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Copyright 2017 by Revelry Publishing

Published by Revelry Publishing at Smashwords

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Disclaimer

This book is a work of FICTION. It is not to be confused with reality. Neither the author nor the publisher or its associates assume any responsibility for any loss, injury, death or legal consequences resulting from acting on the contents in this book. The characters, incidents and dialogue are drawn from the author's imagination and are not to be construed as real. While reference might be made to actual historical events or existing locations, the names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. Every character in this book is over 18 years of age. The author's opinions are not to be construed as the opinions of the publisher. The material in this book is for entertainment purposes ONLY. Enjoy.

Other Books by Carla Coxwell:

Devil's Advocate BBW MC New Adult Romance Series

When Kristie comes home from college, the last thing she is expecting is her world to be turned upside down by the appearance of her step-brother, Gray. Gray is rash, impulsive and breaks the law. Kristie's mom asks if she can try to befriend Gray, in hopes to get him on the straight and narrow. The plan backfires, however, as Kristie finds herself falling for Gray. Is it possible he feels the same way? The connection between them threatens to tear down everything Kristie has ever held dear.

Fifty Recipes For Disaster New Adult Romance Series

Trying to win a competition for best chef is cut-throat business. Kiara Sands has just won the opportunity of a lifetime. When she arrives at Fission, she has no idea just how much her life is going to change. She's immediately introduced to Jenny Foster and Robbs Martin, her competitors in the cut throat competition. The only thing Kiara finds more distracting than Robbs' hateful attitude is the handsome executive chef, Paul Weston. It doesn't help matters that Paul is quite taken by Kiara, and showers her with more attention than he gives her competitors.

Star Bright New Adult Romance Series (This series follows "Fifty Recipes For Disaster New Adult Romance Series")

Torn between her feelings for her agent, Jon, and Rich, a charming bad boy who has ties in the movie industry, Jenny finds herself working through her own past to try to get a grip on her present. As she struggles to learn the lesson that in Hollywood not everyone is what they appear to be, Jenny tries to become a person that she can be proud of. Will she be able to find love and success in Hollywood? Or will she be dragged down by her past forever?

Obsessed Bounty Hunter Romance Series

Jacqui Schneider couldn't help it. Every time the memories of her family's brutal murder haunted her, she had to escape. The only thing that could replace her sorrow was sex...and lots of it. Depressed and with no goal in sight, Jacqui continued on with her self-deprecating lifestyle until it all changed one day. Uncle Max, an old family friend, appeared unannounced. Jacqui was astonished when Uncle Max revealed a secret to her about her father. From those few words, Jacqui's world turned completely upside down. She really didn't know her own father. In fact, she didn't even know much about Uncle Max, except that he visited them for a few days at a time over the years.

Get the latest update on new releases from the author at:

<https://www.carlacoxwell.com/newsletter>

This book is Part One of the "Torrid Exposure New Adult Romance Series"

Book 1

April is finished with school and ready to build a career. Coming from a well-to-do family, she has decided to reboot her life completely. With family scars too deep to mend, April craves a fresh start. But the past is harder to shake than April ever would have imagined. At the center of it all is Bennett, an old family friend who is the heir to a billionaire media mogul company. Bennett and April haven't been able to stand each other since they were kids. But as the world shifts, the two of them discover the past might be the key to their future.

Book 2

April is shocked to find Bennett kissing another woman. What takes her even more by surprise are the sudden feelings that swell up in her at the sight. As April struggles to figure out where she stands with Bennett and resolves to stay away from him, her father falls ill. April toes the line between taking care of her father and not getting involved with the family's company. Will April be able to stay on top of everything going on in her life and be able to keep her head on straight? Or will family ties drag her down past the point of no return?

Book 3

April has discovered her sister's darkest secret that has kept their relationship on the rocks since her near-fatal car accident. After learning of her father's death, she suddenly feels as if she has lost her one ally in her family. All she has left is her promise to her father that she will make things right with her sister, Spencer. As April refuses to give up and dives head first into discovering the past, she also falls deeper in with Bennett, the billionaire heir to a far reaching media corporation.

Book 4

April's world is rocked when she discovers the truth behind the night of her accident. Her sister, Spencer, has deep secrets of her own. Both involve a man they have known since they were kids - Kevin, Bennett's father and the owner of a billionaire media corporation. April is determined to help her sister break free of Kevin's clutches and repair their relationship. She wants to help Bennett see that he can stand on his own two feet without needing to bow down to the whims of his father. Can Bennett protect his father without losing April?

Book 5

With Spencer's daughter, Aria, missing and Kevin hot on their trail, April feels as if things have flown completely off the rails. After Kevin lies and tells Bennett that April was kissing Anderson, she finds herself struggling to plan out her next move. Will Bennett help her work against his own father or will he be more concerned about the company? April must put the pieces of her life story together before it is too late to take down a mad billionaire and his lust for power but will the target on her back prove to be deadly?

A New Adult Romance Series

Torrid Exposure

Book One

By Carla Coxwell

Copyright Revelry Publishing 2017

# Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Other Books by Carla Coxwell

About the Author - Carla Coxwell

Connect with Carla Coxwell

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# Chapter One

"I THINK it looks nice."

"Are you crazy? It isn't even at all."

"Well, you do it then, April."

I sigh and take a step forward, looking at the photo that Emily has hung up in the living room. It looks crooked to me. Okay, maybe just a little off center. I lean forward and nudge it slightly with my finger. It slides just over enough to look perfectly centered to me and I look back at her.

Emily is wearing an amused expression on her face. "Oh, yeah, massive difference."

I know she is teasing me. I roll my eyes and look back at the photo. I hear Emily leaving the room to go finish unpacking in her own bedroom. I look around the living room. The big things seemed to be unpacked. I sit down on the couch and sink into it, relaxing my feet for a moment.

Moving felt as if it had taken ages. I am glad to see that the big things are all unpacked. Now I can try to relax for the night. Even though it is hot outside, part of me wants to bundle up underneath a pile of blankets and go to sleep.

But I get up and make myself walk to my own bedroom. My own bedroom. It sounds foreign to me. Not that I haven't ever had my own bedroom. Of course, I had my own bedroom when I lived at home. But I shared a dorm room in college so I wasn't exactly dealing with the utmost of privacy.

Now, however, I have a space all to myself. The only other person in this apartment is Emily, my best friend since I was little. Finally, it feels as if life is falling into place.

I sit down on the floor and start going through one of the boxes. I have always been terrible at packing. I usually end up shoving everything in boxes without any sort of organization at all. I never learn, apparently, because this current box has everything from clothes to my laptop. At the bottom, I yank something out. It is a photo album. This is weird... I didn't put this in here.

I flip it open to a random photo and see myself at age six. My skinny arms are wrapped around my sister, who is beaming at the camera. Behind her is a water slide. We must have been at some water park.

I scowl. My sister, Spencer, must have slipped this in the box. It was most likely a last ditch attempt at getting me to reach out to her.

"It isn't going to work," I say out loud and shove the photo album back in the box.

Emily sticks her head in inquiring, "Did you say something?"

"Yeah. Not to you though. Just..." I bite my bottom lip, "... just that Spencer shoved this stupid photo album in one of the boxes. I didn't notice it until now."

Emily is staring at me, clearly trying to figure out what to say next. She, of all people, knows the relationship I have with my family and that it isn't the best. But I don't want to ruin our day of getting our own place with mention of them so I quickly shake my head.

"No, it's cool, really. I'm just going to finish unpacking in here."

"Okay," she replies and turns around to leave before hesitating. "Listen, April. You know if you need to talk about them, you can. You don't have to lock it all up inside."

"I know. Thanks."

Emily nods at me and leaves me alone in my bedroom again. My earlier zest at having my own space is now slightly dulled. I sit on the floor and run my fingers over the cover of the photo album. I don't know when Spencer would have snuck this in. Did she really think this would do anything? Knowing her, she probably thought I would see it and decide to move back home.

Well, she is wrong. I stand up and decide to go through another box. If I find another surprise from her in any of these boxes, I am going to lose it on her. But I then think quickly, maybe that is what she wants me to do.

I decide I'll unpack something I like. The big box holding my photography equipment is stacked up against the wall. I yank it over and sit down on the floor again, opening it up and slowly pulling everything out.

Once I am holding my camera, I feel myself calm down a bit. It is state of the art. All my equipment is expensive - and I purchased it all by myself. No hand-outs from Mommy and Daddy, no matter what anyone may think. I go through the box and organize everything. I've been itching to take photos of my room so I take some spontaneous shots. I want to start a photo album of my life beginning with moving out on my own and continue on as I get my career going.

After I finish taking some photos of my room, I grab clean clothes and head into the bathroom for a quick shower. I can hear Emily talking to someone quietly on her phone in the kitchen. It is probably her boyfriend. Ever since Matt and I broke up, she is worried that if I hear her talking to her boyfriend, I might start crying over my failed relationship.

Maybe I would have a couple of months ago. But I am working every day to get over Matt and everything we went through. I tell myself that what we had was just a college romance. Of course it was going to end after graduation. That was what I told everyone after we broke up. I downplayed how serious we were. I felt like a fool for not seeing it before it happened.

Only Emily knew how hard the break-up hit me. Better not to think about Matt now. I have other things that I need to focus on. Whatever I went through with Matt is in the past now.

I step into the shower to clear my mind. I have things to get arranged. No use in thinking about the past.

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# Chapter Two

I shouldn't have gotten that large coffee with extra expresso. I feel jittery and all over the place. But I am low on sleep and for the first time since I finished college, a client has contacted me about taking photos for them.

Naturally, I couldn't sleep the night before and the coffee had seemed like a good idea at the time. Now I am trying to type in the address the client has given me and can already feel a headache forming.

The fact that this is my first official client is making me nervous. I always loved photography. I had taken every photography course in college that was offered. Most people considered it a hobby but when I made it clear that I was serious about pursuing it as a career, everyone thought I was joking.

My parents had basically said they would just hire me for whatever they wanted and let their friends hire me. But that isn't what I wanted. I want to be taken seriously as a photographer. So I decided that striking out on my own would be my best bet.

And now - finally - I have a client of my own! I can't help but feel excited at finally getting some real work... they are for the client's website. The address is on the other side of town, in the financial district. It pops up on my GPS on my phone and I pull out of the parking lot.

I arrive there in about twenty minutes with my gear for the shoot. It is the middle of the summer and way too hot for my liking. I cross the parking lot and step inside the small office.

It smells of new paint in here. There isn't anything even labeled to let anyone know what the office is for. A receptionist looks up and smiles at me.

"April?"

"Yes, that's me," I say, walking over to the desk. "Here to meet Mr. Smith."

"He's on the third floor. You can head right up. I'll let him know you're here."

"Thanks," I reply, smiling at her and heading towards the elevator.

Something about the office is odd. It's so small, first off. Maybe I am just too used to large companies, like the ones my parents and their friends own. The man said this was for a small website so I guess it made sense. The receptionist looked vaguely familiar however, although I can't pinpoint from where I would have seen her.

I take the elevator up to the third floor and step out into an empty office. The windows overlook a small garden. There is a radio on the floor, playing a classic rock station. The scent of new paint is overwhelming. Mixed with the coffee, my headache takes flight.

"Hello?" I say, peering around the office.

A door opens to my left and a man steps out. As soon as I see him, I turn around and get ready to leave.

"April, c'mon, wait."

"Fuck you, Bennett," I retort angrily. "I can't believe this. Did my parents put you up to this?"

"No! They didn't. Are you really going to leave?"

I press the elevator button, waiting for the doors to open. I am seething. Of course, I should have known my parents would have been determined to shove their noses into my business.

"April," he says and puts his hand in front of the now open elevator doors, "Come on. Stay. I hired you because I want you to take photos for my website."

"You're lying."

"No. I'm not."

"Move. I'm leaving," I say to him.

"If you leave, I'm going to make sure no one in town hires you. You're acting pretty unprofessional right now."

I have a mental image of pushing Bennett out of the way but I stop. I've known him my whole life... his family, worth billions, are close family friends with my own family... and I've always hated him. He acts like he knows everything and as if his money makes him hot shit. The fact that he is the one who hired me pisses me off to no end. He is the type of person who would tell everyone in town not to hire me because I walked out.

I clench my jaw. "Fine. I'll stay." No way am I going to let this jerk mess up my photography career.

Bennett smiles at me. I have to ignore how handsome he is. He always looks good. But he knows he looks good. That's one of the reasons I can't stand him.

"What business are you starting, anyway? Pretty sure your daddy is going to give you his media corporation when he finally kicks the bucket."

He only grins at my words. Everything always bounces off of him, even the things that are true. His father, Kevin, is in control of one of the largest media corporations in the world. It began at some little radio company Bennett's grandfather started and now his company controls most of the media, with numerous channels, news sites and other social media websites across the globe. His family is so rich that they make my own rich family look poor.

"Thought you could take the photos for my website."

"Why me?"

"Why not you, April?" he says, finally moving his arm away from the elevator. "Family friends, after all."

"You know I'm not looking for any hand-outs," I say to him. "I want to do this on my own."

"I know. Your mom won't stop complaining about you," he replies, turning around to look out one of the windows. "Pretty boring."

"I don't want to talk about my mom," I say to him. "Anyway, where are we taking these photos? What are we even taking photos of?"

"We can't take them here?"

"I guess," I reply, looking around. "Sort of boring for whatever you are selling but if you want to, fine."

"Selling? Oh. No, this is all for my personal website."

"What? You said you were taking photos of a business. For your new website."

"No, that's what I said to get you to agree to the job. This is just my friend's office. He's starting up some online company and this is where he is working out of. I figured we'd meet here because you wouldn't come at all if you saw it was my dad's address."

I stifle a groan. This is just getting worse.

"Well, what business is your friend starting?" I ask, trying to salvage something from this. "If I take your photos, will you pass my information along to your friend?"

Bennett seems to consider this. I wait for him to answer.

Instead he shrugs. "Maybe."

"What?"

"Well, what if you don't take good photos? Come on, April. I have my reputation to think about."

Now I really want to leave. But I don't want to give him any pleasure from pissing me off so I ignore what he just said.

"So, again, what am I taking photos of?"

"Me."

"You?"

"Yes. Listen, my dad says an online following is important. Especially since I am the heir to the business. So this website will look professional. A little about myself. A blog section. Things like that. So people can get to know me so whenever I take over, I'll already be a known figure."

"Can't imagine you writing a blog."

"I'll probably hire someone. Maria, downstairs. She likes to write."

Maria. Of course. She had worked on and off for Bennett's family for a few years now. I haven't seen her in a while so that was why I couldn't pinpoint her as the phony receptionist.

"Anything authentic on your website at all?" I ask as I pull out my equipment. "Anything that is actually going to be from you?"

"These photos will have me in them. Where should I be?"

We end up spending a chunk of time fighting over where the photos should be shot. Bennett wants an overly complicated set up for a portrait. I tell him that I think it should look more casual so he looks friendly and approachable. My head is throbbing by the time he agrees to my idea.

He stands by the window and proceeds to put on one of the cheesiest grins I have ever seen on him. In spite of myself, I let out a snort.

Bennett frowns. "What?"

"Nothing. That's great."

"You're lying," he fires back at me. "What is it?"

I look up from behind my camera. "You just look super phony. Sorry. I mean, if you want that, I can take the shot."

Bennett is looking irritated now and crosses his arms, "How am I supposed to look then?"

I take a photo. He hears the click of my shutter and looks even more pissed off. I know I shouldn't be irritating him but it is so hard not to. Bennett just seems like a spoiled billionaire. Taking bad photos of him to enjoy in the privacy of my home seems like a simple pleasure at this point.

"Delete that!" he demands.

"Okay," I lie and pretend that I do. "Okay, are you ready now?"

"Fine." He leans back against the window and smiles cheerily again, "Any better?"

I decide that I am going to be here all day if I don't help him along. If I lose the natural light, then taking the photos will be even more difficult. I look up from behind the camera again.

"Try to look approachable, Bennett. Isn't that what this whole project is about? Try to look... you know... not how you usually do," I pause before adding, "Figured you would be better at this. You pose for photos all the time."

"Guess your shitty attitude is affecting me," he quips.

I stop myself from rolling my eyes and start taking photos of him. After the first few shots, he starts to relax a bit. He still looks like a prep boy but not as phony. He has also stopped talking, which I am thankful for.

As the photo shoot continues on, I start to notice different things about him. Weird how I have known Bennett for most of my life but only through the camera lens I pick up on different things. Like the fact his eyes are blue but depending on the light, they go from light to dark. How tall he actually is. How his muscles seem to perfectly fit his white dress shirt...

"Okay," I say suddenly, popping up. "We got it, I think."

"Let me see," he says, coming over.

I flick through the photos, making sure to bypass the one of him looking irritated. Bennett stands next to me. I can smell his cologne. Probably some rich stuff. Yet the smell of it seems to go directly to my head and make it feel light for a brief moment.

"Looks good," he says casually. "E-mail them to me and I'll pick the ones I want and pay you."

"Great, okay," I say quickly, wanting out of there as soon as I can, "I'll send them tonight."

I turn around to start packing up my things. My headache still hasn't gone away. The whole shoot only took a couple of hours but it feels as if I've been trapped in this office for fifty years with Bennett.

"You coming to Dad's barbeque party this summer?" he asks me.

"Uh, no," I reply. "Don't think so."

Kevin throws a giant summer bash every year. It is ridiculous and so over the top that I lied last year about being sick to get out of going. The mansion where Bennett's family lives in has four different pools, a bowling alley and a small waterpark. Kevin decorates the entire thing and has a small carnival set up on the property. Celebrities attend, not just people Kevin knows from business. It is the party of the summer. A few years ago, people were trying to sneak in and a bunch of cops had to make arrests.

The party is usually fun for about an hour. By the end of the night, everyone is drunk and making out in the numerous bedrooms in the mansion. I like a good party as much as the next person, but after having to go for so many years, I have been looking forward to getting out of it again this year.

"So, you really mean it then?"

"Mean what?"

"You're ditching your family and everyone for good."

I look up from my camera bag, "No!" I snap. "It isn't like that!"

"Seems like it. What, you were fine with your parents paying for literally everything, including college, and now you want to make it on your own?"

He is pissing me off. But Bennett was always good at making me angry. I know that I shouldn't take the bait but after being stuck with him for a couple of hours, coupled with the raging headache, I snap.

"You have no idea about anything to do with my family. I'm not abandoning them, okay? Mind your own business."

"Just seems like you were fine with living a cushy life to get out of school debt and now you want to try to make it. Isn't very realistic," he shrugs.

I look up at him, "And your life is realistic? Your billionaire daddy and your stupid website are realistic? Please. Just stop talking."

I finish shoving everything in my bag and go to move past him. I want to get away as quickly as possible. The last person on the entire planet I want to discuss my life or my family with is him.

But he stops me. His arm is against the elevator door again and he is looking down at me. When did he get so tall? I suppose I just hadn't been paying attention.

"Move," I say to him.

"Why are you so pissed off?"

"Are you serious? How can you say that? You know you shouldn't be talking about my family at all and yet here you are, running off your mouth."

He leans close to me. Once again I could smell his cologne. His eyes are dark blue now with little flecks of gold in them. I need to stop paying so much attention to them.

"Running off my mouth? I'm just saying what everyone is thinking. Including your family."

"My parents don't think that," I counter. "They don't understand my choices but they respect them."

"Do they?" he replied lightly, his tone teasing.

I push his hand away and slam on the elevator buttons. Luckily, the doors open right away and I step inside. Bennett is just staring at me. His expression is blank. His dark blue eyes are the last thing I see before the elevator doors glide shut.

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# Chapter Three

The next two weeks pass by without any incident. Bennett picked his photos and paid me. His assistant handled all the e-mails. He referred me to his friend and I began working with him on the photos for his website.

Even though Bennett was a jerk, I still end up thinking about what he said about my family. Late at night, when I can't sleep, I wonder if maybe he is right.

Telling my parents that I didn't want anything else to do with their money and to cut me out of the will hadn't been an easy choice. My father had started a successful restaurant franchise at a young age. His wealth had grown quickly and he had married my mom shortly after he had made his first cool million. My sister was born a few years later. By that time my family was set for life.

There had always been something that had felt strange to me about having so much wealth. The people we spoke to and the places we went to never felt genuine. My family never felt closely bonded. Any sort of charity my family did felt insincere, as if we were just pretending to be good people.

I told Spencer this when I was eleven. She was fifteen at the time and thought I was just being a dumb kid. But the feeling never faded. In fact, the older I got, the worse it felt. It didn't feel as if we were really doing anything of value. It always felt as if we were going through the motions of being decent people.

Photography had always been interesting to me. I love taking photos. I don't like posed ones though. I like to get into the meat of things and take photos that really expose their true value. It had driven my parents nuts because I always snuck around to take photos of them if they were fighting or doing something they didn't want to share publicly.

It only made sense to get into photography as a career. My parents had thought it was silly. They never understood where I was coming from and what sort of photos I wanted to take.

It was halfway through college that I decided if I truly wanted to make it on my own, I was going to have to give up my family's wealth and my reliance on their fame and fortune.

There were other reasons why I didn't want to deal with my family. Darker reasons, I suppose. But I try not to think about them.

In any case, telling my parents that once I finished college, I was bowing out of the family, didn't go over too well. It caused a massive rift. They were still working to convince me that I needed to come back to them. Come back to Spencer. Spencer, who fought with me over my choice and grappled with it as much as I did. She had already finished college by this time. She had even gone abroad for a while at one point. But I didn't want to return to her.

Even so, what Bennett had said about using my family to pay my way through college only to turn around and drop them, bothered me. Had I really done that?

So when Emily knocks on my door, I feel as if I already know what it is going to be about.

"Hey, you busy?" she asks me, stepping inside my room.

"Just setting up my website online," I reply, looking up from my laptop. "What's up?"

"Well..." She hesitates for a brief moment before speaking quickly. "Adam was wondering if he could go to Mr. Hunter's party."

Adam works in the record industry. He usually gets stuck doing technical work. I know that he wants to try to make some connections and become a producer. Since everyone who is anyone is going to Kevin and Bennett's family summer party, I am not surprised that Adam wants to go too.

Emily goes on, seeing my face. "I know invites are sort of tight. But everyone can bring two people, right? If you can just get us in, you can leave. I swear. You don't have to mingle or even say hi to your parents. Just get me and Adam in. You know he really could use some serious connections. You know I wouldn't ask if it was just for me... but for Adam, I figured..."

"I get it," I reply. "Seriously. I would have done it for Matt."

At the mention of Matt, Emily looks taken aback. She obviously thought that I wasn't going to bring him up. But it's true. If Matt had needed anything, I would have done what I could to get it for him.

"Just get us in the door," Emily says to me. "You don't have to do anything else."

Emily is my best friend. Even though the last thing I want to do is go to the Hunters' house for their party and possibly have to deal with Bennett, I want to do whatever I can for her. The Universe knows how much she has done for me.

So I nod my head. "Yeah, of course."

Surprise overtakes her face. "Seriously?"

"Yes. Tell Adam to be ready." I smile at her.

She runs over and crushes me in a hug. She always smells like sugar cookies. Over the years, it's become comforting. I return her hug.

"I appreciate this so much, April," she says to me. "Seriously. Adam has been really struggling to get his career off the ground. He could really stand to meet someone who can help him out."

"No problem. What about you? Any connections you want to make?"

At this question, Emily plops down on my bed and stares at the ceiling. She has always been a little lost in what to do with her life. As a kid, she wanted to be a pop star. After her mom died of cancer when she was five, she wanted to be a doctor. That faded once she realized she got queasy at the sight of blood. After that, Emily bounced around all over the map with what she wanted to do with her life.

We had gone to the same college together. She recently graduated with a degree in English but wasn't exactly sure what to do with it. Sometimes she thought she might teach. Other times she spoke about moving out of the country and writing about whatever happened there.

In the interim, we ended up moving in together because I didn't have my parent's money anymore and Emily felt aimless. Emily's family isn't nearly as well off as mine or Bennett's. Her dad used to own a bunch of casinos but after her mom died, he sold them and sort of went off the deep end.

"No. I mean, I don't know," she says to me. "I wish I could be like you."

"What do you mean?"

"You've always known exactly what you've wanted to do. And now you are setting out to do it."

"You'll figure it out, Em."

She shrugs. "Maybe. I don't know. Maybe I'll just try to unwind there, you know? The parties are always crazy. Might be fun."

"Maybe. Anyway, I'll make sure to get you in somehow."

Emily stands up and smiles at me. "Thanks, April. I'm going to go call Adam and give him the good news."

I watch her leave and I turn back to look at my computer screen. I don't want to call Spencer. But if it means that I can get her to allow Emily into the party with Adam then I'll suck it up. Emily's family is never formally invited to Kevin's summer party. Not since her dad sold the casinos and started acting funny.

I end up calling Spencer right then. Easier just to get it out of the way and deal with it. I'm hoping she'll be so keen to patch things up that she'll just allow Emily and Adam as her guests and be done with it.

She answers on the first ring, which gives me some hope.

"April?"

"Hey, Spencer."

"Wow, I didn't think you'd be calling me. What's going on?" Her voice is even, as if she doesn't want to betray any emotion.

I quickly explain Emily's request. After I finish, there is a long silence on the other line. I start to grow nervous.

Finally, Spencer speaks. "No."

"Are you kidding me?"

"I can't believe you, April. You leave the family, move in with Emily, and now want me to do you a solid just so you can avoid Mom and Dad? No way."

"I've always hated Mr. Hunter's parties," I protest. "You know that."

"I know. You've hated everything, April... anything that has to do with our money, or our family."

"You know it isn't just about the money," I counter back. "I mean, yes, the money is a big reason but not the only reason."

It is the closest I have come to speaking about the events that solidified my choice of leaving my family. I can tell Spencer is taken aback. She is silent on the other line. For a second, I wonder if she is going to hang up.

Finally, she speaks. "I'm not letting Emily or her boyfriend use my invite. You want to do them a favor? Then actually do them the favor. Come to the party, Sis."

The line goes dead. I stare at my phone, feeling irritated but not surprised.

I guess I am going to the party after all.

<<<>>>

"Just get us in the door and then you can leave," Emily says to me for roughly the millionth time. "I promise."

"Emily, it's okay, really," I tell her as we turn a corner toward the Hunter's mansion.

"Okay," she says, running her fingers over her skirt.

In the backseat is Adam, who is overdressed. I am dreading seeing Spencer. In hindsight, I probably shouldn't have called her. I had assumed she would allow them in so she could try to get on my good side. Apparently not. Now she is just going to be on red alert, waiting to see me.

Emily is talking now, rambling about the party to Adam.

"Mr. Hunter is really nice," she says about Kevin. "I think." She glances at me and I stifle a laugh.

"What's so funny?" Adam asks.

"Nothing," I say quickly. No way am I going to let it slip that Emily thinks Kevin is hot for an older man. Her crush on Kevin is constantly a source of amusement for me.

"Anyway," Emily goes on, glaring at me, "there are going to be hundreds of people there. We'll make sure you talk to someone important."

The two of them make their plans to corner some big time record producer. I am, however, starting to feel the pit of anxiety kick up in my stomach. The thought of seeing my parents makes my mouth go dry. I have a mental image of getting cornered by them and having to go through the same argument we've gone through a billion times.

Most of all, I don't want to see Spencer. In fact, I'd rather have all my teeth pulled out with a rusty pair of pliers.

We turn another corner and there it is - the Hunters' mansion. It is sprawling. Even though I've been in it a million times, I still think there are rooms I haven't been in before. It is gaudy to me and over the top in its ugliness. My mom thinks it is lovely.

The huge empty field next to the property is being used as a parking area for the people who didn't take a limo. The sun is high in the sky, beating down on everyone heading toward the mansion. The gates are massive and there are two security guards checking everyone in. After the gatecrashers a few years ago, there are two checkpoints guests have to pass through in order to get to the party.

My plan is to get through the gates, make sure my friends pass through security and then leave as soon as we gain entrance to the mansion. That way Emily and Adam are allowed in without incident and I can leave without any concerns that they'll be kicked out.

We get through the first checkpoint and I drive toward the parking area. My heart is beating quickly in my chest now. I tell myself to calm down. This is still my family.

We park the car and head off toward the mansion. Even from where we are, I can hear the DJ's blasting music. One of the pools is usually turned into a dance floor. All the food and drink one could imagine. No wonder so many people try to get in.

We move with the crowd toward the door. Even though some people have made it past the first checkpoint, they don't necessarily have the proper invitations. Some people forge them. But while those might work to get them onto the grounds, the bouncers at the main entrance to the mansion can spot a fake invite a thousand miles away. We pass by one girl sobbing into her cellphone that she got ripped off from purchasing her invite.

I hand my invite over to the bouncer, Anthony, who has done this the past six years running. "Hey," I say.

"Hey, girl. Didn't think I would see you here."

"Didn't think I'd be here either," I say. "This couple is my plus two."

"Great. Go on in," he says, opening the doors for my guests and me.

I hear some people grumbling as we step inside. The doors shut behind us and we are in the foyer. It is crowded here, thick with bodies who are trying to surge through toward the main living area. I am pressed up against Emily who is taking everything in. It has been ages since she has been in the mansion.

Unable to turn around to get out, I am pressed forward with the crowd into the main living area. Here it is easier to breathe although it is still massively crowded. Music is thumping into the room, already making it hard to speak. Emily looks at me, wondering where to go.

"Go left!" I shout in her ear, knowing that if we can make it toward the library on the east wing the crowds aren't as thick.

She nods and the three of us try to push through the guests. Adam is great at this. He pushes people out of the way but looks so friendly doing it that no one gets angry with him.

Finally, we make it into a hallway that isn't so congested with partygoers. There is a group near the library, faces huddled close together, talking in low voices and laughing loudly. The library is sealed off. A guard stands by it. Kevin collects books and he doesn't want anyone fucking with them.

"Okay, you guys settled?" I ask, eager to get out of here.

"This place is so big," Adam says, looking around wide-eyed. "I didn't think it was actually going to be so huge."

"Emily should remember most of it. Let me know how it goes."

"Thanks again," she says to me.

Right before I turn around, I see her eyes widen. I've been her friend long enough to know what that gooey schoolgirl look means. It means that Kevin is behind me. Fuck.

I turn around to face him. Kevin is older, somewhere in his fifties but easily looks like he is in his late thirties. He is classically handsome. Bennett has gotten a lot of his features from him, I realize, staring at Kevin. I quickly banish the thought. He is dressed in a suit - he always wears a suit, party or not - and he is holding a snifter glass of whiskey in one hand.

"Emily... and April. What a surprise. I figured your invite would have gone unused."

Adam is glancing at Emily, probably wondering why she has fallen so quiet. Her silly, hopeless crush on Kevin would be funny right now if I didn't want to get out of here ASAP.

"Mr. Hunter, hello," I say to him, not wanting to admit I am here just to get Emily into the party. "Nice to see you."

I perceive a pause and a slight twinge of irritation in his demeanor.

"April, always the formal one," he says with a forced smile.

Even though he has always insisted I call him Kevin, I continue to refer to him as Mr. Hunter to his face. I shrug my shoulders and look past him at the other guests.

"It's nice to see you as well," he says, choosing to let the uncomfortable moment pass. "I understand you helped out Bennett a couple of weeks ago."

"Yes, sir. I took photos for his website."

"Well, he appreciated it. They look fantastic. In fact, I was just talking about your photography to someone earlier today. I should find them so you can discuss options." He smiles at me casually now.

Damn it. The prospect of landing a job is enticing and he knows it. Kevin didn't get to where he is by being stupid. He knows very well that I probably came to get Emily in and I was planning to ditch.

But to talk to someone and maybe land a job is too big of an offer to just pass up. Plus, I have no proper excuse to say no.

So instead I smile at him. "Sure. Sounds great."

"Excuse us, please," he says to Emily and Adam and guides me by my arm down the hallway.

I glance back at the two of them. Emily mouths "I'm sorry!" as I get dragged off deeper into the party.

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# Chapter Four

"You came here just to get Emily into the party, didn't you?" Kevin says to me, as he smiles at a guest walking by.

"Yes," I admit because it is clear he already knows. "Figured I could help her out."

We turn down another hallway which is a little bit more crowded. He is leading me outside, I realize, where I am definitely going to start running into people I know. I must slow down a little because he glances at me.

"Are you okay, April? You look pale."

"I'm just great, Mr. Hunter," I say to him even though I want to tell him I know he is just trying to get under my skin. "Can't wait to meet a possible client."

He smiles at me. In the smile, I see Bennett. I avert my gaze. Last thing I want to do is start finding Kevin handsome. Or Bennett. Anyone from the Hunter family. No way. I scan the crowd as we step out onto one of the pool areas.

This pool is in full use. People are diving in. One side has a bar in the pool and it is crowded with people. It is so hot outside that I have no idea how Kevin can be wearing a suit and look so natural. Just the air about him, I suppose. He always looks dignified.

"My son spoke so highly of you about the photo shoot," he is saying to me now. "He was impressed with your skill."

"Was he?" I ask sarcastically.

"I never understood why you two never got along."

"Really?" I deadpan. "Where is this person you mentioned?"

Kevin looks around slowly, "Hmm. Must have run off."

At that point someone comes over to us from another crowd. They are big, big fans of Kevin's work. The man is about seventy and looks out of his element here at the party. Kevin is kind to the man but I am anxious to leave. I feel now that Kevin wasn't really talking to anyone about my work. Why am I constantly falling for BS?

Irritated, I slip my arm away from his and turn around, planning to duck out of the party. Kevin wants to stop me but the old man is clearly talking his ear off about business. I weave my way through the crowd, happy to get away from him.

I am almost into the hallway I had come from when I see Spencer coming out of the doorway. In a panic, I turn around and wildly walk to the right. I can almost hear my mother nagging me in my head to be nice to her. I am not in the mood.

I walk by the pool and end up near the DJ booth. The music is blasting. Everyone is dancing and drinking. The sun feels as if it is roasting my skin. I don't see anyone I know but I do not see Spencer either. I cut across the lawn and make my way over to one of the guest houses. If I circle around the guest house, I can make it around to the parking lot.

There are two people pressed against the back of the guest house. They are heavily making out. I am surprised, only because the party is hardly underway - this sort of behavior doesn't happen until later in the evening after everyone's had a few too many to drink. The woman has her arms wrapped around the man's neck. He is bent over, kissing her and pressing her against the side of the house. I stop and decide to go another way.

As I back up, I accidentally trip over one of the rocks in the landscaped yard. My foot slams against it and I curse in surprise, leaping back.

The couple splits apart and the man looks up. With a sinking feeling in my stomach, I realize it is Bennett. His eyes flash upon seeing me. The woman is looking at me as well. Her face is scrunched up in irritation. He says something to her and she nods, turning around and walking off towards the main hub of the party.

I turn around to leave as well. But Bennett grabs my arm and stops me.

"Where're you running off to?"

"Nowhere. I was trying to get to my car," I tell him, looking back behind me.

"Through the guest houses?" he replies and I cringe inwardly at the plural usage of houses.

"Yes."

"You just don't want Spencer to see you."

"Don't worry, I already said hi to your father," I reply. "He's always so kind."

"Yeah, he's great," Bennett says and for the first time I detect a note of hostility.

"What about you? Making out with some poor girl already?"

He shrugs, "Mary? I was bored."

"That's disgusting," I say to him and move past him, deciding to cut through the guest houses anyway.

Bennett's shoulder brushes against me as I move past him. For some reason, the mental image of him kissing Mary against the house flashes up in my mind.

"Why do you care?" he says after me.

"Excuse me?" I stop in spite of myself.

"About Mary."

I face him. "I just think it's disgusting you are making out with someone because you're bored."

"Why? You think making out should be special?" His voice goes up on the last word, mimicking me.

I roll my eyes at him and turn to go again. I can hear him following me. I am furious with myself for letting Kevin drag me farther into this party. Now I am trying to shake off Bennett. I honestly don't care that he was making out with Mary.

"How can you be bored at this party, anyway?" I ask as he walks next to me. "There are millions of things to do here."

"You're bored here. You whine every year about coming here. You say it's dull," he counters back quickly.

I am irritated at myself for falling into his trap. We are crossing the field now which leads back to a side pathway. It'll take me to the front of the mansion and I can get out of here. The pathway is crowded, however, and it ends up being slow going. Bennett doesn't leave. Instead, he hovers, clearly determined to irritate me more.

"Listen, I'm done talking to you," I say to him as we move past a group of girls who look like teenagers. "I'm leaving."

I manage to squeeze through a group of friends and I bump into someone.

"Sorry," I say, looking up. "I--"

The words die on my lips. I am staring into my own eyes.

"April," my sister says to me, "you made it."

"I'm leaving," I say but my tongue feels heavy.

Spencer grabs my arm. We are jostled by the crowd. Bennett has left. Even he doesn't want to stick around to see my sister and I talk to each other.

"We need to talk."

I want to protest and yank my arm away but Spencer is stronger. She gives a firm yank on my arm and barrels through the crowd. Unlike Adam, who smiled at everyone, Spencer merely glares. People grumble but she doesn't notice.

We step into a hallway that turns onto another hallway that has the library. I trail after her, not saying anything. Even though I didn't want to see her, there is no point in running off now. Spencer will only chase me down if I try to leave. Better just to get it over with.

She stops in front of the library and shows the guard something. He moves to the side, watching her curiously. I realize she has Kevin's key to the library. How did she get that? Before I can overthink it, the door unlocks and she steps inside.

I follow her. The door shuts behind us. The library is soundproof. It is as if I have stepped into another house completely. I can't hear anything from the party. Spencer stops to look around the library. I find myself taking it in as well. It has been a few years since I have been in this room - it's elegant and comfortable. There are rows upon rows of books. Kevin probably collects the books because he has money to burn and can brag about it.

Spencer has stopped in front of one of the shelves of books. She runs her finger across the shelf, as if checking for dust. I don't say anything. I don't know what she wants to discuss.

"Remember when we were kids and we snuck in here once?" she finally says.

It isn't what I am expecting to hear from her.

"Yes," I reply. "I remember."

Her back is to me. Her brown hair is falling down her back. She has always kept her hair long - it's been highlighted since the last time I spoke to her. It reflects in the sunlight pouring through the windows and seems to twinkle a little bit at me.

"I remember we thought there were going to be artifacts in here," Spencer continues. "We had been playing too many video games. We became convinced that Kevin had all sorts of relics. There was one we thought we'd find in here..." She struggles to remember the name.

"The relic of Tukan," I speak up, "but Tukan turned out to be a fake city only in whatever video game we had been playing. Kevin was furious with us for breaking into the library at one of his cocktail parties. You were eight. I was about four. There was no relic. There weren't any sort of relics or artifacts in the library at all. Instead, we just got in trouble."

Silence fills the library. I don't think she knew if I remembered that or not. But I did. I remember it because even though there had been no secret relic in the library, it had still been fun to break the rules and be with Spencer.

She turns slightly now. I can see half of her face but her back is still to me. I have nothing else to say.

Finally, she speaks, "Are we ever going to discuss what happened?"

"There isn't any point," I reply, my voice hollow. "There isn't any changing it."

Spencer turns away from me again. Her posture is stiff. I don't know what she is thinking. I don't have anything to say about what happened two years ago.

"Does it ever hurt?" she finally asks.

"In cold weather," I reply. "Acts up then."

She takes a minute to digest this and then says, "I was hoping we could... I was hoping you'd come back. To the family. That's why I didn't allow Emily to use my invite. I knew you'd have to come."

"I know. But I really am leaving now."

At this, Spencer finally turns to face me. Her eyes are wide and she looks as if she is holding back tears. I had thought she was going to yell and scream at me. Now, here she is, looking as if she is going to start bawling at any minute. Spencer never cries.

"Why don't you tell them?" she asks me, pleading.

"No point. It's true - I left because of the money. I don't want the money, Spence." At the use of my old nickname for her, she softens slightly, "This isn't the sort of life I want. I want to make a name for myself my own way."

"But that isn't the only reason."

"No. That isn't the only reason," I confirm.

At this, she seems to be at a loss for words. I decide I'll leave now. This isn't the place I want to discuss this. I don't ever want to discuss it at all. Spencer knows what happened between us tore us apart. There isn't any reason to talk about what could have been. We will always be sisters but we won't ever be how we used to be. Here, in the library where we once snuck in to find imaginary relics, the memories are too strong. It is making me sentimental.

I turn to go and she speaks up. "Mom and Dad are here. They're going to want to talk to you if they see you."

"I know. Bye, Spencer."

I open the heavy door of the library and step back out into the hallway. The sound of the party seems to punch me right in the face. It is as if I stepped out of another world into reality.

Quickly, I walk down the hallway into the main foyer where everyone is still entering. It is packed. Moving is slow going. Every year, Kevin talks about knocking down the foyer and trying to widen it for parties like this but he never gets around to it. I think part of him secretly likes the crowd. It certainly looks impressive for people to barely be able to get around when they first get into a party, as if everyone in the world is here.

I manage to get to the front door. Hardly anyone is leaving yet so I am pushing against the crowd. It is then that I realize I am walking directly towards my parents. They have seemingly just arrived. I already feel emotionally drained from speaking to Spencer.

So I turn around and let the crowd sweep me away. Who knew leaving a party was going to be this impossible?! I don't want to let a bad mood brew but it is difficult. First, I thought Kevin had a potential client for me, then I had to deal with seeing Bennett making out with a girl, and finally, I had to speak to my sister.

It isn't as if I never want to speak to my parents again. It is just that ever since I told them about my plans to make it on my own, any sort of interaction with them results in fighting or passive aggressive insults thrown my way. After the events of the party, I am not willing to deal with that right now.

I let the crowd take me the opposite direction. The first room is filled with people. Music is being piped in from the DJ outside and there is a bar in here as well. I don't recognize anyone here but that doesn't surprise me. There are so many people at this party that I normally would end up hanging out with Emily or Spencer. Trying to find Emily in this will be impossible. I'd have to text her to agree on a place to meet up.

I go outside the nearest door and I am by a smaller pool. There is a hot tub here. It is filled with people. The pool is packed as well. A group of people are trying to sun tan nearby. A woman is yelling at a group of men for splashing her with water. Security is already heading over.

I suddenly want a drink. It is unlike me only because my tolerance is that of a baby. Two drinks and I'm tipsy. Three drinks and I'm puking my guts out all night if I don't space them out correctly.

I go to the nearest bar and order a drink - some strawberry concoction that looks delicious. With the drink in my hand, I sit down at a table under the shade of a large tree and take a sip. I can't taste the alcohol in it which makes it taste even better.

I lean back in the chair and wish I had brought some sunglasses. It is so bright out. The heat from the sun is already warming my skin. The music is thumping. In another life, maybe I would have enjoyed this party. Currently, however, all I want to do is drink my drink and avoid my parents. I realize I sound like a teenager.

"April, you're still here?"

I snap out of my thoughts and look up to see Emily. She has a drink in her hand as well. Her sundress is sticking to her skin from the heat. Adam isn't with her.

"Long story," I mumble as she sits down next to me. "Short version: Kevin dragged me off to meet a client I'm pretty sure doesn't exist; Bennett was making out with someone behind a guest house; I got stuck talking to Spencer; and now I'm avoiding my parents."

Emily is about to reply when she looks over my shoulder, "Uh, well, don't look now but your parents are heading this way."

I close my eyes. Of course.

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# Chapter Five

"April?" My mom says my name loudly, stopping in front of the table.

She already has a drink in her hand. I am not surprised. Mom always was a bit of a drinker. Dad is standing next to her. He is looking casual in khaki shorts and a ratty looking t-shirt. He is clutching a bottle of water, clearly surprised at seeing me.

"Hey, Mom," I try to say calmly.

"I didn't know you were coming," she says to me but it comes out in an accusatory tone.

"It's because of me, Mrs. Flemmings," Emily speaks up. "I asked if she could get me in."

Mom looks at Emily for the first time and smiles kindly at her. "Ah, well, Emily, we could have gotten you in. I'm sure of it."

We all know that's a lie. Kevin disliking Emily's dad is well known. He is probably irritated at me for bringing Emily to the party.

"Mind if we speak to you?" my dad asks me.

How can I say no? I stand up, suddenly clutching my drink as if it is a lifesaver. My dad looks surprised at the drink in my hand. I am full of surprises lately. We wander away from the small pool and head to a quieter area near the gardens. Here, people are sitting at tables, eating food and talking to each other as if they are at the mall. We grab a table and sit down.

Mom doesn't wait. "I am surprised to see you here after you have made it so perfectly clear about what you think of our money."

"I told you. I was letting Emily and her boyfriend in."

"You're drinking!" Mom fires back.

"Katy--" my dad says to my mom, a note of warning in his voice.

"Yeah, I know," I reply. "I saw Mr. Hunter and we spoke a little bit. Then I saw Bennett and we spoke a bit. Then I saw Spencer and we spoke a bit. Sort of been hard to get out of here."

"Your sister has been trying to get in touch with you," my mom says, shaking her head enough that her earrings hit against the side of her neck. "You finally spoke to her?"

"Yeah. Listen, I really was trying to leave," I say, hoping to get out of here quickly.

But Mom has decided that this is the perfect time and place to rant to me about my life choices. "I'm just surprised to see you here. You've made it perfectly clear that you have no interest in our money. You seem to think you're above it."

"No, I don't," I counter even though deep down I know it is useless.

"And now here you are, at Kevin's party. A party, which if I seem to remember, you complained about attending every year we had to go. What did you say it was? A silly display of wealth," Mom snaps, moving her hands so much that some of her drink spills onto the table.

Dad goes to clean it up and doesn't say anything. He never does when it comes to Mom and her drunken rants. I can only watch as he tries to sop up her drink with a napkin.

"Richard, don't bother," Mom snaps at him. "Someone else will get it."

The way her words slur slightly at the end make me realize that she must have taken a shot or two upon entering the party. That, plus the drink in her hand, are the only ways she could already be slurring her words. For some reason this makes me furious.

"Drunk already, Mom?" I say, even though I know I am just starting trouble.

"How dare you speak to me that way," she snaps at me. "After everything your father and I did for you. After what we did for you." She repeats that twice, as if she really wants it to sink into my head, "And you basically make fools of us."

"How did I make fools of you?"

"We look like bad parents!" Her voice raises an octave and my dad looks around. "You're basically telling the world that you don't want to be in our family."

"You know that isn't true. I just don't want the money."

"Yet here you are at the party," she says with a swig of her drink. "Strange."

"I told you a million fucking times... I was here to help Emily get in!" I snap, losing it. "Maybe if Kevin wasn't such an uppity asshole about her dad, I wouldn't have had to come."

Dad looks horrified at the fact I have lost it on Mom. She has polished off her drink and is looking at me angrily. She opens her mouth to say something but I shove my drink at her.

"Here, have mine. You can finish it faster than I can."

Dad calls out to me as I leave but I am furious. I storm through the crowd, back towards the pool area. I stop once to grab a shot from a passing server. I am turning into my mother. The shot burns on the way down. I am seething but I can't even pinpoint why.

With my parents lost in the abyss of the party, I find a place to sit. It is near one of the bars. I am close to another pool here. This one has some sort of weird jungle theme to it. It is near the small water park, I think. I am having a hard time remembering the layout to the party.

I don't sit at a table and instead sit underneath a willow tree. The sky is streaked with orange. The sun is setting. How long have I been at this stupid party? I close my eyes and try to figure out why I am so upset.

Everything I didn't want to happen happened. I got dragged into this party. I thought Spencer and I were going to have it out. Instead, we just took a stroll down memory lane. When I think about how far we were torn apart, it seems to hurt me all over again. I realize I had been wanting a fight with her. I didn't want sadness. I had wanted us to scream at each other in Kevin's library. Instead, the entire conversation had left me with a sense of loss that just made me feel bummed out.

I think of my parents. I think of Mom already hitting the booze hard upon entering the party. She had always liked her drink. I have to admit that it has been getting worse lately. Seeing her act like a sloppy drunk always made me angry. I never had a close relationship with my mother.

All she ever wants to talk about is the money. Why I don't like the money. Why the money bothers me. Why I won't just accept the money. Never once did she ask if it was something more than that. Was it my fault because I never hinted that it was anything other than how weird I felt about having so much money?

Dad has always stuck his head in the sand when it came to anything other than business. He was upset at my choice to leave the family and cut myself out of the will. He was upset I wasn't going to do anything with the family business. There wasn't any mention of any personal reasons about why I was choosing to do this.

Maybe I was angry because I had wanted them to ask. Maybe I had wanted to tell them everything. But they were in another world. They never asked. I wasn't going to tell.

It was then that I remembered what Bennett had said to me before - about using my family for money to get through college and then leaving.

But the event that made up my mind had happened afterwards. It wasn't until it happened that I had decided...

I open my eyes. I'm sick of thinking about it. I feel dumped on and tired. My phone is buzzing in my purse. I yank it out and see it is a text from Emily.

You okay? I saw your parents but not you.

I quickly text back. Fine. Usual shit.

I notice I have a missed call from Spencer. I shove my phone back in my purse. The music is so loud now. It has gotten louder now that the sun is starting to set. It feels as if even more people are on the property. It is a sort of an anonymous feeling. I feel as if I could sink into the crowd and no one would look twice at me.

Even though the sun is setting, it is still hot. I am wearing jeans and a t-shirt and my clothes are sticking to me. I never wear dresses or skirts anymore. I stand up and go over to the bar, ordering another one of those strawberry drinks I never got to finish. Am I being self-destructive in wanting to drink to deal with my problems? Maybe, a little. But the anonymity of the crowd makes me grab the drink anyway.

<<<>>>

It doesn't take me long to end up drunk. Two of those strawberry drinks and I am tipsy. Normally, I would stop there. But I have a third one. The sun has set and the lights have come on. Everything feels more vibrant. Colorful. I like the music the DJ is playing. I like dancing by one of the pools. I like not thinking.

I lose track of time on how long I am dancing. My legs are aching. The music has wormed its way inside my head and I am loving every second of it. Why didn't I take up dancing at clubs earlier in life? I had always thought I'd be too shy to dance in public around all these strangers. But with everyone dancing, no one even notices. No one cares if you can't dance... you just feel the music and move.

I realize I am thirsty. I manage to move through the wave of bodies to go to one of the bars. I want water now. No more booze. The small, sober part of me knows I will be regretting it come morning. I am going to have to take a taxi home. Or find Emily. I haven't seen her anywhere. I haven't checked my phone.

I manage to get a bottle of water and end up over by the willow tree I had been at hours earlier. I find myself sitting on the grass, staring up at a set of twinkling lights. My body feels warm. It is a pleasant feeling.

Something catches my eye. It is over by one of the tables. Someone's shirt. Hey, I know that shirt. I squint, trying to get a better look. The image slowly comes into focus. It is Adam. His hair is messy and his face is red. He has clearly been drinking too. There is no sign of Emily. Instead, he has his arm wrapped around another woman. A stranger. He is leaning towards her and whispering in her ear.

The gesture is intimate. It is definitely something he shouldn't be doing with another woman. In a drunken rage, I get to my feet and march across the grass towards him. Adam looks up and sees me coming. Panic crosses his eyes quickly.

"What the fuck?" I say when I get to the table.

Adam is standing up now, the girl is forgotten, "Wait, April. I thought you left."

"Who is this? Where is Emily?!" I snap at him.

The girl glances at Adam. Apparently, he isn't worth my outburst because she gets up and slinks away into the darkness of the party. Adam is pale. The color has drained from his face. The low rage that I've been feeling towards myself and my parents and everyone else threatens to spill out onto Adam.

"Listen, April," he says, although his voice sounds far away, "I can explain. She said she knew this record producer. Emily went home. I thought--"

Suddenly, I feel dangerously sick. It is as if all the drinks I had tonight hit me all at once. Whatever Adam is saying goes in one ear and out the other. I hold up my hand to silence him and then turn around, walking quickly back towards the willow tree.

Once I get to the tree, I press the top of my head against it and start counting. I really don't want to throw up here. Talk about a lack of class. My head is swimming. How many drinks had I had? I can't even remember. The mental image of Adam leaning towards that girl pisses me off. What the hell did he think he was doing?

I raise my head and the world tilts for a brief moment. Adam is gone. He is probably off to try to do damage control before I tell Emily what I saw. I put my head back against the trunk of the tree. The music is so loud here. I have to go somewhere else. Even my thoughts feel as if they are filled with static.

"Looking classy as ever, April."

I know exactly who the voice belongs to before I even look up. I am dreading looking up. With a sigh and a last second attempt not to look drunk, I look up directly into the light blue eyes of Bennett. He is leaning against the tree trunk, smirking at me, as if he has stumbled across his Christmas presents early.

"Go away," I say to him.

His smile grows bigger and he leans over to me. I can smell his stupid cologne. His suit jacket is gone. He is wearing a blue dress shirt that goes with his eyes. He is overdressed, I think dully, like his dad is. Even so, he stands out. Bennett always stood out though, I suppose.

"Are you drunk?" he asks with glee.

I push off the tree trunk and attempt to stand up as straight as I can while keeping the nausea at bay. He is looking down at me now. His hands are in his pants pockets and he is leaning forward a little. He seemingly towers over me and makes me feel as if I am being bullied.

"Go away," I say again, "I don't want to talk to you. I don't like you."

I go to move but I lose my footing in the grass and lurch forward. He catches me. Even though the music is ringing in my ears, I can tell he is laughing at me.

"Oh man, you are drunk," he says to me as he straightens me out. "I don't even remember the last time I saw you like this."

"I remember!" I snap. "I was like, fourteen and you told me it wasn't that strong!"

"You swigged it down in an attempt to keep up at the party," Bennett finishes, grinning. "You threw up everywhere. Your parents were so mad at you."

"I still didn't tell on you, did I?" I reply. "I could have."

Bennett's grinning face softens slightly at the memory. It is true. It was a boring cocktail party my dad was throwing. Bennett and a couple of his friends were over and were giddy about spiking their fruit punch with vodka. I had been drinking with them, not wanting to look like a loser. Peer pressure at its finest, I suppose.

I didn't tell on Bennett after I had been caught. I don't know why. He had always seemed so together. He was cocky and proud and he pissed me off. But I still hadn't told on him.

"Listen, you can't drive like this and you won't be able to find a cab," Bennett is saying now as a song kicks up loudly. "You should crash here."

I yank myself out of his arms. The music is so loud - a swooping beat that crashes down on me when it gets to the chorus and everyone starts singing along - that I feel as if I am going to throw up again.

"I don't want to be around you," I mumble but it is clear that he has not heard me.

He grabs me by the arm and drags me away from the willow tree. We walk down a garden path. The music is slowly growing quieter down the pathway. There are still a lot of people but they are all huddled in groups, talking with each other.

I find myself gripping onto his arm so I can stand properly, trying to focus on placing one foot in front of the other. His arm is firm and I can feel the muscles underneath the fabric. I sneak a glance up at him. He is looking straight ahead. For a brief second, my heart constricts. I look away from him and try to focus on walking again.

"Where are we going?" I ask but I realize I am slurring.

Bennett doesn't reply. We stop at a small tiki bar near the edge of the gardens. The music is faint here. I can see people near the pool area all dancing. He goes over to the bar and comes back with water, handing it to me.

"For me?" I ask stupidly.

"Yes. Drink up."

I expect him to leave me now but instead he sits down across from me. In the dim lighting of the tacky tiki torches, I can see the outline of his jaw and the stubble across it. I open the bottle of water and take a sip. It is freezing cold and seems to hit the heat in the center of my stomach.

"I didn't drink that much," I protest, even though it sounds pathetic to my ears.

"What were you drinking?"

"Some... strawberry thing."

"Those are really strong," he replies. "Way too strong for someone like you."

"I had like three. Or four."

Bennett leans forward a little and his hair catches the light. For some reason I want to touch it but I hold back. He is looking at me closely as I drink my water.

"Are you going to tell me what drove the Amazing April to drink?"

I scowl. "Don't call me that."

When he doesn't reply, I realize he really is asking me about why I am so drunk. In any sort of normal circumstances, I never would have told him anything. But for the first time in ages, Bennett is actually being nice to me.

"Just my parents," I finally say. "And Spencer. And Adam. Everyone."

"Adam? Emily's boyfriend?" he asks, frowning.

But I barrel on. "I know I made the right choice in distancing myself from my family but how can I distance myself from them if I show up to parties like this? Mom totally called me out. Implied that I act like a martyr for deciding to leave my family's wealth. And she was drunk too. Of course she was, right?" I am rambling now but cannot seem to stop. "And Spencer wanted to talk about the past and there isn't anything else to say about what happened. And Dad just stands there, shrugging, like oh, how could these things be going on? And the only reason I am at this stupid party is because I just wanted to help Emily out."

I am suddenly out of breath. Bennett is just staring at me. His expression is blank. I find myself admiring his face again. I like how strong his face is. I've always wanted to photograph it properly, although I would never tell him that. I don't mean like the photos I did for his website earlier. I mean, I want to really take his photo, contrast his facial features and really expose his mind in the photographs.

I shake my head. What the hell am I thinking? I am glad that I didn't say anything like that out loud. I quickly take a swig of water. I am starting to feel tired now. My eyelids feel heavy.

"Time for bed," Bennett announces, standing up. "Come on."

"I am not sleeping in a guest room," I slur. "People will get in."

"I'll give you the locked guest house. Come on." He yanks me up and the world tilts dangerously for a few seconds.

I grip his arm again but I find myself wavering on my feet. In my other hand, I clutch the water bottle.

"The one with the fingerprint scanner?" I ask him.

Bennett nods. The guest house he is speaking about is the nicest guest house on the property. It is locked down with a fingerprint scanner so only the most important guests can use it if they are here to see Kevin. It has its own small pool and is more of a hotel suite than anything else.

"I haven't been there in forever," I say to him, thinking back. "How old was I?"

"You were eighteen," he replies. "I remember it too."

The memory comes back to me, bright and hot. It sears through my drunken haze and starts to unfold in my mind.

|  |

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# Chapter Six

At eighteen, I had gotten a new camera. At the time, I was still learning to develop my own style. I was in the middle of a phase where I liked to take the wealth around me and shove in something ugly. For example, I would take a pair of my mom's designer shoes and put a news article about the state of the world in front of it. The shots were all shit. Teenage garbage, really. I had thought it was incredibly deep but they were all overstated and childish looking.

I was nearing the end of high school and anxious to get to college and start studying photography for real. I was trying to put together a portfolio to make it look as if I was ahead of the game.

I remember that I had a great idea for a new shot. My family was staying over at the Hunter's because the next day we were all flying to Hong Kong for some trip. I used to love taking photos at the Hunter's mansion because everything was so over the top. It was easy to take the type of photos I wanted there.

The guest houses at the back of the property were enough to have families of four stay in them. I always had found them decadent. The nicest one of them was only opened by fingerprint scanner - no key. Only people in Kevin's family could grant people access to this guest house.

I really wanted in there. I knew it would be perfect for the shots I wanted to take. So that night, I decided that I was going to sneak into the house and do a photo shoot. I couldn't get in by way of the fingerprint scanner so for the first time in my life, I was going to do something illegal - I was going to break in to get the shot I wanted.

Once I figured everyone was asleep, I crept out of the mansion and down across the grounds. The grass was soft and spongy as I walked towards the row of guest houses. Only one was occupied at the time. Spencer was in there with her then-boyfriend.

I got to my target and went around to the side. There was a window that had a loose lock. I jimmied it and slid it open.

I crept in through the window, feeling like a real photographer. Here I was, about to take some real shots of what opulence was like and contrast it with the real world. My camera thumped against my hip as I landed in one of the bedrooms and stood up. The house was quiet.

I opened the bedroom door and stepped into the hallway. I didn't know why I was being so quiet. The house was as quiet as a tomb. I wanted to go to the small inside pool. I found it insane that the guest house had an inside pool and I wanted to do my photoshoot there.

It was when I stepped into the kitchen that I heard something. Panicked, I ducked behind the counter and held my breath. I couldn't make out what the noise was. It was something repeating, over and over again, a dull noise. My heart began to pick up the pace. Was someone else sneaking in here? Just my luck that a burglar or someone else would sneak in here the one night I had broken the rules.

I peered around the counter but didn't see anything. I slunk through the kitchen and ended up in the living room. The sound here was louder. It was coming from the pool. Maybe a pump was acting up? Even as I thought it, however, it seemed unlikely.

I pulled my camera out of the bag. If there was someone breaking in, I could take photos of them and dart off. My phone was still in my camera bag. I crawled across the carpet. If it really ended up being a pump breaking in the pool, I was going to feel like an idiot crawling around like this.

The door to the inside pool was open. Someone was definitely inside then. My head was telling me to turn around and go back the way I came and get help. But the noises were clearer now - and they sounded animalistic.

With my own heart racing, I stuck my head out of the door to the pool. The pool was illuminated, shining like a jewel. The pool light changed colors, sending rays of pink, then blue, then green, and finally yellow, all across the pool area. Moonbeams shone down on the pool through the skylights. It was gorgeous. I felt as if I had stepped through a doorway to another world.

But it was what was causing the noises that froze me in my spot. Bennett was on the other side of the pool, with a girl underneath him. They were on a bunch of towels and he was moving rhythmically on top of her, thrusting his hips. My breath caught.

At the time, he was seriously involved in swimming. He was a year older than me, nineteen, and was competing in college in swimming. He had come down to see his parents on a school break. Our run-ins throughout the years had always been a bit sour and negative. I have to admit, even now, that I had mostly forgotten about him.

But I wasn't forgetting about him now. The girl, someone I didn't recognize, was squirming underneath him. They had been swimming. The water rolled off of his back as they writhed around together. He was well toned and I could see his muscles in the changing colors from the pool light.

I knew I should turn around and leave. This wasn't for me to see. Apparently, my sister wasn't the only person sneaking people into the guest houses. But I felt completely frozen. I watched as he laced his fingers through the girl's hair and tugged on it. This drove her wild. Her hips were bucking against his. His lips were on her neck, kissing along it. His body glistened from the water. The colors changed the shadows. The sound I had been hearing was their flesh meeting and the two of them moaning together. I had never heard him sound like that before. The way he was moving... the way he was touching her and the way he was sounding... for a spilt second, I wanted to be underneath him.

It was then he looked up. Our eyes locked. Yet he didn't stop fucking that girl. Only now it felt as if he was telling me something - as if he could be fucking me, instead of her. As if I were somehow involved in what was happening.

I let out a startled noise and ducked back into the living room. My heart was racing. My face was warm and I felt flustered and horrified. I scrambled to my feet and grabbed my camera bag, heading towards the front door.

It was as I got to the front door that I could hear Bennett was following me. As my hand landed on the doorknob, he called out for me. I turned around.

He was wearing a towel around his waist and nothing else. He was dripping onto the marble flooring, creating a small puddle. I found myself looking at that instead of him. If I looked up, I would just see him looking at me...

"Did you take any photos?" he asked me.

"What?" I replied, finding my voice. "No. I'm sorry. I was going to do a photography thing by the pool. I didn't know - I didn't realize - I won't tell your dad, obviously."

Bennett was close to me now. I took a step back and realized I was pushed against the door. He was so close to me that I had to look at him. I found myself staring at his chest. The way his muscles looked with the water on them and the moonlight pouring in from the window above the door. My mouth went dry.

"I believe you," he said in a low voice. "You know my dad would kill me if he knew I had someone in his precious ultimate guest house."

I took a shuddering breath and finally looked up at him, meeting his eyes. In this light, they looked almost black. I couldn't read his expression. I had a crazy thought - what if he kissed me? But I brushed it aside.

He put his arm against the door. He was inches away from my face, waiting for my reply.

"I won't tell," I repeated. "I don't care enough to tell."

"Right," he whispered back. "That's true."

Even though my tongue was sticking to the roof of my mouth, I asked anyway, "Who is that girl?"

"Why? Jealous?" His voice was low in my ear and seemed to slink down my spine.

"No," I whispered back, wondering if she was waiting for him by the pool, "I don't care."

Our eyes met again. The tension between us was palpable. It was as if a string was going to snap. Bennett, who at the time was a source of irritation for me, suddenly had transformed in front of me. In my mind, I saw him again with that girl, pulling her hair and letting out those moans. A quick breath escaped from my mouth. I wanted him to touch me so badly that it felt my heart might burst.

He whispered, "Are you sure?" and he was so close that his lips briefly brushed against mine with every word.

The physical touch, as minor as it was, sent me crashing back to Earth. This was Bennett, for fuck's sake. What the hell was I doing? I pushed him away and opened the door to the outside, running out across the grass.

It was stupid to run. There was no point. He wasn't coming after me. But I ran anyway, across the grass, and to the safety of my bedroom.

I never did take the photographs by the pool.

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# Chapter Seven

The sudden mention of that night by the pool in the guest house makes me blush. I can feel it spread across my face. I am hoping in the darkness that Bennett does not notice. I am acutely aware of how close I am to him now. In my drunken state, I lose my footing trying to create space between the two of us. He catches me again and this time grips me firmly by the waist. There is nothing seductive about this movement. He is clearly trying to prevent a drunken woman from making an ass of herself.

Even so, I am still thinking about that night I caught him with that girl. I never found out who she was. Never saw her again. I guess it doesn't matter. He is taking me down toward the guest houses. The party is growing quieter. I can see two people making out in some bushes.

I had spent so long trying to forget about the night I saw him by the pool. But it is imprinted in my memory. The way he looked, on top of that girl, moving with her and taking her like that... still to this day, I have never been taken like that.

A week after it happened, I found myself unable to even be around him. All I kept coming back to was that look he gave me when he looked up. He stared directly at me while having sex with her. It inflamed me. I found myself analyzing that look for a week straight. I kept repeating how his lips had brushed against mine.

Then I went to college and I forgot about Bennett and forgot about the night at the pool. Now, at the drunken mention of it on my part, I find myself reliving it.

"Hey," I say drunkenly, "whatever happened to that girl?"

His arm tightens around my waist briefly, as if he knows who I am talking about, "What girl?"

"The girl you were fucking," I slur.

"Aren't you crass," he says, trying to irritate me like always.

"Did you see her again?" I press, even though I don't know why I care - it is suddenly extremely important I know what happened to this girl.

"No," Bennett says as we turn past the guest house he was at earlier where I stumbled across him, making out with someone else.

"What about that Mary girl? Where is she?"

"She left."

"Why?" I press.

"April, enough. Come on. Let's get you to bed," he says to me.

We are in front of the guest house. The party seems like a distant memory now. We are so far back in the property that there are only a few people back here. Bennett unlocks the door with the fingerprint scanner and I step inside.

It is hard not to think about that night when I step in. Even though I am drunk, the memory is still vivid. I can see him, shirtless, in just a towel, coming towards me after I caught him. I close my eyes and can feel myself swaying.

"Don't pass out here," Bennett orders as he locks the door. "Come on."

He grips my arm and leads me through the foyer toward the bedrooms. He pushes open the door to the master bedroom and I step inside. It has been a long time since I have been in this room. Suddenly, I am exhausted. I don't even speak to Bennett. I just flop into the bed.

Bennett says something to me but I am too tired to hear him. I mumble something back. Then, before I know it, I am asleep.

<<<>>>

I dream. The dream is half a memory and half nonsensical, like most dreams. In it, I am in the passenger seat of Spencer's car. We are driving down the highway. Spencer is speeding. She has just gotten into a fight with someone although she won't tell me who. The lights on the highway seem to stretch over her face and form strange marks on her skin. I can't stop staring at the monsters on her. A skeleton, a ghost, a zombie - they all seem to glide over her face as she rants about this guy.

"Who is this guy again?" I ask, irritated that she won't tell me.

"It doesn't matter," she says to me, although her voice sounds distorted. "He said he would be leaving his wife for me but it's just bullshit. He isn't ever going to leave her. I've been so stupid."

"Why the hell are you fooling around with a married man anyway?" I demand. "Spence, that's low. Even for you. Did you mess around with married men overseas?

She takes offense to that. I can tell, even in the low light. A monster glides over her face.

"No. I studied overseas and that was it!" she snaps, having recently come back from taking some college courses overseas.

Outside, the weather is changing from snow to rain to bright moonlight. My body seems to know what is coming next because I am gripping the sides of my seat.

"It just happened, okay," she replies, looking highly uncomfortable. "Listen, I came here to pick you up. Don't start being a jerk now."

It's true. I had ditched class for a weekend to go out of town with Matt to some party. If my parents knew, they would be furious with me. I think Mom would be furious just because she would feel like she is supposed to be furious - it is the motherly thing to do.

Like Spencer and her mysterious boyfriend, Matt and I had a fight. It was about something stupid. But it had been enough to piss me off. I hadn't wanted to spend another second with him so I had called Spencer. She was in a foul mood but agreed to come get me.

"Mom and Dad won't care you're out here though," I remark, leaning back in the seat. "Why would they?"

A funny look crosses her face, "It just doesn't work out for me if they know I'm here. I could get in big trouble, okay?" She glances at me, although I don't understand why she would get in any sort of trouble, "I can't go into it."

"Whatever," I shrug and look out the window.

An awkward silence fills the car. I can feel that Spencer is on the brink of saying something to me - maybe to explain her mysterious boyfriend and why she will be in trouble if she gets caught out this way - when it happens.

She glances at me. That's all it takes. Ahead of us, in slow motion, a car spins out of control. Was it the snow? No, in the dream it is raining now. In any case, the car spins. Spencer doesn't see it. She slams directly into the spinning car and suddenly everything is turned upside down.

I am trying to grab onto something but everything is a blur. The sounds in my ears are metallic. There are crushing noises and screeching. Someone is screaming. Is it me? Or Spencer? My stomach swoops and I feel as if I am suddenly airborne. It is only seconds until we stop but it feels as if we fly around for minutes.

Then the car stops. I am upside down. Rain water is pouring in through the broken car windows. We are in a ditch. I am stuck in my seatbelt and the pain up my leg is searing. My eyes roll in the back of my head and suddenly everything goes dark.

<<<>>>

My eyes open. Sunlight is pouring through the cracks of one of the windows. The bed is plush... too plush for my liking, actually. I feel as if I am sinking in it. For a brief second, I am terrified I am back in that car, hanging upside down as the water pours in. I sit up, breathing heavily and look around. I don't even take in my surroundings. It isn't a car. That is all I care about.

I throw back the covers. I am fully clothed. My jeans are stuck to me and I suddenly want them off of me. I struggle to get out of them. My mouth feels as if it is full of cotton and my movements are slow. My head is pulsating. But I get out of the jeans and toss them to the floor.

The mark is still there. A scar, up from my ankle to my mid-thigh. In the low lighting, it sticks up a little from my skin. I hate it. I think I've worn leggings or jeans since the accident. It isn't just that I find it hideous. It is what it represents.

The dream had changing weather and monsters on Spencer's skin. It was raining the night of the accident. Spencer had hit a car that was spinning on a puddle ahead of us. The force of it sent us flying, spun us once in the air and landed us upside down in a ditch. I blacked out after that.

When I came to, I was in the hospital. Someone had seen the accident and called the police. Mom and Dad were hovering over me, asking why in the world had I taken Spencer's car and gone out of town. Why had I crashed it? I remember being confused.

"What are you talking about?" I had said to them. "Spencer was driving."

"No she wasn't, sweetie."

I tried sitting up now but everything hurt too much. "What are you talking about?" I repeated. "How else would I have gotten her car? Why would I be driving Spencer's car out of town?"

"She told us, sweetie. How you came to her because you wanted to go to the party with Matt but didn't want us to see your car missing. So she let you borrow hers," Dad said to me, his tone gentle. "We know. It's okay. We're just glad you're alright."

"That isn't what happened!" I shouted, trying again to sit up. "Where is she? Seriously, ask her. That isn't true. She picked me up. She crashed the car. She was right - she was right there! Where the hell is she?"

My outburst got the attention of the nurse. One came in and asked my parents to leave because they were upsetting me. But I wasn't upset at them. I was upset at Spencer. I wanted to see her -

"April?"

A soft voice is outside the door. I throw the sheets back over me, covering my legs and my scar. I have been so caught up in the memories of the accident that I completely forgot where I am. The guest house. Bennett led me here. The same guest house where I had caught him...

"Yeah?" I reply, trying to sound calm.

The door opens slowly and Bennett sticks his head in, "You're awake. Hung over, I assume?"

I realize that I am, although for the first time in my life I haven't been puking my brains out. A little good luck, I suppose. I nod at him and he opens the door wider. He is carrying a bottle of water and some aspirin. For some reason this small gesture touches me. It is stupid to be touched by this. It is Bennett, after all.

Even though my memory is hazy, I still recall how he managed to safely get me to bed in this guest house and away from the party before I passed out. He puts the water bottle on the night table next to me. Now that I am sober, the memories of Bennett by the pool with that girl seem to be vivid in my brain. It is all I can see for that brief moment - his swimmer's body, his lips so close to mine - that I have to look away from him.

"Thanks," I say to him and he merely nods.

I grab the bottle of water and take a swig. My stomach feels gross, as if I will throw up if I over think it. I can only imagine how unsexy I must look right now.

"There are some clothes in the dresser," he says, "if you want to change. And shower."

"Do I look terrible?"

"Yes," he replies and looks at me.

I should be annoyed with him proclaiming I look like garbage but how could I not? I had gotten completely drunk and then ran into Adam -

I groan.

"What?"

"Nothing, I just - Adam. I saw Adam with some girl and it didn't seem casual, that's all. And I confronted him about it but I think he ran off. I don't really remember," I frown. "I'll have to tell Emily, I guess."

Bennett shrugs, "Good luck with that."

Without another word, he turns and leaves me alone, closing the bedroom door behind him. For some reason, I feel disappointed. I suppose I thought he was going to give me some sort of advice. But we don't exactly have that relationship. I'm just being stupid.

I get out of bed and head towards the bathroom. The shower here is large. It is one of those fancy rain showers that Kevin seems to be such a fan of. I strip off my clothes. I've had my scar for a few years now and normally don't look at it. But under the lighting of the bathroom, I run my fingers over it. It is jagged and raised a little compared to the rest of my skin.

I still don't know what Spencer was hiding that night. She never told me. After I got out of the hospital, I asked her why she lied and said I had borrowed her car. If I were going to sneak out of town and risk Mom and Dad's wrath, why wouldn't I have just used Matt's car? Why would she lie? The paramedics had found me alone in the car, in the driver's seat. What had she done to me that night?

Spencer had refused to tell me the truth. Blatantly refused. At first, I tried telling Mom and Dad I hadn't borrowed her car to sneak out of town with Matt.

"I'm legally an adult," I had said to them. "Why would I have to sneak around with Spencer's car?"

But Mom and Dad had always been partial to Spencer. Not only that, but they had found me in the driver's seat, after all. What could they believe? That Spencer had crashed the car, moved me into the driver's seat and somehow bailed, before the ambulance showed up? Or that I had simply borrowed her car and wrecked it coming back from the party after I had bickered with Matt?

I step into the shower and let the hot water pound into my skin. My head is still pounding but I am going to have this headache all day. I shouldn't have gotten drunk the night before. I guess everyone thinks that when they are hung over, though, and everyone gets drunk again anyway.

The water feels nice. I try to push all thoughts of the accident out of my head. I don't think about it often. The dream triggered it. After Spencer refused to tell me what in the world had actually happened the night of my accident and why she had lied, our relationship crumbled. That was when I decided that I was officially done with my family.

The hot water slowly brings me out of the past of my accident although what I end up thinking about isn't much better. I am seeing the way the water rolled off Bennett that night by the pool. Why am I thinking about this so much? Is it because I accidently brought it up last night? Is it because I am in the guest house where it happened? It is silly to be thinking about it. It meant nothing.

It still doesn't change the fact that he had gone out of his way to make sure I got somewhere safe. With our history, he really didn't have to do such a thing. In fact, I would have expected him not to. I am going to have to thank him.

Once my shower is finished and I manage to find some clothes in the closet - an oversized t-shirt with baggy jeans that must have belonged to someone who had forgotten them here - I take some aspirin and go out to the kitchen. Part of me is expecting Bennett to be gone. There isn't any sort of reason for him to be hanging around.

To my surprise, he is there. He is making coffee. His back is turned to me. My heart skips a beat at the sight of him but I ignore it.

"Hey," I say.

He turns around, "How are you feeling?"

"Okay," I lie and then pause. "Well, I sort of feel like I might vomit. I'm not very good with hangovers."

"I remember," he replies, going back to the time I got drunk off that stupid fruit punch.

I sit down on one of the bar stools and run my fingers over the granite countertop. He waits until the coffee is finished, pours some in a mug and slides it towards me. He also hands me the milk and sugar.

"Um, I just want to say thanks for making sure I was alright last night." I am trying not to stumble over my words but I am so used to bickering with him that it is difficult. "So... thanks."

"You're welcome," he replies as he pours his own coffee.

Silence fills the room. I am unsure of what to say next. He offers no window for conversation. I notice he is dressed in a suit. It fits him perfectly... of course.

"Going somewhere?" I ask in a lame attempt to fill the silence.

"Yes," he replies and then after a beat he adds, "I broke up with her."

I stare at him. His expression is blank. His eyes are light blue right now.

"What?" I ask, lost.

"The girl you caught me with here by the pool," he replies, gesturing with his coffee mug towards the inside pool. "I broke up with her."

I don't know why he is telling me this. As he says it, I see it again - him on top of her, taking her by the pool, this mysterious girl that I was envious of for some insane reason - and I look away from him. I run my finger along the rim of the coffee mug.

Bennett goes on, "You brought it up. The night by the pool."

"I was drunk," I counter back, not wanting to talk about it anymore.

He shrugs, as if it doesn't matter to him, "Just thought I'd let you know since you asked."

"I didn't ask."

He is crossing around the counter now and stands next to me. I flick my gaze up to his. Being this close to him suddenly makes my head feel light. It is because I am hung over, I tell myself. This is Bennett, after all. Snobby, irritating Bennett. He was nice last night, sure, but he is already seemingly looking to annoy me now.

"Last night, you did. You asked where she went. You asked where Mary went too."

"I was drunk!" I fire back. "Does it really matter? Like I care about anyone you are hooking up with."

He smiles but it is a mocking smile. I am used to that smile. It sends me back to my comfort zone with him. This is how we are supposed to be. Irritating each other. I relax slightly.

"Besides," I say, feeling a little more confident, "at this rate, which girl hasn't fooled around with you? Good thing Daddy is so rich. You don't have to worry about a real job and you can hook up with anyone."

He laughs at this. It is a low laugh and it sends shivers down my spine. I take a sip of my coffee. He leans towards me. I stiffen slightly.

"You haven't slept with me."

"Excuse me?" I turn my head, aghast.

That was a mistake. We are so close now. Like before, we are inches away from each other. My breath catches. He is looking at me and for the first time in ages, I see emotion behind his eyes. He wants to touch me. Maybe it is the memories of what happened here before that is making us feel this way. The tension between us mounts. We are both frozen, waiting for someone to act.

I can't believe that he is trying to hit on me. I would be disgusted if I wasn't feeling so confused. Is he going to kiss me or am I going to pull away first? It feels as if we are both daring each other with our eyes. I see him by the poolside, looking right into my eyes as he made love to that girl.

"Well?" I finally whisper because I can't take it anymore.

This time, Bennett pulls away. He is smirking at me, as if he has caught me in a trap he has put down before me and I stumbled into it.

"No, thanks."

With that, he turns around and heads out of the guest house. I watch him leaving, feeling confused, irritated and most of all, frustrated.

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# Chapter Eight

When I get back to the apartment, I feel exhausted and sore. My head is pounding. Part of me wants to vomit. Part of me is furious with what I feel this moment with Bennett. I am dwelling on his smirk and how easily he tossed me aside. Had he pretended he was going to kiss me because of the memories of the guest house?

Most of all I am furious at myself. Why did I want him to kiss me? Why was I so quick to fall under the sway of him? He is nothing but a billionaire daddy's boy. I am different than him. Whatever I felt there, it is because I am feeling sick and was thrown off by his kindness towards me. That is all.

The apartment is quiet. I realize that I am going to have to talk to Emily about Adam and what I saw. I am dreading it. Emily has always walked on eggshells around me about Adam. I had previously thought it was because she was worried I'd be upset about her dating when Matt and I broke up. Now I cannot help but wonder if there is something else that made her so quiet about the two of them. Maybe I have been clueless and he doesn't treat my best friend as well as he should.

In any case, I am going to have to talk to her about him.

"Em?" I call out, waiting to hear her.

Silence. Then a soft noise of a door opening. She comes out into the living room. She is still in her pajamas. For a brief moment, I wonder if Adam already told her what he did.

"Hey," she says to me, "are you okay? You never came home last night."

"Yeah, I'm just hung over."

"You? Hung over?" Emily asks, her eyes widening in surprise.

I head into the kitchen to get more water. "Yeah. Things with my mom didn't go so well and I just... lost my head, I guess. Stupid, I know."

"Were you okay?" she asks me, following me into the kitchen.

"Yeah. The craziest thing happened. Bennett was actually nice to me. Made sure I got into one of the guest houses and I just passed out."

"You were with Bennett?"

Something in her tone bothers me. Maybe I am just being hyper aware of anything to do with Bennett because of what happened in the kitchen.

"Yeah," I say, turning to her, "but I was so drunk I don't even remember what we talked about. And then I showered, changed and came home."

"Oh." That's all she says.

"Are you okay?" I ask.

"I'm fine."

I was hoping for a better way to bring this up but Emily is so quiet that I figure I should just get it out of the way.

"So, I saw, uh, Adam at the party. After, I guess. He said you left."

"Yeah," she replies, avoiding my eyes. "It wasn't really my thing. I mean, it was super amazing and I'm glad you got me in there. But yeah, it was sort of... overwhelming. Adam stayed though."

"I saw him," I say to her.

Emily leans back against one of the counters and crosses her arms. "Yeah?"

For some reason her posture throws me off. It feels like a warning. Like if I bring up Adam, Emily will be angry with me. I want to slink off and head off to bed but it feels wrong knowing what I know and not at least mentioning it.

"Yeah, he was hanging out with a girl. Probably works for a record company or something," I say with an overly casual shrug, as if the whole thing is an afterthought.

Emily narrows her eyes at me. "Stop the act, April. Adam told me he saw you with Bennett. He told me all about how you were completely trashed and you were accusing him of cheating on me with some girl."

My mouth opens in shock and I stumble over my words. "What? That's - how can you believe that? Are you - Emily, really?"

But Emily isn't budging. She has decided to fully believe Adam and whatever weird story he has concocted. After reliving Spencer's lies earlier this morning, I am not in the mood to be faced with another one.

"How can you believe that?!" I demand of her. "Honestly!"

"You said yourself that Bennett made sure you got in bed safely," she fires back. "So why would I doubt what Adam has to say?"

"Why would you doubt me?" I ask her, feeling confused.

"I know what you went through with Matt messed you up, April. I know the accident wasn't any fun either. I get it. Anyone would be a little... messed up after going through that -"

"You think I'm saying this stuff because of Matt and my accident?" I interrupt her.

"Listen. Adam said you were really drunk and you came over accusing him of making out with some girl near him. He left after that because he didn't know what to say."

"So he knew I was completely plastered, apparently, and didn't take me home with him?" I retort back. "You would think he'd have taken me home when he left."

I can see right away that I have taken Emily aback. Maybe she hadn't considered why Adam had just left her best friend drunk at a massive party. Maybe she had and just decided to ignore her own questions because she was so unwilling to believe that Adam was flirting with someone else.

I went on. "Not that he's my babysitter or anything but I would hope that if my boyfriend found you drunk at a party, even if you drunkenly accused him of something, he wouldn't just leave you there. Especially if a guy he knows you don't like is taking care of you. No, I'd hope my boyfriend would take you home and make sure you were okay. I wouldn't want him to just leave you there."

Emily fell silent.

"Just for the record, I was drunk but my eyes didn't just conjure up some image of him hanging out with some girl," I said, fired up. "He was with some girl. He had his arm around her and then he vanished after I confronted him. So make of that what you will but it has absolutely nothing to do with my accident or Matt."

I went off into my room and gently closed my door. I didn't want to slam it. I didn't want her to think I was angry. I wasn't even sure if I was angry. I felt more hurt. I was hurt that Emily would be so quick to side with Adam, after everything the two of us had been through together. I was upset that she would throw Matt and the accident in my face, as if I was mentally so messed up I'd try to ruin my best friend's relationship.

I lie down in my bed and yank the covers over me. My curtains are still closed from the last time I had been in here and I take comfort in the darkness and how it feels to finally sink into bed.

My mind flicks back to Bennett. I don't want to think of him but I do. I think about how close he was to me in the kitchen. He had been teasing me. He would love to know that I was thinking about him. No matter what I do, my mind goes back to that night by the pool. I find myself going over his body and how it looked. I wish I could stop thinking about him. But it is apparently impossible.

I think about Bennett until I find myself drifting off to sleep.

<<<>>>

When I wake up, I reach for my phone. I normally sleep with it next to my head. Groggily, I remember that it isn't there. It has to be in my purse somewhere. I sit up and swing my feet over the bed, grabbing my purse off the floor where I had dumped it earlier.

I rummage through it for a few minutes before I have to accept it isn't there either. I must have left it back at the Hunter's mansion at the party. I let out a muffled groan in my pillow. Since I no longer have my parent's money, every little bit I can save helps. I really don't want to spend money on a new phone when this one is perfectly fine and does what it needs to do. It isn't as if my photography business has taken off with a bang either. I need my phone.

That means I'll have to go back to Kevin's.

I get dressed, trying to look as if I am not recovering from a hangover. I even put on some make-up. When I step out into the hallway, the apartment is as silent as a tomb. Emily must have left. Most likely she went to see Adam.

It doesn't take me long to reach the Hunter's mansion. As I pull up to the gates and type in the passcode, I hope that someone is home and recognizes me to help me find my phone. Usually Kevin has someone working outside the house the day after his big parties to organize all the lost items found after the party.

I park my car and step out. There is a small cluster of people in front of the lost and found tent. I head over there when someone calls my name. I stop and look over at the house entrance.

It is Bennett. He is leaning against the side of the doorway. His face is in shadow and I don't know if he is smirking at me or not. A few people glance my way. Some girl glares. She is apparently jealous that I have Bennett's attention.

"Looking for your phone?" he says to me as I walk over.

"Yeah. Did I leave it in the house?"

I can see him now. He is wearing just a regular t-shirt and jeans. It is odd seeing him outside of suits but it works on him. He looks nice. I want to banish the thought as soon as I think it.

"Yes. Come on."

I wish he had brought it to me instead of leaving it in the house. I was hoping to avoid Kevin.

He seems to sense my thoughts. "Mom and Dad left this morning. They never like to stick around after the party since everything needs to be cleaned."

"Don't know why I didn't know that," I mumble as we enter the house.

As we cut through the main floor, I understand what he means by 'clean up'. The mansion looks as if a wrecking ball has been taken through it. There is garbage all over the place. The outside grounds are even worse. The pools look like liquid garbage dumps.

"I can't believe how gross this place is," I say aloud. "I've never been here the day after the party."

"Yeah, Dad makes sure it goes through a deep cleaning for about a week before they even think of returning."

"You're staying here?" I ask him as we cross the lawn.

"In the guest house. I would have left but I have some things to do."

I nod. Bennett is a mystery to me. I realize I don't really know what he does every day. I assumed lounge around and do nothing since Kevin is so rich. But his tone hints as if he is truly up to something. I don't press it. The more I know about him, the deeper I seem to be falling into this black hole.

The guest house section is a little nicer, mostly because I am guessing the drunk people didn't roam as far back. We stop at the guest house from last night and he unlocks it with his fingerprint. I keep staring at his hands. They look strong and I wonder what they would feel like on me -

"You coming in or standing there?" he asks me, turning back to look at me.

I hope my thoughts are not written on my face. I nod and follow him. He points to the master bedroom I was in last night.

"It's in there."

Once again I wonder why he couldn't have just brought it out to me. As I head towards the bedroom, I glance at him over my shoulder. He is looking at his own phone. He is so tall and handsome. There is something that the casual clothing does to him that strips away that billionaire attitude from him that I dislike so much. He looks like the sort of guy I would have been into if we had been at college together.

I step into the bedroom. It is untouched from when I left earlier this morning. The bed is still unmade and the blinds are closed. I run my fingers around the bed, trying to find my phone. Did I have it out by now or was it still in my jeans?

Remembering my jeans, I check underneath the bed and find it shoved under there. I pull it free and check it. I had two missed calls from Emily, a missed call from Spencer and one from my mom. At the moment, I am not interested in any of them.

I put the phone in my pocket and stand up. I let out a yelp. Bennett has come into the bedroom.

"I didn't see you there!" I say to him. "What are you doing?"

"Find your phone?"

"Yeah," I say. "I guess I'll go now."

He takes another step towards me. I can tell from the way he is standing that he is determined to do something. It is the same sort of posture he has before he says something irritating to me. Like always, I am unable to move, as if I am rooted there. Have I always been like this? Waiting to see what he is going to do or say?

He stops right in front of me again. He is looking at me very closely as if he is checking to see if I am going to run away. But I don't want to run away. Instead, I meet his gaze, as if I am challenging him.

He accepts it. One of his hands slides behind my neck and grips my hair very gently. The touch is electric. It feels as if, underneath that simple touch, every nerve in my body has awoken. Then he leans down and his lips touch mine.

His kiss is gentle at first as if seeing if I am going to run off. But I refuse to run away - not this time. Instead, I tilt my head to one side and kiss him back. Bennett's kiss switches from gentle to a little harder. He is still holding my hair gently. Before I can stop myself, I am pressing myself against him.

It is as if years of sexual tension has led up to this moment. I cannot even keep track of how long the two of us have snapped and bickered at one another. Now, with his lips on mine, all of that seems to have been one long foreplay session.

He is kissing down my neck now. He hasn't said a word. Neither have I. Everything feels faintly like a dream. Part of me wants to touch him but I am afraid to. I am afraid that he is going to pull away and laugh at me for falling into his touch. The fear brings me back to earth and I stiffen for a moment. He can sense that and looks up at me.

"What?" he asks me softly.

The words die in my throat. He leans his face towards me and our foreheads touch. My breath catches.

"Are you afraid?" he asks me and the timber of his voice makes my heart pound. "Don't be."

With that, he kisses me again. This kiss is different. It is more raw. With this kiss, I decide to stop being afraid. I return his kiss in earnest. Bennett can sense the shift in me. I wrap my arms around his waist and begin to tug his shirt up. I guess I am earnest after all. He doesn't resist. His shirt is thrown to the floor and for the first time in my life, his swimmer's body belongs to me.

He hasn't lost any of his shape since the time I saw him by the pool. I run my fingers over his muscles, feeling how firm they are underneath my fingertips. Bennett is watching me and I swear I can sense him trying to fight off a grin. My eyes flick up to his, as if to see if he really will smirk at me, but he doesn't.

"Do I pass inspection?" he whispers to me.

In the low light, I don't think he can see how red my face is. That gives me some comfort and makes me bold enough to respond with, "Not sure yet. I won't know until the end."

He makes a low sound in his throat and I realize he is chuckling. Then he brings me close again. His arms wrap around my waist. I want to feel his skin touching my skin. I don't want anything in between us.

As if we are on the same page, he holds onto the bottom of my shirt and yanks it over my head. It lands on top of his on the floor. The air is cold but his skin is finally touching mine. He is hot to the touch. His hands travel up my stomach towards my breasts and he cups them, giving them a small squeeze. Then he slides his arms around my back and unclasps my bra.

Bennett's hands go back to my breasts and this time he is kissing along them. I let out a small sigh. My head feels light. Each time his lips brush across my nipples, I feel as if I am dizzy. Gently, he pushes me back and I end up on the bed.

He crawls over me. In the lighting, I can see how his muscles move with each minor movement. My breathing is jagged as I look down at him. It is a strange sight - to see him kissing along my stomach and feel his lips across my breasts. It is something I never thought I would experience. Now that I am, however, I can feel how much I've wanted this.

He is about to take off my jeans when suddenly I yank away from him. I don't mean to. But I realize he is going to see my scar and I am suddenly panicked. He looks up at me in surprise.

"What's wrong?" he asks me quietly.

"I--" I choke on the words.

He knows about the accident, of course. It wasn't any secret. The only thing that is a secret is whatever Spencer was doing that night and why she left her sister in a crashed car. Even so, I haven't shown anyone the scar besides Matt. It feels personal to have Bennett of all people see it.

It seems to click for him. I can see the understanding on his face.

"Do you not want to?" he asks me simply, willing to back out as long as I say the word.

But the truth is that I don't want to back out. Yet I can't have both Bennett and hide my scar from him. I stare at him for a few seconds. He is sitting up now on his knees, looking at me. I take in the sight of him. He looks so good right now, with his toned body and his light blue eyes that I desperately want more of him. I've waited so long for this. Why would I leave now?

"I want to. Sorry. I just - it's been a while since anyone saw the scar."

He crawls over to me. The sight of him doing that makes me lose my breath. Then he is kissing me again. My heart is pounding in my chest as I lie back down.

"I'll be gentle," he whispers in my ear. His voice is husky.

Then his fingers are swiftly undoing the button on my jeans. I hear the zipper go down. I raise my hips a little bit so he can slide them off. The cold air of the room hits my skin. I look down at him, waiting for him to refuse me.

Instead, he trails a finger down the scar. In this lighting, I can barely see it. I've never had anyone touch it before. But I stay still. He runs his finger down the length of it and looks up at me.

"I never told you that I was sorry this happened to you."

The words take me by surprise. Bennett wasn't really around during the accident. He sort of flew in and out of my life whenever my family spent time with his. At the time, so much was going on with Spencer and my own recovery that I barely paid attention to him.

My throat catches, "It's fine."

"I'm sorry anyway," he replies, running his finger down it again, "although..."

"What?" I say quickly.

"Sort of cool looking. Like you got in a gladiator fight or something," he says to me and for the first time in my entire life, I see a lop-sided grin appear on his face.

"Oh my God," I mumble, embarrassed but secretly pleased. "Stop."

"Come on, you don't think so?" he says, teasing me gently now. "Like you got in a battle and this is a sword wound."

"That thought has literally never crossed my mind," my voice is teasing as well.

He leans down and kisses my scar. That is when he moves to my underwear. He hooks his fingers in them and gently pulls them down.

Once they are off me, he gently nudges my legs open. Before I can say anything, his face is in between my legs. I let out a moan, surprised at the intensity I am feeling.

Matt never went down on me. The couple of other guys I slept with would attempt it but it was as if they thought it was exactly like it was in porn. Eventually, I just pretended I didn't like it so they wouldn't try it anymore because I couldn't stand to deal with how bad they were at it. On top of that, they always acted as if they had done me an amazing favor that needed to be returned.

I can tell this is different. This man seems to know exactly where to put his tongue and how to move it. It only takes a few seconds for me to fully lie back down and close my eyes, completely lost in the pleasure. A couple of times I open my eyes and look down. The sight of his head between my legs drives me wild.

After a few minutes of this, he starts to lick my clit. At first it is gentle and then the pressure grows. He slides one finger inside of me and begins to work his mouth and his finger at the same time. The feeling is incredible. I am making noises I have never made with a man before. He doesn't stop. He keeps working on me until I lose control. My back arches and I climax. My skin is covered in goose bumps and I am panting for breath.

Bennett moves away from below and once again crawls over me. He is still wearing his jeans but I can feel how hard he is through them, pressing against my leg.

"Was that good?" he whispers me in my ear.

"Yes," I breathe, holding onto him.

I can feel him smiling even though I can't see him. I suddenly want to see all of him. My hands fumble for his jeans. Buttons are beyond me at this moment. He chuckles a little and unzips his jeans. He pulls them off to reveal a pair of boxers. I can see how hard he is now and before I can stop myself I reach out and pull off his boxers.

He is by far the largest guy I am ever going to sleep with. My eyes widen slightly but he doesn't make fun of me. Instead he leans forward and kisses me passionately with his tongue. I return the kiss. His cock is warm and hard against my leg. I desperately want him inside of me.

Bennett positions himself on top of me and runs a finger down my pussy, teasing me.

"My, you're wet," he says to me in a low voice.

"Don't tease me," I reply.

"Why not?" he says, lowering his face to mine so our noses are touching.

"Don't you think you've done that enough over the years?" I whisper to him.

He seems to consider this, although that could just be him teasing me again. Instead, he kisses me. This kiss is harder and he starts to slide inside of me. I gasp in surprise. He stops and looks at me.

"Am I hurting you?" he asks, concern in his voice.

"I just wasn't--" my voice catches. "You're large, that's all."

Another low chuckle from him. This time he goes slower. Even though I am incredibly wet, it takes time to get his cock inside of me. He goes slowly, almost painfully slow, inside of me. Inch by inch. My finger nails dig into his back as he moves into me.

When he is finally fully inside of me, he doesn't move. I lie there, underneath him, marveling at the sensations. It is so incredibly odd to be with Bennett this way. His body is strong to the touch and the way he looks at me makes me feel as if I am melting. He is deep inside of me and running his fingers through my hair gently.

"Does that feel okay?" he finally asks me.

I nod, seemingly unable to speak. I feel as if I am stimulated to the point of breaking. Never have I felt so many different things when I was with someone.

"You're so tight," he mumbles into my ear, kissing along my neck.

His words thrill me. In response, I wrap my legs around his waist. He begins to move inside of me. His pace is slow. Almost leisurely. I hate it. I want more and I want it now. I try wiggling against him to give him a sign that I don't want him to take his time but he clicks his tongue against the roof of his mouth.

"You're so impatient. You've always been so impatient."

"Me?" I find my voice, still managing to defend myself even when I just want him to fuck me already. "You're kidding, right?"

Bennett laughs at this. His lips go to my breasts and he is kissing all over them, moving in and out of me so slowly that I want to scream.

"I want to hear you say it," he finally says to me after a few minutes.

"What?"

He looks up at me. "Tell me that you want me to fuck you."

There it is... that light headed feeling. He moves deep inside me again and then goes still, looking at me.

My face flushes. "I want you to fuck me."

Bennett draws me close and his lips are on mine. This time our kiss is hungry. He pulls out of me and then completely enters me in one fast motion. He is fucking me in earnest now. He is fucking me like he fucked that girl by the pool.

His cock is buried deep inside me as he grabs onto my hair and pulls it. I arch my back, giving myself completely over to him. I moan as he thrusts hard into me. His other hand is on my breasts, pulling my nipples and rolling them around in between his fingers. He is making those soft noises I remember from the pool.

My mind is a blank slate. The only thing I can focus on is how fantastic it feels to finally have Bennett fucking me. I make myself open my eyes to admire the way his body moves. My hips are moving against his. His cock is buried deep inside me with each thrust as he grips my hair.

Suddenly, his hands slide underneath me and in one fluid motion he rolls underneath me. I am on top now but I am not in control. He grips my ass tightly and proceeds to fuck me just like that - me, helpless on top of him, plunging his cock deep and hard as he jack hammers into me. The feeling is insane. I let out a sudden gasp as I realize he is hitting all the right buttons. I am going to climax from this angle.

He turns my head so I am looking directly in his eyes and he whispers, "I want to watch you as you come."

I can't even speak. My mind feels like mush. The only thing I can focus on is how unbelievable everything feels.

He goes on, still in that low tone, only now he is out of breath and close to climaxing himself. "When you come, I want you to know that it is me who makes you feel like this." He thrusts hard inside of me. "I want you to remember that I make you feel this good."

For some reason, this sends me over the edge. Maybe it is his voice, deep and husky, yet out of breath, commanding me to climax for him. Maybe it is the sight of him... his body slick with sweat as he holds me in place on top of him, making me take his cock deep inside of me. In any case, I feel my second orgasm rock over me.

Bennett is climaxing as well. He lets out a loud moan and grips my hips hard. His face is buried in my neck as we come together, gripping each other. I am still climaxing. I didn't even know that orgasms could last this long. My mind feels blown out.

Finally, the sensation ends and I collapse on top of him, shuddering. He holds me. I am covered in a thin layer of sweat. He is breathing heavily but his arms feel strong around me.

For a few minutes, we just lie there together in silence. He holds me and I try to regain feeling in my body. It feels as if an explosion went off inside of me. I have never had sex like that before. Never has a guy made sure that I climaxed, not only once but twice, nor has anyone ever fucked me like that.

Slowly, my heart rate begins to return to normal. We're both quiet. I can hear his heart beating against my ear. I run my fingers down his chest slowly. My hair is damp and sticking to my face. I finally look up at him. He looks down at me and kisses the top of my head.

Suffice it to say, today is the day I become that girl by the pool. I can't even explain it to myself.

It just happened. Everything he told me to do, I did, and he made me say things that have never come out of my mouth before.

But I wasn't angry, and I wasn't at all afraid. It just seemed, I don't know, right. I mean, people are outside the guest house cleaning up litter, and Bennett is just owning me, not even worrying about someone coming in or anyone hearing us.

So, completely out of character for me, I know, but after the last twenty-four hours, for some reason, making love with Bennett was that cherry on top of the sundae.

We lie together like that for a while, in complete silence. I don't feel like leaving. For some reason, I feel if I leave this spot and leave this room that things are going to get complicated. Here, right now, with his arms holding me, everything feels simple. The silence we are experiencing right now is comfortable. It isn't strained. It is as if years and years of tension finally exploded and has released.

I wonder why we both waited so long to release it.

I wonder what will happen next.

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# Chapter Nine

"Thanks for meeting me here."

"No problem. Thanks so much for the call," I say, holding out my hand for the man to shake it. "I'm excited to talk about this project."

It's been three days since I slept with Bennett. I haven't reached out to him and he hasn't reached out to me. I was right about things changing once I left that bedroom. Things do feel more complicated than ever. Where do the two of us go from here? Was it just sexual tension all these years or was it something more? Whenever I think about him, I think about the years we have spent together, fighting and nudging at each other.

The truth is, being with someone after Matt is a scary prospect. But what makes it even scarier is that it is Bennett. Of all people in the entire world, why did the next guy I sleep with have to turn out to be him?

And the truth is that sleeping with him was incredible. The way he touched me and the way he did things to me made me feel things that I had never felt before. I have been wanting to see him again.

But it is Bennett. Our paths are different. He is the heir to a media corporation worth billions. I have given everything up with my family. It just wouldn't work.

That is why when I received an e-mail from a potential client that I jump at the chance to meet them. Anything to distract myself from the fact that I am dwelling on Bennett and the fact that Emily still isn't speaking to me about Adam.

The man, Anderson, is tall and wearing a designer suit. He looks vaguely familiar as we sit down outside the coffee shop.

"I know Kevin Hunter," he says to me, seeing my face. "I wanted to see you at the party the other day but I completely lost him in the crowd."

I am amazed that Kevin had been telling the truth about someone wanting to discuss a job with me. I thought for sure he had made it up to get me to stay at the party. I feel silly now that I had doubted him.

"Oh, that's right," I reply. "Those parties get so crowded. I lose track of everyone almost instantly unless we stick together."

He laughs at this. His hair is a light blonde and a little long. He looks only a few years older than me. I wonder how Kevin knows him.

"I'm glad you agreed to meet me and that I found you as well. Kevin couldn't stop speaking about you at the party and your photography."

I nod but I find that strange. Kevin seems like the last person who would go around and toot my horn for me. I wonder why he did that. If I get a job through him, I'll owe him one. I don't want to owe anyone anything.

"I work for Beautiful Life Yachts," Anderson continues. "Well, my family started it, actually. But we just completed the first yacht in our new line and I want to do a big high profile launch for it."

He slides over his tablet, showing me photos of the yacht. It is massive and gorgeous. It is sleek looking and I can picture all the elite on it, partying.

"Impressive," I say and look up at him. "This is your baby, isn't it?"

I can see it a mile away. Anderson, working for his family's company, has taken this yacht under his wing. This is his creation. He really wants to make it something amazing. This launch is important to him. It strikes me as the opposite of Bennett, who always has seemed so comfortable in following in Kevin's footsteps. I can spot it in Anderson so easily because I've seen it at events before - the heir to a fortune that doesn't want to look like they don't deserve it.

Anderson smiles. "That obvious, yeah?"

"Yeah but it's okay. It's cool you want to make your mark on the company instead of just sliding on in as CEO one day," I reply.

He relaxes slightly. "Great. So you get it. What I'm looking for is a photographer to take some real high-end shots. I want glossy shots of the yacht and of the people we have on it. The plan is everyone is on the yacht by three in the afternoon and it is out on the ocean for a little overnight tour."

"Wow, so you're going for an overnight stay on this thing?"

"Right. Lots of press. Lots of hype. I want everyone to want to go to this event but have access limited. Tickets that are purchased are donated to a charity for marine life rescue and growth. And I want you to take photos the entire time."

I scroll through the photos, admiring the yacht. I have been on boats before but this looks state of the art. Yet something is holding me back.

"Can I think about it?"

"Yes, of course. Let me go over some things with you so you have all the info and you can think about it," Anderson replies.

We spend the rest of the meeting going over exactly what Anderson wants. I tell him I will e-mail a contract for him to sign if I decide to take the job and we part ways. On the drive home, I find myself thinking about the job and trying to figure out why I am hesitating.

It is clear why I am hesitating. If Kevin gave this guy my information, then what if this is just another job I take on because of my previous connections? I distanced myself from my family and my inheritance because I wanted to make it on my own. I didn't feel connected to the money. I lost all connection to my sister the night of the accident. Bennett already gave me a job through his reference for his friend's website. Now here I am, another glimmering chance has fallen in my lap, but it is through Kevin.

I am terrified that I will be routinely accused of leaving the family but still leeching off of them. I think of what Bennett said that day I took photos of him. I think of what my mom said to me that night at the party.

On the other hand, I want to do what it takes to get my photography career to take off. If that means taking jobs through previous connections in my life, then maybe I should just do it. Forget what anyone else says.

I switch back and forth about it during the entire drive. The yacht is gorgeous. A chance to take pictures all night would be great for beefing up my portfolio. All I have right now is some photos I took of Bennett, which I have been making sure not to look at while I think about our night together.

When I get home to the apartment, I open the door to see Emily sitting on the living room floor, crying. She has a box in front of her which she is throwing items into. The sight alarms me. I forget about our previous fight and hurry over to her.

"Em, what the hell? Are you okay?"

She looks up at me with her tear stained face. "You were right. You were totally fucking right and I should have listened to you."

Uh-oh. I sit down on the floor next to her and ask, "What's going on?"

"Adam. I caught him -" she sniffs loudly. "Caught him with some girl this morning."

I want to go over to Adam's place and punch him in the face but I bite my tongue and simply ask, "What happened?"

"Things had been feeling really off since the party. Like, he said he made all these great connections but I never saw anyone and he kept answering my texts less and less," she rambles on in between sniffling. "I kept thinking about what you told me about and how I just... had listened to Adam and not you. So this morning I went over to his apartment to surprise him. I let myself in and he's asleep in bed with some other girl! Both of them are naked! Can you... I mean...?"

At this, Emily starts to cry again. All I can do is wrap my arms around her and let her cry it out. I am seething at Adam. I wish I could go over there myself and give him a piece of my mind but I want to be here for Emily.

She goes on, "I wake him up and he tries telling me that it isn't what it looks like. So I ask him - fine! What is this then, you know? What the fuck? And he just stares at me with his mouth open like some sort of fucking goldfish!" Her arms are flailing around now as she tells her story. "The girl, meanwhile, is scrambling to get her clothes together. She is gone and I don't even care. I don't even care about her! I care more about Adam. And I just tell him we are over. The worst part is he doesn't even chase after me. He didn't even call me. He just... let me go."

She cries again. I stroke her hair. Emily had always been lonely and aimless. Adam had always seemed like a good guy. I guess they all do at first. I am heartbroken at what has happened to her.

"I'm sorry," she says again to me. "I should have listened."

"It's okay," I tell her. "Seriously. I didn't want to hear anything about Matt either."

"Matt is a dick," Emily says bluntly, "and so is Adam. They should hang out together."

I smile at her, "Listen, what can I do to help? Do you want to stay in? Eat a lot of ice cream and watch crappy TV? Anything."

"I don't know," Emily mumbles, rubbing her eyes. "I don't know what to do. I just want to throw all his shit out."

"Okay. We'll do that then."

Emily nods and turns back to the box. I can see from here it is filled with old trinkets that Adam had given her.

"I forgot something in my room," she says and gets up, leaving me alone in the living room.

I lean over the box and pull something out. It is an old necklace. A small heart pendant is at the end of it. Matt had given me something similar back when we had first started dating. At the time I thought it was the most beautiful thing I had ever been given. Later on, I found out that he had tried to give it to the girl he had dated before me, and that was when she had told him she didn't feel any connection with him. It had simply been a re-gift. Sort of like our entire relationship, I guess.

I run my fingers over the pendant, briefly losing myself in memories. Emily comes back with a few more things and sits down next to me.

"Where were you this morning?" she asks me, clearly trying to change the conversation from Adam even though we are sitting among his things.

I explain to her about the job and then end up telling her about my dilemma. I figure if I tell her one of my problems, it'll take her mind off her troubles for a short while. Emily's face scrunches up as she thinks it over.

"Like you said, you want to kick off your career, right? I mean, it'd be almost foolish to let your old connections die out. Almost sort of a thing of pride."

Something in her voice tells me she is thinking of her father, and her next words confirm it.

"Dad didn't want to ask anyone for help after mom died. And now he's just... sort of a sad hermit."

I feel as if my problems are veering into just making Emily dwell about her family. I don't want her to feel even more upset. Her dad is a touchy subject. Even after he sold the casinos, he ended up squandering all their money on all sorts of things. Emily ended up moving out of the neighborhood and mostly lived a normal life. Her father spent his days at home, doped up on medication and watching TV reruns all day.

"Well, I guess you have a point," I say, trying to bring the topic away from her dad, "about it being a point of pride."

Emily looks relieved at the fact I am not talking about her father and nods. "Yeah. I know that you don't want to look as if you left your family but are still using them for connections for your work. I get that. But at some point, it's like... well, fuck it. Let them think what they want. Does it really matter? You're trying to make it on your own and this is such a great job. It would almost be foolhardy to turn it down because you're afraid of how you'll look."

I take her words in and think on them. All good points. But I still don't want to talk about myself when Emily is hurting.

"So," I say. "What do you want to do?"

She looks at the box of Adam's things and then back at me, "Let's throw this shit out. And then eat a lot of ice cream."

<<<>>>

Anderson beams when I tell him I agree to take photos of the yacht party. He wants to take me to the yacht so I can examine it myself and see what I will be working with.

I meet him at the pier the next day. I've been here before, back when Dad used to own a boat. He ended up selling it because having it was just a status thing. He hated paying for the upkeep. Besides, we normally went out on rides on Kevin's extravagant yacht anyway.

Bennett's face pops into mind. Neither one of us have contacted each other yet. I don't know where to go from here. As I stand waiting for Anderson, my mind drifts back to our time together. Bennett's face, looking at me gently, running his finger down my scar is what stands out to me the most. I don't know why. One would think that the time we spent actually having sex would be what I jump to first.

Maybe it is because Matt had been the only other person to see the scar. The only thing he ever said to me about it was that make-up might possibly cover it up. It had hurt, showing and injury of mine to someone I had loved, only to be told to cover it up instead of accepting it. I think back to that moment often after we broke up.

What would I say to Bennett if I ever reached out to him? Like I thought before, we are heading down two different paths. I wonder if sleeping with him had been a mistake. Especially since he is the first person I have been with since Matt.

My eyes travel along the shape of the nearest boat. It is a smaller one. Probably a rental. My eyes trace the bow and a memory comes back to me. I was seventeen. It was Bennett's eighteenth birthday party and we were all celebrating on Kevin's yacht. Bennett had his arm around a girl and I watched him from the kitchen window. I felt jealous although I couldn't pinpoint why. Pangs of jealousy had been flaring up in regards to him and it confused me. He had always treated me like a stupid little sister. Why did I feel so jealous? As I thought about this, the girl kissed his cheek. He looked at her and smiled. The smile was lazy and confident. I realized that I would probably never see this girl again. He didn't like her. I could tell.

Something catches my eye. It is a flash of color that contrasts with the white of the boats. It is oddly familiar. I glance down the path to see if Anderson is coming but there isn't any sign of him. I walk down the dock slowly and that is when I see her. Spencer. She is on the dock next to mine. Her head is bowed. She is wearing a beanie yanked tightly on her head. What looked familiar are her leggings... they are a pale blue. I got them for her a few years ago as a birthday present but I have never actually seen her wear them.

Even though I am waiting for Anderson, I am more curious as to why my sister is here. She could just be meeting someone. But something in her posture and the fact she is wearing that beanie bothers me. Her clothes are bulky and she looks as if she is sinking into them. If I didn't know my sister so well, I wouldn't have known it was her.

I trail after her. She gets to the end of the dock and heads towards the small shopping area attached to the harbor. The harbor smells faintly of stagnant water and coffee coming from the shop nearby. The scent mingles with Spencer's perfume which always makes me stop. She only wears that scent when she is meeting someone she really likes.

Spencer turns right and walks up a small winding path into the shopping area and then enters one of the shops. I make a quick decision to follow her. She might see me but I am dying of curiosity about where she is going.

I am about to enter the store when I hear someone call for me. Cursing under my breath, I turn to see Anderson at the end of the pathway, waving towards me. I glance inside the store to see if I can see Spencer but I don't see her. I wave back at Anderson and begin to walk over to him.

What the hell is my sister doing here? She is up to something; I can just tell. Call it a sisterly bond. I can't follow her now though. Not with Anderson here.

Once I am in earshot, I apologize. "Sorry, I thought I saw someone I knew."

"It's okay," Anderson replies. "I was running a little late, anyway."

"Everything okay?" I ask him as we turn back to head towards the yacht.

"Ah, yeah, it's fine," he says, running his fingers through his hair. "Just going over things with my father."

I glance at him but decide not to press it. I can tell in his tone that whatever his father said is bothering him. But if he doesn't want to bring it up, I won't. He's a client, not a friend. I'll do my very best to help.

We get to the end of the dock and I am standing in front of the yacht. It takes my breath away. I have to admit that I know next to nothing about boats but this one is stunning.

"Looks nice, right?" Anderson asks, a note of pride in his voice.

"You had something to do with the design?"

"That obvious, huh?" he laughs. "Yeah. I wanted it to look modern and beautiful. I want it to be the type of boat that celebrities will want to be seen on, you know?"

"Well, if it's as stunning on the inside as it is on the outside, I'm sure they will."

I follow him up the stairs onto the deck of the yacht. Even though it isn't fully decorated yet for the party, I marvel at how gorgeous it is. I stand at the bow and imagine cutting through the water in this - the wind going through my hair - Bennett's arm slung around me -

"You look like you should be in a movie," Anderson remarks, cutting through my thoughts.

I laugh, "A comedy, perhaps."

"Come on, let's go inside."

I mentally set up the shots in my head. I love how plush and gorgeous it looks.

"How many bedrooms?" I ask as we head down below.

"Four. We have a master bedroom that will really blow your mind," he says, "and then three smaller ones but still luxurious."

"I love the lighting in here," I remark as I peer into one of the rooms. Very 'artsy' to be honest, I think to myself.

Anderson laughs at this. "My father thought the decor was a little too over the top in how minimalist it is. But I tried to tell him that's what's in right now."

I appreciate how Anderson has really put his best foot forward in this design and wants to market it accordingly. He has a down-to-Earth attitude that would make working with him easy and enjoyable.

After the tour wraps up, the sun is setting. Anderson turns on the lights to show me how it looks from the outside. We stand on the dock and I admire it.

"Wow," I tell him, "looks like a glittering gem."

"I'm glad you love the boat. I hope it will show through in the photos."

We shake hands and Anderson closes up the yacht. We say our good-byes at the end of the dock. I watch him leave, waving at him until he is out of sight. Then I turn back and head towards the shopping area.

It is a bit more crowded now. A band is setting up in the center square. People are mingling around a bar that has an outside seating area. I weave my way through the small crowd towards the store that I saw Spencer at earlier.

I open the door and step inside. Even though people are arriving to listen to the band play and relax at the bar, the store is practically empty. It sells little trinkets and paintings. There is a small, old woman in one corner looking over one of the paintings. Behind the register is a thin middle-aged woman with dark blonde hair shoved up in a messy ponytail. She is flipping through a magazine.

I don't know what I was expecting... I guess a store that was more to Spencer's tastes. I hadn't read the sign earlier when I was following her so I didn't know what was in here. Now that I am standing inside, I am taken aback. I have a hard time picturing her here.

I walk over to the lady at the register. Her skin is sallow and her face looks a little sunken in. I wonder if she is the owner. She keeps glancing at her phone, as if she is waiting for a text.

"Hi, excuse me?" I ask, putting on the brightest voice I can muster.

Her eyes drag away from the tabloid magazine and rest on me. They are bright green. She straightens up, as if she is surprised to see someone in here.

"Hello!" she says in a cheery voice I wasn't expecting to hear out of her. "How can I help you?"

"There was a woman that came in here a couple of hours ago. Uh, a little taller than me. Wearing a beanie. Blue leggings. I think she had a big jacket on."

I can see instantly the woman knows who Spencer is. It flicks across her eyes for the barest of moments. I would have missed it if I weren't so hyper aware of her movements.

"Not sure I saw someone like that," the woman replies smoothly.

"Not at all? She may have cut through here," I point towards a room in the back of the store.

"That just leads to a back room, Miss. Believe me, if I saw a woman cutting through my store to get somewhere, I would have noticed," she says, flashing a bigger smile. "Now, are you interested in looking at any items today?"

"No, no thank you," I reply, "but thanks so much for your help."

I turn away from her and make my way out of the store. I know she is lying to me. Why would she lie though? I feel as if I have stumbled across something important although I can't pinpoint why.

The sun has lowered toward the horizon and the temperature has dropped even though it is summer. I am not dressed for cold weather. Goose bumps pop up along my skin. The band is warming up and there are more people here now. I make a mental note of the shop name and set out.

I walk down the length of the shops and cut through a small alleyway between two of them. I end up on the opposite side of the stores where it looks as though they would put their garbage and unload their items. I walk down the pathway. The woman had said that the store door led only to the back room. Spencer wouldn't have been able to get out this way.

But as I stop in front of the store, with its name hastily written next to the back exit, I face the confirmation that the woman covered for Spencer.

The only question is why?

|  |

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# Chapter Ten

As I stand there in front of the shop exit, my phone goes off. I pull it out of my purse and see it is Emily calling me. Turning away from the shop and walking down the pathway, I answer it.

"Hey, you okay?"

"Yes," I hear her voice, small and sad. "Wondering where you are."

"Oh, I had to meet Anderson at the harbor." A sudden thought strikes me. "Listen, there's a band playing here. Why don't you come down here and we can hang out? Listen to some music?"

Emily makes a small noise that I can tell she is debating it. I press it further.

"It'll get you out of the house."

"Okay," she relents. "I'll be there soon."

"Bring me a sweater?" I remember to ask at the last second.

I hang up and make my way away from the alleyway and out onto the main area. I did want to go home but Emily needs to get out of the house. She had been spending all day in bed or searching for work. At least she is looking for work, I suppose. Even so, she deserves to get away from the memories of Adam and have some fun.

In the meantime, I make my way back to where the band is playing. They are on their first song now. I head inside to one of the bars since it is a little too cold for me outside. I sit down at the bar and order a water. The last thing I feel like doing is drinking heavily tonight.

As I sit there waiting for Emily to show up, I find myself dwelling on the day again. For the first time since I slept with Bennett, he has been pushed back from my mind. No, instead, I am focusing on Spencer and what she was doing. The fact that the woman lied to cover for her means that she really is up to something. That seems to be a recurring theme in my life. I didn't know Matt either.

At the thought of Matt, I notice my chest didn't tighten. Am I finally over him? When I caught him cheating on me, it felt like the end of the world. Part of me wanted to forgive him and tell myself it was just because we had finished college and everything was changing. I had been ready to forgive him too because I wasn't sure what I would do without him.

But then one night I went through his laptop - wrong of me I know, but I needed to get to the truth. I read through his e-mails and saw all the girls Matt had been sleeping with since we started dating. This girl hadn't just been some random hook-up. It had been going on the entire time we had been dating. He was signed up for every dating site under the sun.

I lied to everyone except Emily about why we broke up. I couldn't face the embarrassment of telling people Matt had been cheating on me the entire time we were dating. Whenever I look back at the time we had spent together, everything was thrown into doubt. Had he really been telling the truth about why he was late coming home some nights or was he meeting some other girl?

Matt had been the first man that I had truly and utterly fallen for. To find out that most of our relationship had been built on lies cut deep. I told everyone that Matt and I had drifted apart instead of the fact he was cheating on me.

But Emily had been by my side the entire time. Dealing with Adam, I knew how terrible she was feeling. The least I could do was be by her side as best I could.

"There you are. I tried texting you."

I look up and see Emily squeezing through a small group of people. One of the guys eyes her but I glare at him. No way is she going to be hooking up with some sleaze ball right now. She tosses me one of my sweaters.

"Did you? Shit, sorry," I reply, pulling out my phone.

"Wasn't sure where you would be. It's okay," she slides onto the barstool next to me and orders a shot. "Let's get started."

"Whoa," I say, "I was just thinking we'd get out of the house, not get trashed."

"Maybe you can stay sober but that's the last thing I want to be doing right now," Emily retorts.

"All right, well, I'll make sure you don't get into trouble."

Emily laughs. "Good luck with that. All I did today was apply for office jobs."

"Do you want to do that?"

"Does anyone? You know I..." she says, shrugging, "I don't know what I want to do. But I've been living off of savings since we moved in together and that won't cut it anymore. Sometimes Adam helped out but..."

The bartender hands Emily her shot. She swigs it down instantly and sucks in her cheeks.

"Yikes, that's gross!" she squeals.

I laugh and then look out the bar window. "The band is playing if you want to listen to them?"

"In a second," she replies and orders another shot.

I watch Emily look around the bar and feel a fondness for my friend. She really has grown a lot, even though she can't see it. Her problem is she has so much she can do with her life that she doesn't know where to start. She is talented in quite a few aspects but gets bored easily. With her high cheekbones and beautiful slim figure, she could be a model if she wanted to.

Emily is the only one who knows what happened after my accident with Spencer. I get her attention and proceed to tell her what I saw Spencer do today. She listens with a furrowed brow, and doesn't even take her second shot until I conclude.

"I wonder what she is up to," Emily says. "I mean, who is she meeting that she needs to be so secretive about?"

"I don't know. But it is the same kind of secrecy I noticed around the time of the accident."

Emily turns to me, serious now. "You ever think about it? I mean, of course you do, I guess," she rambles. "But I mean... Spencer crashed the car. She saw you injured. She was okay, somehow. So she moved you to the driver's seat and bailed out of there ASAP before the paramedics came. How is that possible? Why did she do that? Why did she tell you that she couldn't tell anyone she was in that part of town?"

"Em, those are all questions I think about way too fucking much," I reply. "I have answers to none of them. Whatever it is, I hope it is worth it for her. It ruined everything," I mumble.

Emily pats my back. She is a lightweight like I am, and the two shots are already affecting her. Her cheeks are tinged pink.

"Well, she lost the greatest sister ever. Why do we have such fucked up families?"

Emily has a brooding tone now, one that I don't want her to have. I don't want her to think about her parents or anything else that could make her sad.

"We have each other," I tell her confidently. "That's all that matters, right?"

She nods, "Let's go outside," she says to me, "I want to dance."

I slide on the sweater and trail out after her. The band is playing some rock cover of a song I dimly remember. Emily squeezes into the crowd and listens avidly. The music usually isn't her cup of tea but she doesn't seem to care. I look around the harbor just in case Spencer is sneaking around but I don't see her. I figure I am being foolish. No way would she come back here so soon.

After about a minute, Emily turns to me. "I forgot to get a drink!"

Back into the crowd we go. This time we head to the opposite side where the outside bar is. I glance over at the store that Spencer had gone into. It is closed now. The windows are shuttered. I wonder dimly if the woman will tell Spencer that I asked about her.

Emily orders a drink and we stand off to the side, listening to the music. She looks content, which is about as much as I can ask for when she is so bummed out about Adam.

"Hey, I never did ask you how you dealt with Bennett making sure you were safe when you got drunk," she yells at me over the music. "Was it weird?"

With everything going on, including our minor fight, I have completely neglected to tell Emily what is going on with Bennett. Right now, however, with the music blaring and Emily halfway to being drunk, it seems like a bad time to explain what has happened.

"Long story," I shout back.

"He's such a dick!" Emily exclaims and some people glance at her. "I honestly can't stand him!"

"That's because you like his dad!" I tease her.

She flushes. "Whatever! He's hot for an older guy!"

Emily turns back to the music and I shake my head. Emily, with her hopeless crush, is something I never understood. It's then that I swear I hear a voice that I know. I pause and look around. The crowd isn't nearly as thick as it had been at Kevin's party but there are enough people that I figure I just imagined it.

I am glad that Emily remembered the sweater. Strange to have it so cold this night when we are in the middle of the summer. Emily seems unbothered by the cold and is finishing up her drink.

"Another!" she declares to me, as if we are going off into battle.

On the way back to the bar, I hear that voice again. I stop and Emily tugs me forward. There is a group of people huddled together near the store. I can see them over the crowd. Emily is shouting her drink order as I wait for her. I am anxious to see the group.

Once she gets her drink, I grab her by the arm and yank her forward. No way am I leaving her alone. We break through the crowd and I see the group in front of the shop. A group of six people. I don't know five of them.

In the middle, however, is Bennett. He is wearing a long jacket and looks so handsome that my heart feels as if it stops for a full five seconds. Like that birthday party so long ago on the boat, I feel that twinge of jealousy that I am not over there with them.

"Hey, isn't that Bennett?" Emily says loudly in my ear. "What are the odds, right? We were like, just talking about him."

"Yeah, weird," I reply too softly for her to hear.

Apparently everyone is at the harbor today. I think about going over there to say 'hi'.

Then Bennett puts his arm around the woman next to him. The woman looks up at him and then stands on her toes.

She brings her mouth to his and kisses him.

-To be continued in Book 2-

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FOR A few seconds, the fact that some woman is kissing Bennett does not register with me. Emily is babbling in my ear but I don't hear her. I just feel a surge of emotions that leave me feeling breathless.

The woman ends the kiss and tilts her face slightly toward him as he is looking down at her but his expression is blank. Emily tugs my arm hard, asking me something. I don't want to see anymore.

"Hey," Emily cries out, "who is that chick he's making out with?"

She is so loud that even over the music, Bennett hears her. At the last second, as I turn around to tug Emily away, he looks up. I feel his eyes land on me but I am already facing away from him, anxious not to speak to him. I can't even sort out what I am feeling right now.

My goal is to blend in with the crowd. Emily has gotten trashed so quickly that part of me just wants to pile her into the car and take her home. But she is having fun and I don't want to be the sort of best friend that puts my own needs before hers. I decide I'll take her down by the docks and hope she likes being down there instead.

The band is in the middle of playing an incredibly loud song. We are close to the stage and the music makes my eardrums thrum. Emily says something to me but her voice is lost in the music.

We are halfway across the square when suddenly someone yanks on me. Emily exclaims something I can't hear and I turn around. Bennett is looking down at me. He says something but I merely shrug. His words are taken away in the music, lost in the crowd. He tries shouting this time - I can tell by the way his mouth moves - but I can't make anything out.

He looks frustrated. Emily is bobbing to the music, oblivious. He motions over to the docks, where I was heading anyway. I nod and together, the three of us try to make our way through the crowd. Once we get through the worst of it, we are in front of an ice cream store and we stop.

"I didn't know you were here," he says to me. "I didn't see you."

"Here I am," I reply.

I am aware that Emily is nearby. Even though she is drunk, I can't imagine her not picking up on some of this. She is on her phone now, looking engrossed. I realize I should probably stop her because she might drunkenly text Adam.

"You looked angry with me and when I saw you storm off -" someone jostles into Bennett and he practically falls into me, "Stephanie saw you."

"Who the hell is Stephanie?" I reply, sounding more irritated than I wanted to.

"The girl I was with. Anyway, she saw you and I wanted to speak to you-"

"So, what, exactly? If she saw me, and you're with her, why are you here?"

"We haven't spoken since that night," he says to me, lowering his voice so I strain to hear it. "Don't you think we should?"

"Why? It's pretty clear you're already seeing this Stephanie person."

His features darken, "Why don't you let me explain before you decide you know what's going on?"

The song ends. In the few seconds of silence we have before the next track will kick up, all I hear is the murmuring of the crowd. Someone next to me has come out of the ice cream shop with a huge ice cream cone. The bright blue color of the ice cream distracts me for a moment as I debate what to do.

"April?" Bennett presses.

Suddenly, I realize that Emily is not near me. Alarmed, I look around.

"I have to find Emily," I say to him. "Do you -?"

A song kicks up, startling me. Even though I can hear Bennett where we are, I need to find Emily. She is drunk and a mess of emotions and can't be alone right now. Whatever this man has to tell me, about us, or Stephanie, can wait. I don't want my best friend out there, drunk and alone.

I move past Bennett. Our shoulders brush together and even though the touch isn't on bare skin, I still flinch. I quickly walk away from him, heading off down the pathway where Emily might have wandered. She had just been on her phone, after all, and maybe she wanted to call Adam away from all the noise.

I leave Bennett behind and try to find her. On the way, I ask a few groups of wandering people if they have seen her. In the third group, a tall, lanky looking man nods.

"Saw a girl like that head down to the docks. I think she was crying."

I take off in that direction as my heart is pounding although I don't know if it is because of Bennett or Emily. The docks are almost empty - since the sun has set, there is no one sitting out and no one trying to clean their boats. I see her almost instantly. She is at the end of dock number five, looking out at the water.

I jog up to her. She doesn't seem to hear me. I can tell by the way her shoulders are moving that she is crying to herself.

"Em?" I say slowly, not wanting to scare her.

It takes a few seconds for Emily to turn her tear-stained face to me. Her hands are empty.

"What are you doing down here?" I ask, relieved that she isn't hurt. "You scared the hell out of me."

"I was going to text Adam," Emily replies, her voice sounding hollow, "but I knew it was a bad idea. So I came here. I threw my phone in the water."

She's going to regret that when she sobers up, I think to myself, but I merely nod my head and stand next to her. It is an oddly cold night and the wind coming off the water is a bit chilly.

"Do you want to go home?" I ask her.

She shrugs. "I think I'm drunk."

"You are. It's okay, though, I'm here." I try to smile at her and she gives me a tiny smile back in return.

"I've been thinking," Emily says, and she slurs the ends of her words slightly, "about my dad. About how sick he is... in the head. What if I end up like that?"

"You won't."

"We don't know that though, April. We get a lot of stuff from our parents. What if... what if that's why I can't figure out what I want to do with my life? I'm too fucked up."

"Emily, you know that isn't true," I tell her and turn her away from the water. "Let's go home, okay? No more of this."

I can tell she wants to tell me more but I think the best thing for her now is to get her safely home and in bed. She is swaying, as if the wind is going to knock her over. I grip her hand tightly and we leave the dock. Emily is silent the entire time. We get in my car and I make a mental note that I am going to have to pick up her car tomorrow.

The drive home is silent. Emily falls asleep almost instantly, which leaves me to thinking about Bennett. I think about how this Stephanie woman kissed him so easily. Who is this woman? Where did she just magically appear from, going on a date with Bennett?

I know I should be furious but after taking care of Emily all night, plus trying to figure out what my sister, Spencer, is up to, I just feel exhausted. Emily lets out a loud snore next to me as I wait at a red light. In a couple of days, I have the yacht launch with Anderson. I need to be preparing for that, not dwelling on what is going on with Bennett and me.

Emily stirs a little but doesn't wake up. I glance at her as the light turns green. I think back to her life. She has never told me before that she worries she will end up like her father. How long has she been worried about that? It is hard to see her so upset over losing Adam. I am glad that she blew off some steam tonight but it is going to take time to get her on her feet again.

I manage to get her awake and back in bed without any issues. She falls asleep almost right away. I close her bedroom door and head to the kitchen. I go through the process of staring in the fridge, closing it, going to the cupboard, and then opening the fridge again. Part of me is starving and another part of me is ready for bed. Unsure what to do, I end up staring at the same box of instant mashed potatoes for what feels like ages.

Finally, in the silence of the apartment, my mind goes back to Bennett. He did come after me, wanting to talk. That counts for something - maybe. He was still there with this Stephanie woman, letting her kiss him. But he's always been a playboy. Even I know that. Maybe it is just my own mistake for letting myself get caught up in him.

"It's for the best," I say aloud to myself, hoping I believe it. I mean, wasn't I just thinking that the two of us were on different paths? Things wouldn't work out for us anyway. So, if he is going to be dating someone else, it isn't any business of mine. We never made anything concrete or future plans together. Maybe we just slept together to get rid of all those years of irritating, sexual tension. Now we can both move on.

But even as I think this, I wonder why my chest feels so hollow.

If you enjoyed this sample then look for Torrid Exposure: A New Adult Romance Series - Book 2.

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"ALL RIGHT, chefs, you have ninety seconds to get your food plated and presented. If your dish isn't ready, you will automatically be eliminated."

My cooking instructor, Chef Michelle Lee, walks through the room, examining our stations. My fellow cooking students and I are competing for the chance to enter another competition. The winner of today's cooking challenge will get the chance to compete for a full-time apprenticeship at Fission, one of Austin's hottest restaurants.

I'm not confident in many aspects of my life, but I know I dominate in the kitchen. I begin plating my dish just as Chef Lee approaches my station.

"Your food presents beautifully as usual, Kiara," she tells me with a smile. "If it tastes as good as it looks, you've got this in the bag," she adds with a soft whisper.

The instructors at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts aren't supposed to show favoritism to their students, but Chef Lee keeps a soft spot for me. Along with being one of my teachers, she's also my faculty adviser, and she knows the unusual circumstances that brought me to the school.

"Time's up," she calls out to the class. "Place your finished plates on the head table."

I walk my plate to the front of the room and place it on top of the placard that holds my student ID number. My classmates follow suit... several of them glare at me after looking at my dish. I am delighted, knowing they're all both jealous and impressed I was able to execute a well-developed Cioppino within the given time frame. My rich seafood stew is accompanied by fresh sourdough loaves. I examine my classmates' dishes and feel my chances of winning are good.

"Clear away your stations," Chef Lee directs. "Chef Lawton will be here shortly to judge your plates, and I don't want any evidence of who made what on display when he arrives."

Chef Lawton is the sous chef at Fission and the judge of this stage of the apprenticeship competition. I clear my station quickly and then I take a seat at the front of the room. I want to be able to see Chef Lawton's expressions as he tastes each dish.

As I sit nervously in my chair, my classmates finish clearing their stations. I can tell everyone else is just as anxious as I am... we've received plenty of critiques from our instructors but this will be the first time a professional chef from a restaurant will be tasting our food. The door of the classroom opens and a tall man wearing a black chef's jacket enters the room.

"Chef Lawton, it's so lovely to see you," Chef Lee welcomes him. "I can't tell you how excited we are to participate in this competition."

"We're excited as well," Chef Lawton replies. "We're always looking for new, innovative chefs at Fission. I'm looking forward to tasting the dishes and welcoming one of your students into the final leg of the competition. I see that all of the plates are ready. If it's all right with you, I'll get started."

"Of course," Chef Lee agrees.

I try not to hold my breath as I watch Chef Lawton sample each of the plates. I feel encouraged when he reaches mine. Instead of sampling one bite and moving on, he holds the broth in his mouth for a moment, and then tastes each type of seafood in turn. The expression on his face tells me that my stew is perfect, and I say a silent prayer I haven't been out-cooked by any of my classmates.

"First off, I'd like to say this is an impressive display," the seasoned chef begins. "Everything on this table is up to par with the level of skill and talent I expect to see from second-year students. That being said, there is a clear winner. One chef not only executed a delicious dish, but also added a few subtle, original touches that showed innovation and creativity."

Adrenaline rushes through me as he moves to stand behind my dish. "Who created this Cioppino?" he asks.

I blush involuntarily as I raise my hand.

"And what is your name, Chef?"

"Kiara Sands," I reply, trying to mask the excitement in my voice.

"Well, Chef Sands, it's an honor to welcome you to the next stage of the competition. I look forward to tasting more of your food as the weeks progress. I am needed back at Fission, but Chef Lee will provide you with the details of your new position." He turns to the rest of the class. "To the rest of you, don't be discouraged. You all provided me with excellent dishes, and you have bright futures ahead of you."

"Thank you, Chef," the class responds in unison.

Chef Lawton makes a quick exit, and Chef Lee takes his place behind the head table. "Excellent work today, class. You're dismissed until tomorrow," she announces. My classmates gather their things and leave the room... I stay behind to talk to Chef Lee.

"Kiara, I'm so proud of you." She beams once we are alone. "As you know, there will be two other chefs competing with you at Fission. You're the only one who's been selected from Le Cordon Bleu, and I know you'll represent us well." She moves to her desk and pulls a large package from her bottom drawer. "Here is your apprenticeship packet. You'll receive your Fission jacket when you report for work tomorrow morning. If you have any questions, or just need someone to talk to, you know where to reach me."

"This seems like a wonderful dream, and part of me is afraid that I'll wake up any minute now," I confess.

Chef Lee gives me a maternal smile. "This is a dream, Kiara. It's your dream. And you're well on your way to achieving it."

<<<>>>

The information packet Chef Lee presented me with instructs me to be at Fission at 10:00 am. I check my dashboard clock as I pull into the parking lot... 9:40 am. I feel smug, knowing I'm probably the first of the three competitors to arrive. I check my makeup in the rear-view mirror before exiting my car.

Fission is housed in a modern brick building in East Austin, one of the city's burgeoning hipster areas. The area gives off a relaxed, laid-back vibe, but I know the kitchen of Fission will be anything but.

I push open the heavy, solid oak door and am greeted by a pixy-sized hostess with spiked, lavender hair.

"Table for one?" she asks me brightly.

"No," I reply nervously. "My name is Kiara Sands. I'm supposed to start work today."

"Oh! You're one of the newbies!" She says warmly. "I'm Megan. It's a pleasure to meet you. The other two are already here. I'll show you to their table."

Damn it! I'd been so sure I'd make the best impression by arriving first, and here I am, the last of the apprentices to report for our first day.

Megan seems to sense my disappointment. "Don't worry. Paul doesn't give a shit how early people show up. As long as you're here when you're scheduled, you'll be fine. And you haven't missed anything. The other two have just been sitting alone since they got here," she offers reassuringly.

"Thank you for that," I say half-heartedly. As I follow Megan through the restaurant, I'm struck by the eclectic, well-placed decor. All of the tables are made of the same polished oak as the front door. The water goblets on the tabletops are tinted in hues of blue, green, and rose... a selection of art from all around the world adorns the walls. The ambiance is on the right side of the fine line between cozy and overwhelming. The restaurant offers a large main dining room, with smaller, more private rooms on each side.

"This is a beautiful place," I say as Megan leads me toward the back of the main room.

"It is," she agrees. "Paul handled all of the decorating himself. He says that Austin is a melting pot, and he wants all of our customers to feel at home when they dine here."

I'm about to comment on how successfully that goal had been achieved when we arrive at a table occupied by a beautiful blonde woman and a swarthy man with sandy blond hair. A pot of coffee and three cups sit on the table.

"Kiara Sands, this is Jenny Foster and Robbs Martin," Megan introduces us. She checks her watch before speaking again. "It's a quarter to ten, so I imagine that Paul will be out shortly. I suggest you get fully caffeinated and enjoy this time off your feet. It will be the last one for today," she warns with a friendly, knowing tone.

I take a seat in the chair next to Jenny as Megan moves back to the hostess station. "It's a pleasure to meet you both," I offer.

"It's a pleasure to meet you too," Robbs replies. "Congratulations on making it this far in the competition. And I'd like to apologize right now for how thoroughly I'm going to kick both of your asses. This job is mine." He speaks with a blend of arrogance and sarcasm, and I can tell immediately that Robbs and I are not going to get along.

Personal relationships are something I struggle with. In my experience, there's no point in getting close to someone who will inevitably let you down. I prefer to keep my head down and focus on getting my job done. As Chef Lee said yesterday, I have a dream and I'm well on my way to achieving it. I'll be damned if I let Robbs or anyone else get in my way.

"Just ignore Robbs," Jenny advises me. "He thinks that he's God's gift to food... women too, probably." She giggles. "So Kiara, what's your story? Which campus were you plucked from?"

"I'm in my second year at Le Cordon Bleu," I answer with pride. In my opinion, Le Cordon Bleu is the best culinary school in the area--it's also the hardest to get in to. Jenny seems impressed by my background, but Robbs laughs and dismisses it immediately.

"The Bleu is all right, I guess," he snorts, "if you're happy being complacent and doing everything old-school."

"I wasn't aware that being classically trained is a bad thing," I reply shortly. "Tell me, what culinary Mecca do you hail from?"

"Escoffier," he answers with a cocky smile. "You know, where all of the innovative, cutting-edge people attend. Three of my instructors were nominated for the James Beard award. So like I said, no hard feelings, but I'm going to kick both of your asses. Escoffier specializes in farm-to-table cuisine, so I'm exactly the kind of chef Fission is looking for."

I dismiss his statement with a glare. While the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts is reputed for turning out fantastic chefs, in some culinary circles it's dismissed as a hipster college that prioritizes food trends over basic technique and skill.

I don't feel like debating the merits of my education with Robbs, so I turn to Jenny. "And where do you go?" I ask pleasantly.

"The Art Institute," she replies. "I'm still not positive that cooking is my life's passion. I wanted to go to a college that offers other programs, in case I decided to change my major."

"If you're not sure that you want to be a chef, then what the fuck are you doing here?" Robbs asks hotly. "You should give your spot to someone who knows that this is what they want."

Jenny's green eyes fill with both anger and embarrassment, and I can tell she's fumbling for a response.

"I don't agree with that at all," I say warmly. "What better way to find out if you enjoy working in a real kitchen, than by actually doing it?"

"That's exactly what my instructor said when I won this spot," Jenny says with a nod.

"I see how it's going to be," Robbs interjects with more sarcasm. "The two of you are going to band together in 'sisterhood' and gang up on me."

"That's not how it's going to be at all," a firm voice says from behind me. I turn to see one of the most attractive men I've ever laid my eyes on. He's tall, with broad shoulders, blue eyes, and sandy blond hair. He's also wearing a black chef's jacket, identical to the one Chef Lawton wore when he judged my dish. He holds eye contact with me for several moments before he speaks again.

"This competition will come down to one thing and one thing only... the quality of your food. Only one of you will be named my new apprentice, so ganging up on each other won't serve any purpose. I'm Paul Weston, and I'd like to welcome you to my restaurant." He extends his hand to me.

I respond with a firm handshake and a smile. "I'm Kiara Sands. Thank you for this opportunity."

"You're here because you deserve to be. No thanks are necessary," he assures me.

If you enjoyed this sample then look for Fifty Recipes For Disaster: A New Adult Romance Series - Book 1.

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ROMEO AND his lovely wife, Amanda, walked the land just outside of their home. Over the last quarter century, they'd purchased hundreds of acres, building on the property borders that Jeremiah, Romeo's father, had purchased before they were born.

"It's lovely this time of day, before the sun wakes."

"It's lovely any morning I get to walk with you," Romeo said, pressing a kiss to Amanda's temple. Neither of them had aged poorly. Romeo was still tall, well-muscled, and ruggedly handsome. His hair, a light brown, was just starting to gray at the temples, making Amanda only more attracted to her sexy husband. He still wore it long, pulling it back into a ponytail because he knew she loved it that way. His blue eyes, still clear and beautiful, smiled at her. "Does that get me brownie points?"

"Only because you're so damned sexy," Amanda grinned. She wore her dark hair pulled into a circle braid and pinned down, knowing full well her husband liked to nuzzle her neck. She liked to let him. "Sarina will become a breeder in two weeks." Amanda didn't need to look at her husband to know his whole body went tense with protectiveness for his oldest daughter.

"I don't want to think about it. I remember what I was like with you. She won't be taking an alpha as a mate and I don't want to talk about it."

"Like it or not, it is something we should discuss. I don't want her brothers thinking that they can keep her under lock and key. We've raised her to be a confident and independent woman."

"And?" Romeo said, hating the logic in his wife's words.

"And, we have to have faith that we raised her right. She's not without her own set of defenses you know," Amanda grinned.

"Yes," Romeo sighed. "Jason, Wade and Joshua."

"More like her powers of witchcraft and her wolf."

"They aren't enough," Romeo growled.

"They'll have to be," Amanda said wisely. "I didn't even know I had powers until my twenty-fourth year. At least she's going into this knowing how it will be for her."

"She's never changed before. With her first full moon coming up, I don't like the idea that all the males in our community will sniff her out."

"We can't keep them away forever, Love. We can, however, continue to give her the tools she needs to choose wisely."

"I didn't let you choose," Romeo said, his blue eyes pensive.

"I don't believe I would have chosen differently, even if I'd been offered someone else as my mate. I was made for you, remember?"

"I'd remember easier if you'd let me have you." Amanda giggled and ran as Romeo got that needy look in his eyes. She loved that look, the one that said simply, I want you, now. She played cat and mouse with him for a time before she let him catch her and remind her of what it'd been like when she was twenty-four.

<<<>>>

Sarina grinned after besting her twin, Jason, in racquetball. They'd begged and begged their parents for a racquetball court and finally for their eighteenth birthdays, they'd been given their present. The walls were well worn where they'd also played wally ball during inclement weather, when neither the wolves in them, nor their human selves wanted to go outside.

"You just can't win baby brother," Sarina laughed.

"My ass," Jason pouted. Princess Sarina never missed an opportunity to rub in the fact that she was older by all of five minutes. "I can best you any time I wish."

"Ha, you can't tell me you let me win every time. Remember brother, we shared the same womb. I know you better than you know yourself."

"Not likely," Jason scoffed. "You have no idea what it's like for me to be with a woman."

Despite the blush that crept along her cheeks, Sarina laughed. "No, but it won't be long now before I find out what it's like to be with a man."

The growl came fast and furious as Jason bared his teeth at the mention of Sarina mating. She'd expected as much and just rolled her eyes. "Ease off J, I haven't taken a man to my bed, yet."

This time when he growled, Sarina grinned when Romeo set a firm hand on his shoulder. "Don't antagonize your brother Sarina. You know he'd rip out the throat of any man who touched you, especially against your will."

"Yes I do, but it's so much fun, Dad."

"Maybe so," Romeo grinned, knowing his two oldest children well. He never told them they were more alike than they were different. Both were fiercely loyal to the other, as well as their family. Both valued the other's opinions, and both would give their lives in protection of their womb-mate, or any member of their family. "But your mother and I appreciate the peace that has finally settled over our house."

<<<>>>

Just then, they heard screaming coming from the kitchen. "You were saying?" Amanda giggled. Everyone else followed her into the large kitchen that Romeo had upgraded upon Amanda taking over her Aunt Mabel's mansion. Mabel Walker had been an intensely loyal woman. So loyal in fact that she'd had a hysterectomy to ensure that no wolf would have the say over her breeding rights. She'd let the Walker and Traverse lines and legacies pass on to Amanda, even to the extent of making Amanda believe that she had no other family to care for her after her parents had been killed.

"You son-of-a--"

"I'll thank you not to finish that sentence as I'm the woman who birthed you both," Amanda said, her voice firm.

"Sorry, Mama. But you didn't see what Joshua did!" Shawna whined. At nineteen she was just becoming the woman they'd raised her to be. Still five years off from her own breeding season start, she had much to learn.

"I don't need to see what he did to know that somehow it hurt your feelings."

"She's as sensitive as a new pup," Joshua smirked before getting a thump on the head from his father. "Ow!"

"Tell your sister you're sorry," Romeo warned. "She shared the womb with you, Joshua. Try to remember that when you start bickering and wanting to tease her."

"But she--" Joshua defended himself.

"Whatever you two did to each other doesn't matter now. I can, however, promise that it will matter tonight at supper if you two don't straighten it out."

The twins groaned through their apologies and then went their separate ways. "They're just like you, you know," Amanda chuckled.

"Oh, no. Those two are absolutely yours."

"That they are. I wouldn't have it any other way." Amanda allowed Romeo to pull her into his arms, kissing her soundly. Had it really been nearly twenty-four years since she'd brought their two oldest children into the world? Regardless, the day had been one for their personal history books and he was still just as handsome as she remembered.

<<<>>>

Brody Duscene paced back and forth in his home. He could feel the full moon rising, the urge to change gnawing at him ferociously. Panting as it rose high in the sky, he felt the change begin. The searing pain of it ran through his blood and into his bones as they began to lengthen and shift. He bent down to his knees as his hands and feet turned to five-toed paws and his clothes tore away as long, gray fur grew thick over his body.

It always occurred to him after the change that he'd save himself some considerable money if he'd learn to strip before the change, but regardless of the countless times it'd happened since his eighteenth birthday, he had yet to take to the change without his clothes on. The last part to change and always the most painful was his face. His nose lengthened and flattened as his cheek bones and jaw became a muzzle. His tongue grew longer and thinner and his eyes became a keen and sensitive part of his five senses. Within mere minutes he'd become a werewolf and would hunt his prey like a predator, with stealth and a vicious appetite.

Brody waited near a clump of trees as a young couple necked in a car near a stretch of abandoned road. His eyes were barely slits as he watched them. Their soft whispers were easy for his big ears to hear and made the man inside the wolf horny as hell. He always felt guilty when hunting humans, but it was a necessity in order to be a member of Reggie's pack. There were other packs that strictly prohibited the hunting of humans, but switching packs wasn't as easy as changing shirts.

Knowing full well the two love birds in his sights were focused elsewhere, Brody approached the car slowly, sniffing their scents and imprinting them in his memory. If one tried to run, he'd find them. Grabbing the door handle, Brody ripped the door away. He yanked the boy out of the car as the girl screamed. Turning his head back to her, Brody bared his teeth in a snarl that had the girl stumbling away from the car as she attempted to run. Brody let her go, knowing he'd find her when he was done with the boy.

Unlike some in his pack, Brody wasn't one to play with his food. Nor was he the type to hunt with other wolves. He preferred to hunt solo. Whatever he caught was his own. He knew the boundaries of his pack; had been taught them from a pup. But the difference between Brody and the other young wolves in his pack was that Brody didn't care about boundaries. Who'd know if he stepped over his section of the world?

Every full moon from the spring equinox, Brody had been exploring regions beyond where his pack lived and hunted. He didn't like hunting in his pack's territory where he'd grown familiar with the local human population. In order to hunt humans he wouldn't get a chance to know, he had to escape the confines Reggie had set for them. Brody was smart enough to know that he wasn't near ready to challenge Reggie for the alpha position of their pack, but soon, very soon, he'd be more than ready.

"Please doggie," the boy in his grip pleaded. The hardest part of the hunt was when his prey begged. Without hesitating much longer, he sank his teeth into the soft flesh of the boy's neck. Blood, rich and full of flavor, rushed past his throat and soaked into his muzzle as he feasted. Brody didn't toy with the humans he preyed upon. Being partly human himself, it always felt like a kick to the teeth to watch another wolf do it, so Brody hunted, ate, and left his carcasses in peace when he was done. He finished the boy with relative ease, licking his lips clean. Returning to the car he picked up the girl's scent and howled at the full moon as he sniffed her out.

Twenty minutes later he found her hovering in the lower branches of an oak tree. He gave her props for being smart enough to climb a tree so he left her there and lay down to sleep. When he woke the next morning naked and sleepy, Brody looked up to see the woman watching him. Smiling, he waved to her before he took off at a sprint. If Reggie caught him outside their boundaries there'd be hell to pay and Brody just wasn't in the mood today.

<<<>>>

"Happy Birthday!"

Sarina heard from everyone as she blew out her birthday candles. Across from her Jason did the same thing. Growing up, they'd always kept the same tradition. Always facing each other and blowing out their candles together as everyone yelled their birthday wishes.

"Can you believe it?" she said to Jason later when their extended family and friends had finally gone home. "We're twenty-four."

"It's just another year, Sis," Jason said, blowing it off and irritating her.

"The hell it is. It's my first breeding year buddy. Just because you don't give a shit, doesn't mean I shouldn't."

"Look, just because you're in an all fire hurry to blow your virginal attributes, doesn't mean that I have to run around as if I've never been laid before."

Sarina snarled at him and stalked off. Finding her mother alone, she sat down on her parent's bed.

"What was it like for you, Mama, when you turned twenty-four?"

"Different from what you're experiencing, I can tell you that," Amanda said as she hung Romeo's dress shirts in the closet. "For starters, when I turned twenty-four I had no idea that I was a werewolf nor a witch. I came to claim my Aunt Mabel's estate and was accosted by your father, who back then was not a people person. He demanded that I marry him and was all too forthcoming with details I didn't want to hear."

"Dad really did that?"

Amanda laughed. "That and more, sweetheart."

"You were a virgin?"

"Yes," Amanda replied. Sarina could tell by the way her mother was eyeing her that she should explain herself.

"I'm nervous," she continued, rushing through the details as if she couldn't breathe. "I don't even have a wolf or man who's interested in me, but I know they will be once they learn I'm in season and especially an alpha's daughter."

"The right man won't care whether you're an alpha's daughter or not. He'll want you for certain, but he'll also care about the woman inside the wolf."

"Did Dad care?"

"In his own way," Amanda smiled. "Like you, we were both young and had less control than we'd probably have liked."

"Is it normal to be scared?"

"Yes," Amanda chuckled. Sarina let her mother pull her into her arms. "Your first time will be something to remember, surely. Just try to remember as well that you don't have to rush. The full moon is nearly a month away and you won't go into season until then. There's still time, especially as werewolves tend to come together in whirlwind circumstances."

"Uncle Elijah and Aunt Penelope didn't," Sarina countered. She knew she was being difficult, but without any prospects and on the day of her twenty-fourth birthday she was feeling edgy.

"Your aunt and uncle certainly did come together in a whirlwind," Amanda explained. "It just so happens that they only thought they couldn't be together. When I became the leading Radiant, I changed the law so that Radiants could marry the loves of their hearts. I didn't want anyone, especially my fellow Radiants, to suffer their hearts for the duties of their souls."

"I hope I'm half the leader you are if it's ever my turn."

"As the oldest, the leadership of the witches would pass to you. However, you could choose to pass it on to Jason if you felt he'd do a better job."

"Not if he doesn't get his head out of his ass," Sarina scoffed.

"And just think. I'd hoped by now you two would have stopped the petty bickering. Aren't there bigger things to worry about?"

"According to him, I'm in an all fired hurry to lose my virginity. Doesn't he know what it's like? Certainly he had a first time too."

"Men rarely see those things the same way as women, darling."

"Still, he could be a little understanding."

"Oh just wait until a man starts sniffing around you. You'll find out how fast your brothers will defend you, even when you wish they wouldn't. Not just Jason either. Wade and Joshua will protect you with the fierceness of our kind. Even Shawna would come to your defense if she was needed."

"Great," Sarina moped. "First I'm a slut, because I want to talk about it. Now I'll have to beat my siblings off the poor man with a stick."

"Who knows, maybe they'll be in the mood to play fetch."

"You always know what to say to make me feel better." Sarina laughed and thanked her mother for the talk.

"It is a skill I learned over time. You will too, darling."

If you enjoyed this sample then look for Blood Lines: A Paranormal Shifter Romance Series - Book 1.

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# Other Books by Carla Coxwell

Torrid Exposure New Adult Romance Series

Devil's Advocate BBW MC New Adult Romance Series

Fifty Recipes For Disaster New Adult Romance Series

Star Bright New Adult Romance Series (This series follows "Fifty Recipes For Disaster New Adult Romance Series")

Obsessed Bounty Hunter Romance Series

Get the latest update on new releases from the author at:

<https://www.carlacoxwell.com/newsletter>

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# About the Author - Carla Coxwell

Carla has always been a fan of romance novels. To augment what she made waiting on tables to help her way through college, Carla also did some freelance work in the romance genre.

Now she enjoys living vicariously through her characters in her New Adult Romance books.

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# Connect with Carla Coxwell

I really appreciate you reading my book! Here are my social media coordinates:

Friend me on Facebook: <https://www.facebook.com/CarlaCoxwell/>

Follow me on Twitter: <https://twitter.com/carlacoxwell>

Check me out on Goodreads: <https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/10691544.Carla_Coxwell>

Subscribe to my newsletter: <https://www.carlacoxwell.com/newsletter/>

Visit my website: <https://www.carlacoxwell.com/>
