Chasing Innocence | ✓

Epilogue

One week later

The sun shone like any other day. Its rays cast light down on the numerous people gathered before the open grave.

With her hair fanned across her shoulders, a single strand covered the tears spilling from Rhea's eyes.

When it was her time to leave Earth, Rhea knew she didn't want to be placed in some hole in the ground. Unease rippled at her skin at the thought of Brax laying beneath her feet in the very casket she was watching as it lowered.

She searched her surroundings like she had for the past week, waiting for all of this to be a big joke. Waiting for Brax to walk through the door to her apartment, ready to explain to her that he was okay.

But none of this was a joke. Marco has informed her that Charlie Bryor was on the run for his murder. She'd blocked out the rest of the conversation, holding her breath for too long in shock and passing out.

Her eyes lingered on a tree when she saw movement and her heart flipped. She blinked, but no one appeared.

Brax wasn't coming back to her.

A violent sob rippled from her throat but it caught as Xavier wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Placing her against his side, he held her tight in place.

"You're gonna be okay, detective," he whispered.

Rhea still couldn't understand how the family were all dealing with this so well. She wished she understood how to handle this. Maybe then she wouldn't feel her life slipping away.

She couldn't respond to him, so she stared at the headstone again wondering why any of this had happened.

Movement rustled in the trees again, but Rhea was too focused to notice him standing there. His hands were shoved into the pockets of his jeans as he watched the spectacle play out before him.

It would almost be laughable if it wasn't for the deadly punch to the stomach he felt watching the girl he loved cry softly.

His eyes lingered on Rhea a moment longer than anyone else. He took her in, bundled beneath the arm of Xavier. How she clasped Sofía's hand tightly, as though she wasn't sure she'd be able to stand on her own.

He cleared his throat, feeling the overwhelming pain that still felt fresh to him. He'd never cared so much for someone in his entire life before her. He never thought he would.

But he was doing the right thing.

He took in her appearance once more, knowing it would be the last time he ever would get the chance. He was still in denial, but the withdrawals of not having her close by anymore would soon consume him day and night.

He glanced around at his family, standing together through everything. They'd be safe now. They'd make sure Rhea was too. He'd made them promise.

He'd find Charlie and put an end to this forever. He just couldn't let him see him coming.

As he turned his back and ducked behind the trees, she looked up through her tearful eyes, missing the man walking away from the cemetery.

She turned her gaze back towards the headstone, feeling the fraying edges of her heart as it gave in for the last time.

The world couldn't be much crueler, she thought.

A sudden blinding pain shot through her endlessly broken heart as her mind whirled with an overload of thoughts.

She wouldn't continue on like this. Caring had only caused her loss.

Taking a deep breath, she let go of Sofía's hand and stepped away from Xavier's hold. She took a final look at the headstone standing before her, and the people milling around solemnly and she felt the tears begin to still.

She felt a darkness begin to coat her heart; a volatile feeling that made her stomach tighten as she closed her eyes briefly.

When she opened them once again, the sun was still shining. The day was still beginning. But she had already changed.

SEQUEL COMING 2022!

Author's note to follow.