Forsaken (The Found Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page A

it brought tears to Annie’s eyes. She stroked the so soft skin of her daughter’s cheek. Once again she marveled at the difference of their skin tone, but this time she gave an involuntary wince when she took note Nell’s skin color was the same as her father’s.
    Nell was looking at her with a slight frown, and Annie realized her daughter had nodded and she hadn’t responded. She kissed the top of her head.
    “I’m sorry, my love. Mommy’s so sorry. Did Mommy make you sad?” God, she hoped not, but part of her hoped so, because she could fix that.
    She watched Nell’s face turn from solemn to smiles in an instant. She reached out and caressed Annie’s cheek, in an exact mimic and shook her head no.
    “Good, because I never want to make you sad Nell, I love you. You are the bestest baby in the whole wide world.” She hugged her close and tickled her on the ribs, wishing she wasn’t wearing a sleeper so she could blow a raspberry on her belly. Nell giggled, and blew some bubbles. Soon she quieted and Annie knew it was time to continue the guessing game. She went down the list of everybody she could think of who was staying in the apartment complex that Nell had come into contact with.
    There was their Grandmother, Noah and Sarah. Then there was Kali, Noah’s wife who was also a found . She was seven months pregnant with twins. Nell delighted in touching Kali’s stomach, and feeling the kicks of the babies. Annie hadn’t thought there was any possible way Kali could have made Nell sad. She was such a beautiful soul. Noah and Kali lived in their own home fifteen miles away, but were often at the apartment complex for briefings and shared meals.
    There were also Niko Evanoff and Brice McElyn two more found team members who seemed to delight in spending time with Nell. It was as if those who shared that background had an affinity with her baby. When Annie asked about all of the found members of the team, Nell shook her head in the negative.
    There were members of Noah’s naval team, Nate Goodman, Kota Blackthorne and Sierra Mathers, all of whom met Nell when Annie and Shilah had taken her to the apartment set up as a shared space for the occasional group meal and team meetings. None of these people had upset Nell, nor had Annie expected them to have.
    There remained just one more person who could have made Nell sad, and Annie had left him for last. Annie was scared it was Riley Jones. He was the youngest member of the elite naval team, and had been the first person who had come to rescue Annie, Nell and Shilah. Though he tried so hard to hide it, he cared deeply for Annie and Nell. Annie worried he felt more than just friendship for Annie, and she knew she could never return those feelings, if indeed he felt that way. She never wanted to hurt the man who had been such a kind and loyal friend. But lately he seemed sad, and she was pretty sure he was making Nell sad.
    “Is it Riley who is making you sad?” Annie asked her daughter in a gentle tone.
    Nell shook her head firmly, and Annie was nonplussed. There was no one else she could think of who had met Nell.
    “Are you sure baby? There isn’t anyone else. Are you sure Riley isn’t making you sad?” Green eyes so like her own sparkled at her, and Nell once again shook her head. Occasionally Annie thought she was making this up in her mind. But she had seen the gifts of the other found individuals. Sarah actually made a knife wound heal completely. She watched in amazement as Noah called for Kali to come to him from the next room, and she did. Babies at this age should have speech capabilities and be able to understand yes and no, so this shouldn’t surprise her. Heck, Nell could play this game in Polish, and get things right.
    “Are you sure I haven’t made you sad? I know sometimes Mommy is sad.” Again, Nell emphatically shook her head.
    “Oh honey, I just don’t know who else to ask. I’m sorry you’re sad. If you see who is making you sad, you