Abbi Glines's Blog, page 33
August 13, 2012
Because of Low- chapter one
Chapter One
Marcus
Moving back home sucked. Everything about this town reminded me of why the hell I’d wanted to get away. I had a life in Tuscaloosa and I needed that life to escape. Here, I was Marcus Hardy. No matter where I went people knew me. They knew my family. And now... they were talking about my family. Which is why I had come home. Leaving my sister and mother here alone to face this was impossible. The scandal hovering over our heads took away all my choices and my freedom. Right now, few people knew but it was only a matter of time. Soon the entire coastal town of Sea Breeze, Alabama would know what my dad was doing or should I say, who my dad was doing. King of the Mercedes car dealerships along the Gulf Coast had been a high enough title for some little gold digging whore only a few years older than me to jump in bed with my dear ‘ol dad. The one time I’d seen the home wrecker working behind the desk right outside Dad’s office I’d known something wasn’t right. She was young and smoking hot and apparently money hungry.
Dad couldn’t keep it in his pants and now my mom and sister would have to deal with the stigma it would cause. People would feel sorry for Mom. This was already devastating to her and she didn’t even know yet that the other woman was barely a woman. My younger sister Amanda had caught them going at it one evening late when Mom had sent her over to the office to take Dad some dinner. She’d called me that night crying hysterically. I’d withdrawn from school, packed my things and headed home. There was no other option. My family needed me.
A knock on the door snapped me out of my internal tirade and I went to see what chick was here looking for Cage this time. God knew the guy had an endless line of females parading through his life. My new roommate was a player. A major player. He put my best friend, Preston, to shame. I twisted the knob and swung the door open without peeking through the hole.
The surprise was on me. I’d been prepared to tell whatever tall willowy large but obviously fake chested female dressed in almost nothing waiting outside the door that Cage was busy with another one very similar to her. Except a very natural almost curvy red head stood before me. Red rimmed eyes and a tear streaked face gazed up at me. There was no mascara lines running down her face. Her hair wasn’t styled but pulled back in a pony tail. She wore jeans and what appeared to be an authentic Back in Black AC/DC concert t-shirt. No belly button flashing a flat tanned stomach and her clothes weren’t skin tight. Well maybe the jeans were a little snug but they hugged her hips nicely. My appreciation of her legs in the slim fit jeans stopped however when I noticed the small beat up suitcase clutched tightly in her hand.
“Is Cage here?” Her voice sounded broken and musical at the same time. I was having a hard time digesting that this girl was here for Cage. She wasn’t anything like he veered toward. Nothing was enhanced. Everything from her thick dark copper hair to the Chuck Taylors on her feet screamed, “not Cage’s type.” And the fact she was carrying a suitcase, well that couldn’t be good.
“Uh, um, no.”
Her shoulders slumped and another sob escaped her mouth. One small dainty hand flew up in an attempt to mute the sound of her obvious distress. Her nails were even classy. Not too long with a smooth rounded tip and soft pink nail polish.
“I left my cell phone,” she let out a sigh then continued, “at my sister’s. I need to call him. Can I come in?”
Cage was out with a swimsuit model that apparently had a thing for college baseball players. I knew from the way he talked he didn’t intend to come up for air much tonight. He’d never answer her call and I hated to see her get more upset than she already was. A horrible thought crossed my mind, surely he hadn’t gotten this girl pregnant. Couldn’t he see how freaking innocent she was.
“Uh, yeah but I don’t know if he’ll answer. He’s busy... tonight.”
She shot me a sour smile and nodded stepping around me.
“I know the kind of busy he is but he’ll talk to me.” She sounded rather confident. I wasn’t feeling her confidence myself.
“Do you have a cell I can use?”
I reached into the pocket of my jeans and handed it to her unable to argue with her further. She had stopped crying and I wanted to keep it that way.
“Thanks, I’ll try calling first.”
I watched as she walked over to the sofa and dropped her suitcase to the floor with a thunk before sinking dejectedly down onto the worn cushions as if she’d been here a hundred times. Being as I’d only been moved in for two days, I wouldn’t know if she had been here before or not. Cage was a friend of a friend who had been looking for a roommate. I needed somewhere to live fast and his place was nice. Preston was on the same baseball team as Cage at the local community college. Once Preston heard I needed a place to live he called Cage and hooked me up.
“It’s me. I left my phone when I ran. You’re not here but your new roommate let me in. Call me,” she sniffed then hung up. I watched fascinated as she proceeded to text him. She really believed the male whore I lived with was going to call her right up as soon as he got her message. I was intrigued and growing more concerned by the minute.
She finished and handed the phone back to me. A smile touched her red splotchy face and two dimples appeared in her cheeks. Damn that was cute.
“Thanks, do you mind if I wait a little bit until he calls back?”
I shook my head, “No, not at all. You want a drink?” She nodded and stood up.
“Yes, but I’ll get it. My drinks are in the bottom drawer of the fridge behind the Bud Lights.”
I frowned and followed her into the kitchen. She opened the fridge and bent down to get her hidden drink. With her bent over digging for her so called drink the snug fit of the faded jeans over her ass was hard to miss. It was a perfect heart shape and although she wasn’t very tall her legs seemed to go on for miles.
“Ah, here it is. Cage needs to run to the store and restock. He must be letting his one nighters drink my Jarritos.”
I couldn’t keep guessing. I needed to know who she was exactly. Surely she wasn’t one of his girlfriends. Could she be the sister Preston had mentioned dating? I sure as hell hoped not. I was interested and I hadn’t been interested in anyone in awhile. Not since the last girl broke my heart. I opened my mouth to ask her how she knew Cage when the phone in my pocket started ringing. She walked over to me and held out her hand. The girl really believed it was Cage. I glanced down and sure enough, my roommate had called back.
She took the phone from my hand. “Hey”
“She’s such a selfish jerk.”
“I can’t stay there Cage.”
“I didn’t mean to leave my phone. I was just upset.”
“Yes, your new roommate’s a nice guy. He’s been very helpful.”
“No, don’t end your date. Get her out of your system. I’ll wait.”
“I promise not to go back.”
“She is who she is Cage.”
“I just hate her,” I could hear the tears in her voice again.
“No, no, really I’m fine. I just needed to see you.”
“Don’t. I’ll leave.”
“Cage --”
“No”
“Cage”
“Okay fine.”
She held the phone out to me, “He wants to talk to you.”
This conversation was like nothing I’d expected. The girl had to be his sister. “Hey.”
“Listen, I need you to make sure Low stays there until I can get home. She’s upset and I don’t want her leaving. Get her one of her damn Mexican soda thingys out of the fridge. They’re behind the Bud Lights in the bottom drawer. I have to hide them from other chicks I have over. All females tend to like those nasty drinks. Turn on the television, distract her, whatever. I’m only ten minutes away but I’m putting my jeans on as we speak and headed home. Just help get her mind off things but DON’T touch her.”
“Ah, okay sure. Is she your sister?”
Cage chuckled into the phone. “Hell no she ain’t my sister. I’d never buy my damn sister drinks and call her back when I’m in the middle of a fucking threesome. Low’s the girl I’m gonna marry.”
I had no response for that. My eyes found her standing over by the window with her back to me. The long thick copper locks curled on the ends and brushed against the middle of her back. She was absolutely nothing like the girls Cage regularly hooked up with. What did he mean she was the girl he was going to marry? That made no sense.
“Keep her there man. I’m on my way.” Then he hung up the phone.
I dropped the phone on the table and stood there staring at her back. She turned around slowly and studied me a moment then a smiled broke across her face.
“He told you he was going to marry me didn’t he,” she said laughing softly before taking a drink of the orange soda with what appeared to have spanish writing on it. “Crazy boy. I shouldn’t have bothered him but he’s all I’ve got.”
She walked over and sank back down onto the old faded green sofa pulling her legs up underneath her.
“Don’t worry. I’m not leaving. He’d rip apart my sister’s house searching for me and scare the bejesus out of her if I left. I’ve got enough issues where she’s concerned. I don’t intend to unleash Cage on her.”
I slowly made my way over to the only chair in the room and sat down. “So, you’re engaged?” I asked staring down at her bare ring finger.
With a sad smile she shook her head. “Not in a million years. Cage has crazy ideas. Just because he says them doesn’t make them true.” She raised her eyebrows and took another drink of her soda.
“So, you aren’t going to marry Cage,” I really would love for her to clarify this because I was incredibly confused and more than a little interested in her. She bit down on her bottom lip and I noticed for the first time how full it was.
"Cage was my ‘boy next door’ growing up. He’s my best friend. I love him dearly and he really is all I have. The only person I can count on. We’ve never actually been in a relationship before because he knows I won’t have sex with him and he needs sex. He’s also real wrapped up in the whole idea that a relationship between the two of us before we get married will end badly and he’ll lose me. He has this irrational fear of losing me.”
Did she know the guy had bagged over three different girls this week and apparently was having a threesome when she’d called? She was so much better than Cage.
“Wipe that look off your face. I don’t need your pity. I know what Cage is like. I know you have probably seen the kind of girls he’s attracted to and I look absolutely nothing like them. I don’t live in a fantasy world. I’m very aware,” she tilted her head and smiled at me sweetly, “I don’t even know your name.”
“Marcus Hardy”
“Well Marcus Hardy, I’m Willow Montgomery but everyone calls me Low. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Likewise”
“So, you’re a friend of Preston’s.”
I nodded, “Yes but don’t hold it against me.”
She laughed for the first time and the sudden pleasure from such a simple sound startled me. I liked hearing her laugh. “I won’t. Preston isn’t all that bad. He likes to use those pretty boy looks of his to get his way but I’m safe from his attention. Cage would kill him if he decided to bat his baby blues at me.”
Was it because of Preston’s womanizing or the fact he was a guy that made Cage protective of Willow. Did he really expect her to wait around until he was ready to settle down and marry her?
“LOW,” Cage’s voice rang out as the door to the apartment swung open. His head snapped around and his eyes went straight to Willow. “God baby I was so afraid you’d leave, come here.” This was a side of Cage I’d never seen. Apparently the sweet little red head got to him in a way no one else could.
He pulled her up into his arms, reached down and grabbed the forgotten suitcase then led her back to his bedroom whispering to her the entire way. If she hadn’t informed me that she refused to have sex with him earlier I’d have been eat up with righteous fury at the idea of him touching someone so sweet after having just left the bed of not one but two girls. But instead, I was eaten up with envy because I knew he was going to get to hold her and listen to her musical voice as she spilled out all her problems. He’d be the one to fix them, not me. I’d just met her. Why the hell did that bother me?
BUY THE BOOK:
Marcus
Moving back home sucked. Everything about this town reminded me of why the hell I’d wanted to get away. I had a life in Tuscaloosa and I needed that life to escape. Here, I was Marcus Hardy. No matter where I went people knew me. They knew my family. And now... they were talking about my family. Which is why I had come home. Leaving my sister and mother here alone to face this was impossible. The scandal hovering over our heads took away all my choices and my freedom. Right now, few people knew but it was only a matter of time. Soon the entire coastal town of Sea Breeze, Alabama would know what my dad was doing or should I say, who my dad was doing. King of the Mercedes car dealerships along the Gulf Coast had been a high enough title for some little gold digging whore only a few years older than me to jump in bed with my dear ‘ol dad. The one time I’d seen the home wrecker working behind the desk right outside Dad’s office I’d known something wasn’t right. She was young and smoking hot and apparently money hungry.
Dad couldn’t keep it in his pants and now my mom and sister would have to deal with the stigma it would cause. People would feel sorry for Mom. This was already devastating to her and she didn’t even know yet that the other woman was barely a woman. My younger sister Amanda had caught them going at it one evening late when Mom had sent her over to the office to take Dad some dinner. She’d called me that night crying hysterically. I’d withdrawn from school, packed my things and headed home. There was no other option. My family needed me.
A knock on the door snapped me out of my internal tirade and I went to see what chick was here looking for Cage this time. God knew the guy had an endless line of females parading through his life. My new roommate was a player. A major player. He put my best friend, Preston, to shame. I twisted the knob and swung the door open without peeking through the hole.
The surprise was on me. I’d been prepared to tell whatever tall willowy large but obviously fake chested female dressed in almost nothing waiting outside the door that Cage was busy with another one very similar to her. Except a very natural almost curvy red head stood before me. Red rimmed eyes and a tear streaked face gazed up at me. There was no mascara lines running down her face. Her hair wasn’t styled but pulled back in a pony tail. She wore jeans and what appeared to be an authentic Back in Black AC/DC concert t-shirt. No belly button flashing a flat tanned stomach and her clothes weren’t skin tight. Well maybe the jeans were a little snug but they hugged her hips nicely. My appreciation of her legs in the slim fit jeans stopped however when I noticed the small beat up suitcase clutched tightly in her hand.
“Is Cage here?” Her voice sounded broken and musical at the same time. I was having a hard time digesting that this girl was here for Cage. She wasn’t anything like he veered toward. Nothing was enhanced. Everything from her thick dark copper hair to the Chuck Taylors on her feet screamed, “not Cage’s type.” And the fact she was carrying a suitcase, well that couldn’t be good.
“Uh, um, no.”
Her shoulders slumped and another sob escaped her mouth. One small dainty hand flew up in an attempt to mute the sound of her obvious distress. Her nails were even classy. Not too long with a smooth rounded tip and soft pink nail polish.
“I left my cell phone,” she let out a sigh then continued, “at my sister’s. I need to call him. Can I come in?”
Cage was out with a swimsuit model that apparently had a thing for college baseball players. I knew from the way he talked he didn’t intend to come up for air much tonight. He’d never answer her call and I hated to see her get more upset than she already was. A horrible thought crossed my mind, surely he hadn’t gotten this girl pregnant. Couldn’t he see how freaking innocent she was.
“Uh, yeah but I don’t know if he’ll answer. He’s busy... tonight.”
She shot me a sour smile and nodded stepping around me.
“I know the kind of busy he is but he’ll talk to me.” She sounded rather confident. I wasn’t feeling her confidence myself.
“Do you have a cell I can use?”
I reached into the pocket of my jeans and handed it to her unable to argue with her further. She had stopped crying and I wanted to keep it that way.
“Thanks, I’ll try calling first.”
I watched as she walked over to the sofa and dropped her suitcase to the floor with a thunk before sinking dejectedly down onto the worn cushions as if she’d been here a hundred times. Being as I’d only been moved in for two days, I wouldn’t know if she had been here before or not. Cage was a friend of a friend who had been looking for a roommate. I needed somewhere to live fast and his place was nice. Preston was on the same baseball team as Cage at the local community college. Once Preston heard I needed a place to live he called Cage and hooked me up.
“It’s me. I left my phone when I ran. You’re not here but your new roommate let me in. Call me,” she sniffed then hung up. I watched fascinated as she proceeded to text him. She really believed the male whore I lived with was going to call her right up as soon as he got her message. I was intrigued and growing more concerned by the minute.
She finished and handed the phone back to me. A smile touched her red splotchy face and two dimples appeared in her cheeks. Damn that was cute.
“Thanks, do you mind if I wait a little bit until he calls back?”
I shook my head, “No, not at all. You want a drink?” She nodded and stood up.
“Yes, but I’ll get it. My drinks are in the bottom drawer of the fridge behind the Bud Lights.”
I frowned and followed her into the kitchen. She opened the fridge and bent down to get her hidden drink. With her bent over digging for her so called drink the snug fit of the faded jeans over her ass was hard to miss. It was a perfect heart shape and although she wasn’t very tall her legs seemed to go on for miles.
“Ah, here it is. Cage needs to run to the store and restock. He must be letting his one nighters drink my Jarritos.”
I couldn’t keep guessing. I needed to know who she was exactly. Surely she wasn’t one of his girlfriends. Could she be the sister Preston had mentioned dating? I sure as hell hoped not. I was interested and I hadn’t been interested in anyone in awhile. Not since the last girl broke my heart. I opened my mouth to ask her how she knew Cage when the phone in my pocket started ringing. She walked over to me and held out her hand. The girl really believed it was Cage. I glanced down and sure enough, my roommate had called back.
She took the phone from my hand. “Hey”
“She’s such a selfish jerk.”
“I can’t stay there Cage.”
“I didn’t mean to leave my phone. I was just upset.”
“Yes, your new roommate’s a nice guy. He’s been very helpful.”
“No, don’t end your date. Get her out of your system. I’ll wait.”
“I promise not to go back.”
“She is who she is Cage.”
“I just hate her,” I could hear the tears in her voice again.
“No, no, really I’m fine. I just needed to see you.”
“Don’t. I’ll leave.”
“Cage --”
“No”
“Cage”
“Okay fine.”
She held the phone out to me, “He wants to talk to you.”
This conversation was like nothing I’d expected. The girl had to be his sister. “Hey.”
“Listen, I need you to make sure Low stays there until I can get home. She’s upset and I don’t want her leaving. Get her one of her damn Mexican soda thingys out of the fridge. They’re behind the Bud Lights in the bottom drawer. I have to hide them from other chicks I have over. All females tend to like those nasty drinks. Turn on the television, distract her, whatever. I’m only ten minutes away but I’m putting my jeans on as we speak and headed home. Just help get her mind off things but DON’T touch her.”
“Ah, okay sure. Is she your sister?”
Cage chuckled into the phone. “Hell no she ain’t my sister. I’d never buy my damn sister drinks and call her back when I’m in the middle of a fucking threesome. Low’s the girl I’m gonna marry.”
I had no response for that. My eyes found her standing over by the window with her back to me. The long thick copper locks curled on the ends and brushed against the middle of her back. She was absolutely nothing like the girls Cage regularly hooked up with. What did he mean she was the girl he was going to marry? That made no sense.
“Keep her there man. I’m on my way.” Then he hung up the phone.
I dropped the phone on the table and stood there staring at her back. She turned around slowly and studied me a moment then a smiled broke across her face.
“He told you he was going to marry me didn’t he,” she said laughing softly before taking a drink of the orange soda with what appeared to have spanish writing on it. “Crazy boy. I shouldn’t have bothered him but he’s all I’ve got.”
She walked over and sank back down onto the old faded green sofa pulling her legs up underneath her.
“Don’t worry. I’m not leaving. He’d rip apart my sister’s house searching for me and scare the bejesus out of her if I left. I’ve got enough issues where she’s concerned. I don’t intend to unleash Cage on her.”
I slowly made my way over to the only chair in the room and sat down. “So, you’re engaged?” I asked staring down at her bare ring finger.
With a sad smile she shook her head. “Not in a million years. Cage has crazy ideas. Just because he says them doesn’t make them true.” She raised her eyebrows and took another drink of her soda.
“So, you aren’t going to marry Cage,” I really would love for her to clarify this because I was incredibly confused and more than a little interested in her. She bit down on her bottom lip and I noticed for the first time how full it was.
"Cage was my ‘boy next door’ growing up. He’s my best friend. I love him dearly and he really is all I have. The only person I can count on. We’ve never actually been in a relationship before because he knows I won’t have sex with him and he needs sex. He’s also real wrapped up in the whole idea that a relationship between the two of us before we get married will end badly and he’ll lose me. He has this irrational fear of losing me.”
Did she know the guy had bagged over three different girls this week and apparently was having a threesome when she’d called? She was so much better than Cage.
“Wipe that look off your face. I don’t need your pity. I know what Cage is like. I know you have probably seen the kind of girls he’s attracted to and I look absolutely nothing like them. I don’t live in a fantasy world. I’m very aware,” she tilted her head and smiled at me sweetly, “I don’t even know your name.”
“Marcus Hardy”
“Well Marcus Hardy, I’m Willow Montgomery but everyone calls me Low. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Likewise”
“So, you’re a friend of Preston’s.”
I nodded, “Yes but don’t hold it against me.”
She laughed for the first time and the sudden pleasure from such a simple sound startled me. I liked hearing her laugh. “I won’t. Preston isn’t all that bad. He likes to use those pretty boy looks of his to get his way but I’m safe from his attention. Cage would kill him if he decided to bat his baby blues at me.”
Was it because of Preston’s womanizing or the fact he was a guy that made Cage protective of Willow. Did he really expect her to wait around until he was ready to settle down and marry her?
“LOW,” Cage’s voice rang out as the door to the apartment swung open. His head snapped around and his eyes went straight to Willow. “God baby I was so afraid you’d leave, come here.” This was a side of Cage I’d never seen. Apparently the sweet little red head got to him in a way no one else could.
He pulled her up into his arms, reached down and grabbed the forgotten suitcase then led her back to his bedroom whispering to her the entire way. If she hadn’t informed me that she refused to have sex with him earlier I’d have been eat up with righteous fury at the idea of him touching someone so sweet after having just left the bed of not one but two girls. But instead, I was eaten up with envy because I knew he was going to get to hold her and listen to her musical voice as she spilled out all her problems. He’d be the one to fix them, not me. I’d just met her. Why the hell did that bother me?
BUY THE BOOK:
August 12, 2012
Signed copy of While It Lasts
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It is International.
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and Tweet it and/or Facebook it. If you Facebook it be sure to tag me on it so I can put your name in the drawing. I will be drawing a name on Thursday August 16.
It is International.
August 8, 2012
While It Lasts - Bonus Scene
Eva
Opening the last drawer in my dresser, I found the picture of my Senior Prom tucked away. I’d been unable to look at Josh’s smiling face after I’d lost him. I picked it up and sank down on the box full of my books beside me. I’d known coming in here and packing everything up was going to be difficult. I had a lifetime of memories in this room. “He really does look like Jeremy,” Cage’s voice startled me. I hadn’t heard him come back into the room. I’d sent him out to the Jeep with another box of my things. Lifting my gaze from Josh’s face to Cage’s, my heart sped up in my chest. The sadness and fear in his eyes confused me then I realized how this must look. I didn’t want Cage to think he was competing with Josh for my heart. “This was our prom. I put it away after he died. Seeing it hurt too much,” I explained reaching over to put it back in the drawer. I’d be leaving those memories here in this room. Daddy wasn’t happy but he also wasn’t disowning me. My room would remain here, untouched for me to come home if I ever needed to. “I don’t mind if you want to take it with you,” Cage’s voice betrayed him. He thought he was hiding his worry from me. Standing up, I turned around and slipped my hands behind his neck. “Josh is my past. I loved him from the time I was a little girl. Losing him almost destroyed me. But you,” I said tugging on the dark hair that curled against his neck. “Cage York, saved me. You taught me that life could go on. That my heart could love just as fiercely again.” The tension in his body eased and I couldn’t help but smile. It amazed me that this wild sexy man wanted just me. “Josh will always have a special place in my heart. But you, own my heart. Never doubt that. Not for a minute.” Cage let out a deep sigh and rested his forehead against mine. “God that sounds good,” he whispered then kissed my temple. His hands began moving from my hips to cup my butt. “So, how much longer do you think it’ll be before your dad comes back?” He asked before nibbling on my ear and sending a shiver through me. “Hmmm… well he’s mad, so he’s blowing off steam. Do you really think it’s a good idea to take the chance he might come back at any minute?” Cage chuckled against my neck then pushed the strap of my tank top down over my shoulder and began nibbling on the tender skin just above my cleavage. “I’ve been fantasizing about making love to you in this girly room since we walked in here today,” he said in a husky voice as he lifted his eyes up to meet mine then pressed a kiss on the top of one of my breasts. “But Daddy,” I tried to remind him but my thoughts got all scatter as he reached for the hem of his shirt and pulled it off. The sight of his chest always did me in and he knew it. “I’ll listen for his truck. Promise,” he assured me as he pulled my shirt off and threw it to the side. His hands settled back on my hips and he pulled me against him before lowering his mouth to mine. The softness of his lips always surprised me and excited me at the same time. My hands went back around his neck and I held on as I let any worries about getting caught fade away. “Mmmm you taste good,” Cage whispered His deep husky voice made me tremble with excitement. Cage lifted me up, “Wrap your legs around me,” he instructed. After he had me firmly in his arms he walked us over to the bed while he continued to stroke the inside of my mouth with his tongue. Slowly, Cage laid me on the bed and then moved over me. “I like the idea of making you do naughty things on this frilly bed. It’s driving me crazy just thinking about it,” he admitted with a low chuckle. Before I could respond, the slamming of the screen door in the kitchen had Cage jumping back off of me and grabbing my shirt off the floor. He didn’t have to explain as he threw it to me. We both scrambled to get our shirts back on and Cage reached for another box as heavy footsteps came up the stairs. I scrambled over to the dresser once I had my shirt on. Cage smirked at me and gave me a wink before Daddy filled the doorway of my bedroom.
Cage
“I want to talk to you, boy. Alone.” Wilson Brooks loud voice caused Eva to jump. I figured he’d want to talk to me before we left. When Eva had told him she was moving out he’d yelled and called me several names. Then he’d stormed off to his truck and spun out of the driveway. Now, he was back and he wanted to threaten me. I was prepared for this. I also wanted to get him out of the bedroom before he realized Eva had her shirt on inside out. The grin tugging at my lips from the fact she’d put her clothes on wrong in the frenzy to get dressed wouldn’t go away. I knew Wilson thought I was smiling at him and that wasn’t going to go over well. “Okay,” I replied and walked toward the door with the box I’d picked up and blocked his view of Eva. “Daddy, don’t do this. I’m twenty years old. Please. Just be happy that I’ve moved on,” Eva begged. Wilson shook his head and turned around to head back down the stairs. I followed behind him silently. “Daddy! I mean it. Don’t say anything else mean to Cage like you did earlier. You were wrong. I love you but you were so very wrong.” Eva called out. The warmth in my chest was something new. She was worried about me. She was defending me. Damn that felt good. Even if I was just fine with whatever Wilson wanted to call me. I understood. I was taking his little girl away. He’d probably hate me for the rest of his life. Wilson walked out of the house onto the front porch before stopping and turning around to face me. “Dammit boy. I warned you to stay away from her,” Wilson roared. “Yes you did. But I couldn’t.” Wilson took off his straw hat and ran a hand over his bald head. “Why her? Why Eva? You could’ve found you another girl to move in with you and ruin. Why my Eva? She’s been through so much already. She ain’t your kind boy. She don’t give herself easily.” Anger flared inside me. Not because he was insinuating that I wasn’t good enough for her because he was right about that. But because he was belittling what she was to me. I may have the reputation from hell but Eva had changed all that. “It wasn’t a choice. I. Adore. Eva. She isn’t just some girl I’m entertaining myself with. She owns me. I’ll move heaven and earth to make her happy. Hell, I’ve just spent every last dime of the money I was saving for a Harley to buy her a piano so she can play everyday. I understand that she’s your daughter and you’re worried about her. But do not think for one damn minute that she is just another girl for me. Eva is my world.” Wilson hard glare eased some as he stood there studying me. I really hoped Eva had left her nosey little ass upstairs and hadn’t heard the part about the piano. I wanted to surprise her. “You got her a piano?” He asked almost in a hushed whisper. “Yeah, I did. She wants one.” Wilson put his hat back on his head and turned away from me to stare out at the front yard. I knew the piano reminded him of his wife but he’s aversion to it had kept Eva from getting to do something she loved. It was a connection with her mother that she needed. I wanted her to have that. “Her momma played the piano,” He said. “Yes sir, I know.” We both stood in silence until Wilson moved toward the steps and started down them. Where was he going now? “You take care of my baby girl. I’ll hang you up by your balls if you hurt her,” he said in a cold even tone. I bit back a grin. “I’ll do everything in my power to make her happy.” I assured him. He didn’t respond or look back. Instead, he stalked toward to his truck. The screen door opened and Eva stepped out. “Daddy!” She called out and ran down the stairs. He stopped and slowly turned around to look at her. The unshed tears in his eyes made my stomach drop. Would she change her mind? “I love him Daddy. I love him so much. I’m not being reckless. I just can’t live without him.”My heart soared. Had anyone ever defended me so fiercely? Had anyone picked me over someone else they loved? Damn if I didn’t want to go jerk that inside out tank top off her and press her up against the nearest tree. “I’m beginning to understand that. Don’t make this right, though,” Wilson replied. Then he turned and headed to his truck where he climbed inside and drove away. If she cried, I was going to go run him down and force him back here to fix this. But when she turned back around to face me, she was smiling.
August 5, 2012
Cage York BEFORE While It lasts
Here is Cage York from Marcus Hardy's POV in
Because of Low
“Donʼt look now but Cage is headed this way,” Dewayne muttered, jerking me back to the present. Iʼd gotten lost in my thoughts. Since Dad had informed me of how incredibly wrong Iʼd been about Willow, Iʼd done nothing but replay every awful word Iʼd said to her. I searched the crowd until I found Cage walking our way. He was alone. “Sorry man, I didnʼt know he was going to be here tonight or Iʼd have given you a heads up,” Preston whispered from across the table. “Stop babying him. Heʼs gonna have to deal with it eventually,” Rock said with an unapologetic shrug. He was right of course.
“Didnʼt expect you out tonight,” Preston said as Cage came to a stop at the table.
“I needed a night out. Low insisted I go do something.”
“She didnʼt come out with you?” I surprised everyone including myself by asking.
Cage frowned at me then tilted his head as if he were studying me. I stared back at him. Waiting on an answer while he decided if I deserved one or not.
“No. She had a bad experience the last time I talked her into getting out of the apartment and coming here with me,” he replied slowly and evenly. The night Iʼd grabbed the girl and danced with her. Damn the list of marks against me were endless.
“Uh, well, itʼs good you got out tonight. You donʼt do that much anymore,” Preston piped up in an attempt to break through the tension.
Cage continued to glare at me, “Iʼve had other priorities.”
I wanted to hate him. Because heʼd been there for her. Because heʼd been what I hadnʼt. But I couldnʼt hate him. Instead, I was grateful someone had taken care of her.
“Is she okay?” I needed to know. Anything. Just something. I needed something.
Cage let out a hard laugh and shook his head like he couldnʼt believe what he was hearing. “No, Marcus she isnʼt. But one day she will be. It isnʼt like she hasnʼt been left before. Sheʼll survive.”
If heʼd intended to slice me open, heʼd succeeded. I needed air. Standing up, I grabbed my water and turned around to leave.
“If it were me youʼd fucked over, youʼd be dead to me. But it wasnʼt me. It was Low. And she isnʼt like most people. If youʼve managed to put away enough of that sheltered little rich boy righteous fury and figured out what an enormous mistake you made then it isnʼt too late. Yet.” Then Cage York turned and walked away. Through the crowd and out the front door. I stood there replaying his words in my head. Then I broke into a run.
Cage York from Low's POV in
Because of Low
“UGH! Cage!” I pushed him off me and stood up. “TMI Cage. I so did not want to know that.” Cage cackled with laughter. “What, baby? You don’t think about me when you slip your hands into your panties and get naughty?” “Cage SHUT UP!” I screamed putting my fingers in my ears. He stuck his pointed finger in his mouth and licked it. I swear he could be so gross. “Who do you think about Low? When you’re making it feel good down there?” I was getting ready to slug the stupid smirk off his face. “First of all I don’t do that. And second of all you’re a pervert. Now go get laid and leave me alone.” Cage sat up and rested his elbows on his knees. His baby blue eyes were round as saucers. “You don’t stroke it Low?” “Oh. My. God. Would you please stop it!” Cage shook his head in disbelief. “You really don’t. You’ve never had an orgasm. I can see it all over your face. Well shit.” “Cage I mean it. This conversation,” I stopped as the door opened and Marcus stepped inside. My face instantly turned bright red. I didn’t have to see it to know it. The idea that he could have heard even a tiny portion of this ridiculous conversation was humiliating. “Marcus, man we were just talking about you,” Cage said with an evil smirk and stood up from the couch. I couldn’t bring myself to clarify Cage’s stupid greeting. Instead, I stood frozen in place as Cage walked by me and whispered, “Remember what I said.” I didn’t need him reminding me that I wasn’t good enough for Marcus. I already knew this. But what he didn’t know was Marcus was completely clueless to this fact. And I wasn’t about to point it out to him. I shoved Cage as he stumbled and laughed before going into his room and closing the door behind him.
“Donʼt look now but Cage is headed this way,” Dewayne muttered, jerking me back to the present. Iʼd gotten lost in my thoughts. Since Dad had informed me of how incredibly wrong Iʼd been about Willow, Iʼd done nothing but replay every awful word Iʼd said to her. I searched the crowd until I found Cage walking our way. He was alone. “Sorry man, I didnʼt know he was going to be here tonight or Iʼd have given you a heads up,” Preston whispered from across the table. “Stop babying him. Heʼs gonna have to deal with it eventually,” Rock said with an unapologetic shrug. He was right of course.
“Didnʼt expect you out tonight,” Preston said as Cage came to a stop at the table.
“I needed a night out. Low insisted I go do something.”
“She didnʼt come out with you?” I surprised everyone including myself by asking.
Cage frowned at me then tilted his head as if he were studying me. I stared back at him. Waiting on an answer while he decided if I deserved one or not.
“No. She had a bad experience the last time I talked her into getting out of the apartment and coming here with me,” he replied slowly and evenly. The night Iʼd grabbed the girl and danced with her. Damn the list of marks against me were endless.
“Uh, well, itʼs good you got out tonight. You donʼt do that much anymore,” Preston piped up in an attempt to break through the tension.
Cage continued to glare at me, “Iʼve had other priorities.”
I wanted to hate him. Because heʼd been there for her. Because heʼd been what I hadnʼt. But I couldnʼt hate him. Instead, I was grateful someone had taken care of her.
“Is she okay?” I needed to know. Anything. Just something. I needed something.
Cage let out a hard laugh and shook his head like he couldnʼt believe what he was hearing. “No, Marcus she isnʼt. But one day she will be. It isnʼt like she hasnʼt been left before. Sheʼll survive.”
If heʼd intended to slice me open, heʼd succeeded. I needed air. Standing up, I grabbed my water and turned around to leave.
“If it were me youʼd fucked over, youʼd be dead to me. But it wasnʼt me. It was Low. And she isnʼt like most people. If youʼve managed to put away enough of that sheltered little rich boy righteous fury and figured out what an enormous mistake you made then it isnʼt too late. Yet.” Then Cage York turned and walked away. Through the crowd and out the front door. I stood there replaying his words in my head. Then I broke into a run.
Cage York from Low's POV in
Because of Low
“UGH! Cage!” I pushed him off me and stood up. “TMI Cage. I so did not want to know that.” Cage cackled with laughter. “What, baby? You don’t think about me when you slip your hands into your panties and get naughty?” “Cage SHUT UP!” I screamed putting my fingers in my ears. He stuck his pointed finger in his mouth and licked it. I swear he could be so gross. “Who do you think about Low? When you’re making it feel good down there?” I was getting ready to slug the stupid smirk off his face. “First of all I don’t do that. And second of all you’re a pervert. Now go get laid and leave me alone.” Cage sat up and rested his elbows on his knees. His baby blue eyes were round as saucers. “You don’t stroke it Low?” “Oh. My. God. Would you please stop it!” Cage shook his head in disbelief. “You really don’t. You’ve never had an orgasm. I can see it all over your face. Well shit.” “Cage I mean it. This conversation,” I stopped as the door opened and Marcus stepped inside. My face instantly turned bright red. I didn’t have to see it to know it. The idea that he could have heard even a tiny portion of this ridiculous conversation was humiliating. “Marcus, man we were just talking about you,” Cage said with an evil smirk and stood up from the couch. I couldn’t bring myself to clarify Cage’s stupid greeting. Instead, I stood frozen in place as Cage walked by me and whispered, “Remember what I said.” I didn’t need him reminding me that I wasn’t good enough for Marcus. I already knew this. But what he didn’t know was Marcus was completely clueless to this fact. And I wasn’t about to point it out to him. I shoved Cage as he stumbled and laughed before going into his room and closing the door behind him.
August 1, 2012
WHILE IT LASTS- prologue
Today I've posted While it Lasts prologue. You can read it here Today on the blog: I've posted the prologue to WHILE IT LASTS http://www.abbiglines.com/2012/08/whi...
While It Lasts - the Prologue
The Prologue to While It Lasts
Prologue
“Your Mom brought me the letter today.” The pain in my chest was so sharp I had to fight to keep from bending over and screaming. “I read every last word. Several times.”
The autumn wind caressed my face but wasn’t enough to dry my tears. The tears were endless. Never ceasing. Swallowing hard, I forced myself to continue. I needed him to hear me. “It isn’t fair you know… a letter isn’t the proper way to say goodbye. It sucks, Josh. It sucks so damn bad.” A sob tore from my chest. I pressed my fist against my heart. How much more pain could it take before it just exploded into a million pieces?
“You always told me we’d grow old together. We’d sit on our front porch swing, holding hands and watching our grandkids play in the yard. You promised me that,” I choked out as I pressed my thumb against the tiny diamond solitaire that he’d placed on my finger just six months ago.
“You broke your promise. You’ve never broken a promise before. This time you let me down and left me this letter. How do I move on from this, huh? Did you expect me to just read it and everything would be better? Did you expect me to cry a few tears then move on?” I would get no response. Nothing more than the letter weighing heavy in my back pocket. It was so tear-stained now that several of the words were hard to read. Didn’t matter though. I had it all memorized. Every. Last. Word.
“I started to write you a letter and bring it to you today. My chance at a few last words— but I couldn’t. I can’t scream and yell in a letter. Words on paper can’t hold the emotions churning inside me.” I reached into my pocket and pulled out the worn letter that would haunt me for the rest of my life.
“Instead of writing you a letter I decided I’d respond to yours in person. It’s only fair. No… it isn’t fair,” I spat angrily, “because none of this is fair but this is all I get. This is all you allowed me to have.”
I opened the one page letter carefully. I didn’t want to tear it because the words written on it, were all I had left. I began to read aloud:
“My Eva Blue.” Fresh tears streamed down my face. Just reading the nickname Josh had given me when we were nine years old was painful. How could I read this entire letter aloud without crumbling to the ground?
“The fact I’m writing this letter pains me more than you could ever know. This isn’t something I ever want you to read but I know that you deserve a goodbye. You deserve so much more than that and God willing you will get the perfect life that we’ve spent hours together daydreaming about.” I stopped reading and lifted my eyes from the words on the paper. “We made those plans, Josh. You and me. Those aren’t just my plans. They’re our plans, damn you! How could you just leave me? We had it all figured out. All those nights spent lying under the stars choosing the names of our children, the color of our bedroom, the flowers we’d plant in the pots on our front porch, the summer house we’d have on the beach, ALL OF THAT WAS US!”
Another tear rolled down my face and I quickly swiped it away with my hand before it could drop to the paper below. I had to finish this. As hard as reading this was, I had to finish it. This would never be closure. I’d never get closure. This would be the closest thing I’d ever get to a goodbye.
“I’ve loved you since the moment I looked into those pretty blue eyes of yours. Even at five years old, I knew there’d never be a girl that could take your place in my heart. No one would ever compare to you. It would always be you for me, Eva Brooks. Always. Please remember that, you were all that ever mattered to me. No one else ever touched my heart the way you did. My life was marked with every year I grew more and more in love with the wild, crazy, beautiful girl next- door. I lived in awe that this perfect angel wanted me, that this amazing woman would be my wife. The life we planned. The life we dreamed about was what kept me going as long as I did.” Sinking to the ground, I pulled my knees against my chest and sobbed as I forced my eyes to focus on the words I had to read. I had to. I had to.
“I pray to God you never have to read this letter. I want this to be a letter I pull out of my box one day for you to read when we are old and gray. We can smile and realize how much we have to be thankful for that this letter was never needed. But Eva, if you do receive this letter from my mom one day, then know: I loved you until my last breath. You were the only thing on my mind when I closed my eyes the last time. Our time together was more perfect than anyone’s life should be. The life I lived was heaven on Earth because I spent it with you.”
“Oh God, Josh, I can’t do this without you! I can’t do this without you. I love you so much. Please, please God,” I wept loudly. No one heard me. The graveyard was empty. The last few lines of the letter were the most impossible to accept. How could he even think that his words were possible?
“One day you will heal. Life will go on for you. Another guy will be lucky enough to find a place in your heart. When that happens, love him. Move on. Live that life of happiness that you deserve. Know that I loved you. Know that you made my life complete. But move on Eva. Love again. Live your life.”Love,Josh
BUY THE BOOK:
Prologue
“Your Mom brought me the letter today.” The pain in my chest was so sharp I had to fight to keep from bending over and screaming. “I read every last word. Several times.”
The autumn wind caressed my face but wasn’t enough to dry my tears. The tears were endless. Never ceasing. Swallowing hard, I forced myself to continue. I needed him to hear me. “It isn’t fair you know… a letter isn’t the proper way to say goodbye. It sucks, Josh. It sucks so damn bad.” A sob tore from my chest. I pressed my fist against my heart. How much more pain could it take before it just exploded into a million pieces?
“You always told me we’d grow old together. We’d sit on our front porch swing, holding hands and watching our grandkids play in the yard. You promised me that,” I choked out as I pressed my thumb against the tiny diamond solitaire that he’d placed on my finger just six months ago.
“You broke your promise. You’ve never broken a promise before. This time you let me down and left me this letter. How do I move on from this, huh? Did you expect me to just read it and everything would be better? Did you expect me to cry a few tears then move on?” I would get no response. Nothing more than the letter weighing heavy in my back pocket. It was so tear-stained now that several of the words were hard to read. Didn’t matter though. I had it all memorized. Every. Last. Word.
“I started to write you a letter and bring it to you today. My chance at a few last words— but I couldn’t. I can’t scream and yell in a letter. Words on paper can’t hold the emotions churning inside me.” I reached into my pocket and pulled out the worn letter that would haunt me for the rest of my life.
“Instead of writing you a letter I decided I’d respond to yours in person. It’s only fair. No… it isn’t fair,” I spat angrily, “because none of this is fair but this is all I get. This is all you allowed me to have.”
I opened the one page letter carefully. I didn’t want to tear it because the words written on it, were all I had left. I began to read aloud:
“My Eva Blue.” Fresh tears streamed down my face. Just reading the nickname Josh had given me when we were nine years old was painful. How could I read this entire letter aloud without crumbling to the ground?
“The fact I’m writing this letter pains me more than you could ever know. This isn’t something I ever want you to read but I know that you deserve a goodbye. You deserve so much more than that and God willing you will get the perfect life that we’ve spent hours together daydreaming about.” I stopped reading and lifted my eyes from the words on the paper. “We made those plans, Josh. You and me. Those aren’t just my plans. They’re our plans, damn you! How could you just leave me? We had it all figured out. All those nights spent lying under the stars choosing the names of our children, the color of our bedroom, the flowers we’d plant in the pots on our front porch, the summer house we’d have on the beach, ALL OF THAT WAS US!”
Another tear rolled down my face and I quickly swiped it away with my hand before it could drop to the paper below. I had to finish this. As hard as reading this was, I had to finish it. This would never be closure. I’d never get closure. This would be the closest thing I’d ever get to a goodbye.
“I’ve loved you since the moment I looked into those pretty blue eyes of yours. Even at five years old, I knew there’d never be a girl that could take your place in my heart. No one would ever compare to you. It would always be you for me, Eva Brooks. Always. Please remember that, you were all that ever mattered to me. No one else ever touched my heart the way you did. My life was marked with every year I grew more and more in love with the wild, crazy, beautiful girl next- door. I lived in awe that this perfect angel wanted me, that this amazing woman would be my wife. The life we planned. The life we dreamed about was what kept me going as long as I did.” Sinking to the ground, I pulled my knees against my chest and sobbed as I forced my eyes to focus on the words I had to read. I had to. I had to.
“I pray to God you never have to read this letter. I want this to be a letter I pull out of my box one day for you to read when we are old and gray. We can smile and realize how much we have to be thankful for that this letter was never needed. But Eva, if you do receive this letter from my mom one day, then know: I loved you until my last breath. You were the only thing on my mind when I closed my eyes the last time. Our time together was more perfect than anyone’s life should be. The life I lived was heaven on Earth because I spent it with you.”
“Oh God, Josh, I can’t do this without you! I can’t do this without you. I love you so much. Please, please God,” I wept loudly. No one heard me. The graveyard was empty. The last few lines of the letter were the most impossible to accept. How could he even think that his words were possible?
“One day you will heal. Life will go on for you. Another guy will be lucky enough to find a place in your heart. When that happens, love him. Move on. Live that life of happiness that you deserve. Know that I loved you. Know that you made my life complete. But move on Eva. Love again. Live your life.”Love,Josh
BUY THE BOOK:
July 29, 2012
While it Lasts visual teaser
Okay so I had some time on my hands and did a little WHILE IT LASTS visual (please feel free to share)
http://youtu.be/GHxcc0dw23s
http://youtu.be/GHxcc0dw23s
While It Lasts is finally HERE!
While It Lasts is now available a little early on Amazon
BUY THE BOOK:
July 25, 2012
MUSIC... free music
I have two completely different rockers in my books.
In the Existence Trilogy I have Dank Walker. He is also Death. Sure, didn't you know Death moonlighted as a rock star? Where have you been!?!? Of course he does.
And now you can get the song he sings to Pagan in Existence and the song he sings in Predestined for free.
Just click the links below:
Existence "Yet You Stay"
Predestined "Closer"
In my debut novel Breathe , Jax Stone is the world's hottest teen rock star. He also has a song in his book written for a special girl. You can get it for free by clicking the link below:
Breathe "Don't Cry"
Book Three in the Existence series- Ceaseless- will release 9/18/12. It will be the final book in the series and it will have one more Dank Walker song that Dank will record and make available.
In the Existence Trilogy I have Dank Walker. He is also Death. Sure, didn't you know Death moonlighted as a rock star? Where have you been!?!? Of course he does.
And now you can get the song he sings to Pagan in Existence and the song he sings in Predestined for free.
Just click the links below:
Existence "Yet You Stay"
Predestined "Closer"
In my debut novel Breathe , Jax Stone is the world's hottest teen rock star. He also has a song in his book written for a special girl. You can get it for free by clicking the link below:
Breathe "Don't Cry"
Book Three in the Existence series- Ceaseless- will release 9/18/12. It will be the final book in the series and it will have one more Dank Walker song that Dank will record and make available.
