Next to Forever (Never Letting Go) (23 page)

“Want to pick up breakfast for the girls?” Adam asks.

I nod my head and we go back to the car. “I don’t know what to do anymore. How can we be safe when there’s a fucking idiot out there?”              

“Just got to stick together for now,” Adam responds.

We pull up to a café and go inside to order muffins, donuts, and bagels. After paying, we head back to the car and my phone starts ringing. I look at it before answering and see Erin’s beautiful smiling face looking back at me.

“Hey
, beautiful.”

Erin sniffles
. “Where are you?”

“Baby, what’s wrong?” I nudge Adam and let him know we have to hurry back.

“Nothing. I woke up and you weren’t here. I asked Sophia if she could take me back to the house, but she said no and told me what happened.”

“Fuck,” I mumble
. “Baby, don’t worry, okay?”

“Connor, why didn’t you tell me what was going on? Olivia’s dead
, and we can’t go back to the house. This is so stupid. I just want our lives to be the same again.” Erin breaks down and sobs into the phone. I feel helpless, and I want to make her better but I’m running out of ideas. I don’t know what to do anymore. Dealing with this bullshit is getting old and this isn’t what we need.

We’re finally home and go inside. Erin and Sophia are on the couch watching TV
, and I look at Erin. Her eyes are bloodshot and her face is pale. She runs over to me and I hold her in my arms. “This isn’t going to be easy, baby. But we’ll get through it all, so please stop worrying.” She stiffens in my arms and I hate it. I hate that we’re living our lives like this. She holds me tighter, and I never want to let her go or have her go through any more of this hell. “We got this, okay?”

Erin nods her head and we all decide to live our lives as normally as we can and forget Vander
for now. Erin makes a call to her manager and lets him know what’s going on. Adam and I head to the office and call Joseph to fill him in. There’s an eerie silence around us, but I shake it off and listen to what Joseph is saying. Everything at the office is running smoothly, and we have a few webinars to attend but other than that, Joseph is taking care of everything else.

“Just be safe and take care of one another,” Josephs says.

“We will. Thanks for taking care of everything. Call us if you need anything,” Adam states. “I’ll email you the documents tonight.”

“Sounds good.
Take care, boys.”

We end the call with Joseph
, and I sign off on some paperwork before we send it off to him.

* * * * *

“Aria! Baby girl I’m so sorry! I just want you back, please don’t leave me!” Erin’s body tosses and turns and I can’t wake her up.”

“Erin! Baby, come on wake up please.”

Her tiny body thrushes around and there’s nothing I can do. She punches me in the face and knocks me on my ass. I get up from the ground and watch helplessly as she cries in her sleep. I stand there, watching her, and feeling helpless.

After what seems like hours, Erin slowly wakes up. “Connor?”

“I’m here. You were having another nightmare, and I couldn’t wake you up.” I try to keep my composure but this is killing me. Climbing back into bed with Erin, I bring her close to me and rock her back and forth. All I want are these nightmares to stop, so Erin can sleep and get through the night. Watching her every night like this is killing me. Why can’t I take away her pain?

“Connor, please stop blaming yourself,” she whispers.
How can she be so strong when all of this is happening?

There’s no denying that this is tearing me apart and making me anxious and edgy. Losing Aria and dealing with that loss is hard
, and I can’t imagine how we’re getting through each day, but seeing Erin’s pain and torment—it’s as if we’re trapped in our own hell and Vander’s the puppet master. “I feel like I’m failing you. I can’t keep you safe and it’s killing me.”

“You can never fail me
, Connor. Don’t lose hope because I’m leaning on you to be my rock. My hero. I don’t blame you for anything.” Erin’s lips meet mine and we spend the night reminding each other of our love. 

Vander

Looking inside, I see my two girls. They’re wearing yoga pants and sweaters. My dick starts twitching in my pants
, and all I can think about is taking them. Making them mine, the way it should be. Adam and Connor don’t deserve to have such beautiful and sexy women. I know they want me. I still remember the way they were looking at me when we first met. I had them eating from the palm of my hand. “Just wait and see girls. I can make you happy. I can give you everything you need.”

Getting rid of Aria worked wonders. Erin’s vulnerable and Sophia’s weak. Two weak girls, this will be easy. The shit Adam and Connor put me through, now I get to get my revenge and take away everything
they love. Everything.

Sophia walks into the kitchen and bends down
. “Mmmm, baby, I know you know I’m here,” I whisper. “Keep showing me how much you want me.”

I look around and see that it’s just me back here. I take out my aching cock and start pumping it with my hand. My head is thrown back and my eyes are shut. I think about how warm their pussies would be around my dick and hearing them scream my name. I find my release and let out a guttural moan.

“Soon,” I whisper before leaving their house. I get in my car and drive away. Passing Erin’s house, flashes of Olivia come to mind. I smirked, thinking about her pleas and begging me to not hurt her. Little bitch fucking nearly ruined my plans. I had to get rid of her. No one will get in the way of my plans for Erin and Sophia. I just have to take care of the two idiots, and then they’ll be mine.

Forever.

Erin

 
The days and nights are getting longer. Adam and Connor are trying their hardest to figure everything out with Doctor Burns but there’s still no answer from anyone about Vander or his whereabouts. I hate seeing them like this and try to figure something out, so this nightmare can be over.

I’ve been at work for a few days and it’s still hard to function. Doctor Taylor says to take it day by day
, and I’m trying but my mind keeps going back to Aria and Vander. Why did he do this to me?

It’s a little past one in the afternoon and I realize I didn’t have lunch yet. I let Stacey know I’ll be back in an hour. Leaving the office, I walk a few blocks to a nearby café. There are people all over, getting ready for the holidays and Christmas decorations. Usually the holidays make me happy
, and I can’t wait to celebrate but this year, so much shit has happened, and I just don’t seem to really care anymore.

I walk into the café and take a seat in the far booth. When the server comes to ask what I’d like, I order a diet Pepsi with lemon and a chicken Caesar salad with lobster bisque soup. She smiles at me and tells me my order will be up in a few minutes. I check my Facebook and Twitter to see what’s going on. Nothing too exciting. A cold feeling takes over and I look up to see Vander standing before me. I don’t know what to say
, and I can’t take my eyes off him.

“Erin,” he says, sitting down in front of me.

“Vander, what the fuck are you doing here?” My voice is a little loud and some people are looking but I don’t care. Who the fuck does he think he is? “I suggest you get the hell out of here before something happens.” I dial 911 under the table and hope that this works and the operator will send help. “You killed Aria! You’ve been terrorizing us all and you killed Olivia.” I didn’t realize the tears coming down from my eyes.

Vander reaches over to my hand but I pull away. “Now, don’t be like that Erin. I did it all for us. I love you and soon you’ll be mine. You’ll see.”

Anger consumes me and I take my fork and stab his hand. Vander screams in pain but I don’t care. I get up from my seat and start punching him in the face. Over and over again. The words are coming out of my mouth but I don’t know what I’m saying. Arms come around me and pull me off ,but I kick and scream telling them to let me go. Vander’s head hits the table and his eyes are closed.    

“Erin! Erin! It’s okay, shhhh.”

Connor.

“I got you baby, shhhh.” I let down my defenses and my body goes limp in his arms.
The sobs start racking through me from me and I let it all out. The police come in with the paramedics and they work on Vander and ask us questions. Everything’s in a daze and I try to answer their questions.

“Everything will be alright
, Ms. Costella. We’re taking Vander to the hospital where he’ll be treated and then taken in.”

“Thank you
, officer. If you need us, please give us a call.”

“Will do.” The officers leave and Vander’s being taken away on a stretcher. His eyes don’t open and I don’t know the damage of his injuries but I don’t care. He stole everything from me.

“Come on, baby. Let’s go home.”

During the car ride home, I look out the window
, Connor calls Albert to tell him I won’t be coming back, and Albert understands, and said to take as much time as I need. I barely have energy to move or talk. More tears flow from my eyes. Connor grabs my hand and brings me close to him. We sit in silence for a while until I have the energy to move.

“Come on, let’s go inside.” Connor wraps his arm around my waist and we head inside to Adam and Sophia’s
house. I don’t feel like talking to anyone, so Connor takes me straight to the room where we’ve been staying. Every time I look at Connor, I feel thankful and a little better, but the events of today stays with me. I can’t get Vander’s smug smile and dark eyes out of my head.

Connor kneels in front of me with a smile on his face. “Everything’s going to get better, okay? I’m not going to let anything happen to you. I love you Erin and I’m so happy you’re okay but please
, baby, no more beating the shit out of people.” He laughs, rubbing my knee. “I’m so glad you’re okay,” he cradles my face.

“Are we okay, Connor?” I look away from him, not wanting to see his expression. “Our connection isn’t as strong. How’d you know where I’d be? What aren’t you telling me?”

Connor rests his head down on my knees and takes a few deep breaths. “I had Steven follow you around and he texted me to tell me where you were.”

“Why
, Connor? Why does this need to happen? I can take care of myself!” I push him away and get up from the bed. Throwing my arms in the air, I start yelling t him. “You can’t keep this shit from me. Stop having me followed and trust me that I’ll be okay!”

“Erin! I’m fucking sorry for trying to keep you fucking safe!”

“Don’t swear at me, Connor! I get it, all right? But I’m so over it. You have to stop trying to control everything!”

“Sorry for caring. God! What the hell do you want from me?”

“NOTHING! I want YOU! I want OUR life back! Is that too much to ask for?”

“I’m trying, okay?” Connor’s body is tense and his hands are in a fist by his side. “I’ve been working my ass off to make sure you have everything and
that we have the best life.”

Connor’s right. He’s been working so much and does everything he can to make sure I’m happy. I walk over to him and try to remain calm. I know that he’s doing this because he loves me
, but I don’t like these secrets and being kept in the dark. “Just please be honest with me, okay?” Connor reaches his hand up, grabbing my neck and pulling me to him. He holds me tight as if he’s going to lose me and whispers how sorry he is. My body finally relaxes in his arms and that lost connection is gone. Connor and I are one again, the way it should be.

Adam is making dinner with Sophia when Connor and I make it downstairs.

“Done fighting yet?” Sophia asks, looking up at me with sad eyes.

“We’re okay.” Connor kisses the side of my head and goes over to Adam to help him with dinner.

Sophia and I talk more about the baby shower and what needs to be done. She feels bad and doesn’t want me to help plan but I’m her best friend, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. It does make me sad because I should be planning my baby shower too, but Aria is in Heaven where she’s safe, and one day I’ll see her again.

“When are you guys going to find out if you’re going to have a boy or girl?”

Sophia looks at Adam, both of them smiling. “We’re going to wait and see. I want to be surprised and so does Adam.”

“$100 that you’re having a boy,” Connor yells, raising his arm in the
air.

We all start laughing and finishing prepping dinner when Connor’s phone starts ringing. He wipes his hands on a washcloth and answers his phone. We all stop what we’re doing to listen and see who he’s talking to. Connor’s body
tenses and his voice is low.

“Are you fucking serious?” There’s a pause and my heart is racing. This has to be about Vander. Nodding his
head, he tells the other person bye and to make sure they keep us all up to date.