Open Wounds: Abel and Hope: Love Against the Odds

by Inger Iversen

  He leaned in and kissed her furrowed brow. “Baby, are you okay?” Her sharp nod wasn’t enough to convince him. “Open your eyes, sweetheart.” When she complied, a couple of tears escaped and ran down her face. His heart broke at the sight.

  “I—I didn’t want you to see me cry,” she whispered.

  Fuck, he didn’t want to make her cry. “I can stop.” Trent started to pull out, but she grabbed his hips and pulled him back.

  “No, I don’t want you to stop. It’s okay, I knew it was going to hurt.” Her voice was soft, but strong.

  “Are you sure? Baby, I can wait. I’ll wait forever for you if I have to. Just say the word.” It would kill him, but he’d do it. They didn’t have to finish this tonight. For the first time in his sexual life, he cursed his large dick.

  She blinked away the tears and shook her head. Without speaking, Harper gently thrust her hips upward. Sparks of electricity started in his stomach and spread throughout his body.

  Oh, it was on.

  With each thrust Harper dug her nails deeper into his back, the pain of it sent an odd, yet enjoyable sensation down his spine causing him to buck harder. Harper squealed, bringing Trent from his trance. Had he hurt her?

  Harper’s eyes were closed and her head thrown back in ecstasy. “Please don’t stop.” She grasped at his shoulders, pulling him into her. Trent steadied himself over her and moved with her body.

  “Oh Trent,” her raspy voice was a mere whisper over the sounds their bodies made with each tantalizing collision.

  He grunted a reply. Each thrust pulled him closer and closer to the edge of a cliff and he was ready to free-fall. Reaching between their bodies, he rubbed her slick little nub.

  The words “Oh my God” fell from her lips a few times, and she made a lot of little noises and whimpers, yet didn’t seem to be climaxing. Trent didn’t know what he was doing wrong, but knew he wouldn’t be able to hold out much longer. She was so tight, so sweet and warm and her body caressed his shaft in a tight mind blowing grasp. Visualizing his gym teacher, Mr. Snodgrass, doing naked deep knee bends could only work for so long.

  Maybe he’d speed it up a bit, his last girlfriend always liked that. Hopefully, this would work. Picking up the pace, Trent pumped again and again. His body wept for surrender.

  Moaning, he pulled away, allowing the warm liquid to land on her stomach. Feeling as if he’d just run a race, Trent nearly fell on top of her but caught his fall as he tried to catch his breath. She opened her eyes and there were no trace of tears. He could feel her heart beating rapidly in her ribcage and her chest rose and fell.

  “I love you, Harper.” The words had bubbled out with no restraint. “I’m sorry you didn’t come. I’ll try even harder next time.”

  She kissed his lips, his nose and cheeks. “Oh, dear Lord and heaven. That whole experience felt like one, gigantic orgasm.” She giggled.

  “You in this with me a hundred percent?” he asked with a smile. Trent knew the answer, but hearing was something different.

  “I love you, too. And, yes . . . I’m in, all the way.”

  Chapter 4

  Trent wasn’t a romantic, or at least he had never planned to be. He just wanted to spend time with Harper and since he had to do it alone, the only place he knew to bring her on the Fourth of July was to his favorite spot. It was located in the middle of two old farms and up on a hill. He’d laid out a blanket and brought some food. A warm breeze drifted about, bringing the scent of magnolias from the branches above. A few white petals fell around them as Harper held him close.

  Sam had told him he was too young to be in love. First loves never work out. He promised Trent that things would fall apart as soon as her father found out she was “slumming” it. But no matter the warnings, he couldn’t believe feelings this strong could be anything but the truth. He loved Harper and how she made him feel important and needed.

  At times, he feared if things didn’t work out he’d never find a relationship like this again. He looked up to the sky as some fireworks lit the darkness around them, filling it with bright colors. He’d never tell Harper about his fear. He couldn’t put too much pressure on her. She had choices to make that he would never experience. She could go to any college she wanted, but they’d spoken about her staying in Kentucky instead of going out of state to college. She hadn’t seemed overly excited about that part, but Trent promised her he’d make it up to her no matter what it took.

  A feather soft touch caressed his face, drawing his attention back to Harper.

  “What are you thinking about?” she asked. “Why aren’t you here in this moment with me?” She pulled his hand in her lap.

  “Oh, I’m here.”

  She eyed him, waiting for the truth no doubt. Her nose wrinkled when she smiled and her brow rose in question.

  “Fine.” He chuckled. “I was thinking about the future,” he admitted. “Our future.” Her soft smile highlighted her face in the night. Trent had always come up here to get away. He never cared about fireworks or picnics in this place, but now it had new meaning. It was no longer his place to be alone, but his place with her.

  “What exactly are you thinking?” She placed a tender kiss on his neck, then his lips.

  It was hard to think when she touched him, let alone with her lips. “I was thinking about moving in together.” It wasn’t exactly the truth, but Trent had thought about it a lot recently. Her smile fell and she looked away. “What?” he asked.

  She turned to him. “Nothing, I—I’m just thinking about . . .” she trailed off, looking away again. Panic bubbled inside Trent as he listened. “You know, my daddy wants me to apply to MIT and CAL Tech, but I told him I was thinking of staying here.”

  “What’d he say?” he asked casually, though his heart was racing.

  She gave him a you-don’t-want-to-know look, but he did want to know. He needed to know what they would be up against. “He was angry. Trent, sometimes I wonder if—”

  “Don’t worry about it,” he cut in. The worry was there in her eyes, but Trent wanted to relieve her of it. He wanted her to focus on the good in their future. How ironic it was the Trent was the one with a hopeful outlook on their future and it was sweet and sunny Harper who sat in front of him in fear of what the future would hold.

  She smiled, but the brightness he’d been used to seeing was gone. For the first time since Trent had been with her, her smile wasn’t genuine. He felt her fear and worry, but believed he could soothe it.

  “Look.” He pointed to the sky as red and blue lights burst in the air. “Let’s not worry about the future. Let’s just focus on the here and now.” He wrapped his arm around her and laid her back on the blanket. Her concern was noted, but Trent wasn’t worried. He’d make this right, no matter how hard he had to try.

  Fourth of July had come and gone and Trent and Harper spent many more days making love under the tree in their favorite spot and he’d finally made her come. He knew his baby’s body and spent damn near every night memorizing it. Never in his life had being with a woman felt so right. He enjoyed the ways she let him touch her and he damned sure enjoyed the way she used her mouth to touch him. So right and skillful, sometimes he had to wonder if she’d done it before him; though, he’d never ask. He couldn’t take an answer other than by some miracle she was just great at it, but mostly, he didn’t want her questioning his past in return.

  Trent sat down on a bench at the back of Sam’s shop and lit his cigarette. He was consumed with not wanting to fuck their relationship up, and he constantly found himself working harder to be right for Harper, to earn a place in her life. He knew her father could make their lives hell, so Trent was bent on getting his shit straight. Third on the list after graduating and getting a decent job, was getting his own place.

  The plan was to tell Harper about his renting an apartment, but she’d come down with a nasty stomach bug and was still laid up a few days later. Trent had never gone more than a day without speaking to her. The pas
t forty-eight hours had been brutal without hearing her voice.

  The back door opened and Sam came out, throwing a cigarette in his mouth. “You got a lot of work done today,” he said as he plopped down into a chair. “You tryin’ to get off early?”

  Trent nodded. “I got some shit to do today.” He trusted Sam and had finally told him about his relationship with Harper.

  “Your girl still sick?” Sam eyed him with interest.

  Trent had learned when Sam asked a question and gave you a sideways glance, there was something more on his mind. Like when he’d asked Trent if he started smoking, the question had really been asked to suss out the cigarette burns his stepfather had given him on his arm. However this time, Trent didn’t like the knowing look because it involved Harper, and Sam had been warning him about what would happen when the world found out.

  “Stomach bug,” he said, not offering more.

  Sam laughed as if he’d told a joke.

  Leaning back, Trent cracked his neck and sighed as the stiffness dissipated. Sam’s constant nagging about Harper’s skin color and money was pissing him right off. He knew where they stood and the obstacles they faced. He was more than ready to face the world head on. As long as he had Harper buy his side, he could handle anything.

  Five days. Five fucking days.

  Never in the time they’d been dating had she ever gone this long without at least calling him. She had her own private line in her bedroom, so he should have had no problems getting a hold of her. Trent had bought her a secret pager months ago and he’d even paged her their special code, but nothing. Why wasn’t she answering? Was she that sick? Hopefully she wasn’t in the hospital.

  Trent called the number again. Voicemail. Something isn’t right. Grabbing his keys and cell phone, he headed to the car. Something could be seriously wrong and he’d never know. No one knew to call him and even if they did know, he doubted they’d rush to the phone to fill him in on his girl.

  Not even twenty minutes later he was parked down the street from Harper’s house. Cars filled the driveway and Trent nearly turned his car around and went back home. The thought of Harper sick without him by her side stopped him cold. He opened the door and got out. There was nothing left to do now but head down the street and knock on the door.

  His stomach churned and his palms were sweaty, but he strode up the driveway to the three-story brick home as if he belonged there. In his eyes, he did. Trent belonged wherever Harper was, and he prayed he was just overreacting.

  Ringing the doorbell, he listened as it sounded throughout the house. A shadow appeared and then a small, wiry black woman stood before him. Her hair was pulled up in and neat bun, a pair of thin-framed glasses rimmed her eyes and her lips seemed stuck in a permanent frown.

  “May I help you?” The woman kept the door cracked and her body wedged inside. Trent was tempted to look past her, but her gaze was trained on his.

  “Yes, is Harper home?”

  The woman’s eyes narrowed and her lips thinned. “She is not taking visitors. Who are you?”

  He was about to ask her who the hell she was when he remembered what he was here for. “My name is Trent.” Her eyes widened in shock and a hand flew to her mouth. He tried to ignore her reaction as he spoke. “I go—went to school with her at Lincoln High.” Trent wasn’t sure what part of his speech offended the woman, but he knew an angry woman when he saw one. Which is why it was so shocking when she moved to the side and opened the door further.

  “Come on in. Mr. Hannock was just on his way to see you.”

  He swallowed hard. So that was why she hadn’t reached out to him in so long. Her father knew about them. Trent couldn’t figure out how, but then again, Sam had guessed it, and they had been seeing each other for over a year. Someone else was bound to find out.

  Chapter 5

  Harper’s living room felt like a dentist’s office with its bland interior, large fish tank, and impersonal feel. He didn’t see her living here. She was wild and bright, not muted and dull. He’d always envisioned her room in gold with glitter, or some sequin shit.

  Seated on an uncomfortable, pale blue loveseat the woman had called it, he waited impatiently with his leg bouncing. The last thing he wanted to do was give her father the wrong impression, so he sat up straight and tried to act the part of a worthy male.

  The large man finally made his way into the room and Trent started to stand.

  “No need. This won’t take long.” His voice was hard and unkind.

  Trent knew he was in trouble, but he and Harper could handle this. She was his rock, and with her they could get through anything. As if summoned by his thoughts Harper appeared in the doorway, arms across her middle and head down as she walked through the door to stand beside her father. Even though Trent felt the heavy weight of the situation on his shoulders, the sight of Harper made his heart rate spike and his head swim.

  “My daughter is pregnant.” Her dad said with no preamble. Just a quick sucker punch to the kidneys.

  Trent’s gaze swung to Harper who was still eyeing the ground. They’d been so careful and used protection every time except once. Just one time. And he’d pulled out! Panic filled his chest and his plans for a life with Harper seemed to come crashing to the floor.

  His words jumbled in his throat as he tried to speak. “Sir, I—I didn’t think . . .” Trent had never felt so stupid in his life. He shoved his hands through his hair. Though he’d expected anger and yelling, Harper’s dad did nothing of the sort.

  “I will tell you how this is going to work out.” Crossing his arms over his chest, he leaned back on the chair behind him.

  The smirk on his face told Trent all he needed to know. But Trent wouldn’t be pushed away. He wasn’t ready for a kid, but he’d still be in Harper’s life.

  “My daughter is going to have this kid, and her aunt or grandmother is going to take care of it while she is in college upstate—”

  “Wait, what?” Trent considered himself a smart person. He knew her father would be pissed about their relationship, and with Harper being pregnant things had gotten even further out of control. But Trent had never expected Harper to be moved out of the state. Maybe he should have, but with Harper’s eighteenth birthday just next year, Trent settled just a bit. She would be in control of her future and not her father. But that was so long away, what about his kid?

  The man took a step forward. “Harper applied for MIT and was accepted.”

  Trent’s gaze moved to Harper, but still, she didn’t meet his gaze. He didn’t know how far Massachusetts was from Kentucky, but he knew it was a hell of a lot farther than she’d ever told him she was going.

  “Harper?” Trent called and finally she looked up at him. Her eyes were red from crying and he felt damned close to breaking down. She’d probably just been too nervous to tell him about the college, or maybe her father had forced her to apply; either way, he wanted to be with her. If that meant being apart for a few months until he could raise the money to get to her and his kid, he’d do just that.

  She took a small step forward. “Trent—”

  Her father stopped her by putting out his hand. Looking at Trent, he said, “I’m sorry, but there is no easy way to say this. You clearly don’t belong here. And my daughter certainly deserves better than you. You understand me?”

  Trent almost chuckled. He’d heard that so many times, it no longer made him angry. Everyone thought he didn’t belong, but none of those people mattered. When he had needed someone most, Harper appeared out of the darkness and healed old wounds and loneliness. He’d given her every piece of himself without fear.

  “Sir, I know I don’t—”

  “Well, I’m glad we agree on something,” he spoke over Trent.

  Trent shook his head, looking to Harper for help, but she only stood silently staring out the window. He knew this could be the last time he was able to see her, but he didn’t want to believe they would be dismantled so easily.

  �
�Now, if you come near Harper again, I will go to the police and explain how my daughter was raped in my own home . . .”

  Trent was so shocked he jumped to his feet. It wasn’t even the words that had him stunned the most, but how casually he threw around false claims of rape. And to top it off, his girlfriend just stood idly by, seemingly not affected by the words. Was this some bad dream gone wrong?

  “And, as you know,” he continued, “I am a judge, who is friends with all the other judges in the area. Harper tells me the night you took advantage of her was on your birthday, and you are what now?” He didn’t wait for Trent to answer. “Eighteen. Eighteen makes you a legal adult. Do you know what kind of time you’d be looking at as an adult?”

  “I didn’t rape anyone!” He turned to Harper. “Tell him. Tell him what happened that night!” Trent moved until he stood directly in front of her. “Tell him that you took me there. You wanted to be with me.” Trent ran his hands through his hair. He didn’t understand what was happening. Her silence was killing him. Her father’s indifference to his words only made matters worse.

  “Harper, tell the young man what you told me,” her father asked in a soft voice.

  Trent looked to Harper and waited. His heart stuttered in his chest when she looked at him.

  “I didn’t want to go there that night. You’d pressured me over the past year, so I finally gave in.” Her words sounded rehearsed—staged.

  It was as if the magical string holding Trent up for the past year had been cut with her sharp words. He stumbled back, nearly collapsing on the floor.

  It wasn’t that he thought she believed the words coming out of her mouth. No, what he couldn’t believe was the empty girl standing in front of him. The fight had been completely erased and she was no longer Harper. The outspoken, lively, and bright woman he’d known was gone.