Her CEO Stalker and Her Second Chance Mate (Adelaide) novel Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Chapter 15

Briar

Waking late the next morning, I forced myself to assess the house once more, and by midday, I

had gained the courage to tentatively venture outside. The scenery was exquisite, my breath

catching, as I viewed the valley below. A part of me yearned to investigate, the other part was

too scared to budge. My bravery in my escape was now riddled with my fear of exposure. My

eyes were drawn to a garage off to the side of the house, and I forced my feet to move towards

1. it. Pushing open the doors, my heart clenched, as Uncle Jake’s bike and an old Chevy truck

stood before me. My eyes glanced around, tools strewn about, and other junk was piled up all

around. I stroked my hand along the bike’s fuel tank. How many times had Uncle Jake taken

me for a ride? Countless. I could feel the freedom and the safety as I gripped his jacket,

winding down country roads. Mama never told him no once she deemed me old enough. When

Uncle Jake came to town, she always took a back seat, and let him spoil me with rides or hikes

or whatever time he had to give. I shut the garage and wandered down a path I had noticed in

the treeline.

A short hike later, I found a pristine pool of water, fed by some underground spring. I leaned

over dipping my fingertips in. It was cool, but not so chilly that I’d die of hypothermia. I don’t

know what came over me, but I found myself stripping off my clothes, then slowly stepping

into the water.

Shivers ran down my spine as my toes sunk in and I waded up to my thighs. The next thing I

knew, I was sinking into its depths, my hair momentarily suspended on the surface, until I

fully submerged. I held my breath, counting until my lungs burned. I surfaced, gasping and

shivering, before I made my way out, gathering my clothes and dashing back to the house

naked. Digging through a hall closet, I found a towel. I dried my body and my hair before

wrapping it up in a towel. I dug through my bag grabbing my Tweety Bird shirt and a pair of

boy short underwear. At least I had a fresh source of water so I could wash myself and things.

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Chapter 18

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Making my way into the kitchen, I began opening the cupboards, looking for any form of food.

Ramen, some cans of soup and veggies, rice that had weebles, which I immediately tossed

outside into the trash, and some basic seasonings. I braced myself before opening the fridge,

finding it cleaned out and empty. Someone had come over after Uncle Jake passed and had at

least cleared out the perishable food that would have rotted. Who? I wondered.

My body fell into exhaustion once again and I laid out on the couch. It was maybe six in the

evening.

I woke again early the next morning, watching the moon set, and the sun rise. Popping open a

can of cold baked beans for breakfast, I sat on the back porch. I needed to go to town soon.

Sort out the electricity and water, but I could hold out a few more days. That was about as

1. me. I wondered how disappointed he was in me now? Letting some asshat use and abuse me;

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