Relinquished
Page 28
There wasn’t a day that went by that I wasn’t in awe of my girl, including a few days ago when she pushed her insecurities and fears aside and testified at Travis’s parole hearing. I’d already heard most of what she’d gone through, but listening as she retold her story nearly destroyed me. That night, I held her tight, refusing to let her out of my arms. At the time, I’d thought I was soothing her, but in reality, I was reassuring myself that she was safe, and her nightmares were over.
I took a glimpse at Dante. “Did you see the news?”
He grinned wickedly. “Yep. Marcus said Maxwell got off easy, and now I believe him.”
Apparently, immediately after the parole hearing, Travis somehow ended up in the general population of the prison where he was beaten nearly to death and raped by several objects. I cringed at the thought, but Maxwell’s death was most definitely his lucky break. Some days, I wished we would’ve sent him to prison to suffer his fate there, but mostly, I was just glad he was out of our lives forever.
I was brought back as I watched Jules peer down at her mother’s grave, her face grief-stricken. Her expression tore my heart apart, and I couldn’t wait any longer. I had to be with her.
I started over, Dante behind me when I heard her saying, “I’ve been on my own most of my life, and meeting my parents was always a farfetched dream I wouldn’t even allow myself to consider.”
Dad nodded sadly as Dante and I stared off into the distance. If I looked at her, I’d probably break down with her.
She moved her head back and forth like she was trying to shake the reality of everything. “I definitely didn’t think that the day I met my mother I’d be staring at her grave.”
Dad pulled her close once more, kissing the top of her head, and I itched to take her from his arms. Reining in my protectiveness, I reminded myself that they’d been separated her entire life and needed time to get to know one another.
But a moment later, she reached for me, silently asking me to pull her toward me. Dad probably realized this was all still a bit awkward for her and released her.
I placed one hand on her head and the other on her back, drawing her as close as I possibly could as she continued to clutch the flowers in her hand. I could’ve stayed like that all day, but there was something else I needed to show her.
Moving to the side, I took the flowers and separated them into three bunches. She gave me that curious stare I loved so much, and I couldn’t help but smile.
Stretching out one bundle of flowers, I nodded to her mother’s grave. She smiled knowingly now, lifted the flowers to her nose, and gave the petals a soft kiss, her secret gesture to the mother she’d never met. Then we crouched down to place them into the vase at the headstone. Swallowing hard, she traced the name. I could tell by her silence that she was speaking to her in her heart. Looking up at the sky, she smiled, allowing a single tear from her emotion-filled eyes.
With the next bunch of flowers, we offered my mother the same respect. I took a moment to bow my head before her grave and place the bundle in her vase. The only time I’d ever laid eyes on her was the day she’d been brutally murdered. My mother had willingly given up her life for me to have a future. I only wished I’d had a chance to know her.
I glanced over my shoulder at Dante and Dad, who were both giving me encouraging nods as I led Jules away, to the plot next to our mothers’.
“What’re you doing?” she asked before looking down. And then she knew. “Oh,” she breathed, falling immediately to her knees with a sob.
I sat next to her as she tentatively traced the lettering on the headstone that read: Casey Bryn, you will remain in our hearts forever as our mothers hold you in their arms in heaven.
“Thank you,” she whispered, leaning her head on my shoulder.
I was so glad she wasn’t upset that I hadn’t told her about this beforehand. I nodded, getting choked up myself. “It was time to bring her home.”
Jules didn’t need to know the details of what it had taken to track down Casey’s unclaimed remains. All she needed to know was that her friend was finally resting in peace, with the respect she deserved.
“We got him.” She continued to touch the plaque, speaking to her friend that had been ripped away from her far too soon. “He’s paying for everything.”
Damn right he is.
I reached over and grabbed the last bundle of flowers I’d dropped and passed them to Jules. She took a moment to wipe her eyes, then she placed them in the vase, carefully rearranging the bouquet.
And, just like at her mother’s grave, she looked up at the sky for a long second, then back at me. “Okay. Let’s leave them in peace. It’s what they’d want.”
I nodded. She was right. Though, it was still difficult to leave the mothers both of us were robbed of. But as I glanced up at Dad and Dante, and as I felt my arm around Jules, I knew we’d all be okay. We could move forward.
We were done looking back. We had each other, and that was all that mattered.
Now it was time to honor them—these amazing women that had made the ultimate sacrifice. And we would do it by making our own mark on the world.
Together.
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Thank you so much again for taking the time to read and review Relinquished. I hope you enjoyed Jules, Holden and Dante’s journey.
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It all Started with a Lima Bean (Intertwined Hearts book 1) Find it Here
An Exceptional Twist (Intertwined Hearts book 2) Find it Here
Tangled Paths (Intertwined Hearts book 3) Find it Here
Grafted Vines (Intertwined Hearts book 4) coming late 2015
Kimi Flores/K.A. Hunter lives in Southern California with her husband, who happened to be her high school sweetheart and prom date and their two hilarious boys.
When she's not reading, writing, or hanging out with family and friends, Kimi spends her time in the kitchen trying to come up with vegan meals that don't taste like cardboard.
Currently, she writes contemporary romance stories under her real name Kimi Flores and grittier romantic suspense novels under her pen name K.A. Hunter.
Volunteering is extremely important to her, and she and her family work with several local non-profit organizations. A portion of her sales will always go to charity.
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Little Bird (Jules theme song), The Nearness of You – Annie Lennox
My Heart is Open, If I fell (Acoustic) – Maroon 5
Kiss Me – Ed Sheeran
Bleeding Out – Imagine Dragons
Time is Running Out – Muse
Take My Place – Lily Allen
White Flag – Dito
Story of My Life – One Direction
Until the End of Time – Justin Timberlake
Come Away with Me, Turn Me On – Norah Jones
Only You – Matthew Perryman Jones
Love Sucks – Nathan Angelo
Waiting for Love (HR) – Pink
Ugly Side (for you Glorya) - Blue October
Honestly, Dark Side – Kelly Clarkson
Sway - Rosemary Clooney
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