After the Storm: Midseason Episode 1 (Rising Storm) Read Online Free PDF Page A

much pain.”
    Something about the way she was standing there enraged Celeste. How could she stand there looking so innocent? How could she say exactly the right things to garner empathy? Celeste didn’t want to empathize. She wanted to fight and tear up things and destroy the world around her because it seemed so damn intent on destroying her. She wanted to burn it all down.
    She didn’t feel her hand snap back, didn’t quite understand what she was doing. The world seemed tinged in red at the corners as though rage now filtered her vision. And it slowed everything down. In horror she realized she was going to strike Ginny Moreno. Her hand was going to bring justice her words never could.
    And then it slapped against flesh. A strong hand circled her wrist and Travis stared down at her like he had no idea who she was.
    “Stop it, Celeste.” Travis’s voice sounded ragged. “This is not the way to handle this situation. Ginny, Lacey will pack your things and you’ll get them by nightfall. Leave this house and do not come back.”
    The door slammed as Ginny turned and ran and Celeste was left with two people she loved. Two people who looked horrified at what she’d almost done.
    The tears began as Celeste freed herself from Travis and started for her bedroom. She might never leave it again.
     

Chapter Three
    Dakota straightened her skirt and wondered at just how scared she was of walking out that door.
    “You’re sure you want to go to work?” Her mother stood in the kitchen, wringing her hands.
    No. She definitely did not want to go to work, but what was she going to do? She was in the right here. Everyone kept forgetting that. She was the victim of a lecherous old man who liked to play around with young girls because they didn’t know any better. “Of course. I’ve got to eat after all.”
    “Maybe you should consider moving back here for a while.”
    Dakota shook her head. She couldn’t think of a single thing that would be worse than having to stay in this pitiful house without her daddy. Last night had been bad enough. She’d allowed her mother to talk her into coming back to the house for the evening. She’d been a little shell-shocked at the time and she’d found herself walking like a zombie through the festival grounds and getting into her mom’s car, allowing her to run up to Dakota’s apartment and pack a small bag. Dakota had sat there, seeing the eyes of all those people on her.
    Judgmental eyes. They’d looked up at her like she was a slut, a whore who’d ruined everything. And then there had been the snake cold eyes of Senator Rush. Those eyes that had once promised affection had been lit with something else entirely.
    She thought she’d had people hate her before. Certainly she’d felt the icy stare of disapproval. But she’d never felt anything like the hate that had been festering in Sebastian’s eyes. It had chilled her to the bone.
    But this was morning and she wasn’t entirely sure her brain hadn’t made all of that up. It couldn’t be as bad as it had felt.
    “Mom, it’s fine. You’re being a drama queen. I’m sure Ginny Moreno is having a rough morning. After all, this was really about her. She’s the one who lied and took the poor Salt family on a ride. I was merely the messenger. I wouldn’t be surprised if they thank me in a few days.”
    Her mother stared at her, surprise obvious on her face. “Thank you? I doubt Celeste will be sending you a thank you card anytime soon. And what about the Rushes? Do you think they’ll thank you?”
    She hated the blush that crept over her. It was weakness and she despised it, but knowing her mom now knew about the affair between her and Sebastian made her nauseous. At least her daddy wasn’t around. But then of course if her father hadn’t dumped her she likely never would have ended up in the senator’s hands. It was really all their fault when she thought about it. “Payton should. Now she can divorce the bastard and move