of the way.

“Anyone else home?” he asked roughly.

Johanna closed the front door with her foot. “No, no one.”

“Good,” he said, his hands gliding up under her hoodie. They closed around her heavy breasts, and she gasped from the touch of his skin against hers, the roughness of his palms as they rubbed her nipples into hardened peaks. “I want to hear you scream my name.”

She broke from his hold to snag his wrist and rush up the stairs. Reider hurried to keep up. They reached the top step, but she was desperate for his kiss again and turned, shoving him into the closest wall, and captured his mouth with hers. His tongue danced along her lips before they parted on a sigh. He groaned, exploring the warm depths while his hands gripped her ass hard and pressed her against the bulge in his jeans. She ground her hips against his, and he muttered incoherently against her mouth, picking her up and asking which way to her room.

Johanna pointed to the end of the hall, and he walked to the bedroom with her in his arms. Once inside, he turned, kicked the door shut, and carried her to the edge of the bed, setting her down on it without letting his lips leave hers.

“I thought I’d never see you again,” she confessed. “I was so scared.”

His hands held her face gently. “Me too. I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner. Didn’t get the messages until today.”

“Reider?” she asked quietly, her hands covering his.

There were so many things she wanted to tell him. How much she loved him, how she missed the fierceness of those green eye of his, or how gently he could hold her. The fire he stoked within her body at each touch was only because of him, and now, it threatened to take over her body from the inside out. She wanted him to know that seeing his face in the morning was like the sun coming up, and kissing him was more important to her than breathing. Too many words came to mind, but none of them escaped her lips. She frowned, worried she’d never be able to find the right way to tell him.

But as she stared at him, his face softened and his eyes darkened. His fingers caressed her face, down to her neck and shoulders. Johanna shivered with want at his touch, and when he kissed her again, full of passion and hunger, she knew she would never have to say those things aloud. He knew. With every kiss they shared, he knew.

He tugged up her hoodie, laughing with her as it caught on her curls, then tossed it aside. All she had on underneath was a thin tank, and he groaned at the sight. Her nipples were visible and hardened. When he leaned down to kiss her, she pulled him onto the bed with her and turned him so she could straddle his lap. In that moment, it was as if they’d been apart for years instead of days. The trauma of being ripped apart so angrily fueled their urges, and the kisses that started out slow and gentle turned heated.

Reider’s hands massaged up her back, pressing her against him as their tongues danced around one another, entwining like vines in a garden that had missed the sun too long. He yanked her tank top off and cupped one breast in his hand as he lowered his mouth to it before she could brace.

A gasp escaped from her mouth, and she dug her fingers into his shoulders as his tongue ravished the sensitive peak. Her head rolled back as sharp pains of pleasure and desire coursed down to her center. She ground her hips against his, and he sucked harder, massaging her rear with his other hand so she couldn’t escape his hold. He nipped and kissed the soft mound of flesh, switching to her other breast, but he barely licked the pink, hardened tip, teasing her until she tugged at his hair and begged.

Reider groaned, and a second later, her body trembled in his arms as he unleashed his lust on her. With only his tongue and the heat of his hands, feeling his desire press against her swollen lips, Johanna couldn’t bear it any longer and let go. Pleasure exploded in small bursts with each stroke of his tongue until she whispered his name in disbelief and sagged in his arms. But they were far from done.

She pulled his t-shirt off, trailing her fingers down his chest, through the soft hairs, and lower. This was far from a simple fire now. The love between them grew into a raging inferno, and Johanna worked at the button on his jeans, the flames of passion licking at her exposed skin.

“I dreamt about this every night,” he whispered as he untied her sweats. “I dreamt about all the ways I would take you again, all the ways I would drive you over that edge into insanity with me.”

Johanna’s breath caught at the intensity of his words. Reider pulled her hands from his jeans and lifted her up to the side, laying her down on her back. Agonizingly slow, he moved to the edge of the bed, and inch by inch, removed her sweats and her thong, leaving her completely naked and open for his gaze. His green eyes devoured every exposed piece of flesh, and he grunted, a deep growl within his chest, standing at the foot of the bed with his jeans unbuttoned, ready to claim her. Johanna wanted him and no longer restrained her desires.

With his eyes fixed on her, Johanna lifted her knees and let her legs fall open, all for him. She was wet, warmth pooling between her legs, and his hands twitched at his sides when her fingers snaked down her stomach towards her clit. Reider’s jaw clenched. She wondered how long he would last as she rolled the bundle of nerves and chewed her lip.

“Damn it, Jo,” he cursed. He kicked out of his jeans, but before he could reach her, she sat up, grabbed his hips hard, and lowered her mouth to his throbbing erection. She sucked hard on his tip, relishing in the pre-cum there, before taking more of him in. “This… You can’t just… Jesus,” he muttered, and his hands dug into her hair.

She pulled back and smirked. “You’re not the only one who had dreams.”

He raised a brow at her and opened his mouth to say something, but she sucked on him again, harder, as her nails dug into his hips. He swelled within the depths of her mouth, and she groaned, knowing he would fill her and take her. One of her hands slipped to her warmth and moved gently against the swollen flesh. Reider watched the movement, and as she was building up momentum, he pulled free and moved to the bed. In a few quick maneuvers, he had her on her side, his fingers thrusting into her wetness until she cried out from the sudden contact. His other hand turned her face gently so his lips could find hers. His tongue delved into her mouth in time with his hand while his thumb pressed hard on that succulent bundle of nerves.

Overcome by the intensity of his moves, Johanna’s hand clenched at the sheet while the other wrapped around, burying itself in his hair. The heat from his chest radiated through her back, scorching her very soul. The hardness of his erection digging into her back spurred her hunger on even more, and she lifted her leg over his, giving him all of her.

Johanna nipped his lip and turned her head. Before he could move, she took one of his fingers into her mouth, nibbling on it before sucking it as she had his throbbing length moments ago. His body trembling, Reider growled in her ear. His hand worked harder between her legs, stretching and twisting as he thrust. The edge loomed ahead suddenly, and Johanna moaned with the building pressure until the sharp shocks of pleasure exploded and she cried out his name. She quivered in his grasp, her hips bucking as they tried to get closer and away at the same time, but Reider continued until she was utterly spent, and sagged to the bed.

Reider kissed her sweetly as his hand moved down her inner thigh, kneading as it went. He moved over her, spreading her legs with his knee, and when he pressed his tip against her, Johanna sighed as a shiver rushed down her spine.

“I want you more than anything in this world,” he whispered, nuzzling her neck.

His hips rocked forward slowly, entering her enough to tease. Reeling from the last orgasm, Johanna’s back arched and her hips lifted to meet his. “I’ll never let you go again,” she swore, looking deep into his eyes.

“And no one will ever take you away from me again,” he promised.

“Swear it,” she whispered and sucked in a breath when he teased her again. “Swear to me, Reider, we’ll always be together. I can’t lose you.”

Reider pulled back again, and when he moved forward, he thrust home, filling her completely, making them both groan and tremble in each other’s arms. “I swear to you, Johanna, I’ll never let anyone come between us, not again,” he said and thrust again. “I want you to marry me. Today.”

Johanna’s head rolled back as he moved hard and desperately within her. “Today? You want to get married?”

“Yes, I want you as my wife,” he growled and held himself barely within her. “Will you?”

“God, yes,” she declared. “Reider.”

She moaned as they made love, all fear of the future lifted from their shoulders. There were no more worries, no more cares of what might happen. This was the here and now, and they were going to get married and stay together for the rest of their lives.

The inferno raged within them and when his body stiffened over hers, filling her with his warmth, Johanna wrapped her legs tightly around his waist, pulling him even closer as they fell together into the flames. Every muscle tensed then released in her body, the insane pleasure beyond anything they’d shared before.

Reider kissed her passionately and gently slid free. He did not move away but held her even closer, safe in his arms. Johanna never wanted to be anywhere else again.