by Leigh Lennon
He sat down next to her, wrapping his arms around her shoulder, holding his wife tight. Libby looked back at her and David and now didn’t break contact, watching their interactions, only smiling at this man loving on her daughter. Colette understood right away that her mother got it. She had to have seen how David adored her daughter, the daughter she’d missed for too long. “Thanks, Libby. They are my everything, and this woman here is the love of my life.” Colette leaned in to kiss him when Libby grabbed her hand, and Colette didn’t pull away.
“Can I meet your children?” she asked.
Colette called both children over to Libby. “Hey, guys, I’d like you to meet someone.”
The little girl held out her hand. “I’m Elizabeth. I’m named after my grandma, though I’ve never met her.”
Libby’s eyes began to tear up. “Elizabeth is a beautiful name. It’s my name too. Isn’t that funny?”
The little girl laughed. “I guess, a little bit. My middle name is Rebekah.”
Libby gasped at the middle name while Colette watched her reaction, tears swelling in both of their eyes too. “I love your name. You are so pretty.”
“Thanks.” But she looked up at her mom and asked, “Can I go back and play?” Colette nodded at her daughter, and she ran over to play; having no idea that the kids she was interacting with were her cousins.
Libby looked at the little boy and said, “You are a handsome little fellow.” He hid behind his mom’s leg. “Hey, sweetheart. No reason to be scared of me; I have a grandson your sister’s age. He’s Trenton. What is your name?”
“I’m Liam,” he said shyly.
“I love the name Liam. You look exactly like my little girl did when she was young. You could be her twin.”
Giving Liam a peck on the cheek, Colette sent him on his way as he ran after his sister. Her eyes locked on her mother’s as her lips turned up into a small smirk. “He’s my shy one.” She wanted to grab her mother and feel the warmth of her embrace in her touch, the one she’d missed for so long, but she hesitated. In her own mind, she’d wondered how much her mother knew about Blake, now that all was out in the open.
Her mother now was so close to her; she could feel Libby’s breath on her own skin. Libby continued, “I had one like him, always wanting to be with me. Never wanted to leave my side. I miss that girl a lot. She went missing twelve years ago, and we never found her. But I think she’s happy. At least, it appears she is.”
Still holding Libby’s hands, Colette replied, “I think she’s the happiest she’s been in a long time.” In Libby’s eyes, Colette sensed a silent agreement by her mother, when she squeezed her daughter’s hand, acknowledging it.
Colette didn’t say anything about her missing daughter, and Libby continued, “What is your son’s middle name, if you don’t mind me asking.”
“Liam is named after my father. I love the name Liam, but his full name is Liam Robert.”
Again, Libby took a deep breath because Adam’s middle name was Robert. “That is a good solid name. I think your dad would be proud.”
“I hope so,” she echoed.
Leaning into Colette, David whispered loud enough that Libby could hear. “Honey, I hate to cut this short, but we need to go for now.”
Looking from David to Colette, Libby reached for her daughter’s hand. “Do you have to? I mean, you just got here,” Libby asked, turning to Colette, wanting to hold her and never let her go.
“I’m so sorry, but we do. We have a long drive. We live in Alberta. But I’m sure we will see you again. I haven’t been back to Bellingham in a long time and would like to see it more often. That is, if everyone will allow us to live the way we have for the past several years.”
Libby’s body language told Colette that she’d perceived this as a subtle warning or even a question to whether she’d be taking this matter to the authorities. “I think if you have found a life that makes you happy, no one should interfere with it, though if you have family here, I’m almost positive they don’t want you to stay away too long. I can guarantee they’d welcome you back with open arms, regardless of anything. Family is family, even if they may have different names.”
Standing up, David placed a kiss on Colette’s forehead, and then said, “Libby, it was nice to meet you.”
“You too, David, and please take care of your wife and kids. They’re precious.”
“I will. You can count on that.” Collecting their kids, he walked with them to the car, giving her time alone with her mother.
Libby turned to Colette, and this time, she took her in her arms. “I’m so sorry. I really didn’t know about Blake,” she whispered in her ear. She pulled back and saw tears in Colette’s eyes. “It was nice to meet you. Do you think I will see you again?”
“I think so,” Colette said, kissing her mother on the cheek. “I love you.” With that, she walked toward her little family, who’d stopped to wait for her. Taking David’s hand, she glanced back at her mother and found Libby watching her. It had been so long, and now she understood she could have both; David and the past she’d left behind so long ago.
Five years later
Colette
It was the first time her whole family had gathered at the farm where it all began. Taylor, Dex, and MJ had been coming here for years after her identity was revealed to all; they became fast friends, always there for one another as they healed from the emotional and physical abuse of Blake ... together.
Blake, who mortgaged the house Taylor and he had bought, skipped out on bail five years ago. Though, he occasionally sent a postcard to his parents, no one had ever heard from him.
Libby, Adam, and Jenna eventually came around, but it took five years of understanding with many conversations that rotated around forgiveness from everyone.
Colette had asked them often how they missed it, and Libby admitted that she’d had blinders on with Blake, only seeing what she’d wanted to see, especially when Mikayla moved out of the house as soon as Blake moved back home after his injury.
Adam and Jenna never fully understood how Mikayla never said anything, but now, after five years, they’d all gathered at their farm near Calgary for Christmas.
With Christmas Eve and her entire family under one roof, Colette woke to their room, the first room they’d ever made love in, and searched for her husband but couldn’t find him. Walking out to the den, she was quiet not to let the creaky floorboards wake up her entire family in their five-bedroom farmhouse they’d added to over the years. She saw David at the kitchen table, one they’d shared bacon and eggs at for eight months.
Leaning down to kiss him, she startled him, and he turned the journal over, a practice he’d started since the day they began their life together as Colette and David. “I’m sorry—I didn’t mean to scare you.” He’d always been so secretive about his journal. Locking it up each night, he told her it was his way to heal from Evangeline and the duty he felt to rescue her.
Turning toward her and grabbing her hands, he looked up, his brown eyes always locking to the green in hers. “Sweetness, I will be in bed soon. I’m finishing my last paragraph.”
He needed to be alone while journaling, and she recognized that over the years. “Okay, babe, don’t be long. I’m feeling a bit playful.” She winked, leaving him alone in the kitchen.
David
He looked back in his journal, thinking Cole could have seen his words.
Once you choose a path and walk it, it is impossible to go back. I made a decision over two decades ago, which is in direct contradiction to the person I am. Choosing a life where I save people is a pledge I make, so the decision to take another person’s life should haunt me, but it doesn’t. Everyone thought Evangeline’s father ran away when he’d killed her. No, he wasn’t that lucky. The scar my sweetness always pesters me about was the only damage he did to me as I choked the life out of him. I didn’t let Evangeline’s dad survive just as I knew the second Cole’s brother put his hands on my wife the d
ay in our kitchen, he’d not survive. Everyone thinks he’s hiding from the police, but I know the truth. Again, I don’t regret my actions. The land I begged Cole years ago never to enter is their final resting place along with many other men who’ve abused women in the past.
Before he could continue with more, Cole entered the kitchen again. “David, honey, I’m waiting,” she crooned. A thought shuddered in him, leaving him barely able to breathe. Within all the reminiscing, what would have happened if he hadn’t stumbled upon Colette all those years ago? Could she have succumbed to the abuse as Evangeline? He didn’t want to know the answer to the question.
Back to his journal, he continued:
“Sweetness, you thought I saved you all those years ago, but really, you were the one who saved me.”
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A note from the author:
(Spoilers included)
I had an idea about a young girl taken from her home. I instantly knew it would take place in Bellingham, Washington, due to the closeness of this town to the Canadian border. I just had a name for the main character, knowing she’d be kidnapped. The story evolved over the year I wrote it. I put it to bed for a while and pulled it out last year and decided it would be released in 2018.
I thought I was being very original with the name of this book. I would tell people the name and then ask what they thought it was about. Thinking I’d stumped them, most knew right away what the subject matter contained.
The idea of this book was never to mention what Mikayla had succumbed to at the hands of her captor. Never is the diagnosis mentioned, though some of the characters did ask broad questions that referred to this.
The idea of Blake was not part of my writing process at first, but as always, a light bulb moment came to me with the creation of Taylor and it all sort of came together in my mind. I wanted to show Nolan as a man with HIS OWN moral compass but misguided in his approach. Nolan was a fun man to create and I loved his shifts in character from hot to cold.
This is so different than most of my novels, but I must say, I am now addicted to writing books a bit darker, so you may be seeing more of them from me in the future.
~Leigh
What I Have Learned
I am an American who grew up thirty minutes from the town of Bellingham. I spent a lot of time in Bellingham and love the quaint little college town. I have been all over the country, so my speech is certainly a combination of my time in the Pacific Northwest, the South, and my time in the military. But I received a crash course in Canadian lingo, thanks to my dear friend Kymberly.
Mostly, we had long conversations about the geographical differences in Canada, just as I see in the United States. The captor is French Canadian and is transplanted to Alberta due to the dream of his father to become a farmer. I had no idea the differences in the Provinces but knew they exist just has they do in the United States. I see that every day as I continue my life in the South, though the Washington girl still exists in me as I try to get my kids to say pop instead of soda.
It was fun to create a person from another country, and with that, I found out a little more about our neighbor just north of me. Thanks, Kymberly, for being my in-house Canadian.
Many Thanks
It Takes a Village!
First and foremost, to Kymberly Dingman, Nancy George, Megan Damrow, Megan Harris, Ann Marie Barajas, and Melody Hillier. You ladies have been with me through many books and I could not do this without you!
Thanks to my writing bestie who has become a wonderful and close friend of mine. Auden, you give me so much confidence and I could not haul this journey without you.
I adore my go-to Alpha readers who started Justine’s story and have pushed me, having confidence in me that my writing could evolve! Thanks, Rosemary and Emma! You both are gems I wouldn’t want to ever lose!
For a woman who attempts to make me a bit more organized. Thanks, Sarah, for stepping up and taking on the crazy world of mine!
There are so many things I can say regarding my cover. I will sum it up with it’s absolutely out of this world. Thanks so much, Najla Qamber, you rock!
I can’t forget Dani Rene’ who designed my beautiful teasers and graphics for this book. I can’t tell you have much I love your work!
I want to thank Jenny Sims who went above and beyond the editing process with me. Thanks for working with me and helping me through this book, especially with the tight deadline I was under.
I am so happy to be working with Julie Deaton. I can’t say enough about her! Thanks, Julie, for giving me confidence in my writing.
Chelly Peeler is the last person who gets my book for final formatting and deals with the craziest part of me (if you can imagine)? Chelly, you have been with me from the first book. Thanks for dealing with the frazzled person I am when it gets to formatting.
I can’t say enough about some super stars who came to my rescue and have helped me. Annette, Michelle and Serena, you all are awesome!
Thanks to my dear friend, Elizabeth, who listens to my stories over and over again as if she’s heard them for the first time (which she hasn’t). I adore you and am so glad to call you my dear friend.
I can’t forget, you, Dawn. Who knew twenty-five plus years ago, we’d still be each other’s person after all this time.
I can’t say enough to my Facebook group page; Succulent and Sassy Reads! You all are so awesome and I am humbled you follow me and encourage me to continue writing.
Thanks so much to my wonderful beta readers and my incredible arc team and to everyone who read an advance copy and posted a review! You ladies are so valuable to me!
I want to thank my readers because without you, this would not be possible!
Again, none of this would be a possibility without the Hubs and our little ones that call me mom! I love you more than I can express.
Books by Leigh Lennon
The Spokane Stand Alone Collection
Unfiltered (Justine and Nick’s Story)
Unacquainted (Rose and Brody’s Story)
Unwanted (Emma and Tyler’s Story)
Unknown—coming soon (Ryan’s story)
A Jake Davis Novella Series
The Holiday Package
The Sweetest Package
The Breathless Series:
The Last Breath
Continue Breathing (coming soon)
Stand Alone Books:
Stockholm
Unfiltered
Justine
I never will get my happy ending.
With my past threatening to ruin the possibility of love in my future, I keep every man at arm’s length.
Nick appears out of thin air, becoming a part of my life instantly, leaving me breathless and wanting more.
The pain that haunts me is still present, but Nick is worth the risk.
When he promises me forever; can I trust him?
Nick
Justine makes me see that a forever is in reach with her.
She keeps telling me she is hard to love; yet I find it quite easy.
Once I break down her walls, she finally lets me in.
But, I have a secret of my own which can expose her to the demons that destroyed me in the past.
However, with Justine, I will do anything and everything to make her mine.
Unfiltered Excerpt
Justine and Nick’s Story
Justine
If I close my eyes, my children’s empty rooms taunt me. In a split second, motherhood has been stripped from my soul. Before I have a chance to explode at my ex-husband, he opens his mouth, and my desire to seize the fire poker and rip out his eye sockets is real.
“Justine, you’re controlling! If I don’t get our kids away from you, you’ll crush them. Your approach is pushing them away. Rose came home today crying because you called her a floozy. And did I understand you right? You called Kai a pothead?”
“Funny how they’re suddenly our fucking kids, when for the last eig
ht years, they’ve been my sole responsibility.” By the time I finish my sentence, I’m screaming.
The vase near my hand beckons me to throw it at my ex-husband’s head; my hands clench against the urge to smash it against his arrogant face. My breath quickens to short gasps. Beads of sweat race down my face, and the hair on the back of my neck stands on end.
In the midst of our showdown, his smug smile leaves me with a desire to slap him.
“You can fight me on this, but you won’t win, not now. They’re sixteen and seventeen, and their preferences will sway a judge’s decision!” he yells.
Fear grips me that he may be right. “And when did you graduate from law school?” I ask sardonically as the blood rushes through my head. Fury swells in my gut and anger clutches my chest. I feel as empty as my bank account was the day I left Rafe. How dare he threaten me like this? “And yes, I called Rose a floozy. She’s sleeping with Jones to get attention. Maybe she needs your fucking attention since all your effort has been focused on your new family, instead of the one we started almost eighteen years ago.”
“Oh, this again.” Rafe unloads arrogance in the way only the president could pardon Richard Nixon. “I know, I know, Justine. You use my family as a reason for hating me more and more every time you dump on me.”