There's a heavy sigh, but Destin eventually says, “It's off.”

(I meant every word of that. I don't wanna die. I don't wanna spend my life running either. If the safest place for me is in police custody, if that's the only chance I have at seeing Jovi again, then I'll consider it the biggest blessing yet. In case I don't get to say it later...thanks for everything.)

Jovi

Feeling a little light headed and woozy, I struggle to open my eyes through the pain of my throbbing skull.

(What have I been doing lately? Drinking with Hayli has never been this hard on me before. What is she slipping me? Shots of whiskey? Whiskey mixed with tequila?)

“Ah...” A man's face leans into mine. “You're waking up. Perfect. Just in time too.”

I try to move my head around and observe where exactly I am or at least some clue to who he is.

“Help her up,” he says to someone.

Suddenly an arm jerks me up and panic sets in.

(What the hell is happening? Where the hell am I? How did I get here?)

As I'm dragged out of the bedroom behind the man's whose face isn't registering, I give the room that's covered in vintage décor another look, the bare basics of it not ringing any bells.

(Help! Help me remember!)

Down the long hallway I notice the photos on the wall trying to paint the picture to mind. Trying to force it to stick or at least ring a previous rung bell. We arrive in the living room where the guy manhandling me shoves me on the couch and removes a gun from it's holster. Immediately a sharp breath comes from me and the man wearing a suit turns my direction.

“Don't worry. The bullets aren't for you. They're for your fiance.” Another gasp comes from me, which makes him smile. “If it makes you feel better. You're the reason he's about to die.”

(How does that make me feel better?  How is that better at all? And why? What did I do to get here? Why can't I remember anything? Why...why are you looking at me?)

“You racking your brain is giving me a headache,” the man without the gun groans. “Let me fill in the blanks. You don't remember anything because of the combination of drugs I've been giving you. Sedatives to keep you asleep most of the time I've had you. Memory erasers to wipe out recent ones. Oh and of course a slight hallucinogen so you're never really sure if what you're seeing is actually happening or made up.”

(What kind of person does this? God I hope Merrick kills him. Wait, is that wrong? Is that wrong to wish someone as shitty as him were to be removed from this world? I think that's a damn good use of a wish.)

Suddenly from around the corner a face I'm not sure how long it's been since I've seen appears. Relief and hope floods through me even as the sound of the gun cocking tries to strike fear in my heart.

“The infamous Ghost,” the man in the suit announces as Merrick strolls our way with his hands in the air, while another man with a gun pointed at him walks beside him."Pleasure for you to finally join me. Almost a week late.”

“Tardy to the party. Shit happens.”

Unimpressed by the comeback, the tie man says, “Hope your brothers weren't too disappointed when they discovered Jovi wasn't being kept in the other safe houses.”

(Wait. Wait. Wait! Merrick's Ghost? Like the Ghost? Like the one my father's been chasing? Holy shit! What? Well, I'm sorry you know, but this is new information to me! Yes it is! What do you mean I found this out four days ago? There's no way...Right....Drugs....Why do people take that stuff willingly?)

“Better safe than sorry,” Merrick answers with a shrug. His eyes land on me and he sighs, “Baby...”

“Merrick...” I sniffle. “Are you okay?”

He nods. “I'm okay. Are you?”

Once I nod he offers me a smile, which seems to annoy the man in the suit. “She's alive and if you'd like to keep her that way you will give me my key now.”

“Let Jovi go first,” Merrick instructs.

“No,” the suit man states. “You don't get to make demands. You are in no fucking position. I could have them shoot you and take the key from your cold dead hands. I'm trying to be kind.”

Merrick wets his lips and eyeballs me again. Slowly he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a key. Preparing to hand it over, he says, “Let her go now.”

The man tilts his head at the guard who yanks me up and starts escorting me out of the room. We pass by close enough to Merrick that I hear him whisper, “I love you Jovi.”

Nodding I whisper it back, “I love you too.”

I'm dragged a little further at the same time the man with the gun pointed at Merrick cocks it.

(He can't die! He just cant!)

Something inside of me snaps and I turn around. Thoughtlessly, I tackle the man holding the gun at Merrick, knocking him on his side, causing the skittering weapon to fire as it travels across the wooden floor. Suddenly there's gun shots ringing around the room, sounds of things breaking, and my body being pulled away. At first I struggle against the grip until I realize it's Merrick. Thankful, I let him lead me the direction he wants us to go. The two of us open the door in the hall I came through and end up in a dark space that can only be a closet.

Merrick pulls me into his arms gripping me so tightly I'm not sure I can breathe.

(I'm not sure I wanna breathe. I'm not sure I need anything other than him.)

“God I missed you,” he whispers into my ear. “Fuck, I'm so sorry baby. So fucking sorry.”

Digging my nails tightly into his back I softly sob, “Thank you for saving me. Oh my God. Thank you.”

“Shhh,” he softly insists. “I'm gonna get you out of here I promise.”

The gun shots seem to have faded, which is when Merrick pulls apart from me, moves around from the sound his pants make, and cracks the door open letting in the tiniest amount of light. Noticing the gun in his clutches causes my hand to fly over my mouth to keep the shock in.

After a moment, he grabs my free hand with his, and cautiously leads us back into the hallway. He gently touches the gun to his lips telling me to stay quiet.

(No fucking problem here. You stay quiet too...)

“Good.” Pause. “Empty nest?” Another pause. “Thank fuck.”

(Do you see someone I don't?)

“Where do I go?” he whispers, but I'm not real sure to who.

(Seriously. Who is he talking to?)

“This way,” Merrick insists, crossing the hallway to the door opposite of the one we were just in.

We lock the door behind us in the bedroom, go towards the back, and open a door that leads to a joining suite bathroom. Crossing to the adjacent room, Merrick opens the door carefully, prepared to fire if necessary.

(Not sure I can handle witnessing someone actually being killed. Being kidnapped is horrible enough. Geez, can you believe it? I've been kidnapped! And now rescued...well, almost rescued. Merrick's gonna save me. We both know it.)

In this bedroom, we immediately head for the bed. With a strong push Merrick moves it to the side revealing a handle on the floor. Pulling it up, reveals a staircase for us to take down.

Curious I whisper, “Where are we headed?”

“This leads to his garage,” Merrick replies.

Taking the spiral steps towards the bottom, we move cautious as well as quickly. At the end of the stairs, we walk down a short hall, ending up on the other side of an elevator. The area  has cars lined up on both sides, is slightly dim and as far as I can see, empty other than the two of us. After giving the room one final glance, Merrick finally turns around and pulls me into him again. My arms fly around him in return, holding him close, eyes shutting in gratitude.

His lips find their way to mine as his gun free hand grips the back of my neck. Our tongues link together, desperate to never let go of one another again. Furiously they move around, fighting over who missed the other more. Breath after breath seems to disappear as we become submerged in emotions so dense, how either of us manage to move is a mystery.