Bound (Forbidden #1)(42)
Author: Melody Anne

She didn’t know his routine on Saturdays, though, and he hadn’t mentioned any plans either with or without her. No matter what, she had to get over to see her brother for their weekly visit, and there was no way she’d be able to explain her disappearance. She could say she needed a walk, needed to go shopping, or just have a break, but since he’d insisted that she not leave the apartment, sneaking around was certainly in her cards today. She was so lucky that he hadn’t been checking on her with those evil cameras.

Worry wrinkled her brow when she slipped into the kitchen to find a full pot of coffee and a note from Blake. Yes, she had her cell with her for once, but even if he’d still been texting her a lot, she was so terrible at answering his messages that he must have resorted to writing notes. Pen and paper — how primitive!

Be ready by five. I had an emergency I had to run to, but when I get back, we’re going out.

Blake

What a blessed relief! She could easily steal away, visit her brother, and be back in plenty of time. No problem! Gathering her purse, but leaving her phone off, she walked from the apartment feeling lighter and happier than she had in weeks.

Justin would never understand if she didn’t come to see him. And Blake was taking her back to Relinquish Control tomorrow anyway, so what did it matter if she was out for a few hours? There was no need for either him or Ms. Beaumont to know about her brother, because as soon as she had enough money saved, she would never see any of these people again.

She waited impatiently at the nearby bus stop and didn’t take her first full breath until she was out of sight of Blake’s ritzy apartment building. She hadn’t even looked over her shoulder, too fearful she’d find him standing right there, piercing her with those eyes of his and demanding to know where she was going.

It took an hour, but finally she reached the place where her brother was staying, and, putting on a big smile, she knocked on the door. It seemed to take an eternity, but when the door finally opened, she could barely resist pushing past his foster mother to get to her brother.

“Is Justin ready to come out for our visit?”

“He’s not feeling well today,” the woman said, her eyes cold.

Jewell hated that Justin had to live here, and her determination grew even greater as she stood on the woman’s threshold. “Then I’ll just visit with him here,” she said. She wasn’t leaving until she saw Justin.

“I don’t know if today’s visit is a good idea.”

“I wasn’t asking for your opinion,” Jewell told her. “The state has given me visitation on Saturdays and I will see my brother.”

Jewell looked her in the eyes, making it clear that she refused to back down. With a deep scowl, the woman finally opened the door wider, and Jewell didn’t hesitate to step inside.

“Justin,” she called out, and the sound of her brother’s feet running down the hallway was the sweetest music she could ever recall hearing.

Bracing herself for the impact, she pulled him easily into her arms, and he clung to her, holding her as if he would never let go. If only this could last forever.

“They said you might not come today,” Justin said when he finally let go.

“Nothing on this earth would keep me away from you on our special days,” she assured him, too angry even to look at the woman. He wasn’t sick — she’d been lying. Why? Probably because she was a bitter, sadistic woman who wanted to use her brother for the measly paycheck the state gave her. Well, Jewell was trying to take him away and the woman must not like that.

“That’s great — I missed you. Are we still going to the pizza place?”

“You bet we are, Bubby. We have three hours and we’re going to have the best time ever.” Jewell went over to the coat closet and pulled out his ratty jacket. She couldn’t wait until he was back living with her and she had the money to give him the things he needed and wanted.

“I’m so glad you’re here, Sissy. I’ve had a bad week,” he said, his eyes filling with tears.

“Why has your week been bad?” The two of them headed to the door, and Jewell didn’t even acknowledge Justin’s foster mother as they moved past her and left the house. Foster? Now that was a sick joke, almost as sick as the mother part of her name.

“Ms. Penny said that I was misbehaving too much, so she made me stay in my room all day for two days,” he told his sister.

“Oh, Justin, that’s not okay at all. I’ll talk to your social worker.” Jewell struggled to moderate her voice so she wouldn’t upset him.

“I was crying for you the other night and she told me to shut up, said that I needed to start acting like a man, not a crybaby. I try not to cry, but sometimes I just miss you so much.” His voice quiet, but his little fingers trembled beneath hers.

Jewell stopped and knelt down on the sidewalk so she could see her little brother’s face and he could see hers. “Sometimes emotions are just too much for us to bear and we have to release them. Don’t ever let anyone tell you that what you are feeling isn’t real. If you have to cry, then you do it, and just know that in five more Saturdays we’re going to be together always and not just for a few hours at a time.” She gave him another hug.

“You promise, Sissy. I don’t want to be at Ms. Penny’s house anymore. She’s just so mean — nothing like how mama was.”

“I promise you that no matter what I have to do, I will get you out of there, and you’ll come to live with me. You have to just give it a little more time and be my brave little man, but not for much longer.”

“I know I’m supposed to be brave, but it’s so hard…” He stopped speaking when his voice began to choke up.

“You are brave, Justin. You keep holding your head up high and know that I am doing whatever it takes for us to be together. I got a job, a really good job, and I’m saving lots of money so we can have a beautiful place together, where we can put up pictures of mom, and where, if you need to cry, you can do so without any fear of being made fun of. We’re a family and that means we stick together. No one can keep us apart for long, Bubby.”

“I know. I say a prayer every single night, asking God to let me come home with you. Why does it take so long for Him to answer my prayer?”

Her heart broke in so many pieces, she didn’t think it would ever be healed again. Her own eyes filled and a tear fell down her cheek. “Sometimes it takes a little longer because there are so many people out there needing so much, but you haven’t been forgotten about — I promise you that.”