Torn to Pieces
Harper Ashley
For everyone who told me I could do this. Without your words of encouragement and endless support, Torn to Pieces would not exist.
Contents
Title Page
Dedication
Prologue
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
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Epilogue
Torn to Pieces
Harper Ashley
Prologue
“Josephine honey, can you set the table?” my mom called from the kitchen.
She was in a rush to get dinner on the table for when dad arrived home from his business trip. Like every year before, she had a lot planned for us. Gingerbread houses, baking Christmas cookies to leave out for Santa, and of course, watching our fair share of cheesy Hallmark movies. My mom loved Christmas, which made my dad and I love it just as much. This was the one time a year we were always together. No matter how busy my dad’s work schedule may be, he always managed to be home with us for the holidays.
My parents seemed to have that once in a lifetime kind of love. For as long as I could remember I dreamed of finding someone who would look at me the way he looked at her. Like she was the only person in the room, no matter how many others there may be.
I skipped into the kitchen and took a few plates from the cabinet. “Smells amazing, mom.”
“Thank you, sweetheart. I just want everything to be perfect. I have a feeling this Christmas is going to be more special than all the others.” Her face glowed with delight.
She said that every year, and each year was better than the last.
I took the plates to the table and began spreading them out evenly on the plaid tablecloth. I heard the doorbell ring, and mom quickly brushed past me to answer it. I wasn’t far behind her, eager to greet my dad after his time away from us. It wasn’t my dad though, it was a police officer.
He removed the hat from his head and held it in front of him, a solemn expression marring his face.
A soul crushing scream filled my childhood home, and it took a few minutes for me to realize it was coming from my mother. She sank to her knees in front of the open door. The frigid winter air caressed my face when the officer’s blue eyes met my own.
I didn’t understand what was happening, or why my mom was now sobbing uncontrollably on the floor. The officer stepped around her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder before taking a few steps towards me. I clenched my eyes shut and balled my hands into tiny fists.
I opened them again and tried to focus on my mom. Something wasn’t right. Why couldn’t my brain process what was going on? Deep down I knew. Deep down I knew that my world was going to change. The officer placed his hand on my shoulder and I sucked in a sharp breath. My lips began to tremble. Suddenly our warm home was cold and empty.
“Josephine, come here.” My mother called out to me with outstretched arms.
I crossed the room and fell into them.
“Your daddy was in an accident.” She managed, holding on to me for dear life.
My vision blurred and tears welled in my eyes. A heavy weight pressed into my chest, and it was becoming harder and harder to breathe. I knew what she was telling me, but I still couldn’t process it.
I swallowed the lump in my throat as my mother’s cries sliced through me. How was I supposed to do this? I wanted to be strong for my mom, strong enough for the both of us. Pain seared through my heart as I tried to give my mother the comfort she so desperately needed. But when my eyes met hers, all bets were off. I crumbled under the weight as the realization set in.
As a little girl I waited for a Christmas miracle that never came. My dad never came home that night, and because of it, I wondered if we would ever be whole again.
Chapter One
I wanted to be happy for her.
There was a sparkle in her eye that I hadn't seen in years. Ever since that night we got the call that my dad had been killed in a car accident trying to get home to us in time for Christmas all those years ago.
I was ten and it broke me. My daddy was my hero, my favorite person in the entire world. One second we were huddled up on the sofa waiting for him to walk through the door, and the next, I was trying to peel my mother off of the floor as she sobbed. One of the officers took my hand and led me into the dining room to get me away from the heart-wrenching scene.
That was almost eight years ago, and up until a few days ago I didn't even know my mom was dating anyone. She met him online and they decided to keep things quiet until they were sure it was serious.
"When there are kids involved it's just a little more complicated, honey. We wanted to be sure about things before we got the families mixed into this." That’s her excuse for hiding her relationship from me for almost a year.
Now here I am, being fitted for my maid of honor gown and getting ready to stand next to her as she marries a complete stranger. I've never even met him.
All I know is that he is relatively wealthy, has two kids, and lives in fucking Alabama.
I can't even put into words how pissed I am to be moving in the first place, right before my senior year, but to Alabama? What do you even do there?
This time tomorrow we’ll be arriving at our new "home". Mom keeps saying this is the start of a beautiful new adventure and that I'm going to love it there. She describes it as a massive estate nestled in the bay, with nature and privacy surrounding it. While it sounds great, I have serious doubts that this is going to be as picture perfect as she thinks.
Not only am I getting an instant family, but starting at a brand-new school where I will know absolutely no one. This is supposed to be the best year of my life. I’m supposed to live it up with all my friends one last time before graduation.
Oh, how the tables can turn within a matter of days.
∞∞∞
When we pass the welcome sign over the state border, I want to cry. Goodbye beautiful and sunny Florida, I will miss you so.
"Promise me you'll try to get along with Sean and his kids, please. It's important to me." my mom pleaded as we neared the driveway.
"Yeah, got it." I muttered in response.
I tried to recall everything I knew about the Miller family. Sean, who would soon be my new stepfather, was an attorney at a large private firm that specialized in medical malpractice suits. He has two children, a boy named Alec and girl named Allie. Their mother had apparently died from cancer a few years ago, and like my own mother, this had been the first relationship after the loss.
"I can't wait for you kids to meet, from what Sean says I think you and Allie are going to hit it off famously!"
All this excitement is overwhelming, but I try to muster up a semblance of a smile to appease her. Allie is in the grade below me. Although, there hasn't been much said to me about my soon to be stepbrother Al
ec.
"We're here!" Mom singsongs as we pull into a long, winding driveway that leads to an impressive white southern style mansion. There is a wraparound porch equipped with rocking chairs and hanging plants.
"Oh great, we've been transported onto the set of Steel Magnolias." I mutter under my breath, and mom shakes her head.
A man walks out of the large front door dressed in his Sunday best and flashing a bright, white smile. He's handsome. A girl, small in stature, comes to his side. I assume that this is the Allie I've heard so much about. Her dark brown hair hangs in perfectly placed curls, and her bangs are secured back with a color-coordinated clip to match the pale pink sundress.
I look down at my skinny jeans and two-sizes too big t-shirt and immediately feel grossly under dressed.
"Sean!" my mother beckons as she races towards her groom. "I can't believe this day is finally here!"
He scoops her up and twirls her around and I fight back the urge to gag. Allie is smiling and staring at the happy couple fondly.
I slowly make my way to the porch and awkwardly wave at the Millers, well two of the three. "Uh, hi. I'm Josephine, but just call me Jo."
We make quick introductions before Sean leads us into the house. It looks like something out of a Southern Living magazine, and if I wasn't so pissed off to be here, I'd be swooning that these are my new digs.
"Allie-Cat, can you show Jo to her room?" Sean asks, and his seemingly perfect daughter nods.
Such the dutiful daughter.
She takes my hand and pulls me towards the grand staircase that leads to the second floor. "Our rooms are on the second floor." She gestures back towards our parents, "They are too, but on the other side of the hall. We have plenty of privacy."
I follow as she leads me down a long hallway and points to a set of white doors. "That's my room, and yours is across the hall. You have your own bathroom, and a huge walk-in closet. You'll love it! We left it decorated pretty plainly, Dad wanted you to have creative freedom."
It's actually pretty hard to keep up this angsty and brooding thing I had going on with how great these people seem. "Thanks, Allie. Don't you have a brother?"
Allie gives me a sad smile, "Yeah, he probably won't be around too much. He basically just comes here to sleep. He isn't exactly the biggest fan of this new... arrangement."
"Arrangement? As in my mom and I?"
She nods.
"He's not so bad once he warms up to you, but that may take some time. The basement has turned into his cave."
"His cave?"
She laughs, "You'll understand when you meet him. He isn't the friendliest, not very good with people."
Great.
Not only have I been ripped from my life and thrown into the middle of nowhere, I’m going to be living with an asshole who already hates us.
Chapter Two
After tossing my bags down on the floor in my new room, I don't even bother to begin unpacking. I need to get out of here, explore for a bit. There is a full-length mirror and I take in my appearance.
This won't do.
I empty one of the bags onto the floor and yank a black crop top from the pile. I pull down the bun from on top of my head and comb through my long, dirty-blonde locks.
Much better.
I grab my purse and head for the front door.
"I'm going to look around, Mom." I call out.
My mother's concerned face appears from around the corner. "Oh, honey. I thought we could have dinner together. All of us, to get to know one another."
I shake my head. "Mom, please? I just need some air."
She nods and gives me a small smile. "Okay, just don't be gone long. Be careful, you don't know your way around."
Sean comes around the corner trailing behind. "Have your license?" he asks.
"Yeah?"
He tosses a set of keys to me and I eye him quizzically. "I can take your car?"
"We're family, of course you can. We have one that no one is using right now. It's a Jeep, and it's parked around back."
I know he's trying to kiss my ass, but I'm not stupid enough to pass up some wheels.
"Thanks, Sean." and with that I turn on my heel and bolt for the door before anyone can change their mind.
∞∞∞
The town is small, and all I've come across are a few gas stations and BBQ joints. A bright, blue neon sign catches my attention and I turn on the blinker.
Perfect.
A hole in the wall bar named Shooter's. If anyone’s going to serve a minor around here, well this looks like a good place to start.
The air inside is smokey and the light thump of Lynyrd Skynyrd's Simple Man is filling the small space. I take a seat on one of the barstools and an old man with an impressive beard approaches me from behind the bar.
"What'll it be pretty lady?"
Score.
"Bud Light, bottle."
The key is confidence. He doesn't bat an eye and pops off the cap before sliding the beer in front of me.
"You passin' through? I'd remember seein' that face." His strong southern drawl lingers on his words.
Before I can answer, a hand comes on the small of my back and I tense.
"You're new around here." His voice is low.
I turn and come face-to-face with potentially the most attractive guy I've ever seen. His skin is covered in ink and his biceps are bulging out of the tight white shirt. He looks like a guy you'd see on the side of a bus modeling Calvin Klein briefs, and my stomach quickens.
"Mhm, I sure am." I lean towards the bar a bit and arch my back slightly. I'm no amateur. His eyebrow shoots up and the rest of the conversation takes place without words. His eyes rake over my body, and I return the favor.
He leans in so that his lips brush against my ear and whispers, "In my mind, we're going to have sex anyway, so you might as well be in the room."
I'm done for. I stand and allow him to lead me towards the bathroom, not giving a shit about the smirk on the bartender's face.
His grip on my wrist is strong, and that does nothing but turn me on even more.
I'm not usually into the whole stranger romp thing, but this guy is too yummy to pass up.
Once the door is shut behind us, he rushes me, hoisting me up onto the sink. His mouth is on my neck, peppering kisses down past my collarbone. I let out a moan, needing more. His large hands find their way under my shirt and grip my waist hard. They travel up my body until he cups my breasts, the callouses on his hands making this whole experience seem even dirtier.
I reach for my pants and fumble with the zipper, trying to remove anything and everything that is separating our bodies from getting what they want. My readiness seems to ignite something primal inside him, and he turns up the heat even more.
His hands are working furiously, exploring every inch of my body. I trace the ink peeking through on his shoulder, and nip at his skin with my teeth. Now the moan comes from him, and my inner Goddess screams.
"Where the fuck did you come from?" he mutters.
I giggle, "The Sunshine State."
"You're hot alright." he says, putting his mouth on mine. I part my lips and let his tongue thrust inside. The kiss isn't clean, it's nothing but a clash of tongue and teeth. Pure, lustful passion.
"Mmm. The taste of your lips makes me wonder what the rest of you tastes like."
His hand slips into my pants and one of his fingers slides down my crease. Another moan, and then he enters me. He knows what he's doing, that's evident from the start.
"You’re so fucking tight." He growls, and I smirk.
"I know." I whisper into his ear.
A loud knock at the door brings me crashing back down to Earth.
"Fuck." He curses. "Occupied, Asshole."
"Out, now. Take it somewhere else. I got folks needin' to use the facilities." I recognize the gruff voice that belongs to the bartender.
My mystery man picks me up and slides my body down his, placing my feet firmly back
on the ground. He looks over me and lets out an audible groan.
"This isn't over." He says. "We need to finish what we started."
I pull my phone out and look at the time. I need to get back before my mom sends out a search party.
"Another time." I say, trying to hide my inherent urge to jump his bones again.
"When? I don't like to wait."
"I can probably get back out later; I have to go play the dutiful daughter now." I try to lace my words with innocence, and I can see the lust flickering in his eyes.
"Meet me in the parking lot later, we can go to my place." He responds, and with that he's out the door... readjusting himself underneath the tight jeans.
I look in the foggy mirror and try to get the almost fucked look off my face. My lips are swollen and red, and my hair is wild. I do the best I can and head for the Jeep parked outside, ignoring the bartender shaking his head and laughing as I make my exit.
∞∞∞
"You're back! I hoped you be back in time for dinner. Sean cooked a beautiful meal, honey." My mother is beside herself, the happiness literally making her glow.
"Yep, I'm back." I say, taking a seat at the massive dining room table. Mom was right, the food looks great.
There is a pile of pork chops in the center, and a few different sides placed strategically around them. He is really pulling out all the stops.
Allie shoots me a sweet smile and I return it. "How did your exploring go?"
I lie, "Pretty uneventful."
Just as I'm about to bite into the pork chop, I hear the door open and close.
"Alec, glad you could make it." Sean says flatly, frustration evident in his voice.
I turn to finally get a look at the infamous Alec and my blood runs cold. My fork hits the porcelain plate and my mouth is wide open.
"Josephine? Are you alright?" My mother asks, concern lacing her voice.
You have got to be fucking kidding me.
Standing in front of me looking equally freaked out is the obscenely hot guy from the bar.
Chapter Three
"Josephine?" My mom asks again, and this time I snap back into reality.
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