I've always loved rainstorms. I love the coolness of water droplets on my skin, I love how the soft pitter-patter sound drowns out the busy noises of New York, and I love the color of the sky just as the storm rolls in.

Maybe that's why I fell so hard and so fast for the man in front of me.

His grey eyes matched the clouds just before a storm. If only I'd known this storm would rip my heart from my chest, I'd have prepared myself better; because our relationship had been like a storm. It was inevitable, with no way to stop it, but in the end it left so much destruction.

A cold hand on my bare arm suddenly jolts me to reality.

"You good?" Lana's eyes search my face and then she grins. "Told you."

Her eyes move past me, and I turn to follow them. Xander has pushed himself of the black SUV and is watching me with a cold, unimpressed gaze.

He hasn't changed much other than somehow seeming inches taller and much broader than four years ago. His hair is shorter, neatly trimmed so it doesn't brush his ears or neck. But his eyes are very much the same.

"The longer we sit here the less safe it is." His tone is bored and his cold eyes narrow as they notice my stare.

The minuscule amount of hope I was clinging to vanishes.

He still hates me.

He introduced himself as Alexander. He doesn't even want his peers to know that we know each other.

"Her bag is in the trunk, Xander." Jonathan tells his nephew, looking at him from the rearview mirror.

With one more blank look thrown my way, he moves away from my door and to the back.

"Now what happens?" My voice trembles, as Xander brings my suitcase around the side of the car.

"We'll be staying in a cabin about forty-five minutes from here." Xander answers, leaning against the luggage.

Nodding, I take a deep breath, and make my way out of the car.

"Xander." Jonathan calls for his nephew before I can close the door. An unspoken conversation passed between them and Xander suddenly stiffens even more before slamming the car closed and looking at me. "Your phone stays, you'll be able to contact your family from the landline."

"But my Fath-"

"Your father is well aware of the situation, Miss. Rush." Xander interrupts me before pulling my suitcase toward the SUV, he was originally leaning against. "You can give the phone to Lana." He motions to the squad car with an open window.

The pretty officer notices my frown and gives me a kind smile. "You're safe now, don't worry." And then the car pulls away, leaving Xander and I alone in the parking lot.

Minutes later, we're wordlessly driving out of the parking lot.

The almost silent hum of the engine is the only thing I hear, other than the erratic beating of my heart.

In just a few moments of being in the car, I realize two things.

The first is that he still wears that one Sandalwood cologne I bought him for our first Christmas together.

And the second is that my heart is nowhere near as healed as I thought it was.

"So-" I go to break the tense silence but stop when a folder is set in front of me. Xander's eyes never leave the road as he speaks.

"That's everything we have on the situation."

I first thing I see upon opening the file are photos. Photos of me in class and at work, photos of me out with friends, and most terrifying of all- me asleep in my apartment.

Whoever took these was in my apartment, they were right next to me while I slept, able to take photos with my freckles clear enough to count and close enough to tell that my shoulders are completely bare.

"Who has seen these?" I whisper, icy fear filling my veins while embarrassment heats my cheeks.

"Your father, the chief of NYPD, and Detective Alivariz- who is leading the investigation."

"And you." I mutter, moving past the photos and to the notes.

You know what we want.

Your little girls seems a little too comfortable.

Tick-Tock, Governor Rush.

"And me." Xander confirms, with a stiff nod.

Then we're plunged back into silence.

The silence is dreadful and the longer it goes, the worse it gets.

Suddenly we pull down an empty dirt road and I watch as dust kicks up behind the car. My eyelids start to become heavy and moments later, memories I haven't had in years start to flood my mind.

"Xander!" I yell, chasing my boyfriend through a parking lot. There's punch soaking through my dress and my heels are making it hard to run."Xander!" I scream again but he doesn't stop. Full of panicky frustration, I yank off the red heels I was tripping in, throwing one and nailing Xander in the back. He freezes and I straighten my back, clenching my fists at my side as he turns to me. "Listen to me." I huff as I go to move toward him, stopping when a look of pure hatred is sent my way.

"You're a vicious bitch!" He spits at me, his face is so red with anger that it almost matches his tie.

It starts to become difficult to breathe as I realize that he truly believes it was me.

"Maybe your Uncle or Isai-"

"Do not ever mention my family again." He spits, yanking off the rose boutonnière I pinned on just hours ago and tossing it to the ground, loosening his tie next. "Do not speak to me again." And then he's yanking open the door to his truck and getting in.

It takes me only a split-second to be in front of the truck as it roars to life.

"Audrey," Xander's grows, getting out, anger surrounding him. "Get the fuck out of the way, we're done. Do you hear me? Done."

"No." I shake my head, tears starting to form in my eyes. "No, we're fine because I didn't tell anyone."

"Stop lying!" He yells and my body tenses as he lifts his hand.

Then he freezes with wide eyes and I use his shocked trance to my benefit and grip his face between my hands.

"I was going to hit you." He whispers in disbelief while tears fill both our eyes.

"No you weren't, baby." I try to get him to look at me. "You weren't, it's okay." His gray eyes are suddenly lifeless while his face is ashen. "What happened in there wasn't me." I tell him, wanting to scream when his trance breaks, causing him to pull back. "It wasn't me."

"Just stay away from me." He whispers walking back to the truck.

"But it wasn't me!" I start to sob, tugging at my curls. "Xander, I love you, I promise it wasn't me! I don't do it!"

"What?" Xander suddenly asks as the car comes to a stop. "You said 'I didn't do it'." He further explains, noting my confusion.

"I was having a dream." I lie, turning my gaze to the cabin in front of us. "Just a bad dream."

***
Guys, go read Scarred Crown by RElizabethM ! Holy cow... I binged.