She’d decided to try again with her husband, realizing after she calmed down and spent some time alone that life with Samuel had been much different than life with Henry. Samuel’s gentleness, his desire to only make her happy was the exact opposite of Henry, who’d only ever seen Carla as a producer of children, not as a human being. She also realized she loved her husband dearly and that life without him was just plain not worth living. She’d written the letter, asking him to come back; she’d just not sent it yet. Now he’d come back but not know that she’d wanted him back anyway. And there may not be time for him to say goodbye to Chloe.
Clutching the child even tighter to her body, Carla prayed that Samuel would show up in time to see their little butterfly on her way. Hoping it would cool Chloe’s frightfully hot skin, Carla immersed her child in cool water, even more frightened when Chloe did not react to the water’s chill. She bathed the child there, and slowly, she felt Chloe’s skin cooling but not much.
Hearing a strange noise, Carla went over to the window, holding the baby, and saw what she assumed was one of the motorized wagons she’d read about but hadn’t seen yet. She saw Samuel and Dr. Weiss, and could barely contain herself as she awaited their approach. The vehicle moved quickly and they were soon at the door, and up the stairs.
“Quickly, get her back into the water.” Dr. Weiss spoke, as he saw Chloe and the large basin Carla had been bathing her in. He prepared two separate medicines for Chloe with water Carla had prepared, and spoon fed the mixtures to the baby. Soon Chloe’s fever went down and her color began to return to normal. Dr. Weiss had been tense but as Chloe’s skin cooled even more he relaxed.
“She should be fine now. I will stay with her for the next few days, if you can accommodate me that is, to give her the medicine, and in case the fever returns. Now, get some rest Mum, if I’m not mistaken you have another one on the way, and you’re going to need your strength after your last ordeal.” Dr. Weiss spoke to Carla gently, a hand tapping against one of Carla’s own.
“How did you know?” Carla asked, looking over at Samuel who appeared to be in shock.
“A doctor knows, now go, rest. And speak with your husband. I think you two have some things to discuss.” He spoke gently.
Samuel followed Carla out of the room, his mouth moving but unable to form words as he was not exactly sure what he wanted to say to his wife first. Carla beat him to it and dragged him to their former bedroom, pulling his mouth down to hers as he shut the door. She pulled his clothes off, one piece at a time, not caring if buttons popped loose, she’d repair them later. She tore her own clothes off, giggling as lace wrenched free from cloth, and her hair pins fell all over the floor.
Chloe was going to be fine, Samuel was here at last, and he was accepting her attentions. They could talk later! Carla moved her mouth from Samuel’s lips and pulled him to their bed. She hadn’t slept in here since he left but it had been kept clean. She fell back onto the bed, pulling her naked husband with her. There was no time for foreplay, no time for sweet words; she just needed life affirming confirmation that she was still alive, that he was still alive, that their baby was still alive lovemaking.
Samuel entered her quickly and moved inside of her, over her, with the pent up passion and fear he’d felt over the last two months. He’d been desperate to come back to Carla but feared making matters worse. He’d stayed away and now his desperation to show her how he’d felt made him a little rough, a little clumsy, but she loved the way he touched her nevertheless because it was Samuel’s touch, it was Samuel’s kisses on her body. She moved with him, her hips thrusting up to meet his.
Samuel’s hands roamed Carla’s body, crashing into hers as she explored his body just as frantically. She needed to know each part of him was still there, that nothing about him had changed. She also wanted to build his pleasure and touched all of the places that made him beg for more. She reached up to him, wrapping her legs around his waist as his movements within her became more frantic.
Carla kissed Samuel, using her teeth to nibble at his lips, her tongue to implore him to open his own so that she could slide her tongue inside. She tasted the sweet taste of Samuel and loved him even more because his taste was so familiar, so wonderful, and so sensual. She wanted so much more of Samuel and her movements became erratic, not sure what she wanted and wanting everything at once.
Samuel sensed Carla’s tension and knew what she needed. Carla giggled with joy when he rolled over, pulling Carla on top of him. She moved like a cat, stretching out languorously on top of him, and then sitting up to move her body in ways Samuel had never seen a woman move before. She pulled her hair on top of her head, her laughter filling the room with the sound of joy as her passion grew. Her moans replaced her laughter, and as ecstasy broke over her in waves, Carla’s moans turned to cries of pleasure, her hips continuing to move on top of Samuel, never for a moment forgetting to take her husband with her. Samuel joined her as he watched her breasts swaying and imagined the things he was going to do with them later. His own pleasured cries filled the room and the staff knew the master was home at last, hopefully to stay.
Carla stayed on top of Samuel but moved her legs slightly to ease the cramp forming in her left leg. She spoke to her husband, hoping he’d give her the chance to say what was on her mind.
“I want you to stay, Samuel, but I need you to let me say this.” She said.
“Go on, my dove.” Samuel encouraged.
“I wrote a letter to you but I haven’t sent it yet. I wanted to make sure it was right. Then Chloe grew ill and there was so little time. I was so afraid you weren’t going to make it and I realized what I’d stolen from you both, from you and our child. I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if she’d…” Carla broke off, a sob closing her throat.
Samuel kissed the top of her head, soothing Carla. “She’s fine darling. Go on.”
“Well, I realized that I love you, that you’ve loved me this whole time, and though you lied you did it out of love. Which is still no excuse but it’s one I’ll forgive this time. But only this time. Oh darling, my life without you has been so empty! I need you in it, please, say you’ll come home!”
“I would give everything I own to come back to you and Chloe, Carla, you don’t even have to ask. But I am concerned about this baby. It’s too late now but what if this makes you ill?” Samuel’s fear made his voice tremble.
“We’ll have to face that darling. Hopefully Dr. Weiss will continue to be an innovative doctor and he’ll get us all through this. Not every birth is the same. Chloe’s birth was so hard because she was turned the wrong way, her legs came out first. This next baby may be easier, especially if it comes out head first. The child will move through my body easier. I’m worried too, but if we live our lives too worried to experience what life is actually about we’ll not be living at all. We’ll be hermits, lost to the world and sheltered away. We’re going to have a hard enough time with my own troubles marring our family life, let’s not bother with more worry than we have to, alright darling?” Carla asked, looking up at her husband with her love once again on full display.
“We’ll take it day-by-day my love. I guess that’s how we’re going to have to take it. But I have faith in Dr. Weiss, in you, in us. We can get through this; we can get through it all. After all, nothing else matters in the end but you, me, and our children. Love is all that matters in the end and we have more love than most people in this world. And that’s all we really need.” Samuel whispered the last words to his wife as he brushed her hair from her face and kissed her once more, home at last, both of them free from their burdens to love each other at last.
The End
Part III
His Temptation
Romantic Suspense
About the Book
When petite and pretty Julie Dumbarton flees the big city fearing for her life, she wants only one thing: to escape the mistakes of her past. But instead of escape, she discovers she was followed to
her home town by Martin Richter, the man who beat and abused her. Now, her family is at risk as well. Julie is afraid she’ll never be able be free of Martin’s cruelty. When ex-boyfriend, Axel steps up to keep her safe, she vow’s she’ll never fall into a criminal life again, even if it means giving up Axel forever.
Tough and dominating Axel Kehoe, entrenched in the life as a gang leader, wants nothing more than to squash the man who is tormenting Julie, his one and only love. His plan: get rid of Martin and get Julie back into his bed. But is he willing to give up everything he knows to win back Julie’s love?
Chapter Eleven
Julie Dumbarton sat in the very last seat of the Greyhound Bus. She didn’t like sitting next to the chemical smelling toilet stall, but she needed the security of knowing no one was sitting behind her. She was impatient for the bus to depart, afraid that if they sat there too long the man that was hunting her would find her. She looked out of the window into the night but all she could see was her own reflection, her red hair creeping out from under her hat, blue eyes rimmed with dark circles from lack of sleep. Even her cheekbones seemed sharper than when she had left home months ago.
She thought back to the time before the city, when she’d stupidly driven the getaway car for her boyfriend Axel. She hadn’t known he was going to rob a bank, but that wouldn’t matter to the cops. The prosecutor would surely point out that she had known Axel was up to no good. She’d left him after that. Left him and moved to the city for a fresh start.
What a joke that had been; she’d had no marketable skills and couldn’t find a job. She should have known when the lovely Martin Richter had taken her in, that he was a con man. An unprincipled pimp. She’d actually thought he was in love with her until he had given her to another man. After that she’d stolen from his wallet time and time again, until she had the bus fare home. But he’d found her stash and given her a black eye so in the end she had to call her parents for a bus ticket home.
She’d spent the evening pretending to drink with Martin, refilling his glass time after time until he finally passed out on the couch. Then she’d snuck past the other rooms and down and out into the street, running barefoot to the bus station, her feet silent on the warm pavement, so the men wouldn’t hear her footfalls.
“I need to pick up my ticket,” she’d said panting with exertion and nerves at the ticket window.
“What?” asked the clerk behind the counter. “Say again.”
“I have a ticket here,” Julie spoke slower, tried to regulate her breathing.
“You must pay for ticket,” the clerk said.
“No,” Julie was starting to panic, she wasn’t sure how much time she had before the bus left. “My parents paid for the ticket, I just need to pick it up.”
The clerk had finally understood, found the ticket and handed it to Julie, after she’d produced her ID. Then she’d padded quietly onto the bus, still holding her shoes.
Shouting broke out in the station just as the bus engine roared to life and Julie slid down in her seat hoping to slip unnoticed out of Martin Richter’s life. He didn’t know where she was from and with a little luck he would never know where she had gone.
Julie woke when the bus pulled into her home town terminal. She hadn’t meant to fall asleep, it wasn’t safe. The movement of the bus had lulled her and she’d slept deeply the last five hours of the trip. She rubbed her eyes and looked out into the familiar downtown. Her parents were standing on the sidewalk beside the bus; arms folded not talking to each other. There was nothing new about that, they hadn’t had a proper conversation in the last 10 years as far as Julie knew.
She grabbed her backpack and climbed down out of the bus. Her mother burst into tears and threw her arms around Julie.
“I’m okay mom,” Julie said into her shoulder. “I’m fine.” It wasn’t true of course but she would never tell her mother what she’d been through. Looking over her mother’s shoulder she thought she saw someone standing in the shadows on the other side of the street, but she couldn’t get a good look. Still, the figure reminded her of Axel and she realized she’d still have to be careful. She’d put that life behind her and that’s where she wanted it to stay.
“Why thank goodness,” her father said. “You’re safe. Let’s take you home.” He took her backpack and walked away.
“Mom. Mom!” Julie pulled away from her mother’s embrace. “Come on mom, dad already left.”
They followed her dad to the car and drove silently through the town toward their home. Once home, Julie made excuses to her parents and retreated to the sanctuary of her bedroom; the one place in the world she felt safe. She grabbed a towel from the linen closet and got gratefully into the shower. She let the water run and run, rinsing away the grime of the city life, the humiliation, the abuse. When the water ran cold she got out of the shower, returned to the privacy of her room and rummaged in her drawers for close she hadn’t worn in months.
When she pulled on her favorite jeans she discovered they were too big for her now. She looked at herself in the mirror, seeing for the first time that her hip bones jetted sharply and her lower ribs were visible. There had been no mirrors in the house in the city and she had no clue how emaciated she’d become. She dug around in a drawer for a belt and cinched her jeans tight on her hips. So she was thin, she thought, so what? All she had to do was eat ice cream every day for a week. She should get back to normal, at least normal looking. She might never feel like the same person again.
The jeans looked silly bunched around her waist, so she slipped into a dress instead. It was a flowy sleeveless shift with a scoop neck that dropped to just above her knees. Comfortable and homey. This dress was full of happy memories.
It was when she went to flop down on her bed that she noticed the envelope on her pillow. She smiled thinking one of her friends must be welcoming her home. She stuck her finger under the envelope flap and tore it open, pulling out not a card, but a single sheet of lined paper, the kind they use in elementary school. There were five words printed on it. You - will - never - be - free. A cold chill ran down her back.
Julie dug through her drawers for a clean pair of socks and grabbed her sneakers out of the closet. She dumped her backpack on the bed shaking out all the bits of detritus she collected in the corners during her stay in the city. Then she stuffed a change of clothes and a sweatshirt into the bag, dropped to her hands and knees beside the bed and felt for the slit she’d cut in the bottom of the box spring for the money she’d stashed there months ago.
Her fingers found the edges of the envelope and she slid it from the mattress, but when she opened it there was no money there. She dropped her head to the floor in despair. Who had taken her money? Well it didn’t matter she was just going to have to survive without it. She went to the window opened the lower sash and slid out onto the back porch roof. She inched down the metal as quietly as she could, rolled over onto her stomach and slid her legs out into the air until her hips could bend. As her legs dropped, she kicked around feeling with her toes for a gap in the lattice. When she found it she crept slowly down as quietly as she could and dropped into the bushes at the back of the house. The backyard was dark, but luckily she knew where everything was. Nothing had changed in the weeks she had been away.
She stepped out between the bushes and sat on the back door step to put her shoes on. The house was dark and she knew her parents were sleeping. She made her way quietly past the garage at the back of the yard, out through the gate and into the back alley. There she took a quick look to see that no one was skulking in the alley and she turned right and trotted toward town.
She walked through the small downtown and along the river until she reached the bridge. There she sat on the parapet watching the river flow and wondered what she should do. There were one or two people that might be willing to help her, but there were no guarantees. She’d left town without a word to her friends, hadn’t contacted them while she was away and couldn’t expect them to understand why
she left.
She would not go back to Axel. She would not get dragged back into that life. People who ran with Axel’s gang didn’t survive long, and there were plenty of freshly seeded mounds in the graveyard that could attest to that.
Julie ducked down as a car approached the bridge hiding in the shadows. Her parents wouldn’t be looking for her yet, they wouldn’t even be awake, but the problem with living in a small town was that nothing stayed secret for long. If someone saw her sitting on the bridge her parents would be woken to a phone call telling them all about it. Julie had to remain unseen.
She slid down off the bridge onto the bank of the river and walked south. If she made it down to the marina she might be able to break into one of the boat houses the summer people kept there. Last summer Axel had shown her which boathouses had easy locks to pick, and which ones were hardly ever locked at all.
The sky began to fade and brighten as she approached the marina, but it was still very early. There was no one on the docks. She hurried down the farthest jetty and chose a house in a slip between two others where her movement might go unnoticed. She’d been here before, unlike last time the porch window slid easily open and she slipped inside.
She wondered if the people who owned the house boat even remembered it was theirs. No one had visited it in her memory and it was exactly the same as last time she’d been there. There were two cokes and a bottle of water in the fridge. She grabbed the water reasoning it could be refilled so it wasn’t really stealing. She made her way upstairs and out onto the roof deck, grabbing a wall blanket from the linen closet on the way. She curled into one of the reclining deck chairs, pulled the blanket over her swig to the water and then let herself drift into sleep.
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