by Jo Raven
I nodded. I did remember his words. The promise of a clean business and the need to have me in his life. While I wasn’t yet ready to give Cash the chance he was asking for, I would definitely keep an open mind.
The atmosphere in the room shifted as a long exhale of relief sounded. I wasn’t quite sure whether it was me, or someone else, or all of us, but for the first time since the day my salon was attacked, I was able to feel the tension leave my neck and shoulders. Soon after, Scar had left as well. Julian shook Hunter’s hand and patted him on his back before heading home. Tristan remained behind cleaning the place up, wiping any and all prints off chairs, tables and counters. They sure took their jobs seriously.
“You okay?” Hunter asked, wrapping his arm around me.
“Why would you do that, Hunter? You gave up everything.”
“No I didn’t. My everything is still here.” He lowered his mouth to mine for a lingering kiss.
“You didn’t have to do that,” I whispered against his lips.
“It was the only way to get your father to back off. But I’m sure it’s not the last time we hear from them.”
“Me too,” I sighed. “What happened to Scar?”
“It was his idea. Everything.”
“Getting beat up?”
“Grace, he didn’t have a real cut on him. When he called me after we left the restaurant earlier this week, and explained his idea, I knew it was the perfect time to talk to your father.”
“Is it wrong for me to have hope for them?” I asked.
“Life without hope is life not worth living.” He kissed me again. “I, for example, hope to spend our one month anniversary in bed, with you.”
“It’s been one month already?” I asked, feeling my mood suddenly lift.
“Why do you have that wicked grin on your face?” he asked, as I stepped out of the room to where my good friend was waiting with open arms.
“I just need a few words with Emma,” I said to Hunter. “And then you can take me home. I love you, Hunter Reeve.”
“And I love you, Grace Brooks. I’ll see you downstairs.”
Once the elevator door closed I hugged my friend. “Thank you.” I couldn’t let go. Emma was the reason I’d been introduced to Hunter. I owed her one, and I’d make it my mission to find a man who was as right for her as Hunter was for me.
“You’re welcome. You don’t have to stress anymore.”
I bit my lip. Either Emma hadn’t realized that as of tonight I’d officially been seeing Hunter for one month, or she was playing it cool.
“Uh-oh. I don’t like that look in your eyes, Grace. What is it?”
“I always knew you had good instincts.”
“Why do I not like the sound of that?” she asked nervously. I pulled Emma to the side, making sure we were out of earshot of Tristan. If one of her brothers heard me, we’d be toast before I even got a chance to drive her out of the city to fulfill her side of the bargain.
“You’ve lost the bet, Em. I’ve been with Hunter for a full month now, and this relationship is not slowing down. It’s time for you to strip down and move those hips.”
“I hate you,” she said.
“I know,” I smiled back, thinking about the scummiest hole I could drag Emma to and make her strip. This was for the skydiving, kissing a stranger, letting a tarantula walk on my face, and anything else that Emma Cross would come up with in the future. She would definitely pay for it all.
***
Ready to see a ‘vajazzled’ Emma strut her stuff on a strip club floor?
Her story is in Book 1 of the Crossed Series
Layers Crossed
She's a city girl.
He's a country boy.
And their worlds are about to collide.
Follow Emma as she gets an assignment worthy of her talents to help the mouth-watering cowboy, Eric Waters seek justice from a man who’s haunted their family for decades..
The moment their paths cross, Eric and Emma captivate each other, but mixing business with pleasure may prove more risky than Emma has bargained for and more deceitful than Eric’s honest heart can handle.
LAYERS CROSSED
Book 1 in the Crossed Series
at Amazon
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About Lacey Silks
USA Today bestselling author Lacey Silks writes her stories from life experiences, dreams and fantasies. She likes a pinkish shade on a woman’s cheeks, men with large feet and sexy lingerie, especially when it’s torn off the body. Her favorite piece of clothing is a ‘birthday suit’.
When she’s not thinking about writing steamy stories, which is a rare occasion, Lacey enjoys camping and skiing with her family (not at the same time of course). She’s a happily married wife blessed with two kids who adore going to the library. She’s an early bird by nature, but loves the nightly adventures with her hubby which provide good content for her books.
If you have not yet read the Layers Trilogy, you can start with its FREE prequel
Dazzled by Silver.
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Table of Contents
Red Hot Alphas
MICAH (DAMAGE CONTROL 1)
by Jo Raven
SOMEBODY TO LOVE
(ROCK STARS IN DISGUISE: TRYP)
by Blair Babylon
HOT PURSUIT
by Olivia Rigal
MEETING MR. STEELE
By Melanie Marchande
MIXED UP
by Sky Corgan
MIDNIGHT MOONLIGHT
by V. J. Chambers
SORORITY SAINT
by Daizie Draper
CROSSED
by Lacey Silks
GET TO ME
by Holly Hood
ELECTRIC BLUE BUTTERFLIES
by Irma Geddon
SWEETEST TEMPTATIONS
by J.C. Valentine
Disclaimers and Copyright Notices
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GET TO ME
by Holly Hood
GET TO ME
by Holly Hood
GET TO ME © Holly Hood 2014
What if you had a second chance to begin again? Savy Arnold is surprised to see Ryker Sosa after four years. She hasn’t heard from him since the night of the accident. Ryker is even more handsome and charming than he was in high school. But there is also someone else who just might provide Savy with what she is looking for. Two totally different men want her attention. But in the midst of romance, secrets are uncovered that change the way Savy sees her entire life. And one thing is very apparent: She will never be the same again.
Four Years Earlier
I met Ryker senior year of high school.
He was the new kid in town. And I was drawn to him.
He had this constant smile, and no matter what he was talking about there was this light behind his eyes and a smile on his face.
Our first words to each other were pretty simple. He needed directions to his class, and I just so happened to be going to the same one. He sat next to me, and we stole side glances at one another while our biology teacher went on and on about something neither of us cared to know.
I invited him to eat lunch with me. I introduced him to all my friends, and everyone instantly liked him.
There wasn’t anyone that didn’t like Ryker.
And soon there wasn’t a girl that couldn’t keep her eyes off of him.
We became great friends, best friends. Some days I traded my usual routine to hang out with Ryker.
A few months into the school year he started dating one of the cheerleaders, and I found a boyfriend of my own.
We still hung around each other, but things were different. We were both in relationships, and even if we wanted to admit that
maybe there was chemistry between us, we didn’t.
My parents expected a lot out of me, and Ryker didn’t fit their idea of a good boyfriend. Ryker’s parents weren’t much better. He easily won over the entire school, but when it came to the adults, they didn’t understand him the way that any of us did.
And then everything changed. One night on Halloween, I broke up with my boyfriend at a party and Ryker came to pick me up so I could go home and deal with my break up alone.
I remember the accident. Everything slowed down just like in the movies.
And our bodies danced forward like puppets on strings. I remember everything all the way up until my head hit the dashboard, then everything went black.
Ryker’s eyes, I remember them. Brown eyes were giving me one last look before everything went away. I knew he felt awful that he couldn’t protect me.
And when I came to I was laying underneath the stars and all I could hear was the horn blaring through the night. I was so cold, and I couldn’t move.
Someone said everything was going to be alright, and I closed my eyes and drifted away.
Chapter 1
Present Day
“And to conclude, this is why I no longer feel that college is the right fit for me.” I looked at my parents. My mother looks as if she’s about to drop on the floor with a stroke, and my father looks like he is about to throw something across the family room.
“Savy.” Every conversation always starts like this. My parents are always so critical of my choices, but this time I’m finally standing by my decisions.
“Do you know how much money and time your mother and I have put into your future? And you’re just going to throw it away?” My dad rubs the spot between his eyebrows and looks away from me.
“And I will pay every penny back if it takes the rest of my life.” I look at my brother for help, but he refuses to look at me.
“Let me get this straight,” my mother says. “You want to leave college to work at a homeless shelter. Are you even going to be paid?”
I shake my head. “The experience is much better than the income, Mother.”
My brother shakes his head. “I have to go check on Finn and Lilac. I’ll be right back.”
I watch him go out the door to the backyard to tend to my niece and nephew. And when I look at my parents again, they still have the look of disapproval all over their faces.
I would like to think helping the poor and disadvantaged was something for which my parents would be proud; I guess not.
“You could have helped more when you became a lawyer.” My mother smooths her hair and sighs.
I stand up. ”Well, I am an adult. I was only trying to do the right thing and tell you guys before I just dropped out.”
“Do you think we are going to fund this latest escapade?” my father asks. His voice has now reached the level I am used to when he doesn’t like one of my choices.
“I wasn’t asking you to.” I roll my eyes. “And what is that supposed to mean--latest escapade?”
My brother re-enters the room just in time to fill me in. “They’re talking about high school.”
Of course, they are.
“You barely graduated because of all the poor choices you made then,” my father sighs. “And look what happened because of them.”
He’s talking about the accident. And I don’t want to hear or talk about it.
I gather my books and purse and head for the door. “Ben, please tell Finn and Lilac I will see them this weekend for the birthday party.” I kiss my mom on the cheek and glare at my dad.
Ben nods, watching me head for the door.
“You’re just going to leave?” My father crosses his arms. I might have been intimidated years ago, but not anymore.
“Yes, Father. I am going to leave. I have some shopping to do.”
“I’d be careful about spending your money. Because I am not going to be paying your bills anymore if you do this, Savy.”
I slip on my jacket and throw my purse over my shoulder. “If you want to cut me off, that’s fine. Sophie has already told me I can stay with her.”
I slam the door behind me and let out a breath of relief. I finally stood up to him. I finally told them I want to do something different, something important to me.
I want to be me.
Chapter 2
I double check my bank account while sitting in my car in front of the sporting goods store—just to make sure my father hasn’t sucked my account dry as some sort of punishment. I know I’m overreacting, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that were just what he did.
I unbuckle my seatbelt once I find a parking spot miles away from the place. The parking lot is completely filled. I wonder how I even find a spot at all as I get closer. It all makes sense when I spot the big sign posted outside the doors of the sporting goods store.
A guy on a skateboard rolls toward me dodging a woman backing out of her parking spot and stops right before he runs over my feet. “Big event today at Palmer’s sporting goods.”
I grab the flyer before the wind steals it away and read the big black letters—PROFESSIONAL SKATEBOARDERS. Seems they are here to sign autographs and to take pictures before some big show in town.
I walk through the doors and am immediately given the stink eye.
“I’m not here for autographs. I just want to buy a skateboard.” I gladly slip through the long line searching for skateboards and accessories. My nephew has been dying to get his hands on a skateboard, and I’m just the one to see that he gets one. I like to see him happy.
I finally find the boards and stare at the big wall of different designs and colors, confused and not sure which one would make my nephew the happiest.
“Is there anything I can help you with?”
I turn around to the clerk. “My nephew is turning seven and he is obsessed with skateboarding. Which one would make him think I am the best aunt in the world?”
He studies the wall and quickly pulls one down. ”This should work; it’s from a new company. As a matter of fact, we have two professional skateboarders here that are sponsored by them.”
“It’s colorful.” He hands it over, and I study the three-eyed monster on it. “Is this going to make me look like the best aunt ever? I hold it next to my face and smile.
He smirks and nods his head. “Pretty close. But if you want to score some really big points,” he looks toward the huge line, “go get that board autographed. Your nephew will love you forever. I promise.”
I smile and look toward the line. “It’s worth a shot, I suppose.” I thank him and take my spot in line, texting Sophie to let her know I will probably be late.
It takes a while for the line to move to the front. It seems everyone in town is dying for a peek of the skateboarders. I don’t know much about the sport, but I hold out hope the line will pick up speed so I can get the autographs and head over to Sophie’s place for the night.
A few minutes later, I’m next in line. Camera phones snap and click, and I blindly move forward. I pocket my phone and drop the skateboard down on the table.
“Who should I sign this for?” The first skateboarder asks me.
I shove some hair behind my ear and purse my lips. “Finn. With two n’s.”
He quickly scribbles his signature and passes it to the other guy, then motions for the next person in line behind me.
I move over watching the excitement ensue. I guess skateboarding is an even bigger sport than I ever imagined.
Someone shoves me out of the way to get past the table.
“I can’t believe I am looking at Ryker Sosa. Please take a picture with me!” Some crazy girl screams, having a complete meltdown right there in front of God and everybody. I don’t even have my skateboard back.
He hands the skateboard to me once he shakes the screaming girl from his arms. I can’t believe it. I step backward instead of forward.
“This is yours, right?”
With trembling fingers, I ext
end my hand. But I don’t react, I don’t do anything. The skateboard hits the ground and rolls away from me. He goes around the table picking it up and walks it over to me.
“Everything alright?”
“Ryker?” I would never forget the name or the face. Nothing about him has changed, except that he’s even more attractive than he was at seventeen. Four years has done wonders for him.
“That’s me.” He touches my arm. “Do you want to take a picture?”
It’s been four years since I last saw him; I thought I would never see him again. I didn’t even know he was alive for the first month after the car crash, and I didn’t know what happened to him after that.
We were once good friends. How could he not know who I am? “It’s me.” I touch my chest. “Savy Arnold.”
He raises an eyebrow. ”You’ll have to refresh my memory.” He shakes his head.
The line is starting to grow impatient. His eyes dart from me back to the crowd. “I meet a lot of fans.”
I sigh. “I am not a fan. What’s wrong with you?”
I take the skateboard and move out of the way.