Betrayals of the Heart by Melissa Ohnoutka Read Free Book Online

it happen again.
    The sound of the door squeaked behind her as Michael got out of the car with a puzzled expression and walked up, tippy toeing to see inside her window. She opened her door slowly and spoke softly, trying to assure him he was safe.
    “It’s all right. We’re just making a potty stop.”
    “But I don’t have to potty, Momma.”
    She watched Ryan inside the store through the dusty window. He was walking down the aisles, picking up things and then putting them back. No apparent alarm or worries that she might take off and run. That was a good sign. He was definitely not on Steven’s payroll. He’d never let her out of his sight like this if that was the case. Ryan kept winning points whether she wanted him to or not.
    “Come on, sweetie. We’re gonna try. Let’s hurry.” Michael reached up to grab her hand, still unsure about the situation, but willing to trust her. If only she could be that innocent again.
    As she walked through the door of the convenience store, she noticed Ryan take a head to toe glance in her direction. Chills raced down her spine at what resembled a glint of masculine approval in those deep blue depths and she quickly looked away.
    For the life of her, she couldn’t imagine what he could possibly find attractive with her current appearance. Her short bob had to be a complete mess, her tired eyes smudged with mascara and eyeliner. Yet something sparked his interest and dang if she didn’t like the idea. Warmth spread inside her like a shot of whisky, all the way down.
    Not good. Not good at all. Find a phone. That’s all she had to do. Once she contacted her mother, she could make new plans. Forget all these crazy feelings and start a new life.
    She tried to swallow, but it took enormous effort. Pitiful . She was scarred-for-life pitiful. Preparing herself to fight off the crazy dizziness swirling the air around her, she dared to meet his gaze again. Ryan’s face was void of any emotion now and she questioned if she’d read more into it. Disappointment oozed all over her body . Stop , she scolded. He’s a man. All men are scum, remember?
    But for some odd reason, deep down, she didn’t want this man to be scum and the mere thought scared her to death.
    She guided Michael to the back of the store toward the sign that read restroom. A payphone hung on the back wall and her spirits lifted. But the excitement was short lived. Upon further inspection, she noticed that the cord had been pulled out of the receiver and now dangled almost to the floor.
    “No.” A heavy sigh escaped with the whispered word. Why did vandals get a kick out of stuff like this? She could just never wrap her mind around that one. The outside of the building hadn’t given her much hope of even finding a phone so this frustration was magnified by the fact she’d come so close.
    Neat, clean and organized, the inside of the building looked a hundred percent better than any of the stations she’d ever been to. It smelled of cinnamon and vanilla and thankfully the tiny bathroom followed suit, void of any defacement or damage.
    A few minutes later, they were cruising the aisles looking for Michael’s favorite candy bar, her nerves a bit more at ease, but her senses on high alert.
    “You ready?” A large hand grazed her shoulder blades. The gentle touch set off a flurry of confusing sensations. “We need to keep moving,” Ryan said. Then added, “In case the storm catches up with us.”
    Biting her bottom lip, she punished herself for liking his touch, his voice, his presence. She couldn’t risk trusting him too much. They needed to part ways. The sooner the better.
    “Yes, I was looking for something to keep Michael occupied.” She smiled, tilting her head for a better view of his face as he walked past. But instead of moving, he stood his ground behind her, capturing her complete attention for several seconds. What was it she saw in those amazing eyes? A silent plea? A longing to tell her