by Alicia White
Sanctuary, Montana 2
Finding Sanctuary
Sophie Miller has lost hope.
She’s on the run from her violent ex-husband with her thirteen year old daughter, Alice. They end up heading to Sanctuary, Montana hoping that her ex won’t be able to find them.
With money tight and feeling uncertain about the future, Sophie turns to the only person in town she knows and trusts… her cousin.
Mason and Alex McLean come from a wealthy family.
When Mason spots Sophie and Alice at the grocery store in town his protective instincts surface. There is just something about the sad woman that calls to him. Becoming her hero is easy, Mason does everything is his power to turn her frown into a smile, even offering her a job at his ranch.
Will Sophie be able to let go of the pain from her past? Will she ever be able to trust and love again or will her ex-husband run her out of another town.
Note: There is no sexual relationship or touching for titillation between or among siblings.
Genre: Contemporary, Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Western Cowboys
Length: 43,307 words
FINDING SANCTUARY
Sanctuary, Montana 2
Alicia White
MENAGE EVERLASTING
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Ménage Everlasting
FINDING SANCTUARY
Copyright © 2013 by Alicia White
E-book ISBN: 978-1-62740-666-6
First E-book Publication: October 2013
Cover design by Les Byerley
All art and logo copyright © 2013 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
PUBLISHER
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
Letter to Readers
Dear Readers,
If you have purchased this copy of Finding Sanctuary by Alicia White from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.
Regarding E-book Piracy
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This is Alicia White’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Ms. White’s right to earn a living from her work.
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DEDICATION
This book is for my wonderful, beautiful daughter. You will always be my perfect…loner, reader, computer genius, and friend. Thank you for inspiring me and making me a better mother and person. You are the love of my life. Forever.
I want to thank Melody Snow Monroe, Lara Valentine, Corinne Davies, Zara Chase, and Jane Jamison for including me in this wonderful adventure. Sanctuary, Montana, is one of my favorite towns and if it did exist, I’d move there tomorrow. It’s been my pleasure working with you all. I’ve enjoyed the text messages, phone calls, and e-mails. I hope to write with you all again.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
About the Author
FINDING SANCTUARY
Sanctuary, Montana 2
ALICIA WHITE
Copyright © 2013
Chapter 1
Sophie Miller needed to get the hell away from here. She lay in bed shaking, her mind a mess. She was waiting for the perfect opportunity to grab her daughter, Alice. Again. She would escape just as soon as the bastard fell asleep tonight. She hoped this might be her last time having to relocate her daughter and start over. He had found them, this time in Portland, Oregon. He always found them. It didn’t matter what she did or where she went, he was close behind. The restraining order didn’t help. The bastard was a cop. He had buddies on the force that helped him.
She had a cousin in Sanctuary, Montana, and hoped that her disgusting excuse of an ex-husband didn’t know about Aubrey’s existence. Hell, it had been forever since she had even seen that side of her family. He kept her away from family and friends, secluding her so that he could rule her life.
She still remembered the woman she had once been, strong and confident, even beautiful. Now, she was a broken shell. She lived for only her daughter. When was the last time she’d truly smiled, laughed, or felt safe? When was the last time she’d spoken to another adult and had a real conversation? Her eyes filled with tears, and she knew deep down in her heart that she couldn’t survive this way much longer. Perhaps she could find a safe place for her daughter and hide her away so that she could at least have a seminormal life. Was she even a good mother? Would all this running ruin her daughter like it had her?
Her ex held her tight in his arms as Sophie counted down to the perfect opportunity to make her exit. So many questions ran through her mind. How did he keep finding them? Would he ever leave them alone? Would she ever have the life she’d dreamed of when she was younger? Images of a beautiful house with a white picket fence ran through her mind. She wanted to meet a man who would and could just love her the way she needed a man to love her. She wanted her daughter to be happy, to enjoy her childhood and maybe one day to have siblings.
When he began to snore loudly, Sophie took a deep breath and slid out of the bed onto the floor. For the first time, she was glad that he’d drunk too much tonight. He’d forgotten to tie her to the bed. She sat the
re on her hands and knees, her heart pounding rapidly in her chest, her body shaking uncontrollably. If he woke up now, she knew that he would probably beat her and once more tie her to the bed. He would do whatever it took to get her under his thumb once more. She couldn’t be that woman, not anymore. Her daughter had already seen too much, and the last thing Sophie wanted was for her to end up in an abusive relationship.
She listened carefully, trying to hear if he was still snoring, but the sound of her own heartbeat drowned out everything else. Building up her courage and realizing that she was running out of time while she wasted precious minutes on the floor, Sophie started to crawl toward the door. She made it to the bedroom door and pulled it open, thankful that it hadn’t been shut all the way. The house was dark and silent as she edged down the hall.
When she reached her daughter’s room, she peeked inside and saw that Alice was awake, sitting on her bed, rocking herself back and forth. The image killed her, broke her heart, and tears dripped down her cheeks unchecked. This was her thirteen-year-old angel who seemed more like an adult than a child. Her poor, innocent girl had lived in hell, running from state to state since she was barely a toddler.
Sophie had picked the wrong man, a charmer and a liar, and now she was paying the price for being so stupid. As she moved into the room, her daughter spotted her and jumped up. She grabbed her backpack, nodded silently, and tightened her jaw, proving that she was strong. Sophie couldn’t be prouder. Her daughter was always ready to go every time her father caught up to them and had never once complained.
Sophie stood, wiped her face, and tried to smile. She wanted to be the strong woman her daughter needed. Grabbing Alice’s hand, she peered out into the still dark hallway and gave a slight nod. Together they tiptoed through the small house to the living room. She didn’t have time to pack or grab any of the cheap knickknacks that cluttered the space. Going from place to place, she couldn’t afford to decorate, but tried to make each rental a home for Alice. They had done this so many times and knew the drill. This was one of the reasons she had clothes in the trunk and a key hidden under the car.
She opened the front door, closing it silently behind them, and ran for her vehicle. She dove to the ground, grabbed the key, and tried to unlock the door. Her hands were shaking, and her heart was pounding so fast that she could barely see straight. Taking a deep breath, she controlled her movements, getting the doors unlocked. They both jumped into the car and she put the key in the ignition, shoved the car in reverse, and let it coast silently down the driveway. When she hit the street, she started the engine and hit the gas. Sophie stayed focused on the road, never once looking in the rearview mirror.
She didn’t breathe again until they reached the highway. She was expecting to be in the car for the ten-hour drive from Portland, Oregon, to Sanctuary, Montana, only stopping for gas and a few snacks. Luckily, she was always prepared and kept cash hidden inside the trunk and glove box, as well as various clothing items.
Exhaling, she let herself relax back against the seat and glanced at Alice. Her daughter held tightly to her seat belt, staring out the windshield, her backpack still hanging over her shoulders. She swallowed the lump in her throat, hoping that when she spoke she wouldn’t sound scared and uncertain.
“I’m sorry, baby.” She gripped the steering wheel tighter and bit her lip to keep it from quivering.
“It’s okay, Mom. Where are we headed this time?” Alice moved, taking off her backpack and placing it by her feet. It always amazed her how strong her little girl really was.
She never seemed disappointed or upset that she would have to meet new friends and start her young life over again. She was prepared and Sophie hated that. She wanted her kid to have a normal life, a best friend, maybe even a pet. Clearing her mind, she said a silent prayer and hoped that this time they would really be safe.
“Sanctuary, Montana. I have a cousin there.” She didn’t promise this time would be better. She had said those words too many times and didn’t want to lie.
“Montana, huh? Did you know that Montana is nicknamed the Treasure State and the bitterroot is the official state flower?”
“The bitterroot? That doesn’t sound much like a flower.” Sophie tried to smile even though deep down she felt like crying. This wasn’t the time. Her daughter needed her to remain strong and solid even when the world around them was falling apart.
“It’s a really beautiful purplish-pink flower. There is a Native American story about it.”
“Really? Wow…you’re the smartest person I know. How do you know so much about Montana?” Her daughter always surprised her with her knowledge. Although, she couldn’t be too shocked. Alice spent most of her time at home on her small computer instead of outside with friends.
“I look up facts about every state.” She shrugged. “We move and I just…want to know something about the places before…” Her voice trailed off, and Sophie tried not to cringe. They had lived in too many places to count.
“Tell me the Native American story about the bitterroot.” Sophie stared at the windshield as she drove.
“The story says that a mother was crying because she couldn’t find food for her family. The sun heard her and magically turned her tears into the bitterroot and the family never went hungry again.” She yawned and rubbed her eyes.
“That’s a beautiful story. Why don’t you put your seat back and get some sleep? It’s going to take us about ten hours to get there.”
“Okay.” She yawned again and leaned back, closing her eyes. “Mom, I really hope that Sanctuary, Montana, will be safe for us.”
“Me, too, baby.” Tears filled Sophie’s eyes, and she silently let them fall as she drove. She didn’t want her daughter to see how truly weak she felt. Dear Lord, please keep us safe. I don’t think I can do this again. I really need help. God, I need help.
Sophie drove in silence, watching the signs and hoping that she would be able to start over in Montana. The first thing she needed to do was to find a place for them to live, get Alice set up in school, and get a job. Could she find a job that would pay her cash in Sanctuary? She already knew from experience that she couldn’t leave a paper trail, and with no credit card or bank account, she felt desperate. People tended to ask questions, and she couldn’t afford to say too much or to trust too many people. At least in a big city, they could lose themselves in the chaos. Small towns were different. People wanted to know a person’s business.
As the hours passed, Sophie found herself almost dozing off in the silence. She had pushed herself too hard but didn’t feel as though she had much of a choice. She needed to get the hell out of Oregon and as far away from her ex as possible. Right now, she needed to get gas and coffee. At least they were now in Washington and she felt a tad safer. Putting her blinker on, she slowed down and exited the highway, stopping at the first gas station. When the car stopped, she looked over and watched as Alice stretched and sat up.
“Where are we?”
“We’re in Washington now. I needed to fill up and grab a coffee.”
“Okay.” Alice unbuckled, grabbed her backpack, and stepped out of the car.
Together they walked inside the gas station mini-mart, and Sophie headed over to the coffee kiosk, grabbed the largest cup she could find, and filled it to the top. She didn’t need to waste any space on cream or sugar. She planned to make it all the way to Sanctuary. She wouldn’t be safe until she had them checked into a place for the night, her car hidden. Rubbing her eyes roughly, Sophie paid cash for the coffee, a breakfast bar, orange juice for Alice, and fuel.
They stayed close to one another, searching the parking lot for danger before moving briskly to their car. Alice was shaking as she opened the door and slammed it behind her, quickly buckling up. Sophie hated to see the fear her daughter tried so desperately to hide. They both were hiding, trying to be strong, when really their lives shouldn’t be this difficult. Taking a sip of her coffee, she placed it on the roof of the car and star
ted pumping gas.
She took a deep breath and looked around. The place was only illuminated by a few lights placed around the lot. Soon, the sun would be up, but she hoped by the time her ex-husband realized they were gone, they would be in Idaho. The farther away the better. As she watched her money dwindle and the car suck up fuel, Sophie stared at her reflection in the window.
Her hair hung limply to her shoulders, a lifeless mess. Her eyes looked void of any emotion, purple bags making her look older than her thirty-two years. She shook her head. Maybe someday she would have enough time and energy to actually care. Putting the gas pump away, she grabbed her coffee and got inside her car. She locked the doors, started the engine, and pointed the car toward the highway.
* * * *
Almost eleven hours later, counting all the stops they made along the way, Sophie finally pulled into Sanctuary, Montana. A large, colorful sign greeted them, and she stretched her back, looking forward to actually getting out of the car. The small town appeared peaceful and quaint. She glanced at Alice and saw her earlier anxiety melt away. Maybe this was going to work out after all.
Sophie drove around aimlessly. She needed to find a place they could stay. The problem was most hotels wanted a credit card for incidentals. She also needed a place that would be affordable until she could get a job and find something a tad more permanent. Making almost a full circle down all the major streets, she spotted a small sign in front of a large home, Aunt Minnie’s Boarding House.