Unstoppable Force (Force of Nature Series) by Kathi S. Barton Page B

forbid you to have
contact with her.”
    Connor wasn’t sure he could do that, but
nodded anyway. He looked over the house again and decided that he’d have to
have someone else finish it. And quickly. He turned to his brother. “I have
the funds to do this now, but not…do you have some of the names of the
companies that finished up the houses this summer? I need to get this completed
now instead of fucking around like I’ve been doing.”
    “I think I can help you out there.” Austin stretched
and so did Connor. “I was hoping you’d put up more of a fight. I was all
prepared to kick your ass a few times. Disappointed in you, little brother.”
    Connor was sure he meant in the fight
they’d not had, but he was also disappointed in himself. He’d done his mate a
great disservice. He’d left her. Connor knew that his intentions were good,
just not sound. When he and Austin took off toward the woods, Connor decided
that starting tonight, he’d make sure his mate was taken care of. And taken
care of by him.
    ~~~
    Lou walked around the cell again. She
wasn’t hanging onto the walls as much as she had been and felt pretty proud of
herself. Of course she hurt like hell and she did trip up over the pain on
occasion, but she was getting stronger. It had taken her longer to heal this
time, but she knew that lying around waiting wasn’t going to get her to the
point where she could run again.
    Lying down on the small cot, she covered
up with the thin blanket. The one at the Force house had been nicer, warmer,
but she hadn’t wanted to get used to the luxury. She knew that it was simply a
matter of time before she’d be released and then out on her own again. She did
feel bad about the woman, Mrs. Force. The woman had cried when she’d left.
    Lou remembered her own mother. She had
been beautiful. But when she’d looked at her, she never looked anything but
disappointed. And embarrassed. Her parents had been ashamed of what she could
do. She remembered the last night she’d been their daughter…
    “You aren’t to let a single person know
what a monstrosity you are. You keep your hands in your pockets and your mouth
shut. Do you hear me?”
    “Yes, ma’am.” Lou had been all of four,
but had known then that what she could do was something no one else could do. “I
won’t touch anyone.”
    “See that you don’t.” Her mother had
jerked her arm hard and glared right in her face. “If I hear one single word
about what you know about someone I will put you up for adoption so fast you
won’t be able to take any of those pretty things in your room with you.”
    Lou had nodded. As the first guest
arrived, Lou found herself a corner and sat on her hands. She didn’t even move
when she was told dinner was ready and waiting until everyone was in the large
dining room.
    She knew that her parents only let her
eat with them because they wanted to show people how wonderful they were. She’d
had the best clothes, the best books, and furniture. They had even made sure
when the time was right she was going to the best schools. But even the best of
everything couldn’t have stopped what had happened.
    She had reached for the glass of water
when so had the man sitting next to her. He’d wrapped his larger hand around
hers and she felt the connection snap into place. It only took seconds for what
he’d done, what he’d been doing for a long time, to run though her mind and
before she knew it, she was screaming. Then everything blacked out.
    When she opened her eyes her mother was
slapping her cheeks. Her face was angry red and tears stained her face. Lou had
thought in that moment that her mother was worried so she’d reached out to
touch her cheek. To assure her that she was fine. But her mother had slapped
her hand away and recoiled from her.
    “You monster.”
    Lou lay there, stunned.
    “What the hell were you doing? I told
you, I explained to you that you were not to touch anyone. Didn’t I?” Before
Lou could