Betrayed (Dark Desires 2)

I kissed the top of her head and offered a gentle smile. "Glad I could be your first,” I said, trying to keep the mood light.

“This isn’t a joke,” she murmured, her face still buried in my chest.

I cleared my throat and nodded. “Right…Right. Sorry.”

Finally, after a long moment of stressful silence, she looked up at me and sighed. “I love you too.”

I could barely believe what I heard. I hadn’t expected her to return the sentiment. “What?”

“I love you too. Are you deaf?”

A stupid grin spread across my face and I scratched the back of my neck. “I just wasn’t expecting to hear it back.”

I sat on the loveseat that I’d bought after Lena started coming over more. It was the perfect size for the balcony. We eased into the soft cushions and I pulled her close as she tucked her legs underneath her body.

“Well, I do. I love you. I can’t really explain how or why, but you got under my skin and I can’t seem to get you out.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

She shook her head slowly and her fingers tangled in mine. “As long as I know you love me…I think I can do it.”

“Do what?”

She looked at me with a fierce determination. “Go home.”

I wasn’t going to argue. I wanted her to face these demons. I kissed her tenderly and said the only thing that made sense. “I’ll call my pilot and let him know we’re leaving in the morning.”

I didn’t know where we were going. All I knew was that I’d follow her to the ends of the earth.

Bellefontaine. We came over a small hill and I could see the quaint wooden sign that welcomed you to my home town. Just under the sign was a little counter that read ‘pop. 789’. It had grown since I’d last been here.

“This place is beautiful,” Jami mused, his eyes wondering the windshield of our rental car.

“It’s pretty to look at, but the charm wears off once you’ve been here a while.”

“Really?” he asked.

“Yeah. Especially when all the old women start walking up and asking you why you aren’t married and asking if you’re sterile since you don’t have kids.”

“Ouch.”

“Small towns are great, until you have to actually live in one,” I sighed, turning to look out the window.

A cool breeze blew through the branches of the blooming trees. Green leaves formed around bright yellow and pink flowers. I’d missed the colors of spring, but not enough to come back. I wanted to handle my business and go back to New York as soon as possible.

We turned onto the dirt that my parent’s house was on and the second the soft earth crunched under the tires, I felt every muscle in my body tense up. I wasn’t ready for this. I didn’t want this. Just as I was about to beg Jami to turn around, I felt a strong hand on my knee. I looked at him, my eyes wide as he squeezed my knee.

“It’s going to be okay. We’re going to get through this as quickly as possible.”

I nodded, even though I didn’t quite believe him. Things were never easy when it came to my mother and I couldn’t help but thing that her being on her deathbed wouldn’t change much. I leaned my forehead against the window, trying to control my breathing.

Soon the family farm came into view and I was gripping Jami’s hand. A tall, southern plantation home came into view. The walls were painted a bright sunny yellow, and the shutters were stark white. A swing hung from a tall willow just in the front yard.

A heavy-set woman with a full head of white hair and strong arms swept the porch and my heart stuttered. It had been years, but I knew the woman sweeping was my mother. She wiped her hands on her apron, frowning as the car pulled into the driveway. My mind was spinning, trying to comprehend what was going on. If my mother was so sick…Why was she sweeping the massive, wrap around porch.

The car came to a stop and Jami offered me a questioning look, but I didn’t have an answer. I kicked the door open and walked up the stone pathway, staring at my mother.

“Mom?”