by Renee, K.
People keep walking in and out of the hospital, but we never hear anything about Jax. Part of me is afraid to admit that he could possibly be gone. Will I be able to make it through another death? Probably not, but I have the support of my family and Amie this time. They won’t let me fall.
I just wish I wouldn’t have wasted so much time beating myself up over losing our daughter. Maybe if I would have just talked to Jaxson after it happened, we wouldn’t be where we are right now.
I know I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life, but Jaxson was one of them. By just knowing him, my life was brighter, and I would never have gotten to meet Gracilyn even for those few precious moments.
I spend a while just thinking about our whole relationship together and all the amazing memories we got to share. He will always be the one thing I’ll never regret.
Hearing somebody walk through the doors, I look up to see the doctor standing there.
Epilogue
It’s been six years since that night, but not a day goes by that I don’t think about it. Night after night, I relive the scary details of what happened to Jax. Nothing is able to stop the nightmares from haunting me.
A few years ago, Amie moved to Texas to be closer to Tate and me. Once she saw what happened to Jax, she jumped into a relationship with Tate. She told me she didn’t want to give up a chance at happiness. She and Tate get along great and make each other happy.
You have no control over who you fall in love with, and even though Tate and I haven’t always seen eye to eye,
I’m glad they found each other. I have to say, it’s been a great thing for both of them. I’ve never seen either of them happier than they are right now.
Last month, Amie gave birth to a beautiful little girl. I have to admit, I’m a little jealous she has the perfect daughter that I never got a chance to raise. A week after the night of the attack, Gracilyn’s grave was moved to be next to her family, right where she belongs.
Looking around the empty house, I can’t help but think about how silent it was the day my dad brought me back here for the first time after everything that happened.
Max was the only one to greet me and it made the tears fall again. While I had spent time at the hospital, praying that Jax would wake up, my parents would stop by the house and take Max out, making sure he had food and water.
I could tell he was missing Jax, too. For the first few days, he was mopping around the house, so I tried to take him everywhere with me. Nothing cheered him up and I knew exactly how he felt. I wanted him back, too.
Sitting on the couch, I hear giggles and barking coming from the back door, making me smile. “Lynnie! Where are you, babe?”
“In the living room!”
When they round the corner, I see the most perfect picture I could possibly imagine. Jax has both our boys hanging from him as he makes his way to me. I laugh. Ben is on Jax’s shoulders, and Alex is hanging from his arm. He sits on the couch next to me and kisses my lips.
“How you feeling, darlin’?” he asks with a grin. His free hand comes to my belly as the boys start screaming about watching some cartoons.
“Good. She’s kicking like crazy.”
Jax turns the TV on and the boys immediately quiet down. Although they have never met Gracilyn, they know about her. We visit her grave often, and they talk to her like she’s right here with us.
When we told them about them having a baby sister, they asked if Gracilyn was finally going to come home. We had to explain that this baby was going to be another sister, but they should never forget about their big sister.
As for Jax and me, we have learned that our lives are precious and that being together is what we wanted. A year after Jax was stabbed, we got remarried and had the wedding we never had before. All our friends and family were able to celebrate our marriage…and his recovery.
Every love story has a beginning and an end. I’m just glad ours hasn’t ended yet. I can’t wait to meet this little girl and continue living our fairy tale.
Sneak peek at
By K. Renee
Prologue
It's been ten years since the girl of my dreams walked away from me without so much as a glance back. Part of me doesn't blame her for leaving, but the other part of me hates her for doing it. We were supposed to grow old together and have the perfect family, but all that changed the night I told her I wasn't going to New York with her. Little did she know, things would get worse for me after she left.
Not only did I lose the love of my life, I lost my father not long afterwards.
When I needed her the most, she wasn't there. I thought it would change the way I felt about her, but I only missed her more. Over the next few years, I drowned myself in alcohol and every girl I could find. I know it wasn't the right thing to do, but it was the only way I was able to keep thoughts of her out of my mind.
I dated a few women here and there, but I always ended up comparing them to Lyndley. Deep down, I knew she was the only woman for me. Pretty soon, I stopped trying to move on. Sure, I slept with countless women, but there was never anything more between us than sex.
No one would ever own my heart like she did. If only she would come home so I could prove it to her.
Chapter One
I never thought Lyndley Adams would come back home. Ever since she left, I have been spending time with her parents. They were like a second family to me and I hated the thought of not being close with them anymore.
Even after I broke their daughter’s heart, they still welcomed me with open arms. Part of me liked being there because I knew I would feel like she was still here instead of New York City. I never really understood why she wanted to go there, but I would have done anything for that girl.
She was my life, and I ruined it in one night.
The day my dad asked me to take over the farm was supposed to be the best day of my life, but it turned into the worst. This was what I waited for my whole life. I loved the farm and thought Lyndley did, too. I guess I was wrong.
Getting into my black Chevy, I take one last look at the house before throwing it in reverse. Before I pull away, I see her in the window. Damn, she still looks beautiful. I’m just surprised she isn’t married and has a bunch of kids by now.
Her dark brown hair is even longer than before. Her fancy clothes aren’t something I am interested in, but her body? My god. Her tits look bigger than before, and her long legs are fucking killing me. I want nothing more than to bend her over and fuck her until she screams my name. Judging by the look on her face, I know I have to take my time with her. She’s still hurt. Will I be able to fix what I broke?
Spending the whole drive home thinking about her makes me fucking horny as hell, but if I want to win her heart again, I’ll have to be on my best behavior. Most girls around here aren’t worth the effort, but Lyndley is.
Pulling up to my house, I put the truck and park and think about our past.
Talking with my buddies after football practice, I see Lyndley walking towards me. We are juniors in high school and have been dating since our sophomore year. The day I met her, I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. Everyone told me I was crazy, but I knew it was true. She will be my wife one day.
When we finally reach each other, she throws her arms around my neck and kisses me like it is her last. When we break apart, she gets a big grin on her face.
“What, darlin’?” I ask. She’s always up to something.
Her smile widens and she runs a finger down my chest. “Well, I was thinking we should make it official.”
I look at her in confusion for a second, finally understanding. “You want to get married?”
She nods her head and I spin her around. “Hell yeah, baby! I’m all for making you mine for the rest of my life.” I kiss her as she wraps her legs around my waist.
We make plans to do it while on spring break. Once all the planning is done, we decide to go to the pond on my family’s farm to celebrate.
&
nbsp; Before I even put my old truck in park, Lynnie is jumping out and stripping down. Our first time was out here, so this spot will always hold a special place in my heart.
Jumping out of the truck, I watch her for a few minutes as she shimmies those cutoff jeans off her hips. I have to bite my cheek to keep from groaning. Her body is amazing. All the guys are jealous because none of the other girls look like her. She’s got a flat stomach, her hips having just the right curve to them. I watch her throw her shirt to the ground as I make my way over to her, stripping off my shirt, my boots, and my jeans as I go. When I finally get to the edge of the pond, I see her panties and bra sitting there.
Not wasting any more time, I strip my boxer briefs off and dive into the cool water.
Lynnie is floating in the water watching me as I make my way towards her. When I wrap my arm around her and pull her to me, she breaks out in a fit of giggles. The way her naked body feels against mine should be a sin, but I crave it.
She wraps her legs around me, making my cock spring to attention. With one arm around me, she uses her other hand to stroke me. Kissing down her neck, I moan at the attention she’s showing me. All I want to do is sink inside her. Before I can say anything, she takes the initiative on that.
“Shit, Lynnie,” I groan. She feels amazing. I could get lost in this feeling forever. Slowly, I lift her up and down my shaft. Sucking one of her nipples into my mouth, I hum in appreciation. Her moans tell me I’m hitting all the right places and I do everything I can to keep from coming too soon. I always make sure she comes first.
Her fingernails dig into my back as she increases our tempo. As she yells out my name, I come inside her.
A knock on my window brings me back to the present. Shit. Now I’m hard as a fucking rock. Looking up, I see my best friend staring at me. As soon as I open the door, he starts in on me. “Holy shit, man! What the fuck were you just thinking about?” he asks with a smirk.
I push him out of the way and get out of the truck. Adjusting myself the best as I can, I hear his laughter coming from behind me. “Must have been one hell of a daydream.”
“Fuck you, Tate.” I walk to the front door of my house and he’s right behind me.
“We going out tonight? I heard Kelsey has a few friends over from out of town.” He grins, wiggling his eyebrows.
“No, man. I don’t think so. I’m beat and I am probably gonna turn in early.”
He looks at me, shocked. “Are you fucking kidding me? Kelsey is bringing hot friends out tonight and they want to get laid. We want to get laid. What the fuck is the matter with you?”
“Tate, not tonight. Maybe another time,” I say, plopping down on my couch. Max comes running into the room and jumps on the couch, licking my face. There’s no way I’m gonna be able to fuck another woman without picturing Lyndley now.
“You’re a fucking pussy,” he states, making his way to the door. “Don’t worry. I’ll send you some pictures.”
I flip him off and watch him walk out the door, laughing. As much as I need to get laid, I can’t do it while Lynnie is around.
At a half-past ten, I get my first text from Tate.
Tate: You didn’t fucking tell me Lynnie was home. What the fuck, man?
Me: I only found out when I was at her folks’ place. I ran into her there.
Tate: Hot damn! Who knew she would be such a looker?
Me: If you want to fucking live, stay the fuck away from her.
Tate: Damn, bud, you still hooked on her?
Me: Shut up, Tate. Just make sure no one touches her.
Tate: Too late, man. Looks like Keegan is laying his mack down pretty hard.
Fuck. As much as I rather not go out, I need to make sure she gets home safely. I pull on some jeans and my boots. I don’t remember the last time I went chasing after a girl.
After finding a shirt to wear, I throw it on and make my way to my truck. Driving the ten minutes it takes to get to the only bar in town, I slam the truck into park and jump out. Walking inside, I get stopped at least a dozen times by a few women and a couple of my buddies. When I finally find Tate, I ask him where Lyndley is. He points over to the corner of the bar where I see the back of Keegan’s head.
Making my way over there, I see that Lyndley is drunk. Shit. I need to get her out of here. I walk over to her pushing Keegan out of the way and pulling her to me. At first she tries to pull away, but I don’t let her.
“Stop it, Lynd,” I growl.
When she stops fighting me, Keegan decides to run his mouth.
“What the fuck, Jax? I was talking to this sexy woman and we were just about to leave,” Keegan spits out, smirking. I want to punch him in the mouth so fucking bad.
“Stay the fuck away from her,” I grate out. I hear her gasp and she grips onto my shirt.
“What are you? Her fucking father?” He yells.
As bad as I want to say something, I hold my tongue. I don’t want to add fuel to the fire. Instead, I whisper in her ear. “Lynnie, I’m gonna take you home, okay?” She nods and I focus on her. Her hair is slightly curled, and her makeup is starting to smear.
I look back at Keegan. "Fuck you, Keegan. Stay the hell away from her. You so much as touch her, I'll fucking kill you."
With one arm around her back and the other supporting her legs, I pick her up. She wraps her arms around my head and buries her face in my neck like she used to. Looking up, I see Keegan coming at me, but Tate blocks him.
"You need Tate to fight your battles for you now?" he sneers.
"No. I just have more important things to do than deal with your punk ass." I make my way out of the bar and to my truck.
I hear boots on the gravel coming up behind me. Before I can turn around, Tate says, "You're still in love with her, aren't you?"
Opening the door, I set her inside the truck before closing it and turning to face my best friend.
"It's not something I can just turn off. I've loved her most of my life. To see her again after all this time is like a fucking punch to the gut."
"But you're not the same man you were when you ended things, Jax. I don’t get why you are even trying. She seems different. Maybe she isn’t the same girl you fell in love with. Move on.”
“I’ll deal with things the way I see fit. I don’t need your advice, Tate. You’ve never been serious about a girl in your whole life.”
"Fuck you, asshole. I know your guys’ secret. Don't make me tell the whole town."
I can feel my face pale. How the fuck does he know? I sure as hell didn't tell him or anyone else. "How do you know?"
"Jax, I know you better than anyone. We've been best friends since diapers. When you came back from spring break, you were both giddy as hell. My question is how the hell did you guys get it done? Neither of you were eighteen."
I smile at the memory. "Lynnie convinced them we were and we had lost our IDs. I couldn't believe that they let us do it, either."
"Shit, the girl could convince anyone of anything. I guess that doesn't surprise me."
He slaps me on the back, then walks back into the bar. Getting in my truck, I rest my forehead against the steering wheel before I look over at her, seeing her beautiful hazel eyes staring at me.
"Jaxson…,” she starts. I just stare at her. Even looking like a hot mess, she's still the most beautiful woman in the world. "Thank you for keeping me from doing something stupid."
"Lynnie, I'll always protect you. You want me to take you to your parents’ house?"
She nods and I start the truck. The ride is quiet and I'm not sure if she's asleep or just pretending. Glancing over at her, I think of how things ended between us. When I pull up to the house, her eyes remain closed. Getting out, I make my way to her side, open the door, and pick her up. Walking up to the door, I feel her move closer to my neck. When her lips graze me, I feel a shock of electricity.
Grabbing her keys out of her purse, I unlock the door and make my way inside. Walking down the hall to her room, I reme
mber the last time I went in there. Shaking all thoughts out of my head, I gently place her on the bed, then pull off her shoes and set them on the floor.
I move the hair off of her face and kiss her forehead. "Night, Lyndley,” I whisper into the dark room.
"Night, Jaxson. I love you,” she whispers back.
About the Author
K. Renee is from sunny California. Creative by nature, she decided to put her imagination on paper. During the day, she works in an office; at night, she writes. These stories have been in her head for years and are finally coming out on paper.
K. Renee started writing this year, but has loved writing since she was young. She started this series because the story wouldn't get out of her head, no matter what she did. She's twenty-six, and typically writes in her free time or on her lunch break. K. Renee works full-time and tries to go to the gym every day. She reads constantly, and has hundreds of books she can't wait to start.
http://kreneeauthor.com
https://www.facebook.com/kayreneeauthor
[email protected]
Tsu: KReneeAuthor
Twitter: k_renee_author
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/36533772-k-renee
Acknowledgments
First and foremost, I want to thank everyone for buying this book! I never thought I would be releasing one book, let alone writing as many as I have in this short amount of time.
I can't wait for everyone to meet my characters and fall in love with them like I have.
I want to thank my beta readers for giving their honest opinion about the book. Tamra, Christy, Michelle, Tobi, Lilian and my in house beta reader (mom)… You ladies are awesome! Thank you for taking time out of your schedules to beta read for me. I am thrilled that you loved these characters as much as I did.
A big thank you to Kim for doing her editing magic for me. I love getting your feedback on scenes. It truly helps!