Forever You're Mine (MINE #4)(55)

“Yes. That’s why I had to use Dent as an excuse. I had no idea what she would do. I was so scared. I’m so sorry I hurt you. It was the last thing I wanted to do, but she backed me into a corner.”

I sniffled, waiting for him to push me away and storm out the door. I shouldn’t have been such a coward. Maddie was pissed when I finally confessed what had happened. She reported the judge immediately and he’d been suspended, pending an investigation.

Cannon held me tighter, his breathing growing heavier. “You should have told me.”

“I know, but I couldn’t risk it. You know how crazy that girl is. She’ll do anything to get what she wants and I was afraid she would go above and beyond to get to you.”

“Fuck,” he muttered.

Pushing up, I wiped my eyes. “I don’t expect you to take me back, but I hope one day you can forgive me.”

Cannon cupped my face, his thumbs brushing away the tears that continued to escape my eyes. “Baby, I’m pissed you didn’t tell me the truth, but I understand why you did it.” His nostrils flared. “I knew something was up, but I had no idea she was behind it. Has she been in contact with you at all?”

I shook my head. “The only time I’ve heard her name was when someone was talking about you.” I swallowed hard, terrified to ask my next question. “Did you and Alexis…since we broke up…have you two…?”

I couldn’t even bring myself to say it. I felt sick to my stomach at the thought of them together.

“No.” He blew out a harsh breath. “I do need to tell you though, she came by the other night. I was really drunk and confused…I kissed her but that’s it. Then, after you called, she stopped by and tried to come on to me. When I shut her down, she kneed me in the nuts, she’s been stalkin’ me ever since.”

“Stalkin’ you?”

Cannon gave me the rundown of the last two weeks and the hair on the back of my neck stood on end. “Holden thinks I should get a restraining order.”

“I agree. She’s unstable. She needs to be locked up or medicated.”

“Or have her ass kicked,” Cannon added.

“I would love to volunteer, but she doesn’t fight fair. She’s dirty.”

“I’m gonna talk to her. If she doesn’t back off, I’ll go file the restraining order. Don’t worry about her, I’ll take care of it.”

“And…what about us?” I asked.

“What about us?”

I picked at the collar of his shirt while my heart ached in my chest. “Are we ok?”

He pulled me over to straddle his lap, holding my face between his trembling hands. “No we’re not ok…but we will be,” he said before kissing me softly, healing my heart and jump starting my soul.





Men would live exceedingly

quiet if these two words, mine and thine,

were taken away.

~Anaxagoras





After being apart and everything that had happened between us, we weren’t really sure where to even begin to pick up the pieces. We agreed that taking it slow was the best approach. We went back to the basics.

Friends.

It wasn’t the same. Not by a long shot. Now we had history and there was still an underlying promise of a future, but neither one of us knew how to go about making that happen, so we remained idle. We spent time together here and there, spoke on the phone often and text messaged daily.

No one had seen or heard from Alexis in weeks, which was comforting as well as alarming since no one seemed to know where the hell she was. I’d gone ahead with the restraining order and even told the police about the things she’d told me about her father as well.

Winters were normally mild in the south, but this one was turning out to be a real bitch. A blanket of snow already covered the ground and according to the latest weather report, more precipitation was on the way. This time freezing rain and sleet. It had already started to fall by the time I got back from purchasing a generator from the hardware store, just in case Cora lost power.

“You didn’t have to do that,” she said. “Maddie said I could stay with them ’til this thing blows over.”

“Well, now you don’t have to,” I said, pouring the gasoline into the machine so she’d be all set. I showed her how to crank it and what to do if she lost power.

“Shit, I should probably run to town right quick. I need some food just in case I get trapped. Wanna ride with me?” she asked, hope thick in her voice.

“Sure, I’ll drive.”

The roads were beginning to get slick, so we took it slow as we eased into town. As we pulled into the packed grocery store parking lot, Cora’s phone rang.

“Hello?”

Silence, then she gasped. “Oh my God! Really?” My heart seized beating when tears rolled down her face, but then she smiled. “This is the best news ever! Ok, call me back later. Love you too.”

Clutching the phone tight in her hands, she closed her eyes. “He’s coming home, Cannon. They set a date for his release. He’s coming home.”

She threw her arms around me and I pulled her over the console to sit in my lap, snow falling silently outside. “When?” I asked.

“Two weeks! My brother will be home in two weeks. I can’t believe it.”