Fatal Desire, Teen Edition (11 page)

The men hated seeing the shocked expression
on Amber’s face but now they knew she understood what they were
telling her. Unable to bear it, Derek pulled Amber onto his lap and
rubbed her back. Matt walked out of the kitchen to give them time
to talk. He hoped Derek would keep his head.

Derek continued to rub Amber’s back as the
consequences of her actions sank further into her mind.

“Oh, God, oh, God, oh, God,” Amber cried over
and over. “I killed them. I led him right to me and I killed all
those people,” she sobbed.

“No, Honey,” Derek replied. “A monster killed
those people. You are not in any way responsible for that maniac’s
actions.”

Unsure if she was listening to him, Derek
continued to try to soothe her. When Amber began to shake, Derek
gathered her into his arms and carried her upstairs

In her room, Derek laid Amber on the bed. She
could feel the tears sliding down her cheeks but was tuned out to
her surroundings. Derek found her a sleeping pill and a glass of
water and talked her into downing both.

Derek held Amber and stroked her back and
hair. He could feel her tears but he didn’t think it was a good
time to talk. He whispered to her and held her until she finally
fell asleep in his arms. When she woke up he would take her home.
She needed that and it was time to bring the monster out of
hiding.

♥
Chapter
9
♥

Amber woke an hour later. She looked around
but Derek was gone. Crawling from her bed, she plodded to the
bathroom and turned on the shower. She was going home. She expected
an argument from the men, but she was determined. They could come
with her or stay behind, but she had made up her mind. She was a
grown woman and she would go where she pleased.

Amber climbed into the shower after that
determined pep talk and let the hot water wash the dried tears from
her face. She would cry no more. She had a plan of her own. She
would find who was doing this to her and she would be prepared for
his next attack. Amber was going to fight back.

Stepping out of the shower, Amber dried off
and began to dress. She blow dried her hair, applied her makeup,
and walked back into the bedroom to pack her overnight bag. She
silently hoped the men had left the house so she wouldn’t have to
tell them what she was doing.

“Coward,” she whispered to herself.

Amber walked slowly down the stairs with her
overnight bag. Seeing both men on the couch waiting for her, she
sighed. She wasted no time letting Matt and Derek know her
plans.

“I’m going home,” she stated. “You two are
not stopping me.”

Derek raised a brow at this statement. “We’re
not,” he questioned even though he and his brother had agreed she
needed to go home and spend some time with Olivia and hopefully
lure out her stalker.

“No, you’re not,” Amber said determinedly and
started to walk to the front door.

“Amber,” Derek growled low. Amber stopped
when she heard the warning tone in Derek’s voice. “Sit down.”

Amber turned and sat in a chair facing Matt
and Derek. She dropped her eyes to her knees and refused to look at
either of the men.

Matt cleared his throat and stared at his
brother.

“Look, Honey,” Derek began. “I will take you
to see Olivia.”

Amber’s eyes flew to his. “You will,” she
questioned.

“I will. I know you need to see her. I also
know she needs you. But we need to discuss the situation before
just barreling in.”

Amber hung her head again, fully chastised by
Derek’s tone and words. Matt punched his brother hard in the arm
and gave him a look that said fix this. He couldn’t stand to see a
female in tears and he was afraid Amber would break down any
minute.

Derek got up from his seat, crossed over to
Amber, and pulled her into his arms. “Matt and I have a plan. We
have already discussed you going home.”

Amber sighed. She knew Derek wouldn’t let her
down. She really didn’t want to face the demon by herself.

Sitting back down with Amber in his lap,
Derek explained what he and Matt had concluded. The three talked
for another hour before Amber and Derek left Matt’s house to drive
the short distance to Amber’s hometown.

Arriving shortly before supper time, Amber
and Derek stopped at a local diner to eat. It didn’t take long for
residents to recognize Amber and come over to talk. Several had to
ask about where she had been and get all of the details of her
travels. It was clear none of them knew the real reason she had
left thanks to Olivia’s quick thinking. She had told many of the
town’s people that Amber needed to get away from the memories of
her parents and wanted to try new things.

They all seemed genuinely glad to see her
back and filled her in on the latest gossip and happenings in her
hometown. It took her and Derek over two hours to finish their
meal.

Derek drove them to the local motel with
Amber’s directions and they booked a room. They unpacked their
luggage and Amber sat down to call Olivia.

“Hello,” this time Olivia answered the phone,
and the sound of her voice tore at Amber’s heart. She sounded so
sad and depressed.

“Hey Livvy, its Amber,” she said.

“Amber, where are you? Are you coming to
town,” Olivia asked.

“I’m in town now. Can I come by,” Amber
asked. She grabbed a pen and piece of paper from the bedside table
and asked Olivia for her address. Olivia gave Amber directions to
where she lived and she and Derek drove over to see Olivia.

Patrick answered the door at Amber’s knock
and invited the couple in. Seemingly uneasy around Derek, Patrick
fixed his eyes on Amber.

“I’m so glad you came. Olivia is upstairs
getting dressed for the first time in three weeks,” Patrick said.
He hugged Amber. Feeling uncomfortable hugging her best friend’s
husband and someone she had met once briefly, Amber quickly hugged
Patrick back and stepped out of his embrace.

Derek noted the unease in Amber’s eyes and
decided to question her later.

Just then, Olivia came flying down the
stairs.

“Amber,” she yelled throwing herself into her
best friend’s arms.

“Olivia,” Amber replied hugging her
tightly.

Both girls began to cry. They had missed each
other so much in the past four years. Patrick looked at Derek and
nodded at the kitchen. Derek followed Patrick.

“Want a beer,” Patrick asked Derek. “Those
two will probably be awhile if their phone calls are any
indication.” Derek nodded and Patrick pulled a couple of beers from
the refrigerator and walked out onto the back deck. Derek followed.
The men sat and made small talk while the women in their lives
reunited.

Amber held Olivia as she sobbed. They were
still standing in the foyer of Olivia’s home and Amber’s tears had
long dried. But Olivia had a deeper misery than just missing Amber.
Eventually, Amber led Olivia to a couch where the two sat and
Olivia hiccupped her way through the story of how she lost the
baby.

“It was a girl, Amber. A beautiful baby girl.
I named her Amber Jane for you and my mother,” Olivia said.

“Oh, Olivia. I am so sorry. I wish I had been
here for you,” Amber replied.

“You’re here now. I want you to see her
grave. Will you come with me,” asked Olivia.

“Of course I will,” Amber replied. They made
plans to go to lunch together the next day and visit the graveside
of Olivia’s stillborn baby girl.

“Now, tell me about the handsome man I barely
acknowledged sitting on the back deck with my husband,” Olivia
asked.

Taking this as a sign Olivia was feeling
better, Amber told her how she and Derek had met.

“He just walked up to your table and sat
down,” Olivia asked incredulously.

“He did, like he owned the restaurant or
something,” Amber replied.

“You’re kidding,” Olivia slapped Ambers arm
playfully.

“No, seriously. He comes strutting up like
some good looking cowboy and sits down as pretty as you please,
signals the waitress and places his order,” Amber told her.

“What did you do,” asked Olivia.

“There wasn’t much I could do,” Amber
replied. “I gave him the cold shoulder, wouldn’t even give him my
name when he asked for it, and he didn’t take the hint.”

Amber continued to tell her friend all about
the evening she spent with Derek. “I figured, hey why not have a
quick one night stand with a total stranger and be on my way,”
Amber said.

“We see where that led,” Olivia smirked.

“He is pretty wonderful,” Amber admitted.

“So tell me more. What does he do? Where does
he live,” Olivia asked.

“He lives in Atlanta,” Amber lied. She hated
deceiving her best friend but the men agreed she needed to be
careful what she told Olivia and the others she would run into in
town.

“He works in finance and has a nice house in
the city. I already have a job at one of the hospitals and have
started making friends.”

“Are you staying at his place,” Olivia
asked.

Amber giggled like a school girl. “I am and
it is wonderful.”

“Amber, I am so happy for you,” Olivia cried.
The girls hugged again and continued to talk. Amber was glad to see
the color and laughter come back to Olivia’s face and eyes. She had
looked so miserable when they first arrived.

Eventually, running out of things to talk
about, the men came back into the living room to find the girls
giggling and laughing. Patrick smiled seeing his wife so happy.

Olivia and Amber hugged each other and said
their goodbyes as the men shook hands.

“I’ll pick you up at eleven and we can go to
that place we used to eat all of the time when we were working. Is
it still there,” asked Amber.

“You mean Charlie’s Place? Yes, it’s still
there and I still go and eat when I’m working. It’s not the same
without you,” replied Olivia.

Amber smiled, hugged Olivia one more time and
turned to leave.

“Amber,” Patrick called.

Amber turned around. “Thanks again,” Patrick
said as he placed his arm around his wife.

Amber smiled and walked out the front door.
Derek opened her car door and Amber slid inside. She was
emotionally drained from seeing her friend in her condition. Now
she knew how Olivia must have felt when she helped Amber through
the loss of her parents. Only time could completely heal Olivia,
but Amber believed she was on the road to recovery. She had seen
the change in her face and eyes after talking through her pregnancy
and loss. Her friend would be alright.

Derek drove Amber back to the motel in
silence. He could sense emotions churning in Amber and so remained
quiet as they drove. He had questions but they could wait.

He was furious. How dare she bring him back
here and flaunt him. He would have to teach her not to cross him.
Yes, the cowboy would have to die. And this time he hoped it would
be slow and painful. She had crossed him for the last time.

The next morning Amber and Derek drove around
her small hometown. Amber showed him the house she grew up in and
the school she went to. She pointed out all of the places that were
special to her. Derek took her to the cemetery where her parents
were buried and she was able to sit down by the head stones for the
first time since she had left Alma.

Someone had been maintaining the graveside
for her. It was nicely clipped and there were fresh flowers in one
of the vases. She assumed Olivia had taken over this chore since
she left.

She told Derek about her parents. She talked
for an hour telling him story after story about her mom and dad.
When she was through, Derek felt as if he had met them personally.
He believed he would have liked them if given the chance to know
them.

Derek had decided to stay at the hotel while
Amber took Olivia to lunch. He didn’t want to interfere in their
time together. He had decided to walk and get lunch then check in
with his brother.

Amber dropped Derek at the hotel and drove to
Olivia’s house. Olivia was sitting on the front porch waiting for
her. Dressed in a pair of jeans and a red button up shirt, Olivia’s
coloring looked so much better. She had a smile on her face that
reached her eyes. Amber got out of the car and met Olivia half way
down the walk. The girls hugged and climbed back into the car.

Amber drove to Charlie’s Place and the girls
ordered their favorites from times past.

“Wow, this really takes me back,” Olivia
said.

“Yeah, I know,” replied Amber. “This place
hasn’t changed a bit.”

Word had spread like wildfire that Amber was
back in town and the locals poured into the diner to talk to her.
Like the night before, it took her several hours to eat for talking
to all the people who had missed her and wanted to hear about her
travels.

But all the talk was good for Olivia as well.
She had not been out of the house since the baby had died, except
to the cemetery, and she had forgotten how kind and loving their
fellow citizens could be. She vaguely knew many had brought meals
and sent cards but she had been in a depressed fog. Being out and
talking with those around her, Olivia could see the genuine concern
for her safety and the loss of her little girl. There was no pity
in the town’s people’s eyes just a deep love for one of their own
and a sorrow at her loss.

Eventually Amber and Olivia made it to the
cemetery. Amber watched as Olivia placed flowers on the grave of
her child. When Olivia began to sob, Amber knelt beside her and
held her.

For Olivia, this was a different kind of
sobbing. This was a healing sobbing. She was finally letting go.
Thanks to Amber, Olivia knew she would make it through this dark
time in her life and come out on the other side. She wouldn’t be
the same. She would never be the same. But she would live through
this and she would try to have another baby. No one would replace
the precious life in the ground under her hands, but she would move
on.