I looked sideways at Alana as we drove along the coast. The red mark beneath her eye was now turning into a purple bruise and I felt a surge of anger at the man who had dared to put his hands on her. It was coupled with my frustration that she had been reckless enough to put herself in danger like that.
I didn’t know the full story yet, and I would wait until we got to the house before I got the truth from her.
I’d been in a meeting when the receptionist had interrupted me to tell me my wife was on the phone. I’d thought it was someone playing a prank at first. Why would Alana phone the hotel rather than my cell? But, I couldn’t take the chance of ignoring it. Then as soon as I’d heard her voice, I’d known something was wrong.
I’d left the hotel without a second thought, leaving Jax to finish my meeting for me. I’d thought of nothing but getting to her and making sure she was okay. The fear that someone had hurt her because of me, only eclipsed by my anger.
Then I’d walked into that diner and saw her sitting there – hurt and alone, nursing a cup of coffee and my heart had almost stopped beating in my chest.
I’d been so fucking angry with her. But when she’d told me about how difficult it had been to adjust to her new life, I’d realized that I’d never even considered the fact that she had given up her whole life and identity to marry me.
It was something I hadn’t wanted to think about and I’d never intended to. When I’d married her, I couldn’t have cared less about her, but this woman was worming her way into my affections and my heart and I couldn’t do a thing to stop it.
And while I knew that she hadn’t made those sacrifices for me, she had made them because she was a woman who was loyal to the people she loved. And even if her father didn’t deserve her loyalty or her love, she gave it anyway.
I’d decided in that moment that I’d take her away from it all. I would be the husband, and give her the life, that she deserved – if only for a few days.
