Far From Heaven Read Online Free PDF Page A

from between her closed eyelids.
    She and David had been together for several months, not long in the grand scheme of things, but for some reason this felt like being back at square one. Which made no sense. She’d been alone far longer than she’d been with him; she was used to being alone. It was what she was good at. Her mom had bounced from one rehab to another, one county jail to another, until an overdose finally did her in when Maddie was ten. Maddie had been shuffled among aunts and uncles and grandparents from the time she was a baby, never really connecting with any of them. Never really wanting to.
    It was almost as if she didn’t belong here. She didn’t know where she belonged. Or who she belonged to.
    At the last thought, she lifted her head and stared at the blank concrete wall beyond the Jeep’s front end, feeling the prickle at the back of her neck again. It wasn’t the first time she’d felt as if someone, something , had a hold on her. Something had to be responsible for all the weirdness in her life.
    Or maybe it was just wishful thinking. Because if something was responsible, there was always the possibility it could be dealt with. Banished. And then everything would be okay.
    Maybe she needed a freaking exorcism. David had laughingly said it one night, but now she wondered if he’d been serious. That was probably what they would do to her if this were a horror movie.
    Nah, David only believed in what he could see. He saw her slowly losing her mind, that was all.
    Sighing, she put her head back again. She didn’t want to go home. She couldn’t face it. Maybe Delia was home from work by now, if she hadn’t hit a bar or club on the way. But she didn’t want to burden her best friend with her screaming night terrors, either.
    The stranger she’d just met…his face floated through her mind. Maybe being alone tonight would be far worse than any embarrassment she might feel if she freaked out in front of someone. A little panicked by the realization, she snatched her cell phone from her purse and dialed Delia, only to get her voicemail. So much for that. Delia was cute and single and enjoyed an impressive sex life that left Maddie amazed and not a little envious. If Delia were here now, she would tell her to run back out there, tackle Mystery Man, and take him home for a therapeutic sex marathon. She probably would have suggested doing this in front of David, if at all possible. But then, her friend didn’t take anything seriously. Maddie didn’t talk to her very often about her real issues.
    Damn. That was it, then. Delia was probably shaking her ass on the dance floor and the mystery man was most likely long gone by now—as if she’d ever have the courage to go look for him to proposition him. Especially since she’d begun second-guessing the signals she’d been reading from him. Sighing, she put the key in the ignition, turned it, and…nothing. The silence of the engine almost seemed to mock her.
    “You have got to be fucking kidding me.”

Chapter Four
    He was out of his damned mind. It was the only explanation for why she still drew breath. At any moment, he could have reaped what was his, and yet something in her pleading blue eyes had stopped him cold in his tracks.
    She was miserable…well, yes, that was mostly his own doing, and no doubt simply side effects of his claim on her soul. He’d sensed it the moment he touched her, felt every iota of her torment swirl right through him. Glimpsed the pain her former lover had just caused. For that alone, he’d wanted to rip that one’s soul out. Unfortunately, the man wasn’t tainted enough, or the temptation might have been too much to bear.
    He’d remained homed in on her, fascinated with the play of emotions across her face, across her thoughts. They were clearer with physical contact, but even from a distance, he’d been able to catch traces of her anger and frustration.
    Well, he’d done his job, hadn’t he? She’d been