by Kahlen Aymes
Chris walks up to us, gives me a gentle hug and a small kiss on the cheek. Then he turns his attention to Mom. “Nice to meet you, Ms. Landstone.” He smiles. “Chris Firestone.” He extends a hand to her.
Mom stands almost frozen. Her odd response causes my heart to lurch in my chest. “You aren’t related to Liam Firestone, are you?” she asks in a state of shock.
Chris grits his jaw so tight I think it might snap. “Yeah, he’s my father.”
About the Author
As far back as R.C. Stephens can remember she was a sucker for a good romance. Of course there had to be a prince charming even if he ultimately was a dark knight and there had to be a happy ending.
She watched the movie Dirty Dancing way too many times growing up and Jean Claude Van Damme movies too. Go figure!
After years of saying she would write a book one day, she finally put pen to paper and carved out the plot line for what would eventually become the best selling Twisted Series. Now R.C. is just finishing up her seventh book and can't seem to stop the stories running through her mind. Visit R.C. on her FB page to find out what's new in her life and what releases she has coming up.
Connect with R.C. Stephens
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | NEWSLETTER
To read other titles by R.C. Stephens and to learn about upcoming releases, please visit her website.
Always There
by Elizabeth Hayes
Chapter One
Taylor
I searched the trunk of my car looking for something sharp enough that it would pierce the thick rubber of a tire. I was sick of being treated the way I was. Not anymore though. I was done.
I found a tire iron instead and carried it over to where his red Mercedes sat and swung the tire iron as hard as I could into the headlight. Laughing as the headlight shattered into little pieces falling at my feet. I walked over to the other side of his car and swung the tire iron again shattering the other headlight as well.
“What the hell are you doing Taylor?” I looked up as Justin was running towards me, or his car most likely. He stopped when I picked up the tire iron as if to swing it at him.
“Fuck you Justin.” I spit.
“Taylor stop. What are you doing?” He ran his hands through his gorgeous shaggy dark chocolate brown hair that at one time I lusted over running my hands through.
“What’s going on?” A woman ran up to Justin grabbing his arm as they stood in front of me. “And who is she?”
“His fiancé bitch.” I dropped the tire iron and walked over to them stopping when I stood in front of them.
“What is she talking about Justin you said you broke up with her?”
“What no. Why would I end things with her she’s my fiancé.” He said through gritted teeth.
“Let me do it for you then Justin. We are done. I’ll get my shit out of your apartment and I don’t want to hear a fucking word from you ever again.”
“What are you talking about Taylor? Come on let’s talk about this. Baby, please I swear I didn’t do anything.”
“Fuck you Justin.” I bent down and picked up the tire iron and turned around and walked back to my car, only then realizing that a crowd had gathered. Shit that didn’t go as planned then again none of that was planned. I had planned on stopping by to surprise my fiancé. I knew he was stopping at Lakeview after work like he always does on Thursdays, normally I let him have his Thursdays nights to himself. But lately he had been working so much that we hadn’t had much time together. Now I see that his Thursdays meant meeting up with his whores and that the smell of cheap perfume that he blamed on the waitresses was all a lie. I dropped the tire iron into the backseat of my car and left.
After seeing Justin sitting at a table with his hand resting on that bitches thigh; half hidden beneath her short dress as he was leaned into her his lips pressed into the kink of her neck. The image of that was now burned into the back of my mind. I finally let the tears fall as I drove away from them. Now what was I going to do? Where was I going to go? I wiped the tears from my face and called my best friend. Even though I hadn’t been the best friend recently I knew that Gabe would be there for me now.
“Hello.” He answered on the second ring.
“Gabe.” I said through tears hoping he couldn’t tell that I had been crying.
“Taylor what’s wrong?”
“How do you know something is wrong?” I sniffed.
“”Because I haven’t heard from you since you called to tell me you were engaged. Along with the quiver in your voice that tells me you have been crying. So what did the asshole do now?”
“I.” I paused trying to calm down as I drove. “I called off the engagement.”
“Oh.” Was his only reply.
“Are you still there?” I asked as I pulled into my parking space.
“Yeah, I’m here.” He sighed. “Where are you now?”
“The apartment.”
“I’ll be over in a few.”
“Thank you Gabe.” I whispered before hanging up. I pulled myself out of the car and made my way into Justin’s apartment. I stood just inside the door and looked around at the place I made my home. Looking at it now, through tear soaked eyes brought nothing but memories of a life that was nothing more then a lie. The fireplace where he told me he loved me more then anything and wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. Lies. The black fur rug; where he made love to me all while telling me how I was the only woman for him. How I made him whole. Again all lies. I dropped to the floor and covered my eyes as all the emotions crept through my body. Curled up in a ball.
“Taylor?” I heard my name being called but I couldn’t pull myself off the floor. I only seemed to cry harder; when two arms wrapped around me and pulled me tight against his chest. I fought against his hold until I realized it was Gabe.
He held me until the tears finally stopped.
“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked as I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hands.
“Not really. I just want to pack a bag and get away from here.”
“Come on then lets get you out of here, you can stay at my place.”
“Thank you Gabe.” I forced a smile as I looked into his eyes. Gabe was my best friend. All through high school and college, I watched as girls threw themselves at him; trying to become my friend just to get closer to him. Always thinking that he and I were more then what we were. Friends. Gabe has always been just that, my friend. Not once have we ever been anything more. The one person I could always count on. He has picked me up off the floor more then once and let me cry on his shoulder.
Gabe
I was tired of seeing her hurt. Seeing her fall apart because some guy broke her heart. I hated that she didn’t see what was right under her nose. Me. I tried to tell her how I felt a few times but she never got what I was trying to say to her. I love her. I was completely and one hundred percent in love with her. She was perfect. Even with all her flaws she was perfect. Her brown hair that she was always adding blonde highlights too even though her natural hair color was a perfect mix between chocolate brown and copper. She put every other woman to shame, but the best part was that she didn’t know it.
I helped her pull her clothes out of the closet and stuffing them into suitcases. She was hurting and I wish I could take it all away. We finished gathering her clothes. She dropped down on the bed and looked up at me.
“Why do I always fall for the liars and assholes?” she asked me as she stared into my eyes.
“I wish I knew.”
“You warned me, and I didn’t listen.”
“You had to figure it out for yourself. That’s the way you work. Just like when I told you that you would hurt yourself if you jumped out of the tree house when we were younger but you swore you could land on your feet.”
“I did land on my feet.”
“Yeah but was the broken ankle worth it.”
“I did get to stay home from school for a few days and miss the s
ex education where everyone had to put a condom on a banana.”
“But you had to miss out on dodge ball in gym class.”
“True that part did suck.” She laughed as she looked down at her suitcases that were stacked by the door.
“You have everything?”
“I just need to get some stuff out of the bathroom and then we can go. I got rid of everything before I moved in so all I really have is my clothes. Guess that was stupid of me huh.”
“It wasn’t stupid Taylor. Now come on lets get you out of here. Grab what you need out of the bathroom and if you forget anything we can get it later or buy you new ones okay.” She nodded as I grabbed a suitcase in each hand. “I’ll start carrying these out to the car.”
“Thank you.” she whispered as she turned to walk into the bathroom to collect the last of her things.
I carried her suitcases out and stacked them in both of our cars. When I went back to grab the last of them I found Taylor standing in the middle of the living room her arms wrapped around herself as she shed silent tears. I walked up behind her and pulled her into my arms. She turned into me.
“Lets go.” I whispered in her ear. She nodded as I started to walk her out.
Chapter Two
Taylor
I fell asleep on Gabe’s couch and woke up in his bed. It wasn’t the first time either. And as soon as I can get myself to roll out of his bed I know exactly where I will find him. Sitting at the kitchen table on his laptop with a fresh pot of coffee. Why can’t I find a guy like Gabe. That would be the perfect guy. But instead the only guys that seem to be interested in me use lies to get me to fall for them. Justin is the prime example of that. I wish I had a built in bullshit detector. Or maybe I need to invent one. Like a lie detector that shoots tiny bolts of electricity at the person who is blowing smoke up my ass. It would save a lot of broken hearts that’s for sure.
I rolled over in the bed stretching out as I breathed in the scent of Gabe’s cologne. I took a deep breath. Gabe meant I was safe. He was like home base in a game of tag; if I was with him then no one could get to me. No matter what he was always safe, and would never hurt me. Even if I drive him crazy, and I’m pretty sure I drive him absolutely insane on a weekly basis. Actually it surprises me that he hasn’t gotten fed up with my nonsense. When I finally took my nose out of his sheets the scent of coffee drifted into the room. I breathed in the aroma and threw my legs over the side of the bed. I like to imagine that I’m floating towards the source of that heavenly smell you know like in cartoons when the person has there nose in the air and the little waves of smells are pulling them towards it. Unfortunately I’m not floating to the kitchen because my big toe just connected with the door jam.
“Shit. Stupid fucking door.” I started jumping up and down on one foot as I hobbled to the kitchen. Where just like I thought Gabe was sitting at the kitchen table a cup of coffee next to him and his laptop in front of him.
“How are ya feeling?” He asked as I walked over to the coffee pot and poured myself a cup of coffee.
“I think at the moment I’m in denial.” I held the mug under my nose and took a deep breath. “Mmmm coffee.” I smiled.
“So want to tell me what really happened last night that made you end your engagement?”
“Ugh, no but I will. Can I just enjoy this glorious cup of coffee first?”
“Yeah.” He smiled at me flashing a set of pearly whites. “Do I have something in my teeth?” he asked as I realized I was staring at him.
“Nope. Sorry I just spaced out there for a second.” I quickly looked down at the mug of coffee in my hands. What the hell was going on? Lapse in judgment, because there was no way I was just lusting after my best friend. That can’t happen. Nope no way. He was my best friend and I was a catastrophe.
Gabe
I stared at her as she sat down in the seat across from me. She was now avoiding my eyes. But I could have sworn she was looking at me in a different way then she normally does. Maybe I needed to tell her exactly how I feel.
I closed my laptop and leaned back in my chair when we heard a knock at the door. I set my coffee down and walked to the front door. I opened it expecting Justin honestly but instead was greeted by two cops.
“Can I help you?” I asked.
“We are looking for a Taylor Black. Is she here.”
“Can I ask what this is about officer?”
“We just have a few questions to ask her.”
“Taylor.” I called out for her. She made her way over to where the officers were standing still outside my door. I wasn’t letting them inside I knew my rights.
“Taylor Black?” they asked as she now stood in front of me.
“Yes.”
“Do you know anything about broken headlights on a Justin Reed’s vehicle?” The cop asked her. I had my hand on her shoulder and could feel her tense up immediately. Shit.
“Ahhh.” She started to speak.
“Taylor we have video proof that you were the one who broke out Justin’s head lights. Can you turn around and place your hands behind your back.” She turned around and placed her hands behind her back. She stared up at me. I couldn’t do anything for her at this moment no matter that I wanted to rewind time and not open the door to the officers. But I can’t rewind time. It doesn’t work that way. It keeps moving forward no matter how much you want it to stop.
“I’ll meet you down at the police station Taylor, don’t worry. We will figure this out.” I told her as they walked her out and placed her in the back of the police car.
I threw some clothes on and grabbed my key’s and headed to the police station. I didn’t know exactly what happened last night but I would do what ever I could to get her out of this. I never liked Justin. But it didn’t matter to Taylor. No matter what she was going to learn what a jackass he was the hard way. It was just who she was and I loved it about her. She never did things any way other then her own way. Most of the time she chose the hard way and ended up getting hurt and every time I was there to pick her up. Maybe I was enabling her. Maybe if I just let her fall without being there she would learn but I couldn’t do that. I would always be there for her even if she never looked at me as more then a friend.
Chapter Three
Taylor
I sat in the back of the police car wondering what was going to happen. Yes I did vandalize Justin’s car, but wasn’t there a distraught fiancé law that would get me out of this? I wouldn’t have done it had he not been cheating on me. I was his fiancé. Surely that had to count for something. Although if they ran my record which I’m pretty sure they already did they would see that this isn’t the first time I had been charged with destruction of property. Although the first time the charges were dropped after I offered to pay for his new tires. I really needed to learn how to take my anger out in other ways.
When we pulled up to the police station the officers helped me out of the car and took me inside to booking where I was booked and then bond was set. I didn’t have to wait long as Gabe my knight in shinning armor was waiting to bail me out. He even had a cup of coffee in hand waiting for me.
“So how was it this time?” he asked with his trademark grin spread across his face.
“Oh you know same as always. Although I think this may have been my worst mug shot ever.” I reached for the cup of coffee from him.
“Oh it was.” He laughed. “Definitely one for the scrap book.”
“You wouldn’t?” I laughed as we made our way to his car. I brushed my hair out of my face as I turned to open up the passenger door when a girl with blonde hair grabbed my attention. She looked like the girl from last night but I couldn’t be sure. I brushed it off and got in the car. It couldn’t be the same girl.
“You know one of these days your going to end up serving time if you keep this up.”
“Don’t remind me. And it wasn’t my fault.” I got into the passenger seat of his car and pulled on my seat belt.
“So what d
id you do this time? Slash his tires? Brake out a window?”
“Took a tire iron to his head lights.” I mumbled. As he started laughing.
“Taylor, what am I going to do with you?” he continued laughing.
“It’s really not funny and I wouldn’t have had to do it if he wasn’t such a lying, cheating piece of shit.” I took a sip of coffee and closed my eyes.
“How did you find out?”
“I was trying to surprise him and showed up at Lakeview. Turned out the surprise was on me. He was with some bleach blonde bimbo and well I freaked out and when I couldn’t find something to slash his tires with, I did find a tire iron and I smashed out his headlights. He came running outside with his little girlfriend and I told him I was done.”
“Sorry Taylor.” He reached over and squeezed my thigh. Leaving his hand there longer then a friendly reassuring touch. I liked it. What was going on here? He was Gabe. My best friend. But that was more then a friendly touch. And what did that mean that I liked it? That I didn’t want him to move his hand unless it was moving up my thigh.
Gabe
Was that a moan? I looked over at Taylor. She had her eyes closed and her head was back against the head rest. My hand was still resting on her thigh. I squeezed her thigh and moved my hand just a little further up. She let out another moan. Shit. If she kept that up there was no way that I would be able to control what would happen when I got her back to my apartment. I had waited years to touch her more then just as a friend. The amount of fantasies I have had about her and that moan was so much more then I could have imagined actually happening.
The rest of the drive was quiet my hand never leaving her thigh. When I parked and turned the engine off I glanced over her. Her chocolate brown eyes staring back at me filled with lust. Was this really going to happen? Did she really want it to happen?
“Taylor.”
“Gabe.” She whispered.
