Several days later, once some of the madness has calmed down a bit, we go to my apartment so that I can get some more clothes and a few other personal items. Lucca doesn’t want me here long — especially not alone — and I don’t mind continuing to stay with him at his place. I know it’s not the permanent solution, but right now, I can’t imagine falling asleep without him.
As I’m digging through my closet, gathering some dresses and blouses, an envelope, taped to the wall back behind where my clothes hang, catches my eye. Equally curious and nervous as to what it is, I pull it down and wander out into my bedroom. Sitting down on my bed, I pull the paper out and begin to read the handwritten letter over and over again. I can’t help but to weep until the page is covered in tear stains, my heart filling with sorrow.
My sweet Katie-bug,
From the moment you came into my life, I’ve tried my best to keep you out of trouble and I’ve loved you unconditionally. What I did this morning was the ultimate to act to serve both purposes. I know what you were planning to do, and because I love you so much, I couldn’t allow you go through with it. Please forgive me for lying to you, but I did what I had to do.
Momma Rosa is safe and with her family, where she belongs. Maybe one day in the future, I’ll be able to reunite with her, but I urge you not to try and contact her. It’s for the safety and security of you both. I’m going away to somewhere you won’t be able to find me. Please don’t waste your time or money trying to do so — this is what I have to do.
My wish for you now is to move on with your life. It’s time for you to put your past behind you and focus on the future. You’ve found a good man in Lucca, and I have no doubt that he loves you dearly. He’s the one that will take care of you the way you deserve.
I will never forget what we’ve shared — I had the time of my life each moment I got to spend with you. I loved you yesterday, I love you today, and I will love you tomorrow.
Always yours,
L
Completely engrossed in the letter, I’m unaware that Lucca has come into the room and read the message over my shoulder. His strong arms loop around my waist and he slides me over in between his legs. Cuddling me tightly until my uncontrollable sobs turn into faint sniffles, he kisses the top of my head and whispers, “We’ll find him one day, baby. I promise you we will.”
My body is fragile and weak while my heart is heavy and overwhelmed with sorrow, but one thing I’m sure of — Lucca loves me and he’ll never leave my side.
“You are the light that keeps me from being afraid of the dark, Lucca Ellis. I love you, forever and always,” I whisper as I fall asleep, humming You Are My Sunshine to him.
Staring out into the turquoise waters of the Adriatic Sea, I drink my morning coffee on the small patio of my Zlatni Rat beachside condo, listening to the sound of the children playing under the early rays of sun. Croatia is the last place on earth I thought I’d spend the rest of my life, but it’s one of the few countries that doesn’t have an extradition treaty with the United States and it offers mile and miles of beaches. It’s not that anyone from the States is looking for me — at least not to my knowledge anyway — but I figured better safe than sorry when everything happened with that asshole, Green.
Convincing him to commit suicide wasn’t nearly as difficult as I thought it would be. When I gave him the option of me killing him, his wife, and his son or him taking his own life, he really surprised the fuck out of me and chose the latter. I’m glad he didn’t call my bluff, because there was no way I could’ve taken that baby’s life. After I watched him take his own gun from the desk drawer in his high-rise apartment and blow his brains out, I left as quietly and stealth-like as I had entered, knowing it wouldn’t take long before someone found him. Thanks to Travis and his contact I was able to bypass the buildings video surveillance and got a key to the home; I was waiting for Green when he waltzed into his office early that Wednesday morning.
Since I had already gotten Mama set up with her family back in her hometown a few days prior, I immediately left the country and set up a comfortable little life here. I made sure the entire event took place while Katrina was gone so she would have an air-tight alibi; and as much as it killed me to do it the way I did, without giving her a proper goodbye, I had faith that she had found the life she deserved with Lucca.
Turning my iPad on, I pull up the local New York news websites where I continue to monitor the headlines, just to make sure that nothing is ever mentioned about his death not being a suicide. To date, everything appears to be going as planned. I enter in the words Governor Green in the search bar — expecting the typical “no search results found” to pop up — but instead one article appears. Sucking in a deep breath, I click on the link to read the short announcement.
Former Governor Green’s Daughter to Marry
Katrina Michelle Foster, the much-talked-about-daughter of the late Governor Robert Green and his previously deceased wife Stephanie Foster, is set to wed her fiancé, Lucca Christian Ellis, over the Fourth of July weekend in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, where the couple will continue to reside after their planned honeymoon in San Vito lo Capo, Italy.
I can’t help but chuckle when I see where they’re taking her honeymoon; I bet money she’s going to see Mama while she’s there. A warm feeling of joy fills my chest knowing that the two of them made it. As much as I loved her, I knew from the first time I saw her with him that he was the one for her, and I cared more about her happiness than I did my own. Even at thirty-three, I still have hope that someday I’ll find my one true love, but until then, I have a wedding to attend.
A huge thank you to my family for their continued support throughout this entire year as I’ve embarked on this journey that I never planned on taking, especially my husband and my girls who have had to deal with my hours upon hours of time spent in the cave. They keep a smile on my face and remind me of why I am doing this. I love you all so very much.
To the best betas/ support group a girl could have ~ Trina, Kirsten, Steph, Sarah, Michelle, Shelly, Toski, and Jennifer: Thank you for the incredible amount of time and effort that you’ve put into both this book and my sanity. I couldn’t do it without you, and all of my characters would end up dead in every project.
Shelly: In addition to being a kick-ass beta, you’re an extraordinarily fantastic assistant that I never knew I needed. There aren’t enough thanks in the world for all you do for me. Love you big, woman!
My editors ~ Kayla & Mandi: Thank you, thank you, and THANK YOU; I love semi-colons almost as I love both of you.
Hang Le: You’ve truly outdone yourself with this cover! Thank you for everything!
Nicki: Here we go again, my sister from another mister. Thank you for believing in me and for the hour-long bitch sessions.
My bubble of friends ~ you know who you are: Cookie bouquets, cupcakes, chocolates, and wine deliveries… now this is what true friendships are made of.
My mom & Lenora: For everything, always. I love you more than you could ever know.
The bloggers: You ladies are the reason that I’m getting to pursue this dream. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the time you spend — not only reading, but reviewing and promoting as well.
Kassi Bland Cooper: For fitting me in, for dealing with my crazy, for making it beautiful!!! Thank you!
My baby street team: Huge thanks for pimping me and all of the teasers photos! You ladies are so dear to me.
Mysterious Ways ~ U2
The Only Time ~ Nine Inch Nails
In the Fade ~ Queens of the Stone Age
Destrokk ~ MGMT
My Same ~ Adele
Ain’t No Sunshine ~ Bill Withers
Addicted to Love ~ Skylar Grey
Sail ~ AWOLNATION
Can’t Get You off My Mind ~ Lenny Kravitz
Better Living Through Chemistry ~ Queens of the Stone Age
Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise ~ The Avett Brothers
Been Caugh
t Stealing ~ Jane’s Addiction
Calm Like a Bomb ~ Rage Against the Machine
S&M ~ Rihanna
Glad You Came ~ The Wanted
November Rain ~ Guns & Roses
The Woman in You ~ Ben Harper
Never Say Never ~ The Fray
Chances ~ Five for Fighting
Secret ~ Maroon 5
Fix You ~ Coldplay
Enjoy the Silence ~ Breaking Benjamin
Breathe Me ~ Sia
Goodbye My Lover ~ James Blunt
Bleeding Out ~ Imagine Dragons
Dreaming with a Broken Heart ~ John Mayer
Soldier ~ Gavin DeGraw
Patient Love ~ Passenger
Secrets ~ One Republic
My Body is a Cage ~ Arcade Fire
Arms ~ Christina Perri
All These Things That I’ve Done ~ The Killers
River of Deceit ~ Mad Season
Happy ~ Pharell Williams
Fireflies ~ Ron Pope
You Found Me ~The Fray
Kiss Me ~Ed Sheeran
Never Stop ~ SafetySuit
Time of Our Lives ~ Tyrone Wells
Forever and Always ~ Parachute
Erin Noelle is a Texas native, where she lives with her husband and two young daughters. While earning her degree in History at the University of Houston, she rediscovered her love for reading that was first instilled by her grandmother when she was a young child. A lover of happily-ever-afters, both historical and current, Erin is an avid reader of all romance novels. In 2013, she published the Book Boyfriend Series, which included books Metamorphosis, Ambrosia, and Euphoria. Her books have been a part of the USA Today Bestselling list and/ or the Amazon and Barnes & Noble overall Top 100. You can follow her on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/erin.noelle.98, her blog @ www.erinnoelleauthor.com, and on Twitter @authorenoelle.
Erin Noelle, When the Sun Goes Down
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