unwanted

chapter seven

unatoned

There was eight of them living under this roof. Jess watched them from the window, some of them played, some of them worked.

Three little boys named Rob, Jaymes, and Fitz. She knew because they were always getting yelled at by the others. And with good reason. Jess watched those three with a smile on her face. She imagined she'd been a lot like them at that age.

Adrian, with two others around her age were working in the fields. You could tell it had once been a huge field of corn but now it was all dead and they just tended to the small garden to the side. Which was by no means small but after what it once was, she bet they thought it was small.

From here she could also see some horses, cows, chickens, and even a few goats and pigs.

An older woman appeared from time to time from inside the house but after getting onto the boys, she always retreated inside.

She would never admit this out loud, but she was anxious to go downstairs and meet everyone. She was dying to see normal so bad she could almost taste it.

As much as she wanted to wake Julian, she restrained herself. Going through their bags had turn up everything but their clothes.

She didn't even know whose shirt she was wearing.

Her stomach growled. Not the first time. That sandwich brought up earlier seemed a long time ago and about an hour ago something started smelling really good.

How long since she's been hungry? Long enough that she couldn't remember it.

Focusing on Julian, she tried to wake him by sheer will.

When that didn't work, and she grew tired of watching everyone, she laid back down and tried to get some more sleep.

Julian instantly curled around her

Were they dating now? She didn't even know if she could form her mind around that thought. He'd always been everything to her, but could he still be everything to her?

The old Jess would say hell yes, and she'd already be making out with him. And more. Anything in the name of getting over Kell.

The more she cared, the more she'd be showing that she didn't care.

But Julian wasn't just a rebound guy. She'd never use him, not for any reason.

He was right. If they were going to do this then it would have to be for real. Forever.

The million-dollar question was, could she do it?

She growled and stared up at the ceiling. It wasn't like this was a freaking love triangle. One of them wanted her and one of them didn't.

Not that she could blame Kellum. She'd told him that she was more trouble than she was worth.

Sixty-six days. That's how long he's been free to come get her.

There wasn't a piece of her that hadn't been a hundred percent sure that he'd be here on day thirty. The very moment the advisors were done keeping their word, she thought to find him standing in front of her.

Angry. Hurt. His eyes swimming in pain and relief.

How could he not come? How many times has she asked herself that?

At first, she tried to be angry, but she couldn't manage it. She knew who was to blame. She'd done all this to herself.

She was the one who betrayed him. She lied. Hurt him more than she knew a person could hurt.