Bittersweet

Bittersweet: Chapter Thirty-One

THIS BOOK IS CURRENTLY BEING REWRITTEN AND HEAVILY EDITED. NAMES, PLACES, AND SOME SCENES WILL BE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. SOME STUFF WILL BE TAKEN OUT AND SOME WILL BE ADDED.

THE INITIAL PLOT STAYS THE SAME.

So, if you begin reading as of 5/21/2021 and choose to read ahead further than I have updated-some things might be confusing or might not make sense. As of right now and will continue, slowly, adding the new chapters as I write them. CHAPTER THIRTY ONE has been rewritten & updated.

**IF A CHAPTER HAS BEEN REWRITTEN/EDITED THE ^^ABOVE^^ NOTE WILL BE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CHAPTER.

Chapter Thirty-One

Eliza

The cab of the truck was maddeningly suffocating. It may not have been the truck per say, it could've possibly been the building it was parked in front of. Regardless, I didn't say anything because deep down, I knew what we were doing here. I could see it on Austin's face when I turned to him, questioningly. But his expression didn't give much away- he stared straight ahead, with his hand wound so tightly around the steering wheel, I'm surprised it didn't bend. If anything, he was just as rigid and anxious as I was in that moment.

You see, I'd been more than ecstatic to see him walk through my bedroom door earlier this morning and confirm that everything really would be okay. If I'm being honest, I didn't get much confirmation but all I could focus on was that he was still there with me even after everything with daddy.

We'd spent the rest of the morning not talking about the inevitable changes that were about to happen and instead snuggled up in bed, in and out of sleep for the next five hours. I had silently told myself that we both needed the rest, and the talking would come after. But then, it didn't, and I was too consumed by the blissful haze surrounding us to ask about the important stuff.

When we were awake, we kissed and held each other like we couldn't get enough of one another. Every so often he'd jab at me about the amount of pink in my bedroom or plush teddy bear sitting in the rattan chair across from the bed, apparently watching every move we made. We laughed a lot. I cried a few times especially when I'd ask him about his father, and he'd shut me down and tell me not to worry. Austin laid his head gently on my stomach and whispered sweet words that I couldn't quite hear, probably because I was so aroused feeling his warm breath against my belly button. I tried to jump him on multiple occasions, each time I was quickly turned down. We could hear Ava rummaging around downstairs and neither of us were sure what time daddy would be back.

Maybe, subconsciously, I knew exactly what I was doing when I didn't try to get him to talk about what was going to happen to us. I wanted to make the most of our time. If that meant temporarily disregarding the bitter reality that would inevitably play out sooner rather than later, then fine.

I would be okay.

I think.

Besides, our secret was out and, while my father didn't take it all too great, I still felt a sense of tranquility rush over my body at the fact that he was still here-that daddy didn't make him go. That in itself was something to celebrate over.

We no longer had to hide in the shadows.

There was nothing else to hide, at least not on my end.

Honestly, the last few hours had been a blissful haze. Sitting in front of the Sunflower County Police Station right now was more than sobering. At least, it was for me.

I nibbled on my bottom lip, "Why are we here?"

Austin cleared his throat and played with the keys dangling from his fingers. After a moment, his head lifted to me and I can see that his eyes are glossed over, "Sherriff McIntosh wants to talk to you about Tucker. I know it wasn't my place, but..." He pauses for a moment, clearly tormented. "I had to tell him. You don't understand the things that Tucker said-that he threatened to do once I was gone. I'm lost at what to do, especially now that things are about to change. I can't chance him getting you alone when I'm not around."