Forbidden by Cheryl Douglas

that.” Indie propped her elbows on the table as she covered her ears. “She’s going to make it. She has to.”
    “I want to believe that too, but we have to consider the possibility she may not.”
    “No!” She shook her head furiously. “I won’t think that way, and you shouldn’t either. She needs us to remain positive. We have to believe this will work out, that she’ll be fine.”
    “I hope you’re right.” Penny sighed. “Her son needs her.”
    Indie’s jaw dropped. “Amy has a son? Why didn’t you tell me?”
    “Every time I tried to talk to you about your family, you shut me down.”
    Indie couldn’t argue. Her cousin was right. “How old is he?”
    “Six months.” Penny took a sip of water. “Apparently Amy left the dirtbag shortly after Cameron was born. That’s when she realized he wasn’t going to change. Things were going from bad to worse because the baby was taking so much of her time and attention.”
    “She told you this?” Indie tried to ignore the stab of pain that came from knowing her cousin had stayed in touch with the people who’d betrayed her. She knew they were Penny’s family too, but that didn’t make it hurt any less.
    “Yes.” Penny lowered her head. “I hope you don’t think I was being disloyal to you by keeping in touch with your mama and sister. I love all of you. I kept hoping you’d find your way back to each other. I thought if I kept the lines of communication open that might happen.”
    “You haven’t told them I’m here, have you?”
    “No, of course not,” she said, looking offended. “You can trust me. I thought you knew that.”
    “I do.”
    “Please don’t be angry with me. I was only doing what I thought was best for you.”
    Indie knew her cousin’s heart was in the right place, even if she didn’t agree with her tactics. “I’m not angry with you.”
    Penny gave Indie a little smile. “I’m going to visit Amy this weekend. Come with me. You could meet your nephew.”
    “What? No, I can’t do that.” Indie shook her head. “I can’t believe you’d even suggest it.”
    “I know how you feel, I do, but imagine how you would feel if you never got to see her again.”
    Indie closed her eyes as an image of Amy holding a pillow high above her head flashed through her mind. They’d shared a bedroom until they were ten and twelve, and pillow fights were common. “Please don’t. You know I can’t go there.”
    “He’s in jail. He can’t hurt you again.”
    “I’m not afraid of him.” Indie looked her cousin in the eye and squared her shoulders. “I’m not the same scared little girl he took advantage of.”
    “No, you’re not.” Penny grabbed Indie’s wrist, clasping it when she tried to withdraw. “He’s taken so much from you. When is it going to end?”
    “He stole my virginity,” she whispered, glancing at the people dining next to them. “That’s all he took from me.”
    “No, it’s not,” Penny said. “He robbed you of the ability to have a normal relationship, to believe there really are good guys out there who won’t hurt you.”
    “That’s not true,” Indie said. A little voice in her head screamed at her to stop living in denial. “I just haven’t met anyone I’m interested in.” Lee’s face popped into her head. She wasn’t interested in him in that way. He was all wrong for her.
    “How do you expect to meet anyone when you reject any guy with the courage to try to scale the huge wall you’ve built around you?”
    Indie wanted to defend herself, but she couldn’t. “Maybe in time—”
    “How much more time do you need, Indie? It’s been years.”
    “You don’t understand.” Indie swallowed convulsively. “You were lucky enough to get away before he—”
    “I know, honey,” Penny said, rubbing her cousin’s forearm. “I know the hell he put you through. I know better than anyone what he cost you.”
    Indie was glad her cousin couldn’t really understand the depth of her