Free Forsaken by Bec Botefuhr Page A

that.”
    “I felt things all my life. I knew you were alive, even when they did a memorial to say goodbye to you, because they were convinced you were dead. I knew you weren’t, but no one would listen. I knew because I felt you, I can’t explain it, but I just knew you weren’t gone.”
    “I know what you mean.”
    “I knew one day you would find out about us, and I had so many things I wanted to do but then I saw you and all I felt was pure rage.”
    “I never meant for you to end up living under my shadow Mark. It’s not like I knew.”
    “Heaven, I never lived under your shadow, because you were my shadow even though I couldn’t see you.”
    I feel fresh tears spill down my face.
    “You have my name tattooed on you?”
    He smiles. “They called you H eaven, because they wanted to believe you went to a better place.”
    I swallow. “And you?”
    “I put it there because Heaven is where I wanted to go, so I could be next to you because living here was just too hard.”
    “You don’t mean that?”
    “I tried to kill myself when I was sixteen.”
    I sob uncontrollably. Mark reaches out and puts his arm around me; I shiver because I do feel a bond when he is around me.
    “I am not going to lie and say my life wasn’t hard, but…it’s better now.”
    “You’re tough Mark, I couldn’t have done it.”
    “You know, dad told me about you getting taken by that killer. It makes sense to me now, because at the time I went mad. I was angry, and scared, and full of these crazy emotions and I didn’t know why. I had a horrible feeling of dread constantly, I couldn’t shake it.”
    “You felt me?” I whisper.
    “Yeah, in a sense, ”
    I look up and sigh. “We should go back inside. We are soaked.”
    “Yeah,” he smiles, taking my hand and standing. He leads me back over the road, and into the house. When we get in, my phone begins beeps to alert me that I have a missed call. I look down to see it was Ryder.
    “I should take this, ” I smile, walking off.
    I walk out back and open the phone, dialing Ryder back. He answers on the first ring.
    “Hey baby,” I say, leaning against the house.
    “Hey gorgeous, I was wondering where you are? I thought you might like to help Nate and me with something?”
    “Oh?”
    “We have a new person in the unit, she is a Domestic abuse case, and she might like a female to help her feel more welcome.”
    “Oh sure, I will be home soon.”
    “Alright, love you girl.”
    “You too.”

CHAPTER 8
    MAYA
    When I arrive home, I see Nate right away. He is wearing his uniform, and looks handsome as hell. I beam and walk over, noticing James Clancy standing beside him. I haven’t seen James for a long while now, so I am thrilled. I rush over and clap my hands excitedly.
    “Well, if it isn’t the one and only James Clancy,” I grin.
    James laughs, “Still not over that I see?”
    “It will never get old, never.”
    “I heard you were still involved with these two, haven’t woken up to yourself yet?”
    Nate snorts, “Now, go easy Clanc.”
    I wrap an arm around Nate. “I will never wake up to myself. Where’s Ryder?”
    “He is going over the security while we wait for Heather to arrive.”
    “Heather? She’s the new case?”
    “Yep, she’ s twenty two and has no family.”
    I frown, “That’s so sad.”
    Nate rests his hand on my head, and then tilts it back. “You’re too soft.”
    “So are you Nate, don’t play it cool in front of James Clancy.”
    James snorts and Nate laughs, “Alright, you win.”
    “So how long will she stay?” I ask, curious.
    “A month maybe, it really depends.”
    “Oh she is in for a shock when she see’s hot stuff here,” I tease, winking at Nate.
    “Conflict of interest…” James Clancy says.
    Nate and I both roll our eyes. “Yes Clancy, we know.”
    A silver cop car pulls into the complex then, followed by Ryder’s security vehicle. When the car stops in front of the apartment, my curiosity burns. I watch as