Read Online Betraying Innocence by Airicka Phoenix - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Airicka Phoenix
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right back to negotiating business.
“Did I miss anything?” Mom asked, once they were strapped into the truck and pulling out of the airport.
“ Nope,” Ana and her dad muttered together.
Mom looked from one to the other, suspicion narrowing her eyes. “It’s just you both look so … miserable. Is it because I asked you to come pick me up? You know I would have done it myself, but I’m just so tired.”
“ We had a bit of a rough night,” her father explained.
“It’s why Dad won’t let me drive your car back,” Ana muttered, a bit peeved about the fact.
“That’s not why,” her dad replied. “I would just feel better if you didn’t look ready to fall asleep sitting up.”
“ Did something happen last night?” Her mother turned slightly in her seat to peer at Ana in the back.
Ana shook her head. “ Just a bad dream.”
Her mom sat back again. “ Well, I guess we’re all going to have an early night.” She sighed, tilting her head back against the headrest. “I am just exhausted myself.”
“Ana. Wake up.”
The sheets rustled in the dark as Ana shifted.
“Ana.”
“What?” she grumbled into the pillow.
“Wake up, Ana.”
“No … why?”
“ Come here.”
Groaning, she sat up, her head a million miles away, lost in the heavy fog of sleep. The floorboards creaked as she was led down the stairs. Her shoulder scraped the wall along the hall leading into the kitchen.
“Where are we going?”
“This way.”
“Mom?” The back door was open to the cool, night air. Ana frowned as she staggered her way forward. “Dad? Where are you?”
“This way.”
The night was crisp, moist with condensation. The dew on the grass dampened the bottom of her flannel pants as she was propelled across the yard.
“Ana!”
“I’m coming!” Her foot caught on a root. She staggered but kept upright.
“Ana, stop!” The voice wasn’t the same. This one was panicked and loud.
“This way!”
“Where are we going?”
“Ana!”
Something slammed into her, nearly sending her to the ground. Bands of steel clasped around her, crushing her breathing and lifting her off her feet. The assault had the mist lifting from around her. She was sent violently crashing into reality. She cried out as she was swung around and set back down onto her feet.
“Ana.” She was grabbed and forcibly turned to face her father’ s drawn and pale face and the wild fear in his eyes. “What were you thinking?”
She stared at him , her mind and her eyes at war with what was happening. “What are you doing?”
He jerked back. He straightened, scrubbing his hands over his face. He swore. His fingers fisted back through his hair.
“What are you doing out here, Ana?”
Disorientated, she looked around her. “I’m outside.”
“Yeah, you’re outside!” he shouted, his voice bordering on hysteric al. “What are you doing outside?” He rubbed a shaky hand over his mouth. “You nearly walked straight into the pond. Jesus … if I hadn’t gotten up for a glass of water … Christ, Ana!”
“I … I’m sorry… I don’t know how I got here.”
With another violent curse that would have had her mother laying bricks, she was snatched up by his arms and smothered into his chest. He held her so tight she couldn’t breathe. Then, just as suddenly, he released her.
“Come on.” He exhaled sharply. “Let’s get you back to bed.”
Chapter Six
Ana
Ana woke several more times in the weeks that passed, each time in a different place. It was never clear how she got there, but she would open her eyes and she would be in the backyard, standing in the living room, on the top of the stairs, in the hallway, in the kitchen, the living room, the front porch, her room … always standing, always disorientated. Sometimes it was broad daylight, the sun blinding, the wind whipping through her hair, cooling the sweat soaking her clothes. Other times, it was pitch black and she didn’t know where she was
“Did I miss anything?” Mom asked, once they were strapped into the truck and pulling out of the airport.
“ Nope,” Ana and her dad muttered together.
Mom looked from one to the other, suspicion narrowing her eyes. “It’s just you both look so … miserable. Is it because I asked you to come pick me up? You know I would have done it myself, but I’m just so tired.”
“ We had a bit of a rough night,” her father explained.
“It’s why Dad won’t let me drive your car back,” Ana muttered, a bit peeved about the fact.
“That’s not why,” her dad replied. “I would just feel better if you didn’t look ready to fall asleep sitting up.”
“ Did something happen last night?” Her mother turned slightly in her seat to peer at Ana in the back.
Ana shook her head. “ Just a bad dream.”
Her mom sat back again. “ Well, I guess we’re all going to have an early night.” She sighed, tilting her head back against the headrest. “I am just exhausted myself.”
“Ana. Wake up.”
The sheets rustled in the dark as Ana shifted.
“Ana.”
“What?” she grumbled into the pillow.
“Wake up, Ana.”
“No … why?”
“ Come here.”
Groaning, she sat up, her head a million miles away, lost in the heavy fog of sleep. The floorboards creaked as she was led down the stairs. Her shoulder scraped the wall along the hall leading into the kitchen.
“Where are we going?”
“This way.”
“Mom?” The back door was open to the cool, night air. Ana frowned as she staggered her way forward. “Dad? Where are you?”
“This way.”
The night was crisp, moist with condensation. The dew on the grass dampened the bottom of her flannel pants as she was propelled across the yard.
“Ana!”
“I’m coming!” Her foot caught on a root. She staggered but kept upright.
“Ana, stop!” The voice wasn’t the same. This one was panicked and loud.
“This way!”
“Where are we going?”
“Ana!”
Something slammed into her, nearly sending her to the ground. Bands of steel clasped around her, crushing her breathing and lifting her off her feet. The assault had the mist lifting from around her. She was sent violently crashing into reality. She cried out as she was swung around and set back down onto her feet.
“Ana.” She was grabbed and forcibly turned to face her father’ s drawn and pale face and the wild fear in his eyes. “What were you thinking?”
She stared at him , her mind and her eyes at war with what was happening. “What are you doing?”
He jerked back. He straightened, scrubbing his hands over his face. He swore. His fingers fisted back through his hair.
“What are you doing out here, Ana?”
Disorientated, she looked around her. “I’m outside.”
“Yeah, you’re outside!” he shouted, his voice bordering on hysteric al. “What are you doing outside?” He rubbed a shaky hand over his mouth. “You nearly walked straight into the pond. Jesus … if I hadn’t gotten up for a glass of water … Christ, Ana!”
“I … I’m sorry… I don’t know how I got here.”
With another violent curse that would have had her mother laying bricks, she was snatched up by his arms and smothered into his chest. He held her so tight she couldn’t breathe. Then, just as suddenly, he released her.
“Come on.” He exhaled sharply. “Let’s get you back to bed.”
Chapter Six
Ana
Ana woke several more times in the weeks that passed, each time in a different place. It was never clear how she got there, but she would open her eyes and she would be in the backyard, standing in the living room, on the top of the stairs, in the hallway, in the kitchen, the living room, the front porch, her room … always standing, always disorientated. Sometimes it was broad daylight, the sun blinding, the wind whipping through her hair, cooling the sweat soaking her clothes. Other times, it was pitch black and she didn’t know where she was
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