#SummerGirl

by Brooks, A. M.

  #SummerGirl

  By A.M. Brooks

  Copyright © 2021 A.M. Brooks

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. This book is a work of fiction. Names and characters are the product of the author’s imagination. Thank you for respecting the hard work and creativity of this author.

  Note: This story may not be suitable for persons under the age of 18.

  Cover: Amanda Simpson- Pixel Mischief Design

  Formatting: Elaine York- Allusion Publishing

  Editing and Proofreading: Rebecca- Fairest of All Book Reviews

  Acknowledgements

  Playlist

  Epigraph

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter 20

  To Be Continued

  Connect with A.M. Brooks

  Scar Sneak Peek

  Chapter One

  Warrior Sneak Peek

  Chapter One

  Once again, I could not have completed this story without the loving support of my family and friends. I could not have completed this without the grace that everyone has given me this past few months and over Archer’s birth. I am forever grateful for my husband, my kiddos, and my parents for baring with me, and giving me my weekends to finish writing. I love you all!

  I want to thank, Kiki, Colleen, Jill, Kristina, Megan, Emily and Anna - The Next Step PR -Thank you for your hard work, dedication, and guidance. Thank you for working on my emails, sharing all my info and release materials. I can’t say it enough how happy I am to be working with this company. You are truly a great group of women!

  Jill - Thank you for stepping in and helping me figure my life out! Thank you for always taking the time to talk through any problems and cheering me on when I need it the most. The past few months were possible thanks to your help and guidance.

  Rebecca - Fairest of All Book Reviews - I can’t thank you enough for editing and proofing this manuscript. Thank you for adjusting for me and working hard to help me give readers the best version of these characters as possible. As always, I appreciate everything you do!

  Amanda Simpson- Pixel Mischief Designs- Thank you for working with me on this cover and for the countless color options. This cover turned out perfect for Silas! I appreciate everything you do!

  Elaine York- Allusion Graphics- Thank you for fitting me into your schedule, no matter how many times I have to change my dates. I appreciate it so much! Thank you for making this book beautiful from the inside-out.

  My Readers - Thank you for your purchase and support. It is because of you that I can continue to write and live my dream. Thank you for waiting so patiently for Silas and his story. I hope you love it!

  XOXO Ashton

  Sunrise Trailer Park- Papa Roach (Feat. Machine Gun Kelly)

  Beer Never Broke My Heart- Luke Combs

  Degenerates- A Day To Remember

  Ride It- Regard

  Beibs In The Trap- Travis Scott

  It Won’t Stop- Sevyn Streeter (Feat. Chris Brown)

  Doin’ Time- Lana Del Rey

  All Summer Long- Kid Rock

  This City- Sam Fischer

  Run for Your Life- The Siege

  Ghost In My Head- WATT

  Not Gonna Break Me- Jamie N Commons

  Mood- 24kGolden (Feat. Iann Dior)

  Hurricane- I Prevail

  Popular Monster- Falling In Reverse

  Monsters- All Time Low (Feat. Blackbear)

  Price on My Head- NAV (Feat. The Weeknd)

  Lights Down Low- Maejor (Feat. Waka Flocka Flame)

  High Hopes- Panic! At The Disco

  Exile- Taylor Swift (Feat. Bon Iver)

  Love Somebody- Lauv

  Small Town Throwdown- Brantley Gilbert, Justin Moore, and Thomas Rhett

  Bloody Valentine-Acoustic- Machine Gun Kelly (Feat. Travis Barker)

  F*CK You, Goodbye- The Kid Laroi (Feat. Machine Gun Kelly)

  Love Bites- Def Leppard

  Angels & Demons- JXDN

  My Ex’s Best Friend- Machine Gun Kelly (Feat. Blackbear)

  Follow me on Spotify for the #SummerGirl Playlist!

  We are all a little broken…

  That’s how the light gets in.

  -Hemingway

  Lux

  “Do you understand?” he asks, his brows narrowing slightly. I want to roll my eyes at the condescending look on his face. Just because I’m taking the time to analyze his proposition doesn’t make me stupid. If anything, it shows that I am dedicated to making decisions, analyzing pros and cons of the situation for both of us, and in my case, which scenario will keep me alive. I feel like I just escaped a fate many would say is worse than death, only to turn around and now be blackmailed. I’m starting to think my fate is to forever be the prey of sickos and psychos.

  “I just have to report the information to you?” I question again, not believing this task could be so simple. “Nothing else is going to be required of me at the last minute? I have your word, that doesn’t change?”

  He smirks, his pretty boy lips tilting up. “You have my word, Lux, or should I say Raina.” I try not to flinch at the use of my new name, the one I’ve been given now that I’m enrolled in the program designated to saving others like me.

  “After the strings you pulled to have me here, I would make sure you only call me Raina from now on,” I remind him, and to my disbelief, his eyes widen a fraction, the only indication he is surprised I called him out.

  “As long as you remember that I am the reason you’re out in the world, free and breathing, which means I’ll call you whatever I want. The Establishment doesn’t care that I took you. They only care that their organization doesn’t get exposed to the public.” He shrugs, his hands sliding into the pockets of his pants.

  I internally cringe at his words. I will never understand rich people, those who have everything and access to more, yet still toe the line and dabble in things that are depraved and unlawful. For them, in my experience, it’s all about power and how they can benefit from having authority over others who may be even more powerful than they are. All my life I’ve been treated as an object, as property, and until recently, I swore I wouldn’t make it past the age of eighteen, figuring I’d be dead with the way I was raised. Having a junkie for a mother and an absent father left me on my own the majority of my childhood. I may be making a new deal, plotting a new ruse, but it’s the only option I have to stay alive.

  I ran from my foster home three years ago, right around the time my oldest foster brother started getting roaming hands, and his parents did nothing to stop it. Thankfully, I got away before any real damage could be done. I eventually made it back to my actual family’s home in Washington, only to find my mom had relapsed and was on another bender. I managed to hide out and take care of her for three weeks before Child Protective Services found me and a new arrangement was made. I guess my social worker thought I was lucky that a rich family from L.A. took an interest in me, going as far as to say that they wanted to adopt me. I couldn’t believe it either. And like most things in my life, it turned out to be untrue and a t
otal nightmare.

  My gaze sweeps over the man standing in front of me, once more, taking in his perfectly-styled, short chestnut locks, golden eyes, strong nose and square chin before trailing over his polo shirt and Chino pants. His looks scream money, and yet I’m meeting him in a one-bedroom apartment on the lower east side of Manhattan. He can’t be more than a few years older than me. He also seems to be on close terms with the woman who single-handedly paid off my ‘supposed adoptive parents’ to turn a blind eye to my kidnapping and shipped me across the country in a container with around twenty other women and young girls, with the intention of selling my body and soul to the highest bidder, all part of The Establishment’s services. The Establishment was a name I kept hearing from the time I was taken until I was delivered to New York City but never really knew what it was about. None of this makes sense. So either this guy is actually giving me a shot at freedom, or he’ll turn out to be just as bad as the woman he stole me from.

  “Do we have a deal or not?” he asks again, and this time, I can hear the edge of annoyance in his bored tone.

  I glance down again, studying the image in my hands. She’s pretty. Stunning actually, and not in the made-up doll way most girls are these days. There is a genuine smile on her lips, and her deep red hair, that is so dark it almost looks brown, is swept over her shoulder, while she gazes at the camera. There is emotion in her eyes and I’d bet anything this guy was the one behind the lens.

  My head tilts to the side. “How do I contact you?”

  He sighs and reaches for the phone in my hand before I can react. The image of the girl is swiped away and he adds his number to my contacts. “Last time, Lux, are you in or am I sending you back to The Establishment? I doubt your new family knows you’re here meeting me. It would be so easy to make you disappear again.”

  I grit my teeth, sick and tired of people, especially men, threatening me. “Rogue has a system. There would be a nationwide alert if I go missing now that I’m under their care, remember?”

  His eyes harden, his gaze locking on mine. I know he didn’t forget and I wonder what his beef is with Rogue; he was so quick to turn me over to them before. The girl in the picture flits through my mind and I almost hesitate accepting his proposal before reiterating, “And I just report about her? I won’t have to hurt her?”

  “If you hurt her, I’ll personally track you down and hand you back over to The Establishment myself.”

  Well, that escalated quickly. I really hope he’s not a stalker or has some sick fascination with this girl. I don’t want to be responsible for placing a girl in the same position I found myself in a few weeks ago. I do not know her and he seems adamant about me only checking in on her.

  “Deal,” I mutter, before I can convince myself to back out. My eyes slam closed, and my head bows until my chin hits my chest. I’ve either just made the biggest mistake of my life, or one that will keep me safe, out of harm’s way. Something inside me already feels lighter. There’s a crackle of energy bouncing in my rib cage that wasn’t there before. Let’s hope that means I made the right decision for the girl and for me.

  His eyes gleam, and he walks me to the door. “Have fun up north” is all he says before I’m ushered out. I walk as fast as I can until I make it to the bus stop, the one waiting to take me back to my school. There is only one week left before summer break. Now that I’ll be playing spy this summer, one week feels way too short.

  Silas

  “Kai! I swear if you don’t lift a little higher, I’m going to punch you,” I gripe, my hands sliding to hold onto the canoe while we load it onto the trailer.

  Kai laughs. “What’s got your panties in a twist? You’re grumpier than usual.”

  I grit my teeth, not wanting to snap at one of my best friends, but my nerves are hanging by a thread. All I want is to pack our gear and hit the road for three months of sun and booze-cruising the lake before it’s time to take the next step in our journey to becoming top members of Rogue. Staying at our cabin up north has always been the slice of tranquility I needed. Ever since I found out Saylor is actually my half sister, my mind has been all over the place, waves of turmoil constantly rolling in my gut. Even thinking and saying the word sister feels foreign to me. Partly because I’m used to being an only child. Partly because I never imagined my sister would be Saylor. Not only did we treat her like crap when she first got here, but I wasn’t a hundred percent sure I was over the resentment I felt toward her mom. It was a messy and delicate position to be in. Especially with Ciaran falling more in love with her every day.

  “No worries, Kai. I’m sorry for being an ass, Kai,” he mimics, and I grunt in response, totally lost in my own thoughts.

  “Shut up, man.” I chuckle lightly, while we move to hitch the boat up to my truck.

  “Where is Ci?” Kai asks, looking around us. “Fucker just gets a free pass on packing all this shit?”

  “He went inside with Saylor when she got here,” I tell him, shrugging because we both know what’s probably going on. I have to fight the urge to gag. She’s my sister now. Not just some random girl he’s hooking up with.

  “Oh, so they made up then?” Kai asks, his brow quirking.

  “I have no idea and I don’t care. Sister, brother,” I answer, pointing from the house to myself.

  “Shouldn’t that mean you should care more?” Kai questions. “I’d kick some guy’s ass if he made one of my sisters upset.”

  “If I thought Saylor couldn’t handle herself, I’d say something. But we both know it’s Ciaran we need to make sure isn’t the one crying.” I roll my eyes, and Kai laughs.

  By the time we’re done fastening the last four-wheeler on the trailer, the one being pulled behind Ciaran’s truck, he and Saylor finally emerge from the house. I catch his scowl right away and notice that Saylor is wearing a small smirk. Her eyes land on my truck and she beelines her way over and hops in the front seat.

  “I’m riding with you,” she tells me, rather than asking, just assuming I’m fine with this arrangement. My body freezes for a moment, trying to process her actions. Am I okay with it? Almost three hours in the truck, just me and Saylor?

  “Serious, Say?” Ciaran quips, his scowl deepening, as he throws his own driver’s side door open.

  “Reed can ride with you,” she answers with a flick of her wrist before glancing down at her cell phone, continuing to ignore the way my best friend’s body is practically vibrating with anger.

  “You heard her, Reed,” I tell the poor guy who’s been patiently waiting on us for the past twenty minutes. His eyes swing from me to Ciaran, and he shrugs, the look of indifference on his face never leaving. Ciaran scoffs and hops in his truck.

  “This isn’t over, Princess,” he calls to Saylor, and to her credit, she flips him the middle finger, keeping her eyes locked on her phone.

  My own brow quirks, and I can’t help the small twitch of my lips as I jump into the driver’s side. Maybe we really are siblings after all. If Dad could see us now, he’d probably have a heart attack. My conversations with Saylor are awkward enough, and I know the poor man is just as tongue-tied. Finding out she was related by blood threw us both for a loop and neither of us has quite figured out how we move on from here.

  We’re an hour into our drive and neither of us has really said anything. Other than flipping through songs on my phone, not all of her song choices have been bad, I’ll give her credit there, it’s been silent. She flips her phone over in her hands again, before throwing it in the cup holder, then sighs. This is probably one of those times I’m supposed to act brotherly, like Kai said, and ask about what’s going on. The thought instantly makes my mouth feel like sandpaper; I don’t have much experience with the touchy-feely stuff.

  Her elbow comes up to rest on the side of the door and she props her head on her fist. I glance at her right as a single tear drops down her cheek and she swipes it away quickly with her free hand.

  “I’m surprised you’d want to chance b
eing in my truck, Say.” I smirk at her before looking back to the road. “You know Aria wanted to give me a goodbye present last night?”

  Saylor turns to face me, her lips pulled back. “Eww. Why do you hang around her? She’s annoying and makes you miserable.”

  I laugh and shrug. “She’s really good at goodbyes though.”

  “You cut ties now that you graduated? What, no love letters will be exchanged while you’re stationed somewhere?” She taunts and giggles.

  I shudder just thinking about it. Aria was fun. That is about all I can say. She was available when needed and besides the one time I had to bring her as a date to prom last year, she knew I didn’t want a relationship. Everything about my history and what I know of the past screams that love and relationships do not work. Especially for the Montgomery men.

  “She knew the score,” I tell Saylor, while not really understanding why I feel the need to explain. “What about you and Ciaran? Why’s he so pissed today?”

  Saylor scoffs. “When isn’t he? We keep bumping heads anytime I tell him how much I hate that Oaklynn is coming this summer and that I have to lie to her. She’s so excited to see me and I feel awful, knowing every time I talk to her and the target living with her, that I’m leading a double life. I don’t know how Kai does it.”

  “You ask Ci if you can tell her?” I question, feeling my own anxiety kick up. Kai’s an idiot for playing the dangerous game he’s got going on with Oaklynn, but at the same time, I can see why it’s hard on Saylor. She wasn’t able to completely turn off her old life by staying here. Matt pulled Oaklynn’s parents back in, and now they want to keep Rogue hush-hush with their own children. It’s a disaster in the making.

  “No,” she answers quietly, “I believe right now she is safer not knowing. I don’t like it, but I get it. She doesn’t know though. So we’re going into our senior year of high school and she wants me to visit New York, and she’s making all these plans for us to check out NYU together.”