Also by Yara Greathouse
Girls on Top Series
Unavoidable
Dismantled
Southern Comforts Anthology
Tequila Sunrises Over Georgia (July 2015)
Other Standalones:
Broken Mirror (September 2015)
Copyright - Dismantled
Girls on Top Series, Book 2
Copyright © 2015 by Yara Greathouse
Published by Yara Greathouse, LLC, [email protected]
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
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Cover Photos: (Female & Couple) Erin Dawson Photography
http://www.erindawson.com/
(Male) Andreas Gradin/Shutterstock
Cover Design: Rebecca Berto, Berto Designs
Editor: Janie Thornley
Dedication
To all who have had the strength to hold on tight when the unexpected happens and to our friends who helped put us back together when we have fallen apart.
Table of Contents
Also by Yara Greathouse
Copyright - Dismantled
Dedication
Prologue
Traxx
Ciara
Chapter 1
Traxx
Marcy Smith (four months ago)
Ciara (Present day)
Traxx
Chapter 2
Traxx
Ciara
Traxx
Ciara
Traxx
Ciara
Traxx
Ciara
Traxx
Chapter 3
Ciara
Traxx
Ciara
Traxx
Chapter 4
Ciara
Traxx
Ciara
Traxx
Chapter 5
Ciara
Traxx
Creepers
Chapter 6
Traxx
Ciara
Traxx
Chapter 7
Traxx
Ciara
Creepers
Chapter 8
Ciara
Traxx
Ciara
Chapter 9
Traxx
Traxx
Ciara
Creepers
Chapter 10
Traxx
Ciara
Creepers
Chapter 11
Traxx
Traxx
Ciara
Ciara
Chapter 12
Traxx
Ciara
Traxx
Ciara
Traxx
Chapter 13
Traxx
Traxx
Ciara
Traxx
Chapter 14
Ciara
Traxx
Ciara
Chapter 15
Traxx
Ciara
Chapter 16
Creepers
Traxx
Creepers
Chapter 17
Ciara
Traxx
Epilogue
Ciara (Six months later)
Thank You!
Acknowledgements
My family
Janie Thornley
My Book Club
Elexis Darden
Paige Boggs
My work family
Rebecca Berto (Berto Designs)
Erin Dawson Photography
To all the Book Bloggers
Readers!!!!
About the Author
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Unavoidable
Chapter 1
Brianna
Chapter 2
Colton (3 years later)
Brianna
Prologue
Traxx
Life can spin you off its axis when you least expect it with something as simple as a knock on the door. Yes, it’s possible. It happened to me.
I used to take life for granted. Girls for granted. I never cared what happened after we had sex. I use the word “sex” on purpose, instead of using the friendlier “seeing each other,” because that’s the absolute truth. Girls were just objects for me to use. I would pick up a new girl with promises of a good time. I was always honest about what I wanted. I never lied to get them to do the things I needed from them.
Sometimes I asked them out, we grabbed dinner then headed to the bar or the club to drink and dance. Other times, I would just pick them up at the bar or at the club. Either way, I always end up in their bed. Sex and satisfaction were the ultimate goal. They got as good as they gave. I never did the “getting to know each other” crap – what’s the point? Show ‘em a good time and leave ‘em. And leaving them I did. As soon as I was finished with them I cut all ties. No thank yous, no repeat performances, and most of all, absolutely no further contact. Like I never even knew them. Cruel? Perhaps, but it was a necessary step for me. I’m not proud of it and some days I hate myself for the person that I used to be.
For the past couple of years, I’ve been a bit confused. My heart belonged to me. No one has been able to reach in and grab it. I wouldn’t let them. I stayed closed in, with walls higher than the Empire State building. Why? You will soon find out. There may be – possibly - only one exception. There's this girl I have some… feelings for. Her name is Ciara Collins. I have known her for over two years. She is absolutely off limits. She is also absolutely fucking perfect. What’s the problem, you ask? Well, she is Brianna’s bestie, and Brianna is Colton’s girl. Colton’s my best friend. Brianna and Ciara are like sisters. It’s complicated, to say the least. My best friend has put her off limits due to my incredibly terrible track record. I can’t say I blame him… I’ve managed to stay away but it’s been hard as hell. She is beautiful. I want her. When we spend time together with our friends, nothing makes me happier than her smile and her laugh. When her deep blue eyes look at mine with so much understanding and care, I feel like I have a chance to be normal.
Normal. Who am I kidding? The asshat I used to be never thought there would be consequences with the girls
I slept with because I made sure they understood how a night with me was going to work out. Everything was clear from the get go: sex and a clean break. Nothing else was supposed to happen. That is, until something did and this one thing rattled me to my very core. My entire world started to spin in the opposite direction. Complete, absolute chaos and despair. No one should have to go through what I went through.
I know, I know… I’m a pig and I deserve it. Well, sometimes things are not as clear as they seem. Try not to judge me – yet. Get all the facts and then make an informed decision. I bet you cannot possibly imagine everything that takes place in the following pages.
If you want to know the cause, effect and the rest of the story, stick around and continue reading. This book is about to get real. My name is Traxx Maxwell, and this is the story of when my life was dismantled by a stranger and how one tough girl and my friends fought to put me back together and helped me become a man.
Ciara
The very first time I saw him, I knew deep in my heart he was pure, undiluted trouble. Did it matter? No. There was nothing I could do. The word attraction is defined as “the electric or magnetic force that acts between opposite charged bodies, tending to draw them together.” That’s exactly how I feel about Traxx Maxwell, and I’m almost certain that he feels the same way about me. When we are together we levitate towards each other, and from the moment my blue eyes met his gorgeous brown ones, I have not been able to stop thinking about him.
For over two years I’ve tried not to let him get to me. It’s impossible. Every time I close my eyes, it’s his intense gaze that I see looking back at me. His deep voice caresses me in my dreams. If I’m being kissed, it’s his lips I picture lightly grazing mine. I have been warned by my best friend Brianna and her boyfriend Colton, more times than I care to think about, to be careful. Traxx is in the business of breaking hearts. Not on purpose, mind you, but he has never been in a relationship. He believes he is a manwhore or love ‘em and leave ‘em kind of guy. When I see him putting the moves on some girl who catches his eye, it hurts, because I want it to be me he’s giving his attention to, but I have to hide those feelings. I’m just patiently waiting for him to be ready to find something other than a quick fuck. I’m in no rush. I know the real Traxx. The one he only lets me see when no one else is around. The one he tries so hard to hide. I like that version of Traxx. My Traxx is genuine, caring, smart and funny.
You can say we are good friends. We laugh. We talk. We joke and hang out in the same circle of friends. Does he like me on another level? I think so. I just don’t know how much. I’ve noticed that when I go from one room to another, his dark eyes follow my every movement and appreciate everything they see. Other times, when I catch him looking at me, his lips curve into a half smile and he quickly looks away. Also, when I bring a date to meet everyone, Traxx’s body tenses, his happy smile goes away and a forced one takes over. The look he gives him… it’s like he’s sizing him from top to bottom, as if trying to decide if the guy’s good enough for me. And as soon as he gets a chance, Traxx comes over and starts asking me questions to figure out how I really feel about my date. Can we say Alpha much?
Then, one unexpected day, hell broke loose; which we now refer to as “the incident.” After that, things as they used to be were no more. Actually, they got worse. Traxx is starting to fall into a person that we no longer recognize. There is a darkness moving within him. I know that he needs us more than ever. He’s pushing everyone away. I need to prove to him that it’s okay to let others into his heart. I have fought for many important things in my life: my country, my family and my friends… but I believe saving Traxx will prove to be the battle of my lifetime.
Chapter 1
Traxx
It’s a nice fall evening today - cooler than usual, but warm enough that I can drive my truck with the windows down. At the red light, I smile at the pretty girl driving a sporty car next to me since she’s trying hard to get my attention. If she only knew… I have girls throwing themselves at me at every place I go. Even on social media, girls I don’t even know are constantly trying to get inside my pants – and I love it. I never have to worry when I need to hook up. Somebody’s always a phone call away. “One Night Traxx,” that’s what they call me and what I’m famous for. I’m not proud of that, but the idea of giving my heart away scares the crap out of me.
As I pull up to my driveway, I press the garage door opener that’s clipped to my visor and notice that my best friend and roommate, Notso, isn’t home yet. Given that we have plans tonight, I have to get in touch with him to make sure everything’s still in place. I also need to call my other best friend, Colton, to make sure he and his girlfriend Brianna are also coming with us. I need Brianna to come along because her BFFs Ciara and my cousin Keagan tend to go wherever she goes. Those girls always do everything together and they’re more like one of the guys… They fish, hunt, shoot targets, anything we want to do they are always game to do with us, and I hate to admit it, but sometimes they are better than us boys. I’ve known Brianna and Ciara going on three years from our college days. They used to be roommates in the Army and got along so well, they decided to continue to be roomies after they got out.
Ciara… She’s the smartest, most beautiful, sexiest girl I’ve ever met. I think there’s this mutual attraction. When I see her and get to spend time with her, I’m happy. That is until some random guy comes by and talks her into dancing or even worse, hangs around and won’t leave her alone. It puts me in a fucking bad mood. The worst thing is that I can’t do anything about it – she isn’t mine. I can’t claim her. I’ve never been anybody’s boyfriend and I wouldn’t know where to start with that. Ciara’s one of the good ones. If there’s one thing I’m certain of it’s that I don’t deserve her, and she probably won’t want anything to do with me after watching me interact with girls the past few years. Besides, I’m not sure that I can trust her or any girl for that matter. The moment they know they have you, they will stomp on your heart and take it, leaving you heartless, which is something I already know too well.
I start to pull out my tie and unbutton my shirt with one hand, and with the other I’m calling Notso.
“Hey man. I wasn’t able to get away from work early enough, I’m just now leaving the office.” I hear him say as I place my tie on the back of one of the kitchen’s chairs and grab a cold beer from the fridge.
I hold the phone between my shoulder and my ear. “Have you heard from Colton yet?” I ask, using my most inconspicuous voice.
“Not yet, but I spoke to Keagan earlier and she said the girls were also coming with us.”
After twisting the top, I take a long swig and do a quick fist pump in the air. Playing it cool, I respond casually. “Okay, that’s fine.”
“When are you going to stop being such an ass? You need to ask her out already!” Notso says loudly into the phone.
Not surprised that he can read my mind and knows the real reason behind my question, I answer him. “You know why.”
“Then stop being such a man whore. That shit’s gonna flip on you someday.”
“Yeah, right.” I laugh to myself because I really wish I could just turn it off. “Look, I gotta make some calls to lineup a girl for tonight. I’ll…”
Beep.
I hear the sound of call waiting. “Hey, Notso, hold a sec while I see who’s calling. It appears that pussy is coming to me instead of me having to fetch it.” I laugh loudly and click to the other line. “Hello?”
“Who’s this?” A girl asks.
“Hold on, you have it backwards. You called me. How about you tell me who you want to talk to and perhaps we can go from there.” This shit annoys me to no end.
“Is this Traxx Maxwell?” Must be a damn telemarketer.
“Yes, but I don’t need…”
She cuts me off immediately, “I’m not selling anything. You need to come open your front door. I’m outside, waiting.”
What the hell…? I click
off that phone call and click again so that I have Notso on the phone. “Man, some girl is saying she’s outside waiting for me to open the fucking door.”
“Who’s this chick? Did you bring some tramp to the house and forgot to tell me? I thought you never let anyone know where we live.”
“Hell, no! You know better than that. Stay on the line a minute, let me get rid of her.”
I move quickly to the front door. As I’m looking at the door, all I can think about is that this better be a joke. I open the door in a rush. A brown hair girl is looking at me. Her hair is a mess. She has dark shadows under her eyes. She looks rough. Disheveled. I don’t recognize her. “May I help you?”
She stares at me like she’s willing me to say the right thing. I stare back with a hard look. She has some guts to show up at my place. And how did she get my address?
“Hi Traxx… by the way you are looking at me makes me think you don’t recognize me.”
“You are right, I don’t. What do you need?” I don’t mean to be rude but damn, I don’t have time for this shit.
She looks away and starts laughing hard. When she looks back at me, she is once again serious. Her expression goes from happy to neutral, to… pissed. What the fuck? “Well?”
“Of course you don’t remember. You are ‘One Night Traxx.’ Isn’t that right?”
I smile uncomfortably at her. Where is she going with all this? She can’t be pregnant. I always use protection and check carefully when I remove the condoms to make sure no accident has happened.
“You think you are some kind of god who gets to use girls left and right without repercussions, don’t you?”
Shit.
I give her my best smile. “Look, if I was with you, I’m sure we had a great time. But I don’t bring girls to my place and as you already know, I don’t do repeats. It’s always a one-time thing. I’m sure that I told you that before we hooked up. So, if you’ll excuse me, I have things to do…” I start to close the door on her face when I notice some resistance, at which point I look down and see a dingy pair of black Chuck Taylor’s on her foot blocking my door. Still frowning, I hear a loud click. My eyes slowly move up away from the shoes so I can tell her to fuck off right to her face, only to realize she has a cocked revolver pointed at my face.
Dismantled (Girls on Top #2) Page 1