Declan - Heart of a Tiger (Royal Taiga Streak #1) - J.R. Loveless Page 0,62

his hands on his lap. “I don’t know what I want, Sam.”

Sam came closer and sat in the swing beside him. “What do you mean?”

“Declan said I can do whatever I want. Learn whatever I want. But how do I know what that is?”

Sam wrapped her arm around him and leaned her head on his shoulder. “That’s the fun part, Sean. Learning new things. Do you remember that time? Where he let us both upstairs at the same time because he’d made a mess in the kitchen and didn’t want to get up from the couch? He wanted us both to clean it up.”

“Yeah, I remember,” Sean murmured, shuddering. After they’d finished, Carl had demanded Sean go back to the basement and he’d grabbed Sam, yanking her into his lap and starting to maul her. For the first time since Carl had kidnapped Sam, Sean bore witness to Sam’s pain and degradation, even for the few seconds he’d found himself frozen in place before Carl had shouted at him again to get the fuck down to the basement. Sean had hated his father more than ever right then, but he’d been powerless to help Sam or stop Carl.

“There was a movie on the T.V. and I remember watching a woman riding a horse and I thought that’s something I want to do. She looked so carefree and happy. Something I could barely recall feeling in my life.”

Sean nuzzled at Sam’s hair. He’d never known anything before the cold, damp basement or the terror his father had instilled in him.

“But I knew if I ever got free, if we ever got free, I wanted to be happy. Of course, riding a horse would be amazing also.” Sam chuckled a bit. “My point is, Sean, you are free to discover what makes you happy and there are so many ways to find those things, too. You’ve never had a chance to live, to experience the normal things normal people do every single day. Cooking, horseback riding, reading, drawing, skydiving, and so many other amazing things await you. Don’t be afraid to try anything and everything.”

A shuddery sigh escaped Sean. “Thanks, Sam.”

“You deserve everything, Sean, because if it weren’t for you, Tara, Vicky and I would be dead. Not to mention Fredrick and Tomas and Ronnie. None of them would have been reunited with their family.”

“Sam?”

“Hmm?”

“You need to find your family.” Sam started to protest again, but Sean shook his head. “It’s not right to let them continue to believe you’re gone. They deserve to know you’re alive.”

“What if… what if they don’t want me, Sean? What if they find out I’m pregnant by the man who kidnapped me and it disgusts them?”

“No matter what happens you’ll always have a home wherever I am, Sam, but I know in my heart they won’t care about that.”

“And if they want to take me away?” Sam whispered. “I don’t want to leave you, Sean. I don’t want to leave Tara and Vicky. You are my family.”

“We’ll always be your family, Sam, but there are people out there who have wondered for years if you’re alive or dead. If you don’t want to go with them, we’ll find a way for you to stay.”

Sam wrapped her arms around her belly. “I know this baby wasn’t made out of love, but I love him and I won’t lose him.”

“I will never let that happen,” Declan interjected, having come out while the two of them were lost in their talk. Sean gave Declan a thankful look. Declan approached the swing and crouched down to look up at Sam. He placed one hand on her knee. “Your baby is part of this streak, Sam. You are a part of this streak. No one will take your child from you.”

Sam sniffled and nodded. “Thanks, Alpha Declan.”

Declan smiled at her and lightly squeezed her knee. “We are heading over to talk to Clarissa, the streak’s teacher. I think it would be good if you and the others started lessons with Sean.”

Brightening, Sam said, “Really?”

“Of course. I also think it would be good if the four of you started seeing our therapist.”

Sean frowned. “What’s a therapist?”

“A head shrink who listens to you and tells you what to feel,” Sam grunted.

“They shrink your head?” Sean asked, horrified. He raised both hands to grip said body part. “Why would they do that?”

Sam grinned, but Declan huffed at her and she dropped the smile while Declan turned toward Sean and took hold of his hands,