RUINING ANGEL (10 page)

‘Not much further now,’ I say.

We walk on in silence, occasionally glancing in each other’s direction, smiling like we have our own private secret. We do.

The little stream comes into view through the thick of the trees.

‘We’re here.’

‘Good, my feet are killing me,’ she says.

‘Come and sit down, I’ll spread the blanket out.’ She smiles gratefully. Placing the picnic basket down, I lay the blanket on some soft heather. She looks hot, so I take a washcloth and soak it in the cool water from the stream so she can put in on her forehead.

While Bailey relaxes, I make us some sandwiches. I watch her carefully, even though I’m busy with the food. Her hair catches in the sun light and she looks stunning. I’m still surprised that I find myself even more in love with her each new day I wake up. It’s like I’ve won the lotto but they keep sending the checks every day.

She catches me watching her and grins at me, her freckles spreading a little wider on her face.

‘I love you, you know?’ I never get sick of telling her this. After the accident I decided I’m going to tell her every chance I get.

‘A lot, or just a little?’

‘Definitely a lot. Maybe too much.’ If it’s possible, her smiles grows.

I continue to eye her as I hand over her sandwich. She accepts it, taking a huge bite.

‘You know, you seem really happy today,’ I say. Her mouth is full, so I wait patiently while she finishes chewing.

‘Aren’t I always happy?’

‘Today, more so,’ I insist.

‘Mom called this morning while you were chopping wood.’

‘Oh?’ My heart rate picks up. It’s the first time we’ve heard from them since they left our house four months ago. She takes another bite, clearly intent on keeping me guessing. Little tease. She smiles smugly through her mouthful.

‘And?’

‘They’re coming to visit.’ The breath I didn’t know I was holding exhales through my lips.

‘Really?’

‘Really.’

‘Did she say when they were coming?’

‘A week on Saturday.’ She goes back to eating her sandwich and I start in on mine. The silence is only disrupted by the chatter of small insects and the trickle of water as it runs across the rocky bed of the stream. My eyes find Bailey’s again. She still bewitches me.

‘There’s something else …’ I query.

‘You’re very perceptive today Mr. Michaels.’

‘It’s my job, Mrs. Michaels. Now spill, before I come tickle it out of you.’ She grins, looking radiant and glowing. Fuck. It hits me. I know. She sees the recognition in my eyes and smiles.

‘You’re pregnant?’ I ask, barely believing I just let those words slip from my lips. She nods.

‘How far along?’

‘Twelve weeks.’

‘Why didn’t you tell me sooner?’

‘Well, I didn’t know how you’d react. I wanted to be sure before I told you.’

‘You didn’t know how I’d react? You mean, you didn’t think I’d be happy?’

‘Are you?’

‘Happy? I’m fucking ecstatic!’ I ditch the sandwich and rush to her, cupping her face in my hands and planting the biggest kiss I can muster on her lips. ‘So fucking happy, don’t ever doubt that, okay?’ She nods, tears shining through the joy that shows in her eyes.

I take her sandwich from her, placing it carefully on the hamper.

Gently, I lay her down on the blanket and watch, mesmerized as her hair fans out behind her. My lips find their way to her belly, softly kissing her through the fabric. Her long slender fingers find my head, stroking my hair while I talk to the baby that’s growing inside of her. My baby.

‘Hey sweetheart, it’s your dada here. I love you already. I’m gonna take care of you and your momma, I promise. Forever. I’ll never let anyone hurt you.’ As I talk to the little life growing inside of the woman I love, I pray with all my soul that I can be everything my birth mother wasn’t. I pray I’m strong enough to say no when it’s needed, strong enough to encourage my baby to be everything that they can be, strong enough to fight for them if they need it. Most of all, I want to give this little life all the love I possibly can. There isn’t a single moment in their life that I want them to ever feel unloved or uncared for. I’m going to protect this baby’s life with everything I have.

As though she can read my thoughts and insecurities, Bailey knows just what to say.

‘You’re going to make a wonderful father.’ Her eyes shine brightly and I know that we’ve got this. I was born to be a father and I know the minute this baby comes wailing and screaming into the world, they’re going to have me wrapped around their little finger.

I’m going to become the yes man.

‘I’m going to be everything Lucy needs,’ I promise.

‘Lucy? You’re naming the baby already – you don’t even know what we’re having,’ she laughs.

‘I can feel it in my gut. Sometimes you’ve just got to go with it.’

She pulls my head up towards hers and kisses me so sweetly I just about die from sugar overdose. This woman has been my best friend, my co-conspirator, my confidante, my lover and my wife.

Now I can add mother of my child to the list. Fuck. Life really doesn’t get any more perfect than this.

BONUS CHAPTER - Carron

From the author:

I’m so pleased there has been so much positive feedback about Ruined and the characters that made the story come alive. I completely understood why so many of you either wanted to know more about Angel, or didn’t feel like you got to know him well enough in the first book. This was purely because I tried to shield his character from being revealed too early. But, like most of you, I feel in love with him! Did you know before I even started writing Ruined it was my intention to kill him off? Oh my god, I think I would have copped some flak for that one. So due to popular demand, this is why I wrote Ruining Angel.

Despite the popularity of Angel, though, some of you really wanted to know if Carron got his happy ever after. I love that Carron is the embodiment of a pure gentleman, and I too wanted a happy ending for him. So because it has been requested, I have included a little snippet of his life after Bailey leaves Astoria.

I hope you enjoy it!

Shelly Pratt.

A LITTLE BIT OF CARRON

The day Bailey finally boarded up her house and left with Emmett I knew I had to let go of the pipe dream I had that things could actually be fixed between the two of us. I loved her, so, so much.

But it was never enough. There was always something holding her back. Now I know what it was I realize there was no way I was ever going to compete with that.

I tried to convince myself she wasn’t as broken as what I thought she was. Perhaps I even deluded myself into thinking that I was special enough to make a difference. There were many times I thought I could change her, make her love me just as much as I did her. What a fool!

And her brother! Honestly, I don’t even know what to think of that.

I try not to dwell on that because I can’t see someone as beautiful as Bailey involved in something so ugly. I’m trying to come to terms with the fact that it wasn’t just another man, but a family member, for Christ’s sake. She tries to justify her actions, but as much as I’ve listened to her reasoning, I still can’t connect the dots.

She promised to write. Or call. I forget. So far, no word. Not that I was really expecting it – but I wanted it. But that’s not reality. The princess who just rode off into the sunset with her white knight never comes rushing back into town to say she’s made a mistake now, does she?

I’ve buried myself in work. I like to think it helps with forgetting about the girl I wanted to be my bride, but really I’m just that dog tired that I’ve become too numb to think about it. Her mom called not long ago to see how I was. That was awkward, to say the least.

Work today is going to be busy. I can tell already. I’ve only been on shift for five minutes and already we’ve had three casualties, a man suffering a heart attack and a laborer who put a nine inch nail through the bone of his index finger. I’m supposed to have a new nurse today, but so far I’ve seen neither hide nor hair of him.

The ER is filling up, patients are getting cranky and I haven’t even had a coffee yet. I need another set of hands, so I go off in search of Sean Trilby, the new nurse that has been assigned to work in the emergency department.

One of the regular triage nurses is sitting at her work station, typing away at the computer terminal in front of her.

‘Betty, have you seen the new guy yet?’ She looks up from her keyboard, amused.

‘New guy?’ she asks.

‘Yes. I’m supposed to have a new nurse start today. His name is Sean Trilby.’ I’m finding it hard not to seem a little exasperated with the merry-go-round conversation. She smirks at me.

‘Room five, honey. Sean’s getting some more gloves for the ER.’

‘Thanks,’ I yell over my shoulder as I head off in the direction of room five. It’s where we keep all our supplies for emergency.

I’m walking fast. I’m just about in the doorway of room five when a woman comes barreling out and runs smack into my chest. She drops the boxes she was carrying and my folder tumbles from my hands.

‘Sorry,’ we both say at once and duck down at the same time to retrieve our goods. We smack foreheads with each other, causing her to groan.

‘God, I’m so sorry, let me help you,’ I apologize, looking up to find myself staring into the sexiest pair of green eyes I’ve ever seen.

She’s got straight, jet-black hair down to her ass and she wears it in a French braid. I’m suddenly seeing stars and it’s not from the bump to the head. This is the kind of woman any man would give a second glance to and I’m no exception. She’s beautiful.

She smiles kindly at me. ‘That’s okay. I’m in a hurry. It’s my first day on the job and I’m already running late. The Chief Of Staff is going to have my ass on a plate if I don’t hurry up.’

‘What did you say your name was?’ Suddenly I feel like I want to know every little thing about this woman.

‘I didn’t. It’s Sean, Sean Trilby.’

‘You’re Sean?’ My voice squeaks, a high pitched gurgling sound like when you go through puberty. How embarrassing!

‘Yes … I’m sorry, do I know you?’ She looks at me quizzically, as though she’s missed something.

‘Ah, no. I’m Carron – the Chief Of Staff,’ I say, offering my hand to her. ‘I was just expecting Sean to be a man is all.’

‘Oh … well, my parents wanted a boy, I guess the name just stuck when I was born,’ she smiles, then suddenly puts her hand to her mouth in horror.

‘Oh my god, you’re my boss! I’m so sorry I’m running late – and now I’m keeping you from patients too,’ she apologizes.

‘Don’t worry about it. It was a pleasure to meet you.’ Reluctantly I tear myself away from her stare, knowing full well I have patients to get back to. As I’m walking off, she calls out to me.

‘Carron?’ I stop and turn.

‘Yeah?’

‘I’m sorry I was late, will you let me make it up to you?’ Now that’s an offer I just can’t refuse.

‘Sure,’ I grin, ‘What’d you have in mind?’

‘How about dinner tonight, my treat?’

‘Sounds lovely, count me in.’ She grins back at me and I find myself getting carried away by her cheerfulness. Walking with her by my side as we make our way back to the ER, I find myself thinking, ‘Bailey who?’

THE END

MORE NOVELS WRITTEN BY

S. PRATT

Ruined (Contemporary Romance)

The Complete Tiers Chronicles (Erotica)

Switch (Suspense thriller)

Burning Obsession (Psychological Thriller) Raven (New Adult Paranormal Romance)

Beloved Soul (YA Paranormal Romance) – Publication through Eternal Press

Read on for sample chapters of Ruined and Burning Obsession.

A SAMPLE OF RUINED

**Ruined is edited by Emily Dawson

Preface

We all have secrets. Some are just buried deeper than others. But they’re there – hidden deep within. Mine I bury in that little red box people call a heart. Sometimes I wonder if I have a heart at all, for if I did I surely wouldn’t do the things I’ve done. Some people have that line they just don’t cross, while others have never had to draw it in the sand in the first place. They already know what is right from wrong. They know the consequence of stepping over it and they are just not willing. Others go barreling clean over it. No care for boundaries at all. Me, I know what ramifications my actions would have. Well, if anyone ever found out about them. But they won’t. I will never tell a soul my secret. It will just be mine.

There are times I am on my own and I let my mind dwell on it. It rolls around my head consuming my thoughts and I have to admit I like it. Does this make me a bad person? Perhaps. I am willing to feel guilt over my deception because my actions cause me so much pleasure. These moments are only brief. I can’t risk being found out. Too many people would be hurt.

So I live my life according to the rules of others while my secret festers its way through my body. It bleeds slowly out of my heart and into my veins. Each word of my secret pulsing through me as it gets closer to the surface. I imagine one day it will get so close to the surface it will spring forth from my lips and reveal the monster I really am. There would be a giggle and then a torrent of words. I envision people seeing the manic woman confessing her sins to the world and revealing the dark side that lurks beneath. It won’t be pretty. The twisted faces of those who realize they’ve been deceived, and then the torture when they see me for who I really am.

So I prolong this day as long as possible, living my life with as much normalcy as I can. No one will know the real me.

No one will know that I have been willingly ruined by Angel – at least not while I can keep my mouth shut.

One

I live in Astoria, Oregon. It’s a small town that boasts being the oldest American settlement established west of the Rocky Mountains. My favorite movie of all time, ‘The Goonies’, was filmed here when I was a child. But I’m an adult now, and have responsibilities and obligations.

My fiancé and I reside in a house on The North Slope. I bought it when I was just twenty-three with money I had inherited from my grandfather. When I was younger my family and I used to vacation here, and I fell in love with the place instantly. Having my own money allowed me to make the move from my home town of Washington DC. The Victorian home I purchased looks north towards the Columbia River and I wouldn’t trade the high winds and rain that blanket the slope for anywhere else in the world.