Restricted Love

By Renee Lee Fisher

Imprisoning the heart is a true injustice.
Kade has served his time. The separation from Autumn was painful.
Now the roles are reversed. The distance, sadness and loneliness keeping them apart once more.
Will they ever get the freedom to be together, with more than a moment of monitored visitation?
The crime here is RESTRICTED LOVE.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Renee Lee Fisher
• Release date: Sep 20, 2020
• ISBN: 9781005776442

Renee Lee Fisher

USA TODAY Bestselling Author Renee Lee Fisher has the passion to put the pen to the paper and WRITE/CREATE. She is truly a romance junkie who loves to tell stories. She has written a variety of romantic works from novellas to novels. Her belief is that everyone should Indulge in LOVE.The first four of The Heartbeat Series of six planned Romance Novels. ROCK NOTES, LOVE NOTES, MUSIC NOTES, FIRST BEAT are completed and available. FIRST BASS and FIRST TASTE are yet to come.The Crossing Series (The Knot Hole, The Passage and The Muse) will take you on an endearing time travel romance from present day to centuries past.If you love a Suspense Romance - read Derailed. It is a sweet suspense that stands alone.Looking ahead, there will be many more romantic scenarios to come.Renee resides in Eagleville, PA with her loving husband Michael of many years and her cats Leo and Lincoln. She love to travel often and engage in meeting new people who provide her with future inspiration for stories.

Book preview

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Prelude

I was only twelve when I first had a taste of Autumn. Not the fall season that was just ending, only noted by a few remaining burnt orange and deep red leaves scattered on the dead grass that my heavy boots walked over, but I’m talking about Autumn, as in Autumn Henley. Who says a twelve-year-old in the sixth grade couldn’t fall in love? I was only eight when I first saw her, and have loved her since then. Not everyone was lucky enough to feel that way at such a young age, but looking back in time, I knew what I had always felt for Autumn, and it never changed through the passing years.

Both of us growing up in Hotchkiss, Colorado, we often teased in school that our town’s name was like a hot kiss, watch us kiss, or I got the kiss. I know I did indeed finally receive that romantic kiss from the only one I wanted in our town … Autumn.

* * *

My lips pressed to hers as my eyelids involuntarily closed when I tasted her soft, sweet lips. Being a very curious teen, I imagined our first kiss a thousand times, but this felt a billion times better. I felt the spark, the softness of her lips to mine. It was like I was diving into a refreshing pool. I wanted to sink my tongue deeper. I craved more of her; my mouth opened farther, and she responded to my pursuit. I was going to devour her, but then I felt a hand yank me from her. Our lips were torn apart. My tongue still hung out, savoring the last succulent moment. It was a vigorous tug on my right shoulder, pulling us apart instantly. Our homeroom teacher soon moved us away from one another and abruptly ended our first kiss in the school hallway. Even in that moment, I knew that I would never forget how sweet she tasted. I would one day, forever have Autumn as mine. My girlfriend, my wife … an endless part of my life. That may sound dramatic, but for me it was truthful. She was everything for me, and I could see our days ahead together, kissing obviously many more times.

Miss Autumn Henley, get in the classroom right now! And you, Kade Garrett, head to the principal’s office immediately. Once a troublemaker, always a troublemaker, Mr. Pearson yelled as his finger pointed me to the direction of the principal’s office.

As my feet strode down the long, putty-grey tiled floor, I didn’t have a care to where I was heading even if it meant the hardest punishment. My first kiss with Autumn was all that mattered, and as I sat in the principal’s office, seeing his lips moving, I wasn’t hearing a single word he was saying. The principal’s hands were on his hips as he huffed more and more toward me. I kept playing the kiss over in my mind. It was only for a few seconds, but it sure felt like it lasted an hour. So quickly life can throw you a curve—I crashed from being in heaven to being here in Principal Lawson’s office. Not quite hell, but still I was being held.

Kade! Kade! Principal Lawson yelled out my name, jarring me back to reality. Are you listening to me?

Yes, sir, I answered, and straightened my seating position. I also knew to wipe the smile off my face from thinking of Autumn. Principal Lawson would think I wasn’t taking his verbal ass whipping seriously, even though I was, but I had greater thoughts in mind.

I hope you understand that your behavior is not permitted in the hallway of this school. You are here to learn, not to chase girls around. You will only ruin your future if you don’t stop this. This should be the last time I get such a report about you. You’re just twelve years old, and you have a lifetime ahead of you for girls and dating. There is a time for everything. Might I add while you are here in this school your attention should be focused on one thing and that is learning. His eyebrows scrunched, and his eyes were peering sternly at me.

I didn’t care about anything he was saying, all I cared about was Autumn. I wondered when I would see her again, and better yet get the opportunity to kiss her. I wanted to tell the principle I was learning … and excelling where the matter of Autumn was concerned. My heart was indeed getting a lesson learned. One of love. I heard Principal Lawson mention dating, but for me there would be no other to date, Autumn was the one.

I’m going to have to call your mother. You can’t keep being so mischievous in school.

At this point, my body tensed, and I folded my hands together. This was serious shit. I really cared about what he was saying. If Principal Lawson called my mom, that was going to spell doom for me. Not because she would be mad, but because my stepfather would beat the living daylights out of me. I needed to try to prevent that at all cost.

So instinctively, I sprung up from my seat and knelt, begging the principal. My hands rubbed against each other. Sir, please don’t tell my mom. I promise to change! I’m sorry, I will never repeat my actions of kissing in the hallway. I don’t know what came over me. I will be a better student.

My eyes attempted to make instant fake tears to begin streaming down my cheeks. I could enable that real emotion so quickly with just the thought of the pain I felt from my stepfather’s hands. It had me mentally broken.

Get up, young man, and wipe your eyes, Principal Lawson said. If I hear one more, just one more negative report about you, I’m involving your mother.

I didn’t even know it would work, but I was lucky that for some reason Principal Lawson forgave me and didn’t inform my mom or stepfather, as I didn’t need another harsh beating, especially for the simple act of kissing a girl.

* * *

The following day, I went to class a little late, and all the other kids were already settled in. My eyes immediately went to Autumn’s, who was seated with her pencil and flowered notepad in place. She flashed a bright, shy smile toward me, and I froze in my tracks. I just stood there admiring her. Then, all too soon, my beautiful moment was again suddenly interrupted.

"Kade Garrett, you won’t be sitting in this class anymore, so don’t bother taking a seat. You will be joining the other class henceforth." Mr. Pearson led me to the door adjacent to his class.

I was confused, but old enough to understand they were keeping me from Autumn; it had nothing to do with the class criteria. Her father was on the school board, and clearly, they already prejudged me and deemed me not good enough for her.

I would strive to prove them all wrong. I knew she was the only one I wanted, and I knew she loved me, too. I’d spend my entire life attempting to achieve the task of holding her heart, and the lesson I learned was scored with an A+ of my feelings for her, which couldn’t be discounted.

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Chapter One

Where I was today, was the progression of the paths I’d taken. It was true that our lives were quite simply a sum of decisions we had chosen, not just the cards we were dealt. My hand, if holding cards, would have been quite a losing one.

People often said, When life serves you lemons, make a pitcher of lemonade out of them. For me, that wasn’t true. I was not just handed lemons by life; the lemon juice was extracted and forced down my throat. I had a bitter childhood and many youthful experiences that left a bad taste in my mouth and mind. How could I have been able to make lemonade? It was more obvious I had saddened memories that were pushed onto me. My drink pitcher would have been overflowing with something I would title horribly made.

Being the dogged person that I was, I never gave in to my fate and gladly accepted things—I fought and fought. It didn’t matter that I had lost a fight, I hoped I still could win the battle. Regardless of what many others thought of me, I held my hope and head high.

* * *

A warm, summer breeze flowed through my front door screen. Placing my hands along both sides of the doorframe, I steadied myself and inhaled that fresh mountain air. The wholesome, undefiled air entered my home. It filled my lungs and excited me because it felt good to be alive knowing I could have been dead, or grown up heartless. You could only value each breath you took, when you’d been near death as a child with the hands of an adult wrapped tightly around your youthful neck. You only knew the worth of something when you lost it. To me, the sunshine was mostly enjoyable after the rain. I had endured the storms and the confinement indoors, retained in four walls. I tilted my head to catch the brilliant rays cast down upon my face as they are beacons of hope for my future. I had become forever thankful for each new day, and of course for my love, Autumn.

She was the only woman I had ever been with completely, and I mean by giving my full heart. Autumn was and is the only person who I have ever loved. For many people, it’s perhaps easy to move on to other people after a break up, but not for me. I’ve loved her so extremely hard and wanted her forever. She’s my person. Getting physical with her—I mean having sex—was meaningful to me. I won’t get all sappy telling this, but my life came together with her and I never wanted it to come apart. Our story was not of falling out of love but being separated from each other, which was my worst nightmare.

My mind flashed back to one of the memorable times we had growing up. Two young teens with a love that was deeper than the oceans, and higher than the heavens. Again, that might sound dramatic coming from me, but I knew there was no force on Earth that could keep us unconnected. Not our parents, not life, not the law, or even jail cells.

I tried to remember only what she and I felt for one another. If you instilled the good deep within your brain, it could sometimes ward off the danger of other’s words and actions, and ground you to know that life could dish you something terrible but you could recall having a better dish at one time or another.

* * *

Boy, you aren’t fit to have a nice girl like Autumn Henley. No way would she be suited for you. No girl is going to want a pussy like you! Pilot—the name we gave to my stepfather—hammered his words toward me. Over and over his voice belittled me. Shrinking my self-esteem. However, I wanted to believe I was better than his words. As a youth, I tried to think of him as the person I never wanted to become. The one man I would strive to overcome.

I glanced down, counting the lines that twirled the expanse of the flooring within the wooden groves, to not listen to him, attempting to dull out his tune. Nothing he said was worthwhile, and neither was his fierce fist. I’d get into that later.

Although I was young, I was knowledgeable enough to know right from wrong, and this guy was sinful for my mother, my brother, and I. As for Autumn, there could be no better right in this whole world. I didn’t care if I walked behind her every step or caught a passing smile from her lips occasionally. She was the world to me. Pilot better shut his mouth yapping on about how great she was without me and where I lacked. My mind had already drifted away from his degrading tone. Autumn was all I cared about. I just needed to repeat that to myself and hear it over and over to wash away the words that spilled out of his vile mouth.

Boy, did you hear me? You little shit. I was talking to you, Pilot shouted in my left ear, startling me. His hand shoved me on the shoulder harshly, almost knocking me into the tan microfiber reclining chair.

I did fall forward, but the cushioned chair broke my fall … this time. Also, luck was in my favor as I was saved by Pilot’s phone ringing. He walked away in a huff, answering the call.

"What?" he exclaimed into his phone. He was abrupt with everyone he came in contact with. I didn’t care who was on the other end getting his rudeness at this time, I was thankful the interruption pulled him away from concentrating on me. Glad, he didn’t pursue picking on me today as there had been far too many times he took his authoritative conversations to using his fists.

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Chapter Two

Shaking the past years of horrible thoughts of Pilot’s fathering techniques—or lack thereof—away, as that was long ago, a renewed, happy smile now framed my lips which were moments ago tightened. I recalled the good memories; there were but a few. Once when Pilot made a short trip out of town, I was glad for him not being there but more excited that Autumn and I had the house to ourselves. My mother had a meeting with the school for my younger brother, Keane. Time was on our side for Autumn and myself to be together even if for a few hours. It was very hard for us being seen out together, and it was even harder to find any alone time to have sex. So, this was a rare opportunity, one we exploited greatly. As soon as she got to my house her lips parted and she spoke warm words that tugged at my heart.

Kade, this is where I want to be. I want to be with you.

Autumn stepped closer and took my hand in hers, and without another word our lips collided. Every time we kissed it always felt like the first time all over again. The sparks were there, the fireworks always exploded in my heart. She thrashed her tongue in my mouth, and I happily sucked on it, returning the favor in an