Page 46 of Forbidden Love

“Anything.”

She looks up from my shoulder, and her beautiful brown eyes sparkle with unshed tears.

“You won’t mope around while I’m gone.” I nod. It’s a hard ask because, without her, I don’t feel like myself, but I’ll do what I can. “And you’ll look after Daisy’s grave.”

“You don’t even need to ask. Daisy is my link to you. I’ll always look after her resting place, baby. You never need to ask me that.”

“Thank you.” She rests her head on my shoulder again, and we sit like that, molded together as one.

I might hate that she has to walk out of my life again to make herself better, but I’ll just have to pull up my big boy pants and deal with it because my beautiful girl needs me to hold everything together in her absence.

“I love you, Kally. Always.”

My love will never belong to anyone else, so she needs to come home to me.

Chapter 19

Kally

“I’ll give you time to get settled in, and then I’ll get Trish, your nurse, to come and explain what will happen, what classes you can take, what are the do’s and don’ts, okay?”

I nod and sit down on my new bed. My new abode for the next… however many weeks I need it to be. What scares me most is that thought doesn’t affect me.

I look around the room, brightly decorated in white with added slashes of pinks throughout. It reminds me of my room growing up; I had a slight obsession with pink. I was a typical girly girl. The brighter and sparklier, the better.

I lie down on the bed and pull my oversized cardigan tighter around me. I feel safe here. The number of doors and security logins I had to go through to get to my room put my mind at rest. No one can get to my room.

I close my eyes properly for the first time in what feels like a lifetime. Even at Clark’s house, I felt like I was always looking over my shoulder, just waiting for something to happen. But here, the sound of nothing is calming. I’m alone, but I’m safe. I’m where I need to be. For the first time in three years, I decided for myself, for my own health and wellbeing. It feels good to say that. I never thought I’d ever be able to make decisions, have choices, and do what I want without asking someone. I lived in a prison when I lived with Colton and his family. I may as well have been dead. Colton was just a dickhead on a power trip, who had nothing better to do with his time than make my life hell. I had to bow down when told to. I was to appear beautiful, be seen and not heard, speak when spoken to. Living in that environment chips away at you until you’re unrecognizable. That’s why I had to get away from Clark’s house today. That’s why I need this time and therapy to get my head straight. I need to be ready and able to fight strong because Colton will never let me be free without a fight to the death for one of us.

Walking away from Clark today was hard. I just hope that he understands one day that I did this for us. If I had stayed there, it would have just stripped him of everything that makes him the person he is, and I couldn’t sit back and let that happen. I’m going to need his strength and courage when I’m ready to face the world again, and I will be ready one day. Right now isn’t that day, and I’m not ashamed to say that. No one should feel ashamed of being stuck in a dark place.

I knew my life would be different while I was growing up in a socialite family, but I never once imagined myself being institutionalized at twenty-one. Life as I knew it is a distant memory. Can I come back from all I’ve been through? Can I ever get a happy ending? Right now, it’s hard to see that happening, but I owe it to myself, to Daisy, and to my babies I’ve lost to try.

I will show Colton he can’t control me anymore. I will break him the way he broke me… one way or another.

Chapter 20

Clark

Caleb throws down a file on my desk and slings his bag over his shoulder. I put down my pen and pick up the file. I don’t open it; I just sit back in my seat.

“When you’re ready, give it a read. It will show you there’s light at the end of this ordeal for Kally.”

“Thanks. I have to give her time, as much as that kills me.”

“You’re doing the right thing for you both. I’m a call away. I’ll be back here any time to help you kick your brother’s ass. We have one bad ass team back home. I won’t be afraid to use them.”

“I can’t thank you enough, Caleb. You and your brothers have been amazing.”

Caleb and his brothers have installed their new security cameras, which they can keep an eye on from Chicago. They’ve vetted all my security team here and at my office, and all are good to continue working for me.

“It’s our job, buddy. When Kally is back to herself, give me a call and we can arrange a visit. Either us here or you guys can come to the compound in Chicago.”

I stand up and hold my hand out towards Caleb. He shakes it strongly and salutes me. “We’re heading out now, but take care of yourself. Don’t forget, we’re a call away, and we’ll keep track of things back home.”

“Thank you.”

Caleb leaves me standing in my office. My house is going to be even quieter now the Shawland brothers are going home. I must admit, I liked the busy house. The silence I’d become accustomed to is overrated.

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