Cadence of Love

To my husband—you are my hero, the love of my life, and my everything. I love you.

Thanks to all of our soldiers—past, present, and future for your service. To their families—thank you for all of the heartache, sacrifice, and loneliness you endure. You all are in my prayers daily.

Table of Contents

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Epilogue

Books by Willow Brooke

Excerpt from Rush Against Time

Excerpt from Sophie’s Seduction

Excerpt from Weekend Surrender

Excerpt from Rescuing Charity

Alaina Bradford shut and locked the door after the last customer stumbled slowly out.
Another day almost done
. With a sigh of relief, she hustled around the bar in the nightly clean up ritual, robotically going through the mindless motions of each task. After clearing all but the bar, she propped on a stool and dug in her apron pocket to tally up the night’s tips.
Forty
-
six bucks. Shit. So much for making rent
.
Frustration clouded her senses, dragging out a string of cuss words a mile long.

“Do you kiss your momma with that mouth, little lady?” Violet LaRose chided playfully.

“Shit, you scared me! You can’t sneak up on a girl in the middle of a pity party. It is just bad manners. I don’t have a momma. I am one.” She gave her co-worker and friend the best smile she could muster with the exhaustion that had begun to take over. Violet wasn’t just her friend, she was one of her only friends.

The last six months after her husband had sent the dreaded text that had changed her and her daughter’s life forever had been a living hell. The bastard had the audacity to say he was tired of being with the same boring woman day after day and was leaving them without further explanation after eleven years of marriage. He had up and disappeared, leaving no trail to track and no way to nail the fucker for child support or alimony. A couple months after he had left, Alaina had found something that changed her life forever. On their desktop computer, in a few ghost files that had been deleted were traces of porno videos. The only bad thing was—they were of kids. Kiddy fucking porn. On the family computer. In her house. With her daughter. After weeks of subtly asking Elizabeth questions and taking her to a ‘doctor’ to talk, she was certain he had never touched or abused Lizzy. For that, he was a lucky son of a bitch. She had a .410 that had belonged to her grandfather and wouldn’t hesitate to use it. It would be the one and only thing that she would leave Elizabeth in the hands of someone else for…then serve her prison time with pride.

She had gone from a stay at home ‘Betty homemaker’ to working two jobs and forgetting what sleep was just to try to make ends meet. With one job at the bar after her daughter went to sleep then another during the school day at the Lazy Inn Hotel, she was running on fumes and energy drinks. The realization of what had been drove her to push on, knowing that even though their predicament was tough it was a miracle. The few hours she had when Elizabeth got home from school and went to bed were her mommy hours. She was lucky enough to have a great neighbor who walked over and stayed while Elizabeth slept, and only charging her twenty bucks a week. However, sleep was a luxury she didn’t get to delve in often. Tonight it was kicking her ass, and she wanted to collapse where she stood.

“Sorry, girl. When is the last time you slept? You look like hell.”

“Gee, Violet, tell me how you really feel.” Alaina rolled her eyes and got up to finish cleaning the bar.

Violet followed her around and started the dishes, helping get the closing chores finished. “You know what I mean. You can’t keep going on like this.” She grasped Alaina’s hand, stopping her in mid scrub of the preparation area. “I
am
worried about you, girl.”

“I’m fine. I can’t afford the little things like sleep right now, literally. I have bills coming out my ass, rent is due, and Lizzy needs stuff for another damn science project. I swear the schools think we are made of money. So far, I don’t have enough for any of those things. I caught a two hour nap yesterday after she went to bed before I came here. Thankfully gym class had her worn out and she was out by eight o’clock.” She went back to finishing, trying to move as fast as her body would allow.

“How were tips tonight?” Violet glanced at the small pile of one dollar bills on the bar and groaned. “Never mind, don’t answer. It is a Wednesday. This weekend will pick up.”

“I hope so. If they don’t, I am going to have to start walking to both jobs. I don’t know what else to do, Vi. I can’t work anymore than I am. There are only so many hours in a day. It’s bad enough that Mrs. Sanders has started doing my laundry and cleaning for me because I can’t keep up with it. I went home yesterday and there was a casserole in the oven. That woman is a godsend.” Alaina hopped over the bar in a booty slide, losing her balance in the process. She fell off the edge, stumbled over a bar stool and hit the hard wood floor with a thud and a loud, “Shit!”

Violet rushed around to her side, helping her stand and examining her for injuries. “Are you okay, grace?” Violet let out a relieved sigh, eyeing Alaina from head to toe.

“Yes. That worked so much better in my head…I guess I might want to keep trying to walk on two feet before I add acrobatics to the routine, huh?” She laughed, rubbing the soon-to-be bruise on her right butt cheek. “My ass hurts though.”

“Well I love you, girl, but I am not kissing your ass. You will just have to find someone else to do that.” She went back behind the bar and continued washing the pile of glasses and pitchers.

“Ha! As if that will ever happen. I don’t have time to self pleasure, much less get help in that area. It’s okay though. I think I am driven by sexual frustration. I can see it now—Woman dies at the age of eighty a reborn virgin. Fifty years of celibacy regrew her cherry.” Her over-the-top dramatic announcement was followed with giggles from both of them.

“It has been six months, Alaina. You need to get laid soon before cobwebs start to grow in there. Leave Lizzy with Mrs. Sanders Saturday night and come with me to a party. Back roads, bon fire, beer, and cowboys. It’s a perfect combination to ensure a good time.”

“I would rather sleep. I haven’t even had time to shave my legs all week. I hop in the shower and wash at lightning speed just to make it to work on time. I need this one day off to play catch up, on everything.” Alaina propped against the table she was sweeping under and wanted to lay on it. Her body was so tired and sore from all of the long hours and abuse, it was at its breaking point. Instead of giving in to temptation, she pushed off and went back to cleaning the disgusting floor.

“I am so sorry, sweetheart. I don’t know how you are standing. Why don’t you go ahead and get home. I can finish up here.”

“Oh, Vi, I can’t leave you with all this. It isn’t even your job to clean up.” Alaina wanted to cry at the idea of leaving early. She felt guilty at the excitement that rolled through her, but she was too tired to refuse. If she hurried, she might be able to get a thirty minute cat-nap in before she had to get Lizzy off to school.

“Alaina, hush. You have helped me on more than one occasion. Now go! Get out of here before I spank your other butt cheek and make it hurt!”

Alaina walked back behind the bar and gathered her purse and car keys, giving Violet a huge bear hug. Tears stung the backs of her eyes. “Thank you, so much. I will make it up to you somehow. See you tonight.”

“Oh poo, like hell you will. Now be careful driving home, okay? See you tonight, hun, love ya.”

“Love ya too.” With that, Alaina walked out the door and over to her clunky car. Her ex asshole had been so kind to leave her the crappy ride while he took the brand new 4x4 truck. But at least this one was paid for where the new shiny Dodge was almost seven hundred bucks a month. That little thought made her smile as she unlocked the door and slid into the driver’s seat. She cranked up the radio to keep her awake and spent the next ten minutes singing the classic tune by Carrie Underwood that fit her life so well, “Think Before He Cheats” on her short commute home. She sped into the driveway, flipping the lights and the motor off at the same time in a rush to get a few minutes rest before she had to plaster on a happy face for the only thing that mattered to her in the world—her baby girl.

The steps up to the door seemed to be never ending, but she finally made it to the top and tapped lightly, meeting the smiling face of Mrs. Sanders. Mrs. Sanders was a widow, all of her kids were grown and off on their own. She had her grandkids as often as she could snag them, and spent the rest of her time filling in as the mom Alaina never had. “Hello, sweetheart. Is everything okay? I didn’t expect you for another couple of hours.”

“Yes, Violet was sweet enough to let me come home early so I thought I might try to lay down before I have to get Lizzy up. Thank you so much for sitting with her. I don’t know what I would do without you.” The older woman wrapped her arms around Alaina in a tight hug, guiding her inside.

“Oh, don’t you fret, child. I love sitting with little Lizzy. You two are just as much my younguns as my own flesh and blood. There is breakfast made in the microwave, and I have clothes laid out for both of you in the morning.”

“You don’t have to do all of that. I sure don’t pay you enough to do what you do as it is.” Emotion burned in Alaina’s throat, making swallowing impossible.

“I know I don’t have to. I want to. I don’t like you paying me as it is, Alaina dear. I just like spending time with you both. It is lonely over in that house all by myself. If anyone is in debt, it is me to you. I need you girls just as much as you need me. Now go get some rest, honey. I will see you this evening.” Mrs. Sanders kissed her on the cheek and squeezed in another hug before heading out the door.

“Thank you again. You are an angel, Margaret.” Alaina shut and locked the door, watching to make sure the elderly lady made it safely inside her apartment before turning to kick off her shoes. Her jeans and socks fell on top of the worn sneakers in a heap, and she collapsed on the couch without even turning off the lights.

****

The annoying buzz of the alarm clock dragged Alaina from the dreamless coma she had immediately fallen into and up to repeat the never-ending cycle. With more of a punch than a tap to the off button, she stretched and rubbed her sore, swollen eyes that felt like they were full of sandpaper.
Fuck. I don’t know
how
much longer I can do this shit. Coffee.
Must have coffee now.
With those random, partial thoughts, she shuffled into the kitchen and flipped the on switch. While she waited for an emergency jolt of caffeinated go-go juice, she laid her head on the cabinet.

“Mommy, are you okay?” Lizzy came up behind her and wrapped her arms around Alaina’s middle, resting her head on the small of her back.

“Yes, sweetheart, mommy is just tired. How did you sleep?” Alaina stood and turned, scooping the eight-year-old up in her arms.

“I slept good. I woke up once to go potty and Mrs. Sanders sang songs to me until I fell back asleep.”

“Well that’s good. Go put your clothes on and I will get you breakfast, okay?” Alaina released her, running her hand over the long, brown locks that flowed to Elizabeth’s bottom. She gave her a little tap, earning a “Mommy, your silly!” which was to her the little boost she needed not to just give up.

“Yes, and you are a silly little girl! Go on now, hurry so I have time to braid your hair pretty.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Lizzy took off down the hall in a skip, dumbfounding Alaina at the amount of energy she had.
If I could get just a fraction of her energy, I would be good to go.

After chugging half a pot of coffee and getting Lizzy dressed, she kissed her and sent her out the door to the bus, and bolted for the shower. With less than an hour before she had to be at work, she hustled through her routine and rushed to the hotel in hopes she made it there before her shift started. With shoes in hand, she ran out the door and to her car.

The drive to work was a blur. She was pulling into her normal parking spot before she realized she had arrived, and huffed. Every waking moment she pondered over what she could have done to save her marriage, then over how he could have been living the life of a pervert right under her nose. She went through every scenario play by play, trying to figure out what the hell went wrong. She had been so in love with Brian since their sophomore year in high school. There had been no warning signs or even hints that he was unhappy. Certainly no signs he had turned into a monster. She didn’t think he would ever hurt Elizabeth, but just knowing it was a possibility and she hadn’t seen it slammed guilt into her gut, knocking the wind out of her. How could he? Why? He had never acted like someone who would do that sort of thing. Granted he was never really a good father to Elizabeth, but she had just assumed it was normal for a dad to be less involved than a mom. One thing was for sure, Elizabeth was safe, and would always have her momma. Alaina was left with a lifetime of questions and heartache, and not a single explanation to ease the ever growing troubles that mounted more every day.

With her eyes filled with tears, she turned off the engine and snatched up her things. She slammed the door in frustration, dragging her feet toward the front door of the Lazy Inn. The lobby was packed with guests all checking in. Gina caught sight of her and hollered, “Alaina, I have never been so happy to see you. Come boot up the other computer so we can get these people resting comfortably in their room.” The tiny undertone of sarcasm meant it had been a hell of a day of crabby customers.

Alaina hustled to the side door and tossed her purse on the table. A few buttons later, she was clocked in and was thrown into the chaotic mix. From phone reservations to finding grumpy travelers suitable rooms, fatigue was already setting in hard and fast. After what seemed like hours, the lobby had almost cleared and she huffed a deep sigh of relief. With one guest left, she got them on their way in a hurry.

Gina finished the report for her shift and walked over to Alaina. “I am so glad you came when you did. I had three angry elderly people that were about to cane me, and not in the fun way.”

“I am glad I did too, I think they might have started a riot soon. Your poor face looked scared to death when I walked in!” Alaina and Gina both giggled, falling into conversation about the wide variety of characters they had just met.

“Mr. Brown was quite a flirt, wasn’t he? That man has to be over eighty, and yet he still had the lines and the Romeo suave. Ten bucks says he will be down in the hot tub tonight with the ladies from two thirty-four. They seemed quite smitten with him.”

“Great. Now I get to break up a senior citizen orgy today. Awesome. Hopefully it will wait until my shift is over.” Alaina laughed, hoping silently that her joke didn’t come true.

“Naw, they will all be asleep before you leave. They had just come over from the diner after the early bird special hours. I don’t think you will have much to worry about. Now, the rowdy group on the third floor will most definitely be a pain in the ass.” Alaina rolled her eyes, remembering the group of frat boys that had reserved half of their top level.

“Aw shit. I forgot about them. I see a call to the cops in my future…”

“Who knows, maybe they will be studying all day and the quietest in the building,” Gina said in a mocking voice that made them both crack up. “If a toga party breaks out, promise you will call me. There is one thing I won't want to miss. Did you see some of those guys? They make the underwear models look homely!”

“If a toga party breaks out, I will call you in to help corral the drunk bastards. They were definitely easy on the eyes, but preppy just isn’t my style.” Alaina went over and plopped down in the chair to reserve her energy and relieve her aching feet.

“You gonna be okay today? You look dead on your feet. Do you have to work at the bar tonight too, or are you pulling a double here?” Gina propped against the counter, looking at her with concern.

“I work at the bar tonight, but I would rather take my chances with the frat boys I think. I am here ‘til five. I passed dead weeks ago and am now into the zombie stage. If I start eating brains, stop me, okay?”

“Girl, I know you have no choice, but shit this sucks. I hope they find your asshole ex and drain every penny he has for you. Okay, I gotta run. I will see you tomorrow, sweets.”

“I hope they do too, Gina. Drive safe. Hopefully someone will give me a lotto ticket for a tip and I won’t have to work ever again. I will give you a cut.” Alaina winked, and bid goodbye to her co-worker and friend.