The Complete Legacy Series: Books 1 - 6

by Paula Kay

  “Yep. That works for me. Do you wanna go get your bathing suit?”

  “Nope. I just wanna walk around—or sit and look at the water. Andrea is great to let us stay there and everything—I’m not complaining—but don’t you find it a little depressing?”

  Dex turned his body a bit to look at her. “Sometimes you can be such a princess, Jem.”

  She hated it when he called her that.

  “I’m not. Don’t call me that.”

  “Well, not everyone has grown up like you have—fancy cars, houses, and schools.”

  “I know. Look, forget I said anything.”

  “I just—I don’t like it when you’re acting all better than everyone else—including me.”

  Jemma felt herself getting angry—like a switch had been turned on.

  “Don’t say that. It’s not true. I’m not acting like that at all. I just don’t wanna lie around a sad apartment all day with a bunch of drunk people.” She stared at him intently. “And yes, that does include you—if that happens to be your plan for the day.”

  She felt unbelievably tired all of a sudden and her comfy bed at home flashed in her mind. She couldn’t go home. Not yet. She needed to make things okay with Dex. Fighting with him was the last thing she needed right now.

  “Look, forget it. You’re right. I’m sorry. I’m just tired and I need some food in me.” She gave Dex a tight squeeze and leaned in to kiss the back of his neck, hoping he’d just drop the conversation she no longer wanted to be having.

  Dex turned slightly to kiss her on the lips. “Forgotten. Now let’s go get some burgers.”

  They spent the next few hours at the beach. It was great for Jemma to be able to take her mind off of things for a while. She loved the ocean, and since they were both so tired, most of their time was spend taking a nap in a nice shaded area that they’d found in one of the parks near enough to see the water.

  Jemma had gotten a few texts from her mother, asking her when to expect her at home. She’d not replied yet and she knew that if she didn’t soon, her mom and Chase were going to become really furious with her. She was still trying to decide how to handle everything with them. One thing was certain. After today, she’d not be able to ask either of them for any money.

  In the back of her mind, she had a thought that she could probably ask her grandmother. She could guilt-trip her into transferring some money to Jemma’s account, but she knew it was risky. Her grandma would hate doing it behind Blu’s back and she’d obviously have to do it without Blu knowing.

  Jemma laughed lightly despite the seriousness of her thoughts. Heck, maybe she’d have to take Andrea up on her offer of prostitution after all. She cringed. God help her if she ever got that desperate. She hoped that she’d return home—or get a job in a restaurant—before she’d do something like that.

  “What’s so funny?”

  Dex was stirring beside her in the grass, reaching out to pull her closer to him.

  “Oh, nothing. Just thinking—and trying not to be stressed out.”

  Dex pulled her on top of him, giving her a deep kiss on the mouth. “I know how to help you be much less stressed, babe.”

  Jemma laughed but her heart was pounding. She was probably the only virgin among any of her friends—or anyone she was hanging out with—but for some reason she just had a check in her gut about giving it up for Dex. It didn’t feel right to her. She couldn’t help but think that her mother and Chase would be proud of her. Somehow whenever she’d talked about it with Blu, she had the feeling that her mom didn’t really believe that it was true.

  Jemma didn’t know what or who she was saving herself for exactly but she did know that it wasn’t going to happen in a public park, so that was an easy save. She laughed now as she kissed Dex back and tried to change the subject just as quickly. She rolled off him, taking his hand in her own.

  “Do you wanna head back?”

  He stared at her intently. Honestly, she was always a bit shocked at his patience when it came to sex. It had to be something he’d been taking—one of the drugs that Jemma didn’t exactly know about—that had seemed to lessen his sex drive lately.

  He nodded, standing and pulling her up along with him. “Yeah, let’s go see what everyone is up to.”

  Chapter 13

  Andrea had said that Jemma could chill in her room for a bit—a good thing, as Jemma could hear the party starting outside the door. She wasn’t quite in the party mood just yet and relished the quiet time to herself.

  She reached over to the bedside table to grab her phone, clicking the button to check for any new texts. She scrolled through about a dozen from her mom and several from Chase. They were angry, just as she knew that they would be. She would make up some excuse but she knew that they wouldn’t be buying it.

  She eyed the shot glass of liquor that Andrea had popped in with a few minutes ago with. She’d said it was for whenever Jemma was ready to come join the fun. Jemma was glad that Andrea didn’t seem upset with her, and she’d figured that she’d be able to get back into her good graces at tonight’s party if there was anything still lingering. She’d show Andrea and the others that she did know how to party and have a good time. Her thoughts turned toward her earlier conversation with Dex. And she’d show him that she didn’t, in fact, think she was a princess at all.

  She got up to change into her party clothes—old jeans and a t-shirt supporting one of the up-and-coming San Diego bands that she and Dex liked to listen to. She brushed her long blond hair back into her normal ponytail, then decided against it, letting it all fall loose around her face. She preferred it this way, actually, but Dex always told her that he liked her hair pulled back from her face, so she obliged, wanting to look good for him and not really caring all that much herself.

  Tonight, though, she was feeling particularly rebellious—towards her mom and Chase, Dex and her whole life. She’d figure things out on her terms. All she had to do was hang in there and not get into any real trouble before she turned eighteen. That’s when she felt like her life would really be starting. She’d felt that a lot over the past few years as things had gotten harder between her and her mom.

  She carried her make-up bag into Andrea’s small bathroom. She’d put on some mascara and a bit of blush—a meet-in-the-middle gesture for keeping her hair down—because she knew that Dex would appreciate that slightest bit of effort on her part.

  Her eye caught the necklace that Kylie had given her right before she’d left. She’d tucked it into the clear zippered pocket of the make-up bag the night before when she’d been going through her purse looking for spare change. She felt tears stinging her eyes as she took it out of her bag and held it in the palm of her hand. She could still see the little girl’s sweet smile when she’d given it to her, eyes all lit up as she waited for the reaction from Jemma that she knew would be quick to come.

  Jemma placed the necklace around her neck, tucking it under her t-shirt. She’d always be Kylie’s big sister—no matter what else happened. It was something that Jemma needed to make sure of.

  She swiped her hand across her eyes and took once last look in the mirror, wiping the mascara away that now streaked across the top of her cheek. She took a deep breath and powdered her face before she walked back across the bedroom to pick up the shot of liquor that she was suddenly desperate for.

  “You comin’ out soon, babe?”

  Jemma jumped, Dex’s voice startling her as she turned toward the door.

  “Dex. You scared me. Maybe try knocking next time.”

  “Noted. But I come bearing gifts.” He grinned walking over to put his arm around her and hand her the shot he was carrying.

  Jemma smiled as she took the alcohol from him, downing it in one gulp. “I guess I better catch up.” She leaned in to give him a kiss on the cheek.

  He turned his head to catch her lips with his own in a deep kiss, grabbing a handful of her loose hair and tugging it just a bit harder than she was comfortable with.<
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  “Ow. Dex, stop.”

  He leaned his head back just a bit to look at her. “What’s with the hair?”

  “What? You don’t like it?”

  “You know I like it. I just prefer it when you wear it up off your face.” He swatted her playfully on the behind.

  Jemma took a quick mental assessment of his mood, deciding not to risk getting into an argument about something so stupid. She really wanted—needed—to have a good time tonight. She did love partying with Dex most of the time, when she was in the mood and drinking herself. That was her plan for this evening. To get drunk and forget all of her troubles for one more night. She’d make some decisions and figure out her next steps tomorrow.

  She kissed him back on the lips and started walking towards the bathroom. “You go on. I’m gonna put my hair up—just the way you like it.” She turned to blow him a kiss before he walked out of the room, yelling out for her to make it quick.

  She pulled her hair back and stared at her reflection for what seemed like the hundredth time in the last few days. It was so surreal—to think that her whole life had been a lie. Who even was she now, and what could she count on to be true in her life?

  She heard the notification sound of another text coming through and sighed as she walked across the room to turn off the volume on her phone. She was sure that it would be her mother but was surprised to see that it was a text from Gigi.

  I’m worried about you, sweetie. Are you okay? Call me.

  She wasn’t surprised to hear from Gigi, but it was more surprising that Jemma had forgotten to get back to her earlier—and it was rare for her to do that to the woman whom she loved as if she were her grandmother—the only one she had now, she couldn’t help adding in her head.

  Jemma sent her a quick note back.

  Sorry, Gi. I’m okay. Will call you soon. Please don’t worry.

  Another message came right back to her.

  Of course I’m worried. I love you. Don’t forget that and you be careful.

  I know you do. I will and I love you too. xo

  Jemma tucked her phone into her purse and stuck it in Andrea’s closet. She wasn’t going to think about calling anyone right now. She walked back over to the bedside table to have the second shot of alcohol that she’d not taken earlier when Dex walked in. It was good to feel the familiar burning in her throat for a few minutes. It was exactly what she needed, and as she walked out of the room into the loud music and laughter she could hear from the living room, she didn’t want to have a care in the world. She was determined not to care about anything tonight.

  Chapter 14

  The party was in full swing when Jemma walked into the living room. Right away her eyes found Dex and Andrea, their heads close together on one of the sofas. When they leaned back, she could see that they were sharing a smoke, so her immediate bristle of jealousy relaxed just a bit. Andrea stood up quickly when she seemed to notice Jemma across the room—too quickly, Jemma thought as she crossed the room to sit down in the now available space next to Dex.

  “What are you two doing all tucked away in the corner over here?” Jemma laughed as she kissed Dex on the cheek and tried to keep her mood light. But she didn’t miss the quick look that passed between her boyfriend and Andrea. Was there something going on between them?

  “Oh you know. Just getting into the party mood. Would you like some?” Andrea handed Jemma the joint that she and Dex had been smoking just seconds before.

  Jemma took it and inhaled deeply. She needed to relax and this would help.

  She was probably just imagining things about the two. Dex had never given her reason to think that he’d cheat on her. He had always seemed perfectly content with their relationship—if not a little bored. She couldn’t help the thought that popped into her mind.

  And there was the issue of the sex that she wasn’t giving him. She looked at Andrea in her too-short skirt and the top that showed off her ample cleavage. For sure he could get what he needed from Andrea in that department. She knew she was judging, but she wasn’t naive to think that Andrea would most likely have no problem letting Dex have what others paid for. If she trusted her gut, she could tell that there was an attraction between the two—one she probably needed to pay attention to tonight if she didn’t want to lose her boyfriend.

  Jemma leaned in closer to Dex, kissing him hard on the mouth and placing his hand on her thigh. He handed her the glass of clear liquid he was drinking from, and she didn’t ask what it was before taking a big swig. She leaned back into the worn sofa as she felt the familiar burning in her throat and the almost instant lightheadedness that was a result of her current drink plus the two shots she’d had earlier. In general, it didn’t take too much to get her feeling good, and she was well on her way to feeling no pain.

  She looked around the room at the strangers that surrounded her, some laughing and seeming to be having a good time and some with eyes shut, seemingly tripping on something or other. From the looks of the back and forth involving one of the bedrooms, Jemma guessed there was more than just drinking and pot smoking going on at the party. She was beyond caring at this point, and way more interested in the drink Andrea was handing her than any sort of trouble she might be getting herself into. She needed to get rid of some of the heaviness that had been surrounding her the past few days. Tonight, she just wanted to be a normal seventeen-year-old, worry-free and intent on just having a good time.

  She took a big drink from her glass, downing half of it and noticing Dex eyeing her with a big smile. His hand traveled up her thigh and she didn’t resist as his mouth covered hers in a kiss that threatened to bruise her lips. She’d seen the look in his eyes. He was well beyond drunk and it wouldn’t be long before he’d be passed out cold. Somehow the idea of this was appealing to her, and the irony of it as she let him kiss her so passionately did not go unnoticed, even as she let him stand up and lead her towards the hallway that led to the bedrooms.

  She could fend him off. With all he had to drink—and God knows what else—tonight, she could easily persuade him of things other than sex. She pulled him toward her now in the narrow hallway, grinding her hips up against him and whispering in his ear. “Let’s go in the kitchen. I want more to drink, okay?”

  He let her pull him in that direction and then he seemed to get a second wind, mixing her some kind of potent liquor concoction that had her sitting down the moment she’d tasted it. It crossed her mind for a second that she was going too fast—drinking too much—but she pushed her reasonable thoughts aside, reminding herself that she had one goal at that moment. She only wanted to get wasted and forget her problems for one more night.

  Chapter 15

  Jemma’s throat felt raw and her head hurt beyond any hangover headache she’d ever had before. She tried to open her eyes, but everything was blurry. She caught a glimpse of all the white surrounding her and for a few seconds she wondered if she was dead—a thought that was both strange and amusing to her at the same time, because she didn’t remember ever having any particular thoughts about heaven or any type of an afterlife.

  She tried again to open her eyes, expecting to see Dex and any number of strangers passed out around her. She had a vague memory of Andrea’s apartment—of accepting drink after drink from Dex and feeling a certain numbness as she downed one after another while sitting on that sofa with him. And possibly somewhere in her memory was the sound of a siren.

  Her vision cleared and she could now make out her mom sitting beside her in a chair. Jemma was in a hospital bed and, feeling under the covers, she knew now that she was wearing a gown. She tried again to make her vision clearer. God, she was so thirsty.

  “Mom,” she managed, and her voice sounded beyond strange to her own ear.

  Blu sat up quickly beside her and her hand went to Jemma’s own, where Jemma could see the IV dripping something into her.

  “Honey. How are you feeling?”

  Jemma knew that look of worry on her mom’s face an
d in that moment, she forgot all about the hurt and anger. She was scared. Really scared.

  “Mom. Where am I? What happened?”

  Blu was smoothing the hair back from her forehead—like she used to do when Jemma was a little girl. “You’re in the hospital, honey. Do you remember anything?”

  Jemma shook her head and grimaced at the pain it caused to do so. “Dex. Where’s Dex?”

  She saw her mom’s lips tighten. She wasn’t pleased at the mention of his name. That was for sure. How long had she herself been here? Long enough for her mom to get here from San Diego.

  “I don’t know where Dex is. I’m sure he’s not particularly anxious to see me—after what happened to you.”

  “What did happen?” Jemma was confused. She couldn’t remember any accident or anything related to why she might be here in the hospital with her mother.

  Her mother eyed her carefully as Chase came into the room, walking over to place a gentle kiss on Jemma’s forehead.

  “You gave us quite a scare last night.” He looked stern but Jemma could see the relief in his face.

  “What happened?” She needed for someone to tell her what was going on. She guessed that it had something to do with the party, but she really couldn’t remember anything beyond that. Good grief. Was she suffering from some kind of amnesia?

  “Jemma, you had to be admitted to Emergency last night to have your stomach pumped.” Chase said, putting his arm around Blu, who seemed to go a little pale at his words.

  “Thank God, Dex—or whoever, at the place you were hanging out—had the sense to call 9-1-1. Jemma, you could have died,” Blu said, her eyes filling with tears.

  And Jemma believed what she was saying, even though the whole idea seemed a bit absurd to her.

  Had she really had that much to drink? Had someone put something in her drink? She was feeling very confused when a doctor came in, a smile on his face, obviously pleased that she was awake and talking.