Keanu officially retired from modeling at the end of last year, and I have one more campaign to finish for Miranda Fanning, and then, I’m done. I’m not renewing my contract when it expires in August, because I don’t have time anymore, and it feels like the right moment to put that part of my life behind me. We are crazy busy with this project and college, and while I will always remember my modeling days fondly, I’m honestly not sad to be saying goodbye. Neither of us is.
In the aftermath of the shooting and the subsequent arrests of several men involved in sex trafficking, including Hudson and Senator Allen, the level of attention directed my way was too much.
The FBI discovered a partial print belonging to Freddie in Clive Lawrence’s penthouse and has ruled the director’s death a murder. They think Freddie was tipped off about the FBI surveillance and he panicked. Fled Ohio and came looking for Lawrence. Afraid Clive would spill his guts to save his own ass, he took him out before he could speak one word. And then he went into hiding until he decided it was time to silence me too.
I owe my life to Keven. If he hadn’t shown up when he did, I think Freddie would have finished the job. Thankfully, my brother-in-law was exonerated after an FBI internal investigation into Freddie’s death.
A shudder passes over me, and I’m not sorry I’ve taken a step back. Stepping out of the limelight meant the media grew bored of me, and I’ve reclaimed a semblance of normalcy.
I will have to prepare myself for the trial when the scrutiny will become intense again. But that’s still a couple months away, and with the support of my husband, my family, and my therapists, I’ll get through it.
It’s good to finally see justice prevail.
“What’s that place over there?” Elena asks, drawing me out of my mind. She points to a cluster of buildings off to the other side of the drawing.
I place my hand on my husband’s chest. “That is where Keanu is building his business empire.”
He looks at me in amusement. “I’m setting up my own label when I graduate,” he tells Elena. “And it made sense to segregate part of this site to build my premises. I don’t want to be far from Selena, and I was keen to set up outside the city, so two birds, one stone.”
“It’s completely separate,” I reassure her. “They will have their own entrance and own facilities.
“You have thought of everything, and it’s incredibly inspirational.”
“Thank you.” I wrap my arm around Keanu’s stomach. “It’s been a labor of love for all the family, and we had many great minds working on this plan with us.”
“Well, I think it’s a wonderful project, and I think my boss is going to be extremely happy when I update her. If you are still interested in exploring cross support and cross-promotional initiatives, Polaris will be too.”
“We’re definitely interested,” I say.
“Great.” She smiles. “I think I have enough for the article with what you have shown me here today and the information you emailed to me. I’ll write it up and send it to you to approve before we publish it.”
“That’s perfect. Thank you for coming out to see it.”
“Pleasure’s all mine, Selena.” She shakes all our hands, and Keanu walks her back to her car.
“Thank you so much for bringing our vision to life,” I tell my brother-in-law, giving him a big hug as he rolls up the drawing.
“Thanks for giving me such an awesome first project. And my boss is going gaga over this project. It’s the type of exposure that will launch an already growing firm into the stratosphere, so it’s a win-win.”
“You leaving?” Keanu asks, lounging against the open doorway.
“Yep. Need to get home to my babies.” He flashes us a grin.
“How’s the wild child?” Keanu asks as we lock up.
“As wild as ever,” Kal replies. “But, man, you should see him with Hayley. He is so gentle with his little sister. We were worried he might get jealous, but he adores her.”
“Hard not to,” I admit, holding Keanu’s hand. “She’s a little angel.”
“Oh, oh.” Kal nudges Keanu in the ribs. “Sounds like someone wants a baby.”
I laugh. “I love kids, and I can’t wait to have them, but this project and Keanu’s new business are our babies right now. We won’t be having kids for a while yet.”
“We’re taking bets on who’ll be next,” Kal admits when we reach our cars.
Keanu rolls his eyes. “Why am I not surprised.”
“Our money was on you two, but we may need to reconsider,” Kal says, rubbing his chin, looking thoughtful.
“Now that Kev and Cheryl have set a date for a Christmas wedding and Rach and Brad are engaged, maybe I should put my money on them.”
“Rach and Brad are having a long engagement,” I remind him. “And while I think Faye and Kyler are the ones who crave kids the most, they are heading to Australia soon, so if it was me, I’d put money on Cheryl and Kev.”
Keanu messes up my hair. “Hey, don’t encourage that shit.” He grins at his brother. “And you haven’t mentioned Keats and Melissa.”
“I think they are on the outs again,” Kal says, opening the door to his car.
“Your mom texted me last night, and she said she was coming to the party on Saturday.” Alex is throwing a family get-together to give Kyler and Faye a send-off.
“Huh.” Kal frowns. “Maybe, I misunderstood him.”
A wicked glint appears in Keanu’s eye, and I know he’s about to stir shit. “If I was a betting man, which we all know I’m not, I’d put money on Kent. With the way he’s racking up notches on his bedpost, it’s only a matter of time before he knocks someone up.”
“Don’t say that,” I groan. “Alex would throw a hissy fit.”
“Especially if it was Whitney!” Keanu says.
“Thought that shit ended last year.” Kal frowns.
Keanu remains tight-lipped, but he’s said enough. I pinch his butt in warning, but, thankfully, Kal doesn’t pry. We wave goodbye to him and get in our car. “I thought you weren’t going to tell anyone what we saw the night of our wedding,” I say as I buckle my seat belt.
“Technically, I didn’t say anything.” My husband arches his brows as he puts the car in gear.
We had a small wedding ceremony at Easter at Keanu’s parents’ house. Just family and a few close friends. I really didn’t want a huge big affair in an expensive hotel, and thankfully, Alex agreed, not making a big deal out of it. That night, after everyone had gone to bed, we were making our way to the cabin where we were staying for the night, and we stumbled across Kent and Whitney having sex outside on one of the loungers. They didn’t spot us, so we said nothing, minding our own business.
“Did you ever talk to Kent about it?”
He nods. “Yeah. He said it was a one-off for old times’ sake.”
“But you don’t believe him?”
“He’s been spending a lot of weekends in New York. I suspect he’s meeting up with her.”
“I sense you disapprove.”
“I don’t dislike Whitney. It’s actually the opposite. I think she’s misunderstood and troubled, and maybe, that’s why her and Kent are drawn to one another. I just worry about him, and it’s complicated with her being Faye’s sister. But if she’s the one he wants, I’ll support him all the way.” He smiles over at me as we exit through the gate. “Love doesn’t always come in a neat little package.” He lifts my hands to his lips, kissing my knuckles. “We both know that. And I would never stand in the way of true love.”
“And that is one of the million reasons why I love you.” I stretch across the console, pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth. “I love you, K. Thank you for showing me the real meaning of true love.”
Keaton
“Melissa, please don’t leave like this.” I reach out for her, but she swats my hands away. In the background, Faye and Kyler’s going away party is in full swing. Most of my brothers are trashed, the girls faring lit
tle better. Right now, Eva and Cheryl are butchering “I Kissed a Girl” by Katy Perry on the karaoke machine.
“I hate you,” she sobs. “But I think I hate myself even more.”
I feel like a piece of shit because I keep doing this to her, and it’s not fair. “Don’t hate yourself. This is all on me, and I’m so sorry. I never, ever, meant to hurt you.”
“But you do!” she yells, as tears course down her cheeks. “You keep doing it to me!”
She pounds her tiny fists into my chest, and I let her. Truth is, I deserve a whole lot more. I knew, pretty much from the outset of our relationship, that I was trying to force something that just wasn’t there.
But admitting the truth to myself back then wasn’t easy.
Hell. It’s not easy now.
I still can’t say it or do it or live it.
And I dragged this beautiful, sweet girl into the shitter with me. And she didn’t deserve it.
“All I’ve ever wanted is for you to love me the way I love you,” she cries, dropping her hands from my chest. She sniffs, wiping her red eyes with the sleeve of her dress. “Did you ever love me at all, Keats? Or was this just about getting one over on your brother?”
Not this again.
I rub a tense spot between my brows. “Mel. This has never been about Kent. At least not for me.”
She snorts, shoving my chest. “Oh, no, you don’t! I told you I had a crush on him one time, but I never loved him. Not the way I love you!”
“I’m not good enough for you, Mel.”
“I know.” She folds her arms around her chest. “But I’m an idiot because I keep coming back for more.”
This time, I’ve got to be stronger. I need to let her go. I care about her too much to keep doing this to her. I may not have ever been in love with her, but I do love her.
Just not in the way a guy should love a girl.
This time, I need to be stronger.
“It’s over for good this time, Mel. I’m sorry. But we’re not right for one another. You’re young, beautiful, sweet, caring, and you’re going to make some guy hella happy one day.”
“Spare me the bullshit.” She angrily swipes at her tears. “I’m done for good too, Keats. And one day, you’re going to wake up and smell the roses and realize you just let the best thing that ever happened to you walk straight out the door.” She stomps toward the front door. Tossing one last look over her shoulder, she glares at me with pure hatred in her eyes. “Have a nice life, asshole.”
She slams the door, and I sigh, resting my head back against the wall.
I stay here for an indeterminable amount of time, waging a war inside my head, while the party continues around me. The guys all hired babysitters, so they are really letting go. I should be in there with my brothers. With my sweet sisters-in-law. Drinking, dancing, singing and having a good time. Instead of hiding out here feeling sorry for myself, fighting a battle I already know I’ll lose.
Mel’s words are pretty ironic if I think about it. It’s a pretty ironic role reversal. But my thoughts don’t stop me from doing something I already know is a bad idea.
I take out my phone and pull up the text I received a few hours before the party.
Come to SoCal. Free house. No interruptions.
My finger hovers over the button, and my inner voice makes one last attempt to talk me out of this.
You know it’s a bad idea, dude.
It’s messing with your head.
I shove those thoughts away and press my finger to the keypad.
I’ll be on the first flight tomorrow.
TO BE CONTINUED.
Adoring Keaton is slated for publication in September 2020. Available to preorder now—check your local Amazon store.
Click here to download the bonus scene from this book (Alex and James’s wedding renewal ceremony)
Want another series to sink your teeth into? Check out my Rydeville Elite trilogy on Amazon. This is a highly addictive dark high school bully romance you won’t be able to put down! Turn the page to read a sample from Cruel Intentions, the first book in the series.
Support Contact Details
To request help or to report suspected human trafficking, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline, operated by Polaris, at 1-888-373-7888
If you need to talk to someone regarding sexual assault, please call the National Sexual Assault Hotline in the US at 800-656-4673
If you need to talk to someone regarding any mental health illness, please call the National Alliance on Mental Illness in the US at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or email [email protected]
If you require support dealing with PTSD, please contact PTSD United: http://www.ptsdunited.org/contact/
The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline in the US is available 24/7 at 1-800-4224453
https://www.childhelp.org/hotline/
Amazon Top 25 Bestseller
In the power struggle between two elite groups, one feisty girl will bring them to their knees…
Life is a cruel game where only the most ruthless survive. It’s a truth my mother rebelled against, and she paid for it with her life. Now, I play their game. Publicly accepting the destiny that lies in wait for me when I turn eighteen.
But, behind closed doors, I plot my escape.
Trent, Charlie, and my twin, Drew, rule the hallways of Rydeville High with arrogance and an iron fist. I execute my role perfectly, hating every second, but they never let me forget my place in this world.
Everyone obeys the rules. They have for generations. Because our families have always been in control.
Until Cam, Sawyer, and Jackson show up. Throwing their new money around. Challenging the status quo. Setting hearts racing with their gorgeous faces, hot bodies, and bad boy attitudes.
Battle lines are drawn. Sides are taken. And I’m trapped in the middle, because I made a mistake one fateful night when I gave my V-card to a stranger in a blatant F you to my fiancé.
I thought it was the one thing I owned. A precious memory to carry me through each dark day.
I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Because the stranger was Camden Marshall, leader of the new elite and my perpetual tormenter. He hates me with a passion unrivaled, and he won’t be the only one. Fire will rain down if the truth is revealed, threatening alliances, and the power struggle will turn vicious.
My life will hang in the balance.
But I’ll be ready, and I’m not going down without a fight.
Cruel Intentions Sample
Prologue
Waves crash against the empty shore, summoning me with invisible arms, and my feet move toward the icy water as if I’m pulled by a string. I’m numb inside. Hollowed out. And I just want to put an end to this… charade that is my so-called life.
I never remember a time in my seventeen years on this earth where I had free will. Where every aspect of my life wasn’t controlled and mapped out.
And I’m done.
Done with the mask I’ve no choice but to wear.
Done with the elite crap I’m forced to participate in.
Done with that monster who calls himself my father.
I want out, and the turbulent sea offers me salvation. I scarcely feel the deathly cold water as it swirls around my ankles like the tempting caress of a destructive lover. My silk robe offers little protection against the bitter wind whipping my long dark hair around my face, and goose bumps prickle my skin in everyplace it’s exposed.
I walk farther into the water, my body shivering and shaking as the wild waves lap at my calves. An eerie voice echoes in my mind, urging me to stop.
Imploring me to go back.
Pleading with me not to give up.
Suggesting my world is about to change.
I ignore that taunting voice, tilting my head up, surveying the crescent moon in the dark nighttime sky, casting strangely shaped shadows on the land below. My ears prick at the sound of splashing behind me, and my heart beats faster as ad
renaline courses through my veins, but I don’t turn around.
“Hey. Are you okay?” a deep masculine voice asks from close by.
I’m standing knee-deep in icy-cold water in the middle of the night in minuscule clothing. Does it fucking look like I’m okay? My snarky alter ego mentally responds to his question, but I remain mute. I can’t summon the energy to speak or to care what the stranger thinks of me.
I just want him to go away. To leave me alone. To at least give me this.
But no such luck.
He wades through the water, his darkened form brushing against my arm as he moves around me, positioning himself directly in my line of sight so I’ve no choice but to look at him.
A flicker of warmth enters my chest as I stare into sultry brown eyes that are so deep they’re almost black. The glow from the moon casts a shadow around his form, highlighting his masculine beauty in all its glory. He’s wearing low-hanging cotton shorts and nothing else. His bare chest is an impressive work of art that speaks to incredible dedication in the gym. His cut abs are so sharp they look painted on. But it’s the tattoos on his chest and lower arms that grab my attention. None of the guys at Rydeville High would dare ink their skin. It wouldn’t fit the reputations they’ve so carefully cultivated or suit their obnoxious parents’ plans for their futures. The elite wouldn’t dream of lowering themselves to something so provincial.
This guy is an enigma, and the first sparks of curiosity ignite inside me.
My eyes trail up his delectable torso, refocusing on his face. He’s watching me carefully. Absorbing my gaze like he wants to bury deep inside me and figure me out. My fingers itch to run along the fine layer of scruff adorning his chin and jawline. To mess up his hair which is styled long on top and shorn close to his skull on both sides. A craving to explore his chiseled cheekbones, and to taste his full lips, hits me out of nowhere, reminding me I’m still very much alive.
Releasing Keanu Page 25