Awakening Book One of the Trust Series(100)

“If that is what you need, I will give that to you.” He smiled tentatively at her. It was the smile he gave her so many times before that melted her heart. “But before I do, please give me the opportunity to show you, really show you, my past.”

Caitlyn hesitated. “I don’t know.”

“Please?”

She shuffled her feet as she thought it over. “Okay.”

“Tomorrow we will go to the training facility. And after I show you, if you still need time away, I will give you as much as you need. Agreed?”

“Agreed.”





Chapter 31



Caitlyn met Garrett at the training facility, unsure exactly what to expect from him. She was still so uncertain about everything. He walked through the door, a subdued smile gracing his face. She felt anxious; the man in front of her a stranger in a sense. She didn’t know what to expect from this. What if this ended up shattering every good memory that they had? Garrett sensed her nerves and he laid his hands gently on her arms.

“Relax. It will be okay. I should have shown you this a long, long time ago. Close your eyes.”

Caitlyn did as she was asked, taking a deep breath. She felt his lips brush lightly over hers in a final act of reassurance.

The room they were in was almost pitch-black, save for a tiny nightlight in the corner. The door squeaked quietly open, illuminating the fact that this was indeed a bedroom.

A woman with curly blonde hair came creeping in, a suitcase in her hand. She walked over to the bed, where she shook the tiny body that laid there. The little body just grunted and turned over on the other side, showing the child’s face to them.

It was with stark realization that Caitlyn realized the boy was Garrett.

“Garrett.” The woman whispered loudly. “Garrett. Wake up.”

The young boy sat up slowly rubbing his eyes. “Mama?”

“Yes, it’s Mama. We have to go.”

“Go where, Mama?”

“Away.” She produced a jacket and helped Garrett out of bed, putting the jacket on him.

“Where’s Daddy?”

“He…” his mother’s voice hesitated. “Daddy is busy, but he will try to join us later. You can bring your favorite toy with you if you would like.”

He nodded quietly and reached for a bunny that was on his bed.

Before Caitlyn had a chance to absorb the scene, everything became foggy, the faces becoming nothing more than a blank canvas; the room swirling around them to another scene.

This place they were now in was brighter and Caitlyn instantly recognized it. It was the foyer of Declan’s family home. Garrett’s mother, her eyes now lined with dark circles, stood there with little Garrett holding her hand, still clad in the same pajama’s.

Jonathan stood there, his dark hair almost completely devoid of the gray that distinguished him. He looked at Garrett’s mother and then the little boy. He spoke first. “Mary, what you are asking…”

She looked at him. “I know what I am asking, Jonathan. Nathaniel has gone mad. He has these ideas of grandeur, these ideas that he wants to rule the world. I know I left the Trust willingly with him, and not on good terms.”

“Yes. The Tribunal will not be lenient.”

“That is fine. Let them punish me as they see fit. I just don’t want Garrett here to pay the price. I need to protect him.” She glanced down at her son who was busy studying the paintings on the wall. She whispered, “I will not let a madman raise him.”

“He will try to find you. He is not going to let you take his son that easily.”

“I know, which is why I need protection by the Trust. Please, Jonathan. I know I’ve made mistakes, but we were friends once. That has to count for something.”

At that point, a young woman with black hair walked through the door, a boy slightly older than Garrett in tow.

Caitlyn knew without question that this was Declan and his mother. The resemblance between Declan as an adult and his mother were striking.

A young Declan moved to stand next to his father. He stared at the boy in front of him, cocking his head slightly as he studied him.

Declan’s mother looked at Jonathan pointedly before turning to the woman so desperately seeking help. “Mary, it’s getting late and I know that you have traveled almost non-stop for twenty four hours to get here. Listen, I am going to heat up some leftovers and then why don’t the three of us retire to the living room and talk further? I have the guest bed all made up and you can stay here until we get this figured out.”