“Brave” Book 4
(Eden One Series)
“Crash and Burn” Book 1
“A New World” Book 2
“Torn in Two” Book 3
“In the End” Book 4
(The Chosen Series)
“The Chosen” Book 1
“The Rebels” Book 2
(The Winter Fae)
“A Touch of Frost” Book 1
(Life’s a Fairytale Collection)
“Wolf”
“Snow”
(The Vampires of Linbridge)
“Bitten” Book 1
“Erik” Book 1.5
“Blood” Book 2
“Ivan” Book 2.5
“Eternal” Book 3
“James” Book 3.5
(Love and Blood Series)
“Midnight Moon” Book 1
“Blood Moon” Book 2
(The Dragons of Willow Creek)
“Fly Away” Book 1
(Singles)
“Losing Levi”
“Stolen” (When Worlds Collide and Stars Align)
“When Tomorrow Never Comes”
“Damage Me”
“Colton Clark” (A “Damage Me” Novella)
“Crash”
“Love Unexpected”
“Forbidden”
“Finding my Pack”
“Rock Me”
Thank you for Reading.
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Raven K. Asher
You can find updates on upcoming stories, teasers, release dates, special insights, social media links, and the occasional giveaway at Raven’s official Website:
www.ravenkasher.com
Sneak Peek
For:
Chapter 1
“Sky, are you going to the party with us later or not?” My best friend, Hope Walker, questions as she pulls out and then discards a huge stack of papers from her locker beside mine.
We were cleaning our lockers out since today was our last and final day of school.
In only a few days we would be coming back, but only to graduate.
“I don’t know,” I answer.
I didn't want to go. I had a book with my name on it waiting for me at home.
“You have to come.” My other best friend, Jade Martin, whines.
“You’re not staying at home by yourself tonight, Skylar.” Hope pushes as she nudges me with her arm. “You need to get out and live a little. You haven’t been to a party with us in years.”
She was right about me not being to a party in years.
The last party I had been too had turned into the most embarrassing moment of my life. It had turned me into the shy, hidden, girl that I was now.
That party had been when I was fifteen.
It had started out great, but I had made one bad mistake and my life changed forever.
Well, I might be being overdramatic about that, but it had changed the way that I acted and the way I felt about myself.
“I just don’t see what the appeal of going out getting drunk and getting hit on by some random guy is,” I reply with a shrug.
I glance over to my friend when she doesn’t answer. Her mouth was hanging open in disbelief over my words.
She opens and closes her mouth like a drowning fish, trying to come up with a retort.
“Just come with us, Sky. We’ll stay by your side the whole time if that will make you feel better about it.” Jade begs, thankfully stopping whatever nonsense that was about to fall from Hope’s mouth.
“Fine, I’ll come, but don’t plan on me staying too long.” I finally give in with a huff.
I would just have to come up with an excuse for not being able to go later.
Both of my best friends let out a loud squeal as I hide my face inside my locker.
I swear everyone’s eyes were on us.
And I hated it.
“This is going to be great. Hope and I will come by your house before the party to help you get ready, okay.” Jade insists.
“That’s fine. Dad is working a double shift again anyway, so I’ll be the only one home.” I answer softly as I look at her from my now empty locker.
I hadn’t had much in there, to begin with. I was super organized, as my friends would always complain.
Realizing that I had just given away my last excuse for not going, I silently curse myself. I wouldn’t have a choice in the matter now. I didn’t have any other reasons to remain home.
“I have the perfect outfit for you to wear.” Hope squeals breaking me from my internal thoughts.
My eyes widen in fear. “Why can’t I just wear my normal clothes?”
“You can’t wear that. You need to look sexy for the party, Sky.” Hope whines again while fingering my worn hoodie and torn baggy jeans.
We lived in Alabama where the weather was always warm enough for tank tops and tee shirts, but I was more comfortable covering every inch of my skin.
I felt uncomfortable with anything less.
My awkwardness was a result of that fateful party that happened years ago, but my friends didn’t know that.
They hadn’t witnessed what so many others had.
I was thankful for that because if they had been there, then I probably wouldn’t have stayed friends with them. I would have closed myself off from everyone completely.
“Just leave everything to us, Sky. If you don’t like what we have in mind for you to wear, then you can change. We won’t push you into anything you don’t want to do.” Jade replies quickly.
It was a hollow promise though.
They had already pushed me into going to this party and forcing me to wear something I didn’t like wouldn’t be hard for them to manage.
As Hope’s boyfriend Sonny walks up, I cringe and hide behind my locker door.
I had always felt embarrassed around him. He had been front row and center at that party. He had been one of the ones who had witnessed everything.
“Hey, Babe, are you almost ready to go?” He questions with a rough voice.
He always sounded as if he was just waking up.
With almost bleached blonde hair and baby blue eyes, he was a perfect match for Hope who also had blonde hair and icy blue eyes.
They were also the most popular couple throughout high school. She was the lead cheerleader, and he was captain of the football team.
Everyone who knew them knew that they would marry and have kids someday.
They were perfect for each other.
Watching them together, it was hard not to wonder if I would ever find what they had. Unfortunately, I probably wouldn’t. Not with my insecurities.
“Hey, Sky, do you want to come with us to eat?” Jade asks as Drew, her boyfriend, wraps his hands around her waist.
With his chin on her shoulder, he gives me a small smile.
Drew had stuck up for me when no one else had. He had been the one who had saved me at that dreadful party.
I shake my head. “No, I want to visit with my dad. I need to make sure he’s not working too hard.” I answer before shutting my locker door.
“Alright, we’ll see you later then. Be ready before we get there.” Hope laughs as Sonny pulls her away down the hall.
“I’ll make sure she doesn’t go overboard tonight, Sky,” Jade promises lightly.
“You’re going to the party tonight?” Drew asks with a frown.
“Yes, I am. Jade and Hope talked me into going.” I reply with a forced smile.
“You mean they pushed you into going. I know how these two work, Sky.” He laughs out while Jade playfully punches him in the arm.
“Hey, I’ve got to go see Mr. Glass
before we leave, okay,” Jade states absently while looking down at her phone before glancing towards Drew.
He nods, and we watch as she walks away before disappearing around a corner.
Drew’s attention falls on me with concern showing in his dark green eyes. He runs his hand through his short brown hair while looking down at his feet for a moment before looking back up to me.
“Are you going to be alright going to this party?” He asks gently.
I sigh. “I don’t have a clue,” I answer honestly.
“At least Colton Clark won’t be there,” I add with a snort.
“Yeah, I don’t think he would ever be seen at a small town party these days.” He replies confidently.
Colton Clark had gone to school with us up until last year when his small garage band had hit it big time.
No one had seen him since.
It was hard not to turn on a radio and not hear at least one of his songs though.
“You won’t hear me complain about that.” I laugh as Drew shakes his head with a grin.
“I’ll watch over you at the party tonight, okay.” Drew states, becoming serious.
I nod my head thankful to at least have one good friend. “Thanks, Drew, that means a lot to me,” I whisper as I spot Jade rushing back toward us.
He nods before turning to her.
I watch silently as she wraps her arms around his waist and then leans up to kiss him on his lips. I sigh sadly before turning to walk the other direction.
“See you later, Skylar,” Jade calls out as I walk away.
I throw my hand into the air letting her know I heard her and to wave goodbye to her.
With my phone in my hand a moment later I read the few texts from my father as I make my way across the empty parking lot.
Most everyone had already left, leaving only a few stragglers behind.
The bright sun shining down causes me to lift the hood over my long black hair to shade myself from the hot sun.
That was the only downfall to living where it was always hot and having dark black hair. If it was left in the sun too long my head would feel as if I had laid it in a frying pan, that and my pale skin had a habit of burning easily.
Sliding into my black jeep, I turn the key to start it as I throw my phone into the passenger seat.
I curse and smack the steering wheel when none other than Colton Clark’s band comes screaming through the speakers.
He haunted my every moment. I hated the sound of his voice. Everything about him made me want to punch something.
It was his fault that I had hidden away from everything and everyone.
And I hated that I still could recall the feel of his lips against mine.
He had been my first kiss, and my first and only crush. I blamed him for my lack of want to be in a relationship.
What he had done, or the lack of, had ruined me.
I didn’t even give guys a chance now.
The only one who could talk to me without having me run away was Drew. He was the only one that I felt that I could trust.
As my fingers fumble to change the station, I stop as his words about a girl in a closet fill my ears.
“That rat bastard,” I growl before quickly flipping the station.
I knew all too well who he was singing about.
It was about me.
At least he had made the song sound more romantic than it had actually been.
The kiss we shared had been amazing, but what happened after was shaming. Just when I had felt on top, and in complete shock that my longtime crush had actually wanted to kiss me, the door to the closet had swung open to reveal me.
His hands had pulled my shirt up, revealing me to everyone. In that moment he had single-handedly made me feel like the dirtiest person alive.
I couldn’t believe I had actually thought that he had cared for me at all. It had all been just one big joke. I had become just another girl in his now long line of thrown away girls.
We meant nothing to him, and it was best for me to remember that.
The whispers and jokes that had come after that party had been unbearable.
That was the main reason I guarded myself completely.
I would never allow anyone to do that to me again.
And I would never allow anyone to get that close to me either.
Chapter 2
“Hey, Dad, how’s work been today?” I sigh as I walk into his office at the local police department.
He was the chief of police, and it kept him busy.
“Hey, baby girl, it’s the same as always. How was your day?” He asks while looking up from the mounds of paperwork he had sitting on his desk.
“It was alright. I didn’t have much to do. I only had to talk with a few of my teachers and clean out my locker.” I huff out before sitting down in a chair across from him.
“Sounds like an easy day. So, what are you going to be doing later? You know I’ve got to pull a double, right?” He asks while turning his attention back to his papers.
“Hope and Jade invited me out with them later. I’ll probably just spend the night at one of their houses since you’ll be gone.” I reply while thinking of how to convince one of them to let me stay over.
“That sounds good, baby girl.” He answers absently.
He probably hadn’t even heard what I had said.
Grabbing the picture frame off of his desk, I run my fingers over my mother standing next to my father and me. It had been taken just before her cancer had gotten too bad.
It was one of the last times I had seen her genuinely smile.
She had been in so much pain her final days.
“I miss Mom,” I whisper.
“I miss her too, every day,” Dad replies softly, forgetting about his paperwork for the moment.
Standing to my feet, I turn to leave but freeze when he speaks again.
“I miss seeing you too, baby girl. I’m sorry that I’m never home.” He states, his voice cracking with raw emotion.
I just nod before walking away and out of the building. It was taking every ounce of strength I had not to break down.
I wouldn’t let him see me cry.
Getting into my jeep, I glance back at the building before I back up and then pull away. Dad was standing there in his window with his hand against the glass.
My heart breaks for him. I was well aware of the reason why he never came home, the reason why he worked so many doubles.
He didn’t want to face the memories that our house held within its walls.
And I couldn’t blame him.
If I had been in his shoes, I wouldn’t have wanted to be reminded daily that my wife had died.
It was hard enough for me to be reminded every day of what could never be again when I went home.
It had only been a year since her death, but it felt like it had been a lifetime.
Pulling into our small driveway, I rush to gather the mail that had begun to overflow in our mailbox.
“Hey, Sky, do you want me to mow your lawn while I’m out mowing mine?” My neighbor, Finn Brooks, calls out from the back of his parent’s lawn tractor.
I rush into the house not bothering to answer him. I had effectively ignored him for the past two years, and I had no plans on talking to my once best friend now.
He, along with the rest of the male population, could go to hell.
I don’t know why I hated him so much though. He hadn’t even been at the party, but he had to have known what had happened at that party. He had to have heard the rumors and having him know was just as bad as if he would have been there.
At least that’s how I made it out in my head.
That was my sorry excuse for blocking him out of my life.
We had been close growing up, even closer than I had ever been with either Jade or Hope, but that was all over now though, and I couldn’t go back.
Leaning against the front door, I let out a huff of breath and slide down to sit on the
cool hardwood floor.
Tears fill my eyes, begging to fall, but I hold them in.
I didn’t want to cry.
A loud knock on the door causes me to jump back up to my feet in alarm. I peek out the side window and groan seeing that Finn was on the other side.
I ignore him as he continues to knock.
“Just talk to me, Sky.” He tries.
His voice echoes through the door, freezing me into place.
“Go away, Finn,” I yell out, my voice cracking with more emotion than I had wanted it to.
“Come on, Skylar. I know you’re hurting, just talk to me.” He sighs. “I miss the way we use to be, Sky. I want what we had back, but I don’t know how to fix things if you don't talk to me.”
The tears that I had held in for so long begin to trail down my cheeks as I sit down on the stairway.
I stare absently at the door.
“Just go away, Finn, we can never be that way again,” I yell out in forced anger, hoping to push him into leaving.
“Yes, we can, Sky. You just need to stop running away from me.” He argues.
I shake my head while wiping away my tears furiously.
Standing to my feet a moment later, I wipe away the last of my tears as I allow my anger to completely take hold. I take four quick steps placing myself in front of our black front door.
Taking a deep breath, I pull the door open.
Finn’s hand drops as his mouth opens in shock.
My words get lost on my lips as I take him in.
He looked good in just a tight white tee and jeans. His light brown hair was just a bit longer than I remember it being, hanging just slightly into his stunning brown eyes.
Those eyes could melt a girl’s heart in a minute, but not mine.
Watching his eyes take me in I’m reminded of why I need him to go away.
Clenching my jaw tightly, I wait for his eyes to finally meet mine.
When they do, he absently takes a step back.
“Just go away, Finn. I don’t want to be friends with you, can’t you understand that?” I growl out harshly.
“Give me one good reason why we can’t ever be friends again, and I’ll leave.” He pushes while taking a step towards me.
Rock Me Page 18