Book 3 of the undone series. Kim Taehyung is the best , the best at his job at head of security for the Kim SongDae startup, best at seduction. But a forced vacation leaves him adrift and questioning his life choices and direction. Then he stumble...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Sky sat huddled in the corner of their room. She had made it home just in time. Storms terrified her.
She tried to calm her racing heart by escaping into her memories.
There was a time when strong hands would lift her and promise everything would be okay. But those hands were withered and still now. Now she was the one who had to protect, to keep the water collected from the leaking roof, the one to try to start a fire in the damp room.
She was so very tired of all of this. Tears streamed like raindrops down her face.
How did her life come to this? She was a young woman. She had dreams of working and having a home and loving a man.
That was all it took for her silent tears to turn to sobs Her ideal life was all too easy to imagine. And for the past weeks the lover she dreamed greeting at the door was all too real.
She forced herself to move, to empty the basins of rain water, to give her blanket to her sleeping companion, to start a fire in the small grate.
As she watched the flames fight for life in the damp room she drifted back.
She had always been a quiet child. Her parents were academics, moving place to place as teaching jobs opened. Moving so often meant Sky was always the new kid. She did not make friends easily.
Then came the job her mom was offered half way around the world. The one with no corresponding position for her dad, no provision for her family. It had been her dream and she left them to pursue it, leaving her daughter even more bewildered and withdrawn.
The moves continued throughout her childhood, never having close friends, being the “weird kid”, finding her only real escape in her writing and drawing.
Her life brightened for a happy moment when Sky turned 12 and her dad got a job in London teaching at a very prestigious university. They found friends and community there. Sky tried her best to fit in, and made a very small circle of friends. She even began to date, clean cut boys from the all boys school down the road, teenage clerks in the neighborhood storefront.
She loved and had her heartbroken an average number of times and written it all.
She shuddered as the memories took a dark turn. She tried to fight them off, but the sounds of the storm took her right back to that place, they always did.
She was sixteen and had a mad crush on an older boy. He was a class ahead and another professor's son. He was rich and elite and popular and she was star struck.
She could not believe it when he invited her to one of the weekend parties at his family country house. Her dad reluctantly allowed her to go after questioning the parents and taking all the precautions.
Her stomach began to ache as the memories flooded, the long drive that led to the house, the English manor that looked like something out of a fairy tale, all the rich and popular kids mingling in the garden and the boy of her dreams waiting to escort her in.
She began rocking herself as a loud boom of thunder shook the house. She tried again to remove herself, bring herself back to safety, but on nights like this it was futile.
She recalled the fancy dinner party and the dancing under the stars. It really was a perfect evening. The boy was beautiful and was being so attentive. It seemed all his friends really liked her!!
Then, as the sun set couples formed and broke off from the group, finding alcoves and benches to do what teenagers do.
Sky had grown nervous. She did not know what she was expected to do. She was not terribly experienced but when she looked into the kind face of the boy, she felt safe.
He took her by the hand and asked is she would walk in the garden with him. She was thrilled by his attention. She longed for him to kiss her.
They came to a path in the garden and he stopped and turned her toward him. She flinched as a bolt of lightning streaked above them, followed by the low rumble of lightning.
“Are you afraid of storms?” he asked.
At her small nod he laughed. “It's not a bad one. Besides, I am here with you, right?” he assured her.
She looked up at him with her heart in her eyes and whispered “yes", thinking in that moment she was completely safe.
He smiled a perfect smile and tugged her along the path in front of them.
“I want to show you something, “ he said, pulling her along behind him. Soon she could see their destination. It was an old hedge maze, perfectly manicured, and lit by the now frequent flashes of lightening. The hedges were at least an arm's reach over her head and so thick you could not see through them.
For the first time tonight, she hesitated. She did not like this place.
His eyes laughed an invitation.
“Let's go!! It's fun!! And there is a surprise in the middle" he promised.
She was still holding back as thunder rumbled, sounding ever closer.
She heard other voices in the maze, laughing and calling out, so she ignored her reservations as he pulled her forward.
Soon he was laughing and teasing with her as they twisted through the hedges. His attention was intoxicating. She could not believe she was so lucky as to be here tonight.
Finally, he slowly pulled her from behind him to stand in a small square of plush grass. They had reached the center. There was an otherworldly hush in that space, surrounded by the tall hedges. It seemed they were alone in the universe.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Today we learn some of Sky's story. I will put a trigger warning that the next chapter might be uncomfortable for some readers. Let me know what you think ❤❤❤❤
