RENEE The silk fabric covering my eyes was tight and uncomfortable, but the anticipation of where Robert was taking me made the discomfort bearable. The sensation kept me going, and my heart pounded as I followed him with a barely restrained thrill. He kept my body pressed against his, his arms possessively clutching my waist. Now and then, my lips would touch the back of his neck in a fleeting kiss — one that would have been more intimate if not for our current circumstances. Nevertheless, the aroma of piney forests and lush grasses confirmed my guess - we were on the cabin grounds.We'd left the art exhibit moments before, and in the limo, Robert pulled out a blindfold from his pocket and urged me to close my eyes. My brows furrowed in astonishment, and I'd wanted to object, but he didn't give me the chance. Instead, smiling, he’d kissed me sweetly on the forehead and said, “This is part of something special I've prepared for you tonight, baby girl. So obey me.” He finished. Bef
ROBERT "I'm glad you had a good time, Renee. It has been a joy to host you.""Thank you so much for everything. This was incredible." Renee responded in kind I watched her eyes flit over my shoulder when she finished her last sentence.Her shoulders stooped slightly, indicating she wasn't only talking about Mrs. Herbert's hospitality. She meant more with her comments, which were directed at me. I knew it, and as my gaze remained fixed on her and the frail older woman sweetly holding her, I c ouldn't stop the smile from dancing about my lips. Of course, she'd had a fantastic time here thanks to me, and my grin deepened just thinking about it. It hadn't been difficult persuading the staff to make this cabin extra special for our first romantic holiday, and Mrs. Herbert had been the ideal company for Renee whenever I was away. The previous several days had been nothing short of a frenzy of activity and absolute heaven with the love of my life. If I could turn back time, I would. I wi
RENEE As I repeatedly vomited into the toilet, I battled to keep my breathing under control.This morning, I woke with a pounding headache and a parched tongue. My throat was like sandpaper, and my skin was clammy. I'd taken a long hot shower, eaten breakfast, and was about to start getting dressed when I realized I was feeling worse than ever. I felt lightheaded, and a wave of nausea came over me like an unexpected storm. From then on, everything went downhill. I'd run to the bathroom in nothing but a towel, throwing up everything I'd eaten. I retched uncontrollably till my stomach ached. My nostrils were filled with the icy stink of my vomit, my eyes burned with unshed tears, and my vision swirled erratically.The cold tiles of the bathroom floor dug into my bare knees, leaving behind icy, pinprick sensations that did nothing to relieve my suffering. This was horrible, and I was on the verge of passing out. But my sheer willpower kept me upright—that and Nicole's presence beside m
RENEE THERE WAS NOTHING BUT DARKNESS. A thick black veil engulfed me, and I couldn't see a thing. I couldn't move, and my limbs stiffened. Then SILENCE. It was smothering and left me feeling empty and hollow. Like a dead person. Like nothing. And all I wanted to do was scream for rescue. I wanted to scream, wail, and tear my throat out. But I couldn't. I could only stay motionless and silent. DARKNESS AGAIN. It threatened to suck me in. To suffocate and consume me. I wished it would all end. The terror. The agony.Then, all of a sudden, it did stop—and in its place, a weird sound echoed in my ears, making itself heard.It sounded like a gentle hum at first, but then I realized it was the steady tick of a nearby clock. But I was mistaken. It wasn't a clock that was ticking. The sound was a muted buzzing—constant beeping machines accompanied by various whirring noises and people conversing. It sounded far away. As I sought to figure out what they were saying, I burst through the dar
RENEE It took me thirty seconds to understand what Nicole said. Thirty seconds, during which the entire world slowed down. Every heartbeat pounding hard against my chest increasingly solidified as a single word echoed over and over in my head. Pregnant. I was carrying a child inside me. Robert’s child. Our child.My goodness! In nine months, I’d be a mother. For nine fucking months, I'd carry a living, breathing human inside of me! As I took it all in, a moment of clarity hit. This explained the weight gain Sally noticed, my persistent nausea, and the morning sickness. The feeling in the pit of my stomach that came when I overate or drank alcohol. This explained it all. Everything was starting to make sense. I also remembered a conversation with Robert the day before about having mini-us’s someday. It’d seemed like an idyllic fantasy at the time, but now the reality was so much crueler."Oh, my God." My voice cracked as tears streamed down my cheeks, mixed with the sweat and drie
ROBERT Cigarette smoke wafted down the corridor and into the cell where I'd been confined. My cuffed hands reflexively went to my nose, attempting to block out the stench but to no avail. My lungs were burning, and a gag formed in my throat.One day. It’d only been one goddamned day since everything had gone to shit. I'd gotten arrested and locked in a place I’d sworn never to step feet in again—a place filled with the memories of some of my worst nightmares. Oh, but I was on the verge of insanity. I was going crazy. Even though my cell was luxurious by jail standards, I couldn't breathe or sleep. There were two windows with a thin curtain that let in natural light. A vanity table and a broken mirror sat to one side. A little closet stood next to it, but it held nothing but the toiletries a guard would bring me every morning. The bed was also really comfy, with thick cotton sheets, a soft blanket with a pleasant scent, and pillows that supported my head as I leaned back on them.
RENEE “Renee.” Nicole ran toward me as I stepped out of the station house. She wrapped her arms around me, and we stood there, cuddling in the crisp, bright afternoon sunlight. “Are you okay?” As I drew back slightly, her eyes, anxious and sympathetic, searched mine. I mustered a smile. Despite my puffy cheeks and swollen red eyes from bawling my heart out, I managed to nod. “I believe I’m fine.” She remained silent as she studied my countenance. “How is Robert?” “He's alright. He'd be released on bond tomorrow.” I tried my hardest to sound convincing as I spoke, but judging by the frown on my friend's face, I wasn't very successful. "Is he getting excellent treatment in there or not?" Her voice was calm, but it was the kind of calm that implied I’d better speak the truth or else. "Physically? He's okay," I started with a sigh. "But emotionally...he's...he’s acting tough, but I know better. I know he's in pain and afraid. I know he's..." I trailed off as my voice broke into a so
But sometimes, we do sick and twisted things for the people we love. ~ Skye Warren. ~•~ AMANDA "Mother!" I heard the scream before the door to the suite even opened. Dylan. His face was flushed with rage, and his breathing was difficult as if he'd run a marathon. "What have you done?" The wine glass in my hand and that of Kent's froze midair as we exchanged glances, then back at my son, who stood panting and seething in the doorway. "Dylan," I exclaimed, putting my drink down. "What are you doing here? How did you get in?" He didn't respond. Instead, he took another step into the room and slammed a newspaper on the table. "Explain this," He demanded. I looked down, perplexed. Kent reached over and picked up the tabloid, bringing it closer. The front page read—BILLIONAIRE ROBERT CLARKE ARRESTED FOR MURDER. Photos of Robert being escorted out of his office building flanked by police officers were posted beneath the headline. He was handcuffed and looked miserable. Well, serves