Bound (Bound Hearts #1)

by S. N. Garza

  Adelaide and Gram began talking about one of her books and I caught Chet’s eye and lifted my head in a ‘what’s up?’ gesture and he just rolled his eyes and mouthed, ‘women’.

  I couldn’t believe Sylvie went behind his back and screwed around on him. Before her, Chet was just as dick happy as I was, sowing our oats with different women. They had been in a steady relationship for about three years or so. Never heard him complain about his love life. I knew he treated her like a damn princess. He wasn’t a pushover, but he got her whatever she wanted.

  Working at an oil refinery, he worked a tremendous amount of hours. Twelve-hour days in fact. Sometimes six to seven days a week. Maybe that had been a strain on the relationship, but he never said one word. But then, why would she leave him if he was buying her anything she damn well wanted?

  He started working there right out of college and worked long ass days and squeezed in getting his chemical engineer degree. He graduated about three years ago. As soon as he got that though, his pay grade went higher. Of course she stayed with him. Gold diggin’ bitch. I didn’t call many women that, but a guy as sweet and good hearted as Chet didn’t deserve to be with a man-eating woman like her.

  I had a country music station on, and Chet’s phone went off again. That was the third time in ten minutes.

  “Maybe you should answer that dear.” Gram was real perceptive and kept her voice calm and even.

  Sighing, he swiped his thumb to open the phone call, and I knew with a calm he was quick losing, said, “Hello Sylvia. How can I help you?”

  No one spoke and I wasn’t about to turn the music up.

  “Going to the beach. No. It’s none of your business. We are over. Yeah, just like that. What? You thought falling into bed with another man, in my bed would what? Be over looked? Ha. Really? Well I guess you need to get out and find yourself a job because I’m not going to support you. Yeah. I know, I’m glad I never put you on my bank account. Please stop calling, it’s not as if I put a ring on your finger and that’s the only way you’ll ever get away with talking like that. Stop being so damn dramatic.”

  Yup. He wasn’t a man to cuss easily and when he did, it normally only got worse.

  “Sylvie, I am with Courtland, Addy and-

  “Trinity.” Gram chimed in.

  “And Trinity. Don’t worry about who Addy and Trinity are. It’s none of your business. Stop. You’re only making yourself look more like a pathetic whiney bag. Well, can’t help a bitch turn nice, so don’t know what to tell you. Damn fucking right I called you one. Sorry. Bye.”

  He ended the call and a ding later, his phone was off.

  “So sorry about that.”

  Adelaide reached across the seat and rubbed JR’s shoulder in comfort, “Is that an ex?”

  Puffing out a breath, I knew Chet didn’t want to air out his business for anyone. He was a private guy, but no one in this truck could not unhear what they heard so he just shrugged and said, “Yeah. Sore subject.” Then placing a smile on his face, he continued, “Let’s not ruin this day with my crap, huh?”

  After that we all talked about nothing really and before we knew it, we were driving along the beach wall seeing the surf crash onto the shore. The waves in Galveston weren’t high and dangerous, but we kept driving until we reached the National Park. When we parked, the women stayed inside until JR and I opened the doors to assist them out.

  Since we were out of earshot of the others, Adelaide asked, “So, where’s my bathing suit?”

  I shut her door and leaned into her so her back rested against the truck. I gave her a lingering kiss on her lips. They were full and swollen after I released them. Her eyes were clouded over with desire, and her bottom lip was caught between her teeth.

  “Why do you do that?”

  “Because I can. Come on.” I grabbed a hold of her hand and brought her to the rear of the truck top, popped it opened as I dropped the tailgate. I reached in and grabbed the small department store bag and handed it to her.

  “It better not be a bikini. I really don’t like bikinis.”

  “That’s what I figured. I would never get you one. It’s a one piece but it’s kinda not. I don’t know but the sales lady said it would be perfect. It covered, but not. Oh, just put it on. Put your clothes in the bag and I’ll put them with my stuff. Have Gram go with you. JR and I are gonna set up everything. When y’all get to the overpass onto the beach and if you don’t see us, ring me and I’ll come to you. Also, do you have a hat so the sun isn’t stinging your eyes?”

  That seemed to catch her off guard.

  “Oh. Uh. No, I didn’t even think about it. I usually don’t wear hats. I’ll be okay.”

  I whipped mine off and took her ponytail in my hand as I put it through the baseball cap. It was a little big on her and I adjusted the strap to fit her. “There. The sun will stay out of your eyes. Besides, I like seeing you in my hat.”

  “Shouldn’t it be I like seeing you in my shirt? Not that I’m wearing your shirt.”

  “Ha. No. I like this better. But when we leave, I’ll make sure you’re wearing my shirt, since you’re determined.”

  “I’m not determined, Courtland. You have that all backwards.”

  Turning her to send her to the restroom and changing stalls, I smacked her ass playfully and told her to go on. With one last searing gaze, she turned, shook her head and walked away. Damn, she really looked so fine. I couldn’t wait to see her in her suit.

  Sixteen

  Adelaide

  When he pulled up to pick us up, I felt my heart race with excitement. The windows were tinted in his big black pickup truck. I swear he looked like a dark knight in shining armor. Instead of a white horse though, it was black. And I’ll be damned if I didn’t want to try a little action in the back seat of his truck. That’s another thing I’ve never done. Maybe if I tell him, he’ll find a way for me to find out. I bet he’s had tons of chicks in the back of his pick-up. That suddenly brought a disgusting scowl to my face. Ugh. I didn’t want to think about him screwing some tall, blonde, Barbie slore in this beautiful black chrome and steel monster.

  I was so excited to see JR. It’s been ten years. The tears welled up in my eyes and I couldn’t help, but run and jump in his arms. He sure grew up. When I was a teenager, he was tall and lanky. He was like a tall glass of water. But now, he filled out really good, like a pilsner shape. Uncle Chet was like this, unlike Geoff who was just tall and lanky. JR must have worked out and ate some kind of stuff to bulk him up.

  When I asked if he was a ladies man, he seemed to shy away and almost got a hard glint in his eyes as if he was thinking of something really unpleasant. But then it had melted away, and the excited smile he had when he saw me returned. Besides Courtland, JR was such a great guy. Cousin of sorts. Well technically he wasn’t even blood related, but I had always thought of him as my cousin and I didn’t want to stop that. We grew up together. The only real friends he had before Courtland moved to town, was his fellow FFA classmates and me.

  Even when Courtland moved here and JR had become friends with him, he wasn’t ever a popular guy. He was always friendly and someone who could keep secrets. I knew if I had ever told him the extent of what happened to me at the hands of his Uncle, JR would have probably went apeshit. There wasn’t many times I’ve ever seen him mad. He was so slow to anger. He had a gentleness when he spoke to people. Also quick to listen, he always thought things through before he spoke.

  When he had that phone call from his ex, I’ve never seen him so mad before. He had always been a laid back guy. When Gram told him her first name, I thought it was funny that the girl on the other line caused a stink about it.

  Then, when he called her a bitch, it drew me up short. He’s never called anyone a bad name before. He really didn’t curse much. A ‘hell’ or ‘damn’ every now and then. He was a cowboy after all, but he never would call a girl a bitch. This I knew. Ten years barely speaking, did not change that.

  I felt
bad for him because what girl could do him wrong? He was like one of the most perfect guys. If I didn’t consider him family, I’d probably crush on him. As it was though, the only man I had in my brain was the one sitting in front of me. He set everything inside of me ablaze. Fire and lust coursed through my veins. That’s why I started tickling the fine hairs on the back of his neck.

  Damn, he was so sexy. He was wearing stark white swim shorts, flip flops were on his feet and he was sporting a navy blue Texans shirt. On that sexy ass head of his, he was wearing a camouflage Texan’s ball cap. Turned backwards. Either way he wore it, backwards or covering what I knew to be a magnetic green set of eyes. He always wore ball caps. Even while he worked in Joe’s Garage.

  ∞

  When I was back in high school, our neighborhood was close enough that when it was cool enough, I walked home. Geoff never went home from the church until fifteen after six (where dinner was miraculously always ready) and riding the bus always passed the garage on the way home. Since we had become friends, he would come out of the bays and wait until my bus would pass. When he first asked me what bus number I rode on, I was almost too shy and kinda embarrassed, because I had to ride the bus. I didn’t have my license, so I didn’t have a car. Just another way Geoff kept me under his thumb. But when it told him, he didn’t laugh at me. I felt pleased and excited I had someone always willing to say hi to me. So, whenever I rode the bus, he made it a priority to come out and see me. He’d flick his ball cap back and wink as I wove to him. Then sometimes, when he wore it backwards, he’d lift his head to acknowledge me. It made me feel so special and worthy.

  I especially treasured the moments when I did walk home. Since it was only a thirty minute walk home, I was able to spend at least an hour or more with him at the garage. Joe never seemed to mind. Thought it was nice having a girl around. Sometimes it made the guys work harder. Sometimes it made Courtland mad that they paid attention to me, but most were older and sweet, hardworking guys. It was only on occasion that he actually spoke to me and when he did, it was always about cars. Said that if I ever had car trouble I would know what to look for.

  Thinking back now, it’s probably why I had such a wide fan base for my racing series. I knew so much about cars, it came in handy. Most of the time though, I just watched him work while I did homework. Being at home just seemed to suck my life away. The last few years in that house had become suffocating and unbearable.

  Lucky for me, when it started to get warmer, Courtland just told me to walk to the garage and he’d leave early to take me home. I only did that a few times a week. I knew my mother would never speak to me anyway if she ever noticed I wasn’t there during the normal time I got home, to how late he brought me home. Courtland always got me home about a quarter till so I had thirty minutes to spare with either help cleaning or helping out with dinner. I figured she didn’t really care either way so I walked home a lot that last semester. I never thought I had a crush on him either. I really didn’t like to think about boys and what they wanted.

  ∞

  He hadn’t shown me what the bathing suit looked like, and I really hope it wasn’t some skimpy ass barely there bikini. I might just have to smack him something fierce.

  We finally got to the beach and he had passed me my belongings, and in a sweet gesture to keep my face from sun burning, plopped his hat on my head. Pulling my ponytail through the back. He adjusted the strap and told me to go change. Gram had taken out her wide brimmed straw hat and we walked over to the bathroom stalls and went inside.

  “He sure has good taste.” Gram said as I pulled out the suit. It was rather perfect.

  We met the guys at the bridge overlooking the beach. JR was setting out the chairs, and Courtland was pushing the umbrella into the sand. He had already removed his shirt. Damn, he looked so good shirtless. I still couldn’t believe he had my name tattooed on him. Right there for everyone to see. When he turned, JR’s first name was on one shoulder blade and covering his back was an elaborate Yai-tzu dragon tattoo. That dragon is the protector and guardian against any physical harm. Which for me is ironic; I wonder where my protection was when I needed it the most in the house I grew up in. But I knew he had got it for his own reasons. He didn’t have an easy time growing up. Also, the tattoo helped cover the cigarette burns Roth gave to him. One arm had his Marine insignia and descended into Celtic knots. Just like his Irish heritage. The other arm had a fallen angel, with his mother’s name, Chloe, written on his wrist. I never thought he cared much for her. He never really spoke of her much.

  “Magnificent, are they not, Addy-love?” Gram sighed with appreciation.

  “Ha! Yeah, they are.”

  That’s when Courtland looked up. For some reason, his stare burned me through and through. I wanted to run into his arms and make everything that was my past disappear and never leave his arms. He always had that look when he stared at me. Always seeing through my darkness. I felt my eyes start to glisten with tears I longed to shed. I burned for him. I closed my eyes briefly, steeling myself against my repressed heartaches and smiled to myself. He always made me want more. I realize that now. Even as friends, every opportunity of time I spent with him, I just wanted more.

  I opened my eyes and his look turned soft and gentle. Then he winked. Shaking my head, I hooked Gram’s arm around mine and we made our way to our make shift paradise.

  After getting settled, the guys went into the water. I got settled into the lounge chair, getting out my Surface and keyboard, and dived into my new paranormal romance, while Gram went sea shell hunting.

  About an hour in, I was ready for a break. Nice sunny day like this deserved to be used wisely. I saved my work onto my Google Drive and put the surface away. I got up and spread my animal print beach towel out in the sand. I sat down, and was ready to oil my body, when a figure cast its shadow over me. I brought my hand up to shade my eyes from the hot burning sun as Courtland looked down on me.

  “Ready to tan, babe?”

  “Yeah, you got the oil?”

  “Is that an innuendo?”

  “Honestly? Oh, Courtland, I would hope I’d be turned on enough not to need any extra lubricant.”

  “Ha. You totally crack me up. Turn and lay down on your belly and I’ll put it on.” He reached down and picked up his hat and firmly put it back on my head to keep the sun out of my face. “Leave it on when you’re out in this heat. It’s a scorcher today.”

  “Yeah, who knew being away from all this would make me not really miss it. Gram loves it though.”

  Courtland searched his bag for the sun tanning oil and got down on his knees next to me and meticulously massaged the oil into my skin.

  “I really like your phoenix tattoo. What made you decide to get that particular one?”

  I was glad he couldn’t see my eyes. I didn’t want to lie, but I didn’t want to tell him the complete truth. I mean, how could I tell him that growing up, I felt ugly and sometimes wished I was never born? No way. I could never say that out loud. He would want explanations. Explanations I wasn’t ready to give. The sick twisted disease of my past left a heavy burden upon me and I didn’t want to drag anyone down with me. Especially someone as beautiful as Courtland.

  “When I moved to Georgia and I had started working as a waitress, I had started going to classes for creative writing, and I started taking my writing seriously. I barely sold any books the first few times. When I finally made the USA and NY Times bestsellers list, I wanted to celebrate a new chapter in my life. A kind of rebirth to myself. Something to be proud of.”

  There. That was true, at least in part. I really did feel myself being reborn into this person I could make life worthwhile. The old Adelaide was weak, pathetic and unworthy of a Phoenix. At least, that’s what I had wanted to think in my head. Doctor Gillian did tell me I was never weak or pathetic. Just vulnerable. Same damn thing in my book. If I had been stronger, I would have went to the police. Or JR. I knew he would have believed me. Why didn’t I? Sham
e. Unchangeable shame. Shame I still had to this day. I just hid it a lot better.

  “I can understand that. But remember this. You were and still are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” He bent and kissed the shell of my ear and finished spreading the oil on my back and legs. He never copped a feel, like I had thought he might. Perfect gentleman.

  My heartstrings were tightening. Thank God his hat covered the few tears that slid down my face. His firm belief that I could never be anything less than beautiful, made me want to sob. If only he knew the ugliness I concealed inside.

  Seventeen

  Courtland

  She was hiding again. If she didn’t think I heard that sniffle, she was crazy. Did I want to ask questions? Yes, but I knew when her walls were firmly in place. If it had anything to do with the fact I told her she’s always been and always will be beautiful? Well, let me find the sick son of a bitch that put the thought she was ugly in her head. I’ll pummel him into a pulp, until he can’t see a damn thing.

  I grabbed my Chevy ball cap and oiled my body up, then laid down next to her.

  “What’s your favorite movie?”

  I had to get her talking to me. I wasn’t ready to spend a comfortable silence with her just yet. I needed to make her smile.

  “Divergent.”

  “What?”

  “Divergent. It came out a few months ago. It’s a movie made from a novel. I really love when they make movies like that. Especially, if they’re basically true to the book. It was awesome. And Four? Sigh and swoon.”

  Shaking my head, I muttered, “Women.” In return, I got a laugh. Just as I had planned.

  “It’s good. We’ll have to watch it. And Frozen.”

  “It’s a date. Frozen? Isn’t that a cartoon?” She nodded enthusiastically and I couldn’t help but laugh. “Alright. Both then. What’s your favorite book?”