by Cassy Roop
My eyes misted up at the thought, and a single tear trickled down my cheek and Dominic lifted his thumb to catch it.
I gasped suddenly as a memory from the courtroom came to me.
“Rownan! He’s FBI? Wow. I should be completely pissed off at him for lying to me. He isn’t even British.” I chuckled slightly.
Dominic’s expression changed suddenly and he looked away from me as his brows furrowed together.
“Hey. What’s wrong?” I asked him trying to force him to look at me again.
“You might be mad at him for lying to you, but you should be thanking him. Hell, I should be thanking him.”
“I’m confused. What are you talking about?”
“The reason you weren’t shot when Victoria aimed the gun at you was because Rownan jumped in front of you just in time. I’m not going to lie to you, Ashley. He was hurt. Badly. Last I heard, he was in surgery. It doesn’t look good.”
Keep Reading for a snippet from Delisa Lynn’s novel, Fated.
~ Age Ten ~
“Mommy, why can’t I play with the Kelley kids? Tatum is my best friend and her parents are so nice to me. Daddy said I can go to their house. So why can’t I?”
“Audrey Renee Ridge, I won’t tell you again, you stay the fuck away from those people. They’re nothing but trash. If I catch you playing with those brats, you will be punished, your father will not protect you this time. Do you understand me? Look at me when I’m speaking to you.”
I lift my chin up to look at that mean painted face. My mom wears a lot of make-up. Way worse than that Mimi woman on TV. She always wears blue eye shadow, pink blush and red lipstick.
“Yes, ma’am, I understand. When will daddy be home? He said he would only be gone a few days. It’s been a week and I miss him. Friday is my parent teacher conference; will you both be attending this time?”
“Your father is working with a big client, and it’s none of your business when he will be home. This is grown folk business, no need for a child to ask questions about. Your parent teacher conference isn’t your father’s number one priority. If he makes it, then he does; if not, then I will for sure be there. If they tell me you have been disobeying, or you have anything other than an A+’s, you will regret it. So I suggest you go to your room and study.”
“Yes, ma’am. I will be back down at dinner.”
My mom isn’t the nicest person; she and my father are two totally opposite people. He is always nice and doesn’t yell and cuss, but my momma on the other hand is mean, I swear she’s the devil.
My best friend Tatum Kelley lives on the other side of town. Her daddy works for the Martin’s farm and her mom is a nurse. They are a very nice family, but my mom hates them. She says they are trash because their house isn’t as big as ours is and they don’t have jobs like my parents.
My daddy is one of Birmingham’s finest business men. He owns Ridge Custom Furniture and there are branches all over the world. My momma is an event planner, when she isn’t drunk. I’m an only child and I honestly believe I’m a mistake in my mother’s eyes.
I’m not allowed to associate with any of my friends outside of school and even then my momma still tries to keep me away from them. She enrolled me into a private all-girls school, but my father wouldn’t see to it. He normally let’s her make all the decisions but with this, he said he was putting his foot down.
He tries to let me see my friends and he allows them to visit when my mother isn’t home. They both travel a lot for their jobs and I like it that way. Nell is my nanny and she lets Tatum stay over, or lets me stay at her house when she knows that my parents aren’t going to be home.
I’m in my room studying and I can hear my mom yelling, but I just turn my radio up so I can’t hear her. I thought maybe Daddy came home and they are arguing like they normally do, but she comes pushing through my door and grabs me by my ponytail.
“You fucking little bitch. I warned you to stay away from that trash, but no you couldn’t listen could you? Why is Vivian Kelley calling here asking if you can come to a sleep over? How the fuck did she get my number?”
“Momma, I don’t know what you are talking about? I didn’t give it to her I swear…Oomph… Momma please, that hurts...”
“Oh, it’s going to hurt ten times harder if you don’t hold your fat ass still…smack… I told you I don’t like that trash…smack… Now think about this and maybe you can come down for dinner. Of course you don’t need any food the way you look”
“Ye…yes, ma’am, I’m sorry. I will not talk to Tatum or Zander again. I promise.” I say with tears streaming down my cheeks.
I love my best friend and her brother; he is always so nice and he is the only boy that doesn’t call me rich girl, or make fun of my big butt. I don’t think I’m fat, but my momma calls me that all the time.
My daddy says I’m perfect and that God makes us all different for a reason. I’m his little Audrey Pooh. That’s what he calls me. My mom calls me fat ass, sometimes she calls me other cuss words like little bitch.
Daddy finally comes home, I tell him how Momma has been treating me. She’s at work, so he’s taking me to Mable’s for lunch. We love to go there but Momma hates it.
He says he will talk to Momma and that I can stay at Tatum’s for the weekend. He drives me there himself and talks to Mrs. Kelley, to make sure it’s okay I stay the whole weekend.
Once I arrive, Tatum and I change into our swimsuits. We’re going down to the swim hole to swim with Zander and Evan. Tatum has a huge crush on Evan. We change and run to the swim spot, and the boy’s aren’t there yet, we decide to jump in anyways.
“Audrey, what happened to your back? Is that a bruise—it looks awful.”
“Umm…yea, it is. I fell into the shower door last week.” I say, lying. I didn’t want to tell her that my momma hurts me because she hates her family and me. So I think it’s better to make a story up and tell her.
“Oh, it looks like it hurts. You are so clumsy. Did you see how Boney Tony was looking at me the other day on recess? He gives me the creeps.”
“Yeah, he does me too, Ta. I think he has the hots for you though, but we know you only have eyes for Evan.” I said in a sing-song voice.
“Shh, here they come. And I know you like Zander, so don’t even say you don’t.”
I do like Zander, but I know he doesn’t like me like that. I’m not as pretty as most of the girls he talks to. He is also a year older than Ta and me and very handsome.
We swim with the boys and go horseback riding. Then we go to the Martin’s for a hog roast. I didn’t even know what that is until Ta tells me. At my house we don’t eat meat unless it’s chicken or turkey. But Momma says that it’s not considered meat.
My wonderful weekend at the Kelley’s is over and my daddy is on his way to pick me up. On the way home, he tells me he is going to take me target shooting because I need to learn how to use a gun, in case I ever need to.
We drive to the range and he doesn’t mention Momma, so I hope she isn’t too upset that he allowed me to stay with my friends.
“Daddy, is Momma home?”
“Yes, she is and we talked. You don’t have to stay away from your friends any longer. Your mother is just set in her ways, she thinks you should hang out with the children at the Country Club. I think the Kelley’s are great people, I know you like to go over there.”
“Thank you, Daddy. Tatum and Zander are my best friends. They don’t treat me differently because of where we live or how much money we have. That’s why I like them so much.” I say with unshed tears in my eyes. Daddy looks at me and smiles. “Thanks again, Daddy. I’m glad your home.”
Once we arrive and I’m shown how to shoot, I realize I don’t like it. Dad is adamant that I know how to use a gun, though. When we get home, Momma isn’t very nice, she’s being her normal mean self and drinking. When she drinks, she’s even meaner. Poor Nell is always getting yelled at.
Every time I hear my parents yelling
and fighting, she tells my dad that he will never get her money or me. My grandfather, her father, is the governor of Alabama. My mom says that if it wasn’t for her money, my dad wouldn’t be as successful as he is now. Dad just tells her to shut-up. I try not to listen, but it’s hard not to.
The following morning, I go down for breakfast and Dad isn’t here; it’s just momma and me, and I can tell she is already drinking. I sit at the breakfast table and start eating my food that Nell has prepared for me. The looks she’s giving me, makes me very uncomfortable and scared.
“What did you tell your father, you little bitch?” she yells as she hits the table with her hand.
“I…I don’t know what you mean, Momma.” I say, cringing.
“You know exactly what I mean. Do you know that you are the reason your father and I argue all the time? It’s all because of you. You’re an ungrateful little brat. I give you all this.” She gestures with her hands. “A nice house, nice clothes, shoes, then betray me by staying with those people. The people I tell you are no good; you’re just like them—trash. Because of your actions, you aren’t going to school today. You’ll stay with me the entire day. Now eat all of your food. You and I are taking a little trip.”
“I need to go to school! Can’t we do it after words?” I cry.
“NO… Now eat.”
I eat just as I’m told to, and once I finish, my mother takes me for a drive. The trip is to the house she grew up in, but my grandparents don’t live there anymore. It looks vacant. The house looks like an old mansion. It’s brick, with white columns all around. There’s an armor gate, trees line the road leading to the home. I’m sure it was beautiful once upon a time, but now it looks like something out of a scary movie.
“You know your wonderful friends the Kelley’s? Well, Dexter Kelley was my boyfriend; we fell in love here. Then he went off to the Army and came back with that trash Vivian. He broke my heart and left me for her. Then I was stuck with your father because I became pregnant with your fat ass. I never wanted you Audrey, your father is the only reason why you are here. So you have him to thank.”
She is drunk and is scaring me. I need my daddy more than anything else right now.
“Momma, please let’s go. I won’t talk to them anymore. Now take me to school, please.” I beg to her. I try running off the porch, but she grabs me and throws me into the door. “Momma, you’re hurting me, please stop.”
“You’ve ruined my life; everything your father does is for you, not for me. He used to love me until you were born, you have ruined the last ten years of my life. We are going to go home, you are going to tell your father you want to go to St. Mary’s and you’re going to go this time.”
“Okay, Momma, I’ll go.” I say crying. We walk to the car and I slide in the backseat. My mother takes another swig from her flask and slides behind the wheel of her Lexus. We drive about twenty minutes. I must have drifted to sleep because I awaken to sirens and a police officer asking me questions. From what he is telling me, my mom ran a stop sign and hit a tree.
We both managed not to get a scratch, but the car isn’t as lucky. The policeman calls my father, and he comes and picks me up. I tell him everything my mother has told me. My mother’s being arrested for driving drunk. This is the fourth time she’s been caught. They say she’s definitely spending some time in jail and no amount of money will help her at this point.
I’m not sure what my father does or says to her, but she signs the divorce papers in the police car. She promises not to bother us anymore and just like that, she is gone. She doesn’t even tell me goodbye, she sends someone for her things at home.
It’s been almost three years since everything happened with my birth mother. She has moved out of Alabama and doesn’t contact us at all, but I still see my grandparents on the holidays.
My daddy remarried a wonderful woman named Carlie. I call her mommy and she is super nice and treats me as if I am her own. I’ve never told the Kelley’s about my mother’s infatuation with Mr. Kelley and they never ask about my mother. My father had no clue that my mother was in love with Dexter until the day I told him.
~ Four Years Later In Birmingham ~
I watch her walk down the hall, auburn curls cascading over her shoulders. The black leggings she has on shows every curve she has— hips swinging side to side. Seeing her smile that smile—makes my heart melt. Then I see him grab her hand. How the hell I let her end up with that douche is beyond me. Today is my last day of high school, but she still has another year. When I say she, I mean Audrey Ridge—the only girl that has ever made my fucking heart race. The only girl that won’t give me the time of day, but I can’t say that I blame her. She knows my reputation and about all the other girls. I’ve never wanted anyone as bad as I want her and I know she can sense it. She still insists on pushing me away. Although, I know she’s with that prick, I decide to make a dickhead move. I’ll have at least a kiss from her before I leave for New York.
I walk quickly down the hall in her direction. He has her pinned up against the locker, running his grimy hands across her beautiful face. Being the guy that I am, no way I’m watching this. “Hey, Audrey.” I say, as I get a little closer. “Party tonight at the swimming hole. Be there and dick-face isn’t invited. Also, last baseball game is next Saturday.” I say, as I lean in and kiss her cheek.
The look Ian is giving me just makes me laugh harder. Ha, mission accomplished. Fuck-face. Now if she comes without him tonight, I really have accomplished my goal. Knowing her and the feisty gal she is, he will be by her side.
Wow, Audrey shows up and she’s actually alone. Thank God because I didn’t want to beat the hell out of her dude tonight. She’s wearing a tight little dress with her bikini under it. I know she can see me staring her up and down as she’s talking to my sister. I walk over to them and don’t say anything, as I take Audrey in my arms and hug her.
“You look so fucking good, baby.” I say, as I kiss her cheek. “I see you didn’t bring your boy-toy. Good.”
“Thanks, dick-weed, so do you.” She says with a giggle. “Nope, he doesn’t follow me everywhere you know.”
“How about you and me go get in the water?” I say as I grab her hand and pull her toward the water. We call it the swimming hole, but it’s just a big circle full of water. Mr. Martin, Evan’s grandfather, made it years ago when his children where young. I’ve been coming here as long as I can remember. Hell, I even lost my virginity here when I was fourteen; yeah, I know, that sounds bad. I was a freshman and she was a senior.
As Audrey and I get into the water, I stay as close to her as possible. She’s pulling all of her hair up on top of her head in a ball, which exposes that beautiful neck of hers. I want to place kisses all up and down her. Her rosy complication is beautiful; she has a few freckles across her nose.
“I would love to kiss you right now Audrey.” I say as I wrap my hands around her waist.
“You know I’m with Ian. You and I can never be together.” She says as she splashes me.
“Why’s that, I know you feel what I feel.” I say as I place my lips right above her ear. I can see the chills I give her. The way she shivers in my hands, I have that effect on her.
“I do care for you, but we can never be more than friends. Now quit looking at me like I’m a damn plate of cheese fries.”
“Oh, trust me baby, you look better than some cheese fries. Someday you will share my feelings. I just hope it’s not too late.” I say as I place a kiss to her neck and watch her shiver again. “See what I do to you?”
“Keep dreaming, playboy.” She giggles.
We continue to swim and have a great time. Later on, we are all sitting around the bonfire playing truth or dare. I of course have to dare her to kiss me. She catches my bluff and kisses my damn cheek. I guess I didn’t specify. I just said kiss. I end up walking her to her car and she kisses my cheek again. I will take whatever I can get, I guess. As long as it’s from her, I don’t care if she kisses my da
mn pinky.
Today is the last game of my high school career and I’m going to miss my teammates. I’m the only one going to NYU. I’ve played baseball since I was old enough to. I love the game because it makes me feel alive. Standing on the pitcher’s mound, pitching the ball, gives me a feeling that I love and I’ve decided to play in college. I’m good enough to go pro, but I could never play baseball for a living. Walking into the locker room, I hear Bosh’s voice and he is talking with Ian. Audrey’s fuck-face. I swear I would love to just kick his ass and get it over with.
“Hey, Bosh.” I smile then turn to Ian. “What are you doing here?” I question.
“Audrey invited me.” He smirks.
“Well, you’re not welcome, so get the fuck out.”
I’m so goddamn pissed at her right now; I don’t even finish getting dressed. I walk out of the locker room to see Audrey and Tatum standing there. She looks perfect. I run my hands through my hair and take a deep breath.
“Why the fuck did you bring that bastard here?” I question Audrey.
“This is his school too and he’s my boyfriend. I know you don’t like it but just get the hell over it. I am not your girl, Zander Kelley, so quit talking to me as if I did something wrong. You can’t continue to think you own me. You and I will never be together.” She yells.
“You could be if you would quit pushing me away. What the hell does he have to offer you? You and me. We belong together. Can’t you see it? I know you feel what I have.” I say as I place my hand on the wall behind her.
“No, we don’t. I think one of your whores is looking for you.” She says as she rolls her eyes in the direction of Stephanie.
“Yeah, she is a whore, but I’ve never fucked her. Sure she has sucked my dick a few times, but that’s nothing to brag about darlin’,” I say as I push my body into hers. “Feel this. I swear you are the only one that does this to me. Someday you will realize that you are meant for me.”
