Chapter Eleven

Jason was torn over what to do. He could let go or continue enjoying the feeling of having her in his arms. The lights had just gone out and Elizabeth clung to him like a lifeline. Her body was warm and soft against his angular one. His blood coursed through his vein at a hasty speed as he inhaled the scent of lavender and lilacs.

If he held on forever like his heart told him to, he was sure Elizabeth would have a few colorful words for him. If he let her go and stepped back-that thought sent an unfamiliar feeling spearing through his heart.

Adjusting his eyes to the darkness, Jason peered down at the brunette beauty in his arms. Her eyes were squeezed shut. Her cheek rested against his heart. Her heart shaped face was full of fear. Her naturally pink lips were pressed together tightly. Rubbing Elizabeth's back, Jason continued to gaze down at her. She buried her face in his chest at a soft cackle in the distance. He decided he would hold her as long as she let him and let go when the time came even if it took all of his will to do so.

Even when she left for good.

"What happened?"

Elizabeth's mumble against his chest brought Jason back from his thoughts. She was scared and leaning on him. That was the only thing that mattered at the moment. "I think the storm knocked the electricity out," he replied back softly. Tearing his gaze away from Elizabeth, Jason looked up at ceiling before his gaze flickered to the windows again. The storm had only worsened. The rain came down harder as the sky only grew darker. Sighing, Jason closed his eyes and only comforted Elizabeth with all that he could offer.

Thunder guffawed again and she clutched Jason.

"Elizabeth?" Jason asked.

She only clutched him closer. "Please don't let go."

Her voice was barely a whisper and it tore at his heart to hear her sound so small and afraid. "I won't," he murmured, his hold on her only tightening.

They remained in each other's arm for a while, both losing track of time before Jason heard Elizabeth's stomach grumbled. Neither one could hold back the laughter that slipped from their lips.

"I think we should get you some dinner," Jason chuckled.

"Says who?" Elizabeth mumbled. He could feel her lips pull into a smile against his chest.

His laughter echoed in the silence. "Says your stomach."

Jason attempted to break apart from her when he realized that her grip on him was still strong. "I won't let anything happen to you," he promised her. "Here," one arm fell away from her waist. "Hold my hand," he ordered her softly, twining their hands together.

Slowly Elizabeth broke away from him, her grasp on his hand firm. Looking back at her dipped head, Jason carefully moved away from the windows and reached for the drawer of a side table. Pulling it open, his hands instinctively reached for the flashlights he knew were stored there. Grabbing the two long, black high voltage flashlights, he closed the drawer and turned on his heels.

Their twined hands hung between them. Giving her hand a gentle squeeze, Jason flicked on one of the flashlights and the room filled with light. They both groaned from the bright light that glared in their eyes. They adjusted and Jason saw a soft smile grace Elizabeth's lips. His heart fluttered at the sight of her beautiful smile. The fear was still in her eyes, but not as dominant as before.

Handing her the lit flashlight, Jason turned the other on and reluctantly released her. He instantly missed the warmth of her hand. Looking away, he shined the light around the living room.

"We should go see what there is to eat," Jason suggested moving towards the kitchen.

He felt her follow him closely as he led the way to the kitchen. Her flashlight was trained on the dark corners.

Opening the supply closet, Jason began to rummage through it as ably as he could with one hand. He didn't have to look far for he found what he was looking for. A box labeled candles. Squatting down, he was surprised to open the box and find it full of ivory pillar candles. Looking at Elizabeth, a quizzical look on his face, Jason was about to speak when he noticed that she wore the same facial expression as him.

"What's wrong?"

She raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow at him. "Did you pack us a picnic basket?" She motioned towards the basket that sat on the white marble counter of kitchen island.

Jason frowned when she pulled out two wine glasses from the neatly packed basket. "Did you stock up on candles?" He gestured to the box full in front of him.

She shook her head no.

They both looked at each other before shrugging it off.

Standing his flashlight up towards ceiling, Jason lifted the box of candles onto the island next to the basket. Pulling out a candle, Jason began searching the drawers for a match. Elizabeth handed him a Bic utility lighter.

"There was one in the basket," before he could ask the question.

Pulling out two more candles, he suggested, "Why don't you go upstairs and wash up for dinner?" Offhandedly, he looked up at her and then down to only look back up. There was fear in her cobalt eyes as she peered at him in the dark. She was still scared of the dark. "Do you want me to come upstairs with you?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "No, it's alright." She walked around him to only stop when his hand shot out and caught her arm gently. Her surprised eyes connected with his softened ones.

"If you need me," he murmured letting go of her arm. "Just call my name," he tucked in the unruly bangs that never stayed in place. He flashed her smile before handing her the lit candle.

He watched her take in a deep breath and start for the staircase in the kitchen that upstairs. Her steps were timid and both her hands grasped the flashlight.

He frowned as he watched her disappear upstairs.

Something was very wrong.

Within a few moments, she was back downstairs. Jason watched her step off the staircase and freeze as her eyes ran over the living room

There were lighted ivory pillar candles on every available surface giving the room a soft warm glow. There was no use for the candle Elizabeth held in her hand. Placing it on the bottom step of the stairs, she stepped into the living room a look of awe on her face.

Silently, she followed him into the kitchen. Just like the living room the kitchen was covered in a blanket of candles. He watched her amazed doe shaped eyes roamed over the kitchen before connecting with his. He had set round table that was the breakfast table in the middle of the kitchen. It was set for two with the white lilies that Lil had placed in a vase that morning. Using the utility light, Jason finished lighting the last few candles on the table and looked up flashing her a grin.

"Ready for dinner?" he asked, pulling out a chair for her.

Dumbfounded, Elizabeth took it. Jason ran his eyes over her shocked face and was happy to see no fear lingering on her face. Pivoting, he reached for the wine bottle that had been unpacked from the picnic basket. After removing all the contents from the basket, Jason had been able to decipher who had left the basket for them-Sonny. It had his best friend's name all over it and after opening one of the Tupperware, Jason knew for sure. The food was Italian, which was the mob bosses specialty.

Popping the cork of the wine bottle, he easily filled the wine glasses that were set on the table with adequate amounts of the crimson liquid. Elizabeth smiled at him in thanks. Taking his seat across from her, he watched as she tasted her food and then began giggling.

"What's so funny?" he asked looking down at his plate again. Sonny had prepared them a traditional Veal Marsala dish. He had also packed them buttered with parsley cavetelli noodles. He didn't see the humor in the meal. "Is there something wrong with your food?"

"No," she answered, catching her breath. "Not at all."

He was confused. "Then what's so funny?" A feeling of humiliation seeped into Jason.

She laughed again. "Of how wrong I was."

His brows pulled into a deep v. "About what?"

"My assumptions about people involved with the mob," Elizabeth admitted with a sheepish smile.

Jason wasn't expecting the admission. Taken aback he couldn't stop himself from asking, "What were your assumptions?"

She laughed again and he couldn't help smile. "Well, I thought that everyone was a cold, unfeeling robot," she said, twirling her fork in her noodles. "But I was wrong." She looked up at him with honest eyes. "The mob boss cooks like a five star chief. The guards are like older brothers and the mob mole a constant alternation between sister and mother hen. And the enforcer," she smiled. "He's a wonderful father that loves his daughter more than anything in the world."

"So this enforcer," Jason played along. "Is he a nice guy?"

"Of course."

"Do you like anything in particular about him?" he asked before swallowing a spoon full of Veal.

"You'd have to give me a moment to think about that," the nanny replied, placing down her spoon and mockingly thinking thoughtfully. "There is the way he treats his daughter and his need to protect those that he loves."

A boyish grinned graced his face. "Does he have a nanny by any chance?"

"I believe he does," she said after a moment. Her face was as clueless as it could be, but her dancing blue eyes told him she was enjoying their playful banter. Her face was relaxed and her eyes full of joy.

And then it was all gone.

Thunder rolled through the sky, echoing against the thick walls of the villa to only intensify its roar. Her face drained of color. The ease shattered and pure terror appeared in its place. She grimaced at the deafening roar of thunder that only continued to cackle and boom.

Jason watched with concern as the storm reached its climax, the drumming harsher on the foundation of the villa.

Slowly the uproar of the thunder faded away, leaving only the rain behind to continue its onslaught on the surface of the earth. Her strangling grip on the neck of her wine glass loosened as her body stiffened in discomfort. Cracking her eyelids open, Elizabeth's eyes connected with his. She searched his eyes for a moment and then looked away.

She flashed him a a fake smile, before taking a sip of her wine. Setting the delicate glass down beside her plate, she shifted her concentration to the food in front of her. Nibbling on a spoon of noodles, she avoided his gaze, but he kept his eyes trained on her.

"This is really great," she said as energetically as she could.

He saw right through her.

"Elizabeth."

"The seasoning is just perfect. A little of everything," she avoided his eyes. "The wine just compliments the meal." She stuffed her face with spoons full of her meal. "I can never get tired of Sonny's cooking," Elizabeth went on between bites.

She froze the moment he his hand wrapped around hers over the stem of her wine glass. Her eyes instantly fell to their hands.

"Elizabeth," his voice urged her to look up, but her eyes remained on their hands. "Why do you hate storms?" His tone was soft and encouraging.

Her eyes flashed away from their hands.

"Does it remind you of your family?"

She scoffed at the question. A sad smile on her lips.

He pulled away.

"My family may have caused me enough pain in the past, but…" she trailed off.

Staring at the top of her head, Jason began to feel as though he was intruding in her thoughts. He didn't mean to push, but he hated seeing any hint of sadness on her face. She was delicate enough and the more he came to know her, the more he wanted to protect her. He could tell he had been hurt in the past, but if she wasn't ready to tell him, he would step back and wait if she needed to confide in someone.

"Storms have always scared me."

Her soft admission snapped Jason back to reality. Her head was dipped down, her free hair falling over to curtain her face from him.

"It's gotten worse over the years," she went on. "The memories just come flooding back when there's a storm. It's one of the weird things about me." Her bottom lip trembled. "Storms just remind me of the past. Someone from the past that didn't treat me that well."

His fist clenched in his lap.

"It was after my grandmother had her heart attack," she explained. "I shed all my need for attention and became the perfect daughter and a perfect daughter has the perfect life including a wonderful boyfriend." She took in a deep breath. "I meet him my freshmen year at PCU. He was a perfect gentleman."

He could hear the regret in her voice.

"Interested in my life and friends, innocent flirting, casual conversations," she sighed. "Everything that a girl expects before the first date, but that didn't last very long." A tear slipped down her pale skin. "Things began to change. I became last on his list. Brushed me off when he was with friends. Ignored my messages. Avoided introducing me to family and even the topic of marriage."

His jaw tightened.

"I was his girlfriend in name," she murmured. "If he needed me then I was to be the picture perfect girlfriend." She paused to swallow. "And I went along with it. I thought something was wrong with me and I tried to only change myself to make him happy."

There was self-loathing in her voice.

"Until," she sighed. "I thought I was pregnant. I was so happy. I thought of names and if it would be a girl or boy."

His body eased at the joy in her voice.

"I was a junior then, but I thought that everything would work out." She shook her head. "I thought that I would finally have a family that loved me." She looked up at the ceiling, tears streamed down her face. "I dreamt of waking up in the morning to kiss my baby and spending time with her father."

He wanted to hold her in his arms and comfort her, but he only fisted his hands and waited for her to finish.

"Lucky," her voice broke. "He didn't care." She took in a tortured breath. "I told him and he said that he didn't want a child. And when I found out that I wasn't expecting, he was relieved." Her eyes fluttered close. "It was my wakeup call of who I was willing to give my future up for. I walked away, but it's made me doubt people and never completely trust right away. It's made living through storms difficult."

She opened her eyes, but looked down, continuing to avoid his gaze. A storm of anger brewed in his chest that could match the one outside as his mind thought of various ways to torture Lucky Spencer. He had watched the kid grow up and out of respect for Luke had never spoken out against the young Spencer, but at the moment he was tempted to send the kid swimming with the fishes for hurting Elizabeth.

His chair scraped against the kitchen floor and her head snapped up to look at him. He stood for a moment, thinking, and then moved towards her. Reaching her side, he waited patiently behind her before she stood up as well, a confused frown on her face. Taking her hand, he led her away from the table of two and to the living room towards the floor length windows. She began to panic and tugged trying to free her hand, but his grip was too strong.

He stopped as she continued to struggle against his hold. Looking over his shoulder in concern, he frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Jason please," her eyes were full of fear again. "I don't want to be near the thunder again."

The rumbling of small bolts of thunder could be heard.

"I can't."

Sighing, he turned completely and cupped her face, forcing her to look directly into his eyes. "Do you trust me?"

She nodded her head limply. "Yes."

"Then trust me on this," he murmured, planting a soft kiss on her temple.

They could hear the raindrops against the house, the harsh flickering of branches against the windows upstairs, and the soft, but threatening roar of thunder. Bracing She grasped his hand tighter and followed. Reaching the window, she squeezed her eyes shut. Gently, he gripped shoulders and positioned her in front of the windows. Cool air rolled off of the windows.

Instead of stepping away and struggling not to touch her, Jason stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her midsection. Instantly, her hands gripped at his forearms and she leaned against his chest. Inhaling her scent, he moved his lips near her ear. "Open your eyes," he urged her. He could feel the fear coursing through her again.

Jason watched her reflection in the window as she slowly opened her eyes. Her hands gripped his forearms tighter as she watched the waves thrash and the palm trees of the island fight against the winds.

"I know you're scared," he whispered into her ear. His breathe fanning against her neck. "And that it reminds you of your relationship with Lucky, but if you look closely at your reflection in the window against the storm you will see how strong you are."

Jason felt the change sweep through her as she continued to watch the storm run its course. The tension seeped away from her shoulders and she leaned back against him. She looked up at him and smiled. He returned her smile with one of his crooked ones.

Tentatively, she reached out to the window and began tracing the scenery before her. Her fingers ran over the collage of grays and whites in the sky against the darkened night sky. With her pointer finger, she followed the blurring motion of the rain as it fell.

"It hurts," he murmured into her hair now. "I know, I've been there, but Lucky is no longer in your life. You were the one that had the strength to walk away and to move on. All you have to do now is enjoy life and allow yourself to let go of the past and be happy." His hold on her tightened.

She sighed.

The candles flickered around them, as the silence grew comfortable and their bodies relaxed against each other. The soft grumble of the storm adding to the moment as it provided a gentle brush against the windows.

He pressed a kiss against her temple again. "Let go," he urged softly against her skin.

And she let go.