Tattered (Torn Series, Book 2) Read online

  I’m ready.

  I climb up her body, and she opens her eyes as I push inside her. I’ve prepared her, but I’m a large man and she’s now full of me. She gasps. I rest for a moment, my teeth clenched as I give her time to adjust.

  When I feel her body soften around me I know I can move. I grip her hips tightly and pound into her. Our bodies grow damp with sweat as I take her hard. My speed picks up and I close my eyes, utterly lost in the pleasure of this moment.

  She screams as her core clenches around me over and over again. I moan as I feel my release ripped from me. It goes on and on in the most beautiful of ways. Finally, I’m spent.

  I collapse on top of her for only a moment, then I turn onto my back. My arousal is still pulsing, but I’m sated for at least a moment. She curls into my side. I need to decide if I’ll take her again.

  This will be our only night together.

  Her fingers run down my chest as she practically purrs next to me. I rip off the condom, tossing it into the trash nearby. I quickly sheath myself again and grab her hips to pull her over me.

  “Again?” she gasps as she slides onto me, delight in her eyes.

  “At least one more time,” I tell her with a growl.

  She immediately starts moving on me. The sun tops the mountain and streams into the room as we both cry out our pleasure. It’s a perfect way to begin a new day.

  Chapter Two

  In the beginning . . .

  My mother uprooted our family and changed our lives when my father died. He was only forty-three when he had a massive heart attack, leaving me and my sister reeling. We truly had loved our father. He was the heart of our home.

  At the age of seventeen I’d suddenly become the man of the house and there were so many people coming after me because our father hadn’t trusted our mom with all of his assets. He’d owned a multi-billion dollar company and though my mother was far from a demon, she lived an extravagant life.

  My dad, on the other hand, had worked his way up from nothing. He’d been brilliant and funny and determined. My mother had gone into a deep depression, making me feel like I had to step up and take care of her and my sister. But then she’d said it was too painful to stay in California. She’d decided to move to a small coastal town in Oregon for a fresh start where no one knew us and we could properly heal.

  I hadn’t always been the kindest to my mother, and it didn’t get better for a while. Then I realized I existed because of her, and she was the only parent I had left, so my attitude changed. I guess a person really can’t win no matter what choice they make.

  I did what my mother asked and moved with my family, but I wasn’t happy about it. I was leaving everything behind my senior year of high school. Most importantly I was leaving behind my girlfriend. When I’d told her I was leaving we had a huge fight. She said long distance relationships never worked and she wouldn’t wait for me.

  I told her she was selfish if she couldn’t wait a single year. I walked away, and I didn’t look back. Then my family arrived in Oregon where it rained what felt like ninety percent of the time. Spring came quickly, though, and the hot sun and cool breeze off the ocean was a pleasant surprise. I was trying to find more of the positives to the situation.

  I was at some lame youth activity the first time I saw Miranda. I still had a chip on my shoulder from my life being uprooted, but I was pretty damn good at hiding it. I was invited to the event and thought I’d rather shoot myself in the foot than do some ridiculous riding adventure with church kids. But my mother told me I needed to meet people, to stop closing myself off. I wasn’t happy, but I went.

  My life had been privileged from the moment I’d been born, and I wasn’t aware at that time how pompous I truly was. In California, in the neighborhood I’d grown up in, everyone acted the same way I did. But in this small coastal town I came across as a complete jackass. It would take me a long while to figure that out though.

  I’m not sure to this day if I’m glad I went. I’m not sure if fate would’ve stepped in anyway, or if I would’ve remained oblivious. But that was the day I met Miranda. That was the day I decided I had to have her.

  I was used to getting whatever I wanted. So when I met her and she didn’t instantly fall at my feet, I was intrigued. I knew I had to be with her, knew I had to win her. Maybe it started out as nothing more than a game. Maybe it was that way for quite some time. I honestly can’t tell you. I don’t know. I do know that it did eventually change. She did become important to me, probably the most important person in my life if I’m honest with myself.

  I wasn’t far away when I spotted two girls standing close to each other. One of them looked up and caught my eye. I could tell she had no idea I could hear what she was saying to the other girl who seemed to be off in her own world.

  The blonde girl, who I later learned was Audrey, was stunningly beautiful, probably the type of girl I’d normally go after, but the girl standing next to her instantly held all my attention. She had dark hair, a stunning body, and she didn’t seem the least bit interested in me. I was fascinated. I had to fight not to smile as I heard their conversation. I took my time approaching them.

  Audrey was telling her friend, Miranda, that a hot guy was nearing. Miranda looked in the wrong direction, then finally turned her head, our eyes meeting for the first time. I felt as if I’d been hit in the gut by a three-hundred-pound linebacker. It took all I had to stay on my feet.

  It scared the hell out of me.

  I had never felt a connection like that with another single living soul — not once in my life. I didn’t understand. I didn’t like it. Maybe that’s what prompted me to act more of an ass than I usually did at that age. I’m not really sure.

  Miranda looked away, breaking the odd spell between us, and I let out a breath of air in relief. I suddenly felt the urge to run fast and hard. But that thought stiffened my shoulders and I continued to move forward. I was Mason Kendrick. I didn’t run from anything. I picked up my pace, making a beeline straight for the two girls.

  I stopped in front of them, making sure my attention was directly on the dark-haired girl. I wanted her to know I was choosing her. In my youthful opinion, that was an honor. Hell, even today, I know who I am, know it’s an honor. I guess some things don’t change all that much.

  I introduced myself . . . then I waited.

  Neither of them spoke for several awkward moments, and I watched as the blonde’s cheeks flushed. My dark-haired beauty seemed to be the one with her head on her shoulders, though, because she held out a hand and told me her friend’s name and her own.

  Miranda.

  I decided it was a beautiful name. I also decided she’d be mine. I was a bit perplexed by my instant fascination with her.

  We shared small talk and then I told Miranda my first lie. I told her we’d moved from California because my dad had died. That wasn’t the lie. He had died. Both girls were understandably sympathetic, making me feel like a victim. I was never a victim. I refused to be someone that weak. So next I lied.

  I gave them both a flippant story about my dad being an asshole, or something like that. I said I didn’t care at all that he was gone, that life had presented a new adventure for me. I even managed to laugh though I didn’t feel at all like laughing at that particular moment.

  I also told them about the business my uncle was running until I turned eighteen and took over. I acted just as flippant about that, though I was beyond stressed at the thought of destroying something my father had built from the ground up. Overall, I can look back now and realize I’d come across as a complete dick. It was what I was used to. It was the way I was expected to act . . . in California at least.

  I didn’t get the reaction I was expecting.

  Audrey didn’t seem at all offended by my words. She seemed intrigued, as a matter of fact. But I could clearly see the disgust on Miranda’s face.
She looked at me as if I was a piece of scum on the bottom of her shoe needing to be wiped off. My normal moves weren’t going to work on this girl.

  Without even saying goodbye, Miranda jumped on the back of a quad, and just that quickly she was gone. I could hear her laughter trailing behind her as she flew through the dunes, looking freer in those few seconds than I’d ever felt in my entire life.

  She’d blown me off.

  I stood in silence with Audrey, who seemed embarrassed to have been left in such an awkward moment with the new boy in town. I looked into her pretty eyes and smiled, then shrugged, telling her it was all good. She let out a nervous giggle then seemed to be filled with relief when another kid jogged up to talk to her.

  I moved aside and looked out to where Miranda had disappeared. She didn’t appear to be coming back. I stood there for a while then decided I needed a fresh start. Like I said, I’d never been blown off before. It was a novel concept for me. As I left those dunes, though, I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt I’d get the girl in the end.

  I was Mason Kendrick. I didn’t lose.

  Chapter Three

  I twisted on my back deck as I practiced my Krav Maga. I was out of practice and didn’t want to find a new studio, so I did what I could on my own. Maybe I was slightly depressed being in a new place. I couldn’t admit that to myself, though, because that was a form of weakness, and I didn’t want to show any weakness whatsoever.

  I was the man of the household, and that meant I had to keep my head held high and grow up a lot faster than I’d been prepared to. I knew as a young man a lot of weight would be put on my shoulders because of who I was. But my dad dying so early shortened my timeline of when things in my life were supposed to happen.

  I didn’t want to run my dad’s business in less than a year, didn’t want to be a so-called man yet. I wanted to finish being a teenager, doing all the nonsense teens did — well, maybe not all the stupid things.

  I did, however, want to chase the pretty girl . . .

  It had been a week since I’d first met Miranda and all of my usual tricks of being able to get a girl had failed miserably. She certainly wasn’t interested in my charm or my money. She didn’t even seem to find me attractive, which boggled my brain. I wasn’t sure what in the heck to do to get this girl to notice me.

  I should have given up.

  Even having that thought made me laugh out loud. I didn’t quit. Of course I didn’t quit.

  My mom and sister were going to be gone all evening so I could sit back, watch a movie, and maybe Skype with some friends back home. All I seemed to be doing was looking at the clock.

  Miranda was on the track team, and I knew she was getting in on the bus in less than an hour. I also had sweet-talked information out of Audrey. At least she was reacting to me the way a girl was supposed to. I was able to get all sorts of gossip from the chatty girl. And with a stroke of luck I found out the chances of Miranda having a ride home were pretty slim.

  I could play the knight in shining armor. Maybe if I did that, I’d finally gain some attention from her. I was at the fourth down and so far I’d been blocked at every single play. But I was not one to punt.

  I paced my house as I tried to decide what to do. I wasn’t sure how I felt about having to chase a girl so hard. Maybe I was doing it because I was still upset about my ex in California. Maybe it was to prove a point. But whatever it was, Miranda intrigued me, and I needed to make her mine.

  I walked from my house and jumped in my car. I normally would be happy pulling up anywhere in my expensive Mercedes, but I’d learned in the past week that wealth seemed to have the opposite effect on Miranda. My money was a hindrance when it came to her. I didn’t have a choice but to drive it though. It wasn’t as if I had some clunker sitting around waiting for me to wipe away the cobwebs and jump in.

  I waited on the edge of the school parking lot. I watched as the bus pulled in and the team members quickly jumped into their vehicles and fled the school grounds. They were tired as it was nearly two in the morning. There was no sign of Miranda riding away with anyone.

  The last vehicle pulled away and then I saw her sneak around the corner of the building. I knew she lived a ways from school, and I wondered if she really was planning on walking all the way home right about the time the bars let out. That didn’t seem too smart. And so far Miranda had impressed me with her intelligence in addition to her many talents and good looks.

  But on this night I was there to save her, so intelligence didn’t matter right now.

  I honked my horn when she continued walking, oblivious to me sitting there. She shouldn’t ever walk the streets at night. She was far too unobservant and was likely to get herself killed.

  She looked adorable as I pulled up next to her, her large bag slung over her shoulder, her cheeks red. She was beautiful and age was only going to be more kind to her. She was one of the few that could be said about.

  “Hey, Miranda, need a ride?” I asked. I hated how eager my voice sounded, but I’d found the girl. I was feeling pretty dang good. And what was better than a middle of the night car ride with a hot chic? Nothing, in my opinion.

  She looked at me as if she was planning on telling me no, and I was searching my mind for ways to talk her into getting into my car. This was another first for me in what I was beginning to assume would be a lot of firsts where Miranda was concerned.

  Just as she seemed to make up her mind, the sky opened and a few fat raindrops came down on top of her pretty dark hair. She looked almost panicked as she tried to decide whether she was going to drench herself or accept a ride with the arrogant new boy in town. I could live with that description.

  I opened my mouth to say more, and she finally grabbed the door handle and sat next to me. The rain didn’t become a major downpour; it just gave us enough to make the car space intimate and somehow more private. I wanted to find some dark road to drive down with her, the two of us in a perfect cocoon.

  I already knew where she lived though I hadn’t driven by it yet. But this wasn’t a large town. All you needed was an address and you could find anything. I didn’t know what to say to her so I put the car in drive and away we went. I was sort of afraid if I sat there too long she might change her mind and hop out of the car.

  “What are you doing out so late?” she asked.

  I was caught. Why hadn’t I already thought of an excuse as to why I was at the school at two in the morning? I didn’t want to seem utterly desperate in my pursuit of her, so I wasn’t sure how I wanted to answer. I was grateful for the darkness of the car and her seemingly inability to look at my face for too long. For the first time in my life I might have been blushing.

  When my tongue finally untied, I gave her the lamest answer I could possibly come up with. I was a bit disappointed in myself.

  “I couldn’t sleep so I took a drive.”

  She seemed to have forgotten she’d asked me a question. Maybe she was as lost in her own thoughts as I was in mine. What was it about the two of us that seemed to make the world stop spinning? Were we meant to be together? We were far too young to know that, and I didn’t believe in such things as fate and destiny anyway.

  This was normal teenage stuff; we were high on life with hormones attracted to each other. Maybe I was more attracted to her than normal, or maybe I was simply out of my comfort zone.

  We didn’t speak as we made the way to her house. I wasn’t sure why. I’d never had trouble getting people to talk. It was a skill I took a lot of pride in. Even the most introverted people would end up telling me their life story if I had enough time with them. My father had told me it was a skill I should cultivate and appreciate since not many people had the ability to get others to open up.

  I figured I was just like my dad, and there had been nothing wrong with him. He’d been mourned after his death. The world had lost an incredible man, but I couldn’
t think about that while I had Miranda next to me. It might actually depress me, and I didn’t want that to happen.

  I was getting close to her place and had to keep an eye out on the streets so I didn’t miss my turn, but I suddenly panicked. I was wasting this time with her.

  “What are you doing tomorrow?” I asked, a bit too much false cheer in my tone. I wanted to smack myself in the head.

  “Uh, I don’t know,” she answered.

  “Audrey said you were doing an art project at school and looking for gold. I know of some places, and I thought I could take you around,” I offered. I actually had a bag full of chains and such I could give her, but I had a feeling she’d be offended if I tried. Plus, I wanted to drive her around. It would give me more time to charm her.

  She took only a few seconds this time before she replied. That was good. We were definitely making progress.

  “That sounds like it could be fun,” she answered. Excitement stirred within me.

  “Great. What time do you want me to pick you up?” There wasn’t a chance I was letting her out of this. I’d finally gotten her to agree to what I considered a date.

  Our first date.

  How odd that I was like a kid in a candy store at the thought. But I wasn’t going to analyze my feelings. I’d gotten her to agree to go out with me. Step one was complete. I’d had to catch her off guard in the middle of the night. Easy peasy.

  “Well, I guess around noon. I’m probably going to sleep in since we got back so late,” she said hesitantly. I was right there with her. I’d probably sleep half the day away if I wasn’t going to see her. I was feeling so dang good I would crash without a worry in the world.

  “Perfect. I’ll see you at noon,” I told her.

  I parked the car in front of her place, jumped from my door, and ran to her side. She was fumbling with the seatbelt when I opened her door. She looked at me with confusion.

  Good. I wanted to keep her guessing. I had a feeling not too many guys in this small town had been taught basic manners such as opening a lady’s door. My dad said he’d thump me over the head if he ever saw me standing back while Mom or Sis were opening the door. He’d told me from the time I was walking it was a sign of respect to the women we loved.