Ethans Fal
Ethan’s Fall (A Choices Novel)
Copyright © 2015 Dee Palmer
Published by Dee Palmer
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in an form, including but not limited to electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either products of the authors imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you are reading this book and did not purchase to, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return it to the seller and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.
This story is a character spin off from The Choices Trilogy BUT can be read as a standalone, obviously I’d love it if you read the other books and they would give a little background but not so much that you need them to understand this story.
This story is on the filthy side of smut and isn’t suitable for those who don’t enjoy graphic descriptions that are erotic in nature, but for those that do, enjoy ;)
Disclaimer: Although a standalone, this story does follow the time line after The Choices Trilogy so there is one small spoiler if you then went back to read the others. Having said that, I don’t, in all honestly, think it would spoil the story.
Table of Contents
The People who make it all happen.
For My Book World Friends…You actually mean the world to me <3
Four Years Ago
“I FUCKING HATE
you!” I scream it so loud, I can feel rawness burn in my throat, but there is no sound. Not even a whimper escapes my silent body, as the sorrow I feel in my heart rips me apart.
“She’s crying. Are you sure she isn’t in any pain?” My mother’s voice sounds as pathetic as the pitiful expression on her immaculately made-up face. Like she fucking cares. She’s married to a monster, and she is just as guilty to stand by his side now as they both decide to commit me to Hell.
“Oh, Lady d’Aubeney, I can assure you she doesn’t feel a thing.” The pallid weasel of a doctor’s smile creeps across his face, as he takes the opportunity to comfort my mother with a carefully placed hand on her shoulder, fake concern crinkling his eyes.
But he is so fucking wrong because that is all I feel pain–fucking brutal pain.
“Her tears then-”
“Just a side effect of the sedation,” he interrupts, drops his contact, and walks to my side. I mentally flinch at his nearness, but my body is lifeless. I so want my mind to join it. “It’s for the best. This way we can keep her safe and more importantly keep everyone else safe too. I can’t imagine what would make a young lady with such a privileged, supportive family steal a child.” He fiddles with the clear tubing attached to my arm, but I squeeze my eyes tight, as his lies slice through me. Lies…Fucking lies and he believes them.
“Yes.” My father’s detached voice still manages to freeze my soul, despite the drugs coursing through my veins, numbing my nerves. “She has been a disappointment, but we have hope that with time she will be able to come home one day. Although given her little outburst….” He absently rubs the red marks at his neck. Tiny spots where my fingernails managed to scrape the skin before the needle ended my rage and I slumped to the floor. “We have an understanding doctor, which is why we brought her here to your private facility. I want to make myself clear. She doesn’t leave this place without my permission…yes?” His tone is resolute, as my mother dabs at her eyes that even I can see are dry.
“Of course, Lord d’Aubeney, you don’t need to concern yourself with her now. We will keep her sedated for the foreseeable future and will await your instruction. We pride ourselves on our ability to give a very special, discrete service to our clients. Trust me, your daughter, Artemis, will be quite happy here.”
“Well, you certainly won’t hear her complain.” My father’s deep chuckle turns my stomach, and I am incredulous when the doctor joins in the laughter. Yes, this is one big fucking joke.
I close my eyes once more. I don’t want to see them or hear them, and I don’t want to feel the desolation of my life now, when only two days ago was bliss. It wasn’t just happiness, it was utter ecstasy.
I can see them as clear as if they were in this sterile capsule I am lying in. A burst of vibrant colour against a clinical background of four white walls. They brim with life and are overflowing with love. Cal and our beautiful baby girl, Pip.
I turn sharply and my smile hurts as it stretches across my face when Pip squeals with a fit of giggles. Peek-a-boo, the simple game that keeps our baby girl entertained on the long car journey. Her tiny pudgy arms flail, her floppy wrists shaking her hands wildly. It’s the best game ever. I laugh out loud and turn to look at the most beautiful man on the planet. His jet black hair flops in spikes, which he absently drags out of his eyes. His jaw is all hard angles, his cheek bone high. He has thick dark brows, indecently long lashes and soft full lips but his eyes…I sigh. They’re something ethereal; dark green with hazel gold slashes in the iris that draw you in and hold you captive. I didn’t stand a chance, but I didn’t
want
to. My heart warms, though not from the sunlight streaming on through the front wind screen, burning up the worn plastic of the dashboard, but from the knowledge that he is mine. He loves me and our baby, and he didn’t run when I’d told him I was pregnant. I was just sixteen, though he was a little older. Twenty-one at the time and already more of a man than my father would ever be. He glances over at me and his soft lips curl into a faint smile, but his eyes don’t wrinkle with the same emotion. At the time, I thought it was tiredness from the drive I was unable to share. Concentrating on the road for eight hours with only the briefest of toilet breaks would make anyone tired and distracted.