RESTLESS
Copyright © 2016 by Alyson Reynolds.
All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations em- bodied in critical articles or reviews.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
For information contact :
www.authoralysonreynolds.com
Book and Cover design by Alyson Reynolds
ISBN: 123456789
First Edition: June 2016
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Daddy,
Happy birthday! Thank you for believing in me. Now hand the book back to Momma. I love you.
Prologue
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
Seventeen
Eighteen
Nineteen
Twenty
Twenty One
Twenty Two
Twenty Three
Twenty Four
Twenty Five
Epilogue
About the Author
Acknowledgments
“Pick up! Pick up! Damn it!” I whispered frantically into the phone.
“Lo’?” Violet’s voice was husky with sleep.
“Violet! Taylor’s gone!”
“What do you mean she’s gone?” Suddenly she sounded more awake. Surprise, surprise. I couldn't imagine why. I winced as I looked at the clock next to me.
“Bags packed, empty room, car gone. She ran.”
“Oh, honey. I’m sure she’ll be back, Stephen. She always comes back to us.”
“I have a bad feeling about this time. We were doing so well, I don't know what happened. I think she’s...Fuck!”
“What?!”
I looked down at my desk, and my eye caught something in front of me that was partially cracked. The last time I left this room that drawer had been closed. Reaching down, I palmed the black velvet box that had slid to the front. My fingers held the little box so tightly the tiny hinges squeaked.
“I know why she left. She found the ring.”
“Stephen, slow down. What ring?” Violet was starting to sound irritated, not that I blamed her. My thoughts were swirling around in my head like a raging storm. I rubbed the back of my neck and tried to take a deep breath.
“My mom sent me home with the family ring when we went for your dad’s funeral. She fed me some bullshit about how I looked at Taylor. And now, of course, Taylor found the ring and freaked out. I wasn’t going to ask her to marry me, not yet anyway. But she didn't ask me about it, she just fucking left.”
“We will find her in the morning. I’m sure she’s just having a moment. She probably went to crash with some friends for the night. If she found it, maybe she’s just hiding until she can wrap her head around everything. What are you even doing home? I thought you didn’t get back until tomorrow afternoon.”
“Filming wrapped early for the week and I came home early to surprise Taylor.”
“Shit. I’m so sorry, Stephen.”
Violet covered the phone and said something to Jax. Probably explaining my epic meltdown. He was her husband after all. And I was calling at three in the morning, so I guess the guy had some right to know what was going down. He had probably figured out his sister-in-law had bolted. He was a smart guy. Violet would have told him after we got off the phone.
“Vi, I’m going to go. I’m sorry I woke you up. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Call me if you hear from her?”
“I will. Promise.” She paused, “Stephen, it’ll be okay. We will find her.”
“We will find her, but I’m pretty sure anything we had is over.” The words tasted bitter on my tongue and I had to fight back the bile that threatened to rise in my throat.
There was dead air for a few moments and I thought Violet might have already hung up. “Stephen? Do you want me to come over there?”
“No," I sighed. "I’m fine. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Try to go back to sleep. I'm sorry I woke you up.”
“I love you, Stephen. Don’t give up on her yet.”
“Love you too, Vi.”
Grabbing the bottle of whiskey in the bottom drawer of my desk, I took a healthy swig. Why did I call Violet this late at night? Taylor ran away from me. From our relationship. There was no doubt in my mind. It was inevitable that she would leave at some point, so I’m not sure why I was so beat up about it. There was also nothing I could do about it now. The only thing I wanted to do at this point was forget that my heart had just been ripped out of my chest by Magnolia Taylor Montgomery. Again.
My hands shook as I stared down at the little black velvet box clutched in my fingers. I was surprised I hadn't burned a hole in it with my gaze. My body tingled and it felt like there was a brick on my chest, making it impossible to catch my breath. Why would Stephen think we were to this point? Maybe this wasn’t a ring, maybe there was something different in there and I was overreacting. As I started to crack the box open, I realized it was my worst nightmare.
A beautiful four-carat diamond ring twinkled in the dim light.
Two minutes ago my life was perfect, but now everything was upside down. I clicked the lid of the little box closed and put the ring back in the desk, like it tried to bite me, slamming the drawer shut. My breaths came faster now and little black dots filled my vision. I had to get out of Stephen’s office before someone came looking for me. The only reason I came in here in the first place was to catch my breath. Fifty of our closest friends and family roamed around our house and everyone seemed to expect me to act like the perfect little girlfriend to my famous live-in boyfriend. Panic rose in my throat and I dashed from the office, promptly running into my sister in the hallway.
Of fucking course.
“Hey, there you are.”
“Oh gosh! I’m sorry, Vi.” I apologized for running into her. The questioning look on her face meant that I hadn’t gotten away with anything. She knew I was freaking out. Shit. We walked back into the throngs of people and I rambled trying to distract her. “Your dress is amazing. I love that color; red always looks great on you.”
She narrowed her eyes at me and I winced. There was no way I could let her start the inquisition now.
“Quit staring at me,” I snapped. “I’m going to go get something to drink. I swear if I come back and you’re still staring at me like I’m a lost puppy, I’m going to smack you.”
Her mouth dropped open in shock and I wanted to kick myself. I hadn’t talked to Violet that way since we were kids. But my life was imploding around me. She knew something was wrong and although she would mean well, there would be an interrogation later if I didn’t avoid her like the plague. Not my idea of a good time.
The first whiskey went down smooth as I waited for the burn that never came. Signaling for another, the bartender set it down in front of me with a raised eyebrow. Fuck her. Stephen paid her to serve drinks, not keep tabs on me. Did it really matter that I was slamming fifteen-year-old whiskey like it was tequila shots? My fingers wrapped around the cool glass and I slowly sipped on this drink. Miss judgy bartender would be happier this time.
/> I stepped into the bathroom as soon as Violet was out of sight and splashed cold water on my face, trying to take some deep, calming breaths. I needed to pull it together long enough to finish the rest of the party, then I could fall apart. A few more hours. I could do this.
Deep breath.
Why did Stephen have an engagement ring? Surely, he realized we weren't ready for that step. Hell, I thought I made it clear that I didn't think I ever want to get married.
I finally calmed myself enough to go back after a few more minutes. The entire time I circulated, talking to our friends, I planned my escape. I smiled and laughed with them, putting up a front, all while deciding where I would go and what I needed to do to leave. Every time I rethought my decision, the panic rose in my chest until I remembered the ring hidden in Stephen’s desk drawer.
Smile. I had to remember to smile at people. One breath at a time.
My dress dug into my ribs and I clawed at the zipper to get it off. It was suffocating me, just like this entire evening. I jumped when Stephen placed a kiss on my shoulder and lowered it easily. Relief filled me as the silky fabric slid down and pooled around my ankles, leaving me in my strapless bra and panties.
"Are you okay, baby? You seem a little out of it."
"I'm fine."
Wrinkles formed on his forehead as he frowned at me, but he didn't press. I sighed a breath of relief. God, I really did love this man, not that I would ever be able to tell him. He deserved so much better than me. We all knew I was damaged goods. I couldn't stay in one place long enough to be someone's girlfriend, let alone wife.
"So you leave on Wednesday for filming?"
I glanced in his direction and was treated with the sight of his tanned naked chest. He wasn't overly bulky, but he had lean strong muscles that looked good on his large six-foot frame. Light stubble ran across his strong jaw-line and his signature smirk teased the corners of his lips as he caught me staring at him. The sight of him standing there in his dress pants did things to my lady parts.
"Yeah, well kind of, we start running lines on Wednesday. Filming should follow within a few weeks. Once we start that, you can come join me on set if you want."
I walked over and ran my hands through Stephen's dark brown, almost black hair. He'd had it cut this morning, so the edges tickled my fingers. I loved that he kept it longer on the top and short on the back and sides in a more modern cut. It looked sexy when he woke up with bed head in the morning. His whiskey colored eyes bore into mine and I knew he wanted to ask if I was okay again. So I distracted him. My lips met his in a desperate attempt to hold onto any control I thought I had. He groaned into my mouth and gripped my hips in his large hands. We were breathless when we broke apart.
"Baby, tell me what's going on in that head of yours."
His forehead rested on mine. I felt tears prick at my eyes. Now was my chance to ask him about the ring. My mouth opened, but I couldn't do it. What if he said that he had bought it hoping I would change my mind about getting married? It would kill me to turn Stephen down. I wanted nothing more than to not carry baggage from my past that constantly ruined my future.
"I'm just going to miss you."
His lips brushed across mine quickly as he cupped my face. "I'll be back every few days. That's the best part of this gig; I won't be gone for weeks at a time unless I absolutely have to be." I smiled weakly. He unfastened his pants and stripped down to his boxer briefs. "Let's go to bed. I'm exhausted after having all those people invading our space. It was a nice party though."
I nodded and he grabbed my hand. I didn't fight as he curled me into his side. My head rested on his chest and I was lulled to sleep by the comforting sound of his heartbeat. The last thought I had before falling asleep was that he deserved so much more than what I could give him.
The sun dipped down over the horizon and my heart pounded in my chest. It had felt this way since I left. After I ran from the only real relationship I’d had. Fear had taken over, and it was fight or flight time. My reaction is always flight. Going back was out of the question. Stephen might be the best thing that has ever happened to me, but there’s no way in hell I wanted to get married right now. Just the thought of slipping a ring on my finger felt like a noose around my neck. Weren’t men supposed to think this way, not women?
I slammed my fist down on the steering wheel. The anger and fear all mixed together, and I didn’t know what the fuck I felt anymore. Maybe I should have gone to Violet’s house and talked to her, but I took the coward’s way out and left after I knew Stephen would be gone for a few days for work.
Why didn’t I go talk to her after I found that stupid ring?
It really was gorgeous, a four-carat, cushion cut diamond set in a delicate gold band. Any woman would be lucky to put it on her finger. Hell, any woman would be lucky to have Stephen Davenport be the one to put it there, but I’m not ready. I thought he understood that. It was huge for me to even accept that Stephen and I were in a relationship.
My mother showed me firsthand how bad marriage could be. It wasn’t just her though. Every person I knew that had ever gotten married ended up divorced or had been cheated on by their significant other. My sister ended her first marriage after he cheated on her, my dad should have left my mom after she cheated on him, even my best friend Emmy had her decade long relationship end ten days after they got married.
Stephen might always be the love of my life, but I can't be with him if he expects more from me than I can give him. It's not fair to either one of us. Losing him after truly being with him would ruin me worse than I already was, but he deserved better than a broken woman. I wanted him to be happy and he wouldn’t ever find that with me.
The air felt heavy, and it was smoky and dark. The bar definitely fit my mood for the night. I walked further in and saw one of the most gorgeous men I had ever seen behind the bar. Jet black hair and ice blue eyes, he was dark and brooding and looked like exactly the kind of trouble I wanted to get into tonight. His shirt fit him perfectly and I could imagine how his abs would ripple under my fingertips. A shiver went down my spine as his lips parted when his eyes met mine.
“Whiskey neat, please.” My husky voice sounded weird to my own ears.
The sexy bartender raised an eyebrow. Apparently, I didn’t look like the type of girl that drank straight whiskey. I should have stuck with beer, but tonight I felt desperate. It was reckless leaving the man I love more than life itself, but that wasn’t what I wanted to think about right now. Shaking my head a little to clear it, the bartender looked confused.
“Did you change your mind, darlin’?
“No, sorry. Just trying to clear my thoughts, hence the whiskey.”
“Sounds like a plan,” he said with a wink.
I flipped my long chestnut hair over my shoulder and pinned him with my coffee colored eyes. He passed the glass over and as our fingers touched the electricity between us shocked me. My gaze shot up to his, and he had the same shell shocked look on his face that I did. Whatever this was between us, it wasn’t one sided. Smirking, I sipped at the drink. It felt good to flirt with someone other than Stephen. At the very least I planned to convince myself that flirting with this stranger was the best damn time I’ve ever had. The ache in my chest might go away once I drank enough of the fiery liquid.
“Let me know when you need another one of those, darlin'.”
“Yes, sir,” I said with a mock salute.
I looked around and realized the bar was having an open mike night. Once I had a few more glasses of the strong liquor, I wouldn’t be able to stay off that stage. I hid the secret that I sang well under normal circumstances, but tonight singing was all I wanted to do. Maybe if I did, the knot in my chest would loosen up enough for me to take a breath. I knocked back my drink and within a few seconds another one was sitting next to the glass I placed on the bar top. I shot hot bartender boy a grateful smile and vowed to myself this would be a good night.
My hands shook as I grabbed t
he mike to adjust the height. I racked my brain for a song. It needed to be something easy, but sultry and sexy. As I opened my mouth, one of my favorites came belting out before I realized what was happening. The Pistol Annies song “I Feel A Sin Comin’ On” was one of the first songs I ever sang live.
My voice came out throaty and low, filling every crevice of the dingy room. Sexy bartender boy looked up as I sang, ‘Tall, dark, and handsome, mix it up with something strong’. This man was definitely tall, dark, and handsome. I wouldn’t mind doing some sinning with him. His blue eyes met mine and another shiver of awareness went through me. Everyone else faded into the background and we were the only two people in the bar. The roar of applause snapped me out of our bubble and brought me back down to reality.
I made my way back to the barstool I had been sitting on before, but this time I barely sat down before I had a few visitors. Men always bothered me after I sang. No one expected the sweet little girl in front of them to belt out something dark and sexy. Part of the reason I enjoyed singing to strangers was because of the shock factor. Ignoring the man standing next to me, I looked up at the bartender. He handed me my third whiskey of the night.
“I get off in an hour.”
“Sounds good.”
“What's your name?”
“You'll get it when you earn it, sugar.”
He grabbed at his heart as if I had shot him. I lifted the drink to take a sip, hiding my smile behind the glass. My plan, if you could call it that, was to get incredibly drunk and have a one night stand. If nothing else it would help me get my mind off everything going on back home. The bartender seemed like a good prospect.
The sooner I tried to move on from Stephen the better. He would never forgive me for leaving, and as much as I regretted my decision, I wasn’t ready to get married. If that’s what he wanted, our relationship was doomed anyway. Self-preservation at its best.
The smoke and the whiskey had lulled me into a drugged state. I wanted to forget everything, and with each drink I relaxed a little more. Regrets and self-loathing would come later, but right now none of that mattered. The hour went by quickly as I waited. Sexy bartender boy kept serving me shots, which helped keep the other men at bay. If their pickup line was to buy me a drink, they never got a chance to use it.
Restless (Relentless Series Book 2) Page 1