“You can read my thoughts?” I blurted out.
“No, not like I can read your mind,” he laughed. “I can just tell when you’re thinking something that you want to ask me and you are afraid to put the question into words.”
“I’m not sure I like that,” I said darkly. After all the fear and hiding I’d had to do with Dominic, I wasn’t sure if I wanted a man in my life who thought he could read my thoughts. I wasn’t sure if that was a safe thing.
“I promise that I’ll always use my powers for good,” he swore as he raised his right hand and looked straight into my eyes.
“Alright, then…” I said, not quite convinced, but appreciative of the gesture. “So, what are you going to do next?”
“I have no idea,” he laughed. “I hadn’t really thought about it.”
“Will you be leaving?” I asked hesitantly.
“Do you want me to stay?” he replied. I looked at him and wondered if I did. Did I want him to stay with me? What would that mean? What would he do? We couldn’t live here in my dorm room, but was I ready to move in with him? The questions came tumbling one after another. “Ava, I’m not asking if you want to marry me or even move in with me, I’m simply asking if you’d like it if I stayed.”
“I think I would,” I whispered softly as I looked down at my plate. “I would like that very much.”
“Then it’s settled, I’m staying,” he announced. I smiled and took another bite of my pizza, and chewed slowly as I looked over at the handsome man sitting next to me. The one who had saved my life and was now willing to stay in a small college town to be near me.
“I’m sorry,” I said softly.
“For what?” he asked as he tipped his head and gave me a confused look.
“For the email I sent and not telling you what I was doing, and…” I trailed off, embarrassed and unsure of how to say what I wanted to say. “And for saying all of those things about you when I was trying to distract Dominic while I was hoping that you’d wake up. I know you heard me, and…I’m sorry.”
“Oh, Ava,” Brian smiled as he put down his plate and turned toward me. He raised his hand and stroked my cheek gently as he spoke, “I didn’t believe a word of what you were saying. I knew you were trying to do whatever you could to save us all. Besides, I’ve heard far worse things said about myself and in situations that were far less stressful! No apologies necessary.”
“Oh good, I felt awful saying those things,” I explained. “But I had no idea what else to do to give you time to wake up and to keep Dominic from killing us all.”
“I heard what he said to you,” Brian said with a serious look on his face. “Are you okay?”
“Who me? I’m fine!” I laughed uneasily. “I’m just fine…”
“Ava, it’s okay not to be fine,” he said gently as he opened his arms and waited for me to find my way into them. I looked up at him as tears began to well up, and then sunk into his embrace.
“I was so scared,” I whispered into his chest. “I don’t think I’ve ever been that scared in my whole life.”
“I know, me either,” he confided. “I was terrified of what he was going to do to you and the others, and that I wouldn’t be able to stop him.”
I nodded and buried my face in his chest as he gently rubbed my back, and as he did, the gravity of the day sunk in, and I began to cry.
“Shhh, shhh,” Brian soothed as he stroked my hair and held me close. “It’s all going to be okay. I’m not going to leave you.”
“But what happens when my father lets you go?” I sobbed. “You won’t be able to stay here with me!”
At that moment, Brian’s phone rang, and he let go with one arm to answer the call. He listened for a while and then said, “Yes, sir. No, sir. No, sir. Yes, sir. I will, sir. Thank you, sir,” and hung up.
“Well, that just answered your question,” he smiled. “That was your father, and he’s decided that I should stay on as your personal bodyguard until the end of school year. The police commissioner called him and told him what happened, and he decided it was better to be safe than sorry. He’s also decided to move you out of the dorm into an apartment where I can keep a better eye on you. The movers will be here tomorrow to pack you up and move your things. I’m to oversee the move.”
I stared at him for a moment and then burst out laughing. “You and my father have con
spired against me!”
“No, I swear I had no idea what he was going to do!” Brian said as he held up his hands in a defensive gesture.
I considered him for a moment. On one hand, I resented the idea that my father was, again, going to dictate where I lived and what I did, but on the other hand, I was going to get to have Brian in my life on a permanent basis. I wasn’t sure if I should be mad at the two of them or grateful for my good fortune. As I looked at Brian, thought about all we’d been through in such a short time and how safe I felt with him, I opted for grateful.
“Well, if the movers are coming tomorrow, then this is our last night here,” I smiled as I gazed into his beautiful blue eyes.