Introduction:

There once was a woman that thought she'd found ever-lasting happiness. Instead she found something that she never thought existed. Utter terror. Her life had seemed to be slowly slipping from her control, and the only thing that kept her from shutting her eyes completely was the baby she just given birth to. She once was filled with joy and contentment, and now she was left with sadness, fear and regret, and the spark in her eyes that use to be, was now gone. She had to live her life without him to help her. Her child was the only thing that kept her heart beating. There wasn't a day that went by that she did not think of the past that brought her here. The baby was also a constant reminder of her pain and torment. But the child was the only thing that was solid to hold on to. "I will never love again." She told herself.

PARADISE

Chapter 1

Her parents died when Phoebe was five. They started with nothing but each other and the life that was growing inside her belly. Drake came from the streets and Lilly came from wealth. When Lilly's parents found out she was pregnant with Phoebe, they became enraged. When they couldn't stop Drake and Lilly from seeing each other, they threw her out. Lilly was young and unmarried, that was far too shameful in their eyes. As far as they were concerned, she made her choice and she could live it. It was hard for Phoebe's parents at first, but then that all changed when they were taken in by a wealthy family who helped them start their lives together. They learned to invest and profit fast by the people that took them in. Later, after Phoebe was born, Drake and Lilly got married and bought a nice house in Chicago.

It was now 1962, and crime was everywhere. It was a dangerous neighborhood. Murders, sex, drugs, and all sorts of scandal were high in this era. Drake and Lilly hired a young girl to nanny for them while they worked to make their fortune. She was from an orphanage, and was old enough to work for her keep. Gwen was only ten, but she was good with Phoebe, because she was used to taking care of younger ones in the orphanage. She felt like Phoebe was her only family since she spent more time with the child than they did. One night Drake and Lilly were at a club, it was set on fire and the crowd was so large that some people where caught in the fire. Phoebe's parent were among them.

When the police came to the house with the news of the couple, Gwen didn't tell them about Phoebe in fear they would place her back in the orphanage, and she would never see Phoebe again.

After the authorities left, Gwen packed up the child and herself and ran as far away as she could. She took what money she could, without making it obvious that it was missing, so the authorities would not suspect their sudden departure. Gwen got used to telling people that Phoebe was her sister. Gwen was now fifteen, but looked older than she was. Phoebe looked up to Gwen; after all she'd raised her for most of her life.

It was very tough for the two girls when they first set out. They lived a long the way of the streets and did everything but kill to stay alive. At this time, it was not unusual to see homeless children on the streets of Chicago.

The girls were standing in the streets one icy Chicago night. A car pulled up to them and opened the door. Gwen clenched Phoebe's shoulders with her red frozen finger tips, and told her to go back to the corner of the alley, where they were staying. Phoebe was aware of what was going on, and she cringed for Gwen. Gwen was afraid of the unknown, but she knew what she had to do. Phoebe could see Gwen's breath in the cold, as she sighed heavily before getting into the car. She cast a glazed look to Phoebe out of the window before the car drove off into the night. Phoebe stood in the cold with her hands in her pockets, and tears started to run down her frozen but numb cheeks. The warmth from her tears almost turned to ice as they ran down her face and under her chin to her neck.

The girls learned how the world turned the hard way, the way that most girls their age didn't know existed. They matured fast, because of the way they lived. When Phoebe was fourteen she joined Gwen in this way of life. They were also gambling, stealing, and selling their hair when it would grow for quick cash. Gwen was nineteen now, and they found a small trashy one-room apartment to rent. It was almost unlivable, but it was all they could afford. Gwen used drugs to numb her pain. It was a time when drugs were everywhere, and easy to get a hold of. Sometimes Phoebe would come home from working the streets and find Gwen strung out, with a needle still in her arm, or powder spilled out on the kitchen floor. She would have to clean up the mess and Gwen. Phoebe had patience with Gwen's problem and tried to help her beat it. She knew Gwen found drugs when she was young in the orphanage, and they had become her sanctuary. Phoebe knew she had to be the one that stayed clean, so she never touched the stuff. She could see how it was destroying Gwen, and avoided the same problem. She tried to spend the money on soap, or food, and what clothes they could find for as cheap as possible. Phoebe tried her hardest to keep her head, and in spite of everything, she never let her heart grow cold, and even though Gwen seemed to loose hope, Phoebe didn't. She hung on to her dreams and knew some day things would be different. Phoebe promised herself at a young age, that she would never leave the ones that she loved. Phoebe hated her parents for leaving her. She cried for them not because she missed them, but because they left her to do these wretched things. Even though she was young, and knew she didn't have a choice, but she still hated it and knew it was wrong.

Three more years had passed, and the girls were older. Phoebe was now seventeen, and Gwen was twenty-two. Phoebe was beautiful like her mother, her companions often commented on this, and they couldn't believe a girl with this potential would live this way, but none of them ever offered to lend a hand. There was a man that stood out from the rest, and he would later become her worst nightmare. Abe Randolph was his name. He was a cruel vulgar man, who came for Phoebe often. When they were in bed, she could feel the burning of vomit in her throat as he thrust his sweaty body over her. He became obsessed with her, and she couldn't get away. After months of this, Phoebe couldn't take it any longer; she needed to get away from him. He was a powerful man, and had lots of men under him. Gwen tried to help Phoebe hide from him, but his men would find them wherever they hid. It seemed hopeless. Their encounters turned into rape after a while, and the rapes were getting more violent each time. Phoebe had less and less control over the situation. Gwen decided to pack up what little they owned and get out of Chicago. As far from Abe as possible. When Abe found out he was furious! He always told Phoebe he would find her if she ever left him, that she belonged to him, and if she tried to get away he would make her pay for it, and he meant it. The girls hopped a train, and wherever it was going was were they would start again. One year had passed now, and Dallas, Texas seemed to be their new home. Phoebe's insides were scarred from the rapes, and she thought she would never be able to have children. They tried to put the incidents in Chicago, behind them, but it left the girls skittish and paranoid. Phoebe and Gwen decided not to prostitute themselves any more to prevent this from happening again. The time that they spent on the streets of Chicago was time that the girls wished to forget now. Except if they hadn't been there, Phoebe never would have met Cole. One night the girls spotted a couple walking down the sidewalk of a misty dark alley. The man towered over the woman, as she giggled while he bent down to whisper in her ear. From what the girls could see, the couple appeared to have lots of money. The man was sharply dressed, and the woman was covered in fur. Phoebe and Gwen watched them while hiding it the shadows.

"I'll take care of him, while you take care of her." Gwen whispered to Phoebe. Phoebe nodded, and she knew exactly what to do. Gwen stepped out of the dark as the couple reached the spot where the girls were hiding.

"Hey stud, are ya in the mood?" Gwen asked stepping out, as she seductively ran her hand down the man's chest, trying to throw them off so Phoebe could make her move.

The woman glared holes in Gwen, but was afraid to say anything.

"Not tonight sister, as you can see I already have a date." The man gave Gwen a confident smile in saying this.

Gwen motioned to Phoebe who was behind her to make her move. Gwen squeezed between the couple and put her arm in his.

"To bad," She said looking up at the man with a suggestive smile. Phoebe jumped out of the dark, grabbed the woman's purse and took off as fast as she could down the dark wet alley. The woman screamed as she was being knocked down, and Gwen tried her best to trip the man and run herself, but he was too strong and threw Gwen aside, as he ran after Phoebe. Gwen struggled to her feet in pain and yelled,

"Run! He's right behind you!" Then ran off herself.

Phoebe didn't look back she just ran faster. She was small and quick and the girls had pulled this off many times, but tonight was different. The man was faster than he looked in spite of his size, and Phoebe was unable to lose him. He grabbed the back of her shirt and pulled her to him as they both fell to the ground. The man fell on top of Phoebe, and she groaned in pain, when she slowly opened her eyes. Their eyes met and the man's expression shocked Phoebe. She expected the man to look very angry, and for him to hurt her. To her surprise, a smile started in the corner of his mouth as he laid on her. He was stunned by how beautiful she was, and how soft her face looked in the light of the moon. He thought she was a boy when he was chasing her because her hair was so short. He almost was lost in his thoughts of her, when she startled him by yelling,

"Get off me you pig, let me go!"

The man tightened his hold on her.

"Did you think you could get away from me?" He said as he could see the fear in Phoebe's eyes.

Phoebe could feel his body heat warming her, and his heart was pounding very hard, as his body was pressed against hers. Her shirt was up under her breasts and her stomach was bare. Phoebe thought he actually enjoyed this position, when she felt his hands slowly exploring her soft bare skin. His fingertips moved down her sides and clenched on her hips that were slightly exposed. In spite of the cold, his hands were warm. She was uncomfortable, but was strangely turned on by this tall dark stranger's touch.

"I can't breath" she calmly struggled to say, breaking the silence.

He got on his knees and was now straddling her.

"Are you ok?" It seemed to be the only thing he could say at the moment.

"None of you business" she spat, struggling underneath him, but really, she didn't want him to leave.

"Yes, but you went and made it my business now didn't you." He said in a tone that Phoebe thought he was amused by her helplessness.

Phoebe didn't answer, she just glared at him, but she liked his kindness, and the warm feeling inside that he gave her. He stood and pulled her up with him, lifting her off her feet as she tried to stand. Her knees were weak, and she felt dizzy from the fall. A drop of blood ran down the side of her face followed by another. She held her head and tried to make sense of the feelings she was having.

"If you let me go I'll make it worth your while." She said looking up at his shadowed face.

He just smiled down at her and said, "As tempting as that is, you are not going to do anything. I need to get you to a doctor."

He put her small arm around his neck and slipped his around her waist to help her stand. His lips were hovering over her face and he felt the intense urge to kiss her. The tenderness in his voice and the affection shocked Phoebe; she thought he should care nothing for her. She hadn't met a man yet that refused her offer, let alone cared for her safety.

"Cole! Is that him? Is that the trash that tried to rob me?" The woman said coming toward Cole and Phoebe.

Cole's eyes got big; he turned to face the woman with a guilty look. He tried to cover his feelings and act normal, but it was hopeless. He was so taken by Phoebe; he easily forgot about his date.

"Yes, but SHE'S going to need some medical help, she took a hard fall in the struggle." He answered, trying to sound like it was only the humane thing to do, instead of what he wanted for her.

Phoebe was starting to feel sick; she had hit her head so hard that now all the blood felt like it was just pouring out. The woman walked up to Phoebe and slapped her across the face, as Cole still held her.

"Crazy bitch!" The woman said.

"What the hell is the matter with you, can't you see she's hurt already?" Cole said holding Phoebe's face protectively.

His defensive tone shocked him as well, as he saw the confused look on the woman's face. He normally had no patience for thieves, but this one was different.

"What the hell is the matter with you? Why do you care?" She said while picking up her purse from the puddle it lay in.

Cole felt Phoebe starting to get limp and he looked down at her. She was looking up at him, still confused by his warmth towards her. But now his face was almost black, as she shut her eyes and fainted.

"Easy, I got ya." He said as he reached around Phoebe's knees and picked her up cradling her in his arms.

"Why don't you just leave her here? She is a criminal Cole?" The woman said sharply.

"Linda, look at her, she is a child. I can't do that, she'll probably die." He said trying once again to cover his feelings.

"Child! Who are you trying to fool Cole?" She said in an irritated voice.

Puzzled by his need to take care of this gypsy, Linda knew Cole was a sucker for helpless woman, especially pretty ones. But this was different; he seemed to have some personal interest in this girl. Phoebe woke up in the Hospital that next morning, confused as to where she was, and how she got there. She jumped when she saw Cole asleep in the chair beside her bed. Then she remembered the night, and fell back on her pillow with a regrettable sigh.

"You're awake!" Cole said smiling with a sleepy voice. He sat up and looked at the clock on the wall.

"Did you stay here all night?" Phoebe said softly, looking at him unsure of what he was going to do.

"All night, and you talk a lot in your sleep." Cole said in a sexy teasing voice.

"What did I say?" Phoebe asked nervously.

"Don't worry I won't hold you to your offers." He joked, raising his defined eyebrows at her.

Phoebe couldn't help the smile that slowly spread over her mouth. She felt safe now, and that he wasn't going to send her to jail.

"You can smile, and a beautiful smile it is." He said as he leaned closer to Phoebe.

She felt that warm feeling returning again when he said this to her. Afraid that he could sense this, she tried to change the subject but before she could he interrupted her by sticking out his hand and saying,

"Cole Turner."

Phoebe reached for his hand but kept quiet, soaking in this strange and very new situation.

"Now is when you tell me who you are." He said with the same sexy smile.

She smiled again, this time looking into his eyes. She couldn't tell just how handsome he was in the dark the night before, but now that she saw him in the light, she felt short of breath. He had jet-black curly hair and beautiful blue eyes. His lips were full, and moved very seductively when he talked. She wanted him to climb on top of her and tear her gown off right then, her fantasies were running away with her as he still held her hand. His thumb was gently brushing the top of her hand.

"My…my name is…" she trailed almost forgetting it, but he stopped her and said,

"That's ok, I already know who you are."

"You do?" "Yeah… How could I miss it? Your friend was screaming it last night when I brought you here."

"Gwen! What have you done to her?" Cole could hear her voice suddenly change to panic.

"Don't worry, she's waiting for you at the house."

"House?" She questioned, guessing he meant the run down apartment they now were renting.

"Yes, my house, I thought you guys could stay there, until you get back on your feet. Your friend Gwen said you didn't have any place to go."

"We have an apartment of our own, and we are doing just fine there, thank you anyway." Phoebe tried so say with the little pride she still had.

Cole could see the exhaustion in her eyes and the lack of nutrition. He noticed this with Gwen as well. That's why he insisted they stay with him awhile; well that was part of it. Normally he wouldn't have trusted the girls in his house, but this was different. He felt he had known Phoebe his whole life, and he didn't even try to fight the feelings he was having for her. He was falling in love with her, and he thought he could sense her love as well. He wasn't sure yet but hoped she felt the same way.

"It's ok, I saved both your butts. Linda wanted to press charges but I convinced her not too. Although, I don't think Linda wants to see me anytime soon. But she'll get over it, she always does." He said smiling at Phoebe.

This made Phoebe sink inside. She felt jealous when he would say Linda's name, but tried not to show it.

"Is… Linda your… girlfriend?" Phoebe said hating the thought and tried to hide her jealousy.

"No…well not anymore, she is just my partner." Cole said satisfied at the jealous tone in her voice. "Why would you do this for us?" Phoebe said, unsure of why he would offer his help, let alone his house.

Cole was puzzled at this question himself but it had all taken place so fast, and he was running on impulse with his heart and not his head. He was some how drawn to Phoebe, and he knew he didn't want to lose her. He wanted to see this girl again from the moment they met.

Phoebe looked at him and softly said, "Thank you."

Her voice melted him and now he was sure he loved her. He leaned closer.

"You're welcome." He said staring and playing with her eyes intensely.

She felt her heart racing and blushed at his meaningful gaze at her. She could hear his breath quicken as he came closer. He was now inches from her face, and then they very willingly came closer with their lips crushing together passionately. . He had wanted to kiss her all night while he watched her sleep, she was so beautiful laying there, and now he wanted to climb on top of her and bury himself deep inside of her, but something stopped him. He was always a charmer, but he didn't want to be with Phoebe, he wanted her to like him for who he was. This feeling he had for her was different from what he had ever felt, and he knew she was special. Cole pulled away suddenly, and he said breathing very heavily,"I'm sorry…I don't know what got into me?"

They both stared at each other and a smile started to spread over both their lips, then they burst out laughing. Still holding Phoebe, they looked at each other and they both knew that they didn't want to be apart ever again. This was the beginning of their life together. Phoebe had grown into a real woman, and thanks to Cole, the girls had been able to clean up their act and start clean.