Breaking Free

Chapter 40

Taylor's POV

"What do you want to know?"

We're sitting at a table in the hospitals little coffee nook. I clutch my drink as if it tethers me here, and without it I'd float away into the abyss.

"Everything," Ariel replies.

"You have to be specific than that," I chuckle, taking a sip.

"Okay- why have I never met you," she asks, turning her head to the side slightly. My gaze falls to the floor when I think about how I've had a sister this whole time and never known. I feel like my parents robbed me of the chance to know her.

"You know those men who kidnapped you?" I question. She nods her head, confused. "One of them was an escaped serial killer. The other was his partner. The only reason Clint, the escaped one, was ever put in jail was because someone gave an anonymous tip, and he found out who it was. It was our parents."

She opens her mouth to interrupt, but I just keep going on.

"The police told them they needed to fake their death and relocate, taking a new name. They didn't want to leave me, by they were convinced it was best. They planned to give custody to the Stone's, but the paperwork got lost or something because I got tossed into the foster system. And that is why you've never met me," I inform, a melancholy tone to my voice.

"I'm so sorry," she whispers, after a beat of silence. "I can't believe they'd do that."

"It's in the past," I state, combing my hands through my hair. "Everything worked out all right."

My voice is strained as I say it. Because everything didn't turn out all right. In fact, it turned out horrible. My life is hell right now.

Carter

I push his name into the corner of my mind, focusing on my conversation with my sister.

"My turn- where do you live," I ask, jabbing my finger in her direction.

"We live in Ocala, Florida. There are a ton of horses everywhere there- but I've never rode before," she replies, scanning the floor with her eyes.

"You don't like horses?"

"No I do!" she answers loudly. "It's just- Mom and Dad always get sad when anyone mentions horses. I didn't want to make them sad."

Her crestfallen expression causes my heart to sink a little. Poor Ariel- though it's not like I've had the easiest life either.

"My turn," she states, looking up at me. "Tell me more about Carter. How did you meet him, how long have you known him, et cetera."

"That, would take a very long time Ariel," I chuckle. My breath hitches when I see the person standing behind her.

"Jake," I sweetly state, an edge of tension on my voice. "I'm having a conversation with my sister. Please get the hell away from me."

He looks at me sadly and sighs.

"It's Carter. They think you should come up now," he grimly states.

My heart stops as I stand to my feet, mumbling an apology to Ariel.

My feet pound the floor, leaving Jake and Ariel in the dust. I don't bother taking the elevator because I know I won't be able to stand still.

Each step I take up the stairs makes the dread in my stomach grow bigger and bigger.

When I finally reach the right floor, I sprint down the hallways, narrowly avoiding knocking people over.

"What happened? What's wrong?" I question, tears springing to my eyes once I spot the nurse in charge of monitoring Carter.

"Oh honey," she whispers, placing a hand on my shoulder. I close my eyes and brace myself for the worst news possible.

"He woke up."

A/N

I know you're going to be mad at me for the cliffhanger but I'm sort of bleh right now and I want the chapter where they are reunited to be very good and I'm not at my best right now. I am just so tired of everything right now.

Oh, and I don't get to go riding today. I go riding once a week on Fridays and I didn't get to go today because no one could drive me. I am so extremely frustrated.

Oh, and my grades are slipping and I'm trying so hard and studying and they're slipping anyway.

I'm so unbelievably bleh.

Peace Out