As much as it hurts me, I leave to go pack my bags.

  Chapter 8

  Ashlyn

  Every part of me hurts. Even the recessed parts of my soul.

  I flee to the one person who hasn’t ever betrayed me. The one person who I can say I’ve ever loved.

  Gran.

  I sit by her bedside, crying more tears than I thought possible. A morbid part of me wonders if one could cry themselves to death by dehydration? I’m certainly making a case for it.

  Gran’s eyes flutter open, and I quickly wipe away my tears.

  “I’m parched,” she says.

  I retrieve her glass from the nightstand. “Here, have some water.”

  “I’d much rather it be bourbon.”

  “Gran!”

  She smirks, but when her gaze meets mine, her lips fall. “What’s wrong?”

  “Oh, nothing.”

  “Don’t you take me for a fool,” she grunts out. “Now, tell me.”

  “It’s just that I thought I had met someone, but he was really just like every other guy I’ve known before.”

  “That new groundskeeper?”

  “How’d you guess?”

  “You rarely leave the house. Who else could it be?”

  “I hurt so badly, Gran.”

  “What’d he do?”

  “The first moment he got, he told a reporter we had…hung out. I had to find out through my agent.”

  “And you’re sure it’s him?”

  “There were details, Gran.”

  Of course, I opt not to tell her that those details include how it began with oral intercourse, as Chatter called it, on her patio lounge, and quickly escalated to penetrative sex. Oh—and sex is now a part of his chores list like he’s my damn hooker.

  “Do you think he was just telling a friend? Bragging as boys do?”

  “Gran, it doesn’t matter. I still can’t believe his audacity. Today, he tried to act like he was all into me. Like it was something more than it was.”

  “Ashlyn, I can’t say I know how you feel, but I can say that this is a subject you are sensitive to. What he did wasn’t right, but instead of holing yourself inside your home and refusing to let anyone in, I think you need to have a talk with him.”

  “I will never—”

  “Then you’ve lost, Ashlyn. And I have taught you nothing.”

  ❦

  Jake

  My phone vibrates, and I quickly flip it over, so I don’t have to see that damn screen light up.

  I sigh heavily. “The tabloid won’t say who their source is.”

  “So, if it’s not you, and it’s not her, then it must be her gran,” Casey says.

  “I don’t know. I mean, she can walk a little, but she’s mostly confined to a wheelchair.”

  “Well, if it’s not her, then it must be Ashlyn.”

  “Impossible. You should have seen her face. I hate that I had any part in her pain.”

  “Oh, I’m sure she’ll get over it,” Jeff, Casey’s fiancé says. “With her money, I doubt she cares what people say about her.”

  “She’s hurt,” I say with an edge to my voice. “Who are we to say what should and shouldn’t matter to her.”

  “The last time this happened, we never heard from her again,” Casey says. “God, this must be hard on her.”

  “Oh, you’re talking about back when she made it big?” Jeff says. “You know, if you didn’t say anything, and her grandma couldn’t, and this has happened before…maybe it’s been her spilling the beans all along. Looking for sympathy.”

  It takes everything I have not to strangle the life out of my sister’s boyfriend. Thankfully, Casey puts him in his place.

  “That’s not even funny. Andy Clayton literally went on television discussing the details of taking her virginity. Half the people in our graduating class talked about every detail they could think of about her—some were even made up. She’s not an attention seeker, which is made obvious by the fact that she literally never interacts with anyone.”

  “Then, how?” Jeff snaps. “How the hell does everyone know all the intimate details of your ass-grabbing session?”

  I jump to my feet, angry at Jeff’s crass treatment of the situation.

  “Don’t you ever—and I mean EVER—let me catch you—”

  Casey’s small hand shoves into my chest. “Both of you—just stop!” She glares angrily at me. “As much as I hate to admit it, Jeff is right. Something is going on here, and we need to get this sorted out.”

  “Well, what do you suppose we do?” I ask, backing down and reclaiming my seat.

  Casey is being nice enough to let me crash on her couch until things get settled. The last thing I want is to put additional stress on her, so I pack my emotions away and focus on the situation at hand.

  She pulls out her phone. “I’m going to start looking at what’s being talked about online.”

  I can’t stand to look at my phone. I get no less than a dozen calls each day asking for exclusive details of my love affair with the Ashlyn Reed.

  “Uh-huh…” Casey clucks, looking down at her phone.

  “What is it?”

  “I didn’t really see anything in the articles I’ve been browsing, but then I headed on over to FaceBook.”

  “And?”

  “Andy Clayton is bragging about his new Mercedes and a trip to Europe next month.”

  My brow scrunches. “The Andy Clayton that ran to the tabloids when Ashlyn made it big? Her prom date?”

  Casey bites her lower lip, her face askew with thought. “Yeah, who works at the car rental company in town…”

  “Maybe he came into some money. Lottery. Inheritance,” Jeff interjects.

  Casey frowns. “We were pretty tight in high school before he became a dick, and I don’t believe there was any family money. I suppose lottery could be it, but there is no record of it, and being three days after the gossip bomb dropped, and him being a known gossipist…I just think it needs to be investigated.”

  “Let’s just say it is this Andy guy, how the hell would he have gotten those details?” Jeff says.

  “I guess he must have been on the property. It’s gated, and there’s a stone wall, but there are some places it could be scaled.”

  “It’s the only thing that makes sense,” Casey says.

  I cock a brow. “In what world does that make any sense?”

  “Look, let’s just assume that Andy got a big payday from ratting on Ashlyn. He’s not just going to stop. He’s probably out there right now looking for his next big payday.”

  I mull over her words, which seem to make sense, despite how insane it all is.

  “We need to call her,” Casey says.

  I pick up my phone and dial her number, but I’m sent straight to voicemail. She doesn’t pick up for Casey either.

  This whole situation is crazy. Absolutely absurd. But strangely, what Casey is suggesting is the only thing that makes sense.

  And even if it means Ashlyn never wants to be with me again, I have to do whatever it takes to protect her.

  I get up from the couch, determined to do something about the injustice.

  “Wait! I’m coming too.” Casey jumps up to join me.

  “No, I’m not bringing you into this.”

  “Not bringing me into this? The second you asked to sleep on my couch, you brought me into this.” She turns to Jeff. “You’re coming too.”

  The last thing I want is to drag my sister into whatever mess I’m about to start, but if it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t have this sliver of hope.

  “Alright, but I call the shots.”

  Chapter 9

  Jake

  We drive around to the front of the Reed estate, and everything looks normal. As it should. The problem is, it’s not as easy to access the back. There are about thirty acres of forest.

  We park on the road and slowly make our way to the stone fence surrounding the property.

  “Hey!” Jeff shouts.

  “Be quiet,” I snap.

  “Look at this!” He points at a cluster of trees, to what looks like a dirt bike.

  We take some pictures, and I have to eat my words and apologize.

  “Look, man, I’m sorry. It’s just been a really rough week. I’d like to take you out for a beer after all this has settled if you’d care to join me.”

  He gives me a quick nod, and I know we’re cool.

  “Check this out!” Casey thrusts her phone in front of my face, and I see a picture of Andy on the exact dirt bike Jeff found. “He probably parked it here so it couldn’t be heard from the house.”

  The thought of Andy intruding on Ashlyn’s property and leering at her brings out a protective drive in me.

  We jog the rest of the way to the fence and scan the perimeter. After walking the line for a short distance, we spot a five-rung ladder propped against it and some packs with supplies at its base.

  “Wow. He must have dropped this stuff off with his car and dragged it through the woods, then shuttled back and forth on his bike,” Casey says. “He’s probably been camping out here for as long as Ashlyn’s been at home.”

  My heart sinks to the pit of my stomach. “I can’t believe I played a part in this.”

  “It’s not your fault,” Casey reassures.

  “If we go over, it’s trespassing,” Jeff says. “Maybe we should just call the police.”

  “That’s a good idea,” I say. “You call them and wait here.”

  I begin climbing the ladder and pull myself to the top of the fence.

  “Hey, wait!” Casey hisses. “Where are you going?”

  “There is no way I’m standing out here knowing that asshole is sneaking around Ashlyn’s property.”

  I clear the fence with ease, and move quietly across the lawn.

  Just the thought of trespassing against Ashlyn makes me sick, but I have to protect her, and if I alert her to my presence, I’ll also be alerting Andy. He needs to be caught in the act in order to ensure he’ll be held accountable for his crimes.

  I sneak around the exterior of the house before checking each of the doors and windows. To my consternation, the back patio door is unlocked and slightly ajar.

  What I’m doing is wrong, and I could go to jail for it even, but for me, there’s no going back. Not when the woman I adore is being preyed upon.

  I slip inside undetected. Everything looks the same as the day I left. I sneak my way through the bottom floor to the bedrooms, and when I round the corner, I catch Andy squatting outside the bathroom door, looking in through the keyhole.

  Without thinking, I launch into action, dashing towards the intruder and tackling him to the ground.

  “Hey!” he grunts, scrambling to get out of my clutches, but I pin him down, pressing my forearm against his throat.

  “You even try to fucking move, and I’ll knock your block off!” I warn.

  The bathroom door flies open, and Ashlyn enters the hall in a towel, her hair full of soap.

  “What the hell is—”

  I look to her, pleading with my eyes for her to trust me. “Police are on their way.”

  She blinks in clear confusion.

  “Andy’s been trespassing. It’s how he knew about us. He’s the one that went to the tabloids.”

  A fist flies into my face, and I fall over, off of Andy.

  He scrambles to get away from me, dashing towards Ashlyn, and throwing her against the wall.

  Hot anger pumps through my veins as I leap to my feet in hot pursuit, catching up to Andy in five long strides and tackling him to the floor.

  This time, I have his face pressed to the floor, the whole of my weight on his back.

  I hear a crash, and I look over at Ashlyn. “That’s probably the police. Get in your room, and I’ll handle this.”

  Instead of going to her room, she rushes to me, throwing her arms around me. “I don’t know what the hell is going on, but I think I made a big mistake and owe you an apology.”

  I bring a hand around her neck and pull her lips to mine, kissing her deeply as Andy struggles beneath me.

  I pull away, wiping a tear from her cheek with my thumb. “Apology not accepted, because it was never owed.”

  She musters a smile for me. I know now’s not the time for sentiments, but there’s something I need to get off my chest.

  “Ashlyn, I understand if you don’t feel the same way towards me, but all I think about is you, morning, noon, and night. You drive me half-crazy, and the thought of being without you damn-near kills me.”

  “Same…and that scares me.”

  “You never have to be scared of me, Ash. Now, please go to your room.”

  To my relief, she complies.

  Chapter 10

  Ashlyn

  “Her body arches up into mine, begging for me to fill her.

  “You horny little bitch,” I say as my hand splays across her jaw. “Now, you’re gonna take what I give to you, and you’re gonna like it good.”

  Jeff looks longingly at Casey in his arms.

  “Now, bend over for daddy.”

  “Ashlyn, can you come here and adjust my hearing aid. I can barely understand what they’re saying,” Gran says.

  Jeff and Casey freeze in position while I fix Gran’s hearing aid. “How’s that, Gran?”

  “Better.”

  “I don’t think I can listen to any more of this,” Jake whispers into my ear.

  “Oh, come on—Jeff really has a voice for it.” I chuckle. “And soon, it will be Casey’s turn.”

  “Well, if you’ll excuse me, I think I’m gonna have to go and vomit.”

  I follow him out to the patio, relaxing on the lounge.

  I cock a grin. “You know that war drama I was writing?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Well, it wasn’t so much a drama as it was a romance. You strutting around the place with your shirt off inspired me.”

  “My master plan worked, so it seems.”

  “Well, my Gran wants to hear as much of my work before she passes as she can, so when editing is completed, Jeff and Casey are going to read that next, if you’d like to hear what you had a hand in inspiring.”

  “Hard pass.”

  For the first time in a long time, I trust a man. I never thought I’d say that, let alone feel it. It was an unimaginable concept before.

  “You okay,” Jake says with a look of concern on his face.

  “Yeah, I just can’t believe one day I’m going to wake up, and Gran won’t be there.”

  “I hope I can be the one to help get you through that time.”

  I smile, my heart full of love and hope.

  “I don’t want this to end,” I whisper. “I like having you around. And Casey. Gosh, Jeff…he’s an acquired taste.”

  Jake looks off into the distance, his face deep in thought. “Then it doesn’t have to end.”

  “But it can’t last forever.”

  “Why not? You can write just as well from here as you can in Hollywood.”

  “I suppose I could, but,” my eyes shy away from his, “is that something you really want. You have a reputation for being a player, and I don’t know if I can just be friends with you and casually hook up. I know you’ve had a revolving door of women in your life, but—”

  “I want you to stop that, right now,” Jake cuts me off. “Whoever there was before doesn’t matter. You’re the only woman in my life now, and the only woman I can ever see myself with. I will do whatever it takes to make this work, even if it means moving out to Hollywood and becoming a personal trainer. All I care about is being around you.”

  I bite my lower lip, terrified by the whirlwind of emotions storming inside my heart.

  “Now, the only question is…do you feel the same way about me?”

  I look him in the eye boldly, no longer afraid, and say, “I do.”

  The End

  If you haven’t read the first in the series, Love you…not!, it’s free to read on Kindle Unlimited. Just click HERE!

  …and click HERE for a free full-length ebook!!!

  Other Books by Lark Anderson

  Beguiling a Billionaire

  The Billionaire’s Board

  The Billionaire’s Fixer Upper

  The Billionaire’s Funding

  The Bad Girl

  The Dis-Graced

  The Trainwreck

  Reckless in Love

  Love you…not!

  Trust you…not!

  The Glow Girlz Series

  Stacey's Seduction

  Tempting Teysa

  Desiree's Delight

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  About the Author – Lark

  Lark Anderson was raised near Syracuse, New York. She joined the USAF at 19 as a Flight Manager and eventually discharged in pursuit of a college degree. Her passion for writing manifested in elementary school, but she waited until she was in her 20's to pursue her dream. Now, she not only writes contemporary romance and fantasy, but she also writes for a sitcom! More information about her work can be found on her website, on her social media, and in her newsletter.

  Twitter: @mims_words / @lark_anderson

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