Haven Bound

26. Chelsea

26

Chelsea

I’ve been thinking about all of the reasons why Austin could be back in Haven Beach since the day he walked into Buttersweet Bakery. Not once did I imagine that his reason would be to kill the man who was, at one point, supposed to be like a father figure to me.

Daniel Witters is my assignment. I came home to kill your stepfather.

The way he’s looking at me now tells me that he’s expecting me to turn my back on him and walk away. Or maybe he expects me to yell at him, to slap him, to beg him not to do it. However, none of those things flash through my mind.

All I can think about right now is how much brighter the world would be if Dan Witters no longer existed.

And then it hits me that if Austin knows enough about Dan for him to even be a target… Does that also mean that Austin knows about everything I went through as a child? There’s a panic threatening to take hold of my body, but it’s not because of his admission.

No, what’s causing the sense of panic is the idea that he knows about the most traumatizing thing I’ve ever experienced.

Turning my back to him, I can’t help but begin pacing the room. Visions of my stepfather’s six-foot-five frame standing over me flood my mind, his booming voice vibrating every cell in my body as he screams. I swear I can almost feel the bruising way he would grab my arm, the way he had thrown my body against the wall, the deep cuts from the shattered glass along the palms of my hands…

“I should have told you before I touched you. Before I let you touch me…” His deep gentle voice filters through the haze of the memories, and my pacing stops.

The shadows clear as another realization settles.

Austin knows, and he’s still here.

He knows, and he still kissed me. He still touched me. He still held me as though I was somebody worth holding.

I cross my arms over my chest as my body shivers and I force back the memories that are swarming to the surface. It’s bad enough that I have to relive them during my sessions with Dr. Harper. I don’t need to be experiencing them here with Austin as well.

“Did you know who he was when you took the assignment?” I’m not sure that it matters, yet I can’t help but wonder how long he’s known about Dan.

“I didn’t find out who my target was until after that night at Club Obsidian. I wanted a few days to just live a normal life before I went to see my father for the assignment.” The way his voice falters and cracks has me turning to face him.

He’s sitting on the edge of the bed now with his head hanging in his hands. I want to reach out and comfort him, to tell him that I understand why he didn’t tell me until now, that I don’t care and I’ll stand by his side through it all.

I never thought I’d see Austin again. Then he strolled into my bakery like it was no big deal. He sat there in front of me, and it felt like no time had passed, like I was eighteen again and stupidly in love with somebody that I couldn’t have. Except now he’s here and I can have him. I just have to accept the kind of life he lives. I have to accept what he really does for a living because it certainly isn’t anything to do with the damn hotel.

I have to accept that he’s going to kill the man who used to be my stepfather.

An overwhelming sense of gratitude fills me as I imagine a world without Daniel Witters. A world where that monster of a man can no longer cause anyone harm. The only potential obstacle standing in the way is my mom. If our latest conversation is any indicator, she truly doesn’t see him as the dangerous person that he is.

She said that she was reconnecting with him and asked me to support her decision and to have an open mind about it. To say our relationship is strained would be a major understatement, but I need to know that she’s not going to be caught in the crossfire.

Crossing the room, I stand in front of Austin where he’s sitting on the edge of the bed and run my hand through his dark brown hair. “Thank you,” I murmur. I need him to know that I understand why he didn’t tell me all of this until now. I need him to know that I don’t think he’s a bad guy.

Austin Anders could never be the villain in my story because he’s always been the hero.

“What?” He looks up at me as his hands drop away from his face, finding my waist and holding me tightly as though he needs an anchor.

“Thank you,” I say again, moving my hands to his shoulders as his deep blue eyes gaze up at me. “I know you haven’t… um… taken care of him yet. But when you do—” I give his shoulders a gentle squeeze before he stands up from the bed and pulls my body against his. “The world will be a much safer place without that man. So, thank you.”

He doesn’t say anything, just leans down to press his lips to mine in a soft kiss that has butterflies fluttering in my stomach. His arms slip around me as he pulls me into a hug, and mine instinctively wrap around his neck. His face buries into the side of my neck, and his body shudders. “Fuck, Sunflower, I thought I was going to lose you,” he mumbles, his voice muffled against my skin.

I glide a hand up into his hair, tugging softly as I hold him tightly against me. “I’m not going anywhere,” I assure him, knowing that he needs this comfort right now. I can feel his hard body relax against mine, and I hug him just a little tighter before I pull back. “But you have to promise me something, Austin.”

“Anything, baby,” he says softly, his fingers pressing into my hips, his blue eyes searching mine.

“I need you to promise me that you’ll always be honest with me. I understand that you wanted to protect me from this part of your life, but you need to know that I can handle it. I need to know that I can trust you to tell me the truth. I promise that I will tell you if it ever becomes too much for me.” My arms are still wrapped around his neck when he pulls me against him, wrapping his arms around me and holding me close.

“I promise,” he says, leaning down to brush his nose against mine before his lips find mine in a gentle kiss. This kiss is short and sweet and completely erases any trace of nerves or hesitation that I may have been feeling .

When we finally release one another, I grab the small duffle bag he’d thrown together for me the night before and start to gather all of my things from the room, shoving everything into the bag as I go.

“What are you doing?” He steps back to watch me frantically move around the room.

“Getting my stuff together so I can go home,” I mutter, zipping the duffle bag closed and then turning to face him. “I’m sick of being in this hotel room. Yesterday was a lot. I want to go home and shower properly and just… be comfortable. Do you think you could follow me? You know, just in case Jason’s still hanging around.”

Austin’s eyebrows furrow as confusion crosses his face. Then, he scoffs as he grabs the duffle bag off of the bed. “You want to go home, but you want me to follow behind you just in case your psychotic ex-boyfriend is still hanging around waiting for you? Chelsea, c’mon. You can’t go home. Stay at Ethan’s with me, or stay here at the hotel, but don’t go home.”

Thankfully, he’s not exactly demanding that I don’t go home, but I can see the concern etched across his face. “I can’t stay at Ethan’s. I know he’d let me in a heartbeat, but I don’t want to impose on his space,” I say, reaching a hand out for the bag.

He just shakes his head at me and swings the bag over his shoulder. “Okay, I get that. So then we’ll stay here. I’ll get us set up in the penthouse suite. At least if you’re here at the Elysian, I know you’ll be safe. I need to know that you’re safe, Sunflower.” His voice almost sounds broken and it makes my heart clench in my chest.

“Okay, I’ll stay—” I stop as my brain catches on to something he said. “Wait. What do you mean that you’ll get us set up in the suite?” I must have heard him wrong. He can’t seriously mean that he’s going to stay with me.

That’s crazy. Isn’t it?

“If you’re staying here, then so am I. I refuse to spend another moment without you unless I absolutely have to. I need to know that you’re safe.” His voice is firm and unwavering, his deep blue eyes set on mine. Austin has always been protective, but this feels like a bit much.

“I don’t want to distract you from your job and the reason you’re here. I’m not worth the trouble,” I murmur. The words “ stupid worthless girl” flicker through my mind, memories of my stepfather’s booming voice rattling in my ears. The last thing I want to do is be a burden to someone, especially to Austin.

“I told you before, and I’ll continue to tell you for however long it takes for you to believe me, that you’re worth everything, Sunflower.” The soft smile that spreads across his face is genuine and filled with what almost looks like… Nope. Not going there.

“I still need to go home first,” I say, keeping my gaze locked on his as I wait for him to tell me no.

Instead, he walks towards the door, swings it open, and says, “Let’s go.”