Page 58 of Caught Up In You (The Monroes 2)

“I think I’ll pass.”

Braxton’s other hand settled on her thigh as he gave a gentle squeeze. “Are you hungry? I was gone for a while.”

Cora shrugged. “I hadn’t even thought about food, to be honest. I was worried about Brock, thinking about what was going on between us, and then my mother called—”

“What did she want?”

His question was a simple one, too bad the answer was more complex than she wanted to get into. Cora covered his hand with her own and wondered just how much of her life she should reveal. He valued honesty and she valued her freedom.

“She wants me to come home, same as any other call. I wish she understood my need to be away, to break free from the life she wants me to live.”

“It can’t be that bad, can it?”

Braxton shifted, turning her to nestle into the crook of his arm. Cora threw her feet up on the couch and tried to relax, not an easy feat when discussing her mother.

“My life is a bit complicated,” she explained slowly. “My family is wealthy. We actually own a large company.”

The hard body behind her stilled.

“From the time I was born I was molded into the next CEO,” she went on, suddenly wanting to share a piece of herself. Above all, he had to understand her independent need. “I didn’t know any different, to be honest. My parents missed the majority of my school events due to work and I never thought twice about it.”

She knew he was listening and the fact he wasn’t interrupting was a blessing. She wanted to go at her own pace, reveal pieces at a time. Whatever was happening physically between them was moving so fast, she needed to keep in control of something.

“My parents wanted me to marry Eric. He started working for the company about six years ago and he clicked perfectly with my parents.”

“And you?” Braxton asked, his tone soft as his hand ran over her shoulder.

“At first, yes. I mean, I was all business, just like them. Nothing came between my work and me. Eric and I started dating and I think everyone just thought we’d get married and take over the company. But I started having dizzy spells, black dots would randomly hinder my sight. I saw doctors, but nothing much was thought of it. My parents brushed it aside, too, and I honestly thought maybe I was just working too hard and not sleeping enough.”

How wrong she’d been. But wishing to go back in time and change things wouldn’t actually make that happen.

“When I got a dizzy spell and fell into the pool, the doctor who saw me was a specialist because my parents insisted on the best.” As if they settled for anything else any other time. “After talking with him and going through some tests, he diagnosed me with macular degeneration. It’s a slow disease that will rob you of your sight if not caught early enough.”

Braxton wrapped his arms around her shoulders. “You don’t have to tell me all of this. I don’t want you uncomfortable.”

Reaching up, Cora curled her fingers around his wrist. “I know. I need you to know why I’m here, what brought me to Haven, and that I may be running, but my reasons are justified.”

“You don’t have to defend yourself to me or anyone else,” he told her. “But I’ll listen if you feel better.”

“After the accident when we knew my sight was limited, I saw my control slipping.” Cora swallowed. This was the hardest part, actually. “I was fine, but they were already treating me as if I was broken, vulnerable, and unable to take care of myself. I started seeing my life in a whole new light. I wanted different things, I wanted out of that mold I’d been shaped into.”

Cora tipped her head back onto Braxton’s shoulder and closed her eyes. “Eric pressed marriage, saying someone needed to care for me once I went blind permanently. No way in hell would I marry someone just so he could take care of me, but I know Eric was worried about his place in the company. With me pulling away, my parents were worried, and he was worried. If we weren’t married, he didn’t know if he’d still have a high position in the company once my parents retired.”

“This guy is an ass.”

Cora laughed. “A bit, but I shouldn’t have let things go on the way they had. I shouldn’t have let him think there was a chance because I never wanted to marry, especially after my accident and I knew what I was facing.”

“And they still don’t know where you are?” Braxton asked.

“I’m not ready to tell them,” she admitted. “I know it’s cruel, they’re my parents, but in all honesty, they’re more concerned about their company than my well-being. I don’t want to be a burden to anyone. That’s why I had to leave. I couldn’t handle it.”

That familiar burning in her throat and eyes built up and she cursed herself for the tears that threatened. She didn’t want to cry, didn’t want to let this have such power over her.

“I could hear them whispering about me,” she went on, swallowing the lump in her throat. “I could hear them talking and already making plans for who they could hire to come in and help me while they were all at work. They didn’t ask what I wanted, they didn’t even think to consider my needs. Everything was about them and their needs.”

Braxton’s hold on her tightened as he placed a kiss on top of her head. “You made a bold move coming here alone. How did you get here if they don’t know where you are?”

“I had one of my coworkers from the salon bring me. I had already scoped homes out and had been in contact with Sophie, so I knew I’d be fine once I broke free. Besides, I have Heidi and she’s seriously the best thing that’s happened to me in the past three years.”

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