Soul Betrayed by Katlyn Duncan Read Free Book Online Page A

near me made my heart race.
    “What did he do to you?” Father asked.
    I inhaled and let go of my breath slowly. It was something the midwife taught me in preparation for labor, a calming mechanism. The last thing I needed now was stress. Not when I was this close to getting everything I wanted.
    My own family.
    “You’re prepared to leave everyone behind?”
    I turned to him, my hand sliding across the smooth wood. “I am prepared to do what it takes to get what I want.”
    “What of Tristan?”
    “What of him?” I yelled, not caring who heard. “Do you even know what goes on under your own roof? The deceit, the lies.” I shook my head, not willing to touch on that part of my life that I had let go.
    “You will deprive your child of a father? Its actual father?”
    I absently rubbed my belly. “Like I said, I will do what it takes.”
    “Jackson has failed you,” Father murmured.
    “Actually he hasn’t,” I said. “I’ve never felt as if I truly belonged until I met him.”
    Father pulled his hand across his beard. “You’re young. You both have duties that are independent from each other. You will never be together in the way you want. If he was here right now, I’m sure this isn’t what he’d want for you.”
    My gaze snapped up to him. “What do you mean if he was here right now?”
    Father clenched his jaw. “Jackson’s been reassigned.”
    My throat closed up, making it hard to breathe. “But he stopped appearing to me. That was the deal. Why would you take him away from me?” My voice rose. The baby chose that moment to wake from its slumber and roll around, adding to the fire that burned inside of me. My life was spiraling out of control. I’d lost my husband to my sister and now I’d lost the love of my life. Father would have gone to extreme lengths to keep us apart.
    “Believe it or not,” Father said, with no hint of regret, “he asked for the reassignment.”
    “You’re lying!” I spat.
    Father sighed and shook his head.
    My skin flushed as an emptiness in my heart spread across my chest. I darted toward Father until we were face to face. “Tell me you are lying.”
    His gaze fell onto mine, his eyes distant.
    I blinked back the haze that started to settle on the edge of my vision as I waited for his response.
    “If you continue on this path,” he said softly, “you will not be able to fulfill your destiny.”
    What did that mean? I brushed off the question, a bigger one burning inside of me. A frustrated sob broke past my lips. “Just tell me where he is.”
    Father turned from me. “When you start thinking of others instead of yourself, maybe I will tell you.”
    I grabbed father’s arm and squeezed. The pressure made my hand ache but I couldn’t stop myself. Something deep inside of me had snapped. “You will regret this,” I threatened.
    Father turned to me, his mouth pressed in a hard line. “The only thing I regret is not separating you sooner.”
    We both stood our ground, facing each other, neither backing down.
    Tristan appeared in the doorway, his eyebrows raised. “Is everything okay in here?”
    Father spun on his heel, facing my husband. “Everything is fine.” Father patted Tristan on the back as he brushed by him. “Good night.” He turned to me one last time just as my peripheral vision clouded, splintering the memory as I rocketed back to the present.
    ***
    I awoke lying on the plush love seat in my father’s study. I tried to sit up but the room tilted again. Gingerly I placed my head on the pillow and squeezed my eyes shut, taking several controlled breaths before making the decision to try again. As I reached a seated position the door to the study opened, revealing my father holding a tray with Cooper close behind him, the tightness of his jaw slackening when he saw me awake.
    Pulling my fingers through my hair, I twisted it around my fingers and pushed it off my flushed neck. I fought down the nausea churning in my stomach. One of the