What kind of mother did that?
The kind who worked all the time to pay the bills and put food on the table. But the same mother was very proud that she’d managed to dig herself out of the ugly hole her deadbeat fucking son of a bitch loser ex-boyfriend had shoved her into when he’d stolen thousands of dollars from her.
The only good thing other than disappearing the man had done in his wretched life was to donate sperm. That’s all I’d call it since the sexual experiences with him had been less than stellar. I’d believed I was in love. Bruno had believed he deserved to fuck me and leave, spending the night with another chick while using money I earned for both to get high.
What a fucking fool I’d been. After he’d almost killed me, I’d curled up and died a little bit inside. But I’d refused to allow the bastard to win, leaving my heart locked away while my body had functioned to protect my baby.
The horrific few years had all but faded away the very first time Hudson had touched me. I’d come alive, excited for the future. Wasn’t that silly? And when he’d kissed me, the sky had exploded in vibrant colors. I pressed my fingers against my lips, taking a few seconds to envision his face and gorgeous body.
After the passion we’d shared the night before, filthy thoughts had flickered on and off in my mind like a nervous light switch. We’d fucked on the washing machine, for God’s sake, in mid cycle.
I stifled a giggle. Maybe I should cook dinner as a thank you. Not for the sex, but for all he was doing for me.
Saving my life. My sanity. Fulfilling my sexual needs. There was little the man couldn’t do.
“Mommy. When can we go home?” Bella’s little voice pulled me out of a beautiful fantasy.
Thankfully, up to this point she’d been coloring happily. I was grateful I’d brought the crayons and coloring books with me when dropping her off at the babysitter’s house. But she would soon be getting bored if she hadn’t already. “Ah, baby girl. Think of this as an adventure. We’ll go home soon. I promise you.”
I hated promising her something that could turn out to be a lie.
At least she was very young, but that didn’t mean the tug at my heart was any less anxious. “Would you like some milk?”
She nodded. I poured her a glass and while I was doing so, I chewed on my bottom lip. No matter what Hudson believed, it wasn’t feasible for me to stay away from my two jobs for long. The folks at the marketing firm had been lovely in granting me some time off. But their generosity wouldn’t extend past a few days.
“Be careful. Hold the glass with both hands.” While the house was utter perfection, with none of her usual things around her, including her sippy cups, her patience would soon grow thin. That’s why I’d insisted that I be allowed to head back to myapartment. Everything precious I owned was in that tiny little nine hundred square foot box.
I leaned against the counter. If I continued biting on my lip any longer, I’d consider myself a vampire. My thoughts drifted to knowing he’d injured four men last night. At this point, I had to stop thinking about the night before. Whatever happened, I didn’t want to learn the details.
“Mommy. Can I play outside? That was fun.”
There was that question again. “I tell you what. When my friend comes home, we’ll take a walk on the beach together. Maybe we can build a sandcastle. Would you like that?”
She clapped her little hands. That would keep her happy for a little while longer.
“How about a little television?” If I could figure out his fancy remote. At least he had a television in the kitchen so I could keep her under my watchful eye.
“Okay, Mommy.”
I checked my watch. It was a little after four. As soon as I flicked on the television, the local news popped on. My guess was the man never watched anything but the news. While he had a phenomenal book collection, there wasn’t a movie to be found. I knew very little about him, my snooping efforts failing miserably.
With my mind still on the insanely handsome judge, a news bulletin caught my attention. Without turning up the volume, I stood staring at the screen.
“Oh, my God.” A juror from the Jones trial. He was dead. He’d been murdered. Shrinking back, it suddenly felt as if I’d beendropped into a vacuum that was sucking the life out of me. Close to hyperventilating, I had to blink several times to try to stay focused.
Everything Hudson had warned me of was true. Jacob Jones was actively killing anyone who’d sought his incarceration.
The sudden noise behind me blasted in my ears and I jerked around facing the other direction. What the hell was that? My heart thumping, I tried to figure out what I’d just heard. When the sound echoed throughout the house, I was able to take a deep breath. Someone was at the door.
Maybe Tim was telling me he was taking off for the day. Or maybe…
Stop. Just fucking stop.
“Stay right here, Bella. Mommy will be back.”
“Okay.” Thank God, she usually listened to me.
I tried to keep my steps slow and easy until I left the kitchen. I realized I’d left my phone in the living room. That wasn’t like me. Then again, I hadn’t been myself for days. It was as if a permanent haze had formed over my eyes. This was getting ridiculous. Tim was right outside.
