Broken Beginnings (Citrus Cove, #1)

by Clio Evans

If he wasn’t the bane of my existence, I might have thought he was hot. But I knew better than to have a crush on the devil.

“You’re going to end up just like your mama. Alone and forgotten and dead,” he whispered. “A guy like me shouldn’t even give you the time of day.”

This place had fought me. It shoved down who I truly was over and over. From the bullies I’d gone to school with to the scowling church ladies, it nearly drained me. Hate was stronger than love, especially when it was backed by self-righteous, close-minded people.

Here in Citrus Cove, there was no crazy killer. There were no dead neighbors. And god, did I hope there would be no more nightmares.

That time of my life was a sore wound. I’d bullied Haley because I was a moron. My mama raised me better, but I’d been an idiot. More than an idiot. I’d been an asshole.

Back then, Haley somehow became the girl I pined over but instead of self-reflecting, I did stupid things.

If Haley Bently were a rattlesnake instead of a gorgeous woman, I’d be a dead man. Hell, maybe I was a goner either way.

They were ogling her. I wanted to punch both of them.

“Cameron Harlow, you put me fucking down before I kick you in the balls! Put me down!”

This was crazy. I was carting her off like a fucking caveman. What the fuck was I doing?

Something about her had always riled me up—back then it was a lot of things but now that I was an adult, I recognized what it was.

Lust. Pure and simple and dangerous.

I was on my knees in front of Haley Bently, and she looked so mad she could spit, but I was so turned on that I felt like I could come just kneeling here.

Just breathing the same air as Haley had turned me upside down.

“You know pretty girls sell alcohol. And Haley Bently is hot as fuck. The city years did her good.” “I think she’s always looked like that,” I mumbled.

“You didn’t tell me you and Cam were going.” “Going?” I echoed, scowling. “Going to hell?” “No,” she cackled,

“A gift for you. He said it’s his ‘truce offering.’ If that’s from Saks Fifth Avenue, then it sounds like you got yourself a boyfriend.”

Second dress I’ve ruined. I’m sorry for both. I don’t know how to make it up to you, but hopefully this can be the start. - Cam

Giving gifts and being prepared for anything were two of my love languages. Not that I was in love with her.

Was I blushing? Fuck. This woman was making me blush.

“Starting with you having some sort of reckoning?” “I had that the moment you left.”

“You weren’t the pathetic one. I was. I fucked up. I was so fucking awful to you. None of them should have stayed friends with me, but they did because I’ve changed. But none of them think you are pathetic or stupid. They think I am.”

“I hurt you. Repeatedly. I said awful, terrible things to you that anyone would have been harmed by. It pains me to look back at that time because I should have been better. You didn’t deserve the way I treated you.”

“I’m going to wear this beer proudly the rest of the night.”

“I just didn’t expect you to wear one of the dresses. It looks really good on you.”

Seeing her cry like this, it felt like my own heart was shattering into pieces.

I wasn’t going to let anything happen to her. My arm tightened around her.

I’m going to get some water and whisky, and we’re going to sit and talk about what the hell is going on. And I’m going to do every single thing I can to help you.”

“You’re not going to leave?” “I’m not going anywhere.”

Rage worked through me. The idea of a man harming her, trying to kill her, threatening her. All of it was a nightmare, and I wished I could do anything to stop it.

“Since when do you care, Cam?”

“I care about you,” I whispered. “It may be crazy. I may not have a single shot in hell with you. But I care, Hal. I care a lot. And I like you more than I should.”

“It is crazy. Because if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you want me.”

“I do want you. I want you like a garden wants the sun. When I see you, I can’t see anything else. I want you and no one else. Maybe I’ve always wanted you.”

“So you bullied me? Because you liked me?”

“I wasn't raised to express my emotions in a healthy way, I was terrible to you for a lot of reasons, Haley. Reasons it took me years of therapy to figure out. Some of those reasons had nothing to do with you. One of those reasons was that I liked you but I also felt threatened by you. And my teenage, dumbass, hormone-riddled brain didn't know how to process more than one feeling at a time. I'm not that guy anymore, though. I've grown up.”

When I finally got to kiss the woman of my dreams, it was going to be perfect. Because after tonight, I’d realized two things. One, Haley was meant to be mine. Two, I was going to spend every waking moment showing her that I was meant to be hers.

“Are you going to keep speaking in caveman or say, ‘Hi, Haley. Would you like to go on a date with me?’”

“Hi, Haley. Would you like to go on a date with me?”

He wants me. “You sure you aren’t playing a prank on me?”

“Far, far from it,” he breathed out. “Fuck. I’m not an idiot. Well, I can be sometimes. But I want you, Hal. And I want to know you. And I want to prove myself to you.”

“Sure, ...

“I do have a condition,”

“You let me drive your car. Just once.”

“Not a chance in hell,” I snorted. “What if I beg for the chance to?” I shook my head. “You’d have to get down on your knees.”

“Cam,” I hissed. “On my knees, sunshine. I’m begging you to let me take you on a picnic and spoil you and for you to let me take a ride in that Corvette.”

“You’re perfect, you know that?” “And you’ve got a silver tongue,” I whispered. “I mean it, Hal. You’re so fucking beautiful it hurts. And you’re smart. Stubborn.”

“All I want to do right now is kiss you.”

“Don’t,” I whispered, swallowing hard. “The whole town is going to be talking now.” “Let...

“You’re not alone,” I said. “I know I’m not your sister, and I’m not who you’d probably like to be on your team right now, but I’m here.”