by Dawn Martens
Surviving a harsh upbringing, Corinne Treyton’s new life comes courtesy of the Angels Warriors MC. No one will ever use her body again, unless she wants them to. Cori, a party girl, doesn’t believe in relationships, but she’d be willing to try if only Blake, who happens to be her boss, could really see her for who she is. She hides her lifestyle from him, afraid he would think less of her.
Blake Lexington has crushed on Cori since the day she started working for him. He knows a bit about her past, living with the Angels Warriors, and he doesn’t care. He refuses to make a move, thinking it will scare off his shy assistant. For years, he’s thought she would never be attracted to someone like him.
Finally realizing that he needs to take action, her reaction surprises him. Cori believes he sees her as a slut and wants to use her. Secrets from the past will be revealed, causing everything to unravel.
Will real love bring them together, or is Cori too damaged to give true love a chance?
Copyright © 2016 Dawn Martens
All rights reserved. This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook is copyright protected material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed, or used in any form without prior written permission of the publisher, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution, circulation, or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly. Thank you for respecting the work of this author.
1st Edition Published January 2016
Cover designed by Glenna Maynard
Photo from Shutterstock
Formatted by M.L. Pahl of IndieVention Designs
Edited by Kendra Gaither and Crystal Sosa
Proofed by Angie Brennan
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Twisted Up In You is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places and events portrayed in this book are either from the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, establishments, events, or location is purely coincidental and not intended by the author. Please do not take offence to the content, as it is FICTION.
Trademarks: This book identifies product names and services known to be trademarks, registered trademarks, or service marks of their respective holders. The author acknowledges the trademarked status in this work of fiction. The publication and use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
Acknowledgments
First, of course, I have to thank my G-baby – Glenna Maynard, of course! Duh, she’s my everything, my best friend, and just simply amazing! G-baby, you do so much for me, and nothing I do will ever be enough to even out the friendship scale!
My Divas – you ladies rock! Each and every one of you is seriously amazing.
Cori, Pami, Melly, Nikki, Angie, Crystal B, and so many others – your chats, your friendships, and your love have been such blessings to me.
To my most favorite Emily in the universe – Mrs. Snow, I adore you.
Stacy and Ashley E – Gah, I love you both.
To my readers – thank you for putting up with my crazy. You all are amazing people.
Dedication
This one is for my girl, Cori, since duh, I named this character after you!
Prologue
Cori
“Corinne Leanna Treyton, where the hell are you?” I hear my mom yell for me, her voice shrill. She’s always yelling at me about something.
“I’m coming, Mom,” I say, running out of my room to meet her in the living room. It’s best not to keep her waiting.
“I need you to babysit tonight. I have a date,” she tells me, giving me a dirty look. Her eyes are narrowed and her mouth tight.
I bite my tongue and nod.
She tilts her head to the side, appraising me. I wait for it, the onslaught of her telling me how ugly I am, how much of a burden I am to her. But I get nothing; she just sniffs and walks out the door. The room is stale with the scent of her cheap perfume.
Confused by her sudden departure, without any word as to when she will return, I peer out the window, watching her as she gets in a car I don’t recognize. It isn’t unusual for my mom to take off with different men, but it is usually one of three. Where is she going? Whose car is that? The tires squeal, and she is gone.
I move to the bedroom my sister, Melissa, is napping in and peer down at her over the crib. “Hi, Melly Belly. Wake up,” I whisper down to her. I tickle her tummy, causing her to laugh. She has the biggest smile; her face always lights up when I come into her room to play with her.
Melissa is way too big to be in the crib. She’s four now, but Mom doesn’t want to go and buy her a new bed. Said it would be a waste of money. But whenever Mom leaves me in charge, I pick her up out of the crib and let her sleep with me.
Little did we know, that at four and six years old, our mom had called social services, effectively landing us in foster care. She just left us, not caring what fate awaited us.
*~*
Years later
Sitting on the damp cold floor in the back bedroom, I’m huddled with Melissa, my little sister. I hate living here, hate it so much. No matter how many times I tell someone what goes on here, nothing happens. I don’t understand why. I even tried telling my counselor at school—still nothing. I feel like no one cares what they do to us, but I keep fighting and staying strong for Melissa. She depends on me. I protect her.
I can’t wait until I turn eighteen so I can leave this place, take Melissa with me, and never return. The things they do to us, what they did to me... I can’t take it much longer. I’m hoping that, at any moment, those Angels—Angels Warriors, the motorcycle club—will come save us. They help kids like us, get them out of bad homes and protect them.
My friend, Chelsea, finally agreed to call them for us, hoping they’d help. Hoping something, anyways. She said she would do her best.
I have to use the bathroom so bad, but they lock the door from the outside whenever we are in here, only letting us out once a day. I hate to say this, but half the time, I end up using the bathroom in the closet of this little room. I don’t have a choice. The smell in this room is disgusting.
It’s not long because I hear running feet. Melly tenses around me. “Why are they coming back? They were just here. I don’t want to watch you go through that again, Cori,” she says, sobbing.
I rub her back and let her know it will be okay.
The door flies open, and our foster parents look completely freaked out. “Get up. Now! We need to all pitch in and get this place cleaned up. We’re having visitors coming soon.”
They look completely panicked. Melissa and I quickly get off the dirty floor and follow them. As we walk by the bathroom, they stop us and push us inside. “Shower, quickly.”
Melissa and I waste no time in showering. She goes first, and I’m next, and as we come out of the bathroom and go down the hall, there is yelling. Lots of it.
“Corinne Treyton?” I hear an intimidating voice shouting my name.
I hold Melissa’s hand and walk slowly down the steps, coming face to face with the scariest looking man I’ve ever seen – tall, fully bearded, tattoos covering his arms and neck, and a leather vest that says Angels Warriors on it. Instantly, I sag in relief and let go of Melly’s hands. I rush forward, wrapping my arms around this big guy’s waist and sobbing.
“You came,” I choke out.
“Darlin’,” he says gruffly, holding me tight to him. “Reaper, you check the house, find whatever you can, if you can. These fuckers are slimy. Zippo, get the sister. We�
��re outta here.”
“You can’t take these kids!” my foster father shouts at him.
I stiffen, scared that I’m going to have to stay here. “That’s funny, because we are,” the man holding me says calmly. He bends down slightly and pulls me back just a little. “Is there anything here you want to take with you?”
I hesitate. “My baby,” I whisper sadly.
He stiffens and frowns. Looking up at my foster family, he growls out. “Where is her kid?”
“She lies. There is no kid. If you’re taking her, then do it. Get the fuck out!” my foster mother shouts.
“My name is Angel, darlin’. I’m taking you and your sister with us, and I’ll find out what I can about your baby, okay,” he assures me gently.
“Okay,” I whisper.
We walk out, my right arm around Angel’s big body, his left arm around my shoulders, holding me tight to him. He’s my saviour. He saved me—Melly too. I will forever be thankful to him for it.
The next few years go by fast. Angel and his boys are there with Melly and I through it all—all the nightmares, helping with school, everything.
Chapter 1
Cori
“Cori, can I get you to grab me the files on the Lawrence case?” Blake asks me as he passes the desk, walking toward his office. God, that man looks good in a suit. What I wouldn’t give to be fine linen right now. The fabric wraps tightly around his backside, showing off his nice firm ass.
Blake and his friend, Adam, run this entire building. They work closely with a club called the Angels Warriors, the same club that rescued my sister and me years ago. The Angels helped me finish school once they found out I was stripping to earn money for college, and then the club helped me get this job about two years ago. They gave me a chance that I never would have gotten otherwise.
When Angel and Reaper found out I was stripping, though, they were pissed, more pissed than I have ever seen them. Especially since they, at that moment, knew I lied about where I was working. The second they walked into Glitter and saw me on stage, dancing topless, they stormed the stage and dragged me out of there kicking and screaming. I made good money there. I didn’t see the problem.
I started working at Lexington Family Services the minute I finished college. The building is made up of five different floors. On the first floor is the main waiting area and where any company party is held. The second floor is a law firm, third floor is the immunization clinic, fourth floor is a small family doctor’s office, and my floor, the fifth floor, is child social services, but not the kind that most people think. Of course, I’m just a glorified Personal Assistant now, but I do make better money. And it helps when I get to file some of the closed cases. I smile with relief that my boss was able to help save those children. There are times, though, when it is too late. I try not to think about that. I have to focus on the good Blake does.
I nod at Blake as he walks by. Of course, he never notices me, though… at least, not the way I want him to. It sucks. I’ve had a crush on Blake for years now, since I first met him, but he treats me as if I’m his little sister. Nothing like being in the friend-zone. Frowning at the thought of never being anything more, I get started with the day ahead. Opening my email, I start checking for tips on his open cases before I bring him his file. Sulking, I notice the newest receipt from ordering flowers for one of Blake’s conquests.
Whenever Blake asks me to send flowers to the woman of the week, or call up a restaurant to get a reservation, my heart breaks just a little bit more. Once he’s out of sight, I sigh and get out of my chair to take him the file for his next case.
I walk into the office as he’s booting up his computer, and I smile. “Hey, Blake, here you go. Do you need anything else?” I ask quietly. He takes a sip of his coffee that I already had waiting on his desk for him. I’m not ashamed to admit, I lick that rim every time he finishes his coffee. That is as close as I’ll probably ever actually get to his mouth. Coffee is absolutely disgusting, but it’s the only way I can get a small taste of him.
He looks up and takes the file from me, and gives me his signature grin, the grin I go home to masturbate to the thought of. “This is all. Thanks, Cori. You have any plans this weekend?” he asks me, making polite conversation. I don’t think he’d care if I ran off tomorrow and got married, as long as I was back in time for work.
I shake my head. “Not really. I think Melly might drag me out somewhere, as usual,” I say with a small laugh. My sister is always getting into something. Like that one time we got so drunk, and I let Melissa talk me into baconing Stacy Ips’ house. It was such a waste of bacon, but it was so worth it. At least, it was until, of course, Chelsea had to call Angel because Stacy and I were in a hair pulling fight, and Chelsea was worried someone would call the cops on me.
His eyes narrow. “Don’t let her get you into trouble.” After the blind date Melly set me up on last week, I haven’t heard the end of it from him—Blake, saying I let my sister get me into trouble too often. It’s not really that she gets me into trouble so much as she just wants me to settle down and be happy. At the same time, she’s fighting her own feelings for a certain bouncer that has been hot for her for years. She uses my love life as a distraction from her own.
“I won’t,” I answer softly. I’m not normally a pushover, or weak, or anything like that, but whenever I’m around Blake, he reduces me to a pile of goo. I am like putty in his hands, and he doesn’t even realize it. Melly is constantly on me to either just show him who I really am or get the hell over him. I can’t seem to do either.
“See you tomorrow, Cori,” he affirms as I walk out of his office swiftly.
I turn and smile over my shoulder and wink. His face freezes in shock as I realize what I just did. Oh, shit! I did not mean to do that just now. I scurry out of his office and close his door behind me gently, feeling so awkward. My cheeks flush with heat. I fall back in my chair and sigh, wondering, with a scowl on my face, what or whom Blake will be doing this weekend.
I don’t know why I let my mind wonder about him and women the way that I do. It is pure torture. Jealousy grips me tightly as I recall all of the dates I have arranged for him. I mentally check the women’s names off the list, wishing mine would be the last.
The clacking of keyboards in the background interrupts my pity party of one. Spinning around in my chair, I return to my work. There is always something that needs filed or a case that needs followed up on.
Later, I receive a text from my sister.
This weekend be ready for trouble. ~ Melly
BLAKE
I don’t know what is wrong with me. Cori is the only woman that I haven’t made a move on, and I don’t get why. I want her, have wanted her for years. Even with knowing about her past, in foster care and being with the Angels, I still want her. And that wink she just sent me over her shoulder, the one that she seemed shocked herself by giving me, well, damn. Her flirting was the last thing I was expecting.
I wanted so badly to get out of my seat and pull her to me for a damn kiss. But Cori is my assistant and a good girl I respect. I can only imagine the rumors that would circulate around the office about us. However, would I care?
I can’t stop thinking about her now, and I can’t keep from wondering what she does when she isn’t here. What is she doing this weekend? All I know is, somehow, she is always on my mind.
I grab my phone and scroll down to her sister’s number.
Don’t get Cori into trouble this weekend. I text Melissa.
Don’t worry, big shot. I won’t. She fires back.
That really doesn’t make me feel much better. Melissa is a good kid, but if she would just slow the hell down on her dating and partying, she would be able to see that she is more than what she thinks. Their mother really screwed them up.
She would pop back in and out of their life for years, according to what Angel once told me. Drilled it into Cori and Melissa’s heads that they were no good, no better than scum. It wa
sn’t until Angel stepped in and told her no more that she stayed away. I don’t think the girls have seen their mother since Cori was a teen. And good riddance to her. The woman was a real piece of work from what I have heard and read.
I get busy looking over the file Cori brought in for the Lawrence case. Mrs. Lawrence came to us a few months back, telling us her husband has been molesting her daughter. She discovered it when she was watching the nanny cam she installed in her daughter’s teddy bear. Sick fucker. Seems like a slam-dunk case. That’s the downside to this job… knowing what these children have to go through before we are called in.
My cell phone buzzes. I swipe the screen and realize it’s Stacy, this girl that won’t leave me the hell alone. Never before have I given a chick my number, but this one night, I made the mistake of getting too damn drunk and ended up letting her come home with me. Obviously, she got my number when I was passed out.
It’s a tit shot, I realize when I look down at my phone. I groan. Really? Why do women do that? Her tits aren’t even that great. I bet Corinne would never do shit like that.
“Knock knock,” I hear Adam say from my door.
I look up. “Hey, man.”
“Hey, we’re having our first company party next week. Has Cori finished everything that needs to be done for it?” he asks. We’re celebrating one hundred cases solved.
“Yeah, her sister is in charge of the food, and she asked her friend Randy to help out with the booze. He owns that nightclub that opened up downtown last month,” I say, my jealousy seeping out.
Adam smirks. “When are you just going to flat out ask her on a date?”
I rub my face and groan. “I don’t see her that way. You know that,” I lie through my gritted teeth.
He raises an eyebrow. “Sure, then you won’t be jealous when I tell you she’s bringing a date to the party. Someone that she keeps around purely for sex.” He emphasizes the word sex and raises his brows, wiggling them in a suggestive manner.
