High School - Several years earlier.
“Hey Babe.” Tyler wrapped his meaty arm around me stuck his nose in my hair.
I literally felt my skin crawl as my back smacked against the school lockers. Why wouldn’t this douchebag go away?
I shoved against his muscled chest. “Leave me alone, Tyler. We aren’t going out anymore.”
His jaw tightened, and his face turned pink with embarrassment. I looked up and saw two of his friends smirking at us.
“Don’t be mad, baby. She didn’t mean anything to me.”
I couldn’t believe he was trying to pull this here. In the middle of the hallway with half the student body gawking at us. But if he thought that I would back down, the stupid prick had another thing coming.
“You were fucking Casey Ingalls in the drama club, Tyler. I don’t know how to make it clearer to you. That is not okay, and I should never have gone out with you in the first place.”
He rolled his eyes. “It was nothing.”
A crowd had begun to form around us. I hated being the center of attention and Tyler knew it. He was captain of the basketball team and played shortstop on the baseball team. Everyone who knew him loved him.
That was the problem. Tyler wasn’t used to being told no.
I nervously twisted the purity ring around my finger and his eyes darted to my hands. I hated the look in his eyes when he glanced back at me. It was a part pity, part defiance and a whole lot of cocky bastard.
“We are through, Tyler.” I wrenched out of his grasp and went to walk away when he stuck his foot out and deliberately tripped me.
My books went flying one way and I fell spread eagle on the floor. My glasses had fallen off and all I could hear was the sound of laughter as my schoolmates mocked me. Tyler no doubt looked like a fucking hero and I was the butt of the joke.
What a surprise.
I felt someone put their hand on my shoulder and thinking that Tyler was back for round two, I flinched visibly.
But it wasn’t his voice that I heard. “Shay, are you alright?”
He handed me my glasses and the bell rang for class. It’s amazing how quickly those hallways can empty out. Soon it was just Will and me gathering up my books and papers.
We stood at the same time and he handed me the stack he had picked up.
I’ve always liked Will. He was a nice kid from a poor family just outside of town. Nobody in Deepwater was rich, but Will had less than most. His lanky frame was so thin that it was almost awkward. And his hair hung in a mass of inky black curls all the way to his shoulders.
“Do you want me to take care of him?” Will’s low voice shook me from my thoughts.
“Tyler? No, Will, don’t worry about him. He’s just a giant douchebag,” I replied.
Will flashing a killer smile surprised me. I hadn’t expected the straight white teeth. I never knew him to have had braces. But his teeth were damn near perfect. His blue eyes sparkled, and I felt warm all of the sudden.
“I better get to class.” I started to move away when his voice stopped me.
“Shay?”
I shifted on my feet, praying that he wouldn’t ask me out again. I hated turning him down, but I wasn’t interested in dating anyone after the Tyler fiasco.
“You want to see a movie Friday night?”
I closed my eyes before replying, “No thanks, Will. I’m just not ready.”
My purity ring felt like it was burning into my skin, but I ignored it. Instead, I opened my eyes and looked at the disappointment on his face. I was a bitch to do this to him. Will wasn’t a creep, not like Tyler. But my first and last attempt at relationships was still biting me in the ass.
It was better this way.
“Thanks, Will, for helping me.”
His blue eyes bored into mine and the heat dialed up another notch. I wasn’t sure what was happening, but I didn’t like it. Suddenly I whipped around and fled to my next class not waiting to hear what he had to say.
I cursed myself for being rude to Will. And I cursed myself for ever thinking that I could be the one to tame Tyler Goldenberg. I needed to do well and get the fuck out of this small town. There was nothing for me here.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Present Day
I CAME AWAKE WITH A jolt. I had tears on my face, which was highly unusual considering I hardly ever remembered my dreams, let alone cried over them. I had forgotten that day so long ago when Will had come to my rescue.
“How are you feeling?”
I looked over to where I had thought Gina was sitting and found a very grown-up sexy version of the boy I had just been dreaming about.
Whether it was stupidity or exhaustion, I couldn’t tell you why I blurted out, “I was just dreaming about you.”
His eyes blazed, and his nostrils flared. I could see that his intense stare wouldn’t be leaving my face anytime soon. I reached up and tried to tame my hair. It felt messy and disheveled, so I couldn’t imagine what it looked like in real life.
I needed to clarify. “I dreamed of the day when Tyler Goldenberg tripped me in the hallway.”
Understanding lit his eyes, “That was a long time ago,” he murmured.
I nodded. “A lifetime, it seems. I wonder what happened to Tyler?”
Will’s jaw tightened. “Why do you ask?”
I laughed at his expression. “Not for any reason you might be thinking of. He was a douchebag then and is undoubtedly a douchebag now. I was just wondering if he ever fulfilled his dream of playing in the NBA. I don’t really follow sports.”
Will’s face softened, and a rueful smile played on his lips. “He works at his dad’s garage about three towns over from Deepwater. Last I heard he and Bobby Sue had four kids together.”
My jaw dropped. “Do you mean to tell me that he turned into a decent human being after all?”
Will laughed at my look. “Not even close. Rumor has it that he runs a chop shop after hours and two of Casey’s kids are the spitting image of Tyler Goldenberg.”
I couldn’t help the bubble of laughter that rose from the pit of my stomach.
“Poor Bobby Sue!” I wiped my eyes. “I know I shouldn’t laugh. But some things never change, do they?”
He gave me a questioning look before answering, “Some things might appear to be the same. But we are all very different people than we were back then.”
I thought about the silver purity ring that I used to wear on my left hand and flushed. I had such high hopes for myself. I was going to be someone. I came to New York to pursue an acting career and now I was a hostess at a dumpy restaurant.
“You are right,” I whispered, “I’m nothing like the girl you used to know.”
He stood, and I had to crane my neck to see his face. The man was built like a truck with all the right bells and whistles. If he noticed me checking him out, Will was too polite to say anything about it.
Reaching out, he cupped my cheek. “None of us are who we once were, Shay. But there are still pieces of who we used to be mixed into what we have become. Don’t look so sad, Angel.”
That was what he used to call me in high school. He always told me that I was prettier than an angel. Will sat on the bed and it sank a little to accommodate his weight.
“I need to talk to you about something important, Shay. And I’m going to need you to be honest. I know that you got caught up in some serious shit a while back and that you served your time for it. But I need to know names of who you think might be trying to hurt you.”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
He sighed. “Shay, I was sent the job to kill you. Call it luck or a fluke, I don’t fucking care. But I wasn’t given this extra chance to have you in my life just to throw it away again. We will fight back, and we will win.”
CHAPTER 6 – ShayI was sent the job to kill you.Kill you.Kill you.The words kept racing around my brain. Who would want to kill me? And since when did Will become a gun for hire? I was nobody—
CHAPTER 7 - ShayI went on to tell him about the falling out I had with Mandy. I didn’t sugar coat it. I told him all of the terrible things that I did to her and the horrible way I treated her. I told him about Emma and Andrew and hated the disappointed look on his face. But I knew that I had to keep going. I told him about my 12-step program for drug abuse.Hell yes, I was embarrassed. I didn't want him to know just how far I had fallen. Yet I had to, because things were too much for me to handle on my own.
CHAPTER 8 – Shay“Girl, you have to tell me,wereyou two a thing in high school or something?” Gina propped her hands underneath her chin and settled in.It was getting late, and we were back in my room again. Gina was making herself comfortable and I knew that she wouldn’t be going anywhere until she got some answers. I suppose that she felt entitled because Will had sent her out to pick me up some things.
CHAPTER 9 – Gina POVWhen Shay hadn’t awakened an hour later I went over and touched her forehead. She’s burning up. My first inclination had been that she was pregnant. Heaven knows that I sure struggled with smells in the first trimester.Now, I am not sure at all. Maybe I was projecting something on Shay that wasn’t true, and she is actually sick. I touch her head again and am surprised at how hot she feels. Shay is deathly white, huddled up under the blankets, and she looks miserable.
CHAPTER 10 – Marco POVI didn’t even know where I was going or why I was so pissed. It wasn’t like we were exclusive. I mean, I was, but I’m well aware of what I look like. I have a large birthmark on my face. For as long as I can remember, people have been telling me how ugly it is—I am.When we were kids I thought I had a chance with Gina. Stupid, I know, but I was young and thought that maybe she saw the real me. And then one day I was waiting outside of the locker room and I heard her talk
CHAPTER 11 – ShaySTEP 9: Whenever possible, make direct restitution to all persons you have harmed.“No, absolutely not,” Will’s jaw clenched, and his eyes flared, “You are not to contact those people, Shay. For all, we know they are behind the hit that’s been put out on you.”I couldn’t help
CHAPTER 12 – WillAfter combing through some of the seedier parts of the city Marco and I were able to drum up Renaldo’s nephew on his wife’s side. It didn’t take long before we were able to encourage Frankie to call his uncle for help.The kid had to be in his late teens or early twenties. He was of medium height and had glossy dark hair that was slicked back in a retro gangster type of way. I half expected him to start breaking out into show tunes from Greece.
CHAPTER 13 – Shay“Who is Emma?”Will stood before me with a clenched jaw and fire in his eyes. He hadn’t seemed this upset since Jamie had struck me.“Emma?” I repeated dumbly. “I used to have a roommate named Emma Graves, but I haven’t seen her in over a year. Somehow when we were all hauled in on the drug charges she was abso
Bonus Chapter 2 - Julio & Natalia“I’ve seen more cows than people in this town,” Jackson complained as they drove into the small town of Otterville Falls. “Why are we here, again?”“Because according to Jennings, Natalia is here. Why? I don’t really know. Fro
BONUS MATERIAL -How Julio got his groove back...
CHAPTER 24 – ShayAt the computer putting the finishing touches on a manuscript...A lot has happened since our stay at the Villa. As I began to recuperate Will was busy selling his mansion and finding us a new forever home. It was obvious that going back to the United States wouldn’t be in his best interest. Will wasn’t precisely on the Feds list, but they weren’t exchanging Christmas cards either.
CHAPTER 23 – WillI hated being away from Shay at the Villa, but the truth was that if we were ever to have a future together I was going to need to get out of the family business. Julio understood where I was coming from and promised to take good care of her while I went about tying up loose ends.In between all of this, the threat of Redmont was still weighing on us. I knew that he would be coming after her. That crazy son of a bitch just didn’t know when to stop. Most people would have thrown in the towel long ago, so I knew there had to be more involved.
CHAPTER 22 – ShayWe fell into a certain pattern at the Villa, I was able to spend time with Mandy and her daughter and slowly she began to thaw towards me. It was never the close relationship that we had once shared, but I could tell that she didn’t hate me and that meant the world to me.Will was often gone in the daytime and then when he returned we would make passionate love all night. I loved him more than the air I breathed. I would often tell him so and every time he didn’t return the statement a little bit of me died inside.
CHAPTER 21 – Shay“For heaven’s sake would you please just sit down?” Gina scowled at me. “I am supposed to be mad at you and I can’t even do that properly with you freaking out.”“You don’t understand,” I was wringing my hands, wearing out a hole in the carpet. “She hates me, Gina, they both hate my guts and now because of me they are forced to come here.”Gina raised a brow, “Unless you are God and can control what that bitch Emma does, it is no
CHAPTER 20 – Will“I need to speak with Elliot Brand.”There was a pause on the other end of the line before the secretary inquired, “And may I ask to which this is concerning?”I sighed, not having time for this shit. “The safety of his wife and child; this is Will Jennings. He will take the call.”The woman put me on hold and I groun
CHAPTER 19 – Shay“Are you sure they are coming?” Julio whispered as we hid behind the tapestries just outside of the library.I snorted, albeit very softly. “They won’t ignore my cry for help and I texted both of them that I had fallen.”Sure enough, there was the sound of pounding feet coming their way. Julio placed a finger to his lips and I nodded. It was doubtful that they would see us here simply because their focus would be on getting inside the library.
CHAPTER 18 – ShayIt wasn’t that I was expecting him to say it back to me. I mean, that would have been bloody brilliant and not nearly as uncomfortable as the complete silence that accompanied my declaration.I almost wanted to take it back, not that I didn’t love him, because I did. I was head over heels, tits over ass in love with Will Jennings. But maybe just minutes after sex with his cock still softening inside of me wasn’t the best time to tell him.I closed my eyes as the silence stretched, n