What the Heart Desires

Chapter 2-2

Heaven stuffed the last of her clothes inside her suitcase and jerked the zipper around the edges. She hadn’t been in Brightsville for a month and was already leaving. Nate’s arrival compromised the safety she’d found in her childhood home. Yet living on the run was taking its toll on her mind and her body.

Something had to give. She couldn’t keep running once the baby was born. They’d come close to losing their lives in Cleveland, especially Layne. Now that Dylan had injured his father, God only knew what lay ahead.

As she refocused on the suitcase, she tugged the handle and slid it toward the edge of the bed. It hit the floor with a thud, but it didn’t have the impact she wanted, the impact that represented her frustration.

“Did you get everything?” Hope’s voice traveled across the bedroom from the doorway where she stood.

Heaven nodded and scanned the room again. They’d been living out of a suitcase for months. There wasn’t much to leave behind except a piece of clothing or a shoe. She’d double-checked every room.

“Isn’t it sad?” Heaven said. “My life has to fit inside a suitcase. There’s no more room in this one. Once I have the baby…”

Her throat closed from the lump forming.

Hope approached slowly. “This is about more than leaving Brightsville. Tell me what’s bothering you.”

“I should be decorating a nursery and razzing you or Chelsea about planning my baby shower.” Heaven’s voice shook. “Instead, I’m bouncing between countries and states to stay alive and protect my child.”

Hope patted her arm and then sat on the foot of the bed. “We’ll still do those things. For now, focus on your safety. If Nate’s men are lurking, they won’t stay long once they realize you’re gone. They’ll search elsewhere, someplace obvious, and it’s not the place you’re going.”

Heaven couldn’t argue. Although going deep into the hills of Kentucky wasn’t her first choice, it seemed the best one. Blending with thousands of people in a populated city sounded more ideal, but The Fallen would search those cities first.

“I don’t want you to go, either,” Hope said. “I worry about you and my niece. The only thing getting me through this is knowing Dylan and Layne will protect you. They won’t let anything happen.”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

“Don’t you agree?”

Heaven rolled the suitcase toward the door and snorted. “Those two can’t stand each other. The only reason they’re behaving now is because of what Layne did to protect me.”

“At least you have them. Our sister doesn’t have her soulmate or her Keeper. Hell, I don’t even have my Keeper.”

“Don’t rush to find him. Trust me. It will confound you once you do.”

Rolling the suitcase behind her, she left the bedroom and entered the hallway that led to the living room. Hope cut her off after a few steps.

“Are you saying you wish you didn’t know Layne?”

“No, but… You know about the affinity bond, so I’m assuming Mom explained it, right?”

Hope nodded. “It sounds complicated.”

“My affinity with Layne affects me in ways I don’t understand.”

“Trust me, sis, I know. I sense auras. Remember? I know he has powerful feelings for you. He has for a long time, but I didn’t realize it was mutual.”

“Beg your pardon?”

Hope’s eyes swept over her face before shifting to the floor. Regret played in her energy for saying anything at all, but it didn’t compare to her frustration. “I know the truth, Heaven. You’re attracted to Layne. If Dylan weren’t in the picture, you’d be with your Keeper.”

The rapid beat of Heaven’s heart reverberated in her temples. She stared at her sister, speechless. No matter how much she contested, the truth was undeniable. An attraction existed between her and Layne, and if Hope had sensed it, she wasn’t the only one.