Broken Past, Good Path

Love is a Land of Mines

    Bradley Thomas slowly stepped into Morgan’s bedroom. He was absolutely stunned that the killer had been so daring to leave such a threat inside their safe house. He also felt naked in that he was walking into a potential trap with no weapon on him. He kept his vision sharp and his ears perked, in case someone was inside. He looked around the room, remembering the last time he had been inside was the day of Morgan’s arrival. Little had changed since then, he noted, as he walked further inside.

                On his way, he opened every closet door, checked under the bed, and inspected the bathroom. No one was inside, but that didn’t mean something had not been hidden. Bradley thought as he backed out of the room and down the hall. He recalled Morgan’s torn-down appearance as he walked. The hand that had rested on her shoulder clenched automatically. He had felt her shake uncontrollably with fear. Morgan always looked tough on the outside and made everyone believe that she was strong, but Bradley could see past the façade she built up. The thought gave him an eagerness to reach his bedroom door swiftly and soon enough he came face to face with Ryland and Jax acting as guards.

                “How is she?” Bradley asked as he stopped outside the door. Jax and Ryland looked at him with solemn expressions.

                “She’s shaken up,” Jax frowned.

                “She is in there with Alexandria now. She asked about you,” Ryland ran a hand through his hair before putting them down by his side.

                “She asked about me?” Bradley asked in a lower voice. Noticing the looks he was getting from Ryland and Jax he cleared his throat. “No one was in Morgan’s room but I would still like it to be searched thoroughly. Just in case they left something behind.” Bradley ordered.

                “Understood boss,” Jax and Ryland chorused before they ran down the hallway and out of sight. Bradley inhaled deeply, letting his breath out in a slow methodical shudder. He still could see Morgan’s terrified face and the torment in her eyes before he had sent her away, but that look had given him hope as well. He placed a hand on the doorknob of his bedroom, curious as to what he would see when he entered.

                Bradley slowly opened the door, letting his eyes adjust to the dim lighting before he moved inside. Morgan was seated on his bed, her head bowed with her hands clasped together on top of her lap. Alexandria was beside her. Her mouth moved as though she was talking but no sound reached his ears. He moved forward when Alexandria stood and walked in his direction.

                “I will be outside,” Alexandria addressed him simply, moving past him to the hallway behind. She closed the door to his room, allowing the room to return to almost complete darkness. Bradley took his time to cross the room and fill the space that Alexandria had abandoned. He sighed, letting his eyes close. A flowery scent settled around him.

                “No one was in your room. I’ve sent Jax and Ryland to inspect it further,” Bradley finally spoke. He let the room go silent for a few more minutes. “Are… you, ok?” He asked. After no reply, he stood again, only to pause with the rise of Morgan’s voice.

                “Will I too be hunted?” Her voice was filled with misery. Bradley flinched at the tone in her voice. He looked down, to the top of her head with a longing to end the pain she felt. He steadily stopped down in front of her, placing a hand on top of her adjoined ones.

                “I will lay down my life to protect you and to find out who this person is. Just give me some time,” Bradley squeezed his hand over hers. Morgan ploddingly looked up into his eyes, a mixture of trust and hope stirring inside the glacier like orbs.

                “Why? Why are you willing to risk everything to save me?” Morgan questioned him with a coldness that didn’t match the look in her eyes. Bradley stood and stepped a few feet towards the door.

                “You may fool Noah with your nonsense of not wishing to live and not caring if you die. However, you won’t fool me… I can see how you really feel when you are approached with danger. Your wish to live… to really live… escapes you. Why else would you ask your father to leave the place that kept you prisoner your whole life?” Bradley said in a calm tone. He remained silent, letting his words sink in for a few minutes. “Stay here for now until we figure things out,” Bradley said and exited his room without a backward glance.

                In the hallway, Bradley paused once more, thinking over everything that had just happened and what he should do next. Alexandra, who had remained outside the bedroom door, waited patiently even though her lips twitched every few seconds. When Bradley looked in her direction, she began the speech she had prepared in her head.

                “Morgan is in a fragile state right now.”

                “I know,” Bradley interrupted.

                “She needs to be somewhere she feels she is at home at. I expect you can make that happen,” Alexandra was not deterred from what she needed to say. Bradley thought a moment, his steely eyes set on the old maid.

                “Somewhere she feels at home at?” Bradley whispered. Somewhere she feels safe? He thought, his vision rolling to the room next door. It was the room Morgan had originally picked and it was right next to him… Where could be safer?

                Morgan Dylan sat up straight, her eyes piercing the door that Bradley had walked through. She had been stunned by the words that he had said to her. How was someone like him able to read her so thoroughly? Why did he always show up when danger appeared right in front of her? She let out a shaky breath. But, even more importantly, why did she feel relieved whenever he came to save her?

                Morgan her head into her palms, disliking the fact that she was just now beginning to rely on someone. Could she really handle any more heartache? What if Bradley turned out to be some playboy? Someone who just used her? Could she hand the heart break if she really let herself fall for him? She wasn’t sure…

                On the other hand, what if his feelings were sincere? Perhaps, Morgan could wish for a better and happy life… but was now the time? When this decade-old killer was on the loose and now had their target set on her? What if Bradley got himself hurt or killed while trying to protect her? Then how could Morgan go on? Morgan sighed and squeezed her temples, fearing her head would burst if she thought any more.

                The door to the room opened, letting in a little stream of light for a brief moment before it was extinguished and the door clicked shut. Morgan kept her eyes on the floor, pressing her palms into her temple all the while her migraine worsened.

                “Morgan, honey? Is everything ok?” Alexandra’s soft, worrying voice floated through the dark as the bed sagged slightly. Morgan shook her head, letting out a little cry. Morgan was pulled into a tight embrace. “Don’t worry about a thing now deary. That bow is going to look after you,” Alexandra’s firm, protective tone was back in full force. “He is going to put you in the room right next door and not let anything happen to you,” Alexandra continued to talk. With the last bit of information, Morgan let her last bit of self-composure go, erupting into loud cries as tears swallowed her face. No amount of Alexandra’s talking calmed her. It was only after an hour of crying before Morgan calmed down into a hiccupping mess and drifted off to sleep.

                After leaving Morgan and Alexandra in his own room, he went to aid the destruction of Morgan’s. As he entered, the horrific sight of ripped open pillows, with their feathers hanging in the air almost majestically, captured his attention. Grunts from the other two men brought him back, allowing him to see through the cloud of feathers to the heaps of broken wood and overturned furniture that littered the floor.

                “Ryland? Jax?” Bradley called through the calamity that had befallen Morgan’s room. Two heads popped up from hidden recesses in the room.

                “Yeah boss?” Jax replied.

                “Find anything?”

                “Nothing yet. Not much left to look through. How’s Morgan?” Ryland answered.

                “She’ll be fine,” Bradley leaped over hurdles to reach the bathroom, the only area left untouched. His steel-gray eyes scanned the bathroom for anything out of place. The bareness of the room upset him. There were no personal items or anything that truly belonged to Morgan in this room. He should have been more understanding. Bradley wished he could have provided her with more while she had occupied this room. However, would she have accepted it? She had been so worried and involved with Noah…

                “We will finish up in her boss. Why don’t you go check on Morgan?” Jax offered. Bradley nodded, turning to them.

                “Pack me up some of Morgan’s clothing, will you?” Bradley received their nods before leaving the room. He took his time walking back to his own room and when he arrived, Alexandra was once again pacing outside his door, a nervous grimace on her face. “What’s wrong?” Bradley asked, startling her out of her pacing.

                “Morgan’s fallen asleep and I need to return to my duties,” Alexandra was quick to inform him.

                “Go. I’ll look after her,” Bradley made his way towards the smaller bedroom next to his.

                “She fell asleep on your bed, sir,” Alexandra’s words made him pause, his breath halting in his lungs. “I apologize. After you left, she had a fit. It must have exhausted her. I didn’t have the strength to move her and wasn’t sure what I should do,” Alexandra gibbered out. Bradley held up a hand.

                “It’s ok. I’ll take care of it. Go on,” Bradley waved the woman along and went into his room before Alexandra could say another word. The darkness once again disoriented him for a while. After his eyes adjusted to the dark, he stumbled over to his window to open the blinds. A sliver of moonlight washed into the room and alighted the way to his bed where Morgan slept peacefully.

                Bradley watched her for a few minutes from the window. Morgan’s back was turned to him but he still couldn’t find it within himself to go and remove her from his bed when she slept so peacefully. He slumped onto his lounge chair, keeping his eyes on her while letting his mind drift.

                He had hurt Morgan in high school. He had in fact become the thing that Morgan hated the most. Bradley had not even done anything for her while she was in his custody. It was no wonder Morgan was able to hate him so easily.

                The dark thoughts bitterly ran through his mind with no end in the foreseeable future. He stood, ran a hand through his hair, and approached the bed. Morgan’s face was twisted with a painful frown, making Bradley feel worse. Without a second thought he lifted Morgan out of his bedroom and into the next, upset with himself that he enjoyed the feel of holding Morgan so close to him.

                He carefully lowered Morgan to the bed and just as gently tried to remove his arms from underneath her, when one of her hands reached out. Her fingers grasped his shirt, refusing to let him go.

                “Don’t go,” Morgan’s groggy voice broke the silence. “Please don’t go, Bradley.”