Renee’s POV It’s late by the time I wake up the next morning. After I left Eric, I went for a drive. Aimlessly moving through the streets mulling our conversation over and over again in my head. I don’t know what time it was when I finally snuck into bed and fell restlessly to sleep. Now, the b
Emily is waiting for me on the driveway of her cottage-like home. She lives in a very rural area, far away from the city. Her quaint and simple living is almost an ironic stark contrast to her bold and loud personality. She wraps me into a hug and it’s only then do I realize that I’ve been crying.
Renee’s POV A week passes and Emily and I fall into a rhythm with one another’s schedule. It helps that Emily’s guestroom comes with a guest bathroom. Every morning we both wake up at seven, get ready for the day and meet in the kitchen. Whoever is there first starts making breakfast for the bo
“Of course your donation is what got me here in the first place,” I say trying to save face. “Thanks,” Jasper says letting me know he knows what I’m doing. “I’m happy for you, regardless how you got here, it wasn’t because of me or Eric- it was all you,” he says and pride swells up inside me. Ja
Emily’s POV Why do they make you pick between sharp or easy to use when buying a razor? Why not both? I throw both in my basket, unable to make a decision. Whatever one I don’t like Renee can have the other. Who knows how long she’ll stay. The market is busy for a Friday afternoon, but I g
this out for him so he can hear how crazy it all sounds. Eric nods. “Like I said, I’ve realized my mistake and besides I thought she was dead before. That doesn’t mean a day didn’t go by where I didn’t think about her, where I had to shove the ache in my heart way down,” he locks his eye son t
This is not like Eric. And I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t the tiniest bit impressed, still it’s not fair of him to do this. I haven’t moved from the couch, despite Emily’s efforts. “Just hear him out,” she says stifling a yawn. By now we could have watch both of the movies we wanted to. I sha
The man approaches Eric, who remains in his seat, clearly not seeing the man as a threat. Though I can’t hear what they’re saying, I can gather the conversation well enough based off their loose hand gestures towards the house. Just then the stranger looks up and smiles knowingly at Emily and
“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