Craving Forbidden (Craving Series Book 8)

by Crave Publishing

  I plaster on a fake smile, hiding the hurt I still feel for how he left. I take his hand, ignoring the feel of his warm palm against mine. “Nice meeting you too.” Pulling my hand from his, I turn to my dad. “I should probably get going. I need to meet Angela for lunch.” I don’t tell them she signed me up for online dating, and she’s going to help me set up my profile.

  Luckily my dad’s oblivious to the negative energy coming off me. “Oh sure. Walker, I’ll be back for our meeting in a few minutes.”

  “It was lovely meeting you, Lacey.”

  I ignore him, and loop my arm with my dad’s. “Your mom said you’re ready to start dating.” Ugh, he says it loud enough that I know Marshall or Walker hears.

  “Can we discuss this later?” He nods and we head back to his office.

  I only stay a few more minutes and decline his offer to walk me to the elevators. The sooner I get out of here, the better.

  I step onto the elevator, and just as the doors begin to close, a hand stops them. Marshall steps on, and as soon as the doors shut, he moves toward me. “It’s so good to see you.” I roll my eyes. He moves fast, pinning me against the side of the elevator. “Don’t roll your eyes at me, little girl.”

  That’s when I lose it. “I’ll roll whatever I want. You don’t have the right to say anything to me. It’s been six weeks, Marshall.” I can’t keep the sarcasm out of my voice.

  “I know. I was trying to give you time, and my name is Marshall Walker. You’re the only one I let call me Marshall. I’m sorry I left how I did, but you scare me, and the way I felt with you scared me. It’s no excuse, but you’re here now, and I want to see you.” He plays with the ends of my hair. “You look gorgeous.”

  Ugh…why am I letting him close to me? Because I haven’t been able to stop thinking about him, that’s why.

  He leans in until his lips are a hair’s breadth away from mine. “Tell me you don’t want me and I’ll get off this elevator and never bother you again. Otherwise, I want to see you tonight.”

  I open my mouth to tell him I don’t want him, but the words won’t come out. The elevator doors open, then close, but we’re still alone. He winds his hand around my hair at the base of my skull and then jerks my head back.

  His lips are on mine, and my arms wrap around his shoulders. God, I’ve missed his taste, the feel of his lips on mine. I want nothing more than for him to strip me bare and fuck me, but he’s my dad’s boss—hell, he’s old enough to be my dad.

  “Lacey?” We both freeze, and that’s when I find my dad standing in the opening of the elevator. “Walker?”

  I push Marshall away from me. “Dad…I can explain.”

  The End…for now!

  About the Author

  A longtime lover of reading, a book idea came to me one day, and after that a writing career was born. I find inspiration in music, movies, and TV. When I’m not writing, you can usually find me with my e-reader in my hand reading.

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  WARNING: This story deals with the topic of slavery, captivity, and offensive race-related language that might be uncomfortable for some readers.

  Set Me Free

  By Allysia Myers

  Prologue

  “But I need you.” A tear fell on her nose.

  She smiled. “You have me. In here,” she said, slowly placing her hand on my chest.

  I shook my head. It wasn’t enough. “I can’t…I can’t do this on my own.”

  “Baby girl, you’re a lot stronger than you think. I’ve seen it.”

  “Mom, no, I…”

  She coughed and blood spewed out of her mouth.

  I frantically took off my shirt and started wiping at her chin and mouth. “Please let me go get help.

  She slowly shook her head and then placed her hand on my cheek and smiled as a tear rolled down her face. “I love you.”

  “Don’t…don’t talk like that. You’re going to be fine.” My throat was closing up and my chest was starting to tighten.

  She continued to caress my cheek. “Be strong for all of us.” Her hand then started to lose its grip and her eyes started to close.

  “Mom?”

  She took one last breath.

  “Mom!”

  Chapter 1

  “You incompetent fool!”

  I looked up at him from where I was lying on the floor.

  “I want this mess cleaned up!”

  I picked myself up, ignoring the excruciating pain on the left side of my face.

  I wasn’t usually this clumsy, but lately, I’ve been distracted. The figurines, the picture frame, and now the dishes.

  As I drained the water in the sink, I let out a yawn. I then looked up at the clock hanging above the refrigerator and noticed that it was nine thirty-five. I went to Walter’s room. I walked in without bothering to knock because I knew he was in the shower. He always takes a shower at the same time every night. I went to his closet and started rifling through his clothes, trying to find something for him to wear the next day. After a minute of looking, I finally chose a gray button-down shirt and some black slacks. I left the room and went into the hall closet to grab the ironing board and started ironing his clothes. Once I was finished, I went back to his room, and that’s when he walked out with his basket of laundry.

  I placed his clothes on his desk, and then grabbed the desk chair and brought it to the bathroom with Walter following behind. He sat in the chair, facing the mirror, while I grabbed the razor and clippers. I stood behind him and got to work on his hair and then his beard. While doing this, I noticed that he would be very handsome if he wasn’t the devil in disguise.

  I shut the bedroom door and then grabbed the basket of clothes he left outside the door.

  I was putting laundry in when I heard a growl coming from beside me. I immediately shook with fear.

  She took off her gloves and tossed them to the ground. “I’ll be back, cheeky, I just have to go to the bathroom. I trust you to hold down the fort,” she said with a smile.

  I laughed and gave a salute, smearing dirt on my forehead. “You got it, Mommy.” She laughed and walked off toward the shed.

  I then turned back to the gardening. I was piling dirt over the dandelion seeds when I heard laughing coming from behind me. I turned around and saw a little boy only a couple years older than me standing there with his dog.

  While the boy was pointing and laughing at me, the dog was giving me the death glare, growling.

  “Look at her, Chester. Look at that dirty nigger. She’s exactly where she belongs. On the ground, doing our bidding.”

  I got up and stood tall, staring him down, with my hands on my hips. “And you belong on a farm, donkey face.”

  He glowered, but then it was replaced with a smile, and I’m not talking cheerful, friendly smiling either. I’m talking demonic. Then without looking away from me, he commanded, “Get her!”

  Before I could process what was happening, I was knocked to the ground and the dog was on top of me, teeth bared, slobber dripping on my face.

  At that moment, I peed my pants, and that’s when he decided to take a huge bite out of my cheek. I was rushed to the hospital and had to have stitches.

  I looked at him and tried to paste on a smile. I even tried to relax my body, but my heart didn’t get the memo. It felt like it was either going to beat out of my chest or stop working at any moment.

  “Hi, buddy. Did you have fun outside? Did you want your night time snack?

  He wasn’t having any of it. He just stood in that threatening stance with his teeth bared. At that moment, I pictured my blood staining his teeth, and I shud
dered. He took that moment, when I had my guard down, to jump at me and bite my leg. I let out a piercing scream and grabbed my leg.

  He gave one last growl and stalked off, leaving dirty footprints from outside, might I add.

  “Gah!”

  After applying the gauze around my leg, I stretched it out and then retracted it back in pain. I just sat there for a couple of minutes and breathed in and out through my mouth, trying to forget about the pain. But when I slowly got up, I fell to the floor, a scream leaving my lips, clutching my leg. I wanted nothing more than to stay right here, but I had no choice. Walter would kill me. I had to grin and bear it. I’ve done it before. I mean, you would think my body would have built up some kind of tolerance by now after everything, but I guess not.

  I prepared by telling myself to embrace the pain. Make it a part of me. I slowly pulled myself up, and while grinning and bearing it, I got back to work.

  I slowly dragged myself to my room. Well, let me rephrase that. My room is actually a shed in Walter’s backyard. It’s not all bad, though. I do have a mattress on the floor that I sleep on. There’s a bucket that I do my business in, and another bucket I shower with. I have a chair beside my bed that houses some pictures of my parents, and also the few clothes that I have. There’s a mirror in the corner, and of course, I have my toiletries. See, not bad at all.

  I took off my clothes to get ready for the shower. I stood in front of the mirror and examined my body. I see my once beautiful—so my parents say—skin marred with bruises and cuts, and my left arm is in a cast from when I mistakenly mixed Walter’s favorite white shirt with red clothes. Now I have a fat white gauze covering large, ugly holes from Chester. Yes, that Chester from when I was little. I actually still have the scar on my cheek. And you want to know who that boy was? Well, that boy happens to be Walter’s son, Logan, and he’s coming home in two days. Don’t you see why I’ve been so clumsy lately? Don’t mistake my nervousness for excitement. Take it for what it is…fear.

  Now as I stand in front of the mirror, all I can think about is what Logan said that day. I see that person. Not Tiana Brown, a human being. A person worthy of love and respect. A person who is beautiful. But a nigger.

  I took a shower, put on my black tank top and dark blue shorts, and climbed in the bed. And now that it was safe to do so, I finally broke down and cried myself to sleep.

  Chapter 2

  The closer the day approaches, the worse I become. I’m sure there’s not a body part not marked by Walter. It’s not like I’m saying that Logan is worse than Walter, nor am I saying that he’s better, but the fact that they will both be here, under the same roof, terrorizing me…it terrifies me. And now I have to prepare a feast because Walter is having some friends over to welcome Logan home. Logan’s favorite: Meatloaf, rolls, mashed potatoes, and green beans. The whole evening has to go perfectly. It’s really overwhelming, but it’s not like I can choose whether I want to do this or not. Well, I can, but I would be dead, so let’s not try that.

  After Walter left for work, I left for the store to get everything I need for the dinner, and also things I would need to prepare Logan’s room. Walter wants me to decorate, change things around to surprise him. But if you ask me, if he really wanted to give Logan a gift like this, he would do it himself, but of course, he just wants to make a fool out of me. He knows that he’s going to hate whatever I do to the room, and that gives him an excuse to abuse me. But sometimes, I stupidly think I can please him, so I put my all into it. And that’s what I do until the day finally arrives.

  I was in the den, shakily folding clothes when I heard Walter cry out.

  “Son!”

  I peeked out the window and saw them in an embrace.

  “Dad, it’s so good to see you.”

  His deep, gruff voice sends shivers down my spine and I pray for God to at least send us back to yesterday, so I have more time to prepare for this moment.

  “Stop standing there looking stupid and come get these bags, girl!”

  I jumped in shock, almost knocking over one of his angels on the coffee table I’m leaning over. The fact that he always knows what I’m doing astounds me.

  I quickly walked out the door, past them, and to Logan’s truck. I was so busy getting the bags, that I didn’t notice that someone was walking toward me until I heard them speak.

  “I can take some.”

  I jumped in shock and end up dropping one of the bags. “I’m so sorry, I’ll clean it as soon as possible. It won’t happen again, sir,” I said frantically, picking up the bag.

  “No, it was my fault. Are you okay?” Logan asked gently, laying a hand on my arm. I jumped back at the touch as if it electrocuted me. “I’m sorry…”

  “No, it’s fine. I’m fine, sir,” I said, not meeting his eyes. I then went back to grab another bag.

  “Let me help you with those,” he said, reaching over me to grab one.

  I jumped back, hitting the door. That’s when I finally looked at him. Whoa. His face was mostly the same since I saw him, except that his cheekbones are a little more defined. His green eyes didn’t have that cold look in them anymore. They were actually soft and comforting. They reminded me of grass. His hair wasn’t its blond color anymore. He dyed it black. And instead of his hair coming down to his shoulders, it was cut short. Now his body has definitely changed since I last saw him three years ago. His shoulders were broader, and so were his arms and legs. The black shirt and blue jeans he was wearing accentuated his body perfectly.

  I shook my head to clear my thoughts. “No, no, I got it. You just go sit and rest. I’ll have them all in your room safely.” Save for that one bag. Idiot.

  “No, I’m fine, but you need help. My dad shouldn’t have you carrying all of these bags by yourself with only one hand.” He then grabbed a bag, and in my shocked daze, I just stared at him. He had three bags in his hands when he stepped back and noticed my expression. “Is something wrong?” I just continued to stare at him in confusion, thoughts running through my head. What’s going on? Is he sick? Is this a dream? A joke?”

  “Tiana?”

  Yeah, it’s a joke. I mean, duh. It would be stupid to think he actually had a heart.

  “Tiana?”

  I mean, he has done something like this before. Pretended to be nice, and I believed it, and it comes back to bite me in the butt.

  “Tiana, what is it?” I snapped out of my daze and noticed some things that really had me thinking that it was either a dream or a joke. The first thing was that he was looking at me with concern. The second thing was that he had his hand on my cheek. Wait, what? I jumped back from his touch and hit the door again. Please, Jesus, don’t let me tear this door off its hinges.

  Wait…did he just say…?

  “Tiana, are you okay?”

  He has never used my name before. Neither has Walter. It’s always nigger, girl, or idiot, but never Tiana.

  “Y…you know my name?”

  He still had that worried look on his face. “Of course I do.”

  Yeah, this was definitely a joke. My dreams wouldn’t grant me something good like this. I shook my head and then faced him. “I’m fine. I’ll just get these to your room.” I grabbed two bags and started walking toward the house. As soon as I walked in, I was cringing, waiting on Walter to chew me out for not having the luggage in Logan’s room yet, but thankfully it never came. He must be on the phone.

  I got to Logan’s room and placed his bags on his bed. The one I dropped, immediately I started taking out the clothes so I could clean it.

  “Don’t worry about that, I’ll handle that later.”

  I jumped again and placed my hand over my chest, taking some deep breaths. You have got to stop doing that!

  He placed the bags on the bed next to me. “I’m sorry, I guess being in the army made it easy to sneak up on people.”

  I just nodded my head and continued to take out the clothes. He gently placed his hands over the clothes in my hands. “I ca
n do this later. I’m sure Dad has you doing a lot today, so don’t worry about it.” At this point, I’m wondering would it be wise to continue refusing him. If this is a joke or something malicious, he probably wants me to keep refusing, so he could say that I’m not doing what I’m told. But then if I give in and let him help, he could say that I’m slacking and not doing my job. It’s definitely a ploy to belittle and abuse me, so no matter what I choose, I’m in trouble.

  “No, but thank you. Your dad wants me to make you as comfortable as possible, so go sit and put your feet up and I’ll make you some tea.” I then grabbed the empty bag and took it to the shed, so I could clean it later. When I got back to the truck, Logan was grabbing more of his luggage and I inwardly groan. He’s taking this joke to heart, but I should have expected it. I experienced his schemes for years. I’m just going to have to keep my mind on the task and not be distracted.

  Jesus, give me strength.

  “So are you glad to be back to civilization?”

  Logan laughed. “Yes, sir, but I will miss some of my friends. Living like that does create a bond you just don’t forget.”

  “That’s true, but at least you can call them, and maybe sometimes meet up for drinks.”

  He smiled. “That’s true.”

  I came out of the kitchen with a bowl of mashed potatoes and began to serve Walter, Logan, and their guests. Sitting on one side is Walter and Logan, and on the other side is Walter’s colleagues and friends, Marcus Heed, and his wife Sarah Heed. They were, of course, talking about Logan’s adventures.