Real Love

Landon was bent over the desk, gripping the edge with two hands. His face—At first the panic broke through her mask, and she jumped around the couch to get to him. While she was still in motion, Callie realized what he must be seeing. It brought her up short a few feet away from him.

"Landon," she said, dully.

He didn't react when Callie called his name. His head rocked slowly from side to side. His expression brought the panic back again.

Callie took another step forward, reaching out to touch his arm. He turned his empty face, looking into my eyes.

"Landon," she said. "What is it?"

His head twisted, his eyes locked on hers, his expression was of pure pain.

"It's nothing, Callie," he said. "Just struggling with some hard decisions."

Reaching out, Callie took one of her brother's hands in hers and ran her fingers gently over it, then raised it to her mouth and kissed first the back of his hand and then his palm.

"I love you, Landon, never forget that."

"I love you, too, sis." His voice was wary.

"Where are Anderson and Sheriff Thomas?"

"They went out. They are investigating a lead," Landon was breathing slowly, trying to stay calm. Callie cursed herself for what she had put all my loved ones through. The last thing her brother needed was worrying about her.

It was rather late to go out investigating a lead, but Callie didn't question her luck. She knew Landon's bike was parked outside. All she needed was an excuse to go out.

Glancing down, she petted Scout's head. "Do you have to go outside?"

Scout cooperated with her and whined, then turned and headed for the nearest set of

French doors.

"That would be a yes," Callie said with faked amusement. "I couldn't sleep, anyway."

Landon was concentrating again on whatever he was doing, and didn't pay any attention to her.

Callie walked to the doors. Scout waited for her to step out first and then followed and rushed ahead to find a patch of grass. Callie closed the door behind her but paused and waited. When she was sure Landon wasn't following her out of the house, she dashed to the bike. Every second felt like an eternity. She had to act as quickly as she could. Landon could realize she was gone any minute from then.

She ripped the tarp off the Harley, the canvas flapping in the wind like a startled bird. Her hands worked with practiced ease, releasing the chain, and pushing the bike down the gravel driveway.

"Don't lose it yet," Callie told herself. "You still have to push the bike to the road and drive it."

Her luck held.

As soon as she was far enough from the cabin, she kicked the bike over two or three times to get the engine primed with oil. Then, she turned on the fuel valve, and the choke, and finally, the ignition switch.

She twisted the throttle once or twice, to find the compression stroke and kicked. It took only two kicks before the engine roared to life, a guttural sound that mirrored the turmoil within her.

The rumble of the engine echoed through the still night, a mechanical heartbeat against the chirping of crickets. Each cough and sputter of the engine as she kicked it over sent shivers down her spine, a mix of fear and exhilaration.

Callie's heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic drumbeat urging her forward. She twisted the throttle, the Harley lurching forward as it devoured the miles stretching before her. Against the odds, she had escaped. The path was set. Somehow, she had to rescue Dylan.

++0++

Instead of panicking, Callie closed her eyes and spent the twenty-minute drive with Dylan. Tears welled in her eyes as she pictured the two of them having a picnic of tuna sandwiches and Krispies squares by the lake.

There were so many things she still wanted to know about him.

In her mind, Callie could see his face so clearly... almost hear his voice. Despite everything, for a fleeting second, she was happy. So lost in her escapist daydream, she barely noticed the minutes tick by.

Tears blurred her vision as she imagined Dylan's in Sutton's hands. Was he hurt? Was he alive? The questions hammered in her mind, unanswered and terrifying.

Callie gripped the handlebars. Fear threatened to cripple her, but a steely resolve ignited within. She wouldn't let it win. She had to save Dylan.

She kept driving the bike up the bumpy road, wiping away her tears. She wouldn't let fear paralyze her. She had to save Dylan.

The road in front of the Haunted House was pitch black. There was no light coming from the moonless, overcast sky above to dispel the darkness. The pale light cast by a camping lamp did not reach far beyond the doorway, a man was standing in. No matter how hard Callie strained her eyes, she could not distinguish, more than a silhouette.

Callie stopped her bike, clicked the kickstand down, and pulled off her helmet, her heart hammering against her ribs. Slowly, she approached the house.

"Hey, baby, don't take another step," a voice oozed, dripping with feigned sweetness. "That was quick. I'm impressed."

Barnaby Sutton, the man she'd once known as Eddie, stood before her, his face twisted in a cruel smirk. The sight of him sent a tremor of disgust through her.

"Is Dylan okay?" she managed to force out, her voice barely a whisper.

"He's fine, doll. Don't worry your pretty little head about it. Just a little roughed. No lasting damage." Sutton chuckled, the sound devoid of humor. "Unless you didn't come alone, of course."

Callie shook her head, her throat too tight to speak. "I'm alone." The words echoed in the silence, a stark contrast to the turmoil within her. She had never been more alone in her entire life. "I want to see Dylan."

"Bring loverboy out so my baby can see he is okay," Sutton barked without turning, his voice laced with a dangerous edge.

A hulking figure emerged from the darkness, dragging Dylan behind him. A gun pressed against Dylan's side, leaving Callie breathless with terror.

The beating had been brutal. His face was a canvas of purple and red, his left eye swollen shut, a gash bleeding on his forehead. Callie whimpered, the sound escaping before she could suppress it.

"It's not as bad as it looks," Dylan coughed, and added, "We need to stop meeting like this, Callie. Why can't we have a proper date?"

"When all this is over, we'll have a lot of proper dates. I promise," Callie wasn't crying. Her face was iron, as she stared at Sutton.

"Aww, how touching," Sutton mocked, placing a hand on his heart, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "You wouldn't see this kind of drama in those movies you used to drag me to, would you?"

He laughed, and then his expression turned cold. "Such a sad plot twist to have you both killed, but this is what I plan to do, so I'll have to live with it."

As Callie stood there, her heart racing, she knew this was the moment she had been waiting for. The tension in the air was palpable, but she remained calm, her eyes fixed on Sutton, the man who had terrorized her life for far too long.

Her romance story was going to have a tragic ending after all. Like Romeo and Juliet.

As Sutton spoke, a faint red dot materialized on his chest, a silent warning. He continued his tirade, oblivious to the danger lurking just out of sight.

With a steely gaze, Callie addressed him, her voice firm and unwavering despite the turmoil raging within her. "You don't get to dictate the terms anymore, Eddie. It's over."

Sutton's smirk faltered as he glanced around.

"Who do you think you are?" he spat, attempting to regain control. But Callie could see the fear flickering in his eyes, a stark contrast to his earlier arrogance.

"I'm someone who's done playing your games," Callie retorted, her voice cutting through the tension like a knife.

"Kill loverboy!" Sutton ordered, without turning back.

The gunshot that tore through the air was barely a whisper, muffled by the silencer. The thug who was holding Dylan jerked. There was a hole where his eye used to be, though it was hard to tell from the amount of blood running down his face. The attack happened in a split second, less time than it takes to describe it.

Dylan's eyes widened in confusion, a red mist blossoming on his temple where his captor's head had been moments ago. The man holding him slumped to the ground, a vacant stare replacing his previous menace.

"I bet that was my brother's army buddy, Derek. He is one of the best snipers I know."

"What the fuck is going on?" Fear made Sutton's voice tremble.

"The cavalry has arrived, Eddie. I bet the red dot on your chest... is my brother Landon. He is an even better sniper than Derek. He earned the Marksmanship Badge."

Sutton looked down at his chest.

His eyes widened in disbelief. The realization of his impending downfall dawned on him, and panic set in.

"Please, do something stupid, Eddie! Landon needs a reason to put a bullet through your heart," Callie was the one smirking now.

"Don't move!" a well-known voice boomed from beyond the light, shattering the eerie silence. "Drop your weapons and raise your hands, all of you."

A dozen figures emerged from the darkness, clad in FBI vests and wielding an arsenal of weapons.

"Agent Anderson," Callie croaked out, her voice hoarse with emotion.

"We have the situation under control," the agent said, his voice firm yet reassuring. He gestured towards his men, who quickly secured the remaining gang members.

"There is one more thing I need to do before you take Sutton away," Callie said, with determination.

Callie walked toward Eddie and her shoe disappeared in his crotch. He squealed with an unreal noise and dropped to his knees.

"This is for Jennifer," she said.

He was in that position when Callie delivered another kick in the balls.

"This is for Monica."

She connected another hard kick between his legs. "This one is for Rover."

Finally, she stomped on his groin. "This one is for me, you sick bastard."

As Callie looked into the eyes of the man who had tormented her, she knew that she was free at last.

As the adrenaline receded, Callie's legs gave way, and she crumpled to the ground, burying her face in her hands. Tears streamed down her face, a mixture of relief and grief washing over her. Dylan rushed to her side, his arms enveloping her in a comforting embrace as the agents secured the scene.

The night may have begun in darkness and fear, but the sunrise would bring a new dawn, one where nightmares faded, and hope began to bloom.

CHAPTER 13

"How could you do that to me, Landon?" Callie exploded, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and relief.

"It was necessary." Landon was wearing an FBI vest and holding a high-precision, long-range rifle. An FBI agent walked to his side, and Landon thanked him and handed back the rifle. Derek Hayes was standing a few feet away, chatting with some agents. He waved at Callie, and she waved back at him.

"Necessary!" Callie yelled. "You had me totally convinced that Dylan and I were going to die! But you knew otherwise. Did it ever occur to you that you could have told me everything?"

Landon looked at his sister speculatively for a moment. "I don't think so," he said. "You're just not that good an actress."

"This was about my acting skills?"

"Oh, take it down an octave, Callie. Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to let you go? Driving MY restored Harley on a solo hero mission?"

"Okay, okay!" she interrupted. "How did you find me?"

"Agent Anderson got a warrant to monitor your calls when Dylan was kidnapped. I warned him that you might do something stupid like coming here alone without a plan if Sutton contacted you," Landon explained. "Anderson had already asked for reinforcements. As soon as we knew where you were going to meet with Sutton all we had to do was get everything ready. Derek, Sheriff Thomas, and I know the zone well, so it didn't take much. I almost didn't make it on time. You were right about the red dot on Sutton's chest."

He winked at his sister.

"You used me as bait to catch Sutton? Don't answer. I know you did it."

"It was you who chose to come here alone, Callie," Landon remembered to his sister. "Even so, you were never in real danger. Anderson and I went through different possible scenarios and how we were going to deal with each one of them."

It was a swift and decisive victory, orchestrated by Callie's determination and the timely intervention of her allies. Callie felt a wave of relief wash over her.

Anderson approached them. "Hello, tough cookie. Can I join you?"

"I'm not a tough cookie, but yes, please join us," Callie smiled at Anderson.

"I came to say goodbye and wish you luck, Callie," he extended his hand, but Callie hugged him and held on.

"Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you for everything. It's been fun."

She let him go and asked, "By the way, what is your first name?"

"Ash, short for Asher, means 'happy' in Hebrew," he revealed with a wink.

Landon shook Anderson's hand. "Take care of yourself, Anderson."

"You too, Landon. It's been an honor."

The EMTs had arrived at the scene, and were taking care of Dylan's wounds.

Callie walked up to her boyfriend.

"How are your wounds? Are you going to be all right?"

"Fine... I'm just sore. They said I'll be all right in a couple of weeks."

"We can compare wounds later or something. I have an awesome one on my back." A weak smile peeked from her lips.

"Is that an invitation?" He wiggled his eyebrows, but stopped and grimaced, touching his swollen eye.

"You wish, you pervert." Callie had a big smile when she said it.

Those big green eyes turned him inside out.

"Did you mean it when you said 'I love you' on the phone, Dylan? Or it was something you said because you thought you were going to die? Because I love you. So much. Could you believe that, despite everything I've put you through? You don't have to say it back but—"

"I love you, too," Dylan blurted out.

"You do?" she asked with wonder, a smile curving her lips.

"Of course, I do. You're perfect. How could I not love you?"

"I'm not perfect," she said at once.

"You're perfect for me," he assured her. "You're beautiful, sexy, smart, brave..." He shook his head. "You're all I could have wanted and more, Callie. I'm happy when I'm with you. I love you. I'm in love with you. But you already knew that."

"It was different, hearing the words." Callie's chest felt warm, and tears blurred her vision. "Say it again," she whispered.

"I love you," he said. "So much." His hand slipped behind her neck, and he brought her lips to his. She kissed him softly. His lips were swollen and they hurt when he pursed them.

"There's something else I wanted to tell you, too."

"Better than 'I love you'?"

"I hope so. I wanted to tell you that whatever life you want, that's the life I choose. I'll go wherever you go."

"You'd truly go anywhere with me? Wow!"

"For us," he said. "I want to do whatever it takes to make you happy."

"I won't travel forever," she said. "When I get discharged from the army, I want nothing but a quiet life. I've had enough emotions for a lifetime."

He brushed the hair back from her face. "Middletown looks like a great place to settle and raise a family."

"Is that a proposal?" She pushed a dangling lock of hair behind her ears.

Dylan thought for half a second. "Sure. Sure, yes it is. Will you?"

Callie carefully threw her arms around him. "Of course, I will. Whenever you want. It's been a long day. A hard one. But I want you to know that you're extraordinary, and I love you," she said, unable to stop herself. "I'd kiss you again, but it might be too painful."

"I don't care."

They kissed again until a small laugh burst from her, and she smiled against his lips.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing. Just happy. We're a good team."

Dylan pulled her tight against him. "The best. I can handle anything as long as you're with me."

She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Then here I will stay."

"Forever," Dylan said.

"Forever," Callie agreed.

Dylan leaned down until his lips found hers.

Forever was going to be amazing.

EPILOGUE

Grace stirred a pot on the stove, glancing down every few seconds at her daughter Valerie sprawled on the kitchen floor. Scout bounced around the little girl, his tail a blur of excitement. Landon sat beside Valerie, a picture of contentment watching them play.

A notification pinged on Grace's phone. She swiped it open and began to read.

Landon perked up at the news. "Who is it? Please tell me it's not another person wanting to visit Valerie."

Grace giggled. "No, it is not, you grouch. It's an email from Callie and Dylan."

A grin split Landon's face. "Great. How are they doing?"

"Let's see..." Grace settled into a chair and began to read aloud.

"I've been deployed to support operations and provide care at Landstuhl, Germany. Dylan arrived two days ago. He was hired for a very important magazine after the success of his articles about Middletown, and his story about Sutton and the human trafficking ring. He is taking virtual classes to become a correspondent.

"The on-the-ground job experience I am getting through my military service is invaluable. I literally work well beyond any civilian nurses with some of the best surgeons in the country, working on soldiers and those in need. Our team consists of twenty people. We treat injured American and NATO troops performing life - or limb-saving surgeries.

"As you probably know, we get a great number of wounded warriors who are not only physically injured, but some are also emotionally hurting as well. Some of these men and women have numerous visitors, which I believe makes their transition much easier. However, some don't get many visitors, for whatever reason, and I think that this can take an emotional toll on them because they feel as though no one cares about them or appreciates their service, which is not the case at all. I can always tell when someone has been by to see them because they are in greater spirits and are smiling more."

"Callie always had a thing for those in need," Landon commented.

"We are very alike on that," Grace added. Her eyes were bright. "I'm happy she can be there for those poor soldiers. My heart goes with them."

|

Grace cleared her throat and kept reading.

"As a nurse and soldier, my words can only go so far with these soldiers. It means the most to them when they hear good things from someone outside the military."

"Today, I saw a group of people and I got to talking to a man whose mother had been in Middletown for Christmas and I got homesick. We are still planning to settle in Middletown when my service in the military is over. I hope Dylan and I can be there this Christmas to share it with you and Valerie. Talking about her, how is my niece doing? Are she and Scout getting along?"

Grace looked down at her daughter; she was trying to climb into the dog's back to ride him as if he were a horse. Scout was staying still, whining softly.

"I'll try to Skype another day. It's not that easy with the time difference and my crazy working hours, but I'll do my best.

"Thank you all for your support, your caring hearts, your loving spirits, and your smiling faces. I love you with all my heart.

"Dylan sends his love too and says thank you for taking care of his RV while he is here."

Tears welled in Grace's eyes, a bittersweet mix of pride and longing. Callie, her brave girl, was out there making a difference in the world. Wiping a stray tear away, Grace closed the email.

"Aww, our Callie is the sweetest person in the world!"

"Everything that she is saying is great," Landon scoffed, a playful edge to his voice. "But when are they going to tie the knot? What's the holdup?"