Read Online Eternal Temptation by T. A. Grey - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: T. A. Grey
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I just liked her. She made me feel good and whole. We moved in together and had eight months together. Then in one night it all stopped.”
Cassie couldn’t hide the tears shining in her eyes. She shook with the need to put an arm around him and hug him. But she was afraid he’d shake her off with how raw he was. Right now she knew she was learning more about this man than most people had a clue to.
“We were gonna name the baby Renee after my mother. Nature’s a real son of a bitch sometimes. It gives and gives, then snatches away those that are precious to you in a matter of hours.”
Terrified to know, Cassie asked, “What happened to them?”
He sucked in a sharp breath and rested a big hand on top of the stone. “She was due any day. That night, on this night exactly three years ago, we had a fight. She said she didn’t love me, that after the baby was delivered she didn’t want me around because the real father, Greg, said he was ready to step up.” He choked out a harsh laugh. “I spent all those months talking to Renee, singing to her, telling her how much her Daddy loved her, and she was going to take that away from me. I was angry. I went to the bar and got shitfaced. By time I got home it was late and I could barely tell if I was walking or crawling.”
“I called out to her. She didn’t answer, so I figured she was sleeping or just ignoring me. I checked in on her and...” he exhaled a shaky breath. “And there was blood all over the bedsheets. Her skin was sweaty and white. I called 911 but she was already dead—hour’s dead I found out later. They said she went into labor but there were complications. Both her and the baby died.”
Cassie dried her tears with her shirtsleeve. Unable to contain herself, she threw her arms around him and hugged him tight. He tensed beneath her and gently unwrapped her arms from him.
“Don’t cry for me, Cassie. Cry them. They’re the ones who lost their lives that night. Not me.” He stood and walked away.
But you did , she wanted to cry out. But she kept her mouth closed and stood on wooden legs to follow him. Feeling like a hollow shell of herself, she followed him back to the cabin.
The man was living in a horrible past, and she honestly had no idea how to help him.
If he was pushing her away about his past then what was he doing with his family? Cassie walked back to the cabin with legs that felt like they were stuffed full of lead. Darien Kategan needed her help, and she didn’t know why but she knew that she could help him. She just had no idea how to yet.
A thousand thoughts ran through her mind. She didn’t have enough time. Daniel saw her. He was much closer to her than she’d thought. He would send everyone in his power after her now. If she was lucky--and given her life experiences she wasn’t--then she’d have a week tops.
Did she have enough time to change someone’s life?
She was going to find out. Because she was running out of time and so was Darien.
* * *
Was it a good idea what she was planning? Probably not. Did she think it was awesome—oh, yeah?
When she got back to the cabin, she found Darien chopping more wood. She honestly hadn’t realized what he was doing before, but this simple act was his way of getting away from it. He didn’t drink or use drugs. He chopped wood. For a carpenter, she supposed it made sense.
Darien was stubborn, and his soul was etched with guilt and pain. She needed to show him that there was still happiness and kindness. Ugh, she felt cheesy just thinking it but it was true.
Besides, he could chop down this entire forest if he wanted to, and from the looks of the wood stacked around the cabin that’s what he was trying for, but it still wouldn’t make him feel better.
“Hey, lykaen,” she said striding towards him. He didn’t answer her so she continued, “Thank you for sharing that with me.” Still no answer. He hefted the axe high and let it drop hard again and again.
Cassie couldn’t hide the tears shining in her eyes. She shook with the need to put an arm around him and hug him. But she was afraid he’d shake her off with how raw he was. Right now she knew she was learning more about this man than most people had a clue to.
“We were gonna name the baby Renee after my mother. Nature’s a real son of a bitch sometimes. It gives and gives, then snatches away those that are precious to you in a matter of hours.”
Terrified to know, Cassie asked, “What happened to them?”
He sucked in a sharp breath and rested a big hand on top of the stone. “She was due any day. That night, on this night exactly three years ago, we had a fight. She said she didn’t love me, that after the baby was delivered she didn’t want me around because the real father, Greg, said he was ready to step up.” He choked out a harsh laugh. “I spent all those months talking to Renee, singing to her, telling her how much her Daddy loved her, and she was going to take that away from me. I was angry. I went to the bar and got shitfaced. By time I got home it was late and I could barely tell if I was walking or crawling.”
“I called out to her. She didn’t answer, so I figured she was sleeping or just ignoring me. I checked in on her and...” he exhaled a shaky breath. “And there was blood all over the bedsheets. Her skin was sweaty and white. I called 911 but she was already dead—hour’s dead I found out later. They said she went into labor but there were complications. Both her and the baby died.”
Cassie dried her tears with her shirtsleeve. Unable to contain herself, she threw her arms around him and hugged him tight. He tensed beneath her and gently unwrapped her arms from him.
“Don’t cry for me, Cassie. Cry them. They’re the ones who lost their lives that night. Not me.” He stood and walked away.
But you did , she wanted to cry out. But she kept her mouth closed and stood on wooden legs to follow him. Feeling like a hollow shell of herself, she followed him back to the cabin.
The man was living in a horrible past, and she honestly had no idea how to help him.
If he was pushing her away about his past then what was he doing with his family? Cassie walked back to the cabin with legs that felt like they were stuffed full of lead. Darien Kategan needed her help, and she didn’t know why but she knew that she could help him. She just had no idea how to yet.
A thousand thoughts ran through her mind. She didn’t have enough time. Daniel saw her. He was much closer to her than she’d thought. He would send everyone in his power after her now. If she was lucky--and given her life experiences she wasn’t--then she’d have a week tops.
Did she have enough time to change someone’s life?
She was going to find out. Because she was running out of time and so was Darien.
* * *
Was it a good idea what she was planning? Probably not. Did she think it was awesome—oh, yeah?
When she got back to the cabin, she found Darien chopping more wood. She honestly hadn’t realized what he was doing before, but this simple act was his way of getting away from it. He didn’t drink or use drugs. He chopped wood. For a carpenter, she supposed it made sense.
Darien was stubborn, and his soul was etched with guilt and pain. She needed to show him that there was still happiness and kindness. Ugh, she felt cheesy just thinking it but it was true.
Besides, he could chop down this entire forest if he wanted to, and from the looks of the wood stacked around the cabin that’s what he was trying for, but it still wouldn’t make him feel better.
“Hey, lykaen,” she said striding towards him. He didn’t answer her so she continued, “Thank you for sharing that with me.” Still no answer. He hefted the axe high and let it drop hard again and again.
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