Whispered
Prayers of a Girl
By
Alex Grayson
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: July 10, 2017
A tortured soul
meets a damaged family…
A lonely man, a
widowed woman, a carefree boy, and a broken girl… Can the four come together
and help heal each other? Or will fear of the unknown and guilt about the past
keep them apart?
Her whispered
prayers break her...
At night, as
she’s drifting off to sleep, I press my ear to the door and listen to her
heart-wrenching pleas. Her words are agony to my healing heart, but I cherish
the sound of them, for that’s the only time I ever hear my beautiful daughter
speak. Since her father died two years ago, she’s grown quiet and withdrawn.
Cat’s Valley was to be our new beginning, a place where my family and I can
heal, but what we find there is so much more.
Scars mar his
body. Pain has left him in pieces…
Four years ago,
I lost the two things I cherished most in the world. They were ripped from my
arms in the most painful and cruel way. Since then, I’ve kept to myself,
preferring to stay away from the pitying looks and murmured rumors. Everything
changed when she and her children barged into my life. It was an accident, and
I don’t deserve them, but now that they’re here, I’m not sure I can let them
go.
The Staircase
Reader - “Whispered Prayers of a Girl is intense, endearing, heartbreaking
and beautiful.”
Renee Entress’s
Book Blog - “Beautiful, heartbreaking read”
JUST LIKE LAST
NIGHT, I walk silently down the hallway until I make out the murmured whispers
from a girl begging God to bring her father back. I gently lay my hand on the
door and listen as she slowly melts my heart until it’s a puddle at my feet. My
chest aches with the need to walk in there and take away her pain. I’ve never
heard such tortured words before. The pain that comes from them is overwhelming
and unbearable. Even my own immense pain from losing the ones I loved can’t
compare to this. This girl’s pain is so much more.
My head falls
forward, and I pull in a deep breath to steady my heartbeat. It’s been quiet
for several moments, and I know she’s finished. I let my hand fall from the
door, and I walk down the hallway back to the living room. I drop to the
cushion and let my head fall in my hands.
They’re leaving
tomorrow. The sun is coming out and the temperatures are supposed to be in the
lower fifties, much higher than it’s been in days. The snow won’t melt in one
day, but it’ll be enough to let the road crew get to the fallen tree and her
truck. My call earlier tonight to Travis confirmed they’ll be working on the
roads tomorrow.
I’m not ready.
It’s unreasonable and irrational, but I don’t want them to leave yet. I’m not
ready to give up Daniel’s buoyant behavior or Kelsey’s quiet and depressed
mannerisms. I’m not ready to give up Gwen’s giving and resilient personality. I
want to keep them here. With me. They’ve brought so much light into my life
since they’ve been here, and I want to keep it for a while longer. Which means
they need to leave as soon as possible, before my dark world rubs off on them.
I want to be selfish and harbor that light, but I won’t.
What hurts the
most was the dejected look on Daniel’s face when Gwen informed him and Kelsey
they’ll be leaving tomorrow. What surprised me was the morose look on Kelsey’s.
That girl and her sad eyes have me wrapped around her little finger. And the
boy…. Everyone should have a Daniel in their lives. Gwen tried cheering the two
up with promised visits to all their friends once the roads were clear enough
for it, but I could tell it didn’t work. I could also tell it wasn’t working
for Gwen herself. She tried to hide it, I’m not sure if it was just from the
kids or from me too, but I know she doesn’t want to leave either. The four of
us, in a matter of days, have become close, formed a bond of a sort. And that
right there is another reason they need to leave. I can’t let that continue.
It’s not something I deserve. It’s something they need to form with a man who’s
worthy. A man who will be there for them always. A whole man, not one who’s
only half of himself.
I give my hair
one good pull, letting the pain push away the unwanted feelings, before
releasing it with a muted growl. I’m pissed at myself for wanting something I
shouldn’t. This family is too good for me. I couldn’t even protect my own when
they needed me. How could this family be any different? I refuse to take that
chance.
I lie back
against the cushion and force thoughts of Gwen and her two kids away, and
instead let my own demons take over. Closing my eyes, I let the screams of pain
and fear flood my mind, reminding me why Gwen, Kelsey, and Daniel are better
off without me in their lives.
Alex Grayson is
the bestselling author of heart pounding, emotionally gripping contemporary
romance including the Jaded Series, the Consumed Series, and two standalone
novels. Her passion for books was reignited by a gift from her sister-in-law.
After spending several years as a devoted reader and blogger, Alex decided to
write and independently publish her first novel in 2014 (an endeavor that took
a little longer than expected). The rest, as they say, is history.
Originally a
southern girl, Alex now lives in Ohio with her husband, two children, two cats
and dog. She loves the color blue, homemade lasagna, casually browsing real
estate, and interacting with her readers. Visit her website, www.alexgraysonbooks.com, or find her on
social media!
HOSTED BY:
No comments:
Post a Comment