Page 3 of Shelter (The Wanderers 4)

CHAPTER2

Haley flinched and nearly cried out when Braylon’s hand landed on her shoulder.

“Shh. Baby, it’s just me.” He slid under the covers next to her and pulled her back against his front, spooning her. His hand smoothed over her hair, tangling in the thick length before he wrapped his arms around her to hold her tightly.

“I can’t do this, Bray,” she whimpered. A sob escaped. She was barely holding it together. She’d been shaking for hours, her body feeling cold even though she was under the covers in her bed.

His lips came to her temple. He kissed her there, but he didn’t say anything.

Tears fell down her cheeks. Silent ones. She couldn’t make too much noise or someone would hear her. She’d never been so scared in her life.

“I’m so sorry, baby,” he soothed, holding her tighter. “If there was anything I could do, I would. You know that, right?”

She nodded. She did. She trusted him. She was also eternally grateful that of all the men in the world she could have been forced to marry, she’d ended up with Braylon Hanson. One of the good guys. Were there any others?

Yes. His best friend, Riggs Feldman. He too was one of the good guys in this messed-up world. And Storm Gundersen. Her bodyguard. He joined the ranks too. She had three good men on her side.

“I’m so scared.”

“I know, baby. I am too.”

She gripped his hand around her. “Why is your mother in such a hurry? We’ve only been married six months.”

“I don’t know,” he whispered. “I had hoped for more time.”

She trembled. The thought that a man was currently in the basement of this very house, brought to impregnate her, was almost more than she could bear. It was insane. The world had gone mad.

“What…” She swallowed, trying hard to keep her voice low and her sobs at bay. “What exactly is going to happen?” No one had filled her in on the details, as usual. No one ever told her anything.

Her entire life had been a series of events she’d had no say in and no knowledge of. At twenty years old, she’d spent nearly all of that time as a ward of the state, raised in a state-run home for girls that was operated by The Republic under strict surveillance.

Unfortunately for Haley, she remembered life before that prison. She’d lived with her parents off the grid for the first six years. Right up until the day six armed men stormed her family’s home, shot and killed both her parents, and took her into their custody. Their crime: hiding a young female.

It was fourteen years ago, and she remembered that day like it was yesterday. She had been old enough to know that bad men might come and steal her. She’d been taught to hide and run if anything like that ever happened. But she’d been right out in the open that sunny day, and the men had snatched her before she’d had a chance to run.

Other girls who were raised in the home were luckier. Some of them had been young enough when they were abducted that they had no memory of their previous lives. Some of them had been older. The older ones had the most difficulty falling in line.

Haley had been a shy child and the wardens had scared her to death, which caused her to obey and behave. She hadn’t wanted to be punished by any of the methods she’d seen other girls receive. Discipline in the home had usually meant isolation or spending long hours standing in a corner. The home didn’t physically harm the girls, but they could make their lives miserable without laying a hand on them.

“I-I-I can’t, Bray…” She shuddered, her voice cracking.

He held her tighter, stroking her cheek with his fingers. “I need you to listen to me, Hales.”

She held her breath, not wanting to listen to him. Not wanting to hear what he would say next. Afraid she might actually vomit at any moment. Another sob escaped, and it wasn’t quiet.

Braylon slid his hand to cover her mouth gently. “Shh. I need you to be strong for me, Hales.”

Her eyes were wide as she nodded. If we get caught… She shuddered again. Who knew what would happen? Braylon’s mom wasn’t a fan of the two of them spending much time together. In the craziest twist, she really didn’t want her son and daughter-in-law to actually fall in love. It was frowned upon.

Haley had no idea what love was, but if she was ever going to love another human being, she thought it could be Braylon. And that alone made her damn lucky.

Marriages among what was basically the aristocracy were meant to be business arrangements. The idea that a man might fall in love with his wife was unheard of, at least publicly. It was a sign of weakness.

From the moment Haley first set eyes on Braylon at the altar six months ago until this day, the two of them had been expected to smile politely to uphold a public image. However, when they were inside the estate, Haley was required to remain out of sight, keeping to her quarters with her embroidery and her knitting—two of the few skills she’d learned in school.

Haley squeezed her eyes closed now as her mind went back to that night after they’d said their vows, the night she’d been expected to give her virginity to her husband and begin servicing him sexually whenever he desired.

Stepping from the attached bathroom into the wedding suite, Haley barely held back tears as she hugged her arms tightly across her chest. She trembled with fear and ignorance, hating the lack of information she had about what to expect.

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