The Forget Me Not Pact (The Secret Author Series, #1.4)

by M. J. Padgett

  “Okay, but... Do you know how much I love you, Dana Franklin? You know, we always say the universe was keeping us apart, that every time something bad happened, it was the universe trying to force us away from each other for some reason. I think that’s stupid. It’s us, Dana. We keep making choices that push us apart, and I don’t want to do that anymore.”

  “This is supposed to be a distracting pep talk?” I cried, gripping his shirt and pulling his face close enough that there was no mistaking me when I said, “I swear to all that is holy if you don’t come up with something better I’m gonna smack you until the ambulance comes.”

  He chuckled, then kissed my nose. “I love you so much, but I’m tired of chasing you. I’ve had enough. When you first sat beside me in that freezer sixteen years ago, I knew you were something special. When I kissed you... just, wow. And there has never been another person who’s made me feel the way you do. I’m so tired of chasing you, so I’m going to give you a choice. After we get you all fixed up today, and trust me, you’re going to be just fine, I want you to marry me, so our kid has a real family. A mom and a dad it can count on. Let’s be better than our parents were, Dana.”

  “Yes.”

  “Yes, what? Yes, we’ll be better, or yes, you’ll marry me?” he asked.

  “Both. Of course, I’ll marry you, you stupid head. I’ve wanted to marry you since... Well, maybe I shouldn’t admit that?”

  “Oh, hush. You know you fell for me the second you laid eyes on me. You couldn’t resist my charms,” he said, laughing.

  “You gave yourself a brain freeze with strawberry ice cream. I’d hardly say that was charming, Jordan, but it is true. I felt something, and it only grew from there.”

  A knock at the front door surprised me.

  “Come in!” Jordan yelled, and a few moments later, the paramedics entered the bedroom. Jordan had accomplished his goal of distracting me, and in the process, the pain subsided.

  The paramedics checked me over, but we decided to go to the hospital to be sure. I wasn’t taking any chances where the little baby was concerned. Jordan held my hand the entire time, and I realized how lucky I was that he came home early.

  Day 4225

  Jordan

  I WAS ABSOLUTELY FREAKING out on the inside, but Dana needed me to be strong for her. It ended up being ligament pain, but according to her doctor, it could feel excruciatingly painful. She recommended some exercises and supportive clothing that would help, but part of me felt awful that she had to go through the pain alone. What on earth could a man do to make it any better?

  I doted over her for hours, but she had enough when I wouldn’t let her stand up long enough to go to the bathroom.

  “Honestly, Jordan, you have to back off. I have to pee, and I can either go to the bathroom or pee on the living room floor,” she chastised.

  “Okay, okay, go ahead.” As I watched her go, I started thinking of names, then remembered I still didn’t know if it was a boy or a girl. “Hey!” I called.

  “For heaven’s sake, what is it?” she yelled from the bathroom.

  “What names are on your shortlist? We should be thinking about that,” I said. A few minutes later, she waddled down the hall with a photo in her hand. She handed it to me, all smiles.

  “I kind of like the name Nathan, what do you think?”

  “A boy? We’re having a boy?”

  She nodded and smiled some more, but I would have been happy with a boy or a girl, just a happy baby that was ours. I wanted to pick her up and spin her around the room, happy as a clam, but I doubted that would be comfortable for her in any way.

  When I was gone, all I could think about was getting home to be with her. When she called and told me she was pregnant, I nearly passed out. But after a few days, the idea of being a father grew on me, especially with Dana. It was careless. We should have been more careful, but it happened how it did, and I was too excited to care.

  I didn’t spin her around, but I did leap from the sofa and hug her. Just then, her phone rang. It was probably Angela checking on her again. I was so grateful for the nurse that helped Dana heal, especially since I wasn’t there for her the way I wanted to.

  “Hello?” she asked, but in a tone that indicated she had no idea who it was. After a moment, her face went white as a sheet. “What do you mean, he’s getting out?”

  A few more moments passed, all while she looked absolutely sick. Finally, she handed me the phone, then jogged down the hall to the bedroom. I glanced down at the phone to find the call still active.

  “Hello?” I asked, wondering what the heck had just happened to my fiancé.

  “Oh, is this Jordan Clark?” the male voice asked.

  “It is. Who is this?” I asked, annoyed that this person had somehow put Dana in a bad mood when we were having a great day. I’d only just returned. Couldn’t the drama wait a day or so?

  “This is Alexander Washington, Dana’s attorney. Unfortunately, Kyle will be released in a few months. He’s been a stellar inmate, and his lawyer has petitioned for early release. We can appeal, but—”

  “So that’s it? The man who nearly killed her just gets to walk out of jail free as a bird to do it to another woman?”

  “Not if I can help it. I’ll do everything I can to keep him in jail, but it’s up to Dana. If she’s willing to speak at the hearing, then maybe we can keep this jerk in jail a little longer,” Alexander said. “Just talk to her. If he gets released, I can’t promise he won’t come for her. It’s happened before, and Kyle strikes me as the type to hold a grudge.”

  I was furious, but I managed to control my temper long enough to be polite to the man who was trying to help my fiancé. There was no way I was letting Kyle anywhere near Dana, even if that meant I had to take matters into my own hands.

  “Thanks for calling. I’ll talk with her.” I hung up the phone and followed her down the hall, where I found her packing her bags. “Whoa, what are you doing?”

  “Leaving. I have a baby to think about, and I won’t be anywhere near this city if he’s released.”

  I started to panic, thinking she was leaving me behind again as well, then noticed she had my suitcase on the bed and was adding things to it. I wanted to be happy that she was planning to drag me wherever she went, but there were more important things to discuss.

  “Dana, wait. Alexander said there’s a chance we can keep him in jail. If you speak—”

  She threw her shoes to the ground and said, “I can’t! I can’t do it again, Jordan. It was difficult enough the first time around, and I won’t do it again. He will eventually get out no matter what I do. Now or later, it doesn’t matter. I’d rather just get it over with.”

  “Baby, what about the shelter? What about Angela and what you’ve built here? Those women and kids count on you. They need you to show them how to be strong.”

  She paused, contemplating my words, then she sighed. “Darn you. Why couldn’t you just pack your bag and come with me?”

  I went to her side and pried a shirt from her hands then turned her to face me. “I promise you, I will be with you every step of the way. He won’t lay a hand on you. You’re stronger than you were back then, show him, prove to him that he can’t do this to people. There are other women out there you will save just by standing up to him again.”

  She sighed and leaned into my chest. “I love you. Thank you for reminding me what I stand to lose if I let Kyle win.”

  “Always, baby. You do the same thing for me all the time. And if he gets out and you decide you want a fresh start in a new city, I’ll follow you anywhere, Dana. Anywhere at all.”

  Day 5720

  Dana

  “GO, GO, GO! YOU CAN do it! Run faster!” I yelled at my son, who was in a heated race with his father. Jordan pretended to stumble so the preschooler could beat him.

  “Haha! Daddy fell down!” Nathan cried, then giggled as he fell into my arms.

  “Daddy did fall down, didn’t he? We should go mak
e sure he’s okay.” I took Nathan’s hand, and we jogged back to where Jordan was lying in the grass, staring at the sky. Nathan jumped on him, knocking the wind from his lungs.

  “Oomph! Ow, thanks, kiddo,” he said, then rolled on his side to face me. “Hello, beautiful wife.”

  “Hello adorably dorky husband,” I said, thinking this was the best day ever in the history of best days. It was nice to spend time with my husband and my son doing nothing but having fun.

  Jordan took my hand while Nathan dove into a coloring book. It distracted him long enough for me to steal a kiss from Jordan. Our luck was running high, and I, for one, was thrilled. After we committed to making it work no matter what, the two of us and our son had been living the best life possible.

  There was only one dark cloud hanging over our heads.

  “Alexander called today. It’s time again,” I said, reminding my husband that the last time Kyle was up for parole, he nearly got out. We had to find three other women willing to step forward and testify against him to keep him in jail, and I feared this time around he would get out. I had to decide—stay and try, or uproot my family and move somewhere else?

  Jordan tensed, then squeezed my hand. “I’ll do whatever you want, baby. I can easily sell the franchise again and pick up somewhere else. Angela wants to open a third location, and I think it’s a good idea. But if you want to go to the hearing and speak again, I’ll stand with you.”

  I’d given it a lot of thought. There would always be another parole hearing, another tearful testimony, another time when I had to worry about preparing myself to argue why the monster should not be set free. This time, though, I had a child to think about. Alexander all but assured me Kyle would make parole this time. He didn’t kill me, so there was no way he would spend his entire life in prison.

  I sighed. “I’ll miss it here, but I think it’s time for an adventure. Am I a coward?”

  He sat up and faced me, pulling me closer. “Not at all. Geez, Dana, he almost...” he paused, choosing words in front of our son that wouldn’t scare him. “He did unimaginable things, and you’ve done all you can. We can move on and do something new with our lives.”

  “Where would we even go? Colorado is all I’ve ever known.”

  Jordan shrugged, then started ticking off the places he enjoyed when he traveled years ago. “Seattle was cool, but if you want to go to the east coast, then maybe somewhere in Florida or north in Maine? Oh, Savannah was really cool, or maybe a smaller city somewhere in the middle? Or around the Great Lakes?”

  “So, in other words, you have no idea?” I chuckled.

  “I really don’t care as long as I’m with you and Nathan.” Jordan shifted and laid back down, settling his head on my lap. I ran my fingers through his blonde hair. Our son had a unique mix of both his father and me, with light brown hair somewhere between his father’s blonde and my dark waves. He was the sweetest child, more than I could have ever hoped for, and he was mine—mine and Jordan’s.

  I closed my eyes and let the memories flood over me again. Some were bad, but the good ones—boy, were they good. Jordan’s shirt rode up a bit in the back revealing the scar that still bothered me. I would never forget the day he showed up in the clocktower beaten and bloody. Probably the same way he’d never forget seeing me in the hospital after Kyle nearly killed me. We suffered a lot on our path to happiness, and I wanted to make sure we never lost it again.

  “Let’s go east. I think I’d like to see some sand instead of snow for a while. Nothing says we have to stay there forever, right?” I asked.

  “Mmm-hmm,” he mumbled, almost asleep resting on my lap.

  Nathan glanced over his shoulder at us and smiled. He observed us often, always taking in every detail of his surroundings. I hoped I was a good mother. I knew Jordan was an amazing father, though he never really had one in his life. His old boss, Mr. Jacoby, was about as close to a father figure as he had. As for me, well, my parents disappeared into the recesses of my mind, and I hadn’t spoken to them in years.

  “Mommy?” Nathan asked, turning all the way around.

  “Yes, sweetheart?”

  “Can you color with me?” He handed me a wad of crayons and shoved the paper in front of me. Jordan was asleep, so I gently wiggled my legs out from under his head and let it rest on the grass. I rolled onto my belly and colored with my son, content with my decision to move.

  “What’s your favorite color, Nathan?” I asked, carefully drawing the scene in front of us.

  “Blue! No, green! Yeah, it’s green!” I chuckled and continued to color, so happy in my little world with my son and sleeping husband.

  I imagined, for only a moment, what it would have been like if I’d never gotten into the car accident, or if I’d stayed instead of going to the facility, or if Jordan had waited for me instead of getting married—all the things that kept getting in our way before we were finally together—what if they were gone, where would we be? I came to the conclusion I would still be right there coloring with my son because everything that had happened was necessary for me to appreciate what I had. It was life, and sometimes life is really messy.

  Day 5720

  Jordan

  I WOKE UP WHEN DANA moved my head, but they were so adorable coloring together, I didn’t move a muscle. I knew she was terrified, and deep down, I wanted to fight for what we had. I wanted to look Kyle in the face again and tell him exactly where I thought he should go, but I made her a promise four years earlier, and I had no intention of breaking my promises to her.

  If Dana wanted to move and start over, we would move and start over. The wheels in my head kept turning, trying to come up with the best place to take my family. I felt she would be more comfortable farther away, so a few states between us and the jerk probably wouldn’t be enough. East coast, she said, but where?

  I knew Kyle could find us anywhere we went, but the farther away we were, the less likely he was to follow us. He’d probably be happy he got out of jail and go on being a gigantic jerk in Colorado.

  My stomach growled, indicating it was time for lunch. I shuffled around and sat up, gaining Dana’s attention—or maybe it was the stomach growl.

  She giggled. “Hungry? That was loud enough to wake the dead.”

  “Hush woman, or I’ll tickle you in front of our son,” I said, then pushed myself to a standing position.

  I heard a popping sound, then felt pain in my gut. Dana screamed. I fell, but I couldn’t understand what was happening. I reached for the pain in my gut, but what I found was a slippery substance—red—blood. My fingers trembled as I stared up at my wife.

  “Jordan! Jordan, look at me!” she screamed, but her beautiful face was fading. I heard Nathan crying in the background and other noises, sirens maybe. I couldn’t figure out what was happening, but I was so sleepy.

  “No, don’t you dare close your eyes! Jordan, look at me!” Dana screamed. Behind her, I saw Angela with Nathan. She was walking away. I couldn’t put the pieces together. My gut hurt. My wife was freaking out. My son was crying. Angela was protecting him.

  I blacked out.

  The pain was gone, but there were bright lights. They hurt my eyes, and I squinted, trying to see past the light and into my surroundings. I felt weightless, almost out of my own body but not quite. I blinked a few times and my eyes oriented to the bright light surrounding me.

  I looked around the room. Cold and sterile, but my wife was there. She sat in the corner reading a book, her hair disheveled and her clothing bloody.

  I tried to speak, but my throat hurt. I cleared it and got her attention.

  “Jordan,” she whispered. “Wake up, baby.”

  There was another person in the room, and he joined her at my bedside. I recognized him. He was a friend of hers, a police officer than hung around the shelter a lot. Paul, that was his name. He patted her shoulder and whispered something, then left my line of sight. She nodded as he left, then she took my hand.

  “Can you
hear me, Jordan?”

  I nodded, then tried to speak again. “Y-yes.”

  “Do you want some water?”

  Again, I nodded. She picked up a cup from the table beside me and held the straw where I could reach it. I took a few sips, then Paul returned with a doctor. I had no idea what was going on, but I knew it couldn’t have been good. Our luck had been great for far too long, which meant something was bound to go wrong.

  The doctor mumbled something about pain medication to the nurse then asked me a series of questions. I had no memory of what happened, only the events leading up to it. He said I looked good, helped me sit up further in bed, then left Dana to explain things to me.

  Paul returned and took up residence in the chair Dana vacated, which I thought was odd. He was more Dana’s friend than mine, but if he was there to give her support, then I appreciated it. I shook my head and turned to Dana, who was exhausted. She’d been crying, and she looked like she’d been up for days.

  She caressed my cheek, her glacial blue eyes connecting with mine on another level—our level. As much as I loved staring at my wife, I really wanted to know what happened to me. One minute I was standing up, the next I was in a hospital bed.

  She licked her lips and began.

  “Alexander was never informed. He didn’t know Kyle had already been released...” her voice faded, but he gathered her resolve and began again. “Kyle was released, something about Alexander’s assistant getting the dates mixed up. She told him the hearing was on the thirtieth, but it was on the third. With no one there to testify against his parole, Kyle was processed and released.”

  “Okay,” I said, still unsure what that had to do with me being in a bed.

  She cleared her throat again. “He shot you, Jordan. He drove right to our house and shot you, then went into hiding.”

  I tried to leap from the bed, but it hurt too much to escape. Paul jumped up and helped me settle back into my space so Dana could go on. She was crying again, and I knew this was a make or break moment for her. Again, we had somehow survived fate trying to pull us apart.