The Other Sister (Sister Series, #1)
Page 28
“Lindsey?”
“Jessie! Oh my God, it’s so good to hear your voice.” She collapsed on the floor careful to not disturb the covers on their king size bed. Tears pricked her eyes again. She pushed her lids shut. Her heart filled with lead. She wanted to tell her sister. So badly, she wanted to say, simply: he beat me, Jessie. He might have dislocated my shoulder. And it hurts so much. I hurt so much.
But she didn’t. She never said a word. Denial. It was what she had learned best at the hand of her father. She could keep quiet about anything.
“Hey, sis, are you okay? You sound kinda weird.”
Jessie was casual, honest, open, funny and direct. She was everything Lindsey wasn’t. She wasn’t quiet, obedient, reticent, and willing to accept the unacceptable, as good, little Lindsey Bains was.
Lindsey licked her lips and forced a fake smile and her voice to come out even. “No, not weird. Just getting ready for a dinner tonight.”
“A dinner. What dinner now is Elliot the golden boy at? I swear you two are royalty. Here and there and everywhere, aren’t you?”
She bit her lip to keep the cry of anguish back. Jessie was teasing her. But there was nothing teasing about what Elliot did to her. “Yes. You know how badly he wants this. So we do this.”
Jessie laughed. “Oh, don’t I know it. President Elliot Johanson, of the United States of America. I can’t believe I’ll be related.”
Despite everything, their entire fucked up history, and the serious consequences their child hood caused both of them, Jessie never lost her humor. Her zest and spark for life. She could always now, make Lindsey smile. How Jessie had guessed that’s exactly what Elliot had planned for the long term, she didn’t know. She never told Jessie. She told no one because Elliot said not to. He was, for now, running as the state governor. But he had far more reaching goals than that. This was just the beginning. “Not there yet.”
“Oh, you’ll get there. Elliot doesn’t take no, now does he? So, you’ll be first lady of the United States. And you’re made to be, Lindsey. No doubt.”
“You… think he doesn’t take no for an answer?” Her voice faltered. Jessie had noticed Elliot was controlling?
“Well, no offense, Linds, but Elliot gets his way no matter what. He even tries with Will.”
She pressed on her tongue to keep from adding to Jessie’s description. “So, what’s up. Any reason you’re calling?”
“I want you to come here. It’s been a really long time. And I may need to go on bed rest soon, and I want nothing more than to hang out with you.”
Simple. Direct. Honest. That was Jessie. She was seven months pregnant. She had been talking the entire time how she wanted Lindsey to stay with her and be there for a few weeks after the baby was born. Will, her soldier rescuer turned loving husband, thought it was a good idea. For obvious reasons, of Jessie’s history, he worried how she’d deal with this baby. She’d had to give her first baby up, because it was the result of her being raped when she was kidnapped.
“You know I’d love to, but there is so much going on here. And isn’t it a little early yet for me to come?” And my husband won’t let me.
“I know. But the election isn’t for a so long and you said Elliot has all that traveling to do before he really starts campaigning. We could hang out before it all gets crazy. For both of us. And won’t it look good you’re off to help the hero’s baby? After all isn’t Will Hendricks as his brother-in-law, part of Elliot’s appeal?”
Jessie was sharp. She saw that, huh? That Elliot liked the national hero that was Will Hendricks due to how he saved, then married Jessie and finally took down the father that so publically destroyed Jessie. Elliot did not like Will personally. Mostly, because Will was quiet, honorable, courageous, brave, kind, gentle and… well, everything that Elliot was not. Will used his strength as super hero would, not his position to do whatever he wanted as Elliot did.
But… maybe, just maybe Elliot would let her go if she presented it like that. He had traveling come up to before he started really campaigning.
“I’ll discuss it with him and let you know.”
“You mean ask him?” Jessie’s tone was light, as if kidding. But she sensed there was something Jessie wasn’t saying.
“I mean, I’ll let you know.”
There was a pause over the line. Jessie sighed. “Okay, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have sounded so bitchy. I’m full of rocketing hormones. I just hope you’ll come. Even if it’s for only a week. Whatever time you can get. That’s enough.”
She shut her eyes and gulped in her sob. She wanted to come too.
“I’ll try,” she whispered.
“Sis, you know, there’s nothing we wouldn’t do for you.”
We, being Will and her. She knew. She did. But they couldn’t help this. Or save her. They’d have to know first.
“I know. I’ll come soon.” She didn’t know if was true. But for a few moments, today of all days, she needed to believe it.
Stay tuned to my website for The Good Sister release date.
The Seaclusion Series published through The Wild Rose Press
Poison Book One - Buy Link: http://amzn.to/ZBrTvM
On the run from her violent ex-husband, Cassie Reeves will do anything to keep her son safe, even if it means turning to a man she betrayed a decade ago. John Tyler now hates her as much as he once loved her—but Cassie has no choice.
John's quiet life as a small town doctor in Seaclusion, Washington has no place in it for the woman he turned his back on ten years ago. But when Cassie and her son land on his doorstep, he can’t turn them away. The longer she stays, though, the harder it is to remember why he stopped loving her.
With her ex-husband closing in, Cassie soon realizes that only she can end what he has started. And as John and Cassie's mutual attraction reignites, she vows to do anything to protect her son and grab the happiness that has escaped her for so long.
Excerpt:
Cassie sighed and pushed the flowers onto the counter between them. She tidied her desk, avoiding his gaze. Finally she stood and gathered her things. He watched her. He didn’t like hearing Tim was scared his mom wouldn’t come home from work. What kind of knowledge was that for a kid to have? Hell, he didn’t like that Cassie was scared that she wasn’t going
to come home from work. He didn’t think anyone could fake the fear she had of the innocuous floral arrangement. Cassie was just about to hustle past him, when he put a hand on her arm to stop her. She paused, looking at his hand, then up into his eyes. Her lips trembled. She quickly dropped her face from his view. She raised a hand to wipe at her cheeks. Tears? Damn it all to hell. A stab of genuine sympathy filled him. He put a knuckle under her chin and forced
her to look up him. Her eyes were glazed in moisture. She was trying not to cry. He swallowed, unsure why her efforts to hold back tears from him put a knot in his throat. Had he become so heartless with his anger that he couldn’t let her fear a man she seemed to think wanted to physically harm her?
“Cassie—”
Notorious Book Two – Due out by the end of 2013
Luke Tyler wants peace from the grief that has ruled his life in the three years since his wife's death. Instead he is forced to share a house with Kelly Reeves as they care for their shared nephew. He dislikes everything about Kelly until he begins to glimpse the true woman hiding beneath the notorious reputation that Kelly has carefully created.
Kelly thought her trip to the small town of Seaclusion, Washington, would be nothing but a forgettable two-week vacation. Then she accidentally witnesses Luke's staggering grief and suddenly reevaluates what is truly important. Soon, Luke becomes the only person she trusts past the facade she has cultivated.
Kelly believes their love can conquer all, but Luke isn't convinced. Kelly is forced back to her life of fame and fortune, making Luke question which is riskier...letting her walk away or running after her?
Excerpt:
“You’re not that
guy in those pictures anymore, are you?” Kelly asked. “It’s all an act to make everyone leave you the hell alone.”
“If you’re so sure about this, why don’t you leave me the hell alone.”
“Because it’s no way to live.”
Luke blew out a long breath. “Look, I get it. You’d probably buy my family from me to have a family. You and Cassie grew up so isolated that you can’t understand how anyone wouldn’t relish having a large close family. But for this, nothing helps. I can’t make anyone really understand what this is like. There is nothing they can do for me. The pain it would cause them isn’t worth the little benefits I’d get. There’s nothing you or anyone else can do for me.”
“I can sit here with you.”
He cocked his head and frowned. “Why? What do you think that will do?”
“Maybe give you twenty minutes where you don’t feel as if you’ve fallen to the dark side of the moon and no one’s noticed.”
His mouth flattened. He stared long and hard at her before he turned towards the water.
She waited. And waited.
Finally he said, “All right, you can sit here with me.”
She nodded in satisfaction and looked at him from the corners of her eyes. “I am sorry.”
“You’re not sorry, so quit saying you are.”
She smiled at Luke’s profile as he glared out at the ocean waves. Something big had shifted between.
Secret Book Three- Release to be determined for 2014
When Sarah Langston catches teenager, Angie Peters, shoplifting a maternity shirt from her store the last thing she intends is to become involved with Angie or her family. But something tugs at her heart and she finds herself struggling to help Angie deal with the pregnancy she has hidden for months.
Scott Delano, Angie's uncle, has taken care of Angie and her mother since his father died six years ago. Despite his efforts he doesn't seem able to reach his niece and is thankful when Sarah steps in.
Sarah becomes the victim of anonymous pranks that start out small but quickly grow more disturbing. Her relationship with Scott grows when she turns to him for protection and support. But when Angie's baby is born and the father is revealed, the police cast their eyes upon Scott as the stalker. And Sarah soon realizes there are secrets that could change everything…
Excerpt:
He smiled, his tone soft and taunting as he said, “You’re too afraid to ask me, aren’t you?”
“Maybe.” Of course she really wanted to know if he went home and slept with that evil-bitch of a roommate he so cared about. But, of course, she couldn’t ask that.
“You sure? You don’t want to ask?”
Sarah looked away. She knew he was baiting her. To ask about Vanessa and him. To ask about the stuff Vanessa had said in the truck. But she couldn’t do it. She didn’t want any of it to be true and she didn’t want to listen to Scott confirm what she knew was true, yet didn’t want to be true.
“I don’t need to know.”
Scott suddenly smiled at her and her heart beat increased to double time. Had she ever really seen him smile like that? No way. His face was lit up, his eyes flirted with her, and lord help her if she didn’t feel hot in areas that his smile should not have the ability to make her feel anything in.
“I gotta get back to Angie.”
“She’s lucky to have you,” Sarah said as she walked towards the door to let him out. He’d already crossed the threshold when he turned back and said, “Thanks for coming today.”
She was six inches from him. Her head was tilted back to listen to him and suddenly there they were staring at each other, the moment perfect and heated. Finally, he seemed to notice her. He leaned in, and those soft looking lips that had set her heart to racing were close to hers.
Without warning, he stepped away, bent down and back up, handing her an envelope as casually as if the moment hadn’t happened. Sarah looked down at the stupid envelope someone had left on her stoop. Embarrassment shot through her like a shot of alcohol, stinging and potent. She had misjudged his sudden leaning.
“Good night, Sarah,” he said, after a moment.
“Goodnight,” she mumbled as her cheeks turned hot. Did he realize what she’d thought? What she’d about done? She closed her eyes in horror. She’d been a second from puckering up to kiss him.
She slammed the door with perverse delight, now relishing that he was gone.
About the Author
Romance you can relate to. I write total fiction...but it could happen.
I live in the rainy area of Western, Washington, and spend as much time as I can getting away from the rain by traveling to destinations all across the state where my family and I do tons of camping, boating, fishing, horseback riding, and ATV riding. Many of the locations we camp become the basis for my books. Most of my settings are fictional but are based on real places.
I earned my business degree from Western Washington University. I worked for several years in the construction management field before turning to writing and being home with my kids.
I live with my husband, two kids and our newest addition, Willie, our English Springer Spaniel.
I love to hear from readers! Please contact me at: dvsleanne@aol.com
Or through one of my sites:
Website:http://www.leannedavis.net
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/10Ff8AN
Twitter: https://twitter.com/leannewrites
Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed The Other Sister.
Table of Contents
Copyright
Dedication
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
Dear Reader
The Good Sister
Poison
Notorious
Secrets
About the Author