by Lacey Black
Entwined
Bound Together Book 3
Lacey Black
Entwined
Bound Together Book 3
Copyright © 2017 Lacey Black
Photograph & Cover design by Sara Eirew
Website: www.saraeirew.com
Cover model: Adam Spahn
Editing by Kara Hildebrand
Format by Brenda Wright, Formatting Done Wright
This book is a work of fiction. Any reference to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means without the prior written permission of the author.
All rights reserved.
Index
Also by Lacey Black
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
Epilogue
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Also by Lacey Black
Rivers Edge series
Trust Me, Rivers Edge book 1 (Maddox and Avery) – FREE at all retailers
~ #1 Bestseller in Contemporary Romance & #3 in overall free e-books
~ #2 Bestseller in overall free e-books
Fight Me, Rivers Edge book 2 (Jake and Erin)
Expect Me, Rivers Edge book 3 (Travis and Josselyn)
Promise Me: A Novella, Rivers Edge book 3.5 (Jase and Holly)
Protect Me, Rivers Edge book 4 (Nate and Lia)
Boss Me, Rivers Edge book 5 (Will and Carmen)
Trust Us: A Rivers Edge Christmas Novella (Maddox and Avery)
~ This novella was originally part of the Christmas Miracles Anthology, December 2015
Bound Together series
Submerged, Bound Together book 1 (Blake and Carly)
Profited, Bound Together book 2 (Reid and Dani)
Craved, A Bound Together novella, book 2.5 (Scott & Tara)
~This novella is part of the Alphas & Fairytales: New Year’s Eve Anthology, December 2016
Summer Sisters series
My Kinda Kisses, book 1 (Jaime and Ryan)
Standalone
Music Notes, a sexy contemporary romance standalone
*Coming Soon from Lacey Black
My Kinda Night, book 2 in the Summer Sisters series
My Kinda Song, book 3 in the Summer Sisters series
Dedication
To my friend, Sandra Shipman.
We met through our common love of romance books, especially Lauren Blakely, and when I found out you actually read and liked Trust Me, I knew I was going to dig my claws into you and not let go! You’re my friend, first and foremost. Even if we never meet face-to-face, I found something special in you and value your friendship, your advice, and your time. You’re an important part of this process, and I appreciate everything you do!
Thank you for being my friend!
Prologue – The Beginning Of The End
Luke
10 years ago
“So, I’m sure you see why I think we should break up, right? I mean, we’re both heading off to college soon, and I want to experience everything that college life has to offer.”
I gape at Jessica, my girlfriend for the past five months. Wants to experience everything? That’s code for ‘wants to sleep around.’ I’m a dude. I know.
“And you just had to do this tonight?” I ask, looking back at the doorway that leads inside my house. The same house where my entire family and a good amount of my friends are gathered to celebrate my high school graduation.
“Well, I just thought it was best to cut the cord now, you know? Like…just do it.”
“Whatever, Jess. If you want to break up now, that’s fine.”
“Really?” she asks, twirling her long brown hair around her pointer finger. “You’re gonna be okay?” She gives me those big brown, puppy dog eyes that won over my heart–and my dick–during Christmas break.
I’ve known this moment was coming since I started dating Jessica. I didn’t see anything long-term developing with her. Call me an asshole, but I knew she was just someone to help me pass the time during my final year of high school. But I also knew going into this that she felt the same way. I guess, in a way, we both used each other to keep ourselves company until we moved on to the next stage in our lives.
“I’m going to be fine, Jess. We both knew it was coming to this eventually, right?”
She continues to twirl her hair around her fingers. Why had I never noticed how fucking annoying that was? “Listen, we had a great time. If you’re ever in the Seattle area, look me up, ‘kay? We can maybe spend some time together for ol’ times’ sake.” Her smile tells me exactly what her comment means. She’s looking to hook up again if I’m ever close to where she’s attending college.
“Maybe,” I reply with a shrug.
As much fun as I’ve had with Jess in the last few months, I don’t see myself reaching out to her anytime in the future. The sex has always been all right, but nothing I see myself driving upwards of eighteen hours to get. There’s plenty of mediocre ass left in Vegas if I’m that desperate for a hook up. And, honestly, as an eighteen-year-old red-blooded male on the verge of experiencing college life, I’m pretty sure I’ll have no problem moving forward from here.
“Bye, Luke. It’s been fun,” she says before placing her full lips against mine. The kiss is brief, closed mouth, and lacks the usual tongue and groping we generally partake in. This kiss is goodbye.
I watch as she walks away, heading around the side of the house so she doesn’t have to go back the way she came; where my entire family celebrates. Gazing out over the darkened backyard, it’s not lost on me that there’s no going back from here. That I’m finally leaving the only home I’ve ever known. I’ve graduated high school, will start UNLV in a couple of months, and will finally be out from under the controlling thumb of my mother. Ever since I was younger, Blake and I chalked it up to me being the baby of the family for her ever-present hovering and involvement in my life.
It’s time for me to grow up and experience life.
And I’m starting it without a girlfriend.
The slightest sound of something thumping against wood pulls my attention away from the emptiness of night and towards the small fort in the back corner of the yard. Built ten years ago out of pieces of scrap wood we’d find around the neighborhood, the fort was my brother’s and my escape from the house. We’d spend hours upon hours in that thing, playing with GI Joes, having Nerf gun wars, and when we were older, sneaking off to steal our first kisses.
But I know the noise coming from inside isn’t from my brother. There’s only one person who still uses that fort: our neighbo
r, Sidney.
Without moving, I call to her from twenty feet away. “How long have you been there?”
“Not long,” her quiet voice speaks out into the night like a siren’s calling.
Every time I hear it, my heart rate kicks up a few beats and my body stirs to life down in my pants. I’ve tried to ignore my reaction to her, but sometimes it’s hard. Pun intended. Ever since I was old enough to figure out what that thing in my pants was used for, I’ve felt a reaction to Sidney. She was my first kiss, my first real crush, and my first wet dream.
“What are you doing in there?” I ask, finally walking towards the dilapidated outbuilding.
“Thinking.” That one word, soft and brimming with uncertainty, pulls at my heart. Something is wrong. I can feel it.
Raising the old burlap sack covering the door, I slip inside the confined space. Sidney sits on the floor, gazing out through the windowless hole in the wall, and appears to be lost in thought. She’s wearing a light colored sundress that I’m sure puts on full display the freckles on her shoulders. Her sandals sit beside her and her arms are wrapped protectively around her knees. But it’s the moonlight reflecting off her tears that now holds my full attention.
And once again, something causes my heart to sputter.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, dropping to my knees beside her. My fingers twitch to push the piece of reddish gold hair that’s fallen to cover one eye, but I refrain.
“I’m sorry I missed your party.” The sadness in her voice guts me.
“It’s okay. You haven’t really missed much. You definitely didn’t miss the show in the backyard a few minutes ago,” I add humorously. Sidney looks up at me, tears brimming those deep aqua eyes, and even though she offers me a watery smile, I can see nothing but waves of despair. My heart fucking hurts.
Her throat works to swallow, drawing my attention to the long, slender column of her neck. Ever since our first kiss, I’ve fantasized about kissing that neck. My mouth is watering and my jeans feel like they’re three sizes too small. But as I glance back up at her tear-streaked face, all thoughts of doing dirty things to her are pushed to the back of my mind.
For now.
“I couldn’t come over because I’ve been packing.” Her words hit me like a sucker punch to the chest.
“Packing?” My breathing seems to become more labored and my head starts to swim. Suddenly, dread fills the space between my heart and my head.
“I’m moving. Tomorrow.” That last word barely audible.
“What? I don’t understand. Why are you moving?” I search her heartbroken face, looking for any sign that she’s joking. But I don’t see it. I only see dejection.
“My mom found out my dad has been boinking his assistant. He’s leaving us for her.” A fresh wave of tears fall from her hollow eyes. Eyes that are always so bright and full of life now seem dull and sullen. “She’s taking me to Atlanta where my grandma lives.”
“But, it’s your senior year? She’s making you leave right before your last year of high school?”
No words are spoken, just the subtle nodding of her head. Dropping the rest of the way to the floor beside her, I pull Sidney into my chest and let her cry. Her head hits just below my chin and I’m instantly assaulted by the scent of strawberries. Damn, I’m going to miss that smell.
Is she really leaving?
I know I’m about to head off to college, but there was something comforting in knowing that she’s still next door. When I come home for break, I thought I’d be able to hang out with her like we always have. Of course, I’m not about to let her know how much I really enjoy our time together. Instead, I’m going to tease her and give her a hard time about not having any other friends to hang with. But I also know that’s not true. Sidney has friends, same as me, but more often than not, we both find ourselves more interested in hanging out together.
We’ve never crossed the line since that one kiss four years ago. I was fourteen and Sidney was just one year younger. She came home upset that some loser named Pete tried to kiss her. She was freaked that her first kiss was going to be with someone with pee-stains on the front of his pants and smelled like pickles.
So without thinking, I offered to be her first kiss. Little did she know, I had exaggerated a tiny bit about my kissing experience; as in it was non-existent. I thought for sure she’d call me on my lie after our lips met and I really had no fucking clue what to do. My lips were too wet and my throat Sahara-dry and they attacked her as if they were a swarm of bees and she was covered in honey, but Sidney never commented. Instead, she wrapped her arms around my neck and opened her mouth. I’ll never forget the moment her tongue met mine, boldly and anxiously all at the same time. She tasted fucking amazing.
When the kiss ended, she smiled at me the most beautiful grin ever, and that little vixen stole something from me that day. It’s something I try not to think about, pushing it as far to the back recesses of my mind as humanly possible. But when I’m alone at night and know that she’s sleeping in her bed across the yard from mine, I unlock that memory and revel in it.
That day, at the ripe ol’ age of fourteen, I lost a piece of my heart.
“Mom won’t be able to stay in the house if Dad leaves. She says she can’t afford it. And besides, she says she doesn’t want to stay there without him. So, she’s taking me to Atlanta to live with my grandma. The movers are supposed to be here at eight tomorrow morning.”
Just like that, my entire world’s foundation is rocked.
I need to leave, get out of here, breathe for just a bit. And the crazy thing is that I want Sidney with me.
Jumping up, careful not to hit my head on the low ceiling, I extend my hand towards her. “Come on.”
“Where are we going?” she asks, looking up and wiping stray tears from her lightly freckled cheeks.
“Away from here.”
“But, but, we can’t. Your party,” she starts, waving her hands towards the house.
“I’ve put in enough time at the party.”
“But your mom is going to be upset,” she pleads, knowing full well that my mom is probably going to have a coronary over my sudden departure.
Which is why I’m not going to tell her.
Digging out my cell phone, I send a quick message to my brother. His reply is instantaneously.
Blake: No. I’m not tellin her ya left. She’ll go crazy.
Me: Just tell her I took a friend home and I’ll be back later.
Blake: If you’re sneaking off for a quickie, I’m gonna punch u in the junk. I saw u 2 slip out back.
Me: No sex, I promise. Jess broke up with me. I just need a minute.
I don’t tell him that it isn’t the breakup that has me all sorts of torn up. He doesn’t need to know that I’m suddenly feeling all girly over the neighbor girl who just found out she’s leaving. Tomorrow.
Blake: Shit, I’m sorry dude. Don’t be long, tho. U know how mom is. U owe me.
Me: Be back soon.
With that taken care of, I slip my phone into my back pocket and reach for Sidney’s hand. She doesn’t hesitate, and together, we slip out of the small fort and head towards the front of the house where my five-year-old Chevy S-10 is parked along the street.
Sidney climbs into the passenger seat, and I barely have time to start the truck when I see the front door open. The unmistakable scowl on my mom’s face can be easily read through the darkness and distance, but it doesn’t stop me from throwing the truck in drive and pulling away without so much as a glance back.
My passenger is quiet as we make our way towards one of my favorite spots. It’s peaceful, but not because it offers silence. But at least it should provide us with the seclusion we’re both craving.
I pull into the back parking lot at the golf club I’ve worked at the last two summers. There’s a lane along the perimeter that takes you to the back corner that borders along McCarran International Airport. A service ro
ute that connects several areas of the golf course. Off in the distance, it’s nothing but lights and the arrival and departure of airplanes.
After backing the truck onto the familiar little strip of gravel, I turn off the ignition and turn towards Sidney. Neither of us has yet to say a word, but I’m not about to push her. At least she’s not crying again.
Reaching behind the passenger seat, I pull the old, worn blanket out from its cubby hole. “Come on,” I tell her moments before opening the door and bathing the interior cab with light.
Sidney hesitates, but only for a moment. She meets me at the back of the truck just as I’m dropping the tailgate. I toss the blanket towards the cab and turn to face her.
“What are we doing here?” The flashing lights reflect in her questioning aqua blue eyes.
“I like to come back here after work and think. It’s fairly quiet and no one bothers me. Plus, it’s pretty cool to watch the planes takeoff and land.”
A shy smile barely graces her lips as I grasp her hips and give her a lift into the truck bed. When she turns, I just point to the back of the bed where I tossed the blanket. My S-10 is a small truck with absolutely no room for my six-foot, four-inch frame. I got it because of the truck bed. It’s a great place to stretch out on a blanket and watch the planes come and go. It’s also a great place to get laid.
Sidney has the blanket spread out before I hop in the truck. I just situate myself next to her when a smaller Boeing 737 takes off right before our eyes.
“This is amazing,” Sidney whispers beside me, the awe clearly evident in her voice.
We’re both quiet for several minutes, absorbed in silence, then sudden thunderous noise surrounds us. I feel her trembling only moments before a soft sniffle rings out. The sound slices at my insides like a box cutter, sharp, painful and with precision.
Acting on instinct, I wrap my arm around her slender body and pull her into my chest. The feel of her tiny fingers gripping my button-down shirt does crazy things to my already flushed body. Tears dampen the material pressed against her delicate face.