Jesika Reynolds’ heart was left broken one year ago when her husband died, leaving her and her son alone in this world. Slowly, she started putting the pieces back together of her life. Knowing that she may never open herself up to love again. That was until the day Derek came into the picture.
Why does this gorgeous stranger seem to care so much, so suddenly?
Derek Jordan’s charm drew her in with an instant connection, and familiarity that helps her feel at ease. Her heart is falling at his feet, but as their relationship grows, so does a secret from both of their pasts that neither saw coming. One by one, the threads slowly start to unravel.
Can their newly sought love stand up against the secrets that life is unlocking to their pasts? Or can they decide together that moving forward and forgetting the past is the only option for them to find true happiness?
Prologue
*Jake*
I was born into the Silver Platter type of lifestyle. The good life as most people would call it was always at my fingertips. My mother, being the single rich mom that she was, was hardly ever around. She wasn’t cut out for having kids or being any sort of positive role model. In fact, she always had my daily activities so mapped out that it would be damn near impossible to ever interfere with anything she had going on. As a child, I knew my mom loved me, but also knew she just didn’t know how to show it; or more like she didn’t care to show it. Being the only parental influence I had around, she was the one I really looked up to. She dated a lot of men and called it being social; I called it being a hussy. I was around her enough to know how she was willing to do anything to get her way and keep working her way up the social ladder. I know you can’t always blame the way you are based on how you were brought up, but in my case I do.
Amateur MMA fighting had become a welcomed outlet in my tightly put together life. It wasn’t that I had a temper, well not much of one. It was purely just a much needed release for me. Stepping into that ring always held such an unpredictable outcome; it was the unknown that I craved. There were no guarantees that once I was on the other side of that tightly pulled elastic that I’d come out a winner or come out with my ass beat. Either or, it never really mattered to me. Whether it was my fist connecting or my face being connected with, I’d never felt more alive in all my life. That was until Jesika came into the picture.
I knew she was special, that there was something different about her. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that she was unlike any of the girls that had ever crossed my path. And more than anything, I knew I didn’t deserve her . . .but that didn’t stop me. I was a selfish prick who was always willing to do anything to get what he wanted; obviously a trait I picked up from my mother. Jesika had instantly become my obsession and I didn’t bat a fucking eye at pushing away who ever I needed to win her over and keep her put.
Looking back now, I regret so much. I hurt people like I didn’t have a fucking conscience. Who am I kidding? I pretty much didn’t back then. But now, I’d give anything to go back and fix it all. Shit’s about to hit the fan and there is not a damn thing I can do about it. I hate not having control of the situation or knowing what the outcome holds. Tonight might be the last time I’m able to hold my wife. I tried turning my mind off while we were out; making sure I savored every kiss, held her hand a little longer than normal, put as many smiles on her face as possible and made her laugh every chance I could. Now as I watch her sleep on our way home, I can’t help the few tears threatening to fall down my face. I have everything I need or could ever want in the seat right next to me, and I had to fuck it up. Everyone makes mistakes; some are bigger than others and hold graver consequences. Mine was one of the big ones.
I can’t take back what I did, or the man it’s going to paint me out to be. Glancing over at Jesika who is now lightly snoring I catch something running towards the road. I instantly slam on the brakes, but it does no good. That damn deer has everyone swerving and slamming on their brakes all at once. The feeling I’ve had all night of knowing I was about to lose my family is ringing loud and clear in my head right now. I know I’ve lost it all as I watch the cars that are unable to stop come closer and closer to my side of the car. I silently send up a prayer that Jesika makes it. My son needs his mother, and I can’t stand the idea of him losing both of us tonight. I silently pray that she is able to forgive me one day and move forward from this. I grab her hand telling her I love her as the deafening screeching of brakes and metal crunching takes over all my thoughts.
Erika Taylor was born into the army lifestyle as an only child. Being the only child, she learned to keep herself entertained by unleashing her inner tomboy. Fishing, navigating through the woods and tree climbing were a few of her favorite escapes as a child along with her fast growing love of video games. While she is still a down home girl at heart, she grew to love music and left the wildness behind. She is a devoted lover of music and a closet groupie. Genre of choice is always rock but she has been known to kick it old school from time to time and jam to the 90s greatest hits. Her passion for music fueled her imagination and she has since found at age twenty-nine that she loves to read. While reading didn’t seem to interest her growing up you will almost always find her with her nose in a book nowadays. Erika is currently a native to Oklahoma where she lives with her husband and five small children that they have combined between the two of them. She admits to loving caramel frappe’s, getting her hair done, Ace Ventura When Nature Calls and candy of choice being Airheads. She blames The Hunger Games book series for her newly formed addiction to reading, which has since brought on her desire to write. She is currently working on her debut novel “Moving Forward” set to release May 3rd, 2013. Author Website | FB Page | Goodreads |
