by Vivian Lux
As I circled the park once more, the wail of sirens suddenly filled my ears. There was shouting, and I looked over to see Brynn's golden head, shining like a beacon amidst a crowd of people across the street.
Instantly I broke out into a print.
When I reached the other side of the street, I saw that she was standing next to a police officer I didn't recognize, a little girl in her arms. Brynn lifted her head and spotted me in the crowd, and the lift of her lips into a small, reassuring smile made me slow and exhale sharply.
Just then a car screeched up to the curb, and a woman came flying out of the driver's seat, not even bothering to close the door. Confused, I stepped aside as the waitress from the country club, the one who had been a bitch to Brynn way back in the beginning of the summer, blew past me. She rushed right up to Brynn, who readily handed over the little girl in her arms.
The woman dropped to her knees, clutching the little girl tightly, when two other cops walked past, holding a tall guy in handcuffs. I pressed my lips together, seeing the resemblance between him and the little girl on the ground. Her father, it was clear.
What the hell had this asshole done? And what was Brynn doing involved in it?
But there was no time for questions, because all at once he wrenched himself from the cops' arms and lunged for the waitress as she knelt on the ground. She shriveled into a protective crouch around the little girl, shielding her with her body as the man shouted abuse at her.
"Cut that shit out!" one of the cops called, yanking him back, but the man was a wild thing, spitting and cursing in red-faced rage. "I'll kill you, you bitch, you know that?" he sputtered, spit flying from his mouth. "I know where you live now! I fucking found you, bitch. You know what I'll do to you, right?"
I was just about to punch him in the face myself when one of the cops swept his legs out from under him, and threw him to the ground. "Grace!" the man shrieked. "Grace, come help daddy!"
"You leave her alone!" the waitress cried holding her daughter more tightly. The little girl turned away, burying her face in her mother's neck and the two of them knelt on the ground as the cops fought with her father.
Brynn looked up at me helplessly. I rushed over, already swiping through my phone.
"Hi Grace," I whispered as I knelt down beside her. "Miss Reese is your teacher, right?" I said, putting the pieces together. "I'm her friend, Rett. Hey, do you like horses?"
The little girl looked up at me with her tear-stained face, but nodded, wide-eyed. "Here, I have some pictures of them on my phone, do you want to see Shimmer? He's an Arabian," I ad-libbed. "They're a special kind of horse, isn't he beautiful?"
I moved the phone at an angle away, and her mother caught my gaze over her head and nodded to me. We both twisted our bodies to shield her from the sight of her father finally being led away in handcuffs, still calling for his daughter to come with him.
Grace was swiping though the image search, pulling my phone towards her with each photo. "Sure, sweetheart," I said, handing over my phone. "Just swipe right, just like that." Grace sat back, crossing her legs underneath her like a good little kindergartner, like Brynn had probably taught her, and quietly swiped through the pictures.
"Adelina, are you okay?" Brynn asked gently, kneeling down in the dirt next to Grace's mother.
Adelina took a deep shuddering breath. "Thank you," she exhaled, and there was none of that hard edge to her voice anymore. Hardness I now recognized as fear. "He broke the restraining order," she said her voice shaking with relief. "There were witnesses, cops heard him threaten me. He finally did it out in the open," she breathed, shuddering. "He's finally, finally going to jail."
Brynn reached out and rested her hand on Adelina's shoulder. "I'm glad," she said simply, and my heart slid sideways in my chest because I knew what it must have cost Brynn to stand up to that man. How scared she must have been.
I reached over and gently brushed her hair away from her face. "Come with me?" I asked carefully.
She nodded, swallowed, and accepted my help as I lifted us both to our feet. Gently, I led her away from Adelina who was now hovering over her daughter, arms wrapped around her little body as Grace swiped through pictures of horses on my phone.
Brynn took a few steps with her head held high, a reflective look in her eyes. "I wonder," she said softly. "If my mother showed up like that." She swallowed. "Would I be strong enough not to go with her?" She shook her head. "I don't think I would be."
"Yes," I told her. "You would be. No one can make you do anything you don't want to do, Brynn."
All at once, she started shivering. Her hands started shaking. She looked down almost in shock, and suddenly her whole body was trembling. I pulled her close and she hid her face against my chest as her tears soaked my shirt. And I wasn't sure if she was crying for Grace. Or for herself. Maybe for both of them.
Chapter
Brynn
The pictures were so sharp and clear in my head. All of the different ways that could have all gone wrong.
I turned my face against Rett's chest, pressing my cheek to his heart. The slow, steady thump calmed me as I stared out at the chaos that surrounded us, not really seeing any of it. "I almost let her go," I said dully.
"Shh," Rett soothed, brushing his hand through my hair.
"No, I did," I repeated. I had no idea why I needed to make him hear me say this, why it was so important that he knew how close I came to failing that little girl. "She looks so much like her dad, you know?"
"She does," he agreed.
"I listened to my gut, though," I exhaled. "And my gut, it led me to do the right thing. Without second guessing myself... too much." I sniffed and looked up at him. "I'm pretty sure I was only able to do that because you taught me how."
He blinked, his face still calmly composed, but I was pretty sure that was pride that gleamed in his green eyes.
But I wasn't done. There was still something tugging, nagging at me, twisting around in my gut like a fiery serpent. I pulled back, looking up at him. "And a part of me," I went on. "One I don't really like to think too much about, was thinking about what it must be like for her. Loving someone who failed her so badly. Kids, they're so resilient, you know?" I sniffled. "And they'll always keep wanting to go back to the person that hurt them, at least when that person is their parent."
He was looking down at me, listening. His whole body was still and watchful, and I knew he was really understanding what I was saying.
I just didn't know if I understood it myself.
"Grace, she was probably happy to see her daddy like that. What an amazing surprise to have him suddenly show up after who knows how long?" My voice caught and Rett brushed my hair back away from my tears. "She's probably felt like her whole life has been on hold this whole time. Like... maybe she doesn't want to start anything new, she wants to keep everything just as it was when her dad left so that when he comes back nothing will have changed, and her mom will just fit right back into her life again. So it's impossible for her to finish anything and..."
"Dad," Rett said gently.
"Huh?"
"It was her dad that showed up today, Brynn. Not her mom."
"I didn't..." I stared up at him. "Did I say mom?"
He nodded.
"Fuck," I breathed, stepping back from him. "I think... I think I just figured a whole bunch of shit out." I stared at him. "How'd you do that?"
He shook his head minutely. "I didn't do anything."
"Yeah well," I let out a rueful chuckle. "I sure as hell wouldn't have figured it out if it weren't for you."
Rett made a low noise and pulled me away from the crowd. "That makes two of us."
"What?" I asked. "Why are you always so cryptic?"
He coughed and then chuckled. "I don't mean to be. Fine. You want me to say it, I'll say it." He grabbed my hands, circling his fingers around my wrists, binding them together and then kissing each of my knuckles in turn. "You said I helped you figure things ou
t. Well I could say the same to you. Should say the same." He paused, pressing his lips to my fingers as my heart did somersaults in my chest. "You freed me, Brynn Reese. I've wanted to tell you that for the longest time, to thank you freeing me from this prison I'd built all by myself." He coughed again, looking away off in the middle distance for a moment, and I held my tongue. This was silence I didn't want to fill. "I love you," he choked.
"I love you too," I breathed.
"No." He shook his head. "I mean, yes, of course, I'm glad, but I wasn't telling you that I love you to make you say it back. I was saying it because you've made everything I ever hated about myself into something to celebrate." He kissed my hands again. "I would've never known how to do any of this without you. And I sure as shit want to keep doing it with you for as long as you'll let me." He coughed again. "Maybe forever."
I stiffened and then looked at him in shock. "Everett McCabe," I said sternly. "Did you just propose to me?"
His lips turned up into a wry grin. "Yeah, maybe a little." His eyes darkened a little as he brushed his lips across mine. "Don't worry baby, I'll make sure you get your sparkly ring and your romantic balloon ride over the falls." I snorted at that. "Or whatever it is you want. You just tell me. But I figured I should let you know what you're in for." He reached into his pocket and my heart quickened when he pulled out the piece of rope I knew he'd been saving for today's adventure. I stared as he wrapped it around and around my wrist until he finally tied it off into a crude bow. "There."
"Is this...?"
"It's not a ring," he pointed out. "But it's a promise anyway." He grinned. "You know we don't exactly do things normally, you and I."
I went up on my tiptoes to find his lips. He kissed me back with everything I gave him and then some, until finally I pulled away breathless to look him in the eye. "Fuck normal," I whispered to him.
His eyes darkened and he kissed me again.
Epilogue
Brynn
My father poured the beer and slid it across the bar. When Everett put the money down, my dad raised his eyebrow. "What the H-E-double hockey sticks do you think you're doing? Put that away, you don't pay to drink here."
"He doesn't charge half the town," I explained, taking a sip of my own free drink. A glass of white Gewurztraminer wine. Yes, I had finally worked up the courage to tell my dad I really didn't like beer. And he'd responded by contracting with two of the local wineries, giving me my pick of the good stuff. "That's why he's going to be working until the day he dies."
It was so strange being the only ones in the bar. Labor Day weekend had signaled the last day of the season. The tourists had all gone home and life was returning to normal.
Sort of.
"That's my plan!" my dad echoed cheerfully. "I'm gonna keel over right behind this counter and then you're going to take over the business."
"Geez, don't you think that's a little morbid?" I asked, vaguely horrified.
"I think it's kind of cool," Rett interjected. "Keeping something in the family like that. I like that."
"You're gonna help her with it, right?" my dad asked gruffly.
"You bet," Rett grinned.
I licked my lips, unable to keep from smiling like a fool hearing my father and my fiancé making plans for the future. "Though I'm not so great with the public," Rett mused. "Think I'll have to stay in the back and maybe handle the books or something. So I don't drive the customers away with my winning personality." He grinned at me. "I'll let my wife handle the front end."
A rush of happiness flooded through me and I blushed and looked down at my finger. He'd proposed yesterday, for real this time, at the top of the falls. After forcing me to hike up there. I learned two things that day. I really, really hated hiking. And I really, really loved Everett McCabe.
I also really, really loved the ring he picked out and the way the band twisted around itself.
Just like a rope.
I twisted the ring around my finger and then traced a line around my wrist as I listened to my father make plans with my future husband. And as I did, the door slammed open.
"There you are!" Autumn shrieked, making a beeline for me with Cole grinning behind her. I glanced at Rett who was doing his level best to remain stoic. And failing miserably. "Did you call them?" I hissed accusingly.
"I thought you might want to celebrate."
"I thought this was just going to be a quiet night because it's the first day of school tomorrow?"
"We can be quiet," Rett protested. Then winced as Autumn shrieked again when she caught a glimpse of my ring.
"You know I have to be up at 5:30," I reminded him. "New classroom. I want to be there early."
I was teaching first grade this year. And I was especially pleased to see that Grace Moore was on my attendance roster.
"Holy shit," called a familiar voice as the door banged open again. "Guess we're like, family times two now, huh?"
This time I was the one who winced as Rett gaped at Callum. From behind my brother, Rett's sister Harper came squealing over to shriek at my ring. "You called him?" Rett murmured.
"I... thought you might want to celebrate," I deadpanned as Harper almost yanked my arm off, trying to get a closer look.
"Who's buying shots?" Cal demanded. "It's on the house."
"Like any of you jokers pay for your drinks anyways," my father muttered. But he set about diligently laying out the glasses.
I glanced at Rett, my future husband. He caught my gaze and then looked significantly towards the top shelf, where the bottle of bourbon we'd shared that first night sat gathering a thick coating of dust. We'd drunk that together back when I still thought we were using each other. Back when he still struggled with his shame.
Now look at us. Surrounded by family and friends. We'd come so far in one summer and yet... "You want to grab it?" I asked.
"For old time's sake," Rett nodded.
I gestured to my dad, who climbed up on his stool to grab that bottle. "Old times?" I laughed. "It was only three months ago."
"Feels like another life," Rett said, closing his hand around mine. The one that wore his ring. "Like it wasn't even me." He lifted my hand to his mouth and kissed it as our friends and family whooped. "I can't imagine living without you."
I bit my lip, blinking back the tears. "That sounded like a toast to me!" Cal shouted, lifting his glass. We all lifted ours in return and then knocked back the burning liquid. Harper sputtered and made noises about needing to get her tolerance back up and Cole slapped Rett on the back. Cal leaned over the bar to hug my dad and I just sat there with the biggest grin on my face, Rett's hand in mine and my heart tied to his.
THE END
But not quite!
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Hey there! If this is your first Reckless Falls book, you're in luck! As a special thank you for reading, I'm including Autumn and Cole's story, a little novella called KEPT, and Callum and Harper's story, a full length novel called TWICE as a special bonus. Just keep reading!
BOOKS BY VIVIAN LUX:
Sons of Steel Motorcycle Club:
Steel My Heart
Steel Me Away
Steel My Love
Steel My Soul
Rockstar Romance
JAX: A Rockstar Stepbrother Romance
RANE: A Rockstar Stepbrother Romance
WILDER: A Rockstar Romance
LOW: A Rockstar Romance
TRUE: A Rockstar Romance
The Reckless Falls Series:
KEPT: A Small Town Second Chance Novella
WRECKED: A Small Town Bad Boy Romance
TWICE: A Small Town Menage Romance
TIED: A Small Town Bad Boy Romance (March 2017)
CRAVE: A Small Town Menage Romance (April 2017)
PLAYED: A Small Town Bad Boy Billionaire Romance (May 2017)
Sports Romance
>
FORCE: A Bad Boy Sports Romance
IMPACT: A Secret Baby Sports Romance
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Kept
A Reckless Falls Novella
by Vivian Lux
All Rights Reserved
This book contains adult themes, explicit language and sexual situations. It is intended for mature audiences.
COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
Please respect the work of this author. No part of this book may be reproduced or copied without permission. This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.
This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. Any similarities to events or situations are also coincidental.
The publisher and author acknowledge the trademark status and trademark ownership of all trademarks and locations mentioned in this book. Trademarks and locations are not sponsored or endorsed by trademark owners.
(C) 2016 and 2017 by Vivian Lux and Velvetfire Press
All Rights Reserved
Prologue
Autumn
(Eight years ago)
The second I slid into the passenger seat of his car, Cole's hand was sliding up my thigh.
"And hello to you too," I giggled, halfheartedly trying to bat him away. "How'd you do on your calc midterm, Slick?"
"I don't want to talk about calc," he murmured against my neck. "I want to talk about getting these clothes off of you."