Broken Vows

He promised he'd find her, no matter what. When he finally does, he’s broken beyond repair. Lauren grew up with Adam as childhood best friends in their isolated religious commune. Falling in love with him and carrying his child, she knows that he is her forever. But when Father Gideon arrives as the new head of their church, he begins to make some drastic changes that shake up everything they ever knew, including forcing her to marry Adam's brother. Nobody will stand up to him, and he cannot be stopped, making Lauren's only option to flee the only home she's ever known. Adam has loved Lauren since he was a teenager, and cannot bear the idea of her being married to someone else. Breaking her out the night of her wedding, he knows that the consequences of helping her escape will be imprisonment in Father Gideon's homemade hell on earth. Disappearing for the next four years, his only goal is survival, apart from brief moments when he thinks of Lauren, hoping she's happy and safe. Holding on for years, not a day has gone by that Lauren doesn’t think of the man she loves, and his promise to return to her. When they are finally reunited, they realize that the flame between them continues to burn brightly, and Lauren is ready to start building a life together. However, Adam realizes that they have more than one obstacle to overcome if that's to happen. Father Gideon is still searching for him, a prison escapee being a loose end he cannot have. There's also the matter of finding their long-lost daughter. Not to mention, Adam is no longer the boy she used to love, as years in a hellish labor prison have left him with demons he cannot shake. Can Lauren and Adam escape their past and find the happiness they've been denied for so long? NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: This is a standalone read with mild swearing (no f-bombs), a closed door, and a guaranteed HEA! Potential triggers include PTSD, suicide, and teenage pregnancy.