She only invited me to make it seem like this was for business but for her, it’s all pleasure. Well, fine by me. I’m here to work and score clients so that I can pay for my daughter's medical care.“Excuse me,” I hear someone say. I glance up and see an older gentleman towering over me. His belly ha
Renee’s POV I don’t remember much of what happens next. Whatever was in my drink is really kicking in. The already dark room seems to be getting dimmer. My breath is becoming more constricted. Is something on my throat? I try to breathe; I forget how to breathe.Suddenly I suck in a rush of air. Wh
I take the water and manage not to spill any from my trembling hand. I take a few gulps and prepare myself to ask him the dreaded question swirling around in my head.“Did we,” my voice trails off. Eric’s lips curl into a smirk. I don’t even have to finish the question, he knows what I’m wondering a
Renee’s POVMy mouth feels dry and suddenly I can’t hear anything but the ringing in my ears. Images of Debbie lying unconsciously flash in my mind. “W-what?” I managed to stammer out.Jasper repeats himself and the shock still hits the same. I flash my eyes over to Aaron. His expression has dramati
I hesitate, but Eric is the father of Debbie so maybe he should pay for some of the medical costs.“Thank you, Eric” I say and manage a smile. “I promise to pay you back though,” I tell him just so he can’t hold this over my head.“That won’t be necessary,” Eric says and before I can argue further h
Renee’s POVEric stands with his jaw slack. His eye twitches. Jasper gives my hand a slight squeeze, a simple way of telling me that our plan is working. I look up at Eric and feign confusion.“What’s the problem?” I ask innocently. Eric snaps his jaw shut and his eyes harden.“I don’t believe you,”
Renee’s POVThe next morning I wake up to the blaring sound of the smoke detector going off. I shoot upright in bed and scramble to my feet. Only after I become briefly oriented do I smell something like burnt pancakes.I relax a little as I head down the stairs, tugging my bathrobe tight against me
I laugh out loud at the text, until I hear the familiar high-pitch whines of Mia behind me.I turn around and see her and Eric walking out of the building. Mia is looking straight at him, going on about something that I can’t quite make out while Eric stares straight ahead, looking at nothing. Until
“Congratulations, man.” Eric says this time pulling Jasper in for a bro-hug.Emily and I glance at one another with raised eyebrows and instantly can read each others expressions- not fated-mates, just best friends.“So,” Jasper says awkwardly. “Do you think you’d be my best man?” Jasper blurts out
Renee’s POV One Year Later The doorbell chimes and echoes throughout our tall white ceilings.“I’ll get it!” Debbie says while running to the foyer. She’s seven years old but is already a head taller than all her peers, her long shapely legs allow her to make vast strides and she’s out of the liv
I was just hoping it would all be later. Eric and I have been shielding her from the t.v and the news. When the time is right, we want to be the ones to give the full story not whatever dramatized way the media is spinning it.Eric helps me out of the rocking chair and we walk to the living room whe
Renee’s POV A couple days later, I’m discharged from the hospital. Eric, Debbie, myself, and Liam are home.I looked it up, Liam means protector which exactly what he was doing while I was held hostage. He was the reason Mark didn’t kill me. The name also means strong, and despite him being born pr
“Well I’m okay,” I tell him. He lets out a shaky breath and brings my hand up to his warm lips.“I love you,” he tells me.“I love you too,” I reply. Then I shift gears. “What about everyone else? Emily? Jasper? How are they?”Eric nods. “Everyone is okay. A broken arm and some cuts but nothing they
Renee’s POV I suck in a sharp breath of air as my life force hits me like a truck. My eyes whip open but I don’t see anything except blinding light. I snap my eyes shut and sink my head back into something squishy.I try to move my body into a protective stance and instantly regret it. Pain shoots
Renee’s POV Another harsh jab of pain takes my breath away. I clutch to Eric as I write in pain. He hugs me back, trying to steady my fall, but there isn’t much else he can do and he knows that.“I’ll take her pain away,” a member of Marks pack growls and approaches. Something inside Eric snaps, I
This time Andrew comes over and elbows the man in the lower back and then kicks his head so his teeth smash into the concrete floor.I’d feel more horrified if my own abdominal pain wasn’t taking me over. “You good?“ Andrew asks, blood pouring down from no known source somewhere at the top of his he
Renee’s POV All the color has drained from Marks face. On the other hand, Mias face darkens to a plum color. For a second I think her head might explode.“So,” Mark says snapping shut the laptop and sounding eerily calm. “We make a deal on the phone, you bring your passwords to hand over the cash