River Wild Read Online Samantha Towle

Categories Genre: Alpha Male, Contemporary, Dark, Romance, Suspense, Tear Jerker Tags Authors: Samantha Towle Advertisement1

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The night after we were married.

Before that, he had been so wonderful. I couldn’t believe that this amazing guy wanted to be with someone like me.

Now, I realize that I was an easy target.

Easy to manipulate and control.

I’d thought I was lucky to get him when, in reality, it was the worst thing that had ever happened to me.

I go into my closet and get my memory box. It has a few things inside, like our wedding certificate. A ticket stub from our first cinema date. The champagne cork from when he asked me to marry him.

All those things can go in the trash for all I care.

I open it up and take out the two things I need that will help me disappear. The identification card and birth certificate with my new name.

I put them in the inside zip pocket of the duffel bag and zip them safely up.

Then, I get the clothes and underwear I already planned to take with me and put them in the duffel bag. There’s no point in taking too much with me. Less to carry, and I won’t fit in those clothes soon anyway.

I tie my long blonde hair up into a tight bun, and then I pull on a baseball cap over it.

I go into our bathroom and get my toothbrush, toothpaste, and other toiletries and put them into my cosmetics bag. That goes in the duffel bag with my clothes.

I carry the bag downstairs and go into Neil’s office. The silence is eerie. I hate this room the most.

Even though I know I’m alone, a shudder still runs through me.

I’m still afraid that he’s going to show back up at home and catch me.

I walk quickly over to his desk and crouch down, putting my duffel beside me. I open the door on the desk.

I move the folders stacked in front of the safe, putting them on the floor.

I slip the key to the desk from my pocket. The key I had to steal from him, copy, and put back before he knew it was gone.

The day I did that was one of the scariest I’d had, and I’d spent the last seven years being afraid. I was terrified that he was going to find me out, and that would be it for the baby and me.

But he didn’t, and this is happening. I’m going to get the money and get out of here, and everything is going to be okay.

A fear hits me.

What if the money’s gone? What if he took it out for some reason?

I guess there’s only one way to find out.

Well, either way, I’m still going. I’m not spending another day here with him. I’ll just have to figure something else out.

Holding my breath, I unlock the safe.

And exhale.

The money is still here.

I don’t know exactly how much money is in here. Hundreds of thousands, I would guess.

All I need is enough to get me out of here and pay my rent until I can get a job, which I worked out to be about six thousand. I know I’ll probably have to pay at least six months rent up-front because I won’t have a reference to give them.

But … what if no one will hire me because I’m pregnant? What if I run out of money, no one will give me a job, and I can’t pay my rent?

God.

I hate myself for what I’m considering doing. I take a deep breath, holding it in.

It’s not like you aren’t owed, Annie.

I know. But I didn’t want it to be like this. I wanted to be able to take care of the baby myself. Earn my own money.

And you will, but right now, you need money, no matter where it comes from.

I let out the breath I was holding and take ten thousand from the safe.

I’ll donate whatever I don’t use to a women’s shelter.

I shut the safe door, locking it. Put the folders back in front and close the desk door.

I carry the duffel out to the hallway, putting it down. I get my jacket from the coat closet and slip it on. I pick the duffel bag back up and hang the long strap over my shoulder.

My cell is still on the bedside table. It can stay there. I won’t need it anymore. If I took it with me, Neil would put a trace on it to find me.

I walk out the front door, leaving Annie Coombs behind, and become Carrie Ford.

Carrie

The real Carrie Ford died five years ago in an automobile accident. She was twenty-five. The age that I am now. We look similar—same pale skin, same blue eyes—but she had gorgeous long red hair, whereas mine is blonde.

But women change their hair color often, so I can pass for her.

I never knew her, Carrie.

She was the granddaughter of the only friend I have. The friend my husband doesn’t know I have.


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