As I reached my door I hurried to get my keys out of my pocket. My hands were shaking. I fumbled with them trying to get the right one. I could feel the sweat dripping from my brow as I tried to fit the key into the lock. I glanced around to see if anyone was there, but I didn't see anyone. I diverted my eyes back to the door and tried again. My body began shaking all over. Finally I got the key into the lock and turn the knob. As I enter my apartment, I am so relieved to be inside. I let out a sigh of relief as I start to push the door closed. Just then I feel someone on the other side start to push it back towards me. I screamed so loud! With all my might I began trying to close the door. I screamed for help. I screamed for anyone to just come and help me.
̈ ̈Jade, stop it's me ̈
̈ ̈Let me in ̈
I stopped screaming and released the door. As I started to step back in disbelief in walks Craig. I cover my mouth and let out a wail. It's him! It's really him! He came in through the door and hugged me. He buried his face into my neck.
̈ ̈Jade ̈ he mumbled.
I pushed back and I just started kissing him. I was so shocked to see him, but so happy at the same time. We stood there in the doorway for a second when I heard my neighbor ask if everything was okay. She was an elderly woman that often sat outside and fed the neighborhood cats. When she heard the commotion, she came running right over.
¨Are you ok hunny¨
̈ ̈Yes, I said awkwardly then I told her that I was sorry for disturbing her. She had this look on her face as if she wasn´t sure if she should believe me or not. As she walked away she kept glancing back. Once I was back inside, I pushed the door closed and turned back towards Craig. My eyes filled with tears. This time they were tears of joy. I was happy that he was alive! I had so many questions to ask him. I ran back over to him and threw my arms around his waist and tucked my head into his chest.
¨I love you so much Craig ̈
¨I thought you were dead¨ I cried.
He kissed the top of my head while stroking my ponytail. We stood there for a few minutes before letting go. ̈Where have you been ̈ I asked.
¨I have been in hiding since that night ̈
̈ ̈Jade so much happened that night ̈
¨I don't even know where to begin ̈
I grabbed him by the wrist and led him over to the couch. I sat down facing him with my leg tucked underneath me. I held his hand as I began to ask him so many questions.
̈Did you kill all of them ̈ I asked?
̈Did you kill Robbie ̈
He had a grimace on his face that I could tell something horrible had happened that night. He went on to tell me everything.
̈ ̈Jade when I got there they had already executed Robbie for helping your dad. I didn´t know it, but It was always apart of their sick plan. I snuck in through the side where I took out my dad´s right hand man. Once he went down, several others came in as a back up. I fought most of them off and ran towards the foyer. As one of them got close, I was able to lift his gun and take him out. He looked away as if he was disgusted with hisself for what he had done. I had to Jade. I had to kill as many as I could. When I came in, I took out most of the men right away. I was trying to get to my dad when a couple of his guys slipped him out the back. The remaining members ran and hid in a safe room that I was unable to unlock. I started looking for the files and that is when I found a folder on you ̈
He looked away as if he didn't want to tell me what he had seen.
̈ ̈Jade they never planned on letting you go ̈
¨I tried tracking him for awhile, but everywhere I went I hit a dead end ̈
¨I have to find him before he finds you, but I think he is out of the country ̈
̈With everything you know you could put him away for a long time and I know he will never let you live if he returns ̈
I got up onto my knees and leaned my body into his and I kissed him. ¨I am not worried because I know you will protect me ̈
Craig then looked away.
¨Jade, I wasn´t able to stop them from hurting you¨
¨I hate myself for letting them do that to you¨
¨I can´t get that night out of my head¨ he said as tears filled his eyes.
I kissed him again. I wanted to put everything far behind us.
¨I know we can´t take back what happened, but we can control what happens now¨
¨I want to make so many memories with you Craig and I want to start now¨
I leaned in and kissed him passionately while pressing my body into his. He started kissing me back. He pulled the hair tie out of my hair. Then he ran his hands down my back.
¨I need to take a shower, why don't ́ you join me ̈ I said while trying to pull him towards my room.
Craig then leaned in and kissed me. He lifted me into his arms. Then he carried me into the bathroom. He sat me down and I started to pull off his shirt.
̈ ̈No Jade, I want our first time to be special ̈.
He leaned in and gave me another kiss and told me to hurry up. That was the fastest shower I ever took. Once out of the shower, I slipped a towel around me. I opened the bathroom door and Craig had lit some candles and placed them around the room. He put on music and took a couple of roses from the arrangement on the table and he spread the petals all over the bed.
As I walked further into the room he came up behind me and kissed my neck. He ran his warm hands down my wet shoulders and turned me around towards him. He gave me another kiss while pushing my wet hair back away from my face. I reached up and I ran my fingers down his chest as he guided me back towards the bed. Once we got closer he picked me up and laid me down while removing my towel. I felt shy at first and tried to cover myself but he laid on top of me and told me that I never had to feel that way with him. He said I was beautiful and he still wanted to marry me if I still wanted him. I kissed him again and told him that I didn't want a life without him in it. We didn't get much sleep that night. The next morning he was up making me some breakfast. It smelled so good I had to check it out.
̈Whatcha cooking ̈ I asked with a silly grin on my face
̈ ̈Morning beautiful ̈ he turned to walk towards me to give me a kiss.
¨I am making you some eggs and biscuits ̈
̈ ̈My favorite ̈ I said while flipping my hair to the side.
I walked over to the stove and grabbed a piece of bacon that he had already cooked. I couldn't help, but stare at this man. He was wearing just a pair of plaid pj pants. His chest and back were so chiseled that it made it hard to look away. As he began making the plates, I walked over and sat at the table. I told him that April reached out to me at work.
¨How did she know where to find you ̈ he asked?
¨I am not sure ̈
I went on to tell him that is why I freaked out yesterday.
̈ ̈Well, you can ́t go back there ̈ he said matter of fact.
̈ ̈Craig, I have to that is my job ̈
̈ ̈Plus, I am not going to let them ruin my life any more then they have ̈
Craig walked over to the table with two plates in his hands. He set down one in front of me. I could tell he was not happy. I quickly changed the subject. I asked him if there was anyway to trace anything back to him and he said no. He told me that he destroyed everything.
̈ ̈Jade, they brought me in already and questioned me about my dad's whereabouts and that is as far as it went ̈.
̈ ̈If they knew anything, I would not be sitting here ̈.
̈ ̈Plus I used all their own guns on them so they can ́t trace anything back to me ̈
We finished our breakfast and Craig wanted to take a ride. We got dressed and headed out. I could tell he was still not completely over what happened. I would catch him looking at me with sadness in his eyes. I know he wanted to protect me and he is beating himself up for not being able to. The next few weeks were amazing. Craig and I began living together and were looking at another property to move into. We had started the process to get our marriage licenses so we could get married. Dr. Shapiro even liked him. Craig never told anyone he was a Whitman because of all the backlash he would get, but besides that we were living a pretty normal life.