Read Online Between Octobers Bk 1, Savor The Days Series by A.R. Rivera - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: A.R. Rivera
Tags: Suspense, Romance, Family, tragedy, hollywood, hen_lit, romantic suspense, actor, henlit, rob pattinson
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Ronnie, I was sure
to drown, but the neighbor heard us splashing. He ran outside and
pulled me out of the water by my hair.
While half of me dives into survival mode,
the other keeps praying for clear, concise, signs. The constant
motion pulls. I think it means we’re slowing again. I nod and press
my cheek against the sidewall, working the cloth back up over my
eyes, stopping when I can no longer see.
My feet. I’m not sure if they’re bound, but
I can’t move them.
Amid the worry, a great sense of clarity
comes, blanketing my fear. It says I need to be still. I cannot
run, so I must be dead. It feels foolish, the complete opposite of
what I want, but I repeat my earlier movements in reverse, settling
into my original position. Then, close my eyes under the blindfold
and wait. The air is stifling. Sweat beads against my skin. I’m
stuck. Until the box is open—and I have to believe it will be—I
need to be calm.
God, help me. If I sweat or
breathe we’re dead .
Working to control my gasping breaths, I
slowly inhale and gradually exhale until my heart rate begins to
slow. The familiar pressure in my head ebbs, though the pain of the
blow is prominent. I force each muscle group to relax, calling to
each individually, willing them to rest. I must look flaccid.
I hope she doesn’t check for a pulse.
There’s no way I can fake that. I take one, concentrated breath and
let it out slowly, counting backwards from twenty, determining that
when I get to zero I’m going to be calm—no matter what.
20, 19, 18…
Worst case scenario: we’re dead. My heart
breaks at the thought of not seeing my boys grow up, but I can see
Solomon and my parents again. Lily will get the boys and the
houses. She’ll tell Evan that I loved him until I took my last
breath. God is sovereign enough to care for them in my stead. Best
case: we make it out together. My arm strokes my pregnant belly.
The only acceptable scenario is that we get out together—all or
nothing.
The pain subsides a little, though the ride
is really bumpy. I can’t tell how far or fast we’re going, only
that it’s off road. And towards a spot where I have no help and no
control.
Merciful dizziness descends, disconnecting
me from my body. I thank God, as my eyes roll into nothing.
October 10.5
By the time the tires hit the stone driveway
I was a ball of nerves, wondering about Maria and dreading the
possibility of an embarrassing outburst.
“Nice yard,” Evan remarked in his cool,
swoony accent.
A weak “Thank you,” was all I managed.
Normally, I’d brag a little since I did most of the landscaping
myself, but the aching in my stomach was distracting.
I led the way up the path. Halfway to the
porch, my feet suddenly felt like lead. Evan crashed into my back.
His hands flew up to my shoulders as he steadied himself.
He chuckled when I turned. “You stopped
short.”
“ I should warn you. My mother-in-law .
. . well, Sol’s mother, is probably inside.”
“Do you need back up, in case a fight breaks
out?” He jumped around with fists in the air, guarding his face
like a boxer.
“You may not be far off.”
He looked passed me at the front door and
the sunshine hit him in a way that made me want to reach out and
touch him, but I kept my hands at my side. He was beautiful. And
his eyes were not brown like I thought when I first saw him in the
elevator, like they seemed beneath the track lighting of the
museum. His eyes were blue and green with large golden flecks in
them. Evan had hazel eyes. His brow furrowed, blocking the delicate
sun and darkening his features.
“Would you like me to wait in the car?”
“No,” I scoffed. The very idea that I’d have
to walk on eggshells in my own house—though I had for many years
already—was suddenly insufferable. “I just never know what to
expect from her,” I explained. “Oh, and my sister-in-law, Lily,
she’ll probably recognize you, so be prepared.”
“ Right. Either a slap or a
to drown, but the neighbor heard us splashing. He ran outside and
pulled me out of the water by my hair.
While half of me dives into survival mode,
the other keeps praying for clear, concise, signs. The constant
motion pulls. I think it means we’re slowing again. I nod and press
my cheek against the sidewall, working the cloth back up over my
eyes, stopping when I can no longer see.
My feet. I’m not sure if they’re bound, but
I can’t move them.
Amid the worry, a great sense of clarity
comes, blanketing my fear. It says I need to be still. I cannot
run, so I must be dead. It feels foolish, the complete opposite of
what I want, but I repeat my earlier movements in reverse, settling
into my original position. Then, close my eyes under the blindfold
and wait. The air is stifling. Sweat beads against my skin. I’m
stuck. Until the box is open—and I have to believe it will be—I
need to be calm.
God, help me. If I sweat or
breathe we’re dead .
Working to control my gasping breaths, I
slowly inhale and gradually exhale until my heart rate begins to
slow. The familiar pressure in my head ebbs, though the pain of the
blow is prominent. I force each muscle group to relax, calling to
each individually, willing them to rest. I must look flaccid.
I hope she doesn’t check for a pulse.
There’s no way I can fake that. I take one, concentrated breath and
let it out slowly, counting backwards from twenty, determining that
when I get to zero I’m going to be calm—no matter what.
20, 19, 18…
Worst case scenario: we’re dead. My heart
breaks at the thought of not seeing my boys grow up, but I can see
Solomon and my parents again. Lily will get the boys and the
houses. She’ll tell Evan that I loved him until I took my last
breath. God is sovereign enough to care for them in my stead. Best
case: we make it out together. My arm strokes my pregnant belly.
The only acceptable scenario is that we get out together—all or
nothing.
The pain subsides a little, though the ride
is really bumpy. I can’t tell how far or fast we’re going, only
that it’s off road. And towards a spot where I have no help and no
control.
Merciful dizziness descends, disconnecting
me from my body. I thank God, as my eyes roll into nothing.
October 10.5
By the time the tires hit the stone driveway
I was a ball of nerves, wondering about Maria and dreading the
possibility of an embarrassing outburst.
“Nice yard,” Evan remarked in his cool,
swoony accent.
A weak “Thank you,” was all I managed.
Normally, I’d brag a little since I did most of the landscaping
myself, but the aching in my stomach was distracting.
I led the way up the path. Halfway to the
porch, my feet suddenly felt like lead. Evan crashed into my back.
His hands flew up to my shoulders as he steadied himself.
He chuckled when I turned. “You stopped
short.”
“ I should warn you. My mother-in-law .
. . well, Sol’s mother, is probably inside.”
“Do you need back up, in case a fight breaks
out?” He jumped around with fists in the air, guarding his face
like a boxer.
“You may not be far off.”
He looked passed me at the front door and
the sunshine hit him in a way that made me want to reach out and
touch him, but I kept my hands at my side. He was beautiful. And
his eyes were not brown like I thought when I first saw him in the
elevator, like they seemed beneath the track lighting of the
museum. His eyes were blue and green with large golden flecks in
them. Evan had hazel eyes. His brow furrowed, blocking the delicate
sun and darkening his features.
“Would you like me to wait in the car?”
“No,” I scoffed. The very idea that I’d have
to walk on eggshells in my own house—though I had for many years
already—was suddenly insufferable. “I just never know what to
expect from her,” I explained. “Oh, and my sister-in-law, Lily,
she’ll probably recognize you, so be prepared.”
“ Right. Either a slap or a
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