Free Secrets in Battle: Secrets of Savannah Series Book 3 by S.M. Donaldson Page A

I really fucked up this time. Shit, Princess is going to come to my apartment this morning. I have no clue what kind of shape I left it in. Damn it.
    I jump out of the shower , throwing on some clothes and running out the door.
    “Fuck , Ryder, I need to get back to the apartment. Annabelle is supposed to be coming there this morning, she can’t see it like that.”
    He hangs his head a little. “Too late . It’s almost ten. She came in saw the place ransacked, then she ran up to the main house to get me. She didn’t say anything to anyone else. We both figured it was something like this. I didn’t exactly expect to find you butt ass naked in my barn, but drunk, yes.”
    I punch the barn door. “Fuck!”
    “Sorry, man. She’s up there cleaning right now.”
    I run to my apartment and once I’m inside , I see exactly how bad it got last night.
    My lamp is shattered, my furniture is turn ed over and upside down, and I see broken liquor bottles on the floor. Sadly, I don’t know how much of that I actually drank and how much I busted. Considering I don’t remember shit, I’m guessing I drank a good bit.
    I’m startled when Princess comes out of the bathroom fr om cleaning. She runs to me and hugs me. “You scared me. I thought something happened to you.”
    I stroke her hair. “It’s okay , Princess. Go on up to the main house and sleep. You don’t need to clean this up. I’ll get it.”
    She looks up at me and I can tell she’s dead on her feet. “Why don’t you come lay down with me and we’ll tackle this after we get up?”
    I shake my head. “No, you go get some rest. I can’t sleep, and you just got off. I’ll be here when you get up. I promise.”
    She nods. “Okay.”
    She slips out the door, making her way over to the main house.
    I probably just all kinds of fucked that up .
    Ryder knocks on the door as he comes in . “Man, you fucked this place up. Let me help you clean it up.”
    “No! Just go , I can handle it.”
    “Man , I’m just trying to help.”
    “I didn’t need help tearing the shit up, I don’t need help cleaning it up.”
    “Hey, are you still talking to that counselor guy?”
    “What the fuck about ‘I don’t need your help’ didn’t you understand, Ryder? I can handle this.”
    “Look man , I’m just trying to say I care. Pull your head out of your ass.”
    “Fuck you , Ryder. You don’t get it and I hope to God you never have to.” I say as I shove him out my door and slam it shut.
    “FUCK!”

 
    Chapter 1 6

    I toss and turn in the bed at Scarlet’s.
    After a night of meth heads and gunshot wounds, I thought I’d be able to relax when I got home. All I could think about was snuggling in Judd’s sheets, smelling him as I went to sleep.
    I came home to find his apartment door standing wide open and everything trashed, and it scared me. Then when I couldn’t find him, I started calling his name. I ran out in the yard and over to the main house. I saw Ryder in the kitchen and ran in panting. I didn’t realize I was crying until he grabbed me.
    “Annabelle . What’s wrong?”
    I shake. “I can’t find him. His apartment is busted up and he’s gone.”
    Ryder took off out the back door and I went to clean up his apartment.
    Then he was so off and short when he came back.
    I was worried his dreams weren’t under control. God, I hope he didn’t drink all of that whiskey that was busted on the floor.
    I wonder what set him off and I hope he’s still seeing his counselor.
    Can I bring that up to him ? Will it hurt him, insult him?
    Finally , all of my thoughts wear me down and I feel my eyes getting too heavy to hold open.
    ~*~*~
    I wake up seeing it’s three in the afternoon. I get dressed in some lounge clothes and make my way over to Judd’s apartment.
    I knock on the door and he doesn’t answer . I walk over to the barn and find Ryder.
    “Hey , Ryder.”
    “Hey , Annabelle. He went to town for a little bit.”
    I kick a little dirt on the