Marie Harte - RetroCog

“Me too.” He gave her a small smile and tapped his chest. “When all this shit went down, I knew something wasn’t right. I had the vest and put it on, knowing I was coming out here to grab the killer, or who I thought was the killer. Ever since Noah left the hospital, I’ve been keeping an eye on him.”

“Thanks.” Noah exhaled a deep breath. “I mean that.”

“Yeah.” Frank sighed. “And for the record, because I know how Chloe will distort this story later, I wasn’t running from you guys. I was waiting for an opportunity to take Bill down. I was going to follow you into the house when I saw Mike get up. He and I used the trellis on the side of the house to climb to the attic.”

Mike shook his head. “I used to play here as a kid. With Bill, if you can believe that.” His eyes took on a suspiciously glassy sheen. He cleared his throat. “Shit, Lara. What was all that talk about Michael and Bill and killing? Was he that Fury guy or not?”

“I don’t know. I think maybe he was always kind of crazy, but I saw Michael Fury. I heard him. We all felt him there at the end. Maybe Fury’s ghost made Bill into what he was, or maybe Bill was born a killer. We’ll never know.”

Frank shook his head. “And Ida. What the hell, Mike? Your aunt knew about Bill killing your mom and her sister?”

Mike sighed. “I don’t know. I do remember my mom wasn’t that close to Ida. Only to Nancy, Bill’s mom. But he killed her and my mother.” Mike grew quiet. “And Ida. Now they’ll all burn.”

“Like history repeating itself,” Frank murmured.

Noah hugged Lara tight. “Not exactly, Frank. I think this is the start of a new beginning.”

The fire burned bright under the light of day. The ugly reality of the past and the present right there for them all to see. And then something magical happened.

Cecilia Fine and Finnegan Fury appeared with smiles on their faces.

Mike stared. “Holy shit. I’m seeing this. You’re seeing this too, right?” He turned to Frank, Lara, and Noah.

Chloe moaned. “It’s done, finally. The cycle’s broken, or so they say.”

“Who? Them?” Mike asked, but Chloe passed out again.

Chloe leaned on Frank until he lowered her to the ground. He groaned under her weight. “I’m not—oh man, they’re coming closer.”

“It’s done. Thank you.” Cecilia smiled, and her beauty lit up an answering smile on Finn’s face.

“We have things to do, but we’ll be around.” Finn considered the sheriff and his gun. “Need to be faster on the draw, son. Work on it.”

They faded, holding one another, and Lara felt Cecilia’s relief like it was her own. And then she realized the pain in her leg had faded to a numbness. Happy, dizzy, and on the verge of passing out, she stroked Noah’s cheek.

“Lara.” He sighed her name.

“It’s over. Now you’re supposed to ask me…” The world grew fuzzy.

“Dammit.” Noah sounded panicked. “We need to get her to a hospital.”

“I’ll get the car.” Mike’s voice.

Then Frank’s. “Just hold on. You’ll be okay, Lara. Jesus, Noah, she’s losing a lot of blood.”

“Ask me to go with you.” She blinked and felt the world focus again. But with it came the pain.

“To go with me? Anywhere, honey. I love you.” Noah lowered her to the ground.

“Ow!”

“Sorry, baby. I have to keep pressure on it. But I’m not asking you a goddamn thing. I’m telling you. Either you come with me back to Bend, or I’m staying here in Brownville with you. You’re not getting rid of me, now that I’ve found you. Oh, and we’re getting married too. I’ll give you a couple months to get used to the idea, but if the answer isn’t yes, I’m not proposing.”

“How romantic. No wonder you don’t rely on that charm to get laid.” Frank made a retching sound.

Noah chuckled. “Hey, man, it works for me.”

“That’s what you think.” Lara poked him in the chest. “I’ll say yes when you’re on one knee and begging me to marry you.”

“Begging, hmm?”

She could read the interest on his face and knew he was thinking about how to make her beg in the bedroom. She wished she had the energy to indulge him right now.

He smiled at her blush. “Oh baby. You have a lot to learn about who’s in charge.”

Not willing to give him the complete upper hand, she raised a brow, trying like heck to ignore the pain in her leg. “Remember the shower?”

Noah ignored Frank’s apparent interest. He leaned down to whisper, “Look, just let me pretend for now. It’s good for my ego.”

Lara gave a weak laugh, then groaned. “I love you, Noah, but I’m going to have to take a stand on this. We’re going to Bend. I want to get as far away from this place as possible. Besides, I can’t stay in a town no longer haunted by ghosts. Who will talk to me when you’re not around?”

“I’ll always be around. I love you, Lara.” Noah kissed her but didn’t let up on the pressure he was applying to her leg.

Frank huffed. “Ech. The sweetness between you two is killing me. Oh good, Mike’s back with the car. Let’s get out of here.”

“I second that.” Chloe sat up, rubbing her head. “What did that bastard give me?”

Mike arrived and helped get Lara and Chloe into the SUV. He used his belt to slow the blood flow of her leg. “I already called the hospital on my cell. They’re waiting on you.” He waved Noah to the driver’s side.

Noah put his hand on the handle. “You’re not coming?”

“Fuck, no. I’m not going through another hit-and-run, or shoot-and-run. Whatever. You can handle the injured. And Noah—” Mike paused. Lara couldn’t see his expression, but he sounded more than sincere when he said, “Make sure you take care of her. Lara’s a special woman.”

“I know. Thanks.” Noah shut the door and drove off. He didn’t look at her as he sped away from the burning house. But he took Lara’s hand in his own. “My special woman.”

Three days later, Noah had never felt so unsure of himself. He stared at Lara’s bandaged leg, still shaky at how close he’d come to losing her.

She patted the spot next to her in her bed. “Come over here, hero.”

He checked to make sure her bedroom door was locked before joining her.

“Paranoid?” she teased.

“Hell, yeah.” Though all the reports had been made and the authorities called in to deal with Bill’s victims, he wouldn’t be satisfied until they left Brownville for good. “How are you feeling?”

He sat next to her, careful to keep himself from brushing against her injury.

“I’m a little sore, but the painkillers are doing their job. And really, the bullet passed right through me. So I should be up and running in a few weeks.”

He groaned. “Lara, no running. Not unless I’m right there next to you.” He sighed. “You’re sure this is what you want? Coming with me to Bend?”

She took his hand in hers and kissed it. “I’m sure.”

He cleared his throat. “I told you I love you. And I do. But Lara… I don’t want to wait.” He hadn’t meant to ask her now, but he couldn’t stop himself.

“Wait for what?”

“I want all of you.”

“I’d say you’ve had all of me.” She winked at him. “I’m a little put out you haven’t had more lately. I’m in bed, half-dressed, just you and me and no one else for a change, and you haven’t made a move.”

“Woman, I’m trying to ask you to marry me.” There, he’d said it.

She blinked at him. “Huh?

Not exactly the response a man wanted to hear after proposing. “Lara, I love you. I know I said I’d give you time. We haven’t known each other very long. But I love you. All of you. You can handle me. You don’t freak out just because I’m a little different. And you’re so strong, so intelligent and funny. I want to live the rest of my life with you. You’re the one for me, honey. I know it deep inside.” He brought her hand to his chest.