Devour

by E. K. Blair

  “Where are your keys?” she asked.

  I tried to get them out of my pocket, but for some reason, I couldn’t get my hand inside my shorts.

  “Oh, for heaven’s sake, I’ll get them.” She moved my hand away and started digging for my keys. As soon as she had them, she unlocked the door and led me inside.

  I didn’t know how she was getting me to my room with the way I was staggering, but somehow, she did. I fell down onto my bed and buried my head under my pillow, willing the world to stop spinning so fast.

  “I think I drank too much.”

  Ally snorted. “Ya think?”

  I took the pillow off my head and tried to focus on her. “Thanks for bringing me home. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “I’m not leaving just yet. I don’t want you to choke on your own vomit or something like that.”

  “Gee, thanks,” I mumbled as I closed my eyes.

  Everything went black.

  Emma

  I’d spent the entire night worrying about Jesse, and I couldn’t stand it anymore. I’d tried to call and text him over and over, but he’d apparently shut off his phone because it always went straight to voice mail. I’d went over our last conversation over and over in my head, trying to understand what had happened to make him snap, but I couldn’t figure it out. I knew what my mom said had hurt him, but I didn’t think it was enough for him to leave me over. From the beginning, he had known just what kind of person she was.

  I had hoped that we’d worked things out at his house, but that obviously wasn’t the case. I knew he was stressed over his mom trying to get him to move, and I was hoping that his outburst was because of that. I didn’t want to lose him. I couldn’t. I loved him.

  Unable to sit around and wait any longer, I grabbed my keys and crept quietly to the garage where I’d parked my car the night before. I knew I was taking a chance on my mother catching me, but I didn’t care. I had to find Jesse and tell him that none of that stuff mattered to me. We could be together in a tent for all I cared—as long as I had him by my side.

  I broke several traffic laws on my way to his house, and I was surprised that I hadn’t gotten pulled over. As soon as I parked my car outside of his house, I was out and running for the door. When I noticed Ally’s car parked next to Jesse’s, my stomach instantly dropped. At least, I thought it was her car. I’d only seen it once when we first met outside the dinner. What is she doing here so early?

  I knocked on the door, but no one answered, so I tried the knob. The door was unlocked, and I let myself in. I glanced around for signs of life, but there were none. Trish apparently wasn’t home since her car wasn’t outside, and Jesse was nowhere to be seen either. The place was eerily quiet.

  I walked through the living room and down the hall to his room. His door was closed, and I hesitated before opening it. As soon as the door opened, I wished that I’d left it closed. Jesse was in his bed in only his boxers with his arm wrapped around Ally. I felt like I was going to vomit when she opened her eyes and gave me a triumphant grin. She’d won. She’d finally taken him from me.

  “No,” I whispered.

  Ally held a finger up to her lips. “Shh, he had a long night. You don’t want to wake him.”

  At the sound of her voice, Jesse groaned and opened his eyes just barely.

  “Ally? What are you doing here?”

  “You don’t remember last night?” she asked sweetly.

  I was going to be sick. How could he do this to me?

  “I didn’t mean to interrupt anything. I just wanted to make sure you were okay,” I said in a shaky voice.

  “Emma?” Jesse’s eyes opened wider as he took in Ally in bed with him and me standing by the door. “What the...oh shit. Emma, it’s not what you think!”

  “I’m not stupid, Jesse. We had a fight last night, and then I walk in to see you in bed with someone else the next morning. It’s not hard to put two and two together.”

  “Let me explain! I was drunk, and Ally brought me home. I don’t know how she ended up in my bed, but I swear, nothing happened.” He looked down at Ally with pleading eyes. “Ally, please. Tell her nothing happened.”

  She turned away from him, so he couldn’t see her facial expression as she smiled at me again and winked. “Emma, nothing happened.”

  “I can’t...I have to go.” I turned and ran from the room.

  I threw the front door open and rushed to my car. I really was going to be sick. I stopped beside my car and started throwing up violently. Dear God, why did he have to do this? We could have worked everything out. I would have stood up to my mom and told her that I loved Jesse and that I was going to be with him. I would have put it on a billboard if he wanted me to. But now...everything was ruined. Everything.

  “Emma, wait!” Jesse yelled as he ran out of the trailer.

  “Please. Just leave me alone,” I managed to gasp out as sobs wracked my body.

  “I swear, nothing happened. Ally is just my friend. That’s it.”

  “A friend you sleep almost naked with?”

  “I don’t know how I ended up like this, but I know I didn’t cheat. No matter how drunk I was, I would never do that to you.”

  “I’m sorry, but I don’t believe you. We’re done, Jesse. I can’t even stand to look at you.”

  “You don’t mean that,” he pleaded.

  “I do. I never want to see you again. I think you should move with your mom because I don’t think I could stomach the sight of you at school.” Now that I’d stopped vomiting, I opened my car door and got in. “Good-bye,

  Jesse. Please don’t try to contact me again.”

  I cried the entire way home. I cried like I’d lost my best friend...because really, I had. Jesse had been everything to me, and he’d tossed me aside like I didn’t even matter. He’d begged me to believe him. But how could I when I walked in on him and Ally? There was no coming back from this. I’d given him everything, including my virginity, and now, I had nothing left—nothing.

  True love doesn’t exist.

  Jesse

  I watched her car disappear around the corner, taking everything that mattered to me with it. How did this happen to us? I knew from the pain in her eyes that she was truly gone. I didn’t cheat. I know I didn’t. No matter how drunk I was, I would never betray her like that. Despite my insecurities from the night before, I still wanted to be with her.

  It took everything I had not to chase after her. I couldn’t let her go. I couldn’t let her think the worst of me. Maybe if I gave her a few days to calm down, she would see reason and know that I didn’t cheat. Needing some kind of outlet for the emotions running through me, I slammed my fist into the side of the trailer before I walked inside. I went back to my room where Ally was still in my bed.

  “Why were you in bed with me?” I asked.

  “I’m sorry. I got tired while I was watching you. I must have fallen asleep.”

  “How did I end up in only my boxers?”

  “I took off your clothes for you while you were sleeping. I thought you might be uncomfortable.”

  I sighed. “I wish you didn’t. It looked really bad when Emma came in here.”

  “So what? I thought you were done with her.”

  “I never said that. I was just confused and upset over some stuff her mom had said. Now, it looks like she’s done with me. She told me to stay away from her.”

  “I wish I could say I was sorry, but I’m not. It’s time you moved on from her. She’s not the right girl for you.”

  “How can you even say that? You know nothing about her,” I said angrily.

  “But I know you. You could do so much better, Jesse. Why can’t you see that?”

  “I don’t want anyone else!” “Not even me?” she whispered.

  “What?” I asked incredulously.

  “You heard me. You can’t pretend that you don’t know how I feel about you.”

  I wasn’t pretending. I had no idea where this was coming from.
Ally had never even hinted that she felt that way about me.

  “I honestly have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  Apparently, that was the wrong thing to say. Her face twisted in anger as she spit out her next words. “Of course you don’t. You’ve been so wrapped up in her that you can’t even see what’s right in front of you.”

  “I—”

  “Just don’t even say a word. I should have known better than to hope for something between us.” She stomped past me and out the door.

  I stood there with my mouth hanging open, trying to process what had just happened. Ally wants me? When did that happen? I walked over to my bed and fell down onto it. My head was pounding like hell, and my world had gone to shit in just twenty minutes. Why the fuck do I even try? I closed my eyes, letting the world fade away.

  I wasn’t sure how long I’d slept, but I woke up to someone tossing my ass out of bed.

  “What the fuck?” I groaned.

  “Get up, asshole,” Andy said.

  “What the hell is your problem?” I asked. Apparently, today was shit-on Jesse day.

  “Ally just came home, crying her eyes out. I can’t believe you would do that to her!”

  “Do what?” Now, I really was confused.

  “Sleep with her, and then kick her out. I thought you were better than that. We’ve been best friends for years, and she’s my sister!”

  “Whoa, wait a minute. I never slept with Ally, I swear.”

  “Well, that’s not what she’s saying, and I’m taking her word over yours. Stay the fuck away from us, or I’ll kick your ass. I mean it.”

  “Andy, I swear, I didn’t!”

  “Whatever. Just stay away from us.”

  He turned and stormed out of my room. Jesus, could anything else go wrong today? I’d lost Emma, Ally, and Andy in the span of a few hours.

  “Jesse, why are you on the floor?” my mom asked from the doorway.

  I looked up to see her staring at me with concern. “It doesn’t matter. Is your offer to go with you still open?”

  Her eyes widened in surprise. “Of course it is, honey. What happened to make you change your mind?”

  I ignored her question. “I can have all of my stuff packed by morning.”

  Yeah, I know I’m running, but I don’t care. Obviously, my word is shit to everyone around here, so what does it matter if I’m here or on the other side of the country? I’m done with all of it, all of them.

  I spent the rest of the day and the night packing.

  When Mark pulled up the next morning with the U-Haul, I didn’t hesitate to load my stuff first. After we had everything loaded and my mom’s car attached to the back of the U-Haul, I hopped into my Jeep, and I didn’t look back as I followed them onto the interstate and away from everything and everyone I loved.

  Life sucks. It had taken me a while to realize that, but it finally hit me like a ton of bricks. The only positive is that you learn from your experiences, and you grow.

  Two years ago, I’d certainly grown up when I walked in on the boy I thought I loved in bed with one of his best friends. I’d learned to let him go as time passed—or at least I thought I had.

  Now, I wasn’t so sure. There are people who pass through your life who forever change you and everything you thought you knew about yourself and the world. Jesse was one of them.

  It had been two years since I left him standing in his driveway, but I’d never been able to let him go completely.

  I’d debated this decision for months. I’d told myself over and over that it was stupid and pointless, but I always knew that I would end up here. I knew that Jesse had been a part of my old life, my old self, but I couldn’t get my heart to accept that little fact.

  I gripped the steering wheel tightly as I drove down I-79 from the Pittsburgh airport to my new school. Up ahead, I saw the sign welcoming me to my new home. It was ridiculous to be nervous at the sight of a simple sign.

  The chances of him ending up at the same school as me were slim to none.

  Then, why am I here?

  I took a deep breath as I glanced up at the sign just before I drove past it.

  Welcome to West Virginia.

  I don’t even know where to begin. There are so many people who made this book possible.

  First, I want to thank my fans for standing behind me. You guys are incredible, and I feel blessed to have every single one of you.

  To my friends: Katelynn, Sophie, Amber, Tijan, Tabatha, Lesley, Heidi, and so many more—You’ve listened to my rants, helped me when I was struggling, and made me laugh when I wanted to cry. I love every single one of you.

  To my husband—You’ve stuck by me through all the craziness that began with Torn. None of this would be possible without you.

  To my parents—You’ve helped me and listened to my endless rants. You’ve helped me to grow as a person over the years, and I wouldn’t be who I am today without your guidance. I love you so much.

  To my son—Your smile is what gets me through the tough days. I cherish every day that I have with you.

  K.A. Robinson is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of The Torn Series. She lives in a small town in West Virginia with her husband and son.

  For more information, check out:

  Facebook: www.facebook.com/karobinson13

  Twitter: @karobinsonautho

  Blog: authorkarobinson.blogspot.com

  Sizzle

  Bad Boy Rockers

  Book 1

  Lexi Buchanan

  Sizzle Copyright © 2013 Lexi Buchanan

  All rights reserved. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the author.

  Published by HFCA Publishing House

  http://www.lexibuchanan.com

  Cover Design: Wicked by Design

  Editor: Sirena Van Schaik

  BETA Readers: HM Bendana, Kristy Louise Garbutt, Suella Holland, Marsha Thalleen, Gabriela Tortolano and Nadine Winningham

  This book is a written act of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  ISBN-13: 978-1494261948

  Other books by Lexi Buchanan

  Bad Boy Rockers

  Sizzle

  Spicy

  Sultry (2014)

  McKenzie Brothers

  Seduce

  The Wedding

  Rapture

  Delight

  Jackson Hole

  From This Moment

  When we Meet

  New Beginning (2015)

  Holiday Season

  Kissing Under the Mistletoe

  Anthologies

  (Educate Me) Forbidden Fruit

  Risqué (May-Jul 2014)

  Devour (8th May – 25th May 2014)

  (Gia, A Lawful Novella 0.5) Bad Boys of Romance

  (Elijah) HOT for Teacher

  Fighter (2015)

  Hunter, A Lawful Novel (2015)

  Julian, A Lawful Novel (2015)

  Dedication

  I would like to dedicate this book to two special people:

  Kristy Louise Garbutt, my Australian friend who read the very rough draft of this book and helped me to rename the characters when it was pointed out to me that all the characters names began with the letter J, apart from Thalia!!

  I’m not going to mention the scene you suggested for the book, or I’ll make you blush. LOL

  Kristy, you are my best friend and I love chatting to you at all hours of the day and night. I hope you know how grateful I am to have you for a friend and how much I appreciate everything you do for me. I love you loads. xx

  Nadine Winningham, my American friend who also read the very first draft of this book. You helped me to get unt
angled, spotted inconsistencies, pointed out the “J” names and stayed up nearly all night reading Sizzle. How many times have you read it now? LOL

  You are always there at the end of an email for my cry of help, for which I will always be grateful.

  Nadine, you have become a great friend and I hope you know how much everything you do means to me. Love you babe. xx

  Chapter 1

  Thalia

  The lumps of the new sofa dug painfully into my back as I wriggled to a new position; equally as uncomfortable as the first. I would never understand how Callie had convinced me to purchase it. I hated it – from the color, a sickly brown; sienna according to the designer, to the numerous lumps and bumps that you couldn’t escape, regardless of how you were sitting on it. It reminded me of the old, beat up sofa in my mom’s sunroom. The very one my uncle had hauled out and deposited in the tree house we’d built behind the tall cottonwoods.

  I smiled at the memory. My first make out session had happened in that tree house, on that sofa. Ethan. Ethan Rock; the school jock and biggest asshole. He’d sweet talked his way into the tree house with every intention of getting to third base. I’d ended up kneeing him in his junk when my father shouted at me from the base of the tree; he’d frightened the shit out of us. Ethan, of course hadn’t spoken to me again, but what a memory.

  “Thalia, what the hell are you grinning at?”

  “Ethan Rock,” I replied to my roommate Callie, her voice shaking me from the memory.

  “Huh, I don’t think I know him. You going to eat this Spaghetti Bolognese?”

  I turned my head to look at her and burst out laughing. “Is there any left in the pan?” Her apron seemed to have a hell of a lot of red sauce all over it.

  Callie was the world’s worst chef, and always insisted the next meal she cooked would be better than the previous one. That was so not going to happen.

  “Ha, funny.”

  “When’s it ready?”

  “Ten minutes,” she said, before turning back into the small, cramped kitchen.