Flick releases me, holding me at arm’s length as she assesses me. “Are you okay?” The concern is evident in her voice.

“Yeah, I’m good. It’s just been a lot to take in over the last twenty-four hours.” Way too much for one day.

“So, she’s really your sister?” her voice portraying her inability to believe just yet.

“Yeah.”

“Who’s the little girl?” She nods in Katie’s direction who still hasn’t released my other hand as she lies silently beside me.

“This is Katie. She’s my niece. Katie, this is my friend, Flick.”

Katie smiles brightly at Flick. I love the innocence of kids. Their smiles and giggles can brighten anyone’s day. My stomach flutters at the thought of having two little ones of my very own in a few months.

“Babe, do you need anything?” Corban is beside me once again. I love this man. His caring nature swells my heart immensely. I’m so lucky to have him in my life.

“I’m okay, just overwhelmed, but it’s all good now. Where’s Blake?” I look around the room noticing he’s disappeared.

“He went outside to calm down. He looked annoyed about something.”

“He’s probably annoyed at me. I wanted Flick and Rachel to meet Abby, and he got his back up over it. I could see where he was coming from, but I trust those two girls with my life and wanted them to meet another huge part of my existence. One that I was positive I’d lost for all eternity.” A look of empathy flashes over Corban’s face.

“He does seem to be all over the place,” Corban says.

“I think it must be hard for him having Abby and Katie in danger, and now placing us in the firing line. I think he’s feeling a lot of blame for this whole situation.”

“Yeah, not an easy thing to deal with. I might go find him and have a chat.”

I nod. He leans over placing a small delectable kiss upon my lips. No matter how many times I kiss those lips, he still makes me feel giddy. He hops up off the bed and walks out leaving me with the girls. It’s a little awkward as Flick and Rach are unsure how to take this turn of events, or even what to say at a time like this. They are a little lost for words.

“Flick and Rach, do you mind taking Katie into the living area so I can have a chat with Abby? If that’s okay with you?” I look to Abby, who nods.

“Sure, come on Katie. Can you draw me a picture?” Rachel coos at her. She’s going to be an amazing aunt.

Katie scrambles off the bed, taking Rachel’s hand, and they all walk out.

Now it’s time to talk.

Chapter Six

Abby

I knew this moment was coming, but I didn’t expect it so soon. She wants answers. I should have reached out years ago to let her know I was all right. I wasn’t certain how she would take it, and I’m positive she would have come after me. Who knows if Jacob was watching her back then? It seems as though he’s never lost track of my family. Just waiting and watching his prey like a lion on the hunt to see if I show up, and I played right into his hands by coming out of my safe place. But when Blake told me Jacob had contacted Melodi, panic gripped my chest. I know what this devil incarnate is capable of and I didn’t want any harm to come to her. I could never forgive myself if anything happened to her.

“I need answers,” she states in a hard tone. She has a glint in her eye, I know that look means she won’t take no for an answer. I climb on the bed and lay beside her. We turn to each other, something we often did when we were kids, especially when we needed the other for comfort or to just hang out together. I honestly never thought I’d be able to come back to her. She’s my missing puzzle piece. Being twins, there’s always a connection that you never lose.

“Start from the beginning, from where you and Blake began,” she says.

I take a deep breath and prepare myself to give her my story.

To tell her about how Blake and I met on the park bench that day, and then dive into what comes next…

Chapter Seven

Abby

Three Years Ago

Date night had arrived with Blake, as friends. I still didn’t know how I felt about it. My head told me one thing, but my heart told me to take a leap towards Blake with everything I had. Jacob was away on business for the weekend, and none of my family knew who I was going out with. Glancing at my reflection in the full-length dress mirror, I’d opted for black skinny jeans and a pale pink long sleeved shirt. It was not cold out, still slightly warm, but because of those horrid marks on my arms I needed to cover them or people would begin to ask questions. Questions I really didn’t want to answer.

My family was oblivious to it all. Well, Mum and Dad were, Melodi not so much. She caught me changing clothes and asked me why, but I flat out refused to tell her and since then she’s never given Jacob the time of day. She despised him. I think she was even mad at me because she wanted me to leave him. I couldn’t, or wouldn’t, I wasn’t really sure. I guess I was afraid of what he’d do if I did leave.

I remembered the very first time he got abusive towards me—it was our three month anniversary. I should’ve left then before it became too much. After that night he began putting me down openly in front of his friends, at work functions, and they would all just laugh about it. I’d become numb to it, that was until he wanted something from me. His touch was like acid, not the gentle touch that would caress my skin and ignite my heart with a passion. Definitely not the touch he bequeathed upon me when we first started dating. He was everything to me and I thought I was to him. How very wrong I was—how very misguided I’d become in regards to him.

I continually asked myself what happened between us for him to turn on me. Was it just his nature to treat girls so poorly once he’d spun his web of deceit? He’d told me he had girlfriends previously, but he never loved them in the way he loved me. I honestly don’t think he loved me like he said he did. You don’t hurt the ones you love. It’s wrong on so many levels and in so many ways, it broke my heart if I dared to think about it for too long.

I couldn’t even kiss him without feeling the urge to pull away. He sensed it and that was what made him furious. When he caressed my body, my senses shut down and I went into robot mode. He wanted me to stop taking my pill so we could start a family, but I couldn’t bring a child into this world knowing that he or she would have a father like him. No child should be put through something like that.

A light knock at my door pulled me from my thoughts.

“Come in,” I yelled just loud enough for them to hear. Looking over my shoulder, I saw Melodi peeking around the door.

“Hey, you going out?” she asked.

“Yeah.”

“With Jacob?” I could hear the disdain in her voice. I straightened up trying to reassure myself that I was doing the right thing by going out with Blake even if it was just as friends.

“No, with a friend I met in the park the other day.” I smiled. Her smile reflected mine. Being my twin, although not identical, we still had lots of similarities—our eyes, smile, body shape, and even how we talked. She was usually the upfront, take no crap, girl. I was like that to before I met Jacob. Now the fight I had in me had fizzled away leaving only an empty shell. He somehow owned me completely—mind, body and soul. I’d allowed him to make my bed and now I had to lie in it. I was utterly broken.

“Oh, that’s cool,” Melodi said. “What are you doing?”

Why does she do this? She always tries to find everything out about me. I love her dearly, but I didn’t want her to feel sorry for me. I wanted her to be my sister and support me because that’s what family were supposed to do. I knew she had an idea of what might be going on in my life, but it was never voiced. It was an unspoken rule between the two of us. Mum and Dad had no idea, I made sure to wear my fake happy mask around them as much as humanly possible.