Shattered Hearts: Relentless Part 18

"Do you know him? How long have you two been together?"

"It's none of your business," I say as he stops a couple of feet away from me.

"It is my business if you're planning to stay with him. I don't want someone like that around our daughter if they grant us visitation."

"He's not a monster. He has a right to question why you're here in my apartment after what happened last week."

He takes another step forward and I take a step back, b.u.mping the backs of my legs against a box. "I don't want to talk about him," he says, taking another step forward so our faces are inches apart. "I came here for you and believe me when I say that I won't stop until I get you back." His fingers graze the side of my face and I hold my ground, unwilling to crumble for him. "Think about this. Think about what it will be like to hold her in your arms."

He kisses my forehead and leaves me with a handful of legal doc.u.ments and a heart full of questions. I don't know if this is the best or the worst news Chris could have delivered to me, but a huge part of me has never felt more grateful for him. Chris has always known exactly what I need and he's always been willing to do whatever it takes to give it to me.

I take a deep breath and grab my keys off the breakfast bar. I lock the front door and head for the beach.

I find Adam sitting near the edge of the water and he doesn't look at me as I sit next to him. I dig my hands into the warm sand and scoop up a handful. I let it fall slowly and watch as most of it is carried away on the breeze. I guess that's the way secrets are. They're only heavy when you're holding them. As soon as you let go, the significance of keeping those secrets hidden blows away and everything falls into place.

"My daughter's name is Abigail," I say, and he finally looks at me. "That's what he came to tell me. He thinks he can get his lawyer to arrange an open adoption."

"Is that what you want?"

I shrug as I wrap my arms around my knees. "I don't know if I could handle seeing her and leaving her. I've already done that before and it nearly destroyed me."

"But you wouldn't be leaving her forever this time."

We sit in silence for a long time until the sun begins to touch the horizon and Adam grabs my hand. "Come on. Let's see if the water has the answer."

He kisses my hand before he stands and pulls me up. "I love you, Claire. I'll support you whatever you choose to do. You know that, right?"

I smile as I breathe in this moment. "I do."

He pulls me toward the water and we trudge through the knee-high waves, in our clothes, until we're waist deep. A small wave crashes into me and I get a mouthful of ocean. He laughs as I spit out the salty water. Then he kisses me. The salt in my mouth mixes with the sweetness of his tongue and I can feel his smile curving against my mouth.

He pulls away as he looks into my eyes and doesn't say a word. He doesn't have to.

As soon as the sun begins to set, it seems to fall too quickly from the sky, like a heart in love. The relentless pull of love is a thousand times harder to fight than the tides. If you're lucky, you'll make it out before you drown. If you're even luckier, you're pulled under just long enough to wash away the sorrow. If you're really lucky, like me, you resurface just in time to find the one you love floating right beside you.

THE END.

Relentless Playlist.

The A Team by Ed Sheeran.

First Love by Adele It Will Rain by Bruno Mars I Need Your Love by Ellie Goulding feat. Calvin Harris.

Omega by Steve Aoki feat. Dan Sena and Missy Palmer Waiting in Vain by Bob Marley In Your Eyes (Stripped Version) by Sara Bareilles.

Heal Over by KT Tunstall Comfortable (Live Version) by John Mayer Only Exception by Paramore Last of Days by A Fine Frenzy.

Stubborn Love by The Lumineers If It Kills Me (Casa Nova Sessions) by Jason Mraz.

Breakeven by The Script Wait by M83 Listen to the playlist on YouTube.

"Relentless"

We kissed under the trees And talked about missing things.

I wish I could've held you in Held in the heat of your breath Held onto you and I at our best Memories chain me here Holding my heart prisoner Alone in this hotel room now Can't stop dreaming of your kiss Tomorrow I'll regret this Your love is relentless Holding me still.

Relentlessly dreaming Breaking my will I wish you'd come with me.

Leave it behind Just pack up your things and Say you'll be mine You said you would miss us Didn't know you could bluff.

Are you moving on already?

Sleeping in someone else's bed f.u.c.king with someone else's head I'm sinking, sinking You've got my love and my time I've got nothing, nothing Relentless love and heartache are mine You've got me, got me But I can't make this call just to find You don't want me "Sleepyhead"

Feels so wrong to want this.

You look so broken there A flicker in the mist As tired as the air.

Your head upon the pillow It's time to bury bones Outside a whispering willow The limbs fall like stones So frightened of the dark You're my sleepyhead Hiding with the stars Put your dreams to bed.

My sleepyhead.

You're my sleepyhead.

With eyes full of shadow And a mouth full of gla.s.s Gasps come so hollow Your lips taste like ash Don't waste your hours Your time don't come cheap Don't fall apart, baby Just fall asleep And I don't know why I can't kill this doubt But I promise I'll put your pain to rest If it means I never sleep again.

Acknowledgements.

I've been writing books for longer than I care to admit, but I've never had more people to thank than now. This book was my brainchild, but it was birthed through the labor of many selfless souls.

Special thanks go to my old and new beta readers: Kristin Shaw, Jordana Rodriguez, Michael Finn, Sarah Rabe, Carissa Andrews, Kim Box Person, and Sheri Zilinskas. Extra special thanks go to Sarah Rabe who fact-checked me on some important details about the foster care system. Your willingness to share your personal experience added so much depth to Claire's character and I am just so proud of the woman and friend you have become. Michael and Sheri: What can I say other than you two are what the crazy person who invented beta readers intended. There are no words to adequately describe how grateful I am for your feedback.

So much grat.i.tude and awe go to the magnificent Sarah Hansen at Okay Creations. Your professionalism made this experience painless. Your talent made this cover relentlessly breathtaking.

An enormous thank you goes out to all the book bloggers and reviewers who offered their time and expertise to a.s.sist with this book release, especially Karen Anderson at Book Crush Book Reviews. You are all so friggin' amazing. Your support of indie authors, not just me, is awe-inspiring. I hope I wasn't too difficult to work with.

There are no words to express my grat.i.tude to the many friends and family members who offered their support in so many ways during the writing of this book. You are all saints for putting up with my disappearing acts, the lack of home-cooked food, having to repeat your sentences two and three times, and my endless pleas for feedback.

And a huge thank you to all the readers who contacted me during the months I was writing Relentless. Your enthusiasm and kindness motivated me to get through one of the most hectic deadlines of my career. Your support has made my childhood dream of being a professional author a reality! I love you all so much and hope you all continue to get in touch with me often.

Other books by Ca.s.sia Leo.

LUKE Series (Erotic Romance).

CHASE Series (Erotic Romance).

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About The Author.

Ca.s.sia Leo loves her coffee, chocolate, and margaritas with salt. When she's not writing, she spends way too much time watching old reruns of Friends and s.e.x and the City. When she's not watching reruns, she's usually enjoying the California suns.h.i.+ne or reading-sometimes both.

Ca.s.sia Leo.

Visit me at my personal website, www.ca.s.sialeo.com, or click the links below.

Luke - erotic series.

Chase - erotic series Relentless - romance novel.

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Billionaire Novelist (Typist) - erotic series Kissing Coach - romance novel Losing It - After a Day at the Beach - romance short.

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