Flint

I HOLD MY HANDS OVER my face. It’s so quiet down here I can hear every one of my turbulent heartbeats. The chipped white paint on the concrete floor was worn in a strip down the middle as I walked down the long hall in handcuffs. It reminded me of one of the paths Wren and I walked the last few days through the woods.

Fuck, I miss her already. Miss her like I’m in for life without parole. Which is basically true if I never see her again.

“Get comfy.” Sheriff Dillon stands outside the bars, smiling. Even my don’t-fuck-with-me glare doesn’t subdue him like it should. But truth is, what the fuck am I going to do from here? He continues with a smirk, “Judge won’t even hear your bail plea until Friday. He’s on vacation. Not that I reckon it matters much. I’m sure with the violation of your parole, you won’t be out chopping anything for quite a while.”

With that, he turns, whistling, and makes his way out of the basement holding area.

Fuck.

The thought of Wren getting on that airplane, and me stuck down here, unable to do a goddamned thing about it. The first glimpse of a life I actually wanted to live has slipped through my fingers, and the rage that is ready to erupt inside me is blinding.

I press my fingers into my eye sockets until white stars appear. Each breath feels like fire in my lungs. I can still smell her, still feel her in every moment...and the pain of not knowing, that’s the worst. Not knowing if I’ll ever see her again is more than I think I can bear.

I’ve been through pain in my life. Seen things I wish I’d never seen. Turned off all my emotions because I didn’t see any purpose in having them.

But fuck. She lit me up like the damn northern lights. A miracle of such proportions, I can barely see life ahead without her. All I see is blackness.

Maybe if I get out in a few years, she’ll be there. Some miracle. But what do I have to offer her even if I do? And shit, now she that knows about the cameras, I’m pretty sure she wants nothing to do with me. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be in here in the first place.

All those old doubts come rushing back. What kind of man am I for a woman like her? Now with her sister adding to those thoughts. Knowing who she is, what kind of life Wren could have, it makes the backwoods life I live so far from what she deserves. She’s going back to the one percent. That’s what she deserves and what I’ll never be able to give her.

Even if I could, I could never live that life. I grew up in that world, and it nearly killed me. Leaving for the marines and going off to war was a step up in my opinion, and as much as I know my parents would welcome me back, I’d die if I had to live in that world again.

I belong up here. My soul lives in these woods. In the trees and the simple silence. But for Wren? Would I? Could I go back and give her a life outside of this?

I shake my head, lost in the pain of losing her and the dream of what I would do if I ever, ever got the chance to get her back.

I end up flat on my back on the cot, one arm thrown over my eyes, and time drifts. There are no windows, so I have no idea how much time has passed. Has to be hours, though, and in that time, I feel myself reverting to the old Flint. The indifference that used to be my constant companion resurfaces, steeling myself against the alternative.

Something I thought I would never experience. Something I doubted was real.

The horror of the pain of what I can only surmise is a broken heart.

It’s beyond explanation, so the darkness comes to protect me. Feelings that drowned me in the months since I met her flow down and out of me. Evaporating into the silent air of the cinder block and steel bars. Accepting the years ahead that will be spent under lock and key. Knowing when I do get out, there will be nothing left of the old Flint Rendell.

Not unless Wren waits for me.

But why would she?

The clank of metal draws my attention. I clear my throat, fold my hands over my stomach, and wait.

“Get up.” An unfamiliar voice from behind me has me turning my head. “Sheriff wants to see you upstairs.”

Fuck. I can’t even lie here in my own misery in peace.

Before I know it, I’m dragged to my feet, handcuffed, and led to his office, where I know no good news awaits.

I stand in front of his desk as he scribbles on some papers, ignoring me.

“I’m here,” I grunt. What the fuck do I have to lose at this point by being polite? “Don’t sit there and ignore me. You asked me to the dance, not the other way around.”

He looks up lazily, rolling his glazed, tired eyes. It must take a lot out of a person being such a dick all the time. From what I understand, he’s not even fifty years old, but hell if he couldn’t pass for near seventy. He coughs and leans back in his chair, then folds his hands over his paunch. Whatever is going on here has him looking rather put out.

When he snaps his lips together and stares for another long moment, I’ve had enough. I turn on the heel of my boot to exit the office and nearly walk smack into Felicia Murray. I give her a stare, not sure when she walked in or why, but not much caring for the grin on her lips. Whatever is going on here, whatever Sheriff Dillon needs to say to me, he can do it without all the damn theatrics. And frankly, I’m up for a fight if that’s what it takes not to have to stand here like a fucking circus freak for another second.

“You’re out.” Dillon’s words hit me like a cannonball in the back, taking the air from my lungs.

Did I understand what he just said? Out, as in out?

Turning my head, I hesitate before speaking. “Out? You mean like take these fucking cuffs off and out the front door?”

“Cuffs come off when you get your ass to the front door, and not a second sooner.” He hardens each word. Whatever is going on here, it’s not making him happy, but his happiness is far from my issue. “Officer Murray will escort you, Rendell, ’cos some of us have police work to do.”

My next thought is of Wren. As Felicia takes me by the arm and urges me to walk out of there, I realize what the grin is all about. It’s not at my expense; it’s at his. She knows how much pride that just cost the bastard.

“I know where the front door is, Felicia, I can get there myself.”

“Yeah, I know you can, Flint. But you know what? It’s my fucking pleasure. Think of it as my way of saying thank you.”

I have to agree, but this is a surprise. Though, knowing Wren’s gone, I’m shocked at how much I don’t care about getting outside. It no longer means a thing to me. Even the sheriff’s displeasure doesn’t make up for the pain in my heart. She knows about the cameras. The tracking. My recording her every damn move. My arrest record. A girl like her won’t ever be with a guy like me. So when I’m out in the world again, I suppose it will just be me and my cabin.

But now, even that doesn’t mean anything. I’ll burn it to the ground before I’ll ever sleep there alone. It means nothing to me without her.

As we take the last few steps toward the front door, I think about where my camping equipment is. I’ll empty my bank account, get my backpack, and disappear. Flint Rendell no longer exists. He belonged to Wren, and without her, I’ll just be a nameless wanderer from now on.

But that thought can’t ever be real. It evaporates as Felicia finally uncuffs me.

No way will I ever give up on Wren. On my Chirp. On us. Wherever she’s gone, that’s where I’m going. My heart beats again knowing I’ll live anywhere she wants just for the possibility of being with her. I’ll give up this life for any life with her.

“Come on, Flint, don’t look so miserable.” Felicia pushes open the door as I hear the familiar click, and the cuffs go loose. “Someone out here to see you.”

I step out into the sun, and my heart explodes with pure joy.

Sitting out in the parking lot, cross-legged on the hood of her car, is my girl.

I hit the door and the pavement at a solid jog, getting to her just as she slips down off the Volvo and straight into my arms.  Hercules howls out the back window of the car adding the sound effects to the moment.

I spin us around, lips connected, and her legs latch around my back. I never want this to end. I would be happy to live with her right here, attached to me for the rest of my life.

Our tongues swoop and spin, my erection at full height in seconds, wanting inside that heat I feel coming from between her legs.

We finally break the kiss, and her hands go the sides of my face.

“I’m sorry,” she says. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t tell you the truth about some things. The rent on the house...I didn’t have it. And the salon, it was getting shut down next. Sabrina came to help me. Someone told her about the cameras on the house. The tracker you put on my car. She found out about your criminal record.” She starts talking faster. “It all came as such a shock to me, I didn’t know what to do. Sabrina was just looking out for me, you have to believe that. She persuaded me to turn you in, and it seemed like the right thing to do.”

“I know. I messed up. Wren, I just had to know you were safe.”

She’s nodding already. “I realized that in the airplane. I knew you weren’t a bad person. And then Sabrina got the phone call and told me all about who you are and why you went to prison the first time.”

“What? What phone call?”

“From Jim.” She notices the look of puzzlement on my face. “Her researcher. He told her who your parents are.”

My heart sinks. Is that what this is all about? “Wren, my parents and I... I don’t want to go back to that life.”

Her grin spreads from ear to ear. “I know that. I don’t want you to. But Sabrina found out the details of that other conviction, that you were only trying to protect someone weaker than yourself. The way you’ve protected me all this time. I think she started to understand what I already know, what sort of person you really are.”

What sort of person I really am. The way she’s grinning at me, I know that’s not a bad thing. I lean in and kiss her hard, turning and leaning back against the car, and I notice Felicia grinning from the doorway to the station.

Then I notice someone else, and my heart sinks.

“I don’t know what you’re looking so pleased about, Rendell. I still own that girl’s ass.” Lucas Dillon stalks toward us across the station parking lot. “I don’t care if her sister thinks she can pay her way out of it. I’m refusing the fucking payment. Yeah, how do you like that, sweetheart? And guess what? I’m partners on your salon lease as well. No way you’re going back in there, princess.”

I lower my girl to the ground and step around in front of her. No way I’m letting him talk about my Chirp like that. I don’t care if we are standing in front of the police station, I’m going to lay his ass out on the floor if he doesn’t apologize in the next ten seconds. I step toward him, putting distance between him and Wren.

“Fuck you, Rendell, you don’t scare me. What are you going to do, big man?”

“Lucas, you better fucking start talking polite,” I growl, then I notice the familiar glazed look in his eyes. The way he’s not quite focusing. Same old shit stain he always was. “Get the fuck out of here.”

He starts to laugh. “Can’t do a thing, can you? Not in front of my dad’s police station.” His laughter is manic. He must have had a double dose of his favorite narcotic today. Then I take a look at his nose.

And suddenly, I have a thought. I turn to Felicia Murray, wave her over. She looks confused, but what’s she going to do? She’s still a police officer on duty, and this is a police matter.

“Officer, what would it take for you to search this man?”

Lucas’s eyes dart back and forth between Felicia and me. Suddenly, he’s looking a bit worried. His laughter becomes a nervous giggle. “Hey, I’m only here to tell your girl the good news. I’m gone.”

He tries to turn, but I catch his collar. “Not so fucking fast, Dillon.” I tug him in, and Felicia is up close behind him. So close, she can probably smell him pissing himself.

“Probable cause. Maybe someone saw him with something, you know?”

“Really?” I squeeze my lips together, turn my head and wink at Wren. “Well, Officer, I saw him looking real shifty just now. Couple guys came up to him, and he passed them off a white powder. I’m not sure which way they went, though.”

“Now, hold on, this is—”

Lucas chokes off the end of his sentence as I tighten my grip on his collar. “This is a citizen’s arrest,” I tell him, starting to grin, and see the same expression mirrored on Felicia’s face.

“Well, that is interesting.” Felicia plays along.

“I didn’t do anything!”

“If you wouldn’t mind spreading your arms, sir, I’m sure we can sort all this out right here.” She nods, and I let Lucas down, but she’s so close, he knows he’s not going anywhere.

“Get my dad!” he yells to anyone that may care to listen.

No one does.

“All in good time,” Felicia says. “All in good time.” She starts to pat down his jacket, then reaches inside and pulls out a bag of powder. “Can you tell me what this is, sir?”

Lucas opens his mouth, ready to say something, ready to come up with some excuse, but even he’s not that dumb. He closes his mouth again, shaking his head and lowering his eyes from mine. With any luck, he’ll finally get what’s coming to him.

As Felicia Murray reads him his rights, I turn to Wren and lean in for a kiss. She’s grinning, and I give her a quizzical expression.

“Lucas Dillon,” she says. “I didn’t know his name, but I recognize him now. He’s the one that attacked me. You saved my life. He’s also the one who told my sister all about my problems and the cameras and everything. He was trying to hurt us, wasn’t he?”

I sigh. “He must have been trying to track you down ever since what happened in the parking lot. He and his dad...they’ve had it in for me for a while now. They wanted that land on the island, and I made it clear to the local newspaper they were trying to fix the lottery so they would win the parcels. Can’t say for sure what they did and why to make such a shit storm of everything all these years later. I just think they hate to lose, and you got caught up in the mess because of me. Maybe figured I go to jail, my land goes up for sale. They finally get their justice.” I give her a half smile, and she smirks in reply. “Just lucky they didn’t look into your driving license, huh?” Turning my head, I see Felicia walking Lucas in through the front door of the police station. His dad won’t be able to get him off that one. “I don’t think he’ll be hurting anyone for a while.”

“Sabrina says to tell you she’s sorry, too. She really came through for you, pulled a lot of strings to get you released after I told the prosecutor I let you put the cameras outside my house and the tracker on my car. Sabrina said...” She starts to laugh. “Sabrina said she hopes she can rely on your parents’ support with her campaign.”

I raise my eyebrows. “I’ll see what I can do. So...where do we go from here?”

“Well, that’s the other thing. When I was in that airplane, Sabrina asked me what I really wanted to do with my life. I mean, if I could have absolutely anything at all. She was going to make it happen for me, all of it, whatever my heart desires.”

“And?”

“And it took me a moment to decide, but I finally know what that is. I know what I want to do with my life.”

“You do?”

“Yes. I want to live in a cabin. In the middle of nowhere. With you, Flint Rendell.”

My heart about explodes out of my chest.

“Your wish is my command, Chirp. For the first time, I know what I want too, and it’s you. No matter what, no matter where, as long as it’s you and me, I’m happy. I’m going to marry you. I knew that from the first time I saw you. I’ve never been more sure of anything before.”

Her fingertips touch my lips, and I kiss each one as they pass. “I hope you’re sure.”

“More than sure. I love you, Wren. It’s the only thing I’ve been sure of my entire life besides how much I love living up here. In the woods. But if you want to go back to Charlotte, I’ll go. I want to be the man you need. I’ll do whatever it takes.”

“You are the man I need. Always have been. Exactly the way you are.”

With a kiss, I begin walking us to the passenger door of her car. Finally sitting her in the seat and buckling her in before I take the driver’s seat.

“Where to?” she chirps.

“Home, baby. I’m taking you home.”