you."
"What did he find out?" I knew I was prying but she wouldn't have brought it up if she didn't want to talk about it.
"That I have a child."
I stared at her, stunned.
"She lives with her father in
Atlanta
. The court said I wasn't fit to raise a child and gave him full custody."
"Are you on your way to see her?"
Julie nodded and stared into the sand. I could tell she was speaking but I couldn't see her lips.
"Julie, I can't…"
"Sorry," she smiled and looked up at me. "It's just a little shameful, not being able to raise your own daughter."
"But you're going to see her; you can make a new start. I think you will be a great mother."
"That's what I'm hoping for. I needed one last adventure before putting my wild days behind me." She grinned and I knew she was referencing the careless nights we had spent at the bar outside of
Greenville
, seeing how many men would buy us drinks.
"I'm determined to have her in my life,
Raleigh
. She's my baby girl." Julie deserved a happy life.
"We better get going. It's getting dark and the wind is starting to pick up. We don't want to be stuck here if a storm comes."
Soft kisses on my back woke me up. Dull sunlight streamed through the window.
"It's early," I yawned, reaching behind me for his hand so I could pull him close and lull him back to sleep. It was frightening how easily I had allowed myself to fall into this state of mind, this state of being. It was so comfortable being with Kaden that I had almost forgotten why I was here and what he was doing to me.
He slowly pulled me onto my back and rested his torso above mine. His green eyes, although tired, still looked incredibly handsome. He didn't speak to me at first, but ran his fingers through my tangled hair and kissed my forehead.
"I want to get started early," he said, staring into my sleepy eyes.
If he hadn't kept me up last night, I would have been eager to start the day. But, as it was, I could imagine nothing better than falling back to sleep while wrapped in his arms.
"Please?" He must have seen my resistance to the idea of leaving the bed. "I'm not sure when they'll be back."
My heart sank. I swung my legs from the mattress, pulling the sheet around my body and away from the bed. The sheet tightened. Kaden held one end. He leaned across the bed and stared up at me.
"If I could keep things the way they are, I would. You know that, right?"
"I know that," I said, giving the sheet a tug and walking to the door. I knew that Kaden would be happy to keep me for an indefinite amount of time, wrapped up in his sheets, away from the rest of the world. But Ray and Marshall would be back soon and I knew Kaden would not touch me in front of them. He wouldn't look at me the way he was now, he wouldn't talk to me with the same kindness he had shown me for the past twenty four hours.
I walked to the bathroom and brushed my teeth, washed my face, and glanced at my reflection. My skin was a light shade of pink, my eyes were no longer dead behind my lashes. I had to smile, because even though it was temporary, these limited hours with Kaden had brought me back to life. The bite marks on my neck were beginning to fade, and, although they were clearly a mark of dominance, I was slightly sad to see them go.
I didn't know how long Ray and Marshal would stay. Maybe tomorrow they would go to work and leave us again. But maybe Ray had discovered some sense on the drive to Virginia. Maybe he was one his way back to kill me.
Kaden was waiting for me by the door. He took my hand and led me outside.
It wasn't as warm as it had been yesterday, but the sun was still a welcome site. Kaden hurried us along the dirt path. When we reached the lake he untied the small boat. I waited patiently, slightly uneasy about the thought of being in such a small space with Kaden, unable to hide or run. I wanted to trust him, I really did. But, even though I had strong feelings for him, it didn't mean I trusted him.
He helped me into the tiny
"What did he find out?" I knew I was prying but she wouldn't have brought it up if she didn't want to talk about it.
"That I have a child."
I stared at her, stunned.
"She lives with her father in
Atlanta
. The court said I wasn't fit to raise a child and gave him full custody."
"Are you on your way to see her?"
Julie nodded and stared into the sand. I could tell she was speaking but I couldn't see her lips.
"Julie, I can't…"
"Sorry," she smiled and looked up at me. "It's just a little shameful, not being able to raise your own daughter."
"But you're going to see her; you can make a new start. I think you will be a great mother."
"That's what I'm hoping for. I needed one last adventure before putting my wild days behind me." She grinned and I knew she was referencing the careless nights we had spent at the bar outside of
Greenville
, seeing how many men would buy us drinks.
"I'm determined to have her in my life,
Raleigh
. She's my baby girl." Julie deserved a happy life.
"We better get going. It's getting dark and the wind is starting to pick up. We don't want to be stuck here if a storm comes."
Soft kisses on my back woke me up. Dull sunlight streamed through the window.
"It's early," I yawned, reaching behind me for his hand so I could pull him close and lull him back to sleep. It was frightening how easily I had allowed myself to fall into this state of mind, this state of being. It was so comfortable being with Kaden that I had almost forgotten why I was here and what he was doing to me.
He slowly pulled me onto my back and rested his torso above mine. His green eyes, although tired, still looked incredibly handsome. He didn't speak to me at first, but ran his fingers through my tangled hair and kissed my forehead.
"I want to get started early," he said, staring into my sleepy eyes.
If he hadn't kept me up last night, I would have been eager to start the day. But, as it was, I could imagine nothing better than falling back to sleep while wrapped in his arms.
"Please?" He must have seen my resistance to the idea of leaving the bed. "I'm not sure when they'll be back."
My heart sank. I swung my legs from the mattress, pulling the sheet around my body and away from the bed. The sheet tightened. Kaden held one end. He leaned across the bed and stared up at me.
"If I could keep things the way they are, I would. You know that, right?"
"I know that," I said, giving the sheet a tug and walking to the door. I knew that Kaden would be happy to keep me for an indefinite amount of time, wrapped up in his sheets, away from the rest of the world. But Ray and Marshall would be back soon and I knew Kaden would not touch me in front of them. He wouldn't look at me the way he was now, he wouldn't talk to me with the same kindness he had shown me for the past twenty four hours.
I walked to the bathroom and brushed my teeth, washed my face, and glanced at my reflection. My skin was a light shade of pink, my eyes were no longer dead behind my lashes. I had to smile, because even though it was temporary, these limited hours with Kaden had brought me back to life. The bite marks on my neck were beginning to fade, and, although they were clearly a mark of dominance, I was slightly sad to see them go.
I didn't know how long Ray and Marshal would stay. Maybe tomorrow they would go to work and leave us again. But maybe Ray had discovered some sense on the drive to Virginia. Maybe he was one his way back to kill me.
Kaden was waiting for me by the door. He took my hand and led me outside.
It wasn't as warm as it had been yesterday, but the sun was still a welcome site. Kaden hurried us along the dirt path. When we reached the lake he untied the small boat. I waited patiently, slightly uneasy about the thought of being in such a small space with Kaden, unable to hide or run. I wanted to trust him, I really did. But, even though I had strong feelings for him, it didn't mean I trusted him.
He helped me into the tiny
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