Jordan Ross is not a good girl. Growing up with a dark secret has toughened her up. She doesn't trust easily.
Slater Graves is a bad boy living day to day. Haunted by a childhood event, he is stuck in a hellish limbo, unable to move forward.
When th...
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Even feeling exhausted I struggled to fall asleep. Every time I closed my eyes I thought about Taylor struggling against her attacker, and images of her bloodied and trying to escape didn't ease my mind. It made it more difficult to keep the door shut on my own issues. By thinking about it and replaying it in my mind I felt like I was being victimized all over again. It was a secret I hadn't told anyone.
To keep myself from concentrating on it too much I kept reminding myself she'd gotten away in time, before there had been a chance for him... I stopped the thought.
Sometime in the early morning I finally dropped off to sleep. Later that morning, at around eight, I got up. I was looking forward to being able to see Taylor. Yawning, I stumbled into the kitchen, ready for strong coffee to help me through the day.
Concentrating my thoughts on my friend, I managed to ease the ache in my chest. Seeing Slater had opened the raw wound in my heart. It had hurt to be around him, to be reminded of his rejection.
It wasn't like I could cut him out of my life. My best friend was involved with his best friend. At the moment they weren't together but I knew it was only a matter of time before they sorted out their issues and got back together.
Slater. An image of him drifted into my mind.
His sharp silver-blue eyes seemed to see right through what other people saw, to the innermost me. It was like he was seeing what no one had before, and it frightened me. He was tall and sexy. Just a look in his direction was enough to make my skin tighten as my stomach fluttered with excitement. I touched my lips as I remembered the first time he had kissed me. But now it seemed so long ago.
In the short time I had known him, I had experienced a momentary lapse when I had almost revealed my dark secret. I was used to hooking up with guys, but I had never been this close to someone. We had shared a connection I was still trying to get over. He had that way about him. And a way with me. But to him, I was easily cut from his life. I let out a heavy emotional sigh.
"You're thinking too much," Matthew said from the doorway, taking me by surprise.
I shrugged, not wanting to divulge what was on my mind. He knew I was still struggling with the end of what could have been with Slater. He had bought Taylor and me ice cream and watched chick flicks with us to help us get over our bad boys who had been playing havoc with our emotions.
Sin had left town, crushing the little hope Taylor had that they would sort out their issues. Slater had told me that he couldn't give me what I wanted. Boys sucked.
"Did you get some sleep?" he asked as he opened the cupboard to get a mug.
"A little," I admitted. I breathed in the rich aroma of my coffee and let it tingle through me. I sipped it carefully.
I could definitely have done with more sleep but I wanted to see Taylor. Later, after my visit to the hospital, I could catch up on the sleep I had missed. I had college classes but I wasn't up for it. Tomorrow I would try and ease back into my usual schedule.
