No one said love is ever easy. And for Jess, he would ride his Harley to heaven and back for an eternity with her arms wrapped around him. That makes leaving her that late summer day to head to separate colleges the hardest thing he has to do. Still, he thinks that they could beat the odds and prove everyone wrong, until one drunken night and one sober confession.
Through the jagged edges of a broken lens, he’s faced with the reality of his choices. And fixing the pieces of Jess’s broken heart may be impossible. Without her, he’s left with only a mother who hates him and marks him as a dead man walking. And that’s not the only truth that has the potential to destroy his life.
The upcoming trial will reveal the defendant’s motivations for the crimes committed against the people he cares about. But that guy’s not the only one who’s guilty of something. With a cloud of mistrust hovering around him, can he keep Jess safe from his past? Can she or anyone forgive him for his secrets? Will he win the one girl he’s ever loved back or will he lose her forever?
*WARNING* This book is rated a New Adult book, which means it can contain foul language and sexual situations. Please be warned in advance.
Batting her hands away, I said, “I’m fine. You can go.”
“Why are you doing this?” she cried, coming close again.
I tried to half crab walk and half drag myself across the floor in the opposite direction. Her presence was a curse with her being so close, and I couldn’t touch her. It had to be overkill on her part. I knew I’d gone too far when my head hit the wall with a resounding thwack. I could barely understand the pain that floated over me.
I laughed determined to speak the words before the stars I counted over my head faded to black.
“Why am I doing this? The only thing I had worth living is gone. I finally understand why my parents left me. It’s obvious I’m not worth anyone’s love.”
“Ethan,” she said again. I couldn’t be sure because my sight was failing me, but it appeared as though she may have been silently crying.
I blame the liquor coursing in my veins because I did something I hadn’t done in too many years to count. The floodgate opened. The damn I’d walled up since the day of my father’s death broke.
“He left me, Jess. He couldn’t be bothered to stay alive for me. And then Mom left too. She never loved me.”
“That’s not true.”
She was close. Soft hand warm hands found either side of my face. When my eyes opened, I was forced to look in her tear stained eyes.
I couldn’t be sure if she heard me or if I’d tumbled into a bizarre nightmare. I spoke through lips I couldn’t feel and a tongue that was as dry as stale bread.
“It is. She couldn’t stand to look at me and be reminded of all she gave up only to be left with the scar of my birth across her belly.”
She tried to silence me with a finger, but I wasn’t done. With noodle arms, I tried to push her away.
“And you. You’ll never forgive me. And how can I blame you.”
A warm pair of arms circled me as her body pressed next to mine.
“Ethan, you are worth everything.”
Shannon’s first love is reading, diving into other realities to explore and brave new worlds. To share her writing is the best experience of all. She writes books about teen romance whether paranormal or contemporary. She also has a steamy adult series. When Shannon isn't writing she loves to shop and watch horror movies that make turning out the lights seem like a stupid idea.
You can explore more about her at her website www.shannondermott.com, on Facebook, Goodreads and Twitter.
