by Mia Belle
“We’ll help you out if it gets too tough,” Aidan assures him, nodding encouragingly.
Caleb’s hands yank at his long blond hair. He bends forward, inhaling a few more deep breaths. “I’ve never told anyone about this,” he says. “Except for the guys and my aunt and uncle. Even my friends back home don’t know details. But I want you to know everything, Lia.” He takes in another breath, sitting up, his gazing flicking to mine. “Have you ever heard of Maxwell the Magnificent?”
I shake my head.
“He was an amazing magician,” he says, longing attached to every word. “I looked up to him. Yearned to be just like him. But what I didn’t know was that he was a criminal. He conned people, stole their money. He’d perform innocent magic, but there was nothing innocent about it. He killed anyone who got in his way. But he was arrested and taken to a maximum security prison. That man, Maxwell the Magnificent, is also my dad.”
I gasp, my hand flying to my mouth. “Caleb, I’m sorry.”
Tears flash in his eyes. “My mom died when I was little and it was just the two of us. He was a good dad to me despite his criminal acts. He got arrested when I was ten, and I went to live with my aunt and uncle. The six years in prison messed my dad up. He was filled with anger and revenge. He escaped prison a month ago, and left a message for me. That he’s coming after me. He wants to kill me.”
I gasp again. “To…kill you?”
Caleb nods, the tears spilling down his face. He bends forward, working his hands through his hair. His shoulders tremble.
Aidan gets up and pats his back. “That’s why we left New York and moved to this small town,” he tells me. “We’re hiding from his dad.”
“It’s why we’re careful not to get too close to anyone,” Zane adds. “It’s also the reason we changed our last name from Bowman to Armstrong. No one can ever discover that Caleb’s here.”
“I won’t tell a soul,” I promise.
Caleb sits up, sending me a small smile through his tears. “I know. That’s why I told you. Because I know I can trust you.”
I stand up and wrap my arms around him. “I’m so sorry this happened to you.” I squeeze harder. “I wish there was something I could do.”
He takes my hand. “You’ve already done enough for me. Thanks for being my friend.”
“Of course.”
We remain in the living room, being there for Caleb and for each other. These guys aren’t just guys who moved next door to me. They’ve become so much more than that. Each and every one is special in his own way.
All four of us squeeze onto the couch to watch a movie. I’m more than glad Julia sent the guys to stay with me. I can’t imagine being here all by myself.
I’m squished between Aidan and Zane and I can’t ignore how good they smell. Zane’s chest whacks into my arm as he breathes and I feel just how strong he is. Aidan’s fingers brush against mine every time he shifts his position on the couch.
If someone were to tell me six months ago I’d be good friends with three teenage guys, I would have laughed in their face. I can’t imagine not having them in my life.
***
While I’m lost in the movie with three amazing guys next to me, there’s a bang on the window. My hand springs to my chest, my heart running a marathon.
“You okay, Lia?” Caleb asks.
It must have just been another branch. “Yeah. I’m just a little jumpy, sorry.”
Zane gives me a sideways glance. “Why’s your dad worried about you being here all alone? He looked like he was going to pass out when he told Julia about it.”
I shake my head. “My problems are silly compared to what you guys just told me.”
“Lia,” Aidan says, his fingers closing over mine. “Nothing is ever silly. Especially when it’s about you.”
“You can tell us,” Caleb says. “But only if you want to. I don’t want to force you to do anything you’re not comfortable with. And please don’t feel like you owe us anything because we told you our secret.”
I stare at the TV, where a robot is tearing through New York City. “My ex-boyfriend got out of juvie today.”
Zane’s eyes snap to mine. “Seriously?”
“My dad’s worried he’ll come after me.”
“Why?” Aidan asks. “And why was he in juvie?”
I hesitate as I collect my thoughts. “He beat me and shoved me around. He treated me like gum that’s been stepped on and stepped on. But he was sent to juvie because he hit a cop who was interrogating him about me.” I shut my eyes, regulating my breathing. Opening them, I pull my sleeves up. “Six months ago, my mom found me in the bathroom with my wrists slit. I…I wanted to kill myself. And I almost died.”
Their faces cloud over with concern and sympathy.
“I got help,” I tell them. “And I’m doing okay. But now that he’s out of jail…I mean, I have a restraining order against him, but his friends threatened he’d come after me. I want to be strong, but…”
“You are strong,” Zane says. “One of the strongest people I know.”
“We’re here for you,” Caleb says. “Always. No matter what.”
Aidan takes my second hand in his. “We’ll watch over you. Protect you. That guy won’t dare touch you.”
Tears fill my eyes. “You guys don’t have to do this.”
“No,” Zane says. “We don’t. But we want to. More than anything. That asshole better watch his back, because a threat against you is a threat against us.” His eyes narrow. “And no one threatens the Armstrong boys.”
Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this book, please leave a positive review on Amazon or email me at [email protected]. For updates on new releases, please follow me on Facebook and Twitter @AuthorMiaBelle and click on the “follow” button on my Amazon author page here.
–Mia Belle
Book two in the Boys Next Door series is coming soon!
Check out my other young adult romance series, The Boys Who Loved Me
Read on for a sneak peek to my upcoming young adult reverse harem romance novel, Skyville Boys, coming May/June.
Excerpt:
The “Welcome to the beautiful town of Skyville, Pennsylvania” sign smiles at me from outside the passenger window. There’s a bright yellow sun painted over of the words, giving the illusion that the small town in the southernmost tip of the state is an everlasting sunny paradise. A total contrast to the rainy October weather outside.
Not that I’m complaining. It’s not that different from New York City. Still, I wonder if I’ll be able to move on from the past and try to live a normal life there. If my own sun will shine over my cloudy, rainy self.
My younger sister, Kitty, kicks my seat from behind. For the hundredth time.
“Dad, she’s doing it again,” I complain.
“Kit,” Dad warns as he keeps his eyes on the road.
She kicks harder.
Unbuckling my belt, I twist over the seat and glare at her. “You’re acting like you’re five instead of eleven!”
She folds her arms and stares at her shoes, her lower lip quivering. “I don’t want you to go.”
With a sigh, I flop back in the seat and fold my own arms. I won’t let her guilt me into staying in NYC.
“Come on, Kara.” Now she’s unbuckled her belt and is leaning over my seat. “It’s still not too late to turn back.”
“Kitty, I made up my mind.”
“But—”
“Dad,” I complain again.
“Kitty, your sister’s made her decision. You need to respect it.”
“But she’s gonna miss Mom’s opening night.”
“I’ve seen her during rehearsals.”
“It’s not the same as an actual performance. You know that. And you know how insensitive you’re being? She’s worked so hard to land a role, and now she’s Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady. Eliza Doolittle, Kara. And her own daughter won’t be there to support her.”
My heart constricts
.
“And what about you, huh?” she continues. “What about your career? You’re just throwing it away. You’re throwing your life away.”
Kitty could be quite overdramatic.
“People are gonna forget you. They’re gonna forget your face and your name and your talent. You’ll be a nobody.”
Good. I want to be a nobody.
“Broadway’s ‘It Girl’ will become Broadway’s shi—”
“Katelyn,” Dad scolds.
I didn’t think she’d take this so hard. I thought my mom would, but she’s actually totally okay with it. Maybe because she’s more worried about my safety than my career. Kitty doesn’t know exactly what went down the last few months, but I’m sure she knows more than we think. She’s too perceptive for her age. She’s never been the kind of person to let anything or anyone get in her way, though, so maybe that’s why she doesn’t understand why I had to leave New York. Why I’m running away.
“Ah, here we are,” Dad announces.
I glance out the window, taking in the homey-looking white house I’ve visited every summer since I was born. The homey-looking house that will be my new home.
Dad, Kitty, and I pile out of the car, Dad running to the trunk to retrieve my bags. Kitty watches him with miserable eyes, and gifted actor that she is, she’s putting on quite the show. Once again, it takes all I have not to crumble under the guilt invading every part of me.
I gather a few bags and follow Dad and Kitty up the stairs, where Kitty jabs her finger into the bell. I wonder if Grandma came home from her performance yet.
“Good, no one’s home. Guess we’ll have to head back.” Kitty hops down the stairs, her jet-black pigtails bouncing with every step.
“Nice try,” I say. “Grandma left us a spare key.” I dig into one of her potted plants until I find it.
Kitty scowls as I stab the key into the lock and push the door open. The scent attacks my nose the second I walk inside. It smells like my grandma. Like the summer. Like childhood happiness. Hopefully it’ll rub off on me and give me some teenage happiness.
Kitty leaps onto the couch and folds her hands underneath her head.
“Kitty, give us a hand,” Dad says as he lugs in my largest suitcase.
“Pass. I don’t support this move.”
“Kitty,” he stresses.
“You and Mom are always going on about how we need to be strong women and be assertive and state our opinions and not follow blindly when we don’t agree with something. So this is me not following blindly.”
It seems Dad doesn’t have the energy to deal with her right now. I know I’ve put him through the ringer the past few months. I bet he’s secretly glad I’m moving in with my grandma.
“I wanted to surprise you with ice cream,” Dad says as he heaves two bags up the stairs to my room, “but you can forget about that with that attitude.”
“Don’t want ice cream, anyway.”
“She’s not even a teenager,” Dad grumbles as he and I roll my suitcases into my room.
“She’s been in show business since she was three years old, Dad. She’s seen far too much in her young life.”
He sighs as he shovels his hand through his blond hair. Dad didn’t grow up in the spotlight like Mom and Grandma did. He looks out of his element most of the time. But he’s always been one hundred percent supportive of our dreams.
“I’ll get the rest of my bags,” I offer.
Kitty is still lying on the couch when I get back down. I’m tempted to yell at her for being so inconsiderate and selfish, but I know her attitude is coming from a painful place. Instead of hauling my last two bags upstairs, I sit down on the couch near her feet. This close, I can see tears gathering in her eyes.
“I know you’ll miss me, Kitty Kat, but I’m only two hours away. You can visit anytime you want. And we’ll video chat as often as you want.”
She sits up. “It’s not about that.” More tears collect in her eyes.
I wrap my arm around her. “Then what’s it about?”
“How am I supposed to do any of this without you?”
“Any of what?”
“My shows. Duh, what else?”
“What are you talking about? You landed your first commercial at three, were in your first movie at four, starred in three more movies and one TV show after that, and you made your Broadway debut five months ago in School of Rock. You’re amazing.”
“But Broadway is your world, Kara. I’ve always looked up to you. You work so hard and are so dedicated and you’re like the most talented person in the world. You’re my hero. Now you’re throwing it all away.”
Her kind and sweet words cause my own eyes to fill with tears. “I didn’t know you thought so highly of me.”
“Shut up, loser.”
I laugh as I squeeze her shoulder. “I just need a break, Kitty.”
Her eyes light up. “So you’ll come back soon?”
I hesitate. “I don’t know. I can’t promise I will.”
“What are you going to do in this useless town? There isn’t even a theater.”
“Philly’s not that far. And Grandma’s days are packed with performances. She’s never bored.”
“You’re not a legend like her. At least not yet. And you won’t be if you quit theater.”
“No one said I’m quitting, Kitty. Just taking a break.”
It would be much easier to tell her the truth, but I don’t want to scare her. Besides, I’m pretty sure she has a rough idea, though she’s mature enough not to bring it up.