Page 66 of Reformation

I pull my phone from my purse and head back to the kitchen to pour myself a cup of coffee before making my way to the couch. As expected, I see a message from Cassie.

Cassie: The fact that it’s 10 a.m. and you haven’t texted me yet better mean you’re having morning sex.

Paige: For the first time ever, I’m going to have quite the story to report Monday at lunch.

Cassie: EEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKK. Oh my God. Tell me everything. No. I’ll wait. No. I won’t wait. Tell me something!!!

I smile, thinking of what I should tell her.

Paige: Four.

Cassie: Four… what is… OH MY GOD, YOU HAD FOUR Os!!!!!!! You bitch!

I laugh as Cassie sends another text.

Cassie: Just kidding. I hate you only a little bit.

“What’s so funny?”

I almost choke on my coffee as I see Garrett coming down the hall.

Good gracious, how is this man mine?

His brown hair is adorably disheveled from sleep and sex. Considering he doesn’t have clothes here, and we really didn’t plan on a sleepover last night, all he’s wearing are his boxer briefs. His broad chest is perfectly cut and the V that goes down to his… damn, I need a minute to process him.

“You know you can take a picture? That way you have something to look at when I’m not here.”

“Who said I’m letting you leave?”

He smiles, which I’m glad because Ireallydidn’t want that to come out as clingy. “Oh, don’t worry, Angel. I have no intention of leaving anytime soon.”

I smile as he leans in for a kiss, which is cut short at the sound of my phone vibrating. Probably Cassie not happy with my abrupt departure from our conversation. I’m so distracted by Garrett and his mouth that I don’t even look at the caller ID when I swipe to answer it.

“Cassie, I’ll call you later. I’m kind of in the middle of something.”

“Oh, Josephine… you don’t want to talk to me? That hurts, pumpkin. Then again, you probably had a long night with that hot doctor of yours. Where did you find him? Does he have a daddy for me?”

My body goes stiff and I hurry up and hang up the phone.

“Baby, what’s the matter? You’re shaking. Who was that?”

No. How did she find me? She was never supposed to find me, much less be anywhere near me. That was the agreement. I was leaving Alabama and she was staying there. I was done with her. I was done with that life.

But she’s here. And as much as I want to keep my past behind me, I’m afraid it’s here. In Virginia.

“Garrett… I have to tell you something.”

Chapter Thirty-Three

Paige

“Tell me, Paige. You can tell me anything. You know that, right?”

I nod, because I know I can tell Garrett. He would never judge me. He would understand. He knows how pasts can be something you don’t want to talk about. Still… I’ve never told this to anyone. The only ones who know were the ones who lived it with me. They know what I was forced to do. They know what I had to do to survive.

“I don’t even know where to begin.”

“Start wherever you need to. Take however long you need. I’m here.”

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