Exposed: An Anthology

by Brooke Cumberland

  She laughed through her tears. "I don't want you to marry me because I'm pregnant," she said.

  I frowned. "Marry you because… Grace, I've been waiting to marry you for five years now. Maybe I didn't exactly know it, but it's true."

  She laughed and then smiled at me for a few beats before replying, "Okay, I'll marry you. But not in a chapel on the strip. I want our friends and family there."

  I smiled at her. "Okay, whatever you want, Buttercup," I said, hugging her to me.

  After a minute I pulled away from Grace, frowning as something occurred to me.

  "What?" she asked.

  I put my hand on her belly. "I think this needs to be a boy. I don't know if I can handle having a daughter."

  She smiled a gentle smile at me, understanding my reasons for that. "If I remember my biology lessons correctly, the man is in charge of the baby's gender."

  I breathed out. "Okay, then it's in the bag," I said. I bent down and whispered to her belly, "Hey, Junior."

  She grinned and kissed me, for the second time, giving me a secret and changing my life.

  Epilogue

  Grace

  One year later

  "That is the saddest tree I've ever seen," Audrey muttered, tilting her head to look at it.

  I laughed, standing back and admiring the half bare, leaning tree, weighed down by the heavy strands of outdoor lights, standing in the middle of our cabin.

  "I love it," I sighed. "Anyway, it's our first tradition. Don't knock it." It would look even more beautiful later after we had hung this year's Andrew ornaments on it.

  Audrey continued to look at the tree with a disapproving expression. I swatted her playfully on her ass.

  She let out a shriek and jumped away from me, laughing. "Fine, fine. Maybe I'll learn to love it too." She looked at the tree and tilted her head again.

  I grinned, shaking my head. I started to turn toward the kitchen where I was in charge of basting the twenty-pound Christmas Eve turkey we had in the oven, when the door burst open and all the men came crashing loudly into the cabin.

  "We're back, ladies," Josh yelled. "Who's in for naked hot tubbing?"

  I laughed and Audrey rolled her eyes. I saw her look around Josh, her eyes landing on Dylan. He caught sight of her and stilled, adjusting his glasses. I'd have to ask her about that later. I'd noticed a lot of heated looks going on between those two this week.

  Just as Carson had promised me a year ago, we had come back to Snowbird for Christmas. Only this time, our family and friends were with us and instead of lots to worry about, we had lots to celebrate.

  Unfortunately, there was one person who hadn't been able to join us and that was Abby. But she had a really good reason–she was eight months pregnant and not able to fly. Her little boy, Kyle, and the new baby would only be thirteen months apart, but as Abby said, that's what happens when you drink three margaritas on your first night out post-partum. A warning to us all. Truthfully, her and Brian were thrilled.

  We had rented a big, ten bedroom "cabin," and had spent the week skiing, snowboarding, and playing in the snow, with me strictly doing the latter. My muscles still remembered last year's lesson and weren't interested in signing up for more. Everyone had at least one gift. Snowboarding was not mine.

  "Carson missed an epic afternoon on the slopes," Leland said, hanging his jacket up.

  "I was busy doing something way better," Carson said, coming out of the bedroom, our daughter curled up on his chest. "I was cuddling in front of the fire with my girls," he grinned, "and decorating our tree." All the men looked over at the tree Carson was referring to and tilted their heads as a unit. I huffed out a breath as Carson walked up to me and put one arm around my shoulders, kissing my head.

  "Oh, God, he's choosing cuddling and decorating over sports," Josh muttered. "Time to hand in your man card, Carson." Josh shook his head, feigning sadness.

  Carson raised his eyebrows. "Yeah, your day is coming, my man. Mark my words. And when it does, payback is a bitch."

  "Hey, watch your mouth, all my girls are in this room," my dad said, coming out of his room where he had been napping.

  Carson looked appropriately repentant as he said, "Sorry, sir," but a corner of his lip quirked up as my dad walked by and punched his shoulder lightly.

  The truth was, my dad and Carson couldn't have been any closer. My dad loved both his sons-in-law, but he and Carson had a special bond. Maybe it was because Carson had never had a dad of his own, and my dad got the "man's man" he always wanted in a son, but whatever it was, they loved and respected each other. It warmed my heart in a way that had me constantly fighting back tears when I watched them together.

  We had invited my mom to come for the weekend too, but she had declined, even when my sisters and I suggested renting two cabins. I wished we were closer, especially now that I had a daughter of my own, but I couldn't do all the work in our relationship. Maybe someday she'd realize that she had responded to loss, by creating more loss, and seek to repair it. I hoped that would be the case, but I thought more likely that too much time had already passed. It was one of my biggest heartbreaks, but I vowed everyday that it was going to inspire me to pull people closer, not push them away.

  Carson had written his own mother a letter and sent her a picture of our daughter, Ella, when she was born–an olive branch that he extended to the woman who had given him life, but simply hadn't been capable of giving him much more than that when he was a boy.

  She had written him back and they were corresponding with letters and pictures. He still seemed cautious, but it was a start.

  I smiled up at my husband, and then I turned my eyes to our baby and kissed her on her blonde head. "Hey little miss," I said. "How come you're not sleeping?"

  "We're working on it," Carson said. Then he leaned in and whispered, "I was telling her this really good story about a girl I fell in love with once upon a time between the twenty-first and twenty-second floor."

  "Ah…" I said, looking at our daughter, "no wonder you wanted to stay up for that one. That's a really great story." I touched her nose with my pointer finger gently and she gave me a gummy smile, her hazel eyes lighting up at the attention, that small dimple that I loved so much popping out to the left of her lower lip.

  "Yeah," he said, smiling gently, "it really is."

  "I hope it was the PG version," I said, winking at him.

  He chuckled softly, his eyes warm.

  "Hey sis, are you helping in here or what?" Julia called from the kitchen. She and Evan were on mashed potato duty and as I listened to the bangs and soft swears coming from the kitchen, I raised one eyebrow. "Sounds like it's getting serious in there. I better go. Sleep well, baby girl," I said, kissing her again and smiling at Carson as he turned to bring her back to the extra room where we had a crib set up.

  As I moved toward the kitchen, I turned my head to watch them walk away. My husband and our daughter. There are many soul-stirring things in this world, but not many as profound as watching the beautiful man you love holding the baby you created together. No, not many.

  **********

  Carson

  I held my baby daughter in my arms, rocking her in the big, upholstered rocking chair in the guest room, loving her so intensely that it felt like a tangible thing. I put my nose to her head and breathed in the sweet smell of her. I would do anything to protect her, to keep her safe, to make sure she always felt loved.

  I had made it my life's work to rescue women from suffering, and most of the time, I felt steady and competent in the part I played in that endeavor. But when it came to the lifelong job of protecting the one small girl in my arms, my heart squeezed in fear. I supposed that was as it should be.

  As my daughter snuggled into me, and her eyes started to flutter closed, I let my mind wander…

  Once upon a time, someone had held Ara in their arms like this. Once upon a time someone had held each little girl just like this. And if they didn't, they should have. I cl
osed my eyes, rocking, rocking… my little girl exhaling her sweet baby breath, her tiny, chubby hand fisting my t-shirt.

  I wanted her to be proud of me. I wanted her to see how I loved and worshipped her mother, and want nothing less than that for herself one day. To be loved completely, body, heart and soul.

  Someday, I would have to have a very difficult conversation with her about the choices I had made before I knew better. I cringed with the thought, but the fact of the matter was, the Internet is forever, and it would be better that she hear it from me.

  I thought about who I was when I first met Grace, all the ways in which I defined myself back then. Sometimes, you don't even realize anything is wrong until someone comes along and changes you, and makes you want more. In my case, it was a beautiful girl with a plan who shattered the world I thought I knew. And when I put the pieces back together, they were all rearranged, different; and so was I. Until her, I had never even considered the possibilities.

  In life, there are those who save us, both in big ways and in small. Sometimes that means being set free from a dark, windowless room, or being pulled out of a burning building. More often, it means being saved from yourself, and made to finally believe that letting someone love you, isn't just a big lie that you're unwilling to tell.

  Grace had saved me by calling my bluff, and then listening to the secrets I believed made me unlovable, with acceptance in her eyes. The gift she gave me was her glow–and it shined for me so brightly, that my own darkness disappeared.

  I kissed our daughter again, now sleeping peacefully on my chest, lost in her own world of dreams, safe and loved in my arms.

  This story is a work of fiction, but human trafficking (also known as modern-day slavery), is very real. For more information and ways you can help, visit:

  www.fbi.gov/about-us/

  investigate/civilrights/human_trafficking

  www.humantrafficking.org

  www.polarisproject.org

  About the Author

  Mia Sheridan lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband who is a police officer and her biggest fan (not necessarily in that order). They have four children here on earth and one in heaven. When she isn’t writing or reading romance novels, she enjoys anything creative from building a patio, to sewing pillows. In addition to Stinger, Leo and Leo's Chance are also part of the Sign of Love series.

  Find Mia:

  www.MiaSheridan.com or www.facebook.com/miasheridanauthor.

  Books by Mia

  A Sign of Love Series

  Leo, #1

  Leo’s Chance, #2

  Stinger (Stand Alone)

  Archer’s Voice (Stand Alone)

  Axel

  by Harper Sloan

  Fate hasn’t always been friends with Isabelle West. In fact, fate has been a downright bitch.

  Isabelle has learned the hard way how hard life can be when fate isn’t by your side. It can hand you dreams on silver platters, but it can snatch them right back and hand you nightmares. One thing Isabelle knew for sure fate was consistent with was taking away everything she ever loved.

  For the last two years Isabelle has been slowly clearing the clouds of her past. Happiness is finally on the horizon. She has a thriving business, great friends, and her life back. All she has to do is jump over the last hurdle…her ex-husband.

  When problems start causing her to fear her new life, and memories that are better left forgotten start rushing to the surface the last thing she needs is a ghost from her past to come knocking on her door.

  Axel never thought he would look into the eyes of Isabelle West again, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to now. He’s carried his anger for so long he isn’t sure he can just turn it off, but when he is faced with protecting her and an unexpected desire to have her again, life gets a little more complicated.

  How will Axel and Isabelle deal when all their cards are put on the table and everything they thought was true blows up in their faces?

  *book 1 in the Corps Security series. Can be read as a standalone but each book interconnects. HEA*

  **Warning**

  This book is intended for a mature reading audience and isn't suitable for younger readers.

  Author Notes

  It is my personal belief that music can turn any ordinary situation into something magical. I have ALWAYS been a huge fan of losing myself in a song. When I was writing Axel, there wasn’t a second that my iTunes wasn’t rocking away. There were songs that I had to set on repeat a few times because they just made me feel the scene at a whole new level. Especially when I needed to step into psycho. SO—this is my Axel playlist. Some songs mean more than others, some just made me smile, and some made me feel.

  Ed Sheeran- Lego House

  Ben Harper- Walk Away

  Rihanna- Stay

  Tim McMorris-Overwhelmed

  Fall Out Boy- My Song Know What you Did in the Dark

  Macklemore & Ryan Lewis-Can’t Hold Us

  Christina Aguilera-Just a Fool

  Incubus-I Miss You

  Dave Matthews Band-Crash Into Me

  Lady Antebellum-Need You Now

  Rascal Flatts-Stand

  Zedd-Clarity

  Miranda Lambert-Over You

  P!nk- Try

  Maroon 5-Sad (particularly the version Amber Carrington sang on The Voice)

  Train-Marry Me

  Taylor Swift-Mean

  Emeli Sande-Next to Me

  Gavin Degraw-More Than Anyone

  Coldplay-Fix You

  Christina Perri-A Thousand Years

  NSYNC-Gone

  Disturbed-Down with the Sickness

  Eli Young Band- Crazy Girl

  will.i.am ft. Miley Cyrus- Fall Down

  Author Warning

  As a reader myself, I know how important it is to be aware of ‘hot button’ issues that could trigger painful memories for some. Axel is a story about love. The greatest love that you could find in a lifetime, the undying kind. But, Axel and Izzy didn’t have an easy road and unfortunately to tell their story, I had to tell the story of Izzy’s hard times. There is a scene that shows the darker side to a bad marriage. There is a scene, however brief it may be, dealing domestic violence. I feel it is my job to advise the reader of this violent episode. With that in mind, please note that this is not a book that focuses on that violence but the strength within Izzy to overcome and the love between her and Axel.

  This book is intended for a mature reading audience and isn’t suitable for readers under 18. Brash language, sexual hotness, delectable alpha males, and adult situations are all over this book—you have been warned! **wink**

  Enjoy! I hope you fall in love with Axel, Izzy & their story!

  Prologue

  God… please let him be late. Traffic? Boss needed help? Hell, at this point, I would even pray for his shoe being untied.

  ANYTHING to give me just five extra minutes.

  Taking a frustrated breath, I remember that I gave up pleading to the heavens years ago. Ten years to be exact. The day he walked out of my life. The day the sun stopped shining and my world turned gray. The day my dreams turned into nightmares. I miss my dreams, I miss the sun, and I miss him. So fucking much, even though I know I shouldn’t. After all, what good does it do to miss a ghost?

  Come on… Come on…. I silently beg the light to change. Why is it that, the only time I’m running late, every single light catches me? “Fuck! Just fucking change!” I just know if I am not home in the next ten minutes all hell will break loose. Finally, as soon as the light turns green, I slam on the gas. All I need to do is hurry and everything will be fine.

  Right?

  I roll into the driveway at 5:45, throw the car in park, and rush into the house. Thankfully I had enough foresight when I left earlier to start the slow cooker. “Okay, Okay…” I mutter to myself while rushing around the kitchen island to the table. If I don’t hurry… Nope, I can’t go there. There would cause me to lock up in fear, and cutting it this close, I can’t
lock up.

  “Deep breath, Iz… Just breathe.” I remind myself, setting the bowls of chili down. As quickly as I can manage, I set the table, making sure the glasses are spot free and the silverware is perfectly aligned. I am not going to make those mistakes again. Rushing back to the kitchen, I make sure I’ve washed and dried all the cookware and signs of my slow cooker use. I have just enough time to make sure that my ‘face,’ as he so lovingly calls it, doesn’t look like I just rushed my duties.

  At 6:05 on the dot, I hear the garage door rolling up. Breathe. A few moments later, he walks in. Of course he would never be run late. God forbid he would make it home a minute past his normal scheduled time. The world might end, the sky might fall, and pigs might start flying.

  No, not my husband; he is never off his game.

  “Good evening, Isabelle. How was your day?” he asks while unloading his arms of his coat, briefcase, and keys. He makes sure his coat is hung perfectly; wrinkles wouldn’t dare mess with him. Even they know not to poke the bear. After he disposes of his cell, wallet, and other pocket shit, he finally looks up at me with his cold, dead eyes.

  Permission to speak has silently been granted.

  “Good evening, Brandon. Things were normal as always today. Did some laundry, ran the errands you asked me to do, and got home around three. I know you said your parents are thinking of coming this weekend, so I wanted to make sure I had enough time to get the spare room situated before I started dinner.”

  Lies. All lies… Just enough to hopefully make him think I wasn’t out.

  “Hmmm,” he states while rolling his sleeves up. “So,”—he looks up with his evil smirk and those dead eyes—“that wasn’t you I just saw speeding down Oak Street like the bats of hell were on your bumper, Isabelle?”