Fate Loves (Twist of Fate Book 3)
Page 29
I’ve drunk the first beer by the time Aiden joins me. The Corona went down so fast, I don’t recall tasting it. That’s not how I wanted my first taste of liquor since that small sip of champagne at my wedding. I wanted to savor it. I’ve missed it so much. There were many moments over the last year that I’ve wanted nothing more than to get wasted to forget.
Aiden kneels in between my legs, his hands on my thighs. I look over his head at the water, avoiding eye contact.
“He did it for you,” he murmurs. My eyes snap to his.
“Me?” My face twists. “He didn’t do it for me. If he had, he would have told me.” I look away and swallow. “You know how many hours I spent looking. Wondering. And he knew this whole time!” I take the cap off the other beer and take a quick drink. Aiden’s head drops. “Did you know?” I whisper.
He looks up quickly. “No. Stone just told me.” I stare into his eyes, looking for the truth. Shit. I forget who I’m married to sometimes. “I swear, Addison, I would have told you.” He squeezes my thigh.
“Why didn’t Max?” I cry out. Tears burn my cheeks.
“I don’t know. You’re going to have to ask him that.” His eyes focus over my head, and he nods at someone. I’d look behind me, but I know Max is there. “I love you, baby.” He kisses me softly on the lips and pushes off. I manage a smile before he disappears behind me.
The chair creaks as Max sits down. I can feel the tension between us on my chest. I take another drink, trying to swallow the lump of anger I want to spew. My thoughts take me back a year, to the day we got back from our familymoon with Lexi.
Aiden’s phone started blowing up that morning. At first he didn’t answer because we had just got back, but it continued. His boss called. Max called. Jaxon called. Something was wrong. I remember the second he found out what was wrong. His knees gave out and he fell to the floor. His world had just shifted underneath him, crippling him.
His best friend was dead.
We found out that Damon had been shot two days earlier. He was working a child murder case. He and Aiden had been working on it together before we left. I had to put the pieces together, but what I gathered was one of the tips they were given ended up being the suspect. When Damon and his team went to arrest the guy, the guy opened fire and hit Damon. He died while in surgery. Aiden blamed himself because he wasn’t there to help. I felt conflicted. I felt like I had to choose. The two most important people in my life just lost someone important, and I didn’t know how to comfort them both at the same time. I tried to be there for both of them, but I didn’t try hard enough. I failed Sydney.
She was there for me without any hesitation my entire life, whenever I needed her, but I couldn’t do the same for her the one time she needed me. I beat myself up every day knowing she left because of me. She left the day after the funeral. No goodbye. Nothing. The part of my heart that was dedicated to only her was crushed. I looked for her for months. I didn’t ask for help because of the guilt I carried. I didn’t want to burden anyone for something I caused. Her father passed away a couple years ago, so I thought she might go live with her mother for a while. Her mother hadn’t heard from her either. She was closer to Amy than her own parents, so I wasn’t surprised.
Every day I wrote her a letter, hoping that would be the day I’d find out where she was so I could send it to her. I have three hundred and sixty-four letters waiting for her. Today is the anniversary of Damon’s funeral. We’re celebrating the life of a loved one who was taken away from us too soon. I’m also mourning the loss of a sister who is still here but has left me.
Jett’s middle name is Damon. All the guys call him JD. When we were deciding on a name, I threw out Jett. Aiden thought I was kidding. I wasn’t. My first love was named Jett. Damon was a given for the middle name. Both names changed our lives for the better. So, our baby boy became Jett Damon Roberts.
I sigh and finally look over at Max. “How long have you known?”
His body tenses and I see him open and close his hands. “The whole time,” he mutters, looking down at his hand. I draw in a ragged breath, looking away from him.
“You knew, Max…” I choke back my tears “You knew what her leaving did to me.” I push off the chair, walking to the edge of the water. “Why didn’t you tell me?” I whisper. I doubt he heard me. I jump when I feel his hands on my shoulders.
“She told me not to,” he says, folding his arms around my chest. I cover my eyes with my hand and cry. She hates me. “She called me the day after the funeral, asking me if I could fly her to California.” I drop my hand. California? “I tried to get answers. Told her not to go. But she said it was something she had to do.” I pull his arms off my chest and turn around. His jaw is clenched as he runs his hand behind his neck.
I take a couple deep breaths. “It’s time,” I declare. “It’s time to bring her home.”
“I don’t know if she’ll come.”
“I need you to try.” My voice shakes. I can taste my tears on my lips.
He closes his eyes for a moment and nods. “Okay.”
Acknowledgements
Y’all! I can’t believe I’m done with Addison and Aiden’s story. I’m a little sad. I’ve lived in their world for the last two years so it’s bittersweet. How many of you hated the way the epilogue ended? C’mon! I warned you! Obviously, Sydney’s book is next. I haven’t started writing it yet, so I can’t even guess a date right now. There is another book that is screaming at me to write it so it might come first. It’s going to be a standalone and the title is Blinding Echo (well, that’s the title for now). Make sure to like my Facebook page, Instagram, or sign up for my newsletter to stay informed of future books.
If you’re reading this, I can’t thank you enough for following me on this journey into the writing world. It’s been a surreal experience. I’ve been humbled by the outpouring of support and love from friends, family, readers, bloggers and other authors. I still can’t believe I’ve published three books.
To my alpha/beta readers—Tiffany, Lori, Traci and Michelle—you guys are my rock stars. Your thoughts and opinions have helped me make the Twist of Fate trilogy what it is today. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Max and Elaine, I couldn’t have done this without you two! Max, you bring life to my words and Elaine, you make them spotless. Thank you both for sticking with me while I was learning and my last minute tendencies. I promise, I’ll get better at that.
To my wonderful husband, you definitely win husband and dad of the year. Thank you for your patience when I had deadlines and your support throughout this whole process. It means the world to me. Love you!
Of course, to my readers and bloggers. You are the Nutella to my banana (in my world there isn’t anything better!). Thank you for all your kind words and for reading my books! Y’all ROCK! Last, but not least, thank you to the girls I found on Facebook and messaged asking if you’d answer some questions about places I’d never been but needed to know about, you’re awesome for helping me out.
About the author
Tina Saxon lives in Dallas, Texas, with her husband and two kids. She’s not afraid to try new things because it’s outside the box of typical housewife. CEO of her home is by far the most rewarding job she has ever had. Her jobs include, but are not limited to, seamstress, carpenter, craft extraordinaire, PTA President, chauffeur, dance mom, mediator—of mentioned kids—and author. Once upon a time she was a Financial Analyst but traded in budgets and forecasts for diapers and bottles. The former was definitely easier but the latter more fulfilling.
Tina’s love for reading surged into her passion for writing. Wanting to bring the reader an intriguing story that’s hard to put down with steamy love scenes that heat you up, she’s always thinking of the perfect way to take you down that path.
For more information about Tina and her books, visit:
https://www.tinasaxon.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16743159.Tina_Saxon
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Table of Contents
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 twenty
Chapter twenty-one
Chapter twenty-two
Chapter twenty-three
Chapter twenty-four
Chapter twenty-five
Chapter twenty-six
Chapter twenty-seven
Chapter twenty-eight
Chapter twenty-nine
Chapter thirty
Author’s note
Epilogue
Acknowledgements
About the author