Chapter 11

11

Aurora – Five Months Later

I stroke Brock, Brook's dad's horse, as Anna takes some blood from him. I'm about a month into my thirty-month internship at Summer's Vets, and I love it.

I love the animals, helping them, giving them a voice when they can't, and the cuddles—well, that's just a bonus.

This is something I've had in place for about six months, trying to pass all my exams, and I have to admit, I'm scared I'm going to screw up, but also excited to finally make my daughter and my husband proud.

Working at Summer's Vets is not what I expected, especially while going to school part-time as well. The work is hard, but some of the people I work with are sweet and kind. The owner, Brook, has been very supportive and has become a good friend. She has made my job so much easier. And don't get me started on my husband.

God, husband , even after five months, it's weird to call him that….

He's probably my biggest supporter, and I fall more and more in love with him every day, if that's even possible. He centers me and completes me.

I wish I had the bravery to tell him about my past. Emily said it'll take time, and encourages me every session.

I'm petrified he'll see my filth. I'm petrified he won't love Autumn anymore, even though she's his world. Heck, he got her name tattooed on his forearm, explaining that other children we may have will go underneath her name, and then he got my name near his devil's tat, over his heart.

"So, when do I get to meet this infamous husband of yours?" Anna asks out of nowhere as she pulls the needle from Brock.

Anna's dark brown hair is up in a ponytail, and her brown eyes stare at me before returning to Brock.

I smile at her, hoping I don't bite her head off, and say, "I'm not sure. Normally, if I'm here, he's with our daughter."

She nods, but I see her roll her eyes, and I ignore her, stroking Brock's nose.

I would admit, I did like Anna when we first met, until she found out I was married. I don't know what her problem is, but for the past month, she's wanted to meet Theo.

"It's strange I haven't met him yet," she continues, and I snort—I can't help it—and she stands, raising a brow.

I shake my head at her, guide Brock back into his stable, and ask, "Why is it strange? My husband works, and when I work, he watches our daughter. To be honest, you're acting a little strangely. What's your obsession with my husband?"

Okay, I have no idea where that backbone came from; it's been lost since I was taken.

She sighs and says, "I'm sorry. It's nothing personal. I just thought it was weird, is all…."

I nod with a raised brow, not believing a word she's saying. I heard the rumors about her and why she left her old job.

Apparently, she likes married men. According to the seventy-year-old grocery worker, every woman knows my husband and apparently wants him, and she's one of them.

The nice lady wanted to warn me after she saw my scrubs and the Summer's Farm logo. She'd seen me with Theo several times beforehand.

I shake my head, grab our things, and state, "Well, it's not weird. What is weird, though, is you becoming obsessed over a taken man." I walk toward the barn doors, wanting out of here.

I've been feeling sick lately, and the heat in this barn is making me want to pass out.

"How did you do it?" she asks.

I stop near the mouth of the doorway, the fresh air so close yet so far, and I huff out, "Do what?"

She clears her throat and adds, "Get the most eligible man in Huntersville? I mean Sn?—"

I cut her off, and state, "To me, Theo is not the most eligible man because he isn't; he's my husband, and I didn't do anything. Autumn did by throwing a milkshake on him the first day we met." I turn my head to look at her and continue, "That day, he told me I had him hooked instantly, when I wasn't even looking for a man. He's my world, and Autumn and I are his. If we weren't, then he wouldn't have married me or adopted her."

Anna's eyes widen in shock, and I turn, continuing my way out of the barn before I vomit on her, though, with how she's obsessing over my man, I'm tempted.

Nausea hits hard, and I grab hold of the small SUV that Brook bought to use on her parents' farm, trying to breathe through it.

"Aurora, are you okay?" a voice asks with concern from behind me. I turn and make eye contact with Brook. Her light brown eyes look at me with so much concern my heart hurts.

I'm not used to others caring about my welfare, especially after a year in captivity.

I swallow the bile down, and croak, "I've been feeling sick lately. I don't know, maybe Autumn's brought a bug home or something…."

Even as I say the words, I know they are crap, and so does she, her words confirming that, "You've had a child, so don't act na?ve now, missy."

I snort at her, who's trying to act mature, but her grin ruins her fa?ade.

I shake my head. "I can't be pregnant, I'm on the pill."

She chuckles. "You know those are only like 98% effective, right?"

I furrow my brows, straightening, my nausea well and truly forgotten, and I say stupidly, "I thought that was a rumor."

She bites her bottom lip to stop her laughter, and yeah, I get it. I sound really idiotic right now, but in my defense, that was the only thing that came to mind, and my mouth decided to run before my brain could catch up.

I put my hands up in defense. "Alright, I get it. I know how that sounded, but my brain shut down."

She laughs, and I shake my head, sighing.

"Aurora, surely you can't be upset if you're pregnant. You have a beautiful spitfire of a daughter, and a husband who adores you, and do you know how I know this despite not meeting him yet?" I wipe away the tears that have started to fall and shake my head. Her smile softens and she murmurs, "Because he calls you or messages several times throughout the day, and he sends you lunch to make sure you eat." She grips my hands. "If you're pregnant, then be happy, because you have a beautiful family already, and all you're doing is adding to it. Your internship won't change; you'll have to add time to the end of it while you go on maternity leave, is all."

I sniffle but nod, before she hugs me tight and whispers, "Everything will be okay, I promise."

I nod again, squeezing her, while deep inside, I really hope she's right.

Five hours, that's how long I've had to wait to take a test. Brook offered to give me an ultrasound, but the thought scared me. Instead, I spent hours believing I was not pregnant and had just caught a bug.

Hello, naivety and stupidity….

I take a deep breath, tapping my finger on the yellowish bathroom counter, my eyes looking at the upside-down test, my mind going over and over, his voice whispering, causing my tears to fall again for what feels like a millionth time.

You're filth….

He won't want you if you are pregnant….

You'll get too fat….

You'll ruin this baby just like you're ruining Autumn….

You should abort it….

A part of me believes the voice is right, my insecurities are pulling at me. I mean, God, it was only yesterday a woman stopped Theo and me in the street and tried to touch him right in front of me while he held our daughter, stating she missed his "big cock" inside of her.

The woman had the gall to ask me to give them space and take the brat— my brat. She's lucky she didn't get a broken nose, and when she said she used to screw him and asked who the hell I was….

I shake my head. Her jaw was on the floor when I said I was his wife, but she soon recovered and asked if I'd seen how big his cock was yet, and if I wanted a threesome.

Theo told her to "fuck off." He said they were never together before telling me she was his brother's high school girlfriend, and had seen him coming out of the shower. He swore they were never intimate, but I think I was most angry about the fact that he had a brother, and I never knew it.

I haven't even met his parents, for Christ's sake, and yet we're married.

So much we don't even know about each other.

He apologized over and over, when he realized he never brought his brother up, and explained that his brother works abroad. I can't be mad at him, though, because he doesn't know I was held captive by a man I thought was a friend, a man who is a cousin to men I thought were family.

He doesn't know I'm a rape victim, because that's what I am— no, no , I'm a rape survivor , as Emily puts it.

I survived and fought my way out, making an escape for my daughter and myself….

Blinking away the tears, I take a deep breath and pick the test up with a shaky hand. I turn it over, my eyes going to the two lines showing I'm pregnant.

Oh God….

"Firecracker, we're home!" I hear Theo shout, and I sob, bringing my hand up, covering my mouth to silence my cries, not ready to see him yet.

"Momma," I hear Autumn call.

I don't answer them, my teary, blurry eyes focused on the two lines. I can hear Theo ask Autumn to watch TV for a moment, before his footsteps echo toward the partially open bathroom door.

Theo knocks, opens the door, and asks, concerned, "Rory?"

I sniffle, making eye contact with him in the mirror, and choke on a sob, not able to hide it from him, knowing I'm already keeping so much from him. I bleat, "I'm pregnant."

His eyes widen for a moment, and then this magical thing happens that deepens my love for him.

The man smiles. He smiles so wide that the dimple on his left cheek pops out.

"You're happy?" I ask with a sob, causing his eyes to soften. He turns me, taking me in his strong arms, and lifts me, placing me on the counter. He steps in between my open legs, one hand cupping my cheek, the other going to my flat belly.

"Happy? No, Firecracker," he rasps, his eyes looking at me with nothing but love, "I'm elated—over the fucking moon."

I sniffle, wrapping my arms around his waist, and placing my head on his chest. I am shocked at his words, but also relieved as he wraps his arms around my body, holding me tight.

I enjoy his embrace for a few minutes before I murmur, "I won't be able to go on the back of your bike now," causing him to groan.

He replies, "I take it back, I'm pissed…."

I laugh, holding him tight.

The first time I went on the back of his bike was… wow . I've never known freedom as much as I did until I rode behind him on that bike.

Yeah, I'm pissed about no more rides, too….

"I love you, Theo," I murmur, suddenly feeling sleepy from the stressful day, his woodsy scent relaxing me.

He murmurs back, "Not as much as I love you, Rory…."

He picks me up bridal style, my head going to his shoulder as he walks us out of the bathroom and into the living room, where Autumn is sitting on her princess beanbag watching TV.

Theo sits us on the couch, removes my hair tie, and runs his fingers through my hair, whispering, "Close your eyes, Firecracker, get some sleep…."

I nod, doing as he says, feeling so happy and content that I couldn't imagine a life where he isn't part of it.

He's become the reason why I breathe, and I'll never take it for granted, even if I do find out things that make me want to strangle him….