Let The Rain Fall Down

Gold and Grey

“I don't care what you say any more - it's time they knew I was alive, knew they made me mad with their crazy antics. I want my life back Lucas... I want to remember what it was to be your wife, their mother and GOD DAMN IT, I'm getting my life back!”

I love Chloe, God I really do but Christ the woman could push me to the brink of despair and anger, what was it my Mother said ‘Don’t poke the bear’... well Chloe had nearly pushed him over the god damn bridge.

“Will you just listen to reason for once Chlo’ – look what they did to you because you’re my wife, because I dared to love someone and want a life with them. Please don’t do this, let Dimitri do his job, he’s getting intelligence, the League have accepted his story though how I don’t know – he hardly looks like a man who got his hands on five million GBP, I love the guy you know I do but he hardly looks like a silver spoon ever went near his mouth, never be born with one in it!

They will kill you Chloe can’t you see? I can’t go through that pain again knowing that it’s real this time – I thought someone had torn out my heart when I got told you were dead. If it hadn’t been for our children, our precious little ones I would have ended it all there and then.”

The look she gave me could have killed me if I hadn’t known her better, there was no way she would do anything more than scream in frustration then storm across Tower Bridge and to the restaurant at the end for her coffee. There was no way she’d do anything that would cause more attention to be drawn to us.

I certainly didn’t expect the slap that knocked my face to the right and my ear to ring from the power she put behind it.

“You think I don’t know what they’ll do to me – it was ME not you that was in that car it was me who got dragged out bleeding and unable to speak from all the pain I was in! I did it because I loved you, because I had to risk my life to protect you Lucas, you were and are the only man I will ever love.”

“So don’t do this. It’s suicide and you know it gorgeous...” my arms were pulling her close to me. I needed to feel the warmth of her body, know that she was indeed alive.

“I have to do this. Dimitri is doing well but it’s not enough – I want to scare them, make them see that despite all their power, wealth and nonsensical titles they couldn’t kill me. I’m alive, I’m healed physically at least and more than anything I am pissed.

Lucas, let me do this, I know what I’m doing.”

I froze, all thoughts of what she wanted to do gone... we were in trouble anyway. I knew that blonde man watching us with interest.

"Hit me again Chloe" I whispered. "Make it look real..."

She didn't question me, she just slapped me hard – harder than before I couldn't help but notice.

“You say you love me, you even let me hold you but then you tell me that love isn't enough Chloe? You left me and I took you back – risked the children for you. How could you do this to me, to us!”

The heartbreak in my voice was real, the pain in my heart was there – not at the words I was saying but at the fact that this would cause her pain and I couldn't stand that. I was trying to protect her, to keep her alive by any means possible. I staggered back from her to give her the chance to run. Chloe being Chloe didn't.

North by name and nature it seemed.

“Lucas, I love you but I'm not in love you any more. I tried I really did but I'm not happy.” I felt bile rise into my throat at her words, they were lies but they cut me to the core. Those were the words every few months I'd expected to hear from her since we'd first met. Now I was hearing them to try and protect one another, somehow.

She tore off her wedding ring, and I watched in amazement as it went into the Thames, sinking to the bottom no doubt. Her face was filled with anger and pain as she turned to look at me. I knew whatever she was going to say would hurt more than anything else she'd ever said this afternoon.

“I don't want you Lucas North. Forget me, I'll find somewhere new and take the children, you can go back to your life before me – the one that made you happy. I'm sorry that having a family has made you so miserable.”

“Chloe please... God please don't do this to me – I'd die for you, risk my life, my freedom for you. You can't mean what you're saying, after everything we've been through? You're prepared toss it all way like it was nothing!

Chloe... please.... please baby girl PLEASE!!”

She walked away, her head held high but her body resonating with fear. I stood collapsed over the side of the bridge in mock despair but in reality watching the blonde man watching me – he'd ignored Chloe completely as she'd walked past. I didn't like it but there was nothing I could do till I was in the crowds of tourists and city workers, moving slowly back towards the crowds and away from my wife I prayed I was being followed by the man, perhaps I could lead him down one of the back alleys and dispose of him. Time would tell.

I blended well into the crowd, and placed a call through to Ruth telling her about the man who was following me, turning into a quiet side street, I made to hide inside a bar only to find myself being pulled back into the side alley. His arm was around my neck restricting my breathing – I fought as hard as I could to get away, my elbows connecting with his chest and yet he held strong. I couldn't breathe, my breath becoming shallower and shallower.

Darkness filled my vision and the sound of a voice was heard albeit not very clearly told me my worst fear.

'You and your wife played a foolish game – she's floating in the Thames and your children are in a house waiting for you, but you Lucas North, won't make it back there.

You were warned – you didn't listen.”