Forsaking All Others (From This Day Forward Book 2) by Shannon Myers Page B

lightly across. The effect is like a lightning bolt of pleasure, “Shhhh…do not shame yourself like that, Elizabeth. You were lonely. All I know is that if you were mine, you would never have had to look elsewhere—you know, had I not gone back to Katya. I would’ve spent every day letting you know how much you meant to me, giving you the attention you deserved.”
    In this moment, I can clearly see why I fell for him. His words awaken this longing within me, this desire to be cherished. His finger on my lip and arm around my waist have me ready to fall right back into him, even with his missing girl—fiancé…whatever she is. The thought of Katya is like a bucket of ice water being poured over me.
    I talk around his finger, “Where do you think she is?”
    He drops his arms, stepping away from me. “I don’t know. I’m going to find her or die trying though. Will you help me?”
    I swallow the lump in my throat, “ Help you ? How?”
    He composes himself, “I’ve organized a search party for tomorrow afternoon. We’re going to go door to door tomorrow morning, handing out flyers with her picture on them. We’re meeting at Founder’s Park at nine in the morning and then back there again around one. Please say you’ll come.”
    I’m feeling a bit raw and my emotions are seriously all over the place right now. I want to say no, but the look in his eyes is so intense, that I find myself agreeing to meet him. His smile is so blinding when I agree, that I feel like I made the right choice.
    I walk him out onto the front porch when he turns back, “Hey Elizabeth, it was really good to talk to you. I still owe you a cup of coff—”
    The roar of an engine cuts off his words and I cringe. This is very bad. I’m so screwed right now. I close my eyes and let out a sigh as I hear a truck door slam.
    “I swear to fuck, Landon. I thought I made myself pretty damn clear the last time you were on my property that it better be the last.”
    I pop one eye open, cringe still firmly in place, as I survey the scene in front of me. Landon’s jaw is set and he’s clenching and unclenching his fists, every muscle stretched taut.
    Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
    I look over at David and he’s in a similar stance. My eyes also catch our neighbor, Charles, standing stock-still in his front yard—no doubt debating whether or not to call the cops for this little exchange.
    I wave exaggeratedly, “Hey Charles! How’s Nina?”
    He reluctantly turns his attention over to where I’m standing, “Hey Elizabeth. Nina’s fine—everything okay over there?”
    I fake laugh and put on my best southern drawl, “Oh, you know how it is. Landon here forgot to return some tools he borrowed from David,” I then stage whisper, “Not a good idea!”
    It’s so over the top, I’m certain he won’t buy it. To my surprise, Charles nods wisely and looks over at David. “David, you’re learning a valuable lesson here. Never let someone borrow something you expect to get back!”
    David gives me a look before focusing his glare back on Landon. He answers Charles through a clenched jaw, “Don’t worry, Chuck. Landon here won’t be borrowing anything of mine ever again!”
    I clap my hands together, “Well, that settles that. No one is going to be borrowing anything in the future. Landon, lovely to see you. David—can I have a word?”
    Landon looks utterly destroyed, “I thought you filed for divorce. He’s having a baby with your friend!”
    David lets go of the front door handle and storms over to me. Before I can react, he’s dragging me inside the house. “Stay here. I’m done dealing with his shit!”
    I march back outside and get between the two of them. “Not here. Landon—I’ll be there tomorrow. David—a word?”
    Landon shakes his head and walks to the curb to get into his SUV. David pins me with a look that would wilt flowers. I turn away from him and go back inside before we draw another crowd. He follows, slamming the front