Chapter 11

Silver

It’s been four days since we found out that Malcom had been seen passing through Victor, but there’s been no sign of him here. While I more than appreciate that everyone here is wanting to keep me safe, I feel like I’m suffocating. In Malcom’s hands I was a prisoner, but how is this any different? I can’t leave or go anywhere alone, people are treating me like a child and the looks of pity and sympathy are taking their toll. If this is what it means to be safe, I’d rather just face the monster head on. I’m tired of running, tired of living in fear and I’m tired of wondering when he’ll show up. Then there’s the worry that when he does show up, how many people will get hurt in his attempt to get to me? Am I willing to let more people suffer just to keep me safe? No. I can’t. What if they hurt Mr. or Mrs. Jensen? What if they hurt Linny? Jason? Liam? My worst fear though, what if he hurts Sean?

After showering and getting dressed, I decide I can’t sit around this house anymore. I wait for everyone to head out for their morning chores and slip out the side door on the garage then run into the field to find cover so I can head to Linny’s and check on Adonis. I know there’s a chance Jason might still be over there tending to the chickens and Adonis, but I need to have at least a moment of peace before I lose my damn mind. It takes me almost fifteen minutes to reach the fence that separates Linny’s property from the Jensen’s, but instead of feeling relief, I feel a knot form in my stomach and a sense of dread grips me as I slip between the barbed wire and into the field. I scan the area, but see no sign of Adonis. My feet begin moving faster while my heart thunders in my chest, carrying me further into the field until the sight of a black mass ahead has me running full speed. The horror of what I see before me tears through me, my poor Adonis with the hair on his chest and neck coated in blood. I let out a soul shattering scream as I drop to my knees beside him, running my hands over his face while praying for this to be a nightmare that I can wake up from.

I don’t know how long I’ve been here holding my beast and begging him not to be gone before I feel arms wrap around me. I try to fight them off, but they’re too strong and I’m too drained to present much of a challenge.

“Silver, I’ve got you. It’s going to be okay.” Liam’s voice attempts to sooth me, but lying on the ground in front of me is all the proof I need to know this will certainly not be okay. I hear other voices, but I can’t concentrate enough to determine who they belong to as Liam lifts me up and carries me away from the field. After a few minutes of walking, Liam places me in his truck and drives me back to the ranch, but the only thing I can focus on is the blood now covering my hands, arms and my shirt. When we get to the house, he carries me inside after wrapping his shirt around me to hide the evidence of my escape. He takes me to the guest bathroom and turns the shower on, making sure the water is a decent temperature then turns to me.

“Clean up and I’ll get you a change of clothes. I’ll wait right outside the door so if you need me, just call out.” He exits the bathroom and as soon as the door closes, I begin stripping my blood soaked clothes with trembling hands before climbing into the shower. The water washes over me and I watch as the pink tinted water circles the drain until it eventually runs clear. The water starts to cool before I finally manage to wash my hair and body. When I climb out of the shower, quickly dry off and wrap the towel around me before opening the door to find Liam leaning against the wall with a change of clothes in his hand, just as he said he would be.

By the time I’m dressed and make it downstairs, the sheriff is there talking with Linny, Jason and Mr. Jensen. I see their looks of pity and I hate it, so much. Instead of seeing what they were discussing, I head to the kitchen to get a glass of water. I stand in front of the sink, staring out the window at Sean as he plays on his swing set, not a care in the world, when a knock at the door gets my attention. I walk into the dining room to get a look at the visitor and find Garrett Murphy, the vet that handles the Jensen’s farm animals standing there.

“It appears he was shot twice, one of the bullets pierced both lungs, the other barely missed his heart. This was definitely not some kind of accident. Someone did this with the intent of killing the poor animal. The only good news is that his death would’ve been fairly quick.” I fumble around until I manage to pull out one of the chairs at the dining table and drop down into it. That bastard killed Adonis. He took him from me just like he took Xavier. I’m done running, done hiding. If he wants me, he can fucking come and get me because he will not hurt anyone else that I love. He will not take anything else from me, not this time.

Liam has put in quite the effort to distract me from everything that’s happening, more effort than I would have expected with how our reunion started out. Ever since the day at the pond, he seems more like the Liam I remember. It’s hard to believe that a woman could willingly hurt him the way Sean’s mother did. It’s equally hard to believe that if Liam hadn’t fought her to keep Sean, that little boy wouldn’t be here and I have no doubt that the world would be a darker place without Sean in it.

Three weeks have passed since Adonis was killed and I’ve had Liam and Jason teaching me how to shoot and Jason has even taught me some basic self-defense. Tonight is the Halloween festival in town and I spent all afternoon getting Sean’s costume ready. While most kids his age want to dress up like superheroes or characters from their favorite cartoons, that isn’t Sean’s style. When he approached me about making his costume, it was no surprise to me when he told me he wanted to go out dressed like his dad for Halloween. With the clothes on and the help of a little makeup to create the look of a five o’clock shadow, I place his little Stetson on his head and we hurry downstairs so he can see everyone’s reactions and our audience does not disappoint. Everyone tells him how handsome he looks and I catch Liam’s eyes glistening as he smiles at his son with pride. In the time Linny and I have been staying at the Jensen’s, Liam is almost completely back to being the man that I remember from my childhood and I’m so glad Sean gets to see that side of his dad.

We arrive at the fairgrounds that are decorated to the max with Halloween decorations, pumpkins and what country event would be complete without an excessive amount of hay?! They’re doing hay rides, there’s a corn maze, a few rides are set up, lots of vendors, a live band and food stalls are set up around the area where the picnic tables are. We all walk in through the archway that’s lit with purple lights and is decorated with fake spiderwebs. Sean is over the moon as he takes in all the costumes and the many different treats the other kids are walking around with.

“Dad, can Silver take me to the games?” I glance up at Liam and he gives me a heart melting smile then nods.

“Sure, but you stay with her. Hold her hand so you don’t get separated.” Sean instantly grabs my hand and pulls me away from the others, heading straight for the first game booth. We spend over an hour playing the different games and Liam makes sure to check in every so often. I can see Sean staring off at the corn maze and I can’t tell if he really wants to try going through it or if the sight of it terrifies him…hell, it could be a healthy mixture of both.

“Hey, did you want to do the corn maze?” He looks from me to the maze entrance and I can now see it’s a mixture of excitement and fear.

“Will you go with me?” I pull him in for a quick hug, loving that he trusts me enough to protect him from the ghosts and ghouls.

“Of course I will.” I send Liam a text to let him know where we’re going then turn on the flashlight on my phone and hand it to Sean to help ease his nerves some. We spend fifteen minutes getting lost in the maze, landing at yet another dead end, and we’re both well and truly over it.

Chapter 12

As we try to backtrack, for the fifth time, a sense of dread seeps into me, saturating every nerve and making my hair stand on end. I hold tighter to Sean’s hand and pick up pace to try to get out quickly, but before we can round the next corner, my body freezes as I find myself standing face to face with the devil himself.

“Hello, Silver, did you miss me?” I pull Sean behind me and stand up straight, not willing to back down, not even when I know what this bastard is capable of.

“I could never miss you, Malcom. Your face has haunted my nightmares since the day I met you.” I notice the way his eyes keep shifting from me to Sean and I know what he’s thinking, but I refuse to let Sean be used as leverage for his disgusting games. I think it’s safe to say he’s lost his damn mind if he thinks I’ll let him hurt Sean.

“Silver, I’m scared.” I give Sean’s hand a gentle squeeze.

“It’s okay, Sean. I won’t let anyone hurt you. Malcom, let him go and I’ll go with you willingly. I won’t fight you.” I’m impressed with how firm my voice is when on the inside, I’m falling apart.

“You’re not in the position to make demands, Silver. Perhaps you’ll be more likely to cooperate if I have a little leverage…like a little boy who’s conveniently already here.” His wicked smirk tells me that he’s serious and I know that no matter what, I’ll die before I let him lay a hand on Sean. At this point, I just need to make sure Sean’s not here to witness it if it comes down to that.

“You’re not going to touch him, Malcom. Isn’t it enough that you killed our son, my Xavier?! You took him from me!” I see the maze exit behind Malcom and I know it’s the only way to get Sean out of here quickly. Malcom takes a step closer and I let go of Sean’s hand then lunge at Malcom, slamming my shoulder into his stomach and effectively knocking him to the ground. I scream to Sean, praying this will be enough to protect him, to keep him safe.

“Sean! Run! Go find your dad!” He hesitates for a brief moment before bolting past us and disappearing from my sight. I continue to throw elbows, claw, bite and kick at Malcom, but I knew from the start that he’s stronger than me, I knew I couldn’t win this. By the time he has me pinned down, his face is bloody from taking an elbow to the nose and me clawing at his face, but the look in his eyes is murderous. I feel his hands snake around my neck, slowly squeezing and cutting off my air supply until a loud blast shatters the silence around us. His grip on my neck slowly loosens just before his body falls to the side, removing his weight from me as he lies in a heap on the ground beside me. I look toward the exit and see Liam walking toward me with a rifle in his hand and his eyes watching Malcom for movement. He kicks Malcom’s foot and there’s no response, so he slings the rifle strap over his shoulder and lifts me up bridal style then carries me to the exit just as the sheriff comes running to us.

“He’s just in there. I shot the bastard.” Nothing more needs to be said and the sheriff rushes past us to deal with Malcom. Liam carries me over to a bale of hay on the side of the barn by the corn maze and carefully sets me down before inspecting me for injuries.

“Christ, I thought…I thought I wouldn’t get to you in time.” I place my hand over his chest, taking a moment to let the thundering heartbeat against my hand soothe me.

“Thank you, Liam.” He looks at me like I’ve gone mad, or maybe it’s the heavy rasp in my voice that’s causing that expression, and shakes his head.

“You saved Sean. I should be thanking you!” He leans forward and rests his forehead against mine, his eyes closed and each breath is heavy.

“If it wasn’t for me, he wouldn’t have been in danger, Liam. I’m so sorry.” I feel my tears break free and I don’t fight them. A familiar voice shouts into the night and a moment later we look up to see Linny rushing to us with both of Liam’s parents and Sean following behind her.

“Over here, Linny!” Liam shouts to her which has her quickly changing direction and making her way to us with tears streaming down her cheeks. She throws her arms around me and places several kisses on my head before backing up to look me over.

“Oh, Silver! Are you hurt? What am I saying, of course you are! All that blood…where are you hurt sweetheart?” I smile at her and shake my head.

“I don’t think any of the blood is mine. My neck and my right side hurt, but that’s about it.” I see the proud smile on her face then look down to see Sean slowly walking toward me with his head lowered. Linny places her sweater over my shoulders and I quickly slip my arms in and zip it up, not wanting Sean to see me covered in blood.

“Silver, I’m sorry I ran away. I’m sorry I didn’t protect you.” I turn so I can gently grab his face and lift his head to look at me.

“You got help, Sean. You did protect me. All that mattered to me in there was that I kept you safe. You have nothing to be sorry for.” The poor terrified boy collapses into my arms, his arms wrapping around my waist and his face buried in my chest. I keep his face there as the rest of us watch the paramedics remove Malcom’s body with a white sheet draped over it. A few minutes later, a paramedic walks over to check out Sean and I, making sure neither of us need to go to the hospital. Before they finish looking me over, the sheriff shows up to take my statement, the entire thing running like a well-oiled machine rather than as chaotic as you would expect such an investigation to run in a small town like this.

“How about I take you both home?” The sound of Liam’s voice is more than a little comforting and I quickly nod in response.

“I’ll bring some treats home for Sean later.” Linny offers, finally relaxing as the ambulance pulls away.

We arrive back at the ranch just before ten and Liam carries Sean up to his room while I shower and wash off the dirt and blood. Surprisingly, there’s only a light bruise on my jaw, the bruises on my neck and then my chest on the right side is bruised pretty badly, but those are the only injuries I sustained. I slip on a baggy t-shirt and a pair of sleep shorts then head down to the kitchen to make some coffee, but Liam already beat me to it.

“I made coffee, but if you want something a little stronger, we have whiskey and rum.” I grab a coffee cup from the cupboard behind him and pour it half full with coffee before taking a seat at the kitchen island.

“Thanks, Liam. I…I’m so sorry. Sean was in danger tonight because of me. He could have been hurt or…” I choke on the rest of the words, unable to breathe them to life as the weight of them takes hold.

“Hey, you saved my son. You put yourself in harm’s way to keep him safe. It’s not your fault that the sick bastard came after you and it sure the hell isn’t your fault that he did what he did. Sean’s fine, but my biggest worry now is you. How are you feeling?” My hand automatically goes to my bruised side, covering it, but not applying any pressure.

“Sore, but I’ve lived through much worse. I can’t believe it’s finally over.” I speak the last in nothing but a whisper, more directed at myself. After all these years, I’m finally free of Malcom.

“I definitely don’t think anyone will miss that asshole.” I shake my head while raising my cup to take a drink.

“No, not likely. The taxpayers will save money since there’s no need for a trial, the state has one less person to keep track of, the families of the cops he killed can find peace now that their loved ones have received justice and me…I can stop running, looking over my shoulder and living in fear. His death will never bring back what he’s taken from me, but maybe with him completely out of the picture I can finally start healing.” Liam walks around the island and stops right in front of me, forcing me to look up to meet his gaze.

“Are you going to stick around here then?” I honestly haven’t thought about my plans for if this ever finally came to an end, but now I’m more than ready to.

“I…I think so. I have some unfinished business I need to take care of though. I need to be able to close the chapters in my life that I’ve spent so long running from.” I know Linny won’t understand and will probably be angry even, but I know what I need to do.

Chapter 13

After all the stress from everything that happened last night, it’s not a surprise when everyone, even Liam and Sean, sleep in past eight. I wasn’t so lucky and I’ve been up since four. I tried to go back to sleep then after nearly an hour of staring at the ceiling, I finally got up. I threw on a sundress and my boots then I made a pot of coffee a decided to go see the horses, but end up distracted by the white horse with the scars…and that’s where Liam finds me more than three hours later.

“I swear, you’re a damn horse whisperer.” I turn my head and flash him a smile over my shoulder while my hands continue to stroke the horse’s neck.

“Nah, I just understand him. So…I’m going to go see my dad today.” I notice the way his body tenses before he takes a slow step forward.

“Why? You don’t owe him anything, Silver. Why put yourself through it if you don’t have to?” I turn away from the horse and look Liam in the eye, wanting to make sure he can see that I’m being sincere.

“I need to close his chapter in my life and I can’t do that by hiding myself away from him. I need to do this, for me, not for him.” He takes one step closer, leaving only a few inches of space between us as his hand finds its way to my cheek and he bends until his forehead rests against mine.

“Okay, but I’m going with you. I’m not letting you face him alone.” I could argue, but the truth is that I’m glad I won’t be doing it alone. Even with how much time has passed, the man still scares the hell out of me.

“Okay. Can we go after lunch?” His other hand comes to rest gently on my neck while his thumb gently strokes my cheek.

“We can go whenever you want to.” He places a kiss on my forehead then drops his hands down to grab one of mine. He leads me back to the house where the others are all waiting, so we let them in on my plans for the afternoon…it’s safe to say they aren’t thrilled with it.

“Silver…why do you think you need to see him? I don’t want you getting hurt even more.” Linny is, as always, worried, but I can understand why.

“I need to get closure, to move forward without the weight of my past holding me back. I won’t be going alone. Liam said he’s going with me, but I need to do this.” I can tell even Mr. and Mrs. Jensen are unsure of the situation, but thankfully they aren’t voicing their opinions because nothing is going to change my mind.

“You’ll keep my Silver safe, won’t you, Liam?” The desperation in her tone makes my heart ache as she looks at Liam for assurance that he seems more than happy to give her.

“You have my word, Linny. I’ll guard her with my life if it comes down to it.” Linny gives him a weak smile that slowly widens when he reaches over and grabs my hand, lacing his fingers with mine.

“Aright, let’s get to work making lunch then.” Mrs. Jensen breaks the tension and Linny quickly goes in to join her while Liam guides me outside.

“So, the broken horse seems to have taken a liking to you. How would you feel about helping handle him?” I suddenly realized he’s leading me to the horse’s pen.

“I’d be happy to as long as I can name him.” He chuckles softly while nodding his head in agreement.

“You’ve got a deal. So, what are you going to name him then?” I don’t even have to think about what to call him because it came to me the first time I saw him.

“Kratos. It’s the name of the Greek god of strength. This poor guy had been beaten and battered, but he’s still standing. He’s stronger than anyone gave him credit for.” My answer doesn’t seem to really surprise Liam.

“You have a thing with gods, don’t you?” I smile as I think about how true his statement is, though the reason behind my fascination isn’t the most pleasant story.

“Yeah, I do.” We stop outside Kratos’ pen and I watch as he slowly walks around the panels on the other side.

“Is there a reason behind it, or just something you’re into?” I turn to face him, leaning my shoulder against the panel as I take a deep breath, preparing to give him a little piece of me that I’ve never offered up to anyone before.

“There’s a reason. When I was little, I had this book about Greek gods and mythology. It was the only book I had and I only had it because I hid it from my dad. I used to have tons of books before he started drinking, but then one day he came home drunk and he got really mad at me for not cleaning my room fast enough, so he took all of the books on my little bookshelf and burned them in the firepit in the backyard. The only reason he didn’t burn that one book is because it was under my pillow since I had been working on reading it.

“I spent every night I could just reading about the different gods and what they represented. While most girls my age were reading teen magazines and vampire stories, I was reading about Greek gods and the tragedies that surround them. It was an escape, even if it wasn’t always a happy one. I took that book with me when I left. Linny grabbed it as well as some of my clothes while my dad was out since I was still in the hospital. I had it until a few years ago when Malcom got really angry with me and destroyed almost everything of mine.” God, I guess I could’ve made the story less depressing, but the truth is, the reality of what I faced and the things I survived is depressing.

“I’m so sorry you had to go through all that, Silver.” He pulls me into his arms and holds me like I’m something precious and it melts me…just a little.

“It’s not your fault.” He squeezes me a little tighter, only loosening his hold when I wince from the pain in my side.

“Shit, sorry. I kind of forgot you’re a little bruised up. How are you feeling?” He steps back and looks me over, but I notice his jaw tighten when his eyes land on my neck where I already know there’s a bruise from Malcom’s hands.

“A little sore, but sure the hell could be worse…and I would be if it wasn’t for you.” That earns me a smile that almost masks the sadness and anger in his eyes.

“I’m so glad that bastard’s gone. So, you ready to do this?” I nod my head, though I’m honestly not ready to take this step, but I know I need to do it. I deserve to be able to let go and this is the first step to doing it.

“As ready as I’m going to be.” Liam takes my hand and leads the way to his truck then opens the door to help me in. The drive to my old family home, the place my nightmares were born, takes fifteen minutes, but I wasn’t prepared to see the house that’s been so neglected in my time away that it should probably be condemned. Liam doesn’t comment when I sit for too long after he parked, my mind struggling to come to terms with the fact that something that looks as broken as this is the place that holds so many dark memories for me.

“I expected it to be…scarier.” I feel Liam’s hand wrap around mine and he gives me a gentle squeeze before speaking.

“You’re not that scared little girl anymore, Silver.” I take a deep, fortifying breath, slip my hand out of his and climb out of the truck with him quickly following suit. He stands at my side, a silent sentinel, as we make our way to the front door and I manage to knock before my nerves can get the better of me. It takes a few seconds, but then the sound of heavy footsteps on the wood floors breaks through the eerie silence moments before the door swings open. I had never allowed myself to imagine this moment, but if I had, I’m fairly certain that the monster I imagined would’ve been far more terrifying than the weak, broken man standing before me.

“Silver? Is that really you?” I square my shoulders and prepare to speak the first words to this man that aren’t spoken out of fear.

“Hi, daddy. I think we need to talk.”

Chapter 14

His eyes narrow at me for a moment before he steps aside and waves us in. If I had thought the outside of the house was bad, the inside is ten times worse. He leads us into the living room that’s so familiar and yet, so different. Once we’re all seated, him in his recliner while Liam and I sit together on the couch, he decides to break the silence.

“So, what brings you home after all these years? After you ran off the way you did, I never thought I’d see you again.” Thankfully, I already know of the story he’s told everyone, so it comes as no surprise when he won’t even own up to his failings now.

“You mean when I was saved after you nearly beat me to death? You mean when I made the first selfish choice I had ever made and let someone help me get out of this nightmare before you could finally manage to kill me?” His brow furrows and he almost looks like he genuinely doesn’t know what I’m talking about, but I know better.

“Silver…I would never…” I was prepared for this moment, which is why I kept the photographs, police report and even his confession to the sheriff folded neatly in my purse. I pull the stack of papers out and hand them over to him, watching his moment of hesitation before he finally takes them.

“You would never what? You would never hurt me? You would never leave me broken and bleeding on my bedroom floor while you went to the bar and drank it all away? You would never confess your sins to the sheriff? You did that to me, daddy. You hurt me for years and it was that night, the night I almost died, when someone finally saved me…they saved me from you. Do you really want to pretend you aren’t a monster?” It’s in this moment that I realize…he’s not worthy of my forgiveness, not even if I’m offering it for myself.

“Disciplining your child doesn’t make you a monster.” My lips curl into a sad smile, knowing there’s no point in trying with him.

“Nearly killing your child is what you call discipline? I’m so glad momma wasn’t around to see the evil bastard you became. She would’ve hated you even more than I did.” He stands up, not very fast and not at all steady, as he glares down at me.

“Don’t you dare talk about your momma. It’s your damn fault she wasn’t there!” This is something I haven’t talked to anyone about since it happened and I know why he feels the way he does, but I forgave myself long ago because the truth is, I had nothing to do with her death. It was a tragedy, but I didn’t play a part in it.

“No, it’s not. Momma was killed in an accident, but it wasn’t my fault and deep down, you know that. I wasn’t even in the damn car, daddy! She was driving to aunt Linny’s to pick me up and she lost control and hit a tree. That’s not on me, it’s not on anyone. It was an accident, but you obviously needed someone to blame. I’m sorry you lost your wife, but I lost her too. I didn’t deserve to be punished for something I didn’t do and I damn well didn’t deserve to be hated for it. You took your grief and anger then weaponized them, you punished an innocent child, daddy.” He takes a step closer and Liam is immediately on his feet, ready to jump in, so I stand up and take his hand in mine, allowing his touch to comfort me and give me strength.

“So, what, you going to go around spreading lies, telling people how evil your dear old daddy is?” I release a heavy sigh and shake my head.

“I don’t need to. Their opinions of you…of me…they don’t matter. I came here today to tie up loose ends, but…I didn’t realize there were no loose ends here…not till now. I may never be able to forgive you, but for my sake, I’m never again going to fear you. Hell, after I walk out that door, I doubt I’ll so much as think of you. I spent my life seeing you as the monster of my story, but it turns out…you’re more broken than I am. Liam, I’m ready to go now.” I offer a soft smile to Liam who squeezes my hand before following me to the door. He helps me into his truck and we begin the ride home in silence that continues to linger until he turns onto a dirt road I don’t recognize.

“Where we going?” He reaches over, not taking my hand, but offering me his and he smiles brightly when I willingly slide my hand into his.

“I want to show you something.” With that smile on his face, there’s not a chance that I’d be willing to refuse, so I tighten my hold on his hand and enjoy the drive. It takes about fifteen minutes before the truck slows and he pulls into a clearing and pulls around so that the bed of the truck is facing a stream. He gets out then comes around to my side, opening the door and offering me his hand to help me down. He then leads me to the back of the truck where he lowers the tailgate then surprises the hell out of me when he guides my arms around his neck then crouches enough to grab me by my thighs and lift me so he can set me on the open tailgate.

“I didn’t hurt you, did I?” His concern warms my heart and I quickly shake my head.

“No, you didn’t hurt me, Liam.” He hops onto the tailgate beside me then laces his fingers with mine.

“I come out here sometimes when shit gets too hard. The last time I was here was when Tessa told me she was pregnant. I was here all night trying to figure out what the hell to do. By the time the sun was coming up, I made the decision to fight for him. I knew I’d do whatever it took.” I lean into his shoulder and he releases my hand so he can wrap his arm around my shoulders.

“I’m glad you fought for him, Liam. You’re an amazing dad and he’s one hell of an amazing kid.” His lips brush a soft kiss over my forehead and I look up to see his green eyes already looking down at me. The arm around my shoulders tightens and his right hand reaches up to cup my cheek as his lips lower, meeting mine as he delivers the softest, sweetest kiss that has my heart racing and my toes curling. When he pulls back, I miss his touch instantly.

“I don’t want to hurt you, Silver.” If I wasn’t already so far gone for him, his words certainly would’ve sealed the deal. I carefully maneuver myself so I’m standing on the tailgate then move further into the back and Liam quickly climbs up to join me. Once he sits down beside me, I decide I’m done holding back. Things may not have gotten off to a great start, but Liam is undeniably the best thing in my life, aside from Sean and Linny, of course. I manage to sit up and swing one leg over him, straddling his lap while my arms wrap around his neck.

“You, Liam Jensen, are the most stubborn, temperamental, amazing man and I’m falling hopelessly and madly in love with you.” The way his lips part and his green eyes shimmer under the sunlight, it makes my damn heart skip a beat.

“Silver…” I’m too impatient to wait for him to finish, my lips crash into his and he doesn’t hesitate to show me he wants this. One of his hands grabs my hip and the other grabs the back of my neck, holding me in place as he pours everything into this kiss. With his hand on my hip, the skirt of my dress is slowly riding up which has my heated core pressing against the impressive bulge in his jeans and there’s so little fabric preventing the rough material from creating enough friction to soothe the ache that’s slowly growing in me. I hadn’t even realized I was grinding my hips against him until both his hands grab my hips to stop me.

“Silver, you’re killing me, woman. You’re still hurt and I couldn’t live with myself if got carried away and ended up hurting you worse.” I won’t lie, at first I felt the sting of rejection. With having never chosen for myself when someone could touch me or what would be done to my body, him stopping me, it has insecurities rising that I never realized I had. I instantly worry that maybe he doesn’t want me, but then he chased it all away…because it’s not that he doesn’t want me…it’s that he’s worried about me…and that is something I know how to handle.

Chapter 15

Liam

I saw the hurt flash in her eyes and I know she thought I was rejecting her, but that’s not even close to why I stopped her and I made sure to clear that up right away. Hell, if she wasn’t hurt, I’d ravage her all damn afternoon without an ounce of hesitation, but I can’t help worrying about her injuries. I see the way her eyes focus on me then a soft, beautiful smile lights up her face. She grabs my hands and pulls them off her hips then pushes them so that they’re palm down on the bed of the truck by my hips.

“Do you trust me?” Her voice is soft, but I can tell she’s unsure of whether she wants my answer, but she doesn’t need to be.

“Yeah, of course I trust you.” That has her smile widening as her hands grab the sides of my face and she presses her lips to mine.

“Then don’t…move.” She slides her hands down my chest then my stomach, stopping at my belt as she slowly unhooks the buckle then starts working on the button on my jeans and then the sound of my zipper seems to echo loudly through the field, or maybe I’m just hyper focused on it as I force my hands to stay still and not grab her. She untucks my shirt then reaches into the band of my boxer briefs, wrapping her hand around my hard length and making my entire body jolt from the feeling of her warm hand as she gently strokes me.

“Do you want me to stop?” Her eyes lock onto mine and all coherent thought has left me, but I manage to shake my head. Stopping is the last thing I want her to do, even if it’s what I should want. While I was distracted by her question, she managed to pull my cock free and she starts to slide down my legs and lower her mouth, so damn close to where I’d love to have her, but I know that I won’t last long if she wraps her mouth around me, so I break her rule and grab her chin, tilting her head up so I can see those pretty eyes.

“I won’t last long if you do that, baby.” Her eyes glance down at my erection then back up to me and, much to my relief, she slides herself back up so that her hot, wet pussy is pressed against me with only a thin layer of lacy material separating us.

“Are you okay with this?” her hips grind against me and I can’t stop the moan that it pulls out of me, but I manage to nod. She reaches between her legs, her dress hiding her actions, but I feel the fabric separating us slide away and then I feel my cock pressing against her entrance. Her eyes are searching mine, seemingly looking for any sign that I don’t want this and she sure the hell won’t be finding any. I can’t hold back anymore, so I grab the back of her head and pull her lips to mine, both of us moaning as she slowly starts sinking down on me, taking me inch by inch until she gasps when I bottom out inside her.

“Shit! You’re so damn tight, baby.” She smiles against my lips then slowly leans back, giving me the perfect view of her beautiful face as she begins rocking her hips, slowly at first, but then she begins picking up her pace. I know her side is bruised, so I settle my hands on her hips, helping to guide her movements then holding her to me as I slide us down until I’m laying on my back.

The new position gives me leverage to be able to thrust up into her each time she lowers herself and by the third thrust, I can feel her walls contracting around me as her body begins to tremble. Her muscle contractions are squeezing me and pulling my own release out of me far too quickly, but then…it happens. I watch as her head drops back, my name escaping her lips on a moan and her tight walls milking me as she falls apart, forcing my orgasm out of me as I empty myself inside her. When her head finally falls forward and her eyes meet mine, I can’t even stop the words from falling out of me.

“I love you, Silver Dawson.” She leans forward and presses her lips to mine, but I can feel her smiling against me.

“I love you too, Liam Jensen.” By the time we make it home, it’s less than an hour till dinner and the second Linny sees us, she gives me a knowing grin as Silver slips upstairs to take a quick shower.

“So, how did it go?” I sit down in the recliner across from her, deciding to get the interrogation over with.

“She handled it well, better than I would’ve, that’s for damn sure.” Her grin is still there as she watches me intently.

“You two look like you had a bit of an adventure. You’re taking good care of my Silver, aren’t you?” I can’t even stop my chuckle because this woman is too damn much.

“Yes, ma’am.” She stands up and pats my shoulder as she heads to the kitchen. I tried to resist the urge, god did I try, but unable to wait another second, I slip upstairs to Silver’s room and straight into her bathroom where she’s already in the middle of washing that gorgeous body of hers. I strip down in record time and step in with her, but she doesn’t seem at all surprised, though she does offer me the most beautiful smile.

“Trying to conserve water, are we?” I close the distance between us, my lips crashing into hers while my hands grab her face. When I pull back, I slowly step back, letting my eyes devour her from top to bottom, lingering a little longer on the visible bruises on her chest.

“You’re so damn beautiful.” She steps forward, her hand quickly finding its way to my damn erection that’s all too eager to be buried inside her again already.

“God, I’ve never wanted to be touched so badly in my life. Please, Liam…” Her grip on me tightens and I know I’d damn well agree to just about anything right now.

“Can you be quiet, baby?” The second she nods, I’m lifting her by her thighs and her legs wrapp around me like they belong there, and then I’m sinking into her. I make sure to grab her hips so I don’t hurt her, but my slow pace isn’t enough for her and she quickly makes it known.

“Harder, Liam…” Her voice comes out on a heated breath and I’m all too happy to give her what she wants. I use my hold on her to give me the leverage needed to drive into her, my pace fast, hard and each thrust burying me deep inside her and drawing out sounds that are part gasp, part moan. As her voice gets louder, I back her up to the wall so I can free one of my hands to grab her head and pull her lips to mine just in time for me to catch her loud cry as she comes undone in my arms. She’s still shaking from her release when I finally reach mine, holding her still as I fill her, my body trembling and both of us panting.

“Damn…best shower ever.” Her laughter fills the bathroom and it’s a sound I’ll never tire of. I carefully help her back to her feet then grab her bath sponge and get to work cleaning her up so we can get ready for dinner. During dinner, Linny is suspiciously quiet, though I do catch her giving me and Silver amused looks every now and then. Sean insisted on sitting between us, but neither of us minded one bit.

Once we’ve put Sean to bed for the night, Silver gives everyone a rundown of her visit with her dad and every damn one of us are proud of her, even Linny. As soon as she’s done, I take her hand and lead her out of the house, just wanting a few minutes alone with her. It wasn’t till we were sitting at the table that my common sense finally made an appearance and I think there are a few things we need to talk about.

Chapter 16

Silver

I can tell Liam has something on his mind as he walks me out of the house and toward the pen where Kratos is happily eating some hay. We’re quiet for a few minutes as I wait for him to tell me what’s bothering him and it takes a little bit, but he finally turns to face me, takes a deep breath and speaks.

“You had said you might not be able to have a baby…” I honestly wasn’t expecting this to be what he wanted to talk about, but I feel like he deserves to know the truth. I can only hope this won’t be the thing that puts an end to this. What if he wants more children? I couldn’t stay with him and force him to give up on the chance of more children, not if that’s something he really wants in his future.

“After Xavier…the doctors said the damage was…extensive. They said there was a lot of scarring and there was a list of other reasons, but they said the likelihood of me being able to have another child were slim at best. Linny and Detective Sheridan have an appointment scheduled for me with a specialist to see if anything has changed. The appointment is in six weeks and it was to help provide more evidence of the damage Malcom caused, but I don’t see a reason to go now. I don’t think I can handle getting the same news from yet another doctor.” He pulls me into his arms and kisses the top of my head.

“I was curious because we kind of didn’t use any protection. I’ll tell you right now that even if by some miracle it happens, I’m all in, Silver.” I look up at him, deciding to ask the question so I can get the answer, whether it’s good or bad, I need to know where he stands.

“Do you want more kids, Liam?” He gives me a soft smile and I have a feeling he knows where my mind’s at right now.

“Honestly, I never thought much about it. If you and me manage to make a baby, I’ll be the happiest man in the world, but if not, I’m perfectly happy with you and Sean. What I want is you.”

The last six weeks have been a whirlwind of laughter, love and a lot of stolen moments with Liam. Four weeks ago, we moved my things into his room after his mom called us out for sneaking around. It’s not that we were trying to sneak around, but we wanted to avoid bringing Sean in on it until we were sure where this thing with us was going. Well, it’s safe to say it’s going well and Sean, that little bugger, is absolutely thrilled. Today is my appointment with the specialist and Liam took the day off of doing his work around the ranch to go with me, but I’m still more nervous than I expected to be.

“Hey, no matter what they say in there, I’m not going anywhere, Silver.” Liam has been making sure to remind me that our little family is perfect, with or without adding more kids to the mix. When the nurse calls me back, she has me go to the bathroom and pee in a cup so they can run their standard tests since I admitted to having unprotected sex on a regular basis. Once I handle my business, I head back to the room and put on the ugly paper gown and strip off my leggings and underwear seconds before the doctor walks in.

“Alright, Ms. Dawson, it says here you came in to have an assessment and imaging done to verify damage caused by a late term miscarriage?” Liam takes my hand and gives it a squeeze, knowing this isn’t a topic I handle well.

“Um, yes, it was…more than that, really. I was violently assaulted when I was six months pregnant and it caused me to lose my baby. The doctors told me that the damage caused by both the assault and the miscarriage left extensive scarring that would make it next to impossible for me to get pregnant again.” The man looks at his chart with a furrowed brow then slowly sits down on his stool.

“How long ago was this?” I take a deep breath and force the answer out.

“Almost a year ago.” He nods his head then writes something on the chart and sets it on the counter.

“Alright, before I get into too much, let’s do a standard exam and then we’re going to do an ultrasound to see the full extent of this scarring.” For the next thirty seven minutes, which I watch tick by on the clock on the wall, Liam holds my hand and stays at my side, but then the doctor pauses with the wand pressed into my stomach.

“Well, Ms. Dawson, I can safely say I see the scarring they mentioned to you. Were you hoping to have more children in the future?” I know my loud sigh sounds as defeated as I feel, but his question doesn’t have an easy answer.

“Would I like to have a child, yes, but I pretty much resigned myself to the fact that it’s not in the cards for me.” I close my eyes to fight back my tears and feel Liam’s lips press a kiss to my forehead as his hand tightens around mine.

“It seems fate has dealt you a new hand. You see that tiny flickering blob there?” My eyes snap open and lock onto the screen and I know Liam’s watching too.

“Is…is that…” The doctor nods, confirming my question before I can even stutter it out.

“That would be your baby’s heartbeat. It’s early yet, I’d say around six weeks. As of right now, everything looks perfect. The fetus is attached to an area where there’s no scar tissue, so I don’t see there being any issues. I’d like to set up your first official appointment for two weeks from now and we can decide at that time if we need to treat this as a high risk pregnancy, or just play it by ear.” I feel Liam’s hand cup my cheek as his thumb brushes away a tear I hadn’t even realized had fallen.

“You okay, baby?” My eyes finally leave the screen and meet Liam’s beautiful green eyes.

“We’re having a baby…” The smile that lights up his face melts me on the spot and I can’t help smiling back.

“Yeah, we sure the hell are. Doc, is there anything we should watch out for?” The doctor starts cleaning up the wand and hands Liam a washcloth to wipe off my stomach.

“She needs to take it easy. No heavy lifting, no strenuous activities and she should try to avoid stressful situations. Other than that, she just needs to eat healthy and should start taking prenatal vitamins every day.” Liam nods, likely committing every damn word to memory.

“I’ll make sure she’s well taken care of, Doc. Thank you.” Once the doctor leaves, Liam helps me get dressed then we make our way to the front desk to schedule my next appointment and the nurse hands us an envelope with a smile on her face.

“The doctor printed off a few pictures from your ultrasound. It’s not much yet, but he said he thought it would be good to have a reminder until your next appointment.” The doctor is absolutely right because I already feel like this is all just a dream and I’m scared as hell that I’ll wake up.

“Thank you.” She gives me a soft nod of her head then Liam leads me out the door. He helps me into his truck, but doesn’t close the door as he watches me stare at the envelope in my hands.

“Are you okay?” I know what he’s really asking is if I’m okay with this…if I’m happy about the new baby. It’s a simple question with a complex answer.

“I…I’m scared…but…I’m happy, Liam. It’s just…what if something goes wrong?” He wraps his arms around me and right there, in the hospital parking lot, I fall apart in his arms. Liam doesn’t feed me lies about how everything will be okay. He doesn’t try to placate me with promises he may not be able to keep. As my tears start to slow, he says the one thing that makes this whole situation a little less terrifying.

“I can’t promise that things will go the way they should, Silver, but I can promise you one thing. No matter what happens, I’m going to be with you every step of the way. I’ll be there for every bout of morning sickness, ever doctor’s appointment and every weird ass craving you might have. I’m going to pray every damn day that you and our baby will be okay, but no matter what, you’re not going through any of this alone. I love you and not a damn thing can change that.”

Epilogue

Epilogue – Silver

It’s been four years since I can home and was forced to finally face my demons. I closed a lot of painful chapters in my story in those first four months, but I started a few beautiful chapters too. Liam made me a promise in the parking lot of the hospital and he lives up to that promise every damn day. He was at my side for every step of my pregnancy, the good and the bad, and then he was standing at my side, holding my hand when we welcomed our daughter into the world. Natalie Linnette Jensen was born weighing seven pounds and eleven ounces the day after her due date. She was, and still is, perfect.

Liam proposed three months later and neither of us wanted to wait, so we were married two weeks later on the ranch with all of our friends and family present. Our little family was everything we could’ve hoped for and then we found out two years ago that our little family was expanding once again. We hadn’t planned to have another child, but our son, Lincoln Xavier Jensen, was quite insistent that we weren’t quite as done as we thought we were. Due to complications during his delivery, I was forced to undergo a partial hysterectomy, but I wasn’t even upset. My two miracles were already more than I ever expected.

Just before Lincoln was born, I received a call from Detective Sheridan and he let me know that Malcom’s entire operation was taken down which resulted in forty-two arrests, including eleven law enforcement officials. He was thrilled to hear about all the positive developments in my life and I was all too happy to share them. It was one month to the day after his call that my father passed away, but I can safely say that the news didn’t affect me much.

This life, my once messy, tragic and terrifying life has become so beautiful, so filled with love and happiness. I guess that sometimes you have to fight through the difficult chapters in order to get to the good ones, to find the happily ever after.