Page 93 of Hawk
If she or the madman didn’t find him first.
Chapter 30
Stella
Over breakfast, I’dlearned from the ladies that I wasn’t alone in my painful past. Everyone around the table, without going into too much detail, told their heartbreaking story. Tears were shed by everyone, and when Hailey briefly told me what she’d experienced with Melody, I wanted to scream out loud. When it was my turn to tell my story, I explained how my father tricked me into being a bride to one of the men from the crime family he’d worked for.
I didn’t give them names, only that he was disappointed with me and put me in a brothel. I never said he made me work there, but I inferred that. I was a horrible person for lying, but no one could know who Hailey’s father was. Adrik was dead, but I didn’t know how far his reach could be from the grave. It was bad enough I felt like I had a bullseye on my back from killing him. I didn’t want anyone else to potentially be in the line of fire.
“So, how did you escape?” Rose asked. Out of everyone at the table, she and I had the most similar situations.
“Well,” I started, looking around at everyone while Hailey held my hand, “I’d been back with him for six or seven years when my father sent a new guard to keep an eye on me. Except he had other plans. For months, he followed me around like a shadow, then one day, after a particularly bad episode, he whispered something to me that gave me hope.”
“Who was he?” Hailey asked, and I offered her a smile.
“It was Colton. And before you think the worst of him, let me finish.” They all nodded as I continued. “He wasn’t sent by my father, as it turned out. He discovered I was being held against my will and he volunteered to watch me. In reality, he was planning my escape. After slipping me a knife, he told me to be patient and he would let me know when it was time for us to make our escape.” I took a swallow of my drink and pushed through the painful memories to finish. “I was instructed to be ready but didn’t know what to do. Then, my husband,” I said, using my fingers for air quotes, “came in drunk and moody. I used whatever was in my arsenal to keep him placated, and when he wasn’t looking, I slit his throat. Colton cleaned up the scene and told the other guards I was going to the doctor. It took weeks for us to finally get to Rhys, and after he was sure I was going to be okay, Colton left.”
“How did you reconnect?” Sadie asked as she nibbled on some fruit.
“I’ve been in contact with Rhys since the day I left his care, and he let me know Colton was looking for me. That my daughter,” I turned and looked at Hailey, who had tears falling down her face, “wanted to meet me and it was time for me to stop hiding. He gave Colton my address and that’s how I ended up here.”
“Did you know back then that you cared about him?” Violet asked, and I shook my head.
“Back then, I was a mess. I didn’t understand the ways of the adult world, only that it seemed to be an ugly place. I was just trying to stay alive so that one day, I could get back to Hailey.”
She leaned over and kissed me on the cheek, and I knew she was more understanding of why I hadn’t come for her sooner. Or why I hadn’t located her after I killed Melody.
“And now?” Hailey asked as she wiped the tears from her face.
“Now?” I asked, and they all nodded with knowing smiles. “Now, I know he’s the only man who’s ever truly cared about me. Even before we met, he was willing to risk his life to save mine. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is.”
“We’re all so happy for you,” Rose said. “And Hawk is a good man and father. We’ve always known that, but to hear how he saved you makes him that much better.”
I worried about his kids and how they would accept me into their lives. If they hated me, we would be over before we got a chance at forever, and that would kill a part of my soul. I didn’t think I could ever open myself up to another man, but he understood my painful past and how to overcome my fears.
“What’s bothering you, Stella?” Sadie asked, and I shrugged. “This is a safe place to talk, and no one will think badly of you. So, tell us what’s running through your mind. I’m sure we’ve dealt with something similar, and maybe we can offer some advice. Or you’ll feel better just getting it off your chest.”
