A Safe Surrender: A Donnelley Brother's Novel (Donnelley Brothers Book 2) Read Online Free

nodded. “What about my jobs?”
    “I’ll take care of it all, sweetie. I’ll call in tomorrow morning so there’s no tipping off Rhett.” She glanced down at her watch. “You have three hours until Rhett is off work. If you’re going to make it, you’ve gotta leave now.”
    Tears slipped down my cheeks as I stared into her warm green eyes. “Will you visit me?”
    “Every chance I get.” She promised. “And we’ll talk on the phone all the time.”
    I nodded, pulling her tight against my chest. “I love you.”
    “I love you too, sweetie.” She squeezed me tight before releasing me much too fast. “Now get going!”
    I flicked my tears and walked to the back door. I didn’t look back, not once, as the door swung closed behind me.
    ***
    Pulling my little yellow, black, and white polka dot suitcase from the closet, I piled it with every article of clothing I could squeeze into it before hauling it from the house and tossing it into my trunk. It was 1:30 p.m. and I had never been more afraid of Rhett coming home early as I was in this moment. Running back into the house, I piled my shoes into a box before throwing the rest of my clothing into a matching polka dot suitcase. I didn’t have many keepsakes, but the ones I did have I piled into my arms before taking one last look around the house. For the first time, I saw it for what it was - a dump.
    I couldn’t help but pride myself for my refusal to put my name on the lease when Rhett and I had rented. I had no ties or responsibilities to remain here. I could leave and I never had to look back.
    With my car loaded, I shoved my key into the ignition and backed out of the driveway. As my tires claimed the asphalt, I thought of Rhett and how we’d began.
    ...Music pulsed from inside the house as I followed Jana up the walkway, a girl staying in the same foster house as me. I’d been with the Preston’s for six weeks now, but Jana had been with them for years. She adored Mrs. Preston, but like most pretty girls, she didn’t like Mr. Preston. Thankfully, I hadn’t caught Mr. Preston’s eye. He thought I was too fucked up to mess around with being that my mother was murdered the way she was.
    For spending so many years in the foster system, I was really very lucky that I hadn’t been abused sexually. Most children, male and female, who were in the system, had been abused at some point in their lives.
    “Are you sure we should be here?” I asked hesitantly, catching the sleeve of Jana’s coat. “It looks pretty crazy.”
    Jana sighed, turning to face me. “I brought you because no one else is home but Mr. Preston. Don’t be a baby, Kami. You’re fifteen. You’re not a little girl anymore.”
    I frowned. “I’m not a baby.”
    “Then what are you afraid of?” Jana tapped her toe and I felt a blush stain my cheeks.
    I grappled for an answer, and came up blank. “I don’t know.”
    She linked her fingers through mine. “Let’s go. I’ll be with you the whole time.” She flashed me a smile. “You’ve got nothing to worry about.”
    “Kay,”
    Jana didn’t knock on the door of the house. Instead, she walked right in, her eyes zeroing in on a guy playing pool. There was so much smoke in the air that I could barely see through the fog. A faint scent of marijuana tickled my nose and I bit back a sneeze.
    Jana leaned down to speak against my ear. “See that guy playing pool?” She yelled over the base pounding through the airwaves. “I’m gonna go talk to him.”
    My heart raced. “What am I supposed to do?”
    Jana spun around, smiling brightly, “Flirt, dance - I don’t really care.”
    I watched her move across the house to the man playing pool and wondered just how old he was. Jana was seventeen, but the man looked much older. Twenty-three, maybe twenty-four?
    The music was so loud I could barely hear myself think. Bodies were grinding together in the living room, sweaty and undoubtedly intoxicated. People were making out on the sofa -