by Wilder, L.
The next two days were torturously long. The kids at school were great, but I had my mind on the weekend ahead. I was looking forward to spending some time with Flynn. I had no idea what he had planned for us. I just knew I was supposed to dress casual. The not knowing was killing me, and it didn’t help matters that I had another hour to wait. Hoping to get a little more information out of him, I pulled out my phone and sent him a message.
Me:
So what exactly are we doing this afternoon?
Flynn:
I already told you. It’s a surprise.
Me:
Come on. Can’t you give me a little hint?
Flynn:
What’s the fun in that?
Me:
It can be fun. I’ll make it worth your while.
Flynn:
Oh, really. And how are you going to do that?
Me:
I have my ways.
Flynn:
I am very aware of your wicked ways.
Me:
So, does that mean you’re going to give me a hint?
Flynn:
No, but give me ten minutes, and then you can find out for yourself.
Me:
Awesome!
I tossed my phone into my purse, threw on my shoes, and grabbed my jacket; then, without telling anyone in the house goodbye, I rushed out the door. As soon as I got in my car, I gave my hair and makeup a quick check, and drove over to Flynn’s. When I pulled up to the house, I was surprised to see a red Jeep Wrangler parked in the drive. I’d just gotten out of my car when Flynn came out of the house carrying a small cooler. “Where did you get the Jeep?”
“Borrowed it from a friend.” His brows furrowed as he continued down the steps. “I thought I told you ten minutes.”
“You did?” I closed my door and started over to him. “I thought you said come on over.”
“Yeah, sure ya did,” he scoffed.
“What can I say?” I shrugged. “I was eager to see you.”
“I like the sound of that.” He placed the cooler in the back of the Jeep, then turned to face me. “Come here.”
I walked over to him and my entire body melted as Flynn wrapped his arms around me. He felt like home—like everything I’ve ever wanted or needed was right there in his arms. It was a feeling that caught me off guard. I’d always known I loved Flynn. I couldn’t help myself. He’d come into my life at a time when nothing made sense. My entire world had been upturned, but his friendly smile and listening ear had become an anchor that I’d clung to whenever things got to be too much. Flynn made it easy to love him, but over the past month, my love for him had changed from one that’d been innocent and child-like into something more—much more.
I gave him a tight squeeze, then asked, “So, where are we going?”
“Only one way you’re gonna find out.” He stepped over and opened the passenger side door. “Get in and I’ll show ya.”
Moments later, we were pulling out of Flynn’s driveway and heading towards town. I leaned back and closed my eyes, relishing the feeling of the warm sun on my face and the wind whipping through my hair. While it wasn’t exactly the same, being in the Jeep reminded me of riding on the back of Dad’s Harley, especially after we took a wide turn, and I felt the sudden urge to reach out and touch the leaves on the trees. We’d been driving for just over a half hour when we finally reached the coast. Flynn leaned towards me and asked, “The wind too much for you?”
“Are you kidding? It’s great!”
He nodded, then continued down the coastline. Living in Clallam County, the view was one I’d seen many times before, but being there in that Jeep with Flynn made it seem even that much more incredible. Flynn turned down a road I’d never been on before, but I didn’t bother asking where we were going. I knew he wanted to keep our destination a surprise, so I just sat back and enjoyed the ride. After a few unexpected turns, we ended up at a secluded beachfront I’d never even seen before. It was nestled beneath the cliffs with the perfect view of the ocean, and not a soul in sight. “What is this place?”
“They call it Austin’s Cove.” Flynn killed the engine, and I followed his lead as he got out and walked towards the rear of the Jeep to grab the cooler and a blanket. “Been coming out here since I started driving.”
“How in the world did you ever find it?”
“A friend told me about it.” He motioned his head up to an old house with a wraparound porch on the hill and said, “That’s Pappy’s place.”
“Pappy from the bar?”
“The one and only,” Flynn confirmed. “His family has been living out here for generations.”
“It’s incredible.”
Flynn held on to my arm as we hiked down the rocky embankment. Once we were on the sand, he led me to a spot a few feet away from the water, and we spread out the blanket. After we were seated, Flynn reached into the cooler and grabbed us each a bottle of soda. “So, you like your surprise?”
“I love it.” I leaned towards him and gave him a kiss. “It couldn’t be more perfect.”
“Good. I hoped you’d like it.”
We both lay back on the blanket and looked up at the clouds, quietly listening to the waves as they crashed along the beach next to us. I thought back to the day I first saw him hiding in the woods. I’d felt someone watching me, but I never dreamed it would be a handsome young boy with eyes as dark as the night sky and a smile that would give me hope when all hope was gone. I knew from the moment I saw him that the world wasn’t all bad. I’d been thrown some pretty hard punches, some hard enough to make a person give up completely, but there were times when those brief meetings out by the fence gave me a reason to get out of bed in the mornings—especially when I’d spent the entire night tortured by one nightmare after the next. Flynn was my person, my safety net in a crazy world, and I wasn’t sure how I would’ve gotten through the first few months without him.
Flynn was still looking straight ahead as he reached over and took my hand in his. It was a simple gesture but it gave me the strength I needed to finally say, “I’m ready to talk about it.”
Chapter 9
Flynn
I didn’t have to ask what she was talking about. I knew exactly what she meant, so I simply nodded and said, “Okay, I’m ready to listen.”
“I’m not really sure why I haven’t told you all this before.” She rolled over on her side, so she was facing me. “I guess a piece of me wanted to pretend it never happened. I know that’s not much of a reason, but it’s the only one I have.”
“You don’t need a reason, Lauren. It’s your story to tell, and you have every right to wait until you’re ready to tell it.”
“Thank you for understanding.” She tucked her hands under her head, then started, “I told you about my parents being drug addicts and how they didn’t take very good care of me, but there was so much more to it than that. They would leave and be gone for days at a time. I didn’t have food or clean clothes, so I had no choice but to learn how to fend for myself.”
“That had to be tough.”
“It was at first. I was just five or six when they started leaving me alone, but as I got a little older, I genuinely liked being on my own. It was easier. I didn’t have to worry about what they might do or not do. I could handle day-to-day life by myself.” Lauren looked up at me with emotion-filled eyes. “I know you went through a little of that yourself with your mom.”
“I did, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as all that.”
“Well, I managed. Or at least I tried to. I was just a kid, so there were times when I made a mess of things. But overall I thought I had a pretty good grip on things until the day they did something unforgiveable.” She looked away as she told me, “They sold me.”
“They did what?”
“You heard me right. They sold me. Apparently, a twelve-year-old virgin brings a lot to the table when you’re dealing with a sex-trafficking ring.” My stomach twisted into a knot when she
said, “They packed me up and shipped me off, and from what I remember, neither of them felt the least bit of remorse. They were all about the money.”
“Oh God, Lauren. I can’t imagine how horrible that must’ve been.”
“It’s worse than you could imagine. You hear stories about it, but it’s impossible to know just how bad it really is until you go through something like I did.” Bile rose in my throat as I continued to listen. “I was so young. I had no idea where I was or why I was there. They kept us locked up in this room, and it smelled so bad. I can still remember that smell.”
Tears streamed down her face as she continued, “When the time came for us to be moved, they drugged us, changed our clothes, and made us put on all this crazy makeup. Once we were all dolled up in the fancy clothes, they brought us out in a line like cattle. I can still remember how all those despicable men were gawking at me and talking about what they wanted to do to me. I was so terrified. I don’t know what would’ve happened if Big and Nitro hadn’t been there.”
I’d heard many stories about the men of Satan’s Fury, but I never would’ve believed they were the kind who’d be involved with a sex trafficking ring. “Why was Big in a place like that?”
“Dad had sent them to rescue Tristan.”
“Tristan?”
“She was one of the club hang-arounds. The guys thought a lot of her, so they decided to get her back. And thank God they did. When they got there and saw me, they decided to rescue me along with her.” She wiped the tears from her face as she explained, “They paid those awful men and got me out of there, but I’ve never really put it all behind me.”
“You will.” I gave her hand a squeeze. “And I’ll be here to make certain that you do.”
“So, this doesn’t change how you feel about me?”
“Yeah, maybe a little.” I reached over and placed the palm of my hand on her cheek. “Now, I think you’re even more amazing.”
“Flynn.”
“I’m serious,” I assured her. “You went through that whole ordeal and didn’t let it break you. Damn, that’s fucking incredible. I think you’re fucking incredible.”
“I wouldn’t go that far.”
“Well, you should. You’re a survivor—just like Cotton.” I leaned over and gave her a kiss. “Sure would like to get my hands on those parents of yours ... those sickos involved in that sex-ring, too.”
“You and me both.” She let out an anguished sigh before saying, “I’ve always wished there was more I could do. Not about my parents, but with the whole sex-trafficking thing. It doesn’t seem right that I got out of there, and I haven’t done more for those who didn’t.”
“I understand, but it’s not your fault you couldn’t do more for those other women. Like you said, you were just a kid.”
“But I’m not a kid anymore.”
“True.” I thought for a moment, then suggested, “Maybe you could help set up a fundraiser or something.”
“Oh, that’s a great idea!” Her expression lightened as the wheels started to turn in her head. “Maybe I could ask Dad and the brothers about doing a charity run.”
“Absolutely. I’m sure they’d be up for that, and I could do something at the bar. Maybe a big cookout after the run.”
“Really?” she asked excitedly.
“Absolutely. I think it would be a huge hit.”
“That would be amazing.” Lauren reached over and wrapped her arms around me, hugging me tightly. “Thank you so much, Flynn. I don’t know why I waited so long to tell you about all this.”
“That doesn’t matter. I’m just glad you did.” She released me from our embrace, then reached over and took a drink of her soda. Once she was settled back on the blanket, I asked, “Have you spoken to your parents since Cotton and Cass adopted you?”
“No, and I don’t plan on it. As far as I’m concerned, they’d lost me long before they decided to sell me to those men.” She turned to look at me and added, “Besides, I have everything I could possibly need here with two parents who’d do anything for me. I couldn’t ask for more than that.”
“You’re right about that.”
“What about you and your parents? Do you still hear from your mom?”
“Mom goes through spells when she’ll call and tell me she’s going to come to visit, but then never follows through. Seems something more important always comes up, but I’m fine with that. I gave up on having any kind of relationship with her years ago, and the same goes for my father.” I tossed my empty bottle of Coke back in the cooler. “I’ve never known what it was like to have two parents who gave a damn about me. Hell, I didn’t even have one, but I had my Gran, and in my mind, she’s all I ever needed ... and you, of course. There were times when you were the only person who kept me sane.”
“I’ve always felt the same way about you.” A silly look crossed her face as she asked, “Do you remember the day I came over to tell you I was leaving for college?”
“Vaguely,” I lied.
Hell, I remembered every detail about that day.
She walked up to the fence, looking sexy as hell in her cut-off shorts and snug-fitting tank top. Her long, black hair was curled, and she was wearing makeup, which was something she rarely did during the summer months, especially just hanging out at the house. Her lips swept into a smile and she said, “Hey.”
“Hey.” Trying to act unfazed by her appearance, I gave her a quick chin lift and asked, “You going somewhere?”
“Yeah, I’ve decided to head to campus a week early.”
“Oh, really? Why’s that?”
Her blue eyes were trained on mine as she told me, “Hadley is going to help me get my dorm room ready and show me around a little before classes start.”
“That sounds cool.” I’d known the day was coming. Lauren had talked about it a hundred times, but I’d just let it roll off my back, pretending it wouldn’t affect me. It did. Hell, it damn near gutted me. I couldn’t deny that a piece of me wanted to plead with her not to go, but I would never do anything to hold her back—even if it meant I might lose her. “It’ll be good for you to get acquainted with your new surroundings.”
“Yeah, that’s what I was thinking.” She gave me a slight shrug and said, “Besides, there’s no point in me sticking around here, right?“
“Not that I can think of.” I inhaled a slow, steady breath, trying my best to keep myself from saying something I’d regret. “Unless you want to spend the extra time with your folks and maybe the brothers.”
“I would, but they’re pretty busy preparing to start renovations at the barn and the club. They really don’t have the time to hang out.” A strange expression crossed her face as she held my gaze. “So, I guess there’s no reason for me not to go.”
“So, you’re going now?”
“Yeah, Hadley is waiting on me,” she answered, sounding almost disappointed by the fact. “I just wanted to come say goodbye.”
My heart sank to the pit of my stomach. Lauren was leaving. She was going off to start a new life—a life that didn’t include me, and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it. I might’ve been tempted to ask her to hang out for a while if Hadley hadn’t been waiting for her, but then again, it would’ve only prolonged the inevitable. My hands were tied, so I didn’t say a word. I just stood there staring at her like a fucking tool until I finally forced myself to say, “Glad you did. I hope things go well with Hadley.”
“Me, too.” She held my gaze for a moment longer, then finally turned and started back home. “Bye, Flynn. Take care of yourself.”
“You do the same.”
And just like that, she was gone.
It wasn’t a memory I cared to dwell on, so I glanced over at Lauren and asked, “What about it?”
“I was moving into my dorm that day, and the guys were bringing my things over. I knew I’d have to help them carry all those boxes up to my room, and then, I’d have to unpack those boxes. It was going to be a long day, b
ut I still got all dressed up. Did my hair and makeup, put on a cute outfit, and wore a pair of sandals I had no business wearing, knowing I’d be going up and down two flights of stairs. Do you have any idea why I did that?”
“I’ve got a feeling I have it wrong, but I figured you were hoping to catch the eye of some college guy.”
“No.” A light blush crossed her face as she admitted, “Your eye was the only one I was interested in catching.”
“Is that right?”
“Yeah, too bad it didn’t work.”
“Oh, it worked. I was just too thick-headed to do anything about it, but I won’t make that mistake again.” I leaned towards her and gave her another quick kiss, then jumped up from the blanket, kicked off my shoes, and extended my hand out to her. “You up for a walk?”
“Absolutely.”
Without skipping a beat, she took hold of my hand and stood up. Once she’d kicked off her shoes, we made our way down the water. After a few minutes of splashing water around like two little kids, we started walking down the shoreline, filling our pockets with seashells while talking about this or that. As always, our conversations came easy. At first, it was simple small talk about the weather and the view, but it slowly turned into something more as we continued down the beach. Lauren told me stories of when she first started teaching and how it made her question if she was truly cut out to be a full-time teacher, but as time went on, she realized just how much she loved it. And if I had to guess, I’d say the kids and staff loved her just as much.
