No One Hears You

Chapter 1

        A swivel of leaves carried in the wind distracts Ava from the troubling thoughts concerning her brother. She breathes in the cool night air as the breeze soothes her senses, offering momentary stillness. Insufferable pain weighs heavily on her heart yet is nothing compared to the harsh reality she must face once she returns home.

        "I thought I told you not to come," She speaks toward the river ahead.

        "I knew you would say that and expect me to come anyway," a voice behind her defends.

        She presses her lips together and suppresses the flutter of emotions that swell through her body in response to his sitting on the bench. Once again, her desires are ignored, but she is relieved. It's as if Dev can read between the lines.

        "You need any help carrying that baggage?" He asks lightheartedly while shifting his hands in his pockets.

        It would be funny if she had nothing to worry about. The thought of her father's reaction to her negligence and naivety sends shudders rippling through her spine. Things will never be the same, and she has no way of knowing if she is safe to come home.

        Assuming she is cold and afraid, Devon slides toward Ava and pulls her into a secure embrace. She draws in his scent and releases the flood of tears that begged to stream. His warmth surrounds her in a gentle cloud of comfort that only he can produce.

        Knowing this moment will not last forever, Ava drifts into the sweet illusion that no one else exists but Dev. He will be her knight in shining armor, the source of her peace for many moons to come. There is safety in his presence that is impenetrable to even the mightiest warrior. He will save her from all events past, present and future that dare taint the blissful joy he has instilled and protected in her life.

        He tilts her chin upward and gazes at the pool of tears that drench her lashes. He wishes he could shoo away the woes of her life and protect her from the fate that awaits on her doorstep. He knows it's not her fault.

        "Dev," she whispers as her cheeks flood with blush, an electric air singing between them. She holds her breath in anticipation, desperately yearning for his lips to envelop hers in unrelenting passion. His heart absorbs her desire and leads him to draw closer, searching for any sign that she wants him to stop.

        "I see you lovers have no sense of urgency in saving her brother," a rugged voice calls out from the thicket.

        Ava's head swivels out of Devon's hand with barely enough time to recognize the figure holding the gun.

        "Ava, move!" Devon shouts while pushing her to the ground, the deafening roar of the bullet echoing through his mind for what seems like a lifetime.