Sins of the Innocent - Jamie McGuire Page 0,34

especially those still loyal to me.”

“The drudens?”

“Mostly.”

“That’s how you’ve been hiding from me all this time?”

“Just until I was ready. I wanted to wait until I had all the information before I approached you. And I knew you wouldn’t exactly trust my word.”

I stopped at the door, looking up. “So … you planned for a year, and the best you could come up with was to knock me down?” I said, looking back at Levi.

His cheeks flushed, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. “Yeah.”

He opened the door and gestured for me to lead the way. I walked in and noted the vintage lamps and décor, like the embroidered doilies and antique furniture. Old photos of the lighthouse and its inhabitants throughout its life hung on the white walls.

“So, it’ll just be us here?” I asked.

“There’s a lighthouse keeper, Paulo. He just happened to be staying here when I arrived, volunteering. I hired him for the duration of my stay. There’s also Adelaide. She keeps the house, and she also happens to be a really good cook.”

I lifted my hands and let them fall to my thighs. “Now what?”

“Quick tour. Then we talk,” Levi said.

He led me into the living area, kitchen, bedroom, and library on the first floor and the keeper’s suite upstairs.

“This is Paulo,” Levi said.

A lanky, tall man with a salt-and-pepper beard and rusty skin shook my hand. He greeted me with a thick accent and kind eyes. He seemed mildly aware that something was different about me, similar to what he’d noticed about Levi.

“Good to see you,” Levi said, leaving Paulo for the stairs.

I glanced behind me, seeing that Paulo was watching us closely as we left his living quarters.

Levi offered the worn cushions of the sofa in the living room. He opened a window, letting the sheer curtains wave in the salty breeze. I could hear the waves gaining intensity as the wind picked up.

Levi frowned. “If it gets much worse, you might be stuck here for the night. Do you want to try to catch the next ferry?”

I shook my head. “I have a lot of questions.”

“Are you sure?” he asked.

“I’m sure.”

Adelaide brought in tea, and I pulled a throw from the armrest and settled back against the sofa just as the rain began to fall.

Levi propped his elbow on the top of a cushion and rested his temple on his fist.

“Why are you smiling?” I asked.

“You’re here. You’re three feet away from me. It makes me very happy.”

“How soon could the memories return?” I asked.

“I’m not sure it’s the same for everyone. Are you in a hurry?”

I wanted to sink back from his intense stare, but I denied myself the luxury of embarrassment. “Aren’t you?”

“You have no idea.”

“So, tell me. Maybe once I know everything, I’ll start to remember.”

Levi sat forward, clasping his hands together. “Okay, we’ll start from the beginning.”

The waves against the rock lulled me to sleep, something I didn’t often need. The moment my eyes closed, I was surrounded in the bright white light Levi had described to me. We were bathed in energy unlike anything I’d felt on Earth. My hands shimmered as they reflected the glisten of Heaven.

A large arched doorway loomed in front of me, so different from my surroundings. Thick smokelike tendrils swirled and danced from the opening, and although I was unafraid, I knew that doorway led to nightmarish things.

Standing just beyond the light was Levi, leaned against the side, relaxed and smiling. We were engaged in conversation, beyond terms of trust or suspicion. I knew him, and he knew me. We were friends—more than friends. The pull between us was intoxicating, addictive, but Levi stayed in the doorway, hidden from anyone who might oppose our talks.

“It’s time we go to them,” he said. “We must demand peace.”

“It’s impossible. They won’t listen,” I said.

Levi was opposed to the ways of his father’s dominion, much like he was on Earth. Forgiveness and peace had monopolized our talks for decades until he’d confessed that he loved me.

“What is impossible?” he said with that smile I couldn’t turn away from.

“Our request has an agenda. They’ll know.”

“It’s as good a reason as any.” He sighed. “No more pretending for us. No more hiding in the shadows.”

“I want that. I’m afraid that’s exactly why it won’t happen.”

“Love,” he said, reaching out to caress my face.

I leaned into his hand, relishing every second he touched me.

“If it’s what you want, you’ll have it. We will find a way to be together.”

I