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CHAPTER ONE

ALANNA

Present Day . . .

“Charlotte, we’ve got to go,” I shout, gathering her school bag and putting her little lunch box inside.

At four, Charlotte started going to preschool. This worked for me since it saved me money. It might sound bad, but considering daycare costs a fortune, it’s a relief not to have that extra cost. What also helped was the fact Willow, my friend from school who, honest to God, all but saved Charlotte and me from living on the streets, took Charlotte during the afternoons.

Willow didn’t have to do this for me, not when she had a set of triplets to take care of herself. However, she did, and Charlotte adores spending time with the triplets.

“I’s coming,” Charlotte shouts from the back of the little house where her room is located. It was a little one-bedroom. It wasn’t much, but it was enough for the two of us.

We didn’t need much.

I made sure Charlotte had her own space. I even made sure to make it cute with all of the princess stuff she wanted. I make sure when it comes to Charlotte, she never wants for the world.

Me, on the other hand, slept on the couch in the living room. I kept my clothes put away in the closet where I put a dresser. I also used another closet where I kept my dress clothes for work.

Another thing Willow and her friends helped find. I adore working for Rebel. She’s an amazing woman to work for. It’s not easy to keep Rebel’s schedule together without her being overburdened. Especially now that she’s had Jett. I can’t blame her for not wanting to keep herself from being able to get to her son if he needs her. The woman s even set up one of the spare offices as a little playroom for Jett and told me to feel free to use it whenever for Charlotte.

There have been a couple times where I’ve done just that when I didn’t want to disturb anyone by taking on Charlotte after school. It’s only been a few times, but still, they were enough.

“Can we get breakfast ‘ritos on the way?”

I toss my head back to stare at the ceiling at Charlotte’s question. At four, the little girl is like a growing weed. She loves her food, and you don’t come between her and her breakfast burritos. The girl loves them. I usually make them for her, but once a week, I always treat her to either breakfast or dinner.

“Yeah, Lots, we’ll get burritos,” I tell her, hearing her come fully into the room. I take a look at what she’s wearing and have to bite off the laugh. Charlotte likes to dress herself, and today’s outfit consists of her wearing black leggings, white socks, little biker boots (bought by Cy), and a long sleeve white shirt (also bought by Cy). The words, though, are what I find annoyingly hilarious—Cy’s little tormentor.

Any time Cy’s around Charlotte, it is all about him. The two of them somehow ended up bonding, and any chance he gets, he steals her away. It would be cute if I weren’t trying to keep my distance from the man. There have even been a few times when I had to stay late to finish a class, and he’s taken Charlotte to my place for me. I don’t know what it is about him constantly helping out, but Charlotte absolutely adores him. I’d hate to have to ever rip her away from the life she’s getting to enjoy now.

Unfortunately, that time will come soon enough. We’ve been in one place for so long and it’s hard to keep from getting fully comfortable. To remember to look over my shoulder and keep an eye out for the threat I’m facing.

Everyone thinks Charlotte is my sister. In truth, it’s partially true, but she’s really my daughter. No one was ever safe growing up in a house like I did, definitely not me. Mom was a workaholic, rarely home. When she was, she was bitching at my dad about what he was doing wrong. In turn, he turned his bad mood on me and my two brothers, Davis and Willis.

Davis and Willis are twins, and they did what they could to protect me. However, there was no protection for me in the middle of the night when our mom wasn’t home and our dad came to my room.

It all started with him just coming in and laying there next to me, brushing his hands along my hair. Along my cheek. It slowly progressed to touching, and then he took what he wanted. He made me promise never to speak of it. That it was our little secret. He said if I didn’t say anything, he wouldn’t hurt Davis or Willis. This went on for years, and I let it. Then, I ended up pregnant right before turning eighteen.

Dad knew the truth. Mom demanded to know who the father was. I couldn’t tell her that. She didn’t like the fact I didn’t tell her. She sat down with Dad, the two of them discussed it and said they’d make sure no one knew I was pregnant. That they’d take her on as their daughter. I agreed only so I could finish high school and not be kicked out of the house. I didn’t have friends because my parents made it that way.

Right before Charlotte was born, Davis and Willis both came to me, gave me money, and told me to get the hell out of there. They’d overheard Dad on the phone. He was telling someone about me having a child and that he’d be willing to sell her for a pretty penny. Explained that parentage, and at this, both Davis and Willis were pissed I never told them about it.

I packed everything I had and left town. Days later, Charlotte was born. One look at her, it didn’t matter to me how she came about. She was here. She was perfect. Before leaving the hospital, my parents showed up. They were threatening all sorts of things until one of the nurses intervened, asking them to leave. That night, she’d given me enough supplies to take care of myself and Charlotte. It was she who told me to come to South Carolina.

Since then, I’ve been able to hide out while keeping a low profile. I worked under the table for the first year of Charlotte’s life. Barely making ends meet. I was able to get into college and take classes for the next year. It was when I started to work for Rebel that things began to get a lot easier.

Now, I was finished with school, my girl was in pre-school, and life was looking great. Still, that didn’t mean I wasn’t being cautious. It’s why we still live in the house we do. I was saving every bit I could in case we needed to run.

I’ve let a lot of people believe that Charlotte was my little sister. Only a few knew the truth. The nurse who did the paperwork had left the father’s name off it, but it didn’t take a rocket scientist to find her by just looking for me. Rebel also knew the truth. Only because I asked a question and she being a no bullshitter as she calls herself, connected the dots. No one else knows, and I want to keep it that way.

It’s a secret I’ll take to my grave. Which, if we’re found, that could be sooner than anyone thinks. It’s why I now have a will making Rebel Charlotte’s guardian if something happens to me. I won’t see her in the hands of my father or mother.

I haven’t spoken to Davis and Willis much other than by email. With them both in the military now, they found their own escape from the hell we grew up in. I do hope that one day, they’ll finally get to meet Charlotte, but I’m not holding my breath.

“We getsing ‘ritos or what?” Charlotte’s little demanding voice brings me out of my thoughts, and I smile at her.

“Yeah, Doodle, let’s go get you a burrito. Just try not to make a mess.” I stretch a handout and wait for her to take it as I open the front door. I never let her step out first. I always have her hand in mine.

Just in case.

“I promise, Momma.” She giggles.

I love every time I hear her call me that. No one thinks it’s weird when she does this because I’m the only person she has, so to her, I am the only momma she’s ever known. Thankfully, no one has ever questioned this.

Scanning our surroundings, I walk Charlotte to the passenger side backdoor. I help her into her booster seat. It’s a top-of-the-line seat and was a gift I demanded to pay half back on when Rebel gave it to me. I knew it wasn’t from her, but it was her who gave it to me. I was fine with clothes or little things being bought. I wasn’t down with stuff like this being bought for my girl. I can take care of her, and I do the best I can. Rebel ended up taking the money. She gave it to Cy, and somehow, I found the money sitting on my kitchen counter next to the kettle.

Once I have her strapped in and ready to roll, I again scan the area while moving to the driver’s seat. I don’t see anything out of the normal, so I put the car in reverse to pull out of the driveway.

My stomach tightens with uncertainty, and I hope it’s nothing. The last thing I want to do is up and run, to take Charlotte away from all that she’s ever known.

There’s even been a part of me that’s thought of leaving her with those I know who will protect her and keep the monsters that lurk in the dark from finding her. I refuse to let anything happen to Charlotte, and if that means giving my life, then I’ll give it.