The Violet Widow? (Shattered Heart #1)
Page 1
K E Osborn
The Violet Widow?
The Shattered Heart Series
KE Osborn
Copyright 2015 KE Osborn
All Rights Reserved
This book is a work of fiction. Any references to real events, real people, and real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the Author’s imagination and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, organisations or places is entirely coincidental.
All rights are reserved. This book is intended for the purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage retrieval system, without the express written permission of the Author. All songs, song titles and lyrics contained in this book are the property of the respective songwriters and copyright holders.
ISBN: 9780992333881
Cover design by Swish Design & Editing
Formatting by Swish Design & Editing
Cover image Copyright 2015
All rights reserved
Dedicated to the most committed team of BETA readers I’ve ever known!
Angel Steel, Angie, Carol, Deb, Donna, Dzintra Sullivan, Jessie, Kaylene, Lucy, Melinda, SK Fordham, Stephannie, Tamera, and Victoria.
Thanks ladies for helping make this book one I will never forget!
xoxo
Dedication
Acknowledgements
A Note for the Reader
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
Connect with me Online
About the Author
First and foremost, I want to thank my mother, Kaylene Osborn. Thank you for always being my biggest supporter, not only in my choice of career, but in life. Your love is unconditional and for that I thank you. I love you Mummy Poo’s. xoxo
To all of my amazing BETA readers. I dedicate this book to you because you helped me shape this book into what it is now. For that, I thank you sincerely.
To my family, I love you all. Thank you for your endless support and belief in me and my books. It’s so nice to know you are all on the sidelines cheering me on through this journey, even if you all are a bit embarrassed reading my sex scenes.
To Sophia and Tasmin – my PA extraordinaires. I love you both, lots and lots like jelly tots, and without your help each and every day I would struggle to get by. So thank you!
To Francessca, thank you so much for all your help with promotion and your continued friendship, guidance, love and support. I love you hard!
To my many author friends that I have met on this journey. There are so many of you that I can’t name them all, but just know that I really appreciate your help, guidance and support with my career. You all make it so easy to keep doing this!
Last of all, I want to thank YOU, the reader. Whether you’re new on the K E Osborn bandwagon or whether you’ve been with me since the start through Aiden and Jeni’s journey in The Trust Me? Trilogy, just know I value each and every one of you. Without the readers and continued support from you, it wouldn’t be easy to ‘just keep swimming.’
Thank you,
Much love,
K E Osborn
xoxo
This book has been written using UK English and contains euphemisms and slang words that form part of the Australian spoken word, which is the basis of this book’s writing style.
Please remember that the words are not misspelled, they are slang terms and form part of the everyday, Australian lifestyle. Some euphemisms or slang terms have been provided below for your information. This book has been written using UK English and spelling.
If you would like further explanation, or to discuss the translation or meaning of a particular word, please do not hesitate to contact the author – contact details have been provided, for your convenience, at the end of this book.
Bird – Woman, girl, chick.
Bloody – Commonly used expletive to describe something, mild swear word.
Bludging – To procrastinate and laze around all day and do nothing.
Bogan – Person who takes little pride in their appearance, spends their days slacking – working class person.
Bullcrap – (or bullshit) – Means utter nonsense.
Can’t be fucked – Can’t be bothered.
Checkout chick – Supermarket cashier.
Cuppa – A hot beverage mainly tea or coffee.
Dob – To report a wrongdoing to someone in authority.
Hoity toity – Snobbish behavior (when a person thinks they are better than another).
Loony bin – A mental hospital or asylum.
Mate – Buddy or friend.
Mobile phone – Cell phone.
Monobrow – Unibrow.
Pash – Kiss.
Quilt – Doona.
Rat out – A narc or a snitch, to report misdeeds to an authority figure.
Righto – Okay or that’s right.
Roofie – A tablet of the sedative flunitrazepam, often called the date rape drug.
Shit-eating grin – A grin that is very wide and to an outsider is a stupid looking grin. Usually shows smugness and/or self-satisfaction.
Shit-kicker – Someone charged with menial tasks in a place of employment.
Sloshed – Drunk or pissed.
Smart-arse – (also smart-ass) – Someone who mouths of to provoke a reaction or be funny to people.
STI – Sexually transmitted infection.
Taxi – Cab.
That’s just not cricket – Something that’s not right, or not fair.
Thrown me for a six – To frazzle, be shocked or surprised at something.
Tickets on himself – Be conceited, have a high opinion of yourself.
Tough as old boot leather – (also tough as old shoe leather), meaning someone who is tough, very strong and not easily injured.
Up shit creek without a paddle – To be in an undesirable situation.
Viennetta – A block ice cream made by Streets in Australia.
Walk in Robe – A walk in closet or wardrobe.
Weirdo – A person who is considered strange to other people.
My husband Danny and I were childhood sweethearts. We met at sixteen, married at eighteen and had our son Caiden at twenty. Needless to say, everything happened quickly. But I wouldn’t change any of it, not for anything!
Caiden is five now and Danny is working hard at his job. We’ve just drafted our life insurance papers. It’s not a pleasant task, but when we have them signed officially I’ll be much happier knowing that we have a contingency in place for Caiden should anything happen to either of us. God forbid! Not that anything will, it’s just more for my piece of mind.
Danny is my everything, and this house that we live in is exactly right for us. We hope to add to our family and we’re going to start trying again soon, maybe e
ven as soon as tonight when Caiden goes to bed. My sex life with Danny is exhilarating, even though we have been together for nine years the spark is still there between us. That’s one thing that has never faded over time with us. Our love and devotion for each other is undeniable. We are simply meant to be. I can’t explain why Danny was drawn to me all those years ago. I was the nerdy girl at the high school we attended in the heart of Adelaide, South Australia. He was the sportsman, so to say we were an odd match is probably an understatement. But he pursued me and I gave in quickly. After all, he was the best looking boy at school. Who was I to say no?
I sometimes still have to pinch myself, even though I have now grown into my body. My hair is no longer the greasy flat mop it once was and my face is no longer a pimpled mess. Danny has loved me through all of that, he loves me just for being me. All five foot four of me, with my brown wavy hair and curvy figure. I’m not ugly by any means, in fact, I’d even go as far to say that when I put a little effort in I can look quite pretty. But Danny, he’s smoking hot and so far out of my league it’s not funny. He’s a six-foot-seven, blond-haired, blue-eyed gorgeous male, with a body I want to ravage every chance I get. Which I do often, but only when Caiden is asleep. Life is perfect and I couldn’t imagine it any other way than with my beautiful boys.
Danny brings home enough money so I only work part-time in a supermarket. It’s a low stress job and I get to stay home and look after Caiden, although he is starting school in a couple of months and to say that I will miss him during the day is an understatement. I’m so proud of my baby and he looks so adorable in his uniform. We have enough money coming in to pay for a private school education, so when he’s dressed up in his little uniform with his tie on, I just want to smother him to death with kisses. I love my son and there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for him, but I guess that’s no different than any other mother out there.
Don’t get me wrong, my life isn’t perfect. Danny and I fight, but we never go to bed angry and that’s the secret to our lasting relationship. I couldn’t imagine my life without him and I honestly never want to. Unfortunately, I don’t have any family. I was an only child and my parents died not long after Danny and I were married. It was so hard having no one left, but Danny pulled me through it and that’s when we decided to make our own family and soon after Caiden came along. I miss my parents every day, but having my own family helps with the loss and knowing we’re going to be extending our family makes me beyond ecstatic.
I walk to the kitchen to start preparing dinner for my boys. They went to the shops to buy some ice cream for dessert. Caiden’s favourite – Viennetta. Not even I can resist the creamy layers of ice cream ripples with the shards of chocolate delight inside. Caiden’s been begging Danny for days to buy it and he finally he’s caved in and gone to the shops to purchase one. They’ve actually been gone longer than I would’ve thought they should be, but I figure Caiden is probably making Danny look at all the different things he thinks his father should buy for him. One thing about Caiden, he is kinda spoilt. But I don’t mind, after all, I love him and I want him to have everything he deserves in life. I love being a mother and if my son wants something, he usually gets it. I know that’s not the best method of parenting, but I’m a soft touch and can be persuaded easily when his little blue eyes look up at me.
I pull out the mincemeat to make Caiden’s favourite… nachos, for dinner. He always makes a mess when he eats them, but it’s nothing that a dish sponge, a washing machine, and a good bath won’t fix. I pull out the frying pan and place it on the stove, and pull my hair back into a ponytail to keep my long locks out of the food. I go to turn on the stove when I hear a knock at the door.
That’s weird!
I have no idea why Danny would be knocking on the door, he obviously has his keys because he needed them to drive. I shake my head in confusion and walk toward the front door of our one-story modern and sleek, open-style living home. I start to laugh as I think Danny might have ended up buying so much at the store that he doesn’t have enough hands to unlock the front door. I open the door still laughing at the image I’m about to see.
“So you had to buy the entire store again did you?” I ask while opening the door wide.
I stop laughing when I notice it’s not Danny and Caiden but two police officers. A kind looking man and a stern-faced woman. I frown and crease my eyebrows in confusion.
“Hi ma’am, are you, Mrs. Dyson?” the male officer asks very formally.
I instantly tense up and hold on to the door handle for support. I’m unnerved as to why the police are at my front door.
“Yes, that’s me. How can I help you officer?” I always feel nervous around policemen, even though I know I’ve never done anything illegal in my life, I always wonder if I’ve done something like may be parked in the wrong spot or something. I’m such a model citizen and I would never break any laws, it’s just not in my nature.
He frowns and rubs the back of his neck, seemingly uneasy himself. He is starting to freak me out. “Mrs. Dyson, I apologise for being here under these circumstances, and I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news. This is a part of the job that I hate... Perhaps you might want to take a seat first?” he says and his frown deepens. My heart starts to pound ferociously in my chest as my thoughts turn to Danny and Caiden.
“Officer if something is wrong I think you should just tell me. What have I done?” I ask as my palms coat with fine beads of sweat.
He swallows hard and exhales abruptly while he glances over at his partner and then back to me. “I’m so sorry to have to tell you this, but your husband Daniel Dyson and your son Caiden Dyson, were involved in a car accident,” he says and my breath catches.
I nod my head in understanding as my stomach lurches into my throat. I turn to grab my handbag from the buffet and my keys. “Where?” I ask and he furrows his brows.
“At the intersection of Regency and Main North Road, ma’am,” he says seeming confused.
“Okay, can you take me to them, please? I need to make sure Caiden isn’t scared,” I say and move to walk out of my house in a rush to see my family. He stops me by my arm and shakes his head, swallowing hard. “C’mon lets go. Can you take me to my boys or should I drive my own car to the hospital? Which hospital are they in? Oh God, I hope they’re not too badly hurt. Are they?” I start to panic as my heart thuds so fast I think it might explode.
He looks at me, his eyes drooping and his brows creased slightly.
“Ma’am, I’m so sorry to have to tell you this, but they were hit by a drunk driver who ran a red light.”
I nod and go to rush out the door, but he stops me again. I look at him and furrow my brows in confusion. Why the hell does he keep stopping me from getting to my boys?
“Mrs. Dyson, I’m so sorry, but neither Daniel nor Caiden survived the accident.”
My racing heart stops beating with a thud and my mouth drops open wide. I shake my head slightly, hoping I haven’t heard correctly.
“No, that can’t be right. Please, take me to my boys,” I say, closing the front door and rushing past him toward their car.
“Mrs. Dyson, I know this is a shock, but I need you to come down to the morgue to identify their bodies,” he says making me look back at him as rage starts to surge through me. I feel hot and my body is shaking.
“What do you mean their bodies? They’re people, real human beings, not some lifeless bodies. Now will you take me to my boys or do I have to drive myself?” I ask loudly.
He winces and walks across as I try unsuccessfully to open the rear door of his vehicle. He rests his hand on mine, and I feel like I’m spinning out of control. I can’t see straight and everything is blurred. There’s fog invading my brain and I can’t even think properly.
“Mrs. Dyson, I’m so sorry, but they are both deceased. Is there anyone I can call?” he asks looking at me with a frown. I shake my head as tears start to well in my eyes.
This can’t be happening, can it?
He has to be lying!
“No, no it can’t be right. You must have the wrong people. They just went to get an ice cream cake for Christ’s sake. How can they be…” I pause because I can’t say the word. I shake my head adamantly and wipe the stray tears falling down my cheeks. “They’re all I have. They are my life. My boys. No, you have to be wrong, it’s not them,” I exclaim sternly and he bites his bottom lip and shakes his head.
“Is your husband’s license plate XTO-866?” he asks and my body tenses. My bottom lip quivers and I nod my head as more searing hot tears flood down my cheeks. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Dyson, I know how hard this must be, but we need you to come to the morgue to identify them. Then we can help you with making any arrangements that need to be made,” he says resting his hand on my shoulder.
I shake my head. I feel sick. I’m dizzy and my head is spinning like it’s been caught in a tornado. “I’ll come with you, but you have the wrong people and Danny will be mad when he gets home and sees I’ve gone out without telling him where I’m going. He worries you know?”
He exhales and nods. “Okay, let’s take you there. I can have an officer come to the morgue with you if you need some support,” he says and I nod as I wipe away more stray tears.
He unlocks the car and opens the back door. I slide in, and when I sit on the seat, I feel heavy. Like there’s an elephant, no, more like a herd of elephants sitting on my chest. I can’t breathe, I actually can’t breathe. I physically gasp to get some air into my lungs while the weight of this harrowing situation bears down on me. My boys, Danny and Caiden, the two people in this world that I live for could be…
I can’t even think the word let alone say it.
This can’t be happening. The female officer gets in the passenger side. He starts the car and we pull off into the traffic and start the drive toward the Adelaide Morgue. But I don’t take in the scenery at all … the streets I’ve lived in for my entire life, the roads I love and know so well. This is my home, my home with my boys.