Read Saving Me (Finding You #3) for Free Online

floor, unconscious, but upon waking, I’d lain still. Expectant. Waiting for him to finish me off. Waiting for footsteps that thankfully never came. Above the jackhammer in my head and the struggling beats of my heart there was nothing but silence.
    Inch by excruciating inch I closed the gap to the kitchen cupboards. With each movement my head erupted in pain, causing me to cry out. Each wail seemed to echo off the walls.
    Tears mingled with blood that dripped onto the tiles.
    Just as my knuckles hit the skirting at the base of the cupboards a hand touched my arm causing me to spiral out of the kitchen.
    “Are you cold?” a warm, loving voice queried.
    Waves. Ocean. Sand. Kyle. Remission. I sank into my surroundings, letting the hideous visions of my waking nightmare fade. I shook my head in response.
    “No.” I didn’t know where the sudden ambush of memories had come from. It had been so out of the blue. I had almost forgotten about the dried rose for a while.
    “What is it then? You look like someone just walked over your grave! Are you still rattled about this morning?”
    Was I rattled about the gift that morning? Hell yes! Had I been thinking about it? Not directly. No. It was as if a switch had been flipped in my brain, not allowing the happiness I’d been feeling over the house purchase to take hold.
    The memories felt so close to the surface. Memories I thought I’d dealt with but obviously couldn’t ever deal with until John was nothing but a memory.
    The idea that he could be in the same city brought with it much alarm and trepidation. Until he was out of the picture, the anxiety would never ease.
    “I’m sorry. I guess it’s bothered me more than I thought. The fact that I even have to think about that maniac is distressing enough, let alone not knowing if he may be here. Watching. Following.”
    “Hey. Nothing is going to happen to you as long as I’m around.” His gentle hand caressed the side of my neck, his thumb feathering lightly over my jaw.
    “How can you be so sure? I mean, really sure? You can’t protect me twenty-four hours a day.” It was true. No one could protect me around the clock. If John wanted me, he would find a way.
    “We’ll work something out, I promise. I’m not going to let you get hurt. That is, if he’s even here. We don’t know that for certain.”
    “He’s here. I just know it. If someone else had delivered that envelope on behalf of John that would mean it had to travel from Australia in a suitcase. You saw the envelope. It didn’t have a crease on it. He wrote my name on the front so it originally came from him.”
    I knew I was right. It was as plain as day. John was toying with me. Waiting for the right moment to strike. There was no other explanation. Could Kyle really protect me?
    “Let’s not talk about it for now. Please? I just want us to enjoy our lunch. Enjoy our time alone together without worrying about what might or might not happen. We have so much to celebrate. We’ve just brought a house! A home. Focus on that.” His hand had moved from the side of my neck to the back, where he pulled me closer until his lips were almost touching mine before he added. “Now, let’s eat our fish and chips.”
    His lips softly touched mine, teasing and inviting, but they didn’t hover long. We were both hungry and the food would soon be cold.
    I marveled at how Kyle’s simple words could lift my spirits. I licked my lips, tasting where his had been, and agreed to try and put all negative thoughts out of my mind again and just enjoy the day for what it was. I was safe with Kyle, not bleeding on my kitchen floor, teetering precariously between life and death. I should be counting my lucky stars and practicing gratitude. As long as I had Kyle’s love and devotion, I could fight my demons.
    Digging into the deliciously crispy fries and fish, we stopped talking and ate like two horses.
    In only moments, all that was left of lunch were a few crispy crumbs and