“Kali and Noah, it is okay for you to leave here sometimes, right?” Joe asked as they were having dinner. They were in the dining room in their apartment with Joe, Jade, Nate and Sarah. Something was definitely up.
Noah answered. “Sure we can leave, we’re not prisoners. We just have to be cautious.”
“We’d like you to take us sightseeing on the Pacific Coast Highway tomorrow.”
“Sure,” Kali answered. She loved going to the ocean. She turned to Nate and Sarah. “Do you want to come?”
“Nah, we’ll sit this one out,” Nate answered.
Something’s up, Noah
Definitely.
* * *
Joe wanted to drive, but he just got his driver’s license and there was no way Noah was letting him drive on the windy roads.
Apparently Joe didn’t want to just go sightseeing, he had a specific destination in mind. “Turn here,” he instructed.
Noah turned into a drive with a gate in Laguna Beach. Joe jumped out and pushed a code into the keypad and the gate opened. When they got to the end of the drive, there was a woman waiting for them on the front steps of a huge beach house—basically a beautifully appointed mansion.
“Welcome, come in and look around.”
“Are you moving here, Jade? That’s great,” Kali asked enthused.
“We definitely want to come out here more often,” Jade agreed. The four of them followed the real estate agent through the house, all four admiring the views of the Pacific Ocean. The agent explained the house had been built by a movie mogul in the thirties, and was on the western tip of a rock jutting out over the Pacific Ocean.
“This is perfect,” Noah said. “The way it is situated it’s really a fortress. Joe, this is really secure.”
“I knew you would think so,” Joe said.
When they finished the tour, the real estate agent handed Joe the keys and drove away. Joe turned to Kali and Noah and handed the keys to Kali. She looked down at them. “I don’t understand.”
“The house is yours. I asked Joe to find something suitable for you since I realized you couldn’t go back to Chicago,” Jade said.
“I can’t take this gift from you Jade, I know you feel guilty, but I just can’t take it,” Kali said, as she looked at the house, and then at the keys in her hand.
“Fine, don’t take the house, you don’t have to. I have set up a trust fund for you, it is substantially more than the cost of this house. I did it after I met you in New York. This property only utilizes twenty percent of the funds. You’re stuck with the money, you can do whatever you want with it. You don’t have to buy the house.”
Kali felt like she was in a daze.
“Noah, you’ve been saying there isn’t any place safe enough for us. You said we have to stay where we are.”
“This would do. This is really well protected,” he said carefully.
“Do you know the best part about this property?” Jade asked, smiling at her.
Kali shook her head. Jade came over and put her arm around her, and then grabbed Noah’s hand. “It’ll be the perfect place for a wedding.”
Kali tried not to have any reaction to Jade’s words, but she must have failed.
“Why don’t you two walk around the property, get a feel for it, and talk?” Joe suggested.
“Good idea,” Noah murmured, pulling Kali gently from Jade’s grasp, he guided her toward the back of the house. The backyard overlooked the ocean. He sat on one of the loveseats and pulled her down on to his lap.
“Talk to me. I thought you wanted to get married,” he said, thumbing the engagement ring on her left hand.
“Oh Noah, I do, you know I do, but don’t we have to get married at a justice of the peace? I didn’t think we could have an actual wedding.” Kali looked down at his hand holding hers, not wanting to meet his eyes, afraid he’d see her disappointment.
“Baby, it’s always been about doing this in a place where we could be private and secure. All I’ve wanted since this whole thing started is to keep you safe. I’ve never meant for you to feel like a prisoner.”
“Oh, I don’t Noah.” Kali looked at him, and released her barriers so he could feel everything. He touched his forehead to hers, and she showed him how loving him brought only joy into her life. The fact they had to live in hiding was trivial when compared to the wonder and beauty their life was now, and would be with the birth of their child.
“Kali, would you like to live here?”
“Could we?” She looked from his beautiful brown eyes to the magnificent view of the ocean and back again.
“Yes, we could. What’s more, Jade is right, this would be a perfect spot for a wedding. We could invite all of our friends and family, we would just have to be discreet.”
Kali snuggled close on his lap and gently probed. She could feel both his exasperation and his amusement, but she didn’t care. She didn’t want him doing something just because he felt she wanted it. He needed to be good with the decision too.
“Kali, I’d walk through fire for you.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I would, you’re my life, you and our baby. But, I will never do something to put either of you in harm’s way, no matter how happy it would make you. Your safety always comes first. Living here, and having a wedding here, is perfect.”
“Oh Noah, it doesn’t have a meadow, but I would love it if our child could grow up playing in this yard, overlooking the water.”
For long moments they sat there, resting their joined hands on Kali’s tummy, and imagining the day their baby would be playing on the grass in front of them. The first pulse of energy surprised them, then there was a second. Stunned they looked at each other.
“Kali?”
“Noah, I felt it too!”
“We’re going to have twins.”
“A boy and a girl,” Kali breathed. She stared into Noah’s eyes, and realized every dream she never even knew she had was coming true.
Biography
Caitlyn O’Leary was raised in a small town in the Pacific Northwest. She has always been an avid reader. Her earliest creative writing endeavors consisted of “ghost writing” exercises where she pretended to be her younger brothers and sister when she did their homework assignments.
Years in corporate America honed her ability to manipulate words by day and at night she read everything she could get her hands on, including many steamy romances.
Now happily married to her long, tall Texan and living in Southern California, Caitlyn has finally found the time to write erotic happily ever afters. She enjoys swimming, traveling, babysitting for her nieces and nephews, spending time with friends and family, and doing lots of “research” with her husband for upcoming novels.
Find out more about Caitlyn online:
Website: Caitlynoleary.com
E-Mail: [email protected]
Twitter: @CaitlynOlearyNA
Facebook: Facebook.com/Caitlyn.Oleary.35
Blog: Caitlynolearyauthor.blogspot.com
Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/ojnmr8b
Books by Caitlyn O’Leary
The Found Series
Revealed, Book One
Forsaken, Book Two (coming soon)
Fate Harbor Series
Published by Siren/Bookstrand
Trusting Chance, Book One
Protecting Olivia, Book Two
Claiming Kara, Book Three
Isabella’s Submission, Book Four
Cherishing Brianna, Book Five (Releasing Feb. 10, 2015)
Excerpt from
Forsaken
The Found, Book Two
by Caitlyn O’Leary
Chapter One
“Put on your clothes. You disgust me.” Seth was beyond tired, and seeing his wife on his bed, naked and spread for him made his bile rise.
“Carson, I need you, remember how it was?” She tried to entice him by playing with her breasts.
Seeing her gown on the floo
r, he picked it up and tossed it on top of her. “That’s the problem Portia, I don’t remember anything, let alone it ever being any good.”
“That night together was the best night of my life. It could be like that again if you’d just try, dammit.”
“Get out of my room,” his voice deadly. Her eyes widened and she scrambled off the bed.
“Fine, but don’t think this is the end. You are going to make me pregnant again. Daddy wants a grandchild.”
“Oh cut the bullshit, there was never a baby in the first place. You dragged my ass to the altar under false pretenses.”
“Carson, you got me pregnant that night. You believed me before, why don’t you believe me now?”
The million dollar question. He knew from the moment he laid eyes on her she was a criminal and likely involved in drug smuggling with her father. He intended to put her behind bars, and instead he had married her to protect his unborn child. A child that likely never existed.
“Get the fuck out, Portia, before I do something we both regret.”
She slung the gown over her shoulder and left his room, uncaring if the servants saw her naked or not. His wife was quite a piece of work.
Seth…Carson, whatever the fuck his name was, Hell he was beginning to question his own identity. Yanking at the bowtie of his tuxedo it knotted tighter instead of opening.
“Good, maybe I’ll choke.” He was sick of living the double life. Finally he pulled, ripping it apart at the seam. “God damn motherfucker!” He did the same with the cuffs of his shirt, satisfied when the cufflinks flew across the room. They were gold with diamonds. Maybe the maids would steal them. “Good for them.”
Fuck, he needed to shut the hell up, it was a bad habit to talk out loud. He knew his room was bugged. There was a damn good chance of video surveillance too. Once when Portia was high she said she hoped there was, that it added to the spice.
Not that he would touch her. He warned her when they started this travesty of a marriage it wouldn’t be consummated, but she hadn’t believed him. Hence the weekly ritual. Sometimes she’d bring in some kind of sex toy, one night he’d found her tied spread eagle to the bed. He didn’t even want to know who had helped her into the position.
He pulled off the rest of his clothes, hoping they would tear as well, but they didn’t. At least one of his dress shoes left a dent in the wall. They could report he had a temper tantrum for all he cared. It had been an ugly fucking night and Portia was the cherry on top. He needed a long hot shower to erase the stench of the scum he brushed up against.
God, he hoped it would help his headache. Grabbing three ibuprofen and some Rolaids he chewed them all down, praying it would help his head and his stomach by the time he finished the hot shower.
He often wondered if they had audio and video in the shower too, it wouldn’t surprise him. Nothing surprised him about these bastards. Had he ever had such a bad headache? It was the woman at the party, she reminded him of his Annie, and then he had to listen to Lobado’s men talk about their new source of income. The pulse of pain in his head was so bad his eyes started to water.
What the fuck had he gotten himself into?
* * *
Annie reminded herself to be happy. She escaped from the people intent on kidnapping her baby, but all she could focus on was her baby’s father. Somehow she managed to drive Seth away. She took out his letter, went to her desk, and pulled out the tape. Carefully she taped the seams where it was coming apart because she had unfolded and folded it so often.
“Annie,
I won’t be coming home after this assignment. Things have changed. I have changed. I have decided on a new life. I deeply regret the promises I made to you but will be unable to honor.
I won’t defile our time together by speaking of it now, only know this, you are loved.
I am entrusting this letter with my father, so you can tell him if you need anything. I can no longer claim the name Natani, but you will always be cared for by the family of Natani.
Seth”
Annie pushed the paper flat against the desk. She didn’t know why she wanted to look at it. The letter had almost killed her when Rafe Natani, Seth’s father, had handed it to her almost a year ago.
* * *
Seth’s parents had found her at her apartment not far from the college in Farmington, New Mexico where she was spending a lot of her time. She was working on her doctoral thesis in Archeology based on the Anasazi, and using the college campus library.
“Miss Newman, you don’t know us, but we’re Seth’s parents. Would you allow us to come in?” Everything dropped away as Annie looked at the middle aged Native American couple on her porch. Dear God, Seth had died on assignment with the DEA. Annie grabbed her swollen abdomen and fell to her knees, staring up at the caring faces of Seth’s parents.
“Quick Rafe, let’s help her inside.”
“Seth, is he? Did he? Did he suffer?”
“Oh honey, no. He’s not dead. We’re handling this badly. Let us help you. Seth’s not dead. He’s fine.” The Natani’s helped Annie into her cooler apartment, and settled her on the couch.
“What can I get you to drink?” the woman asked as she hurried towards the kitchen.
“I don’t need anything. Where’s Seth? Is he hurt? Is he finally home?”
“He’s not hurt. He’s not home. My name is Rafe, the woman currently rummaging through your kitchen is my wife Wanda.” Annie looked at his hand holding hers over the large swell of her tummy. They both looked up at the same time.
“Am I going to be a grandfather?”
“I’d prefer to tell Seth he’s going to be a father first.”
“I brought you some lemonade. I also found some graham crackers, I thought they would suit.” Wanda sat down on the other side of her husband after handing her the glass and setting the plate on the coffee table. She squeezed her husband’s shoulder. “She’s so young.” She whispered to her husband, but Annie heard her.
“I’m twenty-four.”
Seth’s mother gave her a long considering look, Annie was used to it. She knew she had a baby face. “Do you want to see my driver’s license? I’m actually working on my PhD. I’m going to be twenty-five in three months.” She watched as Wanda relaxed.
“I’m sorry honey, I worry for you. I hate to see babies raising babies.”
“So do I, but I’m a grown woman, and I want my baby very much. Please tell me why you’re here, this is killing me.”
“Are you pregnant with our son’s child?” Mr. Natani persisted. Annie looked him in the eye, and was struck by the lack of family resemblance between Seth and his parents and then remembered the strange circumstances surrounding his adoption into the Natani home.
“I beg your pardon, but why are you here?”
This time Mrs. Natani spoke. “Annie, we need you to stay strong,” she looked down at her belly. “Especially now.” She opened up her purse and pulled out a letter and handed it to her husband, who in turn handed it to Annie. “Seth sent us a letter, with this letter enclosed. He said we needed to be here when you opened it.”
It was the first time she read those words. She didn’t say a word, didn’t cry, and showed no emotion. She was used to rejection. She didn’t know how she had managed to drive him away, but she had. It was the story of her life, she had done something so wrong her mother abandoned her all those years ago. The first foster home she lived in gave her back after two years.
She took small comfort in the fact he bothered to lie and say he had loved her. She would cope, she always coped, no matter what her age, she coped. Only this hurt a million times worse. But she wouldn’t give into the hurt, she had her daughter to think about. She stroked her tummy and murmured reassurance to Nell as she kicked in agitation. Her baby felt her Mommy’s upset.
“It’s okay, baby girl,” Annie crooned.
“We’re having a granddaughter, Rafe!” Wanda cried out ecstatically, and Annie burst into tears.
&nb
sp; “You need…You need to leave.”
“Miss Newman, we’re not leaving. May I read the letter Seth gave you?” It fell out of her numb fingers and fluttered to the floor as Annie tried to hand it him. Picking it up, he read the note and then handed it to his wife. Wanda took longer to read it, and when she finished she stifled a sob.
“You’re coming home with us Annie,” the woman said when she stopped crying.
The rest of the afternoon was a blur. There was no way on God’s green Earth Annie would have thought her apartment in Farmington would be packed and she would agree to move to Shiprock with Seth’s parents, but it’s exactly what happened. Wanda Natani was a force of nature. Her husband was the steady wind behind the force, just steadily pushing, ensuring everything moved forward.
Annie didn’t have to lift a finger. Somehow packers and movers showed up out of thin air within hours of the Natani’s arrival. One of the moving men said he would drive her car to Shiprock, which is when she came out of her stupor.
“I’m more than capable of driving.”
“We never said you weren’t,” Rafe smiled easily. Seth had the same smile, and it always meant the same thing, she was going to lose an argument.
“Then please give me back my keys.” Annie held out her hand. The whole day was surreal. It was a month before she was due to deliver. Her thesis was a week away from being done, and it felt like her life was over. That kind of thinking was unacceptable. She needed to take control. She had her daughter to consider.
“Sure, Miss Newman, you can drive. But the roads from here to Shiprock are icy. Are your tires studded? We want you to be safe.”
Damn, he made sense.
“Annie, you need to call her Annie, Rafe. She’s our daughter now.” Wanda said as she came up and wrapped her arm around Annie’s shoulder.
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