Breaking Free Together

By JL Davis

She was his parole officer. He was her parolee. Their attraction led to a forbidden love that couldn’t be given up. Not for anything.

Brooke struggles with the stress, the fear, and the recent changes in her life. While Cole tries to figure out how to help her, protect her, and keep himself from going back to prison in the process.

When the past continues to show up unexpectedly, attempting to wreak havoc in their lives, all of their truths must be laid bare, and not only theirs.

Can they fight the battles ahead, lay their pasts to rest, and break free, together?

• Language: English
• Publisher: JL Davis
• Release date: Dec 2, 2019
• ISBN: 9781370018499

JL Davis

JL started reading when the fifty shades phenomenon happened a few years ago. She has read hundreds of books since then and had a story playing around in her head for quite some time. She finally got up the courage one day, started writing, and published it months later. There will be many more to come. She loves writing and living her dream! She enjoy gardening, but hates pulling weeds, camping, spending time with friends and family. She has a major Starbucks addiction along with Dove chocolates while writing.

Book preview

It all happened so fast, unfolded right before my eyes in the rearview mirror. And after the initial shock wore off, I could see it more clearly as I replayed the incident in my head.

While Cole and I waited in the alley, we heard Barry’s car approaching. My heart felt as if it would beat right out of my chest. I was completely terrified as I jumped in my SUV and he quickly sped away, tires squealing and leaving the smell of burnt rubber in the air. I followed closely behind Cole.

Barry followed closely behind us for the next several miles. He jerked the wheel erratically, speeding up beside us. The crazy look on his face as he glanced over at us reminded me of when I was being hit by him. When he saw a truck coming toward him, he overcorrected and lost control, driving up onto the guard rail behind us at a high rate of speed. He flipped a total of three times before the car came to a stop, landing on its side.

Cole turned around when he found a spot a short distance ahead, and I followed him back to the scene. I eventually called 9-1-1 after Cole convinced me it was the right thing to do. Was it, though? I mean, morally yes, it was the right thing to do, the godly thing to do even, but morals went right out the window a long time ago where Barry was concerned.

Seeing him unconscious, bleeding, and completely helpless, I feel absolutely nothing. I’m no longer scared, and I definitely don’t feel sorry for him, not even one bit as he lies there possibly dying. I call this karma. After each beating, I packed my bags with the intent to leave, but I never did. Barry would apologize, promise to change, and promise to give me the world while begging at my feet. He would do better for a few days once it was even for a few months but he always returned to his old ways. I’m happy to be here and to bear witness as he’s dished some of the karma that was reserved especially for him.

The dispatcher said not to move him in any way until help arrived. He also suggested to turn any vehicle hazard lights on around the scene to warn any on-coming traffic before they reach the scene of the accident. We don’t need any innocent people getting hurt because of Barry going ballistic. I’d say his anger issues aren’t under control at all, unless I’m a trigger for him. He’s definitely mine.

I’m moving around in a fog. It doesn’t feel real, this situation, and I’m not sure what else I should do. I can’t believe Barry is back, but could also be leaving just as fast. I’m not sure that I hope he even makes it through this. I don’t even know that I would be upset if the worst did happen. Would it be the worst? He’s a horrible person and capable of just about anything.

Barry has a lot on us. He could send Cole back to prison and could possibly send me for my first stay. I can’t go to prison. I’d be the steak in a lion’s cage at feeding time. I also can’t pee around others, not even girlfriends. I just can’t do it. I’ve never been comfortable enough with anyone, especially Barry.

I can finally hear sirens in the distance, quickly approaching. It’s felt like hours of waiting when I know it hasn’t been but maybe thirty minutes.

Let me do the talking, okay? I ask, and give Cole a weak smile, attempting to not belittle him. He nods his approval as the ambulance pulls up diagonally across the road, blocking anyone who might attempt to pass.

We meet the paramedics at the back of the ambulance as they unload the gurney.

What happened? One man looks at Cole and then at me when he doesn’t respond.

He came up behind us around that curve. I point back in the direction we came from. He overcorrected and road up onto the guard rail. I believe it flipped three times.

You haven’t moved him? he asks as he pries the door open. It doesn’t open far enough to free him from the car.

Until fire and rescue arrive with the jaws of life to cut the door off, the paramedic checks Barry’s vitals, then cleans the wound on his forehead and bandages it up. He then holds his head securely while the other paramedic wraps a brace around his neck.

The fire truck arrives a few minutes later and cuts the door off to free Barry from the wreckage. It took about twenty minutes, and the police helped as much as possible. I can see the fear and the anxiety radiating from Cole. The police make him very uncomfortable, even though he’s really done nothing in this instance. He’s stayed mostly on the sidelines, as a stranger to me, merely a witness who was driving in front of me.

I give the police my recollection of the event. Cole in turn, tells basically the same story, maybe with fewer details from his vantage point. We each write out a statement and go our separate ways. I even leave a few seconds after him to make it that much more believable.

I drive away not knowing Barry’s condition. The ambulance left with him only a few minutes before we were free to go. Selfishly, I’m worried he will turn us in. I’m not sure what his intentions were when he came after us. I can imagine this wasn’t the outcome he was going for, since it wasn’t me leaving in the ambulance, which I’m thankful for. This could’ve been much worse. I could be the one fighting for my life once again because of Barry’s actions. This time it’s him feeling the pain. He feels what he’s made me feel more times than I can keep track of. I’d tried so hard to put those memories in a box in the back of my mind, but seeing him again has brought them all back as if it were yesterday.

About a mile up the road, I see Cole pulled off on the shoulder. As I approach, he gets back onto the road and I follow behind him.

It’s been almost a week and a half since the accident. I still haven’t heard a single thing about Barry’s condition. I called and pretended to be his sister, but because she wasn’t one of his emergency contacts, the nurse wasn’t at liberty to give me any information.

I thought about just showing up at the hospital and pretending I was a concerned friend, so I could see for myself, but that would be ridiculous. There’s no way I could stand to be alone with him in a room that small. He could be awake now, and I’m not taking a chance of pissing him off again. I don’t know what the severity of his injuries are, if he even made it through that night. I do know that he looked awfully pale when they wheeled him away, and still unconscious.

On my last day at work, I peeked around through Barry’s file downstairs in the PR department, and I was lucky I didn’t get caught. He seems to be a legit parole officer as of about two years ago. That was disappointing and didn’t settle the uneasy feeling I have about him being Cole’s new parole officer, if he is, in fact, still alive. That would be the million-dollar question.

I continue on as if it’s just another week, like I hadn’t witnessed someone I’ve hated for so long nearly bleed to death. I didn’t allow it to postpone my plans. I resigned right on schedule. A fill-in has been assigned until Barry’s able to work again, if that’s even a possible option. The fill-in seems to be a nice enough woman. She may even be too nice, but who am I to judge? I showed her the office and tried my best to bring her up to speed on the daily operations and how I worked with each parolee. I also warned her about the parolees to be extra careful with when alone with them in her office. It’s a scary job at times. You just never know.

I left my work cell on the desk for her, and on my way home I bought a new one. The first thing I did was text Cole to give him my new number, and he immediately called me. I love talking to him on the phone. His voice is so deep, so thick, and he relaxes me. I can’t wait to lay in bed and talk to him for hours. I can’t wait for us to be like a normal couple.

I start my online courses next week and they can’t come soon enough. I need this distraction. I need to take my mind off everything that’s happened recently. I want to forget the terrible memories that keep recurring in my head; I have so much to look forward to and be happy about right now. I’m following my dream to truly help people. That’s all I want to do; if I only reach one person, it will have been worth it to me. I can’t allow the past to come back and torture me now. I need a better focus. I need to occupy my time until classes begin. Cole can help with that in many enjoyable ways.

I spoke with my father earlier in the week to find out what in the world Barry was doing there that night and to see if he’d heard anything about Barry’s condition, but he hadn’t heard anything either. He did apologize for him being there and swore that Barry showed up unannounced. My father said he tried to hurry his surprise visit, knowing that I was arriving at any time. He didn’t mention anything about Cole being my parolee after Barry blurted it out at the dinner table. I was relieved and grateful.

I think my mother’s newfound sense of self felt sorry for Barry. He manipulated her and she tried to make the best of the situation, but only she benefited from it. If she’d been thinking about me, she would have made him leave the moment they answered the door. She did the complete opposite and allowed him into their home. Somehow, in my mother’s mind, she thought that we’d enjoy a meal with my new boyfriend, along with the man who beat me and tried to kill me in the past.

Since our relationship has been outed, and with Barry in the hospital, Cole and I have been on pins and needles for days now. The not knowing what will happen is driving us both crazy. We’ve been meeting up at the gym every evening after he gets off work since the accident. It helps to work off some of the worry and the aggravation this has brought on for the both of us. We were so close to getting away with being together, finally free. Now I’m just not so sure.

I’m meeting Cole at the gym this evening and then I’ll be proposing that he come home with me afterward. I’m no longer working for the state, and it boils down to Barry’s word against ours with regards to mine and Cole’s relationship. I’m willing to take that risk, for now. At least until I know if he’s alive or dead, and then I’ll reconsider the best way to handle the situation.

I pull into the parking lot just as Cole steps out of his truck. He’s wearing black gym shorts and a tank that shows off his massive arms. I pull into the spot beside him with a smile on my face. Just seeing him makes me feel better and safer. Cole stands on the curb waiting for me to get out, looking so sexy, almost painfully so, and with zero effort on his part. He’s just standing there. I give him a smile, not able to look away, and can’t help but bite my bottom lip as I finally do step out and walk over to him.

As I approach him, Cole gives me his panty-dropping smile, the smile that exposes the little dimple under his eye, and the one just above his cheekbone that drives me crazy. I force myself to use every ounce of restraint I have to keep from jumping into his arms right now, wrapping my legs around his waist, and kissing him like there’s no tomorrow. That would be the perfect scene if this were a movie, but it’s not and I can’t kiss him at all. Not yet.

Hi, gorgeous, Cole says as his eyes glide down the length of my body. A small moan escapes him and then his face crumbles dramatically. He looks pained and grabs his chest as we walk toward the building.

Hey, handsome. I giggle, blushing over his antics.

Did you miss me? he pouts.

Of course I did. I missed every single part of you, I tease as my eyes travel down his body.

As we reach the door, I grab Cole’s arm before we go inside. Would you come home with me tonight? I ask nervously. If he says yes, this will be the first time he’s stayed at my house. I’m excited, yet terrified. I hope he doesn’t find any of my quirkiness annoying.

I thought you’d never ask. He winks before he opens the door and motions me past him.

Great. I’m looking forward to a nice, relaxing, hot shower once we’re finished up here.

I can for sure assist you with that. He waggles his brows at me. Where would you like to start this evening? he asks enthusiastically as he looks around the room.

I glance around, unsure exactly where I want to begin. I need to stretch my quads before we do anything extensive. I’m still sore from our workout the night before last. We raced on the treadmill and I ran three miles in under thirty-five minutes. That was a personal best for me and it’s why my legs are already killing me, but I won’t admit that to Cole. He’d most likely give me grief about it. I have to keep up my kick-ass persona after all. When it comes to working out, I won’t show weakness.

Let’s start out with a good stretch then. I’ll be right behind you. Cole winks and smiles, that dimple showing.

I give him the side-eye and poke out my bottom lip as we walk to a clear space for the two of us. We could skip the work out and go to my house, I say jokingly. I’m not sure that he’s following me.

Cole gives me a blank stare. Why are we even here then? He laughs. They say that sex is the best workout there is.

Oh yeah? Who’s ‘they’? I tease, curious of these people he speaks of. I’m not so sure they’d be correct. Granted, sex is a workout. It’s not as strenuous as, let’s say, a marathon, perhaps. I arch my brows at his ridiculousness. He’s so freaking adorable.

Are you making fun of me, Brooke? Cole scowls at me. You know, people. You’re telling me you’ve never heard that before?

I’m not saying that. I’m saying it’s false. I snub my nose at him as we walk to my SUV.

I’ll have to make a believer out of you then, won’t I? He claps and opens my door for me.

I guess so. I smile. I’ll see you there. He closes my door for me and I pull away.

On my way home I have several scenarios going through my head of how our first night together in my home will be. I see many hours spent in the bedroom. I see us showering together, him washing my hair and my body. Maybe the two of us cuddled on the couch together, watching a movie.

I can’t get there fast enough. Lately, working out hasn’t been quite enough to take care of what’s been building deep inside of me. We’ve not had any phone and bone meetings since the accident. Neither of us have made a move to do so. I’m overdue. I just figured with the recent events, his head hasn’t been in it either.

As I follow closely behind Brooke, I can feel the excitement building inside meinside my gym shorts to be more specific. I’m like a teenage boy hurrying to meet his girlfriend before her parents make it home. My heartrate picks up with each passing mile. I’m happy to finally be going home with her. I’ll get to see where she lives, how she lives, and what helps to make her, her.

As I pull into the parking lot of her apartment building, I’m