Noah took her hand and together, they turned toward the pastor. Time seemed to go both slow and fast. Focusing on her, he wanted to remember every moment forever. The old wood of the church lit up by the sun streaming through the stained glass windows, the smell of the candles. The people that meant the most to both of them, smiling and happy for them. Lexi, beautiful Lexi in her white wedding gown glowing with excitement walking towards him.
When it was time for their vows, Noah watched as tears pooled in her eyes. Using his thumb, he wiped them away. Finally, it was time to take her in his arms and have their first kiss as husband and wife.
Grinning as the cheers went up throughout the church, they turned and faced everyone as husband and wife. For Noah, it was better than a standing ovation at Madison Square Garden.
*
Evie sat down at the head table and watched her best friend dance the night away with her new husband. Everything was perfect, she stared wistfully at her friend’s joy. It was a beautiful day. After everything Lexi had been through, she deserved this. Noah and his bandmates left their women on the dance floor and headed for the stage. Curious, Evie got up and walked over to Lexi and the other band wives.
“What are they up to?” Sam asked.
“With those four, only God knows.” Dre replied.
Noah took the mic. “Thank you everyone for coming to share our special day. If you don’t mind, the guys and I would like to play a special song for my bride.”
Evie looked over at Lexi at the opening notes to George Strait’s I Cross My Heart. There was a sentimental smile on her face as she gently rocked back and forth to the song.
Hearing the words of the song, Evie was struck by a longing to have something like that in her life. She knew what they had didn’t come along every day. She had to find some way to make sure their happiness continued. Whatever it took, she would find a way to ensure the darkness never found them again.
Eye of the Storm
Book Two in the Storm Series
– PROLOGUE –
Anthony Maldono sat back in his chair and looked out the window of his home in La Jolla California at the ocean. The turbulent waves crashed on the beach and he felt it fit his mood exactly. He looked at the computer screen and scowled at the e-mail which was still waiting for his reply, he stood and walked over to where he kept his files his private investigators compiled for him about everyone and everything involved with Alexia Hanson and Jeremy Ellison. Looking through them until he came to the one labeled “Evie Taylor,” he pulled it out and started to review it.
He didn’t understand why she would contact him. Thinking it might be good to surprise her, he started moving his plans up.
*
Jeremy lay back in the bed, staring up at the ceiling, listening to the gossip show coming from the other room about Alexia and Noah’s wedding. Right now, he hated his life. He knew it was temporary, but he couldn’t wait for a change to come. A change he was going to make.
He formulated his plan. He’d spent considerable time and money keeping track of everybody while staying hidden. He knew Anthony Maldono as well as he knew himself and he knew what Anthony would do next. He wasn’t done making Anthony’s life miserable. Time to step it up a level.
For the past nine months he’d watched the authorities run around trying to find him and Anthony made a free man, it was time to start moving. It made his blood pump that he was finally going to be able to do something. He looked into the other room where the woman he had to depend on was shoving fist after fist of popcorn in her mouth. He wanted to get up and stick a knife in her gut. He hated her. He wanted her dead. But he had to wait since he had a plan. A plan that would increase the stakes in the game he was playing.
– CHAPTER ONE –
One month after Noah and Lexi’s wedding…
Evie Taylor sighed and flopped down in the chair. She tossed the dusting rag on the table, tilted her head back and closed her eyes. She was bored and longed to get back to Boston to run her bookstore and café. The past ten months she’d spent two extended stays back home. Once for Lexi and now for her grandmother. She’d heard from Jesse and everything was running fine, but she missed new shipments coming in and setting up the displays. Not to mention, getting to sample new desserts from the café. She loved helping a fellow booklover find a new author. In fact, she set up a whole section of the book store for indie authors. It opened a whole new world to her regular customers.
She looked around her grandmother’s living room. Knickknacks as far as the eye could see. But that was how bored she was; she’d resorted to dusting.
She’d come home to Ipswich, Massachusetts when her best friend, Lexi Hanson, now Matthews, had been attacked. She remembered the fear and anger that coursed through her veins when she got the phone call. The drive up was a blur, she couldn’t get there fast enough. In the weeks that followed, she never left Lexi. She completely amazed her with her strength.