Perfect Enemy: Book 2: Beckham Dynasty, page 1
PERFECT ENEMY
Beckham Dynasty: Book 2
USA TODAY & WALLSTREET JOURNAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR
M. ROBINSON
PERFECT ENEMY
M. ROBINSON
© 2023 Perfect Enemy by M. Robinson
All rights Reserved.
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author.
This book is a work of fiction. References to real people, events, establishments, organizations, or locations are intended only to provide a sense of authenticity and are used fictitiously. All characters are a figment of the author’s imagination, and all incidents and dialogue are drawn from the author’s mind's eye and are not to be interpreted as real. Though several people, places, and events portrayed in this book are correct, the story is fiction that the author has made up for entertainment purposes only.
Author’s Note
Please see my website for content warnings.
Dedication
To readers who love the anti-hero with a dirty mouth and big cock.
Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Epilogue
Coming Soon
Second Chance Series
Other Series to Check Out
Meet M. Robinson
Acknowledgments
Prologue
Jace
I watched with stone-cold eyes as the shiny black casket was lowered into the dirt ground, taking my mother’s body with it. Heaven cried right along with my family as raindrops seeped into my crisp white Navy SEAL dress uniform. With each drop, I felt a little more of myself die along with her until darkness surrounded me despite it being broad daylight.
I could feel everyone’s eyes on me like a noose around my neck. Especially my family’s. They were waiting for me to react, waiting for me to break down, waiting for me to do something.
Anything.
Trust me, I wanted to comfort my family…
I just didn’t know how anymore.
I was twenty-eight years old and should have been the son who’d spent the most time with her, but I had been defending my country for the past ten years. I enlisted the day I graduated from high school. The Navy made me a man even though I felt like a little boy who simply yearned for his mother’s love at that moment.
I was Elite Forces—the best of the best by land, sea, and air. I led missions, did offensive raids, demolitions, reconnaissance, search and rescue, and counterterrorism. There wasn’t anything I couldn’t do. I made sure of it. My career was my life, and sadly enough, I wasn’t around for my family. I was the eldest of six kids in the Beckham household, with a twenty-year age gap between me and my youngest sibling, Haven.
She was only eight years old, and her whole world was crashing down on her. I didn’t know how to comfort any of them. I remained the hardened soldier I was trained to be; desensitizing myself was how I stayed on top.
I internalized all of my emotions; burying them deep inside me was the only way I’d survive this day and the future.
I didn’t get to say goodbye to her.
I missed so many holidays, birthdays, and special events. The list was endless of how much time I lost with her. The guilt was eating me alive. I felt like I couldn’t breathe, as if I stopped breathing right along with her.
One fatal car accident changed our entire lives by a fucking fifteen-year-old punk-ass kid who was selling drugs. All I wanted was one minute alone with him. He should have been the one who was buried that morning, not our mother.
I couldn’t tell you how long I stood there watching my life unravel in front of my eyes. It could have been a minute, an hour, or a day that flew by. Time just seemed to stand still while everything shattered around me.
Piece by piece.
One by one.
After today, nothing would be left of me.
Suddenly, I felt Haven’s hand in my grasp, and I glanced down to look at her. Her eyes were swollen, her cheeks were sunken, and her face was pale. She looked like she had aged ten years overnight. She was no longer the little girl my parents prayed for. After twenty years and five sons, their prayers were finally answered. Haven had the least amount of time with her, and now she’d be surrounded by only men as she grew up and became a woman.
I wouldn’t be there to watch it happen. My duty was to my country, and I’d return to the battlefield with a broken heart and a guilty conscience. I thought I had all the time in the world to be part of my family. Instead, I just lost the biggest part of what made us one.
Tears loosely flowed down Haven’s face, breaking my heart a little more if that was even possible. I wanted to hug her, kiss her, tell her everything would be all right.
I didn’t.
I couldn’t.
It’d be a lie.
And I was a lot of things, but I wasn’t a liar.
While I held one of her hands, her best friend, Cove, held the other, offering her support the only way an eight-year-old could. I once again brought my stare forward, squeezing Haven’s tiny grasp and providing the only comfort I knew how to give. I thought about how much she looked like our mother. You’d think I’d find solace in that. Instead, it was pure and utter torture.
My brother Reid, their second son, gave the eulogy. I was the soldier, and still, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I tried to stay present, but it was no use. I was lost in my own hell, waiting for I don’t know what to occur because my nightmare had only just begun.
I didn’t get to say goodbye to her.
It echoed in my mind like a broken record.
It was the only thing I heard…
Felt.
It completely consumed me.
Deeper and deeper, I sought refuge within me, fully aware nothing would ever be the same again.
Especially our family.
When the funeral was over, everyone in attendance returned to our house with food, drinks, and condolences. I swear if one more person told me how sorry they were, I would lose my shit. From the second I stepped inside the front door, it no longer felt like home. The woman who made it one was gone forever.
Except I kept seeing her everywhere.
There was no escaping her memory. It was engraved in the walls—she was in every corner, every crevice. Her presence was everywhere and all at once. From the floor to the ceiling to the decorations to the happiness she brought into our lives with just a smile or a few words of reassurance. What I’d give to tell her I loved her just one last time and feel like her little boy.
“I’m so sorry, Jace. Please know—”
I nodded, cutting off my father’s secretary who helped him run the ranch in our town of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Everyone knew who we were, and a line of people waited around our house to give their condolences, but all I wanted was to slam the door right in their faces.
Before I knew what I was doing, I started drinking, thinking it would make it easier on me. It didn’t. If anything, it made it harder. The moment I realized I was drinking myself into an utter blackout rage, I grabbed the bottle of Jack and left my childhood home through the kitchen door.
Never once looking back.
I was a grenade ready to fucking explode if I didn’t get the hell out of there, which was the last thing anybody needed.
Including me.
Cove
“Do you need another hug, Haven?”
My best friend shook her head with her eyes still glued to the floor in her living room.
I hated that this was happening, and I couldn’t do anything for her and her family. What I really hated was that I didn’t understand why it was happening to them in the first place. This was all so confusing, and nobody would explain it to me.
Why do people have to die?
Mrs. Beckham was the best, and I missed her so much already. She always made me feel like I was part of their family, and now I was scared I wouldn’t have one anymore. My parents didn’t want me. They were never around. I always had a nanny, but they changed all the time.
Maybe it was me? Was I unlovable? Was something wrong with me?
Haven and I became best friends four years ago in preschool. Since then, Mrs. Beckham was the only mom I’d ever known. Now she was gone forever, and all I wanted was for someone to tell me why she had to die.
Was she in heaven? Would I ever see her again?
Her brothers were quiet, and her dad was really sad. Today was the first time I’d seen their daddy cry, and it hurt my heart so much. It felt like it was breaking inside me, and I hated not being able to do anything about it.
I only felt a little better today when I saw Jace walk into the church. He wore his white Navy uniform and looked like Prince Eric from The Little Mermaid. Except he wasn’t smiling like he usually was. His smiles were always my favorite thing about him.
He wasn’t around a lot, but every time he was, my stomach would bubble, and my heart would go super fast. He was the best big brother to Haven, and when he was in town, he’d hang out with us. Of course, I’d pretend it wasn’t a big deal, but it was a huge one.
Haven didn’t know I liked her brother. I thought my crush would just go away, but every time I saw him, it only made my feelings worse. I felt like the worst best friend on the planet for keeping this secret from her. We always told each other everything. I was scared she’d be mad at me for having a crush on him. Best friends weren’t supposed to like each other’s brothers.
Those were the rules, right?
Since I was trying to make Jace feel better, I asked my nanny if she’d help me make his favorite red velvet cake. I brought it over for the family, but I saved the last piece for him.
When I saw him leave through the kitchen door, I couldn’t help myself.
“Haven, I’ll be right back, okay?”
She nodded, still not looking at me.
I hurried toward my backpack and grabbed the piece of cake I saved for him. I also took my favorite stuffed animal with me—a bunny I won at the arcade when I was six. It always made me feel better when I missed my parents and felt alone at night.
Before he was out of sight, I quickly rushed out the kitchen door behind him, worried I wouldn’t be able to find him. I was lucky to catch him walking into the woods at the last second. It was almost dark out. I wasn’t supposed to go outside by myself when the sun went down, but since I’d be with him, and he was grown up, I didn’t think I’d get in trouble.
I followed him without making a peep until he stopped in front of what looked like a river deep in the woods behind their house. I never knew it was even back there. It was so pretty and quiet. It reminded me of my River and Streams book, one of my favorites to read to myself.
Jace was staring out at the water for what felt like forever until he finally asked, “What do you want, Cove?”
His question surprised me. “How did you know I was here?”
“I’m trained to.”
“You could feel me like a superhero does?”
He turned to face me. “Something like that.”
Only then did I see how different he looked from what I was used to. His hair was a mess, and his eyes were bright red and super glossy. It didn’t look like he’d been crying, but the strong smell of liquor blew in my face. He was holding a bottle of what I heard my dad call whiskey. Sometimes he’d act funny if he had too many glasses.
I smiled a little, stepping toward Jace to let him know I was only there to try to make him feel better. Once I stood in front of him, I tried handing him my piece of cake and stuffed animal.
“I made your favorite cake for you. It’s red velvet, and this is my bunny. It always makes me feel better, so you can borrow it for as long as you want. You can keep it too. It’s my present for you.”
I never expected what happened next.
I thought… I don’t know what I thought, but what he did hurt me in ways I never thought he would.
He took one look at my gifts before smacking them right out of my hands, making me gasp loudly.
“Jace—”
In a mean voice, he snapped, “What are you doing here, Cove? You’re not even family.”
I jerked back, frowning.
“You’re always here. Always around. You’re not my parents’ responsibility.”
“I’m sorry, Jace.” I could feel the tears in my eyes. “I was just trying to help make you feel better. I didn’t mean to make you mad at me.”
“Make me feel better?” he taunted.
“I’m… I’m… I was just… I mean… I’m sorry your mom died.”
I saw it clear as day. His bright-blue eyes turned dark like he was suddenly the villain in one of my Disney movies.
“What you should be sorry for,” he scolded, “is following me out here and not minding your own damn business.”
“Why are you being so mean to me?”
“You think this is mean? You have no idea what I’m capable of. The things I’ve seen and done…” He shook his head for a second, almost like he remembered something he didn’t want to. “What you need to do is turn your ass around and go waste someone else’s time. I don’t need anything from you, Cove. Do you understand me?”
I couldn’t help it. I burst into tears, running back up to their house. I didn’t want him to see me cry.
Because the truth was, Jace Beckham wasn’t just my first real crush. He was also the first guy…
To break my heart completely.
One
Cove
Now: 10 years later
“Cove, have you seen my purse?” Mom asked, walking into the kitchen.
“I think it’s by the door.”
“Honey, you need some makeup. You’re looking pale.”
I sighed. “Gee, thanks, Mom. Nice to see you too.”
“What’s with the attitude?”
“No attitude. I just haven’t seen you in two weeks, and the first thing you say is how shitty I look.”
“Don’t cuss. It’s not ladylike, and I didn’t use the word shitty.”
“Right…”
“Darling, would you rather I lie to you? You’re not going to be homecoming queen looking pale. Now, are you?”
“I have no desire to be homecoming queen, and you’d know that if you were involved in my life.”
“I was homecoming queen, and so was your grandmother and great-grandmother. It’s practically a tradition. You wouldn’t want to disappoint me, would you?”
The sad thing was, I didn’t. I kept thinking if I checked off all her boxes, she’d eventually love me in the way I needed her to. In the way I needed them both to. It was a dumb and naive assumption, but it didn’t take away the desire to please them.
“How dare if I did, right?”
“Don’t take that tone with me, young lady. You’ve had everything you’ve ever wanted. I would have killed to have a mother like me. You should be grateful we’ve always treated you like an adult and not a child.”
“Except when I was actually a child,” I mumbled under my breath.
“Now be a doll and go put on some blush. I refuse to have a daughter who doesn’t look her best at all times. How do you think I’ve kept your father happy all these years? Beautiful women get far in life, Cove.”
“Yeah, so do smart ones.”
“You don’t need to be smart, sweetheart. You just need to marry a man who is. And let’s face it, you’re not the brightest crayon in the box.”
“Mom, I have a 3.9 cumulative GPA, and every college I’ve applied to has offered me a full scholarship.”
She shut the fridge, not paying me any mind. “Hmm… that’s nice, honey.”
She wasn’t even listening to me. She never did. Most of the time, it seemed as if I was a burden to both of them rather than their daughter. However, she wasn’t lying. They always gave me everything I ever wanted except for their love and attention. The older I got, the worse it seemed to get.
Now that I was eighteen and an adult, there was no reason for them to parent me, but the reality was, they never did. Various nannies and housekeepers raised me, but mostly, I raised myself. I spent more time at Haven’s house than at my own. She was the only family I had, and with the loss of her mother, we relied on each other.
