I took it and rose from the bed.
“You need anything, you call me. I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of each other though.” His gaze flicked past me, and I turned to Keisha.
Her cheeks reddened and she looked away.
He cleared his throat. “Anyway, the two FBI agents out in the hall are here to protect you. That’s their job. Aside from Brett, Keisha, and your mom, anyone else has to go through them to get to you. All right?”
I nodded.
“Move back home. Take Rooster with you.”
Shock tore through me that he knew about my cat. “How did you know…”
“Tori, we’re FBI. We know everything.” Humor lit up his blue eyes, and I smiled.
Garrith looked past me at Keisha. “I’ll call you.”
I turned and saw her biting her lip, her cheeks flushed.
“Oh, fuck it.” He walked up to her and grabbed her face in his hands.
My cheeks heated at the intense kiss Garrith left on her lips, and I turned away.
A moan came from the bed, and then a moment later, Garrith walked past me, fire dancing in his eyes.
“No kissing on the job, asshole,” Brett admonished.
Garrith gave him the finger and laughed as he left the room.
I turned to Keisha. “Holy hell, what was that?”
“Oh God.” She sighed and flopped back on the bed. She then sat up, eyes wide. “Tori, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t be sitting here swooning while you…while you’re…oh, shit.” Unshed tears filled her eyes, and I quickly walked up to her.
“Keisha, you can’t stop living your life just because my life…” I cleared my throat. “…was taken…”
“Shhh…” She wrapped her arms around my neck, and I let the sobs take over…again.
Epilogue
A month later…
Dealing with Sebastian’s death was harder than I thought it would be. Not being able to give Sebastian a proper burial hurt me. I couldn’t say good-bye to him, and I needed that closure. My soul felt like it had been torn in two. I went on with my daily life and took care of Rooster, but a part of me was missing. I felt empty, like a hollow shell that someone else had control over. Like a puppet.
I understood that Sebastian was a criminal and that his body was now FBI property, but I just wished I could have seen him one last time.
Since moving back home, things with my mom had slowly mended. But every so often I would wake up screaming at night, my bed soaked from sweat. The nightmares tore at my sanity, and because of Jose, I was afraid that I would never be able to sleep again. My mom would come barreling into my room ready to take on my attacker, even if my attacker was just in my head.
I appreciated it,but even though I was living the dreams, it made my mother’s life hell. In the short amount of time I’d stayed with her, bags had taken up permanent residence under her eyes.
I had to leave. I couldn’t keep doing this to her, so I started looking for my own place.
Keisha stayed with me until I found a small apartment of my own just down the street from my mother’s home. She didn’t think it was a good idea for me to live by myself, but I needed a change, and as much as I loved my mom, us living together would eventually destroy our relationship again or harm her health. I had told her that she could visit as much as she wanted and that I was moving out for her.
Keisha would not let me live alone until things with Jose ended, so as headstrong as Keisha was, she up and quit her job in the city and moved in with me.
The two FBI agents, who I now knew as Gordon Cramer and John Lector, were with me constantly. They weren’t very social.
I had complained to Garrith, and he told me that they were paid to protect me, not be my friend. I frowned at that but let it go.
After my last conversation with Jose, I hadn’t heard from him again. I just started being able to walk down the street without jumping at every single sound.
I met with the counselor that nurse Beth recommended, and she said that that was normal for a victim of a kidnapping. Beth and I had become very good friends, having both lost a loved one. It seemed to bring us closer together.
Brett visited Keisha and I constantly, even though we both now lived several hours from him. It was nice and a much-needed change to get out of the city, but anxiety still swirled around in my belly. I knew that Jose was out there and that it was only a matter of time before he would find me again.
***
My mind wondered back to the present as I poured myself a glass of water. I went to our balcony and sat on one of the loungers, wrapping my sweater around me.
“Tori, there’s mail for you.” Keisha came out onto the balcony and handed me a small white envelope.
I turned it over, and the only thing written on it was my name and our address. “There’s no return address.”
She shrugged and sat beside me. “Open it.”
I placed my coffee down and tore into the envelope and pulled out a yellow piece of paper. As I read the words on the page, tears filled my eyes, and I slapped a hand to my mouth. “Oh God.”
Keisha grabbed the paper from my hands as a sob escaped my lips. Her eyes moved quickly across the page and then darted back up to meet mine. “What the fuck is this?”
She handed me back the paper and I read the words again.
Before you, I was blind.
Before you, I was deaf.
Before you, I was mute.
Before you, I was broken.
I was like shattered glass before you came into my life.
You picked up the pieces and slowly put me back together.
You’re my glue and you fixed me.
You are and will always be my happy, little one, and I and will always fucking love you.
~ Sebastian
P.S. Be patient, little one. I will come back to you.
***
I watched as my cochina and her slut of a friend sat on their apartment balcony.
Keisha handed her what looked like an envelope, and when Tori opened it and read what was in the letter, she burst into tears.
God, I fucking loved watching her cry, but being the one to make her cry was way fucking better. The way her tears rolled down her cheeks made me hard.
My dick jumped at the thought of licking the salty beads off her cheeks, and my mind went back to when she was strapped down to my bed.
Fuck, if only I hadn’t been interrupted. Her hot little pussy would have been tightly wrapped around my cock instead of just my fingers.
I sighed and watched her friend, Keisha, grab the letter out of her hand. A moment later, shock etched her beautiful features. She was gorgeous, but she wasn’t my girl.
There seemed to be a change in Tori, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. My cochina was something else, but I bet that Keisha had some spirit in her too.
I rubbed my jaw as I continued to watch them. Maybe Keisha would come in handy. Two for the price of one, then I could get rid of her asshole brother like I did with Sebastian.
Sebastian.
Just thinking of him set my blood fucking boiling. That fucker ruined everything, and my cochina was going to pay for it. The love she felt for my old partner would fucking die once I got through with her. If she didn’t stop loving him and love me instead, I would beat it or fuck it out of her or maybe even both.
She was going to love me. I would make damn sure of it. She had no fucking choice really. We were meant to be together.
It was only a matter of time before I would reveal myself to her. Let her know that I found her. My dick throbbed at the thought of seeing her again, and I couldn’t fucking wait.
She would be mine and mine alone. If I couldn’t have her, no one could. It would take some time, but Tori and I would be together again.
***TO BE CONTINUED***
Coming Soon...
Book 2 in the Shattered series
Always Me
Forgetting is hard to do.
Tori McLeod survived the sadistic wrath of a madman at the cost of the love of her life. Always a survivor, she’s determined to move on with her life, for her sake, and the sake of her son, even if she has to leave everything and everyone behind.
Two years have passed since she lost Sebastian Chelios. He was gone, but Tori can still feel the raw magnetism pulling her toward a ghost.
Relationships change and new bonds form. Budding feelings tempt Tori, but she continues to ache for Sebastian.
Whispers of danger lurk around the corner and questions regarding Jose remain unanswered.
Can Tori move on with her life when a dark shadow from her past revisits her? With Jose still being out there, will Tori and her son ever be truly safe?
About the Author
Jo-Anna is from a small city in Ontario, Canada -- born and raised. She lives with her husband, Michael, and their two furbabies (cats), Ziggy and Oreo.
She just took up writing in 2013 and loves it! She absolutely loves her characters and cannot wait to share their stories with the world.
Table of Contents
Break Me
Acknowledgments
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Epilogue
Coming Soon...
About the Author
Break Me (Shattered) Page 21
