Forgotten Promise (Forgotten Series Book 2) (7 page)

Dreamy, that’s the perfect word.
David can sweep a girl off her feet. I feel protected at his side. Unlike when
I’m alone. He brought me a flower today, a daisy. Make love not war, he said. I
hope he wasn’t hinting. I know girls my age have given themselves already, but
I want my first time to be with the man I love. Eighteen isn’t too old, or that’s
what I tell myself.

My girlfriend thinks I’m uptight,
frigid, but she’s wrong. I’m choosey. The time will come when I know it’s
right.

I bought some new bell bottoms
today, and I’m wearing them with my yellow T-Shirt tonight. David’s picking me
up, and we’re going to the drive-in movies. I don’t care if it is a western, I
just want to be with him.

I can hear the commotion
downstairs, I know to keep my door locked. I turn up my record player and
listen to Bruce Springsteen.

Day Two

~Nathan~

“So, this is what
heart break feels like,” I say to no one. Bloodshot eyes scaring the hell out
of everyone. There’ll be no sleep until she’s back in my arms. Jesus, how could
things go so wrong?

Laced with worry, I
call again. “Stan, for God’s sake anything?” My temple throbs as I wait for the
answer I know is coming.

“Nathan, I have every
man on it. There’s no trail, no leads, no cell history to track the towers. The
snow isn’t helping either.”

The vise gripping my
chest just tightened. “So, what you’re telling me is she’s gone, and she’s with
him
?”

“No, that there is no
trace, at this moment.” Attempting to calm the storm wreaking havoc on me.

Fuck!

She’s…gone…gone…gone…

Day
Three

~Bryer~

I’m losing my mind.
Why isn’t the driveway plowed? Why doesn’t the service send an SUV? Damn, if my
phone worked, I’d be out of here by now. I stroll through the house out of
utter boredom, and the distance away from Cash needed. I have to admit the
house is crazy impressive. Who lives like this? Well, Nathan lives wealthy, on
a much-smaller scale. This is just plain useless space.

I stumble into the
workout room, sauna, whirlpool, I could try that later. Something to distract me
from the epic mistake that got me stuck out here with the one man I swore I
would never see again. I’ll keep him at arm’s length until I get out of here,
and divert my thoughts of the two men that stir complete opposite emotions. I
continue my thoughtless tour, unfocused.

Then around the next
corner a full theater, stadium seating, a screen I couldn’t begin to measure
and hundreds of DVDs on shelves. If I didn’t feel like a prisoner, and I was
here with Nathan, I could see having a great time here.

But I’m not.

“I can hear your
thoughts from here, Bryer,” Cash says as I walk into the great room.

“I highly doubt
that.”

“As a matter of fact,
I can. You forget I know you intimately, do you think you’re so easily
forgotten?” He gestures for me to sit. “For starters, you’re worried about
Nathan, he has to know you’re with me by now.”

I cringe at the
thought, but Gen knows, and she would tell him.

“The journal is your
only solitude, a piece of your mother given back to you, I understand it all.
 

And then there’s me.” Cautiously
raising his arm to rest on the back of the couch.

I shrug, fighting the
knowledge that he’s dead on.

“You know, Bryer, if
you took the time to think about it, you might find that you actually enjoy
staying here.”

He’s fucking with me,
like some psychological game getting me to crack. Control being his game of
choice. “You must have some hidden agenda.”

“Nothin’, darlin’.”
As he closes his book.

“Why, Cash, why me?
You’re rich, powerful and handsome, you could have any woman you want.”

“Ah, that’s where
you’re wrong, I can’t have any woman I want.” Sliding closer.

“You look at me like
I’m some sort of a monster, Bryer. I’m a man, imperfect, but still just a man.”

I remember doing a
paper on Stockholm, it took only five days for the captives to feel affection
and trust towards their assailant. That’s a fucked-up comparison. But I fear
I’m getting comfortable being with him. I have to remind myself, I fell in love
with poison, and he’s inches away this very minute.

“Do you recall the trip
we made to the State Capitol?” He smiles.

“How could I forget?
Distinguished you called it, a historical landmark.” Why is he reminiscing?

“You were bored, I
remember.”  Obviously savoring the memory.

“Not true, I enjoyed the
view of the Colorado River and found it educational.”

“That’s selling it,
Bryer. What about the 15
^th
century architecture, the wall’s
sunset-red granite? I was like a kid at an amusement park.” Emotions from the
memory glowing in his eyes.

“I remember, it was
so you, an up-and-coming lawyer in the midst of your element.” Finding the
conversation not as distasteful as I would have thought. But then again, that’s
when I trusted him, believed in him, even loved him. But easily brought back to
reality knowing the true man he is.

“I recall the rush of
the secret skylight structure on the north wing behind the flag and pediment, I
was in awe.” His eyes closed for a moment, and as he takes a deep breath and
slowly lets it out, he looks in my eyes. “I think you had a better time when we
made it to the hotel.” He boldly boasts.

“We don’t have to
take a trip down memory lane, Cash.”

“Oh, but I want to,
it still burns in my memories, as most days are.”

“Cash, please.”
Holding back the need to run.

“The Intercontinental
Hotel ring a bell?” Awaiting my response.

But these memoires
are all polluted, he’ll never understand that. “It was minutes away from the
Capitol,” I answer.

“That’s not what I
meant,” he says, his expression remembering it all.

“Cash, I don’t think
about that, ever.”

“I think about it all
the time, Bryer.” He sighs.

And I can see the
internal struggle.

“Come.” As he rises
he holds out his hand.

I take it. What the
fuck? Slowly pulling it away.

“Follow me.”

We walk towards the
back of the house where I see countless pairs of boots, galoshes, and gloves.
Mimicking Cash, I pick a pair and change into them.

He grabs our coats
and we trample through the snow until we reach the pond a short distance from
the house, not quite frozen over. He points to a row of bird feeders hundreds
of birds are present, cardinals male and female. The red stands out so vividly
against the white snow, and it’s picture perfect.

“The male,
prominently more beautiful, is aggressive, naturally,” I say

“Naturally.” He
smiles.

I have to admit,
watching them undetected is a rare sight. They never get their fill, its
nature’s perfect painting. We stand until the cold starts to take its toll,
then head back.

“Beautiful?” he asks
as we walk. Feeling his hand on my back, but I don’t shrug it off. Without
warning, he sinks into the snow deeper than expected, losing his balance,
taking me with him. We are both on the ground, covered in snow our bodies
tangled together.

Laughing, he attempts
to help me up, which only makes it worse causing Cash to fall on top of me. His
million-dollar smile beaming as he focuses on my face, then my mouth, his
golden eyes captivating as he presses his lips to mine in a wet searing kiss.

A blinding wave screaming
NO in my head, I turn away, forcing the connection to stop. His hands are in my
hair, holding me still so he can take me like he always had with animal need. I
attempt to overpower him as his tongue makes its way into my mouth. For one
split second, I surrender. This isn’t happening.

“Stop, Cash, please.”
A small part of me buried deep inside under the pain is succumbing, my own body
desire betraying me, continuing down this reckless path. Shame overpowers me.
What just happened? I feel corrupt, unfaithful, and shame washes over me as I
think of Nathan. What have I done? I’m finding I’m losing myself here.

“Don’t get me wrong,
Bryer, that was unplanned, as if my body had a mind of its own.”

Liar.

“Then get off me.”

He reaches to help me
up.

I accept. Trying to
ignore what I just let happen. Returning inside, I watch as he starts a fire. I
catch his gaze.

“Maybe this is
something we can’t control.” He offers as an explanation.

“I can control it.” I
watch his face as an ache of compassion consumes me. Confused by the sudden
empathy towards Cash, but also reminded of the piranha I labeled as the biggest
mistake of my life. “It was a mistake,” I say.

“Was it?” The corners
of his eyes crinkled. “That’s the burning question.”

I freeze, knowing he
touched some kind of nerve.

“Why don’t you read
me a passage out of your mother’s journal?”

Fuck, he doesn’t play
fair. Feeling the pull to share it with someone, anyone, I agree. Accepting the
fact that I’m agreeing because he’s the only one here.

I nestle on the
floor’s cozy rug in front of the fire, absorbing the much-needed heat. Pillows
all around me. Opening to the next entry.

Did you miss me? I haven’t written
in weeks, my world has turned more complicated, graduation is right around the
corner, and then I’ll be free to do whatever I please. Mom and Dad are still
going at it, and I’ll take any opportunity to leave this house.

I have a secret I haven’t told
anyone.

These pages will be the first to
know David and I went all the way. I know I said I would wait, but I love him,
and he loves me.

I won’t go into every little
detail, but it was passionate. His family was away, and we had the whole house
to ourselves. We watched TV, and David was such a dork, making me laugh. What a
spicy meatball, he teased, and soon all talk turned to kissing, he’s a great
kisser.

With little coaxing, we were in his
bedroom, and that’s where it happened. He did things to my body that I didn’t
know existed.

I promise you, I’ll love you
forever, he said. And he meant it. I knew what happened would bind us together
forever, but not in the way I imagined.

I’m late…

Mary

“They had to get
married? Because of me?”

Day
Three

~Nathan~

“Nathan, you’ve been on
that thing for over an hour,” Clayton says, leaning on the doorframe of my
workout room, witnessing my punishing rhythm on the treadmill.

I thought this would
make me forget. What a fool I am to think that. “Why is she with him?”

Clayton just stares.

He doesn’t have the
answers I’m looking for. I slow to a walking pace, so I can keep asking the
same questions, knowing in reality I’m only asking myself.

“Why hasn’t she
called?

“Is she angry over
our fight?

“Has she gone back to
him?

“Does she love him?

“Where the fuck is
she?” I continue, unable to stop the rapid fire-questions at anyone who’ll
listen.

“Nathan, calm down. I
would say no to all of those, most are idiotic. Has Gen called?” He continues.

But I look at him,
questioning his motives. “No, why?” I answer.

“She’s her best
friend.” Looking at me as if I’ve lost it.

And let’s be honest,
I have. “And why are you here?” I ask,

“The Bro-Code dude.”
Handing me a water.

But I just lose my shit,
chucking it across the room. I’m boiling with rage, helpless, no power, no
control. Ashamed at how I’m treating my friends. But unable to control the
rage, it’s controlling me.

“Are you keeping the
scruff?” he asks randomly.

“What? Skip the
attitude, Clayton, I’m in no mood.” Wiping the sweat from my face with my own
shirt.

“Maybe a shower?” he
suggests.

“You never shut up,
do you, Clayton?” Pushing past him. “There’s going to be blood.” I promise him.

“Not mine, right?”
Clayton replies, with the utmost sincerity.

“Depends, if you keep
this shit up.” As I glance over my shoulder heading for the shower. With the
water set on the hottest temperature I can tolerate, resting my forehead on the
tile. Reliving everything that happened our last night together. My inexcusable
behavior over the ring, it wasn’t Bryer’s fault, yet I blamed her. I’m not
entirely sure I would have told me either, knowing about the engagement would
have driven me crazy. I wish I could take it all back.

I need her like
oxygen.

Day
Four

~Bryer~

I wake to the sounds
of knocking. Before I have time to answer, I see the door open. Cash is holding
a tray.

“Breakfast.” Sitting
up, wiping the sleep out of my eyes. It was a restless night, many demons
fighting to my attention—the journal, Cash, Nathan, even my job. I pull the
sheet up to my chin when his eyes sweep over my body.

“Uhm, that’s not
necessary,” I say in a groggy voice, a voice only Nathan should be hearing.

“No arguing, Bryer.
I’m serious.” As he sets the tray down.

A single yellow rose
displayed.

“Pancakes.” He
smiles. “Still your favorite?”

I nod. Noticing the
sheet isn’t covering as well as I thought, the T-shirt rising up, revealing my
panties, and it doesn’t escape Cash, making me uncomfortable. “Coffee, the
exact color I like.” Realizing he knows me well is daunting.

“You?”

“Coffee, black.”
Raising his cup and sipping it.

But when the silence
grows between us, I’m instantly aware he’s sitting, sharing my bed. “Cash,
maybe you should go.” An attempt to draw a line in the sand, the line he
constantly steps over.