Twisted Truth
A Trust Vs Lie Novel Book One
Maria Macdonald
Copyright 2017 Maria Macdonald
All Rights Reserved
This book is a work of fiction. Any references to real events, real people, and real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the Author’s imagination and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, organizations or places is entirely coincidental.
All rights are reserved. This book is intended for the purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage retrieval system, without the express written permission of the Author. All songs, song titles, and lyrics contained in this book are the property of the respective songwriters and copyright holders.
This book has been written using UK English and contains some euphemisms and slang words that form part of the British everyday spoken word.
Please remember that these words are not misspelt, they are UK English and slang terms that form part of the every day British lifestyle.
If you would like further explanation, please do not hesitate to contact the author—contact details have been provided, for your convenience, at the end of this book.
Editing by Swish Design & Editing
Formatting by Swish Design & Editing
Proofreading by Klaire Sutherland
Cover design by Hart & Bailey Design Co.
Cover Image Copyright 2017
For Yvonne Eason. My book world saviour in so many ways. I’d be lost without you, Yvonne. All my X’s and O’s are for you. xoxoxo.
I lost
my way
all the way
to you
and in you
I found
all the way
back
to me.
- Atticus
She was his only one.
His heart felt cold and pain and flint, if it did not feel her touch.
He may never be hers, but she would always be his.
His forever, for always.
As time ebbed away, his body would turn to sand, but his soul would remain, in the ashes, in the dark.
And it would still hold a single love.
Her.
-Maria Macdonald
One lie can make you question every truth.
I used to believe in true love.
Until he broke me.
Lesson learnt.
Where there’s love, there’s lies.
I used to believe I wasn’t what she needed.
Until I let her love in.
I’ve changed for her.
I want her to believe in me like I need to believe in myself.
Isaac James stayed out of my life for five years. He wasn't to blame, after all, protecting me imprisoned him.
Now he’s back. The chemistry is still there, the tension is still there, the love is still there… the pain is still there.
Isaac James was my rock, my first love… my family.
Olivia McKenna has always been my weakness. I’d do anything to protect her, which I proved, despite it taking me to prison.
I’ve stayed away, trying to do the right thing. I thought I was still protecting her. But, I’m lost without her… even if I’m not sure I can be what she needs.
Olivia McKenna was my forever… for always.
Dedication
Blurb
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Epilogue
Playlist
Acknowledgments
Connect With Me Online
About the Author –Maria Macdonald
OLIVIA
(Aged Six and Three-Quarters)
I told Mummy about the teacher being horrible to me yesterday. She wasn’t happy. When I told her and Daddy that Mrs Hoardman had made me face the corner for the whole of playtime, Daddy’s face got all squinty. Mummy asked why I’d been made to do that. I told her all of it, and I didn’t lie, not once. Mrs Hoardman had said that all the toys had to stay in their own corners. The books are in the blue corner, the blocks are the yellow corner. And I was a pirate in the red dress-up corner, but I wanted to read a book. I didn’t mean to go over to the blue corner with my pirate clothes and sword on, but I forgot. Mummy says that sometimes we forget things and it’s an accident. That’s what happened to me. Mrs Hoardman shouted and I said I was sorry, but her face nearly turned purple, and even Jenny Burns started crying.
When I told Mummy, her face turned squinty like Daddy’s, and she looked at him and said, “This will be sorted tomorrow.” I didn’t know what she meant, but Daddy nodded and told me to give him a cuddle. I got to sit on Daddy’s lap for ages. Then Uncle Dane came over, and Mummy told him. Uncle Dane picked me up and tickled me lots. I think they forgot when it was my bedtime because I stayed up late.
This morning Mummy is talking to Mrs Hoardman. They have cross faces, especially Mummy. I have been quiet for ages, but I need to tell Mrs Hoardman something. I keep pulling her skirt, but she doesn’t notice me.
I try again and tug her skirt. “Mrs Hoardman,” I whisper quietly. “Mrs Hoardman.” Now I need to pee. I hop from one foot to the other and pull Mrs Hoardman’s skirt again.
“What Olivia?” She is cross, although not as much as usual now that Mummy is here.
Mummy looks at me, her face is smiley. “What is it, honey?” I blink and look back to Mrs Hoardman’s cross face.
“My Uncle Dane said, if you shout at me again or make me stand in the corner, he’s going to come down here and swing you around by your nipples.”
I came home from school today and spent all day with Mummy. It was the best day. Mummy spoke to Uncle Dane on the phone and was cross with him. Everyone was cross, but my Daddy laughed.
LIVVY
(Aged Ten)
“Stop it! Stop it!” I jump up and down trying to reach my lunch bag. Even though I do ballet, the boys are so much taller, and I just can’t reach. Christopher Palmer is always horrible. He picks on me more since my cousins, Isaac and Tobias, moved up to the local high school, but it’s okay, I can take care of myself. Lawson is my other cousin and their little brother. I never tell him about Christopher as he’s only nine, and I don’t want him to get in trouble with Mrs Petty. She’s a mean cow bag. Mrs Petty never liked Tobias and Isaac when they went to this school, and she has sure never liked me. Christopher’s her grandson, so she always believes him, even though he’s a big fat liar.
&nbs
p; “Chris, give me my lunch!” I shout again, but he just laughs and looks to his friends, Martin and Carl, who laugh with him. I can feel the heat creeping up my neck, and I know they’re going to point out my red face in a minute too.
“Awww, poor O-livia, let’s see what your mummy packed you today shall we, Hairy Beast?” Chris says, chucking my lunch over to Martin, who eagerly opens the box. The taunts started the minute Toby and Isaac left. Before, Chris would only tease me when they weren’t around and he never called me names. Then bang, one day he seemed to create this rumour about me having hairy legs and then the nickname Hairy Beast was officially mine.
“Ooo, ham sandwich,” Martin adds. “Should you really be eating one of your own kind? Well, piggy?”
“Watch out, lads, she’s turning red,” Carl adds, almost bouncing on the balls of his feet.
What I did next, secured my nickname for the next year of middle school and the first year of high school. The Rhino. Perfect.
I’m so cross, my skin prickles with embarrassment, and there’s a circle of people surrounding us now, all laughing at me. So I run full pelt, straight toward Chris. His eyes only widen at the last minute when he realises what I’m doing, but it’s too late. I barrel head first into his midsection taking him completely off his feet, and we both fall with a thud to the ground.
I remember very little of what happened next. Chris was crying, and I was reigning punches down on his face one after the other.
Now Mum has come to school to collect me. She’s in with Mr Price, the headmaster, and Mrs Petty is in there too. I can hear raised voices and I know they’re not happy with me. I gave Chris a fat lip. I cross my arms with annoyance when I think about all the mean things he’s done and said to me.
The door creaks open and out steps a very angry looking Mrs Petty. She glances down at me with a sneer and walks off.
“Now, Olivia, please come in and sit down,” Mr Price states. I follow him inside and listen as he tells me why my behaviour is unacceptable. My mum says nothing but sits close to my side.
“Olivia, you cannot go around pushing people over. Violence is never the answer,” he tells me firmly.
“What if I kick him in his willy? My Uncle Dane says if a boy is doing something he shouldn’t be, then I can kick him in his willy,” I tell Mr Price matter-of-factly.
His face turns red and he looks to my mum, I look up to her too. She’s doing the scrunchy thing with her face that she always does when she’s trying not to laugh.
“Mrs McKenna, I suggest you take Olivia home today and try to explain why this sort of behaviour will not be tolerated at this school.”
My mum stands telling me to get up and grab my things.
“Mr Price, if you want me to make sure Olivia understands her behaviour was unacceptable, then can I also assume you’ll make sure Christopher Palmer is punished for his behaviour, not just today, but over the course of Livvy’s school life? Or are family members of teachers exempt from being taught how to act like decent human beings?”
Mr Price splutters as Mum grabs my hand and we walk out of school.
My mum rocks.
LIV
(Aged Fifteen)
“Him? Really, Liv?” Isaac drawls beside me as we make our way to English Lit class. Well, I make my way there. Isaac is in sixth form now and as such seems to do what he wants.
“Why not? Dean Chester is hot, and he likes me,” I reply, pulling the gum from my mouth and twirling it around my finger. Isaac and I have always been the closest out of our family. Sometimes he’s more like my best friend than my cousin. I’d never tell Victoria that though, as she believes she’s my closest friend.
Isaac looks at my finger and raises an eyebrow. I roll my eyes at him but deposit the gum into the nearest bin.
“He’s a dick,” is his only reply.
“You say that about every guy. When Tommy wanted to go to the cinema with me, you said he was a dick too.”
“He was, and not twenty-four hours later he was back with Leanne.”
I huff and roll my eyes, but it’s not something I can deny. “When Richard wanted to take me to the school disco, you told me he was also a dick.”
“And when you said no and he spread that rumour?” He deadpans as we draw to a stop in the corridor.
You punched him. I remember, but keep the thought to myself.
“Whatever.” I kick my shoe against the brick wall as we wait outside my class. “Okay, so tell me oh wise one… what’s wrong with Dean?” I question, placing my hand on my hip.
“Well, last weekend he was at Adrian’s party and he had Tasha pinned against the wall, not sure how far that went.”
I groan and drop my head backwards. “Why is every guy that’s interested in me an arsehole?”
Isaac doesn’t say anything, just shrugs his shoulders.
“And why wasn’t I invited to Adrian’s party?” I stomp my foot.
“I’ll see you later, Via.” He ignores my question, smiles at my frown, then walks away. Almost from nowhere, Charlotte, Isaac’s latest girlfriend, appears and latches onto his arm.
LIV
(Aged Sixteen and a Half)
“He’s leaving.”
“What do you mean he’s leaving?” my best friend, Victoria, screeches down the phone.
“What I said, Tori, he’s leaving. He’s going into the Army.”
“Well, can’t you… I don’t know, ask him if he wants a last fling? You know, because he won’t be able to for a while?”
“Of course he’ll be able to Tori. This isn’t the nineteen forties, women are allowed in the Army these days you know,” I tell her with a grin on my face because it seems like the right thing to do, when in truth, I feel like I’m being ripped apart at the seams. “Anyway, he has his career now, and I have dance to focus on.”
“Pfft, whatever. You may not be able to see it Livvy, but I’ve told you for ages that he has a thing for you. God! Every time you attempt to date someone he cockblocks you!” I can almost see her face becoming red with annoyance.
“I’m not sure cockblock is the right term in this situation, Tori.” I grin again, and it’s genuine this time.
“Right, well he has a cock, and he blocks you from seeing other guys… that is the very definition of cockblock, Liv. Don’t question me on this,” she states.
I giggle, but only in my head and not out loud. I know she’s touchy about this subject. There has been many a party or social event when she has wanted to double date, but something has always gotten in the way of me being able to join in.
Once we were all set to meet some boys at the local bowling alley, and ten minutes before I was leaving to meet Tori, my hamster Elmo got out of his cage. It was the first and last time he ever escaped. Isaac was on the games console in my room. I’d gone into my sister Eleanor’s bedroom because, although she had moved out, half of her makeup stash remained. I grabbed the extra-length mascara and rushed back to my room before my mum noticed me. I had just sat down at my dressing table, eyes wide, mouth hanging open and about to apply a coat of mascara to my top lashes when in the mirror, I spotted something moving. Screeching with worry, I spun around and bolted across the room shouting for Elmo. I glanced at his home and saw the metal cage had come unclipped from the plastic bottom. That night I spent over an hour getting the bloody hamster back in his cage. Isaac was no use, telling me he couldn’t help because he was playing video games.
Then there was the time I was supposed to be going to the swimming pool with Tori, and my swimsuit went missing that very morning. It turned up three days later in my junk cupboard. That particular day Tori came to the rescue with one of her spare bikinis. We got to the pool, met the boys, and ten minutes later Isaac, Tobias, and their friends all turned up at the same pool. Five minutes after that, the boys we went there to meet had to leave unexpectedly. I didn’t think anything of it at the time.
Isaac—both the pain in my arse and the ache in my heart.
; “No, you’re right Tori, but that doesn’t change anything. He doesn’t feel any way about me. I think he’s just always figured it was his job to watch out for me. You know, like a big brother.”
Tori gripes down the line, but because she’s such a good friend, she knows the conversation isn’t going any further, so she wisely remains silent.
LIV
(Eighteen Today - Happy Birthday to Me)
“Via.”
That voice, it hits every part of me and I spin around looking at a not too much older—but judging by the look in his eyes—a much wiser and more experienced Isaac.
“Isaac,” I brokenly whisper. My eyes instantly fill with tears.
He’s been in the Army for eighteen months now and apart from two flying visits, he’s stayed away. I thought he wasn’t due home for another two weeks and never expected him to be back for my birthday.
“Missed you,” he exhales the words into my hair as he wraps me up in his now very muscular six-foot-two body.
I can’t reply as the tears choke me, and a sob becomes a hiccup.
“Hey, I’m home,” he whispers, leaning back and placing a finger under my chin until I’m staring back at his big, deep, blue eyes again. It’s been too long.
“Yeah Isaac, you are… but for how long?” I push the question out through my wet, salty lips.
His gaze moves away from mine and hits the floor. “Not long enough,” he tells me so quietly that I wonder if I was supposed to hear.
“Hey baby, so this is the famous Isaac, huh? How you doing, brother?” Charlie picks that moment to walk over and pretend to be a boyfriend to me. I tense as he wraps his arm around my shoulder.
“Brother?” Isaac rumbles, and I can feel a blush spreading across my cheeks. Charlie is a boy, Isaac is a man—the thought has never been more apparent to me than at the moment they meet.
Twisted Truth (Truth Vs Lie Book 1) Page 1