Page 190 of Redeemed

“Wait, wait. Scroll back up.”

I do, watching as she scrutinizes the video we just watched, her eyes narrowing.

“That! That right there.” She pauses the video and points to a purple and red stuffed animal in the background. “Is that a stuffed dragon?”

“Looks like it.”

Humming, Haven looks closer. “It looks really soft.”

I shoot her a confused look. “Have you ever seen a stuffed animal that’snotsoft?”

“Oh. Um… I guess not.” Her cheeks turn pink, and she looks away. “That’s a good point. Sorry, that was a silly thing to say.”

“Haven.”

“No, no, it’s fine. I was just being stupid. We can go to the next video.”

But I’ve already turned off the screen to my phone and tossed it on the couch. “Haven, did you not have any stuffed animals growing up?”

“It really isn’t that big of a deal.”

“So you didn’t,” I mutter, half to myself. “That’s awful, Haven. I’m sorry.”

She shrugs, like it’s nothing. “We weren’t allowed many toys. Beckham insisted that it would inhibit our creativity. Maybe he was right, I don’t know. We made our own fun, and it’s not like I knew what I was missing out on. I didn’t even know stuffed animals existed until I moved here and saw Athelia’s stuffed cat.”

“Do you want one?”

“What? No! I’m not a kid anymore.” But her voice is all wrong. Too high-pitched, too hesitant.

“Okay.”

Obviously, Haven doesn’t want to talk about this, but I’m not letting it go. Growing up, I had a couple stuffed animals that were an emotional lifeline for me. I’m sure something would’ve taken their place if I hadn’t owned them, but it still feels wrong that Haven didn’t have any.

Grabbing my phone again, I move to unlock it but accidentally open my camera instead. When Haven sees, her body goes rigid.

“Oh my god,” she says, stunned. “The guy with the phone.”

“What guy?”

“When I was out with Athelia, some guy walked past us on the other side of the street and took a picture of us. I thought it was you three spying on me, but… It wasn’t, was it?”

I shake my head. “Not that I’m aware of.”

“Do you think…”

“That Isaiah is paying people to keep an eye out for you? Yeah, that adds up.”

She sinks into me. “I’m never leaving this house again.”

With a sigh, I pull Haven into my lap and wrap my arms around her. “Yes, you will. One day, you’ll be safe. I promise, little fawn.”

Colton

Thenextweekslipsby quickly, and before I know it, Xander is gone for Thanksgiving break. Lucas’s mood turns sour the second he leaves, and the only thing that seems to distract him well enough is spending time with Haven. And by spending time with her, I mean making her uphold her end of our deal.

Thanksgiving day is no exception. Lucas is supposed to be on his way out the door for his family dinner, but instead I find him in the dining room. He has Haven spread out on the table with her head hanging off the edge.

The sight of his dick sliding in and out of her mouth has me stopping in my tracks. There’s something so satisfying about the way her throat bulges around his cock. She takes it beautifully.

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