Stone (The Forbidden Love Series Book 1) Read Free Page B

The doors opened automatically, squeaking slowly as the trail to the bench that he sat seemed like a mile long. A long and winding road to nowhere, that’s how it felt. I struggled with the kids, trying to keep them together, trying to keep them quiet. I glanced towards the bench and there he was, sitting with his hands clutched together like they always were every time I came to visit him. He was clean shaven and had gotten a new haircut really closely cut to his head. His deep blue eyes were filled with love when he saw us. The look I longed for, ached for, every time I stepped into these godforsaken walls. I’ve done this walk every weekend for five years now and each time it felt as if it were the first time I laid my eyes on him. I was here as an adult. On my own. Without my grandmother.
         It’s been a month though, since I saw him last. Now that my grandmother refuses to take me, I had to come up with bus fare. Bryan got sick and I spent my bus money on the doctor visit and asthma medication they gave him leaving me broke.
         Our eyes met as I approached the table and the butterflies in my stomach swirled around making my heart pound against my chest. I swallowed hard, my throat dry and scratchy from the long ride here. I slid my tongue slightly over my lips to quench them without him noticing. As I approached him, his facial features changed from love to anger. His forehead creased and his eyebrows furrowed. I knew he would be mad that I was dressed like this. He wouldn’t understand that I’d rather spend the little money I had left to see him… not wash clothes . I’ll have to wash them by hand in the sink when I get home.
        His eyes perused the room, watching the perverted stares of the other inmates undress me slowly as their mouths watered. He glared at them, throwing daggers straight at them between their eyes every chance he got. I approached him slowly with Bryan on my hip and Daniel glued to my hand. Bryan was the oldest, but was sickly and so attached to me, I always had to carry him everywhere we went. Alyssa was in the carrier strapped on my back. I felt like an octopus. I needed more hands than I had, and I was struggling to hold it together.
    “Did you have to come dressed like a whore Maddie?” he whispered.
    “I didn’t have anything else to wear. Here, help me, grab Alyssa. I almost broke my back carrying her.” I handed him Alyssa and he smiled, kissing her forehead before Bryan and Daniel jumped on him as if he were a human bouncy house.
    “Sit. I’m sorry.” He noticed the tears that formed in my eyes. “It’s just that…well…look at these vultures. They check you out, then when we go back, I have to fuck somebody up for calling you names or saying that they want to fuck you.” He whispered staring at the other inmates. He didn’t understand I didn’t care. I had to go through a lot of shit to come up here to see him, not because I had to, but because I wanted to. I needed to see him. “By the way, happy birthday.” he said softly. I smiled without noticing and then I realized it when our eyes met and he was staring at me. Just him looking at me stirs up something I know I shouldn’t feel. I’ve felt this way ever since I met him when I was eleven years old, and I just can’t shake that funny feeling in my stomach when I’m around him.
    “How’s your grandmother?” he said with a sting of sarcasm.
    “She’s okay. I guess.”  I hesitated to answer. I know how much he hates her.
    “So what’s up?” he patted Bryan’s head and gave Daniel a kiss on the forehead. Then he reached out and touched my hand, slipping something underneath my palm. There goes that touch. The slightest touch that lights me on fire and burns a hole through my soul. We sat staring at each other for a brief moment, like we did the first day we met. I lost my breath, then glanced at my hand as he slid his hand away from mine, gently trailing his last two fingers along the