MINE

Hogan & June

Hogan and June's story includes:
Quick read
Abduction Romance
Age Gap
Light dubious consent
Instant love
Grumpy/Sunshine
Virgin h
HEA

"Shh.." I begged, my lips brushing against the baby's soft head. Her soft whimpers tugged at my heart strings, as I knew she was hungry.

It was a struggle just to find the right formula that wouldn't upset her stomach so much. Anger built inside of me at my older sister, she left me with nothing other than a note that that said she wouldn't be coming back and a visa prepaid card with $63.00 on it.

Three weeks ago, my estranged older sister called me out of the blue begging for my help. I lived a few towns over with my foster family, I had been praying for an early way out for years and my sister calling seemed to be the answer I had been looking for.

The Gray family cared little about me, they were a grossly obese family, living a life of luxury through thievery and manipulation. Mr. Gray stole money from his employer's million-dollar company while Mrs. Gray stole packages off people's porches for extra income. Their son, Jimmy was on his way to becoming their perfect little minion. While he got anything and everything under the sun, I got a bed in the basement. In exchange for that, I was dressed in pretty clothes and paraded around as their 'adopted daughter' or as Mr. Gray liked to say, "The girl they saved from her drug addicted mother". I was kept skinny, and sickly looking, which I believe was their way to get more attention from others. My hair was always pulled back tight, minimum make up, but I was dressed like a doll in fancy floral patterns to each overrated event they dragged me too. They always enjoyed reminded people my little ten-year-old body was found inside a crack house covered in my own feces and blood because my mama tied me to the kitchen table when she went out one night.

Unfortunately, she forgot to come back and three days later someone finally called the cops after being sick of my cries for help. Two years after that I was out of the foster system and officially adopted by the Gray's.

Now as I stood in the grocery store, rocking my abandoned niece against my small frame I fought the tears that threatened to spill.  Yesterday I woke up, thinking my sister, I and the baby would celebrate my eighteenth birthday together. Instead, I found a note written on the back of my bus ticket that said, "I can't do this. Don't go after me, I won't be back."  The receipt wrapped around the prepaid visa card said it should have $63.00 left on it, but the worst thing she left me was the two-week eviction notice stamped on her apartment door.

The formula I needed stared back at me with the price tag that would only leave me with a few dollars left on the card plus the twenty dollars I managed to swipe from my foster mom's purse before I took off.  Wrong, I know but I saw the opportunity. I'm not entirely sure if I really regret stealing form her.

With a sigh I grabbed the formula and forced my feet towards the cashier, somehow feeling that if I stayed in the store a little longer, reality wouldn't set in as fast.

Luna cooed softly against my chest; she was wrapped in one of those baby scarf carrier things. Thankfully the woman in the apartment next door caught me before I left and helped me readjust it properly. That was after she reprimanded me for not having her in a car seat or stroller.

I wanted to tell her that this baby wasn't mine, but all things considered, she was mine now. I wasn't going to abandon her.  She was my family.

"I'm sorry, but your card is declining."

Immediately I felt like I was drowning, my face hurt as a dozen needles pricked around my eyes and my lips trembled as I fought composure. I felt myself tug Luna tighter against me, my sisters betrayal becoming fresh all over again.