Forget Me (Hampton Harbor)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copyright –2013 by Jess Petosa

 

This
book is a work of fiction.
 
Any
references to historical events, people, or places are used fictitiously.
 
Other names, characters, places, and
incidents are simply products of the author’s imagination, and any similarity
to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely
coincidental.

 

All
rights are reserved.
 
No part of
this book may be reproduced or used in any way whatsoever without written
consent from the author.

 

Cover
photo courtesy of Jessica Lynn Photography.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For
Brooke and Molly, so I can give you all you deserve

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OTHER
BOOKS BY JESS PETOSA

 

Exceptional
Series

Exceptional

Rogue

 

Table of Contents

CHAPTER ONE
                                                                                                                                                                                
5

CHAPTER TWO
                                                                                                                                                                          
14

CHAPTER THREE
                                                                                                                                                                      
19

CHAPTER FOUR
                                                                                                                                                                         
24

CHAPTER FIVE
                                                                                                                                                                            
29

CHAPTER SIX
                                                                                                                                                                               
37

CHAPTER SEVEN
                                                                                                                                                                       
42

CHAPTER EIGHT
                                                                                                                                                                       
50

CHAPTER NINE
                                                                                                                                                                           
56

CHAPTER TEN
                                                                                                                                                                             
62

CHAPTER ELEVEN
                                                                                                                                                                    
69

CHAPTER TWELVE
                                                                                                                                                                  
78

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
                                                                                                                                                             
86

CHAPTER FOURTEEN
                                                                                                                                                            
94

CHAPTER FIFTEEN
                                                                                                                                                                  
99

CHAPTER SIXTEEN
                                                                                                                                                              
111

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
                                                                                                                                                       
117

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
                                                                                                                                                          
124

CHAPTER NINETEEN
                                                                                                                                                           
130

CHAPTER TWENTY
                                                                                                                                                             
136

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
                                                                                                                                                 
143

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
                                                                                                                                              
149

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
                                                                                                                                          
156

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
                                                                                                                                             
164

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
                                                                                                                                                
173

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
                                                                                                                                                   
179

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
                                                                                                                                           
193

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
                                                                                                                                           
202

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
                                                                                                                                               
208

CHAPTER THIRTY
                                                                                                                                                                
214

OCTOBER
                                                                                                                                                                                    
219

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
                                                                                                                                            
226

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
                                                                                                                                                  
227

 

 

CHAPTER ONE

 

My first conscious
thought is
I'm thirsty
.

My eyes open slowly, and I'm greeted with more darkness. I blink
several times and my sight adjusts. I'm in a dark room, and a pale white light
filters in through the window to my left. I sit up slowly, propping myself up
on my elbows to start. The room is a fair size, with several pieces of
furniture and a large picture window. I don't recognize this place, but as my
mind grows clearer, I realize that I can't think of a room I do
recognize
.

Memories allude me quickly as I try to reach out and grab them. I
know that the large cabinet across from the bed is called an
armoire,
I know that the pale light is coming from the moon, and I know that the doors
probably lead to the closet and the hallway. What I don't know is where I am,
or more importantly, who I am.

What is my name? Surely I have one. Everyone has a name.

My stomach flips and my chest tightens. I throw the heavy quilt
off of my legs and reach for the side table, which happens to have a lamp. I turn
it on and take inventory of my body; two long legs, tanned skin, manicured yet
unpolished nails. I don't understand how I know about tans and nail polish, yet
I can't seem to place myself anywhere else before this moment. My hand travels
up to my neck and I grab onto a strand of hair, pulling it forward. It is
thick, brown, and hangs just below my chest. I reach up to touch my face but
that tells me nothing. There is a mirror attached to the dresser to my
right, directly between the two doors, and I kick my legs over the side of the
bed.

Standing comes easily but my head throbs wildly as I walk. Just
enough light filters from the small lamp that I can make out several features.
The girl in the mirror has hair that is parted to the side and hangs in waves
over her shoulders. She has a heart shaped face with a small nose set between
two large, dark blue eyes. The girl is
me
, but I don't
recognize her. Not one bit.

I bite back a scream as my chest starts to tighten. I watch as the
girl in the mirror brings her hand up to her heart, mimicking me, and for a
moment I think to blame her. She has a wrench and she is turning it slowly,
bringing fresh waves of pain with each rotation.

"Stop it!" I scream, dropping to my knees.

I hear footsteps in the hall and the door flies open and a warm,
golden light creates a distorted rectangle across the floor. An older man runs
into the room and kneels by my side, placing his own hand over mine. A woman,
his same age, rushes into the room behind him. She kneels in front of me and by
the pained expression on her face, I can tell the motion takes effort.

"It's okay, you’re safe here. We aren't going to hurt
you." Her voice is soothing.

"What happened to me?" I ask. My voice is high-pitched
and I'm not sure if that is out of fear, or if I always speak this way.

"You fell and hit your head, down at the docks. Do you
remember?" the man asks.

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