by Rachel Angel
“They’re treating me pretty well,” I said. “Drake and Dillon…they even tell me they love me.”
Megan’s face fell. “They did? How did they suddenly go from hating you and hoping you would leave, to being in love with you?”
“I think it’s possible,” I said. “We’ve spent so much time together at school and at home. We get along so well at school now that it’s become a better home environment too.”
“Well, isn’t that nice?” Megan said sarcastically. “It doesn’t make sense.”
“What’s going on?” I asked Megan who suddenly seem angry and resentful.
“Did you know there had been so many strange and tragic events that befell the Tritons?” Megan asked.
“What are you talking about?”
“The murders?”
My eyes widen. “What murders?”
“It’s all been hidden from the news but through time, the Triton women had been mysterious murdered,” Megan said. “I’d be careful if I was you.”
“Who? I know their aunt Emma was kidnapped and killed, but who else?”
“Tristan and the Twins’ last stepmother about a year ago was found drown in the Falls,” Megan said.
“I didn’t know,” my heart dropped.
“And their own mother was murdered when Tristan was kidnapped.”
“Tristan was kidnapped?” My heart felt so sad for him.
“Yes, it was horrible. He was traumatized for years. On top of that, his mother was killed in his place so the guilt was horrific.”
“No wonder why Tristan is so protective of me,” I said. “Were the kidnappers ever caught?”
“No, and then their stepmother was killed,” Megan said. “See a pattern?”
I nodded. “Why are you telling me all of this?”
“Because, Honeybunch,” Megan said. “I like you. Really like you, and I’m worried about you being with the Tritons. That their last stepmother died mysteriously…then Terrence marries your mother soon afterwards… something strange is going on.”
“You think I should tell my mother?” I asked.
“As soon as you can,” Megan said. “I don’t think she’s safe. I don’t think you’re safe.” Megan stood up. “I hate to run, but I have to get back to New York, and traffic will be a mess. I’ve been digging up lots of stuff on your stepfamily, Haven. Just be careful, and don’t trust anyone.”
Chapter 13
Megan
I left my meeting with Haven feeling I had planted the seeds of doubt into Haven’s lovely and hot mind. She needed a wakeup call if she was going to remain in that hateful family, the Tritons.
They were nothing but liars, cheaters, and murderers. From the very start of knowing the Tritons, they cheated our family of its fortune. Yes, the Bradshaws were filthy rich compared to everyone else, but not as much as we would have been had it not been for the Tritons’ cheating ways. Compared to the Tritons, the Bradshaws weren’t even mentioned every single time as the founders of Heartbreak Falls when it was our ancestor’s fortunes that helped theirs build the town. They cheated our family from the glory of being known as the founders of Heartbreak Falls.
Our ancestor Elijah Bradshaw was the one who funded the entire building of the town, yet Josiah stole his thunder and took all the credit. Because of that, our family had always played second fiddle to the Tritons.
With all the scandals and secrets they’ve buried finally being discovered and unleashed, thanks to all my digging, the Bradshaws would get their just desserts.
I packed up my BMW convertible and headed towards New York. As I suspected, there was traffic.
My phone rang, and I put it on speaker phone.
“Ms. Bradshaw, did you accomplished your task?”
“Yes I did,” I said. “I met with the new Triton family member who knew nothing about her new family. She also knew nothing about her own family’s past.”
“So gullible, yet she has so much potential.”
“I know, right?” I said.
“Your revenge will be swift and sharp.”
“My revenge will be soon,” I said smiling.
“After all these years. Well-deserved.”
“Thank you,” I said.
I hung up and tried to look for a place to go to the bathroom. I drank too much pumpkin latte at the cute café I met Haven at. At least the trip back to Heartbreak Falls made me get coffee from that cute café. Always wanted to try that place, growing up in Heartbreak Falls, but never got the chance.
Down a few miles, there was a rest stop. Thank goodness.
As soon as I got to the rest stop, I ran into the park-like restroom. I was finishing up and washing my hands when someone covered my eyes with something dark and then I felt a sharp unbearable pain in my chest that left me reeling and falling down. My purse fell to the ground, and whoever attacked me grabbed my purse. I reached up with my hands to pull off what was covering my face.
When it was off, I looked down.
I had been stabbed in the chest, through to the heart, and I had lost a lot of blood. I was trying to reach my phone, when I realized it was in my purse, which the assailant had taken.
“Help!” I yelled. “Help!”
I felt weak. I tried to get up, but I lost too much blood.
Everything was growing black in front of me. Then I took my last breath.
Chapter 14
Haven
I was beginning to think Heartbreak Falls was not just named after Josiah Triton’s lost love story, but because of the tragedies the founding families, especially the new family Mom married into The Triton’s own tragic family history.
Were the tragedies mere coincidences or were they planned and tied into a more sinister plot? Why weren’t any of these murders ever solved or heard about for such a prominent family?
First, Emma Triton, who was Terrence’s sister, was kidnapped and then murdered.
Then Rose Bradshaw, who was Terrence’s first wife and the mother of Tristan, Drake, and Dillon. She was kidnapped and then murdered.
And the Triton’s last stepmother, Penelope Hills, who died just about a year ago. Drowned in Heartbreak Falls, the waterfall, itself. She was a strong swimmer, but it was hard to swim under the falls during stormy weather. Her death was deemed an accident. But it was suspicious.
Then this last murder. Max’s cousin Megan, who was this wild child heiress that suddenly became a friend of mine who wanted more as she was into women and men. I still was in shock over her death. She had been attack and robbed since her purse was missing. All the contents of her convertible car were taken, including her laptop and bag. They said a homeless person attacked her and left her for dead. I didn’t care. I just knew I lost a friend who wanted to warn me about the Tritons.
What was the connection?
Would Mom or I be a target too? So far, it seemed the only Triton family members killed were the female ones.
Chapter 15
Tristan
Seeing the flames quickly burning through the hay, leaves, and other random items that made up the heap of the bonfire was a beautiful sight.
As the representative of the founding family of Heartbreak Falls, I had lit the match that burned all the evidence in the bonfire celebration we had in the Town Square off Main Street for our Fall Foliage Festival, Heartbreak Falls’ kick off to the fall and winter holidays.
The bonfire was the perfect place to bury all of Megan’s belongings, especially her diary, her phone, her laptop. The incriminating evidence she had against us would finally be laid to rest. Destroyed.
Too bad she had to die the way she did, but that’s what happen when you play with fire and stick your nose into something you shouldn’t. Or try to take away something or someone from someone else. She knew Haven was mine, yet she dared to seduce her. Break my hold on Haven even and tried to make her despise being a Triton. Well, she paid the ultimate price, didn’t she? Let that be a lesson to anyone who dared to take anything from me.
I smiled into the crowd of townspeople, happy smiles on their faces as they wait for the bonfire to really grow and the band to begin playing. They waited for me to begin my speech to kick off the season. I’d always love this part of being a Triton…the ability to make a difference in people’s lives, no matter how big or small that difference.
“We always love celebrating the traditions in life at Heartbreak Falls. They’re special to all of us as we uphold the very traditions our town was built on every fall. That is persistence, providence, and pride. Heartbreak Falls may be named after Josiah Triton’s heartbreak, but it was built by his persistence and the townspeople’s pride of their hometown. Let the beautiful fall foliage festival begin!”
The crowd cheered, and the band started playing a lively celebratory song. I watched everyone join in the festivities. Haven was standing with Dillon and Drake, Drake’s arm was around her waist, while his hand was dangerously close to her breast. Somehow that little detail made my blood boil. Beloved brother or not, Drake was getting too dangerously attached to Haven. My Haven. The only woman for me. The only person who could make me feel alive after feeling dead for so many years following my kidnapping. When I was in therapy following my kidnapping, I heard rumors and whispers about me not being the same…that I may have some pent up darkness from suffering and witnessing such horrors that led to my mother’s brutal death.
Because she sacrificed her life for me, I had carried a guilt and a savage need for revenge that made me ruthless.
I think they were right. I was ruthless, and I was unapologetic for anything. I won’t apologize for wanting Haven and for fucking her every chance I get. For giving it to her hard. I won’t apologize for fucking and owning her sweet stepsister pussy. She was born for me to fuck.
I didn’t care what the papers said about us being a family. She wasn’t blood. But she has become part of my flesh.
When I was near her, I could think of nothing but wanting her. Being in her. Her body was home to me. I couldn’t explain it, but when it came to Haven, I would lose all sense of self control. I would lose all rational thoughts. I know she wants me but she won’t give in completely to me. Her mind wouldn’t allow her to…especially now that she is starting to see us as her stepfamily, and she had become fascinated with the Triton family history.
To make her accept me as her lover, fully and completely. To make her accept Drake and Dillon as her lovers, we have to make Pamela Hillshire separate from our father. Break them apart so Haven is no longer officially a stepsister of ours.
For that, we must continue to bully her. For that, I will continue to own her. Carry out every single step to make her completely mine. And continue to break her until she stops being officially a Triton.
What I’d do for love.
Anything.
*****
Haven, Tristan, Drake, Dillon, and Max’s story continues in
Book 2 of The Heartbreak Falls Series
Break Me Not
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XX7HZZZ
Dare Me Not
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Z4369V7
Destroy Me Not
Love Me Not
Excerpt
CRUSHED: Before Summer
kailin gow
Loving Summer Prequel
3 Years Before Loving Summer Book 1
Summer
Out of all the excitement and activities that went on for the Donovans’ birthday dinner, I had forgotten to let them know I was going to live with Aunt Sookie for the school year and attend Hidden Falls Academy where Aunt Sookie had some pull to get me in although they normally wouldn’t accept new students this late into the enrollment period. All the students attending had enrolled in the Spring of last year. For me to start in the fall when the enrollment period closed half a year ago, made me stick out like a sore thumb. I expected some students may act resentful toward me for possibly taking some student’s place in being able to attend the most prestigious private academy in the U.S.
What I didn’t expect was that they were so resentful, even the top 3 students of the academy, who ran the Academy and were expected to keep the order and prestige of the school sacred, had decided it wasn’t fair I was allowed into the Academy due to my relations to a celebrity actress, and that I needed to be scared out. The Top 3 students were called the Knights, and they were to enforce the student body’s agenda.
*****
I drove Mom’s black jeep up the hill along a windy narrow but well-paved and well-maintained road past the secret waterfall that was hidden in the hills, to the black iron and gold gates with an ornate HF Crest.
At the gate, I showed them my pass to get through the gate, then I made my way to park at the front in the temporary visitor’s parking space. I parked it and walked up to the Administrative Offices, where I was supposed to pick up my parking pass to park in the student lot along with the student uniforms I had ordered. They were burgundy and navy plaid along with a white polo top.
“Can we help you?” the pretty Asian American woman asked.
“I’m Summer Jones,” I said. “I enrolled late so I was told my parking pass would be here for me to pick up along with my school uniform?”
She filed through a bin on the ground under the desk in front of her and said, “Ah, here you are.” She smiled and said, “You’re Sookie’s niece?”
“Yes,” I said. “Do you know her?”
“Oh, I know her alright,” she said. “I took some of her acting classes years ago when she first opened the Acting Academy, and fell in love with theater. I work here during the day, but I perform in some of the local theaters on weekends and at night right now. I love it.”
“That’s great! I’m so glad you’re pursuing it,” I said.
“We wanted to hire her to teach Drama at this Academy years ago, but she’s just so busy with her own school,” the young woman said.
“Maybe she can teach a guest class,” I said, “Um…”
“Ashley,” the young woman said. “That’s a great idea. She’s well-known, and the kids here still watch her television shows. That would be a start. I’ll ask our Head of Education about that.”
“I think Aunt Sookie would love to do it,” I said.
“Great,” Ashley said. “If you need anything, just let me know.”
“Thank you, Ashley. I get the feeling I’ll enjoy being here.”
“You’ll love it. Most of the students here do.”
I took my package, opened it, and went to the women’s restroom next to the reception desk to change into my uniform. The uniform fit me like a glove and was snug. I made a mental note to order the next size up in case it was considered too tight and not regulation size for the school.
Then I walked to my car, hung my pass on my mirror, and drove to the student lot. My eyes ballooned as I pass row upon row of the most expensive and luxurious cars I’ve seen. I felt I was cruising down a luxury and rare car dealership rather than a high school academy parking lot.
I finally found a space next to a red Maserati convertible which was a tight squeeze. The color was exquisite ruby red glitter like the ruby red slippers from the Wizard of Oz. Who drives a car like that to school?
I opened my door carefully, trying to not touch the Maserati when a loud horn sounded in my ear. And I jumped.
My car’s passenger door slammed into the door of the Maserati with a bang, and I closed my eyes, wincing “Oh no!”
My entire body stiffened as I bit down on my lips.
“Well well well,” a male voice said behind me. “What do we have here?”
I opened my eyes to see a boy about my age or older, with blue hair, half covering his face. His blue eyes peered amusingly at me, taking me all in from head to toe. He had on the school uniform, but it was filled out with a tight muscular body. The buttons on his white shirt were unbuttoned all the way to the top of his waist band, leaving no imagination to how toned his abs and stomach was. And that he had tattoos everyw
here.
He had a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, while his tongue played with the silver lip rings on his lower lip.
My mouth dropped, and I was probably drooling. I have never met anyone as sexy as this guy in front of me.
“Hey, New Girl,” he said, taking the cigarette out of his mouth and placing it into the corner of mine. He took a match, lit it and lit the cigarette in my mouth before he took it out and licked the area of the cigarette that had touched my mouth before placing into his mouth. He looked down into the valley between my breasts and said, “The plaid looks damn good on you.”
“Thanks,” I said. “It looks pretty fine on you, too.” I said lowering my eyes to look at his plaid pants, that was growing tighter by the second, especially in front. My eyes traveled up his bare torso and to his lips before settling on his eyes.
