Prologue

I was outside of my house with my 30 other siblings, when my father walked up to me
“May I have a word with you daughter?” my father asked, I nodded and set my broom against the wall and followed him inside into the living room where my mother was sitting, I sat next to her.
“Daughter you are to be married in 3 days to Timothy Gallagher” Josiah Leavitt told his daughter. Megan just sat there her lip quivering, tears threatening to fall from her eyes, her breathing faltering.
“N…No, I won’t do it” Megan stuttered and looked to her mother for help, her mother looked down
“you will keep sweet and do as I say, it is gods wish for you” her father said in a threatening tone. Megan looked at her mother again
“mamas please help me” Megan whispered
“I can’t, I’m sorry. Megan please KEEP SWEET” her mother stressed
“Now you will marry Timothy Gallagher willingly and bare his children, it is your duty. Now the Prophet will be here in 2 days and perform the ceremony” her father said proudly.
Megan just sat there and nodded. Her father was the Bishop of their church and respected in their colony. He had 4 wives including her mother and had 30 children. Her mother had 5 children, Megan was the 2nd eldest, her oldest sister was already married and had 2 kids by the age of 18. Megan had 2 younger brothers and a younger sister.
Megan is 15 years old and not ready to be married, wanted to live a normal life, she wanted to continue school and possibly got to college.

Ch.1

“Mama please don’t let me be married” Megan pleaded as her mother unbraided her long brown hair.
“Megan I have no say, and you know I have to keep sweet as well. I don’t want you to be married either, and I didn’t want your sister to be married but it happened” her mother explained. Megan looked towards her mother
“I’d rather die than to be married right now” Megan hissed, Megan’s mother knelt down and glanced around making sure none of the other wives were around
“honey keep sweet please, or they will hear you, I don’t want anything to happen to you” her mother pleaded
“I will not keep sweet, I want out of this hell hole” Megan hissed crying. Her mother than embraced Megan into a tight hug
“oh darling, I wish I could get us out of this place, I do” her mother whispered as tears fell from her eyes.

Two days passed and Megan was to be married tomorrow to Timothy Gallagher. Timothy Gallagher was a 35 year old man who already had 2 wives and 8 children, Megan did not like him at all and found him very unattractive, and from what she saw he was over controlling.
Megan was out in the back grabbing the bed sheets from the hanger when she saw Timothy Gallagher pull up in his truck.
“Why hello Megan, I am excited to take you as my bride tomorrow” he said closing his door and walking up to her. Megan dropped the sheets and started backing up
“I need to be going in now” she said and turned to leave
“actually I wanted to give you a preview of what our wedding night will be like” Timothy said smiling
“there won’t be one, I will not marry you” Megan hissed. Timothy then grabbed her arm and pulled her to him
“KEEP SWEET” Timothy hissed and kissed Megan. Megan tried to fight him off then slapped him when he pulled back, he then slapped her across the face making her fall to the ground
“MAMA” Megan screamed from the ground holding her cheek. Judith ran out to her daughter and wrapped her in her arms
“he hit me” Megan cried
“don’t touch her” Judith said to Timothy
“If I were you I’d mind your place, she will be mine tomorrow and I will do as I please with her from then on” Timothy said and got into his truck and drove off
“I want to die mama, please I’ll kill myself if I marry him” Megan cried
“Shhhh baby” Judith soothed her daughter and looked over to the other wives looking disapprovingly.
“Judith how dare you interfere with Megan and Timothy” Josiah said walking up to her and Megan
“he hit her and forced himself on her, Josiah she’s just a child, she’s not ready to marry” Judith pleaded holding Megan
“she is not a child she is a woman in god’s eyes, now you keep sweet” Josiah warned
“no, I will not let her marry” Judith said shaking her head.
“Then you are banned from this family, go pack your things and take your children to the old cottage, and Megan will be married tomorrow” Josiah said.
Megan, her mother and brothers and sister all packed their stuff, got into the van and drove to an old cottage that had been abandoned for a few years.
“mama” Megan said hesitant’
“Shhh, you take your brothers and sister to bed and I’ll figure this out” Judith said. An hour later Judith sat in the living room crying with candles spread throughout the room for some light, she then accident knocked a candle over and it caught on fire and started spreading. Judith soon got the kids woken up and they jumped into the van and drove out of their community and onto the freeway.
“Mama where are we going?....MAMA” Megan yelled
“Megan hush, I don’t know, but were not coming back, and you are not getting married” Judith said looking back then and at and touched her cheek, they then drove off.

Ch.2
The next day they went to the Tapestry Against Polygamy for help. We waited a couple hours, they had the police come and talk to my mom and I. Lillian who worked there gave us money, food stamps, an address of where we would live until my mom got a job, and a list of schools of where my sister, brothers and I would attend.
We drove and found the address of our new home, it was a mobile home.
“Mom this place looks scary, look at our neighbors” I said looking around at some bikers and some lady who didn’t look fully dressed I looked away embarrassed
“that lady’s naked almost” I said
“don’t point” my mother said. We got out and went into our new home.
A month went by and we were adjusting to our new life, my father called the police saying my mother kidnapped his kids but with the report my mother had already filed nothing happened. My mother cut her hair, as did I, I wanted nothing to remind me of my past, I got new clothes from a vintage store, I got skinny jeans and graphic tee’s to express how I was feeling, my mother didn’t like what some of them said but understood.
“So Megan where are you from, you’ve been avoiding it” Jessica a girl who I hung out with asked. I bit my nail and thought if I should mention where I was from
“you know I’m just not ready to talk about it” I said
“oh, well ok, I’m just interested” Jessica said and ate her pizza. I took the bus home with my brothers and sister and we saw my father’s truck.
“Papa’s here” Mary said and ran towards the house
“Mary stop” I called running after her. My father was at the front door stop with my mother
“what is he doing here?” I asked standing next to my mother
“he wants you girls to go back with him” Judith said
“yeah, I’ll pack my things” Mary said happily and ran to get her stuff
“Mary you can’t” I said following her
“why, I miss our life” Mary said
“as soon as you get there he’s going to marry you off” I said
“no he won’t, I’m not mature enough yet” Mary said
“Mary please don’t go” I begged
“I’m going, come with me” Mary said holding my hand
“are you kidding, I want nothing to do with that life, it’s hell there” I said, Mary gasped and pulled her hands away from me
“May god have Mercy on you Megan Levitt for saying such a horrible thing”
Mary said and walked out the door and into our father’s arms. I soon came out and stood next to my mother and my little brothers
“Mary baby, please don’t go” My mother cried, and I soon saw a cop car come by, officer Jackson came up to us, I guess my mother had called ahead of time.
“he’s taking my baby” My mother cried
“I want to go with him” Mary said
“I’m sorry Mrs. Levitt, but if she’s willing to go, I can’t stop her” Officer Jackson said, my mother just nodded. My father then looked at me
“well Megan say goodbye to your mother” he said
“I’m not leaving, I’m not going back to that place and with you” I hissed
“well then I guess we will be leaving. I will be coming back for Megan, and you will be with Timothy, he is the Prophet’s son, and he wants you” Josiah said
“well he’s not getting me, I’ll never go back to that hell hole” Megan said and ran inside.

Ch.3

Months passed and we moved from one place to the next just to avoid my father and Timothy who were not giving up on getting me to go back with them. My mom got a lawyer who her friend recommended, and they started dating. He soon got offered a job in L.A and asked my mom and us to come with him, we all agreed.
Three years have passed and Megan has tried to move on with her new life in L.A. She has friends here, but only one best friend named Kendra who knows about Megan’s past life.
“So are you going to go to college?” Kendra asked
“I don’t know, maybe, Mike offered to pay for me but I think I might look into scholarships, or I might try modeling or acting, I don’t know what I want to do, I think a part of me wants to do something that would be looked down upon back in Utah where my father is and I want them to see it” Megan said and ran her fingers through her long brown hair.
“hmm, I can’t imagine being married and with kids by now, I’m glad your mom got you out of there” Kendra said
“yeah me to” Megan said taking a deep breath, she was happy with her new life. They live in a beautiful 4 bedroom house. Mark was great with my mom, he gave her space and time and also her independence, but he was also there for us kids. Mark has a great clientele mostly dealing with the doctors (plastic surgeons).
“So how’s work?” Kendra asked sipping her drink
“it’s good, a little hectic but good” Megan answered playing with a strand of her hair and looking out the window
“I still don’t understand why you work, you don’t need to, mark will cover you expenses like your car, clothes” Kendra said smiling. Megan turned her head towards Kendra and rolled her eyes
“I like working, it gives me independence you know and I’m working at a job that I love” Megan said smiling
“Megan you work as a tutor to kids, what’s to love about that?” Kendra asked
“Kendra you need to realize that we grew up in two completely different worlds. I work because back in Utah that wasn’t allowed for woman, our job was to have babies every year, and that’s not me. I mean I want kids in the future for sure, but right now I want to know what else is out there in this world that they hid me from” Megan said. Kendra smiled sympathetically and nodded understanding
“Hey you ready to go?” Kendra asked
“not yet, I think I want to stay here and just relax, I’ll talk to you later” Megan answered
“You sure?” Kendra asked, Megan nodded. Kendra stood up and hugged Megan and left knowing that Megan needed time alone, she hated talking about her past life knowing that her father and Timothy were still looking for her. Mark had someone keeping them updated on her dad, and he had every intention of getting Megan back and getting her married to Timothy. About 10 min’s later Megan got up and grabbed her car keys and placed her sunglasses on, and grabbed her ice tea and they headed out to the car when she bumped into someone making both her and his drinks falling to the floor and spilling mostly on Megan.
“oh my god, I’m so, so sorry, I’ll buy you a new one, what did you have “ Megan asked and grabbed some napkins
“hey, hey it’s ok, it’s just clothes they can be replaced” the man said stopping Megan from cleaning the mess. Megan took a deep breath and looked up, the man was covered in tattoos all up his arms and on his neck, he had his shades hanging from his shirt and had the most beautiful chocolate brown eyes she had ever seen.
“What did you have I’ll buy you a new one” Megan said
“It’s no problem really” the man said smiling at Megan
“no, please let me, I wasn’t watching where I was going, it’s my fault, believe me I’m a clutz” Megan said and got back in line to order his drink. She got his drink and was ready to leave
“I’m really sorry, I can get you a new shirt as well” Megan said
“no, no, it’s ok really. Well since we are here why don’t we sit down and talk, I mean you owe me” the man said. Megan looked at him and bit her bottom lip
“um, I don’t think I can, I’m sorry” Megan said, this man was gorgeous but he had tattoos and that meant he was bad news, well from what she’s been taught.
“uhh excuse my manners, my name is Alex” he said sticking his hand out
“umm, Megan” Megan said and shook his hand
“good, now we know each other’s names, now can we sit and chat?” AJ asked smiling. He thought this girl was gorgeous, there was something about her that intrigued him, he wanted to get to know her.
“I…I just don’t feel comfortable really, please don’t take this the wrong way but your tattoos” Megan said, Alex squinted at Megan, what was wrong with this girl, did she not recognize him
“I’m not a bad guy, they just express the way I feel, it’s just art” AJ said
“oh, no please don’t be offended I didn’t really mean that, oh my “ Megan said and ran her fingers through her hair
“hey it’s ok, I usually give off that vibe” AJ said.
“I should really go” Megan said and headed for the door
“Uhh wait a minute, here’s my number I would really like to get to know you better, can we meet up together tomorrow here and just talk, please?” AJ asked with puppy dog eyes, Megan looked at him while biting her lip
“o..ok, 6 o’clock ok?” Megan asked
“perfect. I’ll see you tomorrow night Megan” AJ said and watched Megan leave