I sit up quickly, yanking the sheets over my bare breasts. “What!”
His eye cracks open, dancing with laughter. “Gotcha!”
“You son of a bitch!” I grab a pillow and hit him with it. Laughing, he grabs it out of my hand.
“I was kidding. You know you’re amazing, babydoll. It was worth the wait. But I would like to know why you were so sure that I didn’t want you. I thought I’ve made it plain. Everyone else knew.”
I settle back on his shoulder, twirling the soft, dark hairs lightly sprinkled on is muscular chest. “I didn’t think that because no one’s ever wanted me.” I sigh and look away from him. “My parents didn’t want a child. And they had two. But they didn’t pay any attention to my younger sister or myself. We were just things that occasionally demanded food or some kind of clothes. They had nothing else to give. I don’t think they ever loved us.”
I stiffen and he tightens his arms around me, instantly making me feel safe and loved.
“One day I watched them leave. And they had a bunch of stuff packed in the car. I asked them where they were going but they never answered me. Didn’t even look at me standing there hugging my sister in the doorway.”
He sucks in a breath. “They didn’t…”
I nod my head. “They left. Just abandoned us. I managed to get us to school for a couple of days, figuring they’d return. I made us cereal until it ran out. I got us to the bus stop in the morning. But eventually one of the teachers realized what was going on and reported it to child services. I spent the rest of my years in foster care. My sister as well but we were sent to different places and I think she was adopted in hers. I wasn’t so lucky. I bounced from house to house. Nobody wanted me.”
He hugs me tighter and kisses my cheek, my jaw, my hair. Anywhere he can reach. “I want you. I always have, Brandy. You’ve been it for me since I saw you. I could never walk away from you.”
I cry, silently, until the wracking sobs come rushing out, shaking my body.
He holds me tight, his soft whispers and kisses cleansing all the pain that I’ve held in for years. Washing it away and replacing it with his love.
“I love you so much, Judas. I don’t know how I ever got so lucky.”
“I don’t know either.” I swat him and he laughs.
“I’m here,” he says when my eyes close and I sigh deeply, exhausted and already feeling the dark edges of my vision closing in. “Go to sleep, baby girl. I will be here in the morning. You need to rest.”
Giving in, I slip under, feeling safe and warm and loved for the first time in my life.
* * *
It’s early when I wake, swearing under my breath when I check my fitness tracker. I’ve had a million messages from the girls and the last one threatened calling the cops. I slip out from under Judas, grabbing my clothes and opening and closing the door on his beautiful body, taking one last look before I dart down the hall. Where the hell is my phone?
I find the hidden room but the security pad is still lit. Not getting in there. Was it in there or was it in the car?
Hopping on one foot, I dash down the hall, pulling my clothes on while I run, praying that it’s in the car.
I dart out the door, grinning when I see the car’s unlocked. The keys are still in the ignition which isn’t like Judas at all but I grin at my luck.
I find my phone in the back and then start the car, hitting the gps on his car to help me find my way home.
I mean, of course Judas has gps.
Following the voice, I find myself outside of the party house instead. It’s dark and eerie and I fiddle with the gps again but nothing happens.
“Oh well, I can find my way home from here.” I start driving and arrive at my house five minutes later. Pulling my phone out of my purse, I groan and check all those messages.
Shit!
“Call Promise,” I tell the phone while I’m stepping out of the car. It’s still dark and I stumble, making my way to the door.
The phone rings while I juggle my keys, swearing when I drop them, feeling a tingle in my spine. I straighten and stare around, not noticing anything out of place. The hairs on my neck are standing up and I feel my breath stutter.
“Hello?” Promise’s voice is soft and sleepy.
“Hello, girl. I’m alive so you can call off the dogs.” I finally manage to get the keys in the door and shove it open.