Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 97426 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97426 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Imagine being a child who waits for his mother to come pick him up, but she never comes. Then one day the same happens with your dad, but the final straw was when my big brother and best friend never came back to play with me after dad was gone.
Everyone I love leaves. That’s why I hate letting people in. However, I couldn’t ignore the pull Alexis had on me. From the first time I saw her, she brought a smile to my lips. It was one of the worst days of my life. She couldn’t have known what her smile meant to me.
Alexis
I walked out of that courthouse ready to leave my past in the past. When I looked up into the eyes of a handsome giant, I had no idea he’d turn out to be my husband. My husband I’d do anything for. I love Anthony Knight with all I am.
So when it came to being alone or him losing everything he cared about, I ran. Too bad destiny had other plans for us. I ran into him on the worst night possible and we spiraled from there.
She didn’t understand who she married. I misunderstood a whole lot. Now we’re back together and I’ll burn everything down to keep her safe. Vander, Bridge Lake, and everyone who thinks they have a right to threaten what’s mine… they’re all about to find out who the Knights are.
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
Preface
Promises & Smoke
Anthony
Love. What the fuck is love? I don’t believe in it. Which is why I’m standing here on this cliff, looking out over Bridge Lake and across Vander, questioning my sanity. I should be down there at the race, watching my brother’s and cousin’s backs.
I wonder if they’d have love for me if they knew who I was. I snort to myself. Probably not. Everyone I’ve ever loved has left me. My mother, my father, my best friend, and now Uncle Blake has gotten himself locked up for some bullshit.
“Get over it and move on,” I mutter to the wind.
At twenty-one, I want to take a chance on people. I don’t want to spend my life being jaded. I guess that’s why I’m standing here waiting for her. We’re so different but the same. She had me from hello.
She’s been my secret for a year now. I’m almost afraid to share her with anyone else. We were just together this afternoon, but I still can’t help this sick feeling in my stomach as I wait for her to show up.
It’s the same feeling every time. Thinking she’s not going to show, I feel like I can’t breathe. I don’t want to feel like this, but after Mom, Dad, Will, and now Uncle Blake, I’ve become accustomed to the ache that comes when they don’t return.
I know my parents didn’t leave me intentionally. They were murdered, taken from this life, taken from me. However, being so young when I lost them, I’ve never separated the logic between the difference of loss and death. I can’t shake feeling abandoned.
Uncle Blake promised he’d be home, but he hasn’t gotten out yet. I was once used to being alone. Then I found her, and everything changed. She showed up when my world was crumbling and I had no one at all.
I smile as the sound of a motorbike pulling up drags me from my thoughts. I turn away from staring at Vander City and lay eyes on the one person I’ve allowed my guard down for.
She runs into my arms and wraps around me. My stomach settles and I squeeze her in my embrace. She palms my face and kisses me as I hold her to me.
I love this girl so much. She’s the world to me. All I have and all I want.
“Hi to you too, Ant.”
“Hey, baby, what took so long?”
“I had to make sure I had someone to cover me for the night,” she says with a smile.
“Meaning you didn’t tell your dad.”
I don’t know why that bothers me so much. It’s not like I’ve told anyone, but I understand why I haven’t. It rubs me raw that she’s choosing not to say a word to anyone.
“Babe, it’s our wedding night. I don’t want to fight on my first night as Mrs. Knight. Besides, I got Jenny to cover for me.”
“What about Shawn and Ven? Did you at least tell your cousins about us?”
She pulls a face. “I haven’t been able to get in touch with Ven all day. We keep missing each other. Shawn was busy, we didn’t get to talk.”
I grind my teeth. She’s close to her cousins. I was hoping she’d at least tell them about us. That way it would feel real, and I’d stop having this feeling like I’ll lose her, married or not.
After all, that’s why I asked her to marry me. I figured I couldn’t lose her if she was mine in every way.
She brushes her thumb against my brow. I love when she does that. It’s a simple gesture, but it makes me feel special to her. Like she wants to care for me.
I guess telling her best friend does mean something. From what I know, she doesn’t take Jenny around her family either. Jenny is from a time in her life when she didn’t live as comfortably.
“Listen to me. I’m your family now. Nothing else matters to me. Ven and Shawn are much closer to each other than they are to me. They have their own things going on all the time.
“You know I don’t fit into that world. Did you tell your uncle about me?” She looks me in the eyes pointedly.
“No,” I mumble. “But that’s different. He’s locked up. When I go to see him, I’m reporting on what’s going on out here.”
“With your brother?”
“Yeah.”
I don’t know much about my little brother and sister. They go to boarding school. It’s easier to keep tabs on my older brother. Now that Uncle Blake is locked up, I wish I could tell them who I am, but Uncle Blake says it’s not time.
“Forget all that. I love you. I want to get to our wedding night. Come on, Ant, show me what I’ve been waiting for.”
I move my hands to her plump ass and squeeze. I’ve wanted to tag this ass for an entire year. We’ve waited because she’s a virgin.