Page 19 of Claiming Becca

I take a sip of my tea as I process that information. “How did she do that?” I ask.

Liv runs her hands down her robe, inhaling deeply. “I’ve never really had friends. Growing up, I was homeschooled; I took online classes even with college. When I finally left home and got a job, it was the first time I’d interacted with people my stepfather didn’t hire.” She takes another sip of her tea.

“Ansley found me crying in the bathroom at work and adopted me, so to speak. I tried my hardest to shake her, but she wasn’t having it. She became my first best friend, and then Caroline came along. Now I have you and Bailey too. It’s wild to me how I went from a girl who couldn’t leave her house to someone who has all these friends with a great job and a house I love.”

“You couldn’t leave your house?” I ask her.

She takes a shaky breath. “Yeah, see, my stepfather was very controlling. I wasn’t allowed to do certain things that other girls my age were doing.” She swallows and plays with the edge of her robe.

“Ansley’s the only person I’ve told this to. I haven’t even told Caroline. It’s not something I like to talk about.” She glances up at me.

I bite my cheek. “You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to.”

She lifts one shoulder. “I’ve kept parts of me hidden for so long. I’m trying to learn to open up more, but I don’t want to talk about it anymore. I’m afraid it might give me another nightmare.” She turns back toward the island and leans her elbows on it.

“I have nightmares sometimes, too,” I share with her. I’ve never been afraid to talk about my past. I’m just careful who I talk about it with. I trust Liv.

“When I was 17, Connor saved my life.” I close my eyes and take a deep breath. The realization hitting me that he’s still in the hospital fighting for his life. I forgot for a little bit. Liv’s hand lands on mine.

“How’d he do that?” she asks, forcing me to return to the moment.

“He saved it more than once. The first time I met him and Bass, they were moving out of their college dorm. Connor said he left a box of snacks on the ramp to their UHaul because he didn’t want to open the door and close it again. Well, I stole their snacks.” I chuckle at the memory.

“You stole their snacks?” Liv asks with a smile.

“Yeah. I was homeless and starving. My grandpa had been admitted to the hospital, and his house had foreclosed, so I had nowhere to stay. Not that I got along all that well with my grandpa. We fought like crazy, but he was the only family I had.” I sigh and try not to think about the fact that I have no family left now. He passed a few months ago, and even though he was ornery as hell, I loved him.

“Anyway, two men were following me, and apparently, they were going to try to kidnap me and force me into human trafficking.” I close my eyes, trying to dislodge the memories of that night and the following week.

Liv gasps. “Do you know who the guys were?”

I shake my head. “Connor said they were part of a crew, and they answered to someone higher on the totem pole. Since that night, Connor has worked his ass off trying to clean up this town by hiring people that could end up in that gang.” I answer her. She’s watching me intently.

“So, what happened?” she asks.

“Well, I took their snacks and ran off. Connor threatened the guys and told them he’d kill them if anything happened to me. They got the couch they were moving loaded into the U-Haul, Bass drove it to their new apartment, and Connor searched the streets for me.” I smirk, thinking back to that night.

“He never found me because I was creeped out by the guys and wound up going to the address Bass gave me to their new apartment. When I arrived, Bass called Connor and told him I was sleeping on the couch. Of course, Connor refused. He took the couch, and I slept in his bed. I felt guilty as hell. I was awake and gone before they even woke up, though.” I shake my head and sip my tea that’s cold now.

“Do you happen to know who those guys answered to? Like, who was their boss?” Liv asks. I narrow my eyes at her. Why is she so curious about this?

“I found out later that their boss was Donovan Castiel, but Connor knew that all along,” I answer her, and she sucks in a breath. “Why?”

Her hand touches her throat, and she looks away. “Please don’t hate me,” she whispers. I lean forward and gaze at her.

“I could never hate you, Liv.”

Her eyes find mine, turmoil swirling in them. “Donovan Castiel is my stepfather.”

CHAPTER TEN

BECCA

SITTING INthe waiting room, my fingers tap the arm of the chair as I wait for Connor’s mom to finish visiting with him.

Mark, Connor’s dad, comes over to sit next to me. “How are you holding up, kiddo?” I give him a tight smile and shrug. I finally got a little bit of rest last night. After the bomb Liv dropped on me, we both fell asleep on her couch.

“I’m living minute to minute right now.” I’m honest with him. He throws his arm over my shoulders and pulls me to his side. I close my eyes and allow him to comfort me. I love Connor and Julian’s mom and dad.

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