Free Runaway: The Sequel to Secrets, a sexy and dramatic western romance (Finding Love ~ THE OUTSIDER SERIES) by Lorhainne Eckhart Page A

charges. He opened his fisted hands and took another breath, trying to calm down. He picked up her hand and pried it from his housecoat until she allowed him to hold it, and she watched him doing his damnedest to pull it together before speaking.
    “Laura ...”
    “You shouted at me that you were going to take them away ,” she interrupted, because she too was burning with rage. She didn’t want to stay in this uncomfortable house one minute longer. “So tell me, Andy, is this the plan? Get me back here and then, as soon as I have the babies, use your money and power to toss me out in the street and take them?”
    “No !” he shouted. “And we already talked about this. I was angry because you hid them from me. I thought we were done with this. I thought you’d moved past it.”
    “Well , evidently not. Or rather, after what I heard from your mother...”
    “She has no say in what we do ,” he barked out before she could finish. “No, I would never do something like that. My God, what kind of monster do you think I am? You must have heard wrong, Laura.”
    She tried to pull her hand from his , but he held tight, and the second time she yanked harder and pulled free. “No, I did not. I may have heard only one side, but I heard your mother clearly.” Laura struggled to her feet. “I don’t want to stay here. I can’t be worried about that.”
    Andy was on his feet right beside her . “Whoa, wait a second. You’re overreacting. One, you’re not giving me credit. Do you think I’d let my mother take our babies? Not going to happen, Laura. Come on, let me get you back to bed.”
    He didn’t let her stay and argue . His arm was around her, and he led her upstairs and back into their room. “Look, dinner’s almost done. I’ll have Jules bring dinner up here for all of us. Gabriel and me, we’ll camp up here with you, have dinner together.”
    Laura allowed him to help her on the bed . She loved the feel of his hands on her. She wanted to believe him, she needed to, because she wanted him so badly that it ached in every part of her to think he’d betray her. She didn’t want to leave him; she wanted to believe he had changed, because he had the ability to hold her heart in the palm of his large, sexy hand and crush it.
    He slid his hands over her shoulders and then tucked her sleep -tousled hair behind her ears. “You’re overthinking again.”
    “Andy , I want to trust you, but with what your mother said, you and I both know how powerful she is and what she’s capable of.”
    “Laura, stop. I’ll handle my mother. Look , just take a breath.” He shook his head as if annoyed at her and glanced away. She could feel his wall come up again. He was so good at shutting her out. When he faced her this time, his entire expression was annoyed and appeared as if he was doing everything he could not to snap at her. “I don’t know what it’s going to take, Laura, to get you to trust me. Tell me.”
    “I want to move out of here. Can you find us a small place, nothing this big , but something away from your mother? I don’t want any servants, just us.” She held her breath, wondering what he’d say. She had put herself out there, hoping he wouldn’t dismiss her idea and that he wanted to build a life with her, but the truth was that even though she wanted him so badly, she was afraid his feelings for her weren’t real.
    “Laura , this is our home. My mother won’t be here long. She’ll be off soon to one of our other houses.”
    “This is not my home , Andy. I’m not comfortable with all this.” She gestured to the room, everything lavish and expensive in it.
    Andy cupped her face with his one hand and made her look at him. “You’re my wife. This will be all mine; it’s my birthright, and it’s the way we Friessens do things. I am the only son, and this is all passed to me, and I’ll pass it on to my son. We’re not leaving here. You’re going to stay in bed and relax. I’ll protect