Read Online Remember Love by Jessica Nelson - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jessica Nelson
Ads: Link
hug
later.
"Where are
the rest of the kids?" A quick fear pulsed through Katrina, urging her to
get them out of the house even though Steve had already left for work.
"In the
other bedroom." Sharon turned dull eyes away and continued packing.
Katrina hurried out of the room, Paul still clutching her hand.
She switched off
the cartoon blaring on a little TV set on a crate and herded the three children
out to Rachel’s SUV. Sharon owned a van but Steve drove it, dropping her off at
the bookstore on days she worked before going to his construction job.
Whispering words
of comfort, she strapped the kids in and made sure they were settled before
climbing out of the back seat. As she rounded the SUV to hop into the passenger
side, a car caught her attention.
Slowly it drove
forward, the driver hidden behind a tinted windshield. A tremor swept through
her. It couldn’t be Steve. How would he know? Paused at the back of the SUV,
legs frozen, she watched as the car stopped across from her.
She could feel
her heart slamming against her ribs, pounding, yet blood wasn’t flowing to her
extremities. They were cold, goose bumps rolling over her in waves.
The window rolled
down.
The plush leather
caught her attention first, then the driver’s strong chin. Blood rushed through
her, and she sucked in the moist air.
"I have
something to give you." Alec didn’t yell but his words carried to her
nonetheless.
"How did you
find me?"
"Lynn."
The clipped answer clued her in that he was angry.
Back
straightening, she eyed him from her stance behind the SUV. "We’ll have to
talk later. I’m busy."
"Kidnapping?"
"None of
your business." She gave him the best glare she could muster, then pivoted
and hurried to the passenger side. The humid warmth inside the vehicle billowed
in her face as soon as she opened the door. Leaning forward, she quickly
started the engine and cranked the air conditioner.
Katrina glanced
back at the kids. Their quiet, subdued faces worried her. They must’ve seen
everything. Anger rose sharply in her chest, burned against her breastbone.
Kids didn’t deserve this. They deserved love and tender care, not a home
polluted with the stench of unchecked rage.
A door slammed,
jerking her attention to the house. Rachel and Sharon scurried down the
driveway. The back of the vehicle popped open and as they threw luggage in,
Katrina realized Alec had parked at the curb a few feet back. Watching them.
She felt like
stealing Rachel’s penchant for growling. He could spy all he wanted. He’d
caught her off guard in the restaurant, but now she was prepared for his anger.
Just because she felt guilty didn’t mean he could intimidate her.
She wasn’t a love-sick
teenager anymore.
Rachel popped
into the driver’s seat and Sharon slid in back with the kids. Katrina glimpsed
a jagged red cut on Sharon’s arm as she buckled in.
Sharon was
murmuring to her children as Katrina whispered to Rachel, "What happened
to her arm?"
"Steve did
it." Rachel peeled out of the driveway, tires squealing. Katrina grimaced.
Poor Sharon.
Rachel glanced at
the rearview mirror. "Someone’s following me."
CHAPTER
SIX
Katrina turned
and immediately recognized the sporty car behind them.
"It’s Alec."
Rachel’s mouth
tightened. "What does he want?"
Sneaking a peek
at the back of the SUV to make sure Sharon was still talking to the kids,
Katrina shrugged. "I don’t know," she said in a low voice.
"I’ll lose
him."
But Rachel didn’t
need to. Alec’s car turned left on Main and they continued on back roads. Steve’s
violence convinced Katrina to have Rachel stop at the hardware store and pick
up some sturdier locks. Manatee Bay was a small town and it wouldn’t be long
before Steve figured out Sharon’s whereabouts. As old as Katrina’s house was, he
could break in easily.
After finagling
the new locks on archaic doors and then helping Sharon put the kids to bed,
Katrina took pictures of Sharon’s arm while Rachel
later.
"Where are
the rest of the kids?" A quick fear pulsed through Katrina, urging her to
get them out of the house even though Steve had already left for work.
"In the
other bedroom." Sharon turned dull eyes away and continued packing.
Katrina hurried out of the room, Paul still clutching her hand.
She switched off
the cartoon blaring on a little TV set on a crate and herded the three children
out to Rachel’s SUV. Sharon owned a van but Steve drove it, dropping her off at
the bookstore on days she worked before going to his construction job.
Whispering words
of comfort, she strapped the kids in and made sure they were settled before
climbing out of the back seat. As she rounded the SUV to hop into the passenger
side, a car caught her attention.
Slowly it drove
forward, the driver hidden behind a tinted windshield. A tremor swept through
her. It couldn’t be Steve. How would he know? Paused at the back of the SUV,
legs frozen, she watched as the car stopped across from her.
She could feel
her heart slamming against her ribs, pounding, yet blood wasn’t flowing to her
extremities. They were cold, goose bumps rolling over her in waves.
The window rolled
down.
The plush leather
caught her attention first, then the driver’s strong chin. Blood rushed through
her, and she sucked in the moist air.
"I have
something to give you." Alec didn’t yell but his words carried to her
nonetheless.
"How did you
find me?"
"Lynn."
The clipped answer clued her in that he was angry.
Back
straightening, she eyed him from her stance behind the SUV. "We’ll have to
talk later. I’m busy."
"Kidnapping?"
"None of
your business." She gave him the best glare she could muster, then pivoted
and hurried to the passenger side. The humid warmth inside the vehicle billowed
in her face as soon as she opened the door. Leaning forward, she quickly
started the engine and cranked the air conditioner.
Katrina glanced
back at the kids. Their quiet, subdued faces worried her. They must’ve seen
everything. Anger rose sharply in her chest, burned against her breastbone.
Kids didn’t deserve this. They deserved love and tender care, not a home
polluted with the stench of unchecked rage.
A door slammed,
jerking her attention to the house. Rachel and Sharon scurried down the
driveway. The back of the vehicle popped open and as they threw luggage in,
Katrina realized Alec had parked at the curb a few feet back. Watching them.
She felt like
stealing Rachel’s penchant for growling. He could spy all he wanted. He’d
caught her off guard in the restaurant, but now she was prepared for his anger.
Just because she felt guilty didn’t mean he could intimidate her.
She wasn’t a love-sick
teenager anymore.
Rachel popped
into the driver’s seat and Sharon slid in back with the kids. Katrina glimpsed
a jagged red cut on Sharon’s arm as she buckled in.
Sharon was
murmuring to her children as Katrina whispered to Rachel, "What happened
to her arm?"
"Steve did
it." Rachel peeled out of the driveway, tires squealing. Katrina grimaced.
Poor Sharon.
Rachel glanced at
the rearview mirror. "Someone’s following me."
CHAPTER
SIX
Katrina turned
and immediately recognized the sporty car behind them.
"It’s Alec."
Rachel’s mouth
tightened. "What does he want?"
Sneaking a peek
at the back of the SUV to make sure Sharon was still talking to the kids,
Katrina shrugged. "I don’t know," she said in a low voice.
"I’ll lose
him."
But Rachel didn’t
need to. Alec’s car turned left on Main and they continued on back roads. Steve’s
violence convinced Katrina to have Rachel stop at the hardware store and pick
up some sturdier locks. Manatee Bay was a small town and it wouldn’t be long
before Steve figured out Sharon’s whereabouts. As old as Katrina’s house was, he
could break in easily.
After finagling
the new locks on archaic doors and then helping Sharon put the kids to bed,
Katrina took pictures of Sharon’s arm while Rachel
Similar Books
