by H. M. Ward
Twisting in my seat, I turn to glance at my house. Another pane of blue glass is missing from the spot next to the front door. It’s on the ground, shattered, with the door standing open no more than an inch. Fear laces around my throat and tightens. I can’t swallow. I can’t explain. I can’t even contemplate who’s doing this to me.
Heart pounding, I mutter an expletive without realizing it. My stomach twists as I go for the car door handle, just as K’Teal throws the car into park. I’m out the door and hobbling across the grass, before he can say otherwise. I know he’s calling me. Saying STOP.
STOP. STOP. STOP. If there’s another freaking weight with that word scratched into it—I don’t know what to do. My lower eyelids flutter upward as I try to repress tears of frustration. But as I get closer to the house, that’s not it. I’m afraid. I don’t know who is doing this to me and no one believes that it’s actually happening.
My mind reels as I close in on the house. Wondering if it’ll be trashed. Tim was supposed to be here. God, what if he’s hurt? What if he’s dead inside? I couldn’t—my breath hitches in my throat. No. Don’t think that. Don’t. He has to be all right…
And the cameras. Maybe they caught it this time. The wifi worked. It had to. I can’t live like this. I can’t have my safety ripped from me twice in twenty-four hours. Ice fills my veins and I swear I can’t run fast enough.
Part of me wants a confrontation, hoping the person is still inside. Part of me is terrified. But both parts agree that they want this over. I can’t live like this. I can’t. I need to slow down, but I can’t.
I can’t.
I can’t.
I don’t stop despite K’Teal’s warnings. “Awh, shit. Don’t make me a hero!” He yells from his car door, standing in the street watching me like I’m running to my death. His voice becomes a muted echo. His shouts go unheard. The man blurs into the scenery and all I see is that cracked door.
My cracked life.
My cracked soul.
STOP. I see the words scratched on the weight in my mind. The memory from this morning.
But I can’t stop. Hurling my body forward, I rush on, heart pounding.
I’m steps from the door. The cobalt shards glitter in the afternoon sun. Anger and fear collide within my veins, racing through my heart and charging my steps so that I don’t feel the pain in my injured foot.
I can’t tell what I feel. I want to move on. I said that to Dr. Patel, but this sucks me back.
Back to Zach.
Back to the island.
Back to the explosion.
Back to the pain that’s too much to bear.
I slam my hands against the front door and it swings open. Slams into the wall with a thud. The knob breaks the sheetrock at the foot of the stairwell. Sapphire colored window fragments glisten up at me. I sweep my head right and left looking for the object that broke the glass. Looking for the intruder before barreling through the front door, expecting the worst.
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SUGGESTED FERRO READING ORDER
Each series can be read individually or you can follow the publication order below.
THE ARRANGEMENT 1
THE ARRANGEMENT 2
THE ARRANGEMENT 3
THE ARRANGEMENT 4
THE ARRANGEMENT 5
THE ARRANGEMENT 6
DAMAGED 1
DAMAGED 2
SECRET LIFE OF TRYSTAN SCOTT 1
SECRET LIFE OF TRYSTAN SCOTT 2
SECRET LIFE OF TRYSTAN SCOTT 3
SECRET LIFE OF TRYSTAN SCOTT 4
SECRET LIFE OF TRYSTAN SCOTT 5
THE ARRANGEMENT 7
THE ARRANGEMENT 8
THE ARRANGEMENT 9
THE ARRANGEMENT 10
THE ARRANGEMENT 11
SCANDALOUS 1
SCANDALOUS 2
STRIPPED 1
THE PROPOSITION 1
THE PROPOSITION 2
THE PROPOSITION 3
THE PROPOSITION 4
THE ARRANGEMENT 12
THE ARRANGEMENT 13
THE ARRANGEMENT 14
THE PROPOSITION 5
THE ARRANGEMENT 15
THE ARRANGEMENT 16
THE ARRANGEMENT 17
THE ARRANGEMENT 18
THE WEDDING CONTRACT
SECRETS & LIES 1
SECRETS & LIES 2
SECOND CHANCES
LIFE BEFORE DAMAGED 1
LIFE BEFORE DAMAGED 2
LIFE BEFORE DAMAGED 3
LIFE BEFORE DAMAGED 4
LIFE BEFORE DAMAGED 5
LIFE BEFORE DAMAGED 6
LIFE BEFORE DAMAGED 7
LIFE BEFORE DAMAGED 8
LIFE BEFORE DAMAGED 9
LIFE BEFORE DAMAGED 10
THE ARRANGEMENT 19
THE ARRANGEMENT 20
MANWHORE
BROKEN PROMISES
THE ARRANGEMENT 21
STRIPPED 2
SECRETS & LIES 3
SECRETS & LIES 4
SECRETS & LIES 5
SECRETS & LIES 6
THE ARRANGEMENT 22
SECRETS & LIES 7
A DAMAGED WEDDING
EASY 1
THE ARRANGEMENT 23
THE ARRANGEMENT 24
THE ARRANGEMENT 25
THE ARRANGEMENT 26
ALL THE BROKEN PIECES 1
ALL THE BROKEN PIECES 2
ALL THE BROKEN PIECES 3
EASY 3
COMPLETED SERIES BY H.M. WARD
ROMANCE
~THE ARRANGEMENT~
~SECRETS & LIES~
~STRIPPED~
~THE PROPOSITION~
~DAMAGED~
~LIFE BEFORE DAMAGED~
~SECRETS~
~SECRET LIFE OF TRYSTAN SCOTT~
~SCANDALOUS~
TEEN PARANORMAL
~DEMON KISSED~
MORE FERRO FAMILY BOOKS
Trystan Scott
~BROKEN PROMISES~
Jonathan Ferro
~STRIPPED~
Bryan Ferro
~THE PROPOSITION~
Sean Ferro
~THE ARRANGEMENT~
Peter Ferro
~DAMAGED ~
Nick Ferro
~THE WEDDING CONTRACT~
Please turn the page for a suggested reading order.
MORE ROMANCE BY H.M. WARD
SCANDALOUS
SECRETS
COLLIDE: THE SECRET LIFE OF TRYSTAN SCOTT
DEMON KISSED
CHRISTMAS KISSES
OVER YOU
HOT GUY
And more.
To see a full book list, please visit:
http://hmward.com/books/
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