“Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment, until it becomes a memory. In my world, everyone’s a pony and they all eat rainbows and poop butterflies.”

Yeah, right, Theodor. In my world, I eat ponies and butterflies for breakfast. Well, some days anyway.

Ones like today, when I want to crush everything around me. Why does she keep pushing me away? I don't understand it. Doesn’t make sense. I rub the back of my neck, the tense muscles knotted. Wincing when I touch the stinging marks across my neck. A gift from Sage courtesy of the mind-blowing sexual indulgence we had. I’ll be wearing the badge of honor for days.

After this round of great sex that we shared, I was pushed out of her bed when I slipped up and mentioned the growing connection I feel for her. She shut down so fast, I’m suffering from a mild case of whiplash. Hell, a flea found on a dog’s ass, pinched off and smooched, gains more attention.

Sage treated me as if I meant nothing to her, a second thought. Even as I freely gave her another piece of my soul.

Don’t get it. Don’t understand it.

At this point, I may never decipher the Sage code.

I stretch my long arms wide in front of me, fingers splayed fully out, and draw them back quickly to form fists near my chest. Repeatedly, I punch the air and jog up the winding trail, my mind burdened by everything that’s unsettled between us.

Why does this keep happening?

Sage senses the link we share; I witnessed it. While trembling in my arms, her sultry moans and passion-filled eyes allowed me a brief glimpse of the raw desire she harbors. For me.

She commanded my full attention, as I pounded into her drenched pussy, over and over. Our addiction for each other blazed into hot coals, deep burning and unquenchable.

My heart thumps wildly in my chest and pounds loudly in my ears as I continue to jog and punch. Punch. Punch. Punch.

But like clockwork, Sage switched back to her default. Unfeeling and cold hearted. It sucks ass.

Glancing at my watch, I see it’s zero six hundred as I enter the kitchen in the big house. Sweat trickles down the sides of my face and I use my shirt to wipe it.

The only soul present is Oliver, sitting at the bar sipping on a mug of morning brew. The smooth, rich scent of dark roasted beans drifts around me. The aroma calls to me like invisible fingers latching onto my nose, tugging me closer—heavenly.

“Hey, man,” Oliver begins as his sleepy eyes travel my way. Then he stops to bag a second glance. “Whoa, man. You been tusslin’ with a hellcat? Looks like it scratched you up and spit you out!”

I ignore his comment, heading for the coffee pot and my own cup of morning wake-up juice. I’ve looked in the mirror at my harried appearance. Harper would call me ‘a hot mess.’

“You look like shit, Luc. What the fuck happened to ya? Bad night?” Oliver continues questioning, concern bristling his words.

I shrug my shoulders, throwing my hands up in the air. “Pfft.”

I wave off his comments and pull out a mug to fix my coffee.

“Did you just Pfft, me? Oh, fuck, no. What’s goin’ on, brother?”

Oliver’s pissed off, worried tone produces an uneasy feeling.

I skip around his unwanted questioning. “Hold your horses, Ols. It’s nothing important. No worries, my friend. Today’s your after-wedding day. We're still celebrating. What’s the estimated time of departure?”

I pour a cup of the dark brew, add a bit of sugar and a tad of cream for color. Placing the cup to my mouth, I blow a little before taking a sip.

Executing an about-face, I almost run smack dab into a solid concrete wall as Oliver crowds my space. His normal easy-going face pinched and tense. The cup in my hand bounces a little, almost spilling hot coffee down the front of my shirt.

“What the…Ollie, this shit is hot.”

I suck the hot coffee off my fingers. Time to squelch this interrogation. I’m not ready to give up any information. And one thing’s for sure, if given more time, Oliver will wrench it out of me.

“Come on, Luc. What’s goin’ on? Ya need me? You know I’m always here for ya. Even when you’re actin’ like a total douche bag,” Oliver chuckles.

The earnest expression on his fugally mug catches me off guard. Like always, the man I’m honored to call brother worries about my well-being.

“Don’t worry about it, numb nuts. I’m good,” I convey with a huge smile poised on my washed-out face. “Everything’s good, Ollie. No worrying about me. You’ve got a new bride to fret over and sex and romance to look forward to.”

I stick my finger in my mouth, gagging for exaggeration. It triggers a very welcome laugh, staunching the tension in the room. Exactly what I was aiming for.

Oliver’s cognizant of my unruly behavior. He’s worried I may be slipping away again, but he doesn’t need to worry. I’m in control of the demons, keeping them in check.

Besides, I won’t burden him with my problems today. He has a honeymoon to concentrate on, and I won’t be the one to impede his mission. Oliver deserves every last drop of happiness he’s been gifted.

“Look, bro. When you get back, we’ll talk about it. But I don’t want to concern you with any of my shit problems. Not today, or for the next week. There’s nothing going on that can’t wait until you get back, Ols. I promise,” I assure him.

I’m hoping he’ll get the point and back the fuck off.

Hands up in the air in surrender, Oliver dispatches sternly, “Alright, Lukas. I’ll let it go for now. But we will have a talk when I get back. Got it?”

“Yeah. It’s a date, my main man,” I answer. “So, where’s the bride?”

“Still sleeping. Like everyone else. It’s early, Jolly Green,” Oliver grumbles and wets his whistle from his coffee cup.

“True. Well, let’s wake them up. Time to cook some grub,” I announce, rubbing my hands together back and forth as my eyebrows wiggle up and down with mischievous glee.

“You’re on. As long as I cook the bacon. We do not want to eat burnt bacon again, Luc,” Oliver playfully snickers with a wide grin and a twinkle in his eyes.

He walks over to the cabinet to get out the griddle, while I make a beeline for the refrigerator to hoard the bacon. Burnt bacon, my ass.

Hours later, Oliver and Fallyn are rushing through the flying bird seed while congratulatory cheers follow them to the awaiting Hummer limousine. ‘Spare no expense for all of our women’ is the Trident motto.

As the limo pulls away from the house, enthusiastic merriments and whistles echo in the surrounding outdoor space. I smile again from the sheer luck of it all. My man Oliver finally found his happily ever after.

The familiar ache in my chest rears its ugly head, and I maneuver away from the wedding party to catch a few deep breaths of fresh air. One day soon. I’m going to catch you, Sage.

“Never give up, never surrender,” I whisper, chuckling to myself as the off-the-wall comedy, Galaxy Quest, flashes in my demented brain.

The wedding party begins to scatter, and I aimlessly stroll through the yard while guests load bags in cars for departure. I’m lost deep in thought as I tromp to the backside of the house, when someone taps me on the shoulder. Slowly turning in the direction, I come face-to-face with Shannon. A grim expression mars his face, and I advance to the side of the house with him, out of ear shot of unneeded bystanders.

“Hey, man. I wanted to let you know I got some info that you might want to hear,” Shannon speaks in a low voice, for my ears only.

“What’s up, bro?” I ask as a few of the guests pass by.

We move further into the tree line for privacy.

“I got an alert. It has to do with Sage.” He pauses for me to reflect. “Her office was broken into, Luc.”

“What the fuck? When did this happen?”

I struggle to compose my outburst so no one will hear us. The unwanted attention would stop the conversation.

How did I not know about this?

“Yeah, man. It was before she got here. There was a police report filed. I assumed you knew this already.”

Fuck! “I turned all my alerts off for the wedding.”

Everyone important to me was here. Live and learn. Won’t happen again.

Taking a deep breath, I calmly ask, “Alright, so what went down?”

“Her office was broken into. A few files rummaged through, but nothing taken. As far as they can tell. But Sage was not cooperative with the police. Not in the least, dude. She left in a hurry, not before she let the police officers know what she thought about their investigative skills.”

“Hah. Yeah, that sounds about right. Do they have any leads?” I question further.

“Well, it gets better, man. There was another alert first thing this morning saying that her house was ransacked as well. Nothing taken, just shit tossed everywhere. Something’s going on, Luc. Not sure what or why, but something’s not right. Seems Sage may have a stalker,” Shannon gives his assessment but hesitates.

“What? Is there something more you want to share?” I cross-question in a grating tone. I’ve had my limit of craziness for the year.

“Well, when I said it gets better, here’s the kicker, Luc. There was writing left on the walls in both her office and home. It’s written in Arabic. And the script was translated to say, ‘Traitorous whore! Disgraced poisonous rose! By my thorn, you will perish.’ Cryptic, right? I mean, Sage, a traitorous whore? Don’t know what it all means, man.”

“Fucking bitch-tits! What the hell is this?” I stop my tirade in an attempt to calm the wildness growing inside of me. I take a deep, calming breath. “Okay, Shannon, thanks for letting me know. I’ll check into it, stat.”

“I figured, man. If I hear anything else, I’ll send it your way. Just watch her back and yours, Jolly Green.”

“Don’t worry about us, Shannon. I got this. Thanks, man,” I come back, but it won’t be necessary.

No stone will be left unturned. I don’t have the answers yet. But in due time, you can bet your sweet ass, I will.

Advancing around to the front of the house, I scan the area. My mind is a clusterfuck of emotions spinning around tirelessly. All rooted by the tall and sexy Sage. She has questions I need answered. The fierce drive to find her spunky little ass and address the situation supersedes all else. Electrifying my charged body and rejuvenating the accelerated excitement in my chest.

The information Shannon communicated to me wasn’t conclusive. I require more intel before I confront her. Clock’s ticking and the cogs are churning.

What has Sage gotten herself into?

With everyone leaving, I’ll have her cornered with no way out. She won’t have any excuses to duck and run. And we’re all moving into the main house today, while Ollie and Fallyn are gone. MacGyver and me on one side of the log cabin, while Sage and Harper will be located on the other side.

I’ll have Sage all to myself. I tip my head upwards, facing the sky. There is a god.

Except for MacGyver and Harper. Although, if I’m not mistaken, Harper’s taken a liking to me. I’m kind of fond of the little chicken noodle, too. A minor detail of which Sage is unaware, I possess more of a history with Harper than she does. I’m pretty sure she’ll be on my side. Maybe even an ally. After all, I assisted her a time or two when we were holed up in the fox hole for all those weeks.

“What’s up, Jolly Green?”

Sage’s voice interrupts my inner ruminations. I spin around to the spectacle of a posed and brassy Sage. One balled fist placed on her jutted-out hip, while the other dangles slightly over her other. Her lips are pursed, and I chuckle at the sight. Feisty. Enchanting. In a style only Sage could pull off.

“Just scanning the perimeter and seeing everyone off. You?”

“Oh, I’ve been around. Just seeing everyone off, huh? You sure you’re not up to something else?” Sage quizzes, as one brow rises and her head tilts to the side.

“Nada. Just doing my duty. My Trident Security duty, ma’am.”

I smile brightly, wiggling my eyebrows up and down, egging her on. Trying to extract the sniffing dog from my trail. I focus on her and discern the instant she realizes my game. Smart woman.

“Hmm. So, the heated argument I just witnessed between you and Shannon was nothing?”

I rub the scruff on my jaw with my thumb and forefinger from side to side. Damn, this woman has my number, and she’s calling me out. In fact, Sage has always been able to read me like a book.

On the other hand, how the fuck could she know I’ve got the goods on her? There wasn’t anyone near when Shannon and I discussed the situation. My head maintained swivel status during the entire conversation.

It’s par for the course when it comes to Sage. Since she stumbled into my life, I’ve questioned the validity of our connection many times. It ripples fluidly in the quagmire of my mind. Just like the uninterrupted waves brimming the shoreline of the lake. It ebbs and flows, but always remains constant.

Is it possible to be joined to someone on a visceral level? A deep-rooted connection shared only by the other half of your soul. A link formed so powerful it allows two brains to function on the same wavelength. Science or spiritual?

One thing’s for certain, she drives me to the brink. Toppling us both over the ledge while holding on tightly to one another. Never letting go, because the alternative of being without each other is too difficult to accept.

Whether she acknowledges it or not.

Sage is the normal to my crazy.