Keeping Hope (Broken Girl Series) (16 page)

The one thing I know about Mr. Peterson is that he lives and breathes his job. For him to do something like this for me speaks volumes. Maybe he doesn’t hate me as much as I thought.

The officers ask me to go over as much as I can from the moment I was taken at school until Pete found Hope and me on the side of the road. They said this is needed immediately to cement the current charges.

I detail out as much as I can as well as answer all the questions they have about the time before when I was at the commune. I know I only touched the surface with the abuse, rape, and every other painful experience, but it was a start to the very long road.

Once I’ve finished providing the officers with as much information as I possibly can without a complete break down, I begin to zone out.

Jocelyn and the officers continue to talk. I barely listen, too focused on my thoughts. Realizing I will have to relive every aspect of my life in court is terrifying.

What if they don’t believe me?

What if he gets away with it?

A thousand thoughts race through my mind. My heart picks up pace the more I think of him being out there again.

I’m suddenly snapped from my thoughts as the officers stand up. My attention is drawn to them as they shake hands with Jocelyn, before turning to me to do the same. I hold out my hand weakly and shake.

Jocelyn walks them out of the motel and I head back toward the dining area to find Cole.

I walk through the double doors, with my head down and walk straight into a hard torso. Shit, I really should start watching where I’m going.

I glance up to see Chuck, the main biker dude in front of me. He takes the top of my arm and pulls me forcefully to the side of room.

“What’s wrong, Chuck?” I ask, pulling my arm from his grasp.

“I need to talk to you,” he says, his voice somewhat hushed and quieter than normal – considering this burly guy normally speaks with a loud, booming voice.

“Well you could have just asked.”

His eyes go wide. “Oh, sorry about that. But listen, I really need you to tell me if you found out anything more about Hope.”

“I don’t know what it is that you want to know, Chuck, but I don’t know any more than I already told you about her. She arrived when I was locked up, she hadn’t been there when I escaped the first time.” I pause, looking at him. “And let’s say, my living quarters didn’t really give me the opportunity to bond with others this time around,” I snap sarcastically.

“You’re getting pissy with me, aren’t you?” he laughs, his voice gruff and deep as pulls out his wallet.

“Listen, I was the one who thought up this whole fucking rescue mission. If it wasn’t for me you’d still be in those living quarters,” he mimics.

He drops open his wallet and shows me more pictures of a little girl. I look down at the photos, narrowing my eyes as I study it carefully. I look back up to him and back to the aged snapshot again.

“See.” He smiles sarcastically. “Now you know what I’m fucking trying to say.” I take the wallet from him, holding it firmly in my hands. Goosebumps cover my skin as I look at the picture of what could easily be Hope.

“That’s my daughter at a similar age to little Hope. I couldn’t find it earlier. The likeness is undeniable, don’t ya think?”

“What’s this?” Cole shouts.

I turn my head toward him, glad he’s interrupting us. Things are getting interesting and I want Cole here to see it.

I turn the wallet to Cole. “Have you seen this?” I gasp.

He takes it from my hand and stares at it blankly for a moment.

He looks at me before leaning into Chuck, whispering in his ear, “Why do you have a picture of Hope in your wallet?”

I chuckle a little as I watch Chuck snatch his wallet out of Cole’s hand, hitting him playfully around the back of the head.

“It’s not Hope, you dick wipe. It’s my daughter, Sara!”

“Well, the likeness is unbelievable,” Cole puffs, rubbing the back of his head. “Man, the back hander was unnecessary.”

Chuck’s deep throated laugh reverberates through the room. Every set of eyes turns to see what the noise is all about.

Chuck turns to me. “Seriously though, girl, if you have any more info, I need to know. If you know where she came from, how she got there, I need to know. I have searched tirelessly for fucking years trying to find Sara. My whole existence has been dependent on finding that little girl. Well, ya know, she ain’t a little girl no more, but you get what I’m saying, right?” He was getting worked up and flustered just talking about it.

I sigh heavily. “I don’t want to speculate or get anyone’s hopes up about this, but I guess from what you’re saying, it could be possible. But seriously, what are the chances?”

“Too good to be true, huh?” Chuck sighs.

I shoot him a sad smile, wanting this to be the news he so desperately needs to hear.

“Listen, the police have informed me that they are doing a full investigation into the whole commune, including how Hope ended up there. If I find out anything, we will get in touch.” I reach out and touch his arm. This guy really is a gentle giant, his heart as large as his personality.

I look up as I hear approaching footsteps. Jocelyn looks at us cautiously as we stand with Chuck.

She adjusts her head, tilting it sideways. “Everything okay, guys?”

“Everything’s fine, mom.” Cole smiles, walking over to her and wrapping his arm tightly around her shoulder, pulling her into him as she nearly loses her balance.

“Cole,” she scorns, laughing at his over exaggerated embrace.

I look at the two of them, studying the pair for a moment. Their relationship is perfect, or as perfect as you could wish for. I’ve never had that. I’ve never really had any sort of parental figure in my life. I feel a pang of pain for the loss of my childhood, for not knowing who my parents are, or where I came from.

I stand in this moment with no identity. I don’t know who I am. I swallow down hard, thoughts racing through my mind at a thousand miles per hour. I wonder if in the process of the investigation whether or not they’ll find out where I came from. Who my parents really are. Is there a chance I could actually belong to someone?

I glimpse over at Jocelyn and notice she is tapping her watch.

“Guys, you need to go get your stuff. The cars will be here to take us home in thirty minutes,” she shouts excitedly, clapping her hands together as she turns and starts waving over to Pete, instructing him to do the same.

Cole

Shit, it feels good to be back. I jump out, taking the bags from the trunk and dumping them just inside the door. I walk back out for Kennedy. She’s finally fallen asleep. It took her almost the whole trip and knowing how fucking difficult she finds it to sleep, I want to do my best to get her in without disturbing her. I slowly open the door, leaning over her to release the seatbelt.

Kennedy jumps, startled by the contact. Her eyes search my face quickly before her body relaxes.

“It’s me, baby. We are home.” I smile at her, before sliding my hand underneath her leg and pulling her out of the car.

Her arms wrap almost automatically around my neck as she relaxes against my chest. I stagger through the front door, swinging my leg out to close it behind us.

“You can put me down,” she muffles, sleepily.

“Not until I get you in bed,” I puff out. I didn’t want to admit it, but I was fucking struggling. It’s probably the tiny bit of baby weight, or maybe that I’ve been stuck in the car for hours on end, or the fact that I haven’t worked out in fucking weeks. By the time I get to the top of the steps, I’m done.

“You think you can manage from here?” I ask.

She chuckles lightly. “Of course I can. Has Coley lost all of his strength?”

“Girl, you’ve got some cheek.” I laugh, watching her jog off toward the bedroom. I run after her, catching up just as she reaches my room. I scoop her up in my arms. Her giggles are like music to my ears. Fuck, it’s so good to have her here, to be back together when the odds weren’t in our favor. I drop her down on the bed, collapsing beside her. Our faces are practically touching.

I gaze from her eyes to her lips. They are slightly parted, like an open invitation. I lace my fingers through her hair, grabbing the back of her head. I pull her in just a little until our lips are touching. I feel her smile against me as I start to kiss her. My breathing gets faster and my dick begins to stir. I hook my finger under her chin, intensifying the kiss. I break our connection for a moment before I start to work down her jaw to her neck.

She pulls at me, needing me closer. I hold her there, remembering that I nearly lost this.

“Please tell me you’re okay, baby. Tell me he didn’t hurt you,” I ask as I pull away.

“He didn’t,” she whispers.

I pull back, our eyes meeting as I search her face, wanting to know if she’s telling me the truth.

“What?” she asks.

“Really? You’re okay? Well you know what I mean.” Fuck this is awkward. How do you even have this conversation with the girl you love? I swallow down hard before pointing my finger over her body. “I mean, he didn’t touch you, did he?”

Her eyes flare widely. “No, no, nothing like that. The bastard busted my lip, but apart from that, I came out relatively unscathed. If you know what I mean. Listen,” she sighs heavily, “I don’t want to talk about him anymore. I just want to enjoy being here with you. I want to enjoy being free.”

I roll to my back, pulling her into my chest. I swallow down the bile I feel rising in my throat. I can’t bear the thought of that fucker touching her. I understand that she doesn’t want to talk about it, but it’s all I can think about. I feel her pain, deep inside, like a fucking dead weight on my chest. I breathe in deeply, as I feel her relax in my arms.

I wake to the sound of a fucking cell phone ringing. I frantically jump up, trying to find the phone. I thrash from one side of the bed to the other. Looking over the edge of the bed, I see the phone flashing on the floor.

“Dude, what the fuck?” I answer, noticing Pete’s name on the screen.

“What, man? Wakey wakey,” he laughs loudly. I pull the phone away from my ear, rubbing my eyes. I glance over to the bed and it’s empty.

“Pete, I gotta go.” I hit end, throwing the phone down. In a panic I race downstairs, my head scanning the room frantically for Kennedy.

My mom is in the kitchen. She stops what she’s doing, turns to me, and her mouth drops wide open in shock.

“Son!” she shrieks, looking away. “Go put some clothes on.”

“Is she here? Is she with you?”

Kennedy’s head appears from behind mom, a smirk spreading widely across her face.

“I’m here, silly.” She giggles, her hand covering her mouth. I glance down and notice I’m in nothing but my Calvin’s, a little too much of me on show.

“You,” I point over to her, “you, scared me to death when you weren’t in bed this morning!” I shriek. “I wondered where the hell you were!”

She continues to giggle, glancing down at my dick, before smirking and looking away. I throw my hands in the air, letting them hit my side dramatically.