TARA

Dad came to visit at noon, insisted he take us out to lunch. The visit took all afternoon, he just kept jabbering on about nothing at all, and he’s still here now. Sam didn't touch any of her food, or said more than yes and no all afternoon. So I was stuck talking to him, memories I've been so good at keeping away these last few weeks pushing in, taking over. By the middle of our meal, I started to feel like I was sitting beside myself, an invisible Tara occupying an empty chair at the table, just watching what was happening, but not taking part in any of it, not letting anything get to her. I know her well, she used to be with me all the time growing up. But I never wanted to see her again. Because she scares me so much, makes me feel like I'm going insane. And to top it off, I forgot to bring my phone to lunch.

But Tommy hasn't called in two days. Sam could've been right about him. But how could I have been so wrong? How could he let me down like this after all the promises he made and kept so well?

Of course, he never planned to stick around, the voice of my memories keeps telling me now. You're too damaged. Why would he want to deal with you? He knows he can get ten girls just like you, better than you, to sleep with him any time he wants. I'm trying not to listen, but it's getting harder and harder. But listening to that voice is still easier than thinking something might have happened to him. I can’t think about that. Not ever.

It's almost dinnertime and we're back in Sam's room, but Dad's still here, trying to make plans for us to do something over the weekend. Suggesting we go on the boat.

I hate that boat. I have no good memories from aboard that boat. I used to wish it would sink with me and everyone else on it.

I hate my dad too. So much so, that I can't even listen to him speak anymore.

Sam is sitting in her armchair by the window, holding onto her knees and rocking gently. My phone's charging by the bed, but the screen is still blank.

"Why won't you just leave, Dad?" I yell at him, much too loudly. I'm sure they heard me out in the hall. "Can't you see what you're doing to Sam?"

And to me, but I don't say that. I've always been the strong one, the tough one.

His face changes in a split second, the lazy half smile morphing into an angry grimace. I know how quickly his face can change like that, I've seen it a thousand times before. But it still causes such primal fear to rise in my chest, I forget to inhale.

"You won't talk to me like that," he says softly, menacingly.

"Or what?" I manage to choke out. He shouldn't scare me anymore, I'm free of him. But he does.

My phone rings and I rush to it before he can stop me.

"Tara, where are you?" Tommy asks, and I let out a happy little whimper that sounds too much like a sob.

"What's wrong?" he asks, but by now I'm already smiling. Of course he called, he promised he would.

"Where are you?" I ask.

"At the reception of this weird spa you're staying at. They won't tell me where you are."

I laugh, all the fear I felt just moments ago so far away now I don't even remember it. "I'll be right down."

"Now you wait," Dad says, tries to grab my arm. But he can't catch me, and he certainly can't stop me.

The world just freezes as I see Tommy, everything but him floating off into a hazy distance at the very edge of my sight. Nothing's moving except his head as I call his name from the foot of the stairs. His eyes are shimmering with the light of a billion stars as he opens his arms to catch me. I practically fly into his arms, and then his lips are on mine, the kiss chasing away the last dregs of my memories, silencing that dark voice forever, invisible Tara waving goodbye before she disappears for the last time.

Applause erupts, making the world spin again. A few of the residents are gathered around us, all of them clapping, some whistling.

Tommy frowns at them, and I'm sure I'm blushing a bright crimson, though I can’t fight the smile spreading across my face.

"Ready to go?" he whispers into my ear, kissing me softly one more time and preventing me from answering.

I look back at the stairs leading up to Sam's room. Her and Dad are standing behind the people gathered around us. I catch her eye and she smiles. The way she used to smile back when there was nothing to worry about.

I move away from Tommy so I can go to her, but she shakes her head.

"Don't you dare, Tara," she calls out. "Just go."

And she's still smiling.

"I'll just go say goodbye to her and my father, OK?" I say to Tommy.

He tenses in my arms, the anger in his face almost scary enough to make me take a step back. "Your father's here? Where?"

I glance back, see my father retreat up the stairs. "In the room, I guess."

Tommy lets go of me, but keeps a firm grip on my hand. "Come on, you can introduce me to him."

"Tommy, no, it's fine. I'll just get my things, and we'll leave," I say, because that's murder in his eyes, and I only just got him back, I can't lose him now. I try to bodily stop him from going up the stairs, but he's just sorta dragging me along now.

"I need to have a word with him first," he says. "I won't hurt him. Yet."

I don't know how to keep arguing, and I don't really want to. So I take him up to Sam's room, kinda hoping Dad won't be there, kinda hoping he is.

Dad's standing by the window, but turns as we enter, a very defiant look on his face.

"Who's this, Tara?" he asks.

"You'll shut up and listen now," Tommy says, slamming the door behind us.

Dad sneers at him, makes for the door, which Tommy is blocking with his body. "No one talks to me like that."

Dad shoves me aside as he tries to reach the door, making me stumble. And judging by the pure rage now boiling in Tommy's eyes, he just made the worst mistake of his life.

Tommy's arm shoots out, and he grabs Dad by the throat, slams him against the door. The rational part of my mind is telling me I should stop him. But this is exactly what I wanted to happen to my dad so many times. For someone to come to my rescue, get him off me, make him hurt the way he hurt me.

"Me and Tara are leaving now," Tommy hisses in my Dad's face, still clutching him tightly by the throat. "After we leave you will hire a team of bodyguards who will watch over your daughter Samantha around the clock. She doesn't have to see you if she doesn't want to, but you will make sure nothing happens to her. Nothing at all."

Dad's face is turning purple, and he's clawing at Tommy's hand. But it's as though Tommy doesn't even feel it.

"I'll be calling you from time to time," he says. "And I want to hear nothing but good news. Or else I'll be back, and this sick shit will be all over the evening news."

He pulls his phone from his pocket, looks for something on it, then shows the screen to my dad. A few seconds later, I hear myself scream in the video he's playing for him. I don't have to look to know what's on the screen, but somehow even faced with the video version of my worst memories, the darkness stays at bay.

"I'll let you go now," Tommy says, such power in his voice, my whole body is taut, standing at attention. "And all I want to hear from you is a, Yes, Sir."

Dad almost crumples to the ground as Tommy releases him, but manages to stay upright.

"Yes, Sir," he croaks out.

"Good." Tommy says and turns to me. "Ready?"

I nod, hugging Sam tightly, and promising I'll call her all the time, before following Tommy out the door.

* * *

"Where to?" I ask, once we're sitting in the car. Seeing him manhandle my dad, save me from him the way I always wished someone would, made burning flames of primal desire surge through me, and they’re still not abating, still burn in my belly like a pool of molten lava. I want to be completely alone with him right now, for days, for weeks, for years. I want to be with him in all ways a man and a woman can be together.

He's looking at me, the midnight in his eyes pure velvet, enveloping me like the softest cloak. "Wherever you want, Tara. But it'll have to be far."

"Then far it is." I smile at him, then kiss him softly.

But he's tense again, so I pull away. "What?"

"I want you to know exactly what you're getting yourself into by coming with me," he says, silencing me by laying the tips of his fingers over my lips when I try to speak. "I betrayed the entire MC, turned them all in so you and your sister won't have anything to worry about. So me and you won't have anything to worry about. But I have to disappear now, because they'll all be looking for me. Looking to kill me."

A pain so raw stabs through me as he says it that a tear trickles from my eye. But he's still silencing me with his finger.

"I can promise you I'll stay with you and make sure nothing and no one ever hurts you again, that I'll love you the way you should always have been loved," he continues, my tears flowing freely now, but I’m not sad, not at all. This is all I ever wanted to hear from him. "I can offer you peace and adventure, a fresh start, even a new name. But you can't return home. Not for a very long time, maybe never, if you come with me."

He's running his thumb across my lips as he tells me all this, and I take his hand once he's done speaking, kiss it, then peel it away from my mouth.

"That all sounds terrific, and I'll just take your name,” I say, but hastily add, “I mean eventually, down the line sometime, when we’re both ready.” I’m rambling, not wanting to scare him off with my premature suggestion of marriage. It was just a joke, but not really.

He smiles widely, the vastness in his nighttime eyes expanding, showing me all those glorious worlds I never believed existed, but which are now finally mine to reach, to explore, to get lost in.

"So that's a yes?" he asks.

I nod, but that's not nearly affirmation enough. "You saved me, Tommy. I was sure I was dead, but you brought me back to life. I want to spend my forever making it up to you, loving you, having adventures with you, getting lost with you—“

He interrupts me with a passionate kiss, stoking the heat of my desire for him higher and higher.

"So, yes, forever yes. Please take me with you," I conclude once we pull apart to breathe.

"Alright, then let's start this adventure already," he says grinning at me.

"Yes, let’s do!" I say, matching his excited tone.

I scoot closer to him and he starts the car, rests his arm around my shoulders as we drive off.

"We'll make it, right?" I ask, pressing even closer to him.

He glances at me, then wraps his arm tighter around my body.

"Of course we will. We're TNT," he says, in a grandiose sort of voice.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I ask.

"You know, Tara and Tommy," he says. "TNT."

I chuckle. "Good for you Tommy, you can spell our names, but I still don't get it."

"Oh, come on." He sighs, looking at me. "TNT, like dynamite. When we're together, explosive things happen and nothing can stop us."

"That's so cute," I say slipping my arm behind his back and hugging him tight. "But you do know we're T and T, while TNT is an abbreviation."

"Well, Miss Smarty Pants, phonetically it sounds about right." He kisses the top of my head as he says it, so I know he's not really annoyed with me.

"I love it," I breathe, kiss his cheek and hug him tighter. "And you're right, nothing can stop us."

No stars are visible in the night sky over the city, but they're all there in his eyes, shimmering down on all I ever wished for.