PROLOGUE:

"We've reached..." Before the man would complete his sentence, I was out of the car and then rushed into the hospital.

It's too chaotic in here, many people were injured and the whole place was filled with kids whining.

I looked around for the one whom I was looking for but couldn't find him.

THUMP

My heart started to drop when I thought of bizarre outcomes.

No... No...

He can't leave me... He can't...

Just then I saw a nurse entering the chaos.

"Hello, I am looking for Jake Reynold." I rushed to her.

"Jake Reynold?" She raised her brow and then gestured for me to follow.

"He is in the surgery room, are you related to him?" She asked walking away.

"Yes, I am his sister, Charlotte Reynold." I tried hard to keep pace with her.

"You need to sign some papers, here, you can wait." She gestured to a place and walked away.

I was absentminded as I lifted my foot to reach the place she had gestured but then I stopped.

BLINK ... BLINK ...

I see him !!

The man whom I never expected to see at such a crucial moment.

My eyes studied him involuntarily, he was more handsome than I'd remembered, his gaze moved to the floor as he twiddled his large thumbs taking me back to the trance of his charismatic aura.

Trance of his beauty and disbelief of his presence.

"CHARLOTTE REYNOLD."

The nurse called out and his head jerked up, his hazel eyes which showed the green in them stared right into me with no emotions but darkness deep darkness.

He stood up, his aura carried a hint of coldness and slowly he started to approach me dropping my stomach, and throbbing something between my legs.

"Charlotte." He called my name with deep intensity and that's all it took for him to break my trance.

“Braden…” A mere whisper of longing mixed with disbelief came out of nowhere and then everything started to fall apart around me.

BOOM

Why is he here??

*****

FIVE YEARS AGO

CHARLOTTE POV:

RING … RING … RING

I was watching TV when the phone rang and I picked it up lazily, “Hello…”

“Hey, little pie, how’s everything going?” My brother asked.

“I think I just told you about it an hour ago.” I groaned unhappily, since he had gone out of town, he had been bothering me with calls. Doesn't he have any work to do there?

“Oh, little pie… You know I am always worried when you’re alone.” He spoke apologetically, well there is no need to be apologetic. I know he cares for me a lot, especially when we both have only each other.

Our parents died in a car accident when I was hardly eight, and then my brother took over the business my father left for us. For my brother eventually, the business wasn’t a fancy business of wearing suits and skirts with a huge staff.

Our business is meat packaging, my father owns a beef plant here in Dodge City. We earn quite well and live our lives happily together.

“I know Jake, but now you should stop bothering me anymore…” I told him as sweetly as I could.

For God’s sake, I am nineteen now, not a little child, I don’t understand why he still treats me as a child.

“Erhh… Okay… I am looking at the weather report, there might be heavy rains moving into Dodge City,

so in case you need anything, call Braden, OK.” He reminded me for the hundredth time and I rolled my eyes.

“Yeah… Yeah… I know…”

After the call was disconnected, I completely lost interest in the TV and then peeked out from the window. It's pouring rain but not heavy, I am sure nothing bad will happen. Jake is getting worried for no reason.

Just two more days and he would return, also, I don’t want to call Braden at any cost, I just can’t. After what I did on my nineteenth birthday I don’t think I can face him anymore.

Sigh

I returned to my place, held my phone, and started looking at the pictures of my nineteenth birthday, I, Jake, his girlfriend, Natalie, and Braden. We all four stood in a straight line with wide smiles on our faces.

But, who would know my one stupidity would ruin the smile on my face, later?

But, what was my fault? It was my day and I was allowed to confess my feelings to the one I love and admire the most, Braden.

But, I didn’t know that it was all my assumptions.

For him, I am only a child, his best friend's little sister.

I shrugged uncomfortably, Do I really look like a sister to Braden?

Hell, no F**king way…

Braden just needed some good eyes to see that I am not a sister-kind girl but more like a grown sexy woman.

Sigh

Another sigh escaped my lips, why did all this embarrassment and rejection come in my fate?

I tossed away my phone, my heart started to get bitter from all the memories, especially the one where Braden pushed me away as I tried to kiss him after my long confession.

SIGH

I fell heavily to the ground, shocked to the core and flushed from immense embarrassment, although he apologized later for pushing me away, but it was enough to break my heart and humiliate my love for him.

I could never forgive him, nor myself for being such a fool.

“Arghh… Stop thinking about him… It was a mistake…” I yelled annoyed and then again started to focus my mind on the TV so I won’t lose my calm.

***

PITTER … PATTER … PITTER … PATTER

I was deeply asleep when the sound of heavy rain startled me, “Ahh…”

I sat up and looked out the window but was unable to look past heavy bands of rain. I rubbed my eyes trying to wake myself fully and saw the words splayed across the screen:

TORNADO WARNING

My heart dropped, all the sleep, and dizziness immediately vanished and I strode to the kitchen to look for the candles before the power would cut down.

I started to panic, I was afraid to go outside, and just when I decided to call Braden and stepped out of the kitchen in search of my phone, the lights went out.

Oh… NO…

My only real phobia was total darkness. Jake had alerted me about the weather but I didn’t pay heed to his words.

Such a fool I am !!!

My breath intensified, my mind went numb, my eyes started to sting, and I was terrified.

BANG

The howl of the wind prompted me to move and I felt myself moving to the basement door. I opened it and carefully walked down each step.

Shaking, I curled myself in the corner, held my head in my arms, and closed my eyes.

BANG

Another blow shook me as I tried to think about all the good things, Jake, Natalie, Braden, I tried not to focus on the noises around me it would only terrify me more.

Think of a good memory…

Think…