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    Pieces: A Duet
    Pieces: A Duet
    Pieces: A Duet
    Ebook666 pages8 hours

    Pieces: A Duet

    By Pamela Ann

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    About this ebook

    For those who went through the most painful of all heartaches—


    the kind where you were left drowning in your own sorrow with no one to hold you or catch you as you sunk deeper into your hurt, consumed by your wound.

    A curdling experience one would not be able to forget.


    Sometimes the person is worth every tear, each wracking pain and senselessness.


    Live to savor.


    To savor Love, one must embrace it.


    To Embrace it, one must experience hurt.


    Treasure it.


    A heart could only love as much as it could hurt.


    Cherish the haunting memories because that’s all that’s left…


    Along with regrets…


    Learn from it.


    ~ Olivia Taylor

    This Duet Set contains Pieces of You & Me and Pieces of Us. Approximately 552 pages.

    Pieces of You & Me: Book One

    Olivia Taylor's life turned upside down when she found out her mother was moving into her boyfriend's home. The glitch? The boyfriend had a son named Greyson--the guy she loathed more than anything. 

    Greyson Edwards was your typical arrogant self-entitled jerk. He loved to taunt and tease Olivia. But the more time they got to spend together, the more complicated things became. 

    Will these two stubborn folks ever figure things out? Will they let themselves feel what was truly boiling underneath the angst and unveil the passion that's only a mere kiss away? 


    Pieces of Us: Book 2

    There's a time in life where you need to be selfish. 
    A time where you need to make a sacrifice. 
    A point in life where you find yourself at a crossroads…


    Knowing that whichever path you choose, someone will end up hurting. I'm stuck with this predicament. Am I selfish enough not to care? 

    Or am I selfless enough to sacrifice my own happiness? Hurting the only man that had me--body and soul.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPamela Ann
    Release dateJul 19, 2017
    ISBN9781386815495
    Pieces: A Duet
    Author

    Pamela Ann

    is a New York Times and USA Today Best Selling Author. She studied Fashion Marketing in United Kingdom and has a degree in Business. She has a penchant for pastries, dogs, renaissance paintings, steamy angst-filled novels and traveling.  Get personal notification through your email when Pamela Ann has something new coming out. Join in on special two-chapter previews for upcoming releases, giveaways, current promos, announcements & more. SUBSCRIBE FOR THE NEWSLETTER HERE: http://eepurl.com/PnuMj YOU CAN ALSO FOLLOW HER... Website: http://pamelaannbooks.com Blog: http://pamelaannbooks.blogspot.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pamela.annauthor Twitter: https://twitter.com/PamelaAnnAuthor  

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      Book preview

      Pieces - Pamela Ann

      Pieces: A Duet

      Pieces:

      A

      Duet

      Pamela Ann

      Contents

      Pieces Of You & Me

      Prologue

      1. Liv

      2. Grey

      3. Liv

      4. Grey

      5. Liv

      6. Grey

      7. Liv

      8. Grey

      9. Liv

      10. Grey

      11. Liv

      12. Liv

      13. Grey

      14. Liv

      15. Liv

      16. Grey

      17. Liv

      18. Liv

      19. Liv

      20. Liv

      21. Grey

      22. Liv

      23. Liv

      24. Liv

      25. Liv

      26. Grey

      27. Liv

      28. Liv

      29. Grey

      30. Liv

      31. Liv

      32. Liv

      33. Liv

      34. Liv

      35. Liv

      36. Liv

      37. Liv

      Pieces of Us

      Synopsis

      Music List

      Chapter 38

      Chapter 39

      Chapter 40

      Chapter 41

      Chapter 42

      Chapter 43

      Chapter 44

      Chapter 45

      Chapter 46

      Chapter 47

      Chapter 48

      Chapter 49

      Chapter 50

      Chapter 51

      52. Grey

      Chapter 53

      Chapter 54

      Chapter 55

      56. Grey

      Chapter 57

      58. Grey

      Chapter 59

      60. Grey

      Chapter 61

      Chapter 62

      Chapter 63

      Chapter 64

      65. Grey

      66. Grey

      67. A Week Later

      68. Grey

      Chapter 69

      Chapter 70

      The Piece By Piece of Us

      The End

      71. Website

      Also by Pamela Ann

      Pieces Of

      You

      &

      Me

      Pieces Duet:

      Book

      1

      Pieces Of

      You

      &

      Me

      Copyright © 2014 by

      Pamela

      Ann

      All rights reserved.

      This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

      No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without a written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.

      Join & subscribe Pamela Ann's newsletter for updates, new releases and more: Newsletter

      Edited

      By

      Alizon & Kristin

      Book

      cover

      by

      Melisa

      Gill

      There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.

      ― Albert Einstein

      Prologue

      Back in third grade…

      There were ten kids invited for Edith’s, my best friend, summer party .

      After three hours of fun games, swimming, eating and other festivities, all eleven of us gathered in Edith’s bedroom to play spin the bottle.

      I was having fun laughing at the others’ dares up until it was my turn, pairing me with Greyson Edwards—the new boy that had transferred into our school and everyone had been crushing

      hard

      on

      .

      Ooohh, Olivia’s going to have her first kiiiiisss, everyone teased while I blushed hot red, looking away from Greyson as I slowly got up and hid inside the closet, which had been marked as the kissing closet.

      The small area was dark and chilly, but it smelled comforting—like lavender.

      I sat on the carpeted flooring, waiting for him to come. I could hear some shuffling then I saw his face—blushing as hard as I was—before he went inside the closet with me. He closed the door behind him, and then sat right next to me, silent.

      Weren’t boys supposed to be initiating

      the

      kiss

      ?

      Umm, should we get this over with? I don’t want them waiting. I could see the outline of his face, his beautiful eyes that struck me speechless.

      I love his eyes, I thought as our gazes connected.

      Are you sure it’s okay? he asked nicely. I could hear his voice shake a little.

      I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t like you. Everyone liked him, girls most especially.

      He turned to face me, smiling. Can I make you mine? My girlfriend?

      My heart sped up—but wait, his girlfriend? Didn't Marie ask you to be her boyfriend last week? I didn’t want to step on anyone’s toes. Besides, it was rude to steal boyfriends. That was

      the

      rule

      .

      He shook his head, still smiling at me. I told her I'd think about it, but I'll drop any girl for you, he said eagerly.

      You would? Wow. He must like me a

      lot

      then

      .

      He nodded. Yeah, because you're the prettiest and your laugh makes me smile.

      I bit the bottom part of my lip, smiling shyly at him. Okay, I think you're cute, too. I guess you can be my boyfriend. I really liked him

      a

      lot

      .

      He reached for my hand before gazing into my eyes. "Cool. Can I kiss

      you

      now

      ?"

      I gave a quick nod. "Yes,

      you

      may

      ."

      Our kiss was quick and sweet. After we parted, it was as if I looked at him differently. My stomach was flip-flopping crazily and I wanted more of his sweet kisses.

      You’re mine now, Olivia Taylor.

      And he

      was

      mine

      .

      Glancing down at my lucky charm bracelet that I’d made last week, I pulled it off my wrist and handed it to him. "Here, keep it safe. I’ll always come back

      to

      you

      ."

      "Are we

      forever

      ,

      Liv

      ?"

      Forever, Grey, I promised.

      One

      Liv

      Hi Sweetie!

      Can’t wait to see you in a couple of days! How are things holding up with Liam? I’m sure you two lovebirds will work it out just fine. He can always come and visit you,

      you

      know

      .

      Spend as much time as you can with your dad. You won’t see him for another year, sweetie. Try not to be too hard on him. He loves you dearly.

      By the way, remember that guy I mentioned I met a week after you left? Well, I want you to be the first to know, I’m engaged!!! What a nice surprise, right? I’ll tell you all about it when you

      get

      here

      .

      I

      love

      you

      ,

      Mom

      P.S. No, I haven’t lost my mind, hun. I’m

      in

      love

      :)

      When Mom mentioned surprise, I never would have thought I’d get the surprise of a lifetime .

      As expected, Mom was at the airport waiting on me with a huge grin on her face after I had spent my entire summer in Sydney with my father. He moved out there after he and Mom got divorced two years ago. Bizarre really, ‘cause I left my summer to spend winter

      with

      him

      .

      It wasn’t all that bad after I started dating Liam Hollingsworth, who was a freshman at the University of Sydney. We promised to try and work things out, but as much as I liked him, I was also aware that long distance relationships were hard work. So we had decided to see how it’d be for a while; we were basically measuring the difficulty ahead of us or to see if it was even worth trying.

      So I was unofficially single, if that made sense

      at

      all

      .

      Mom didn’t unfold her secret until we were all alone. This whole bomb landed on me the second we got onto the freeway.

      Okay, I don’t want to keep you waiting ‘cause I know you might be dying to know who the man is, just don’t freak out, okay? My mom glanced at me sideways before looking out to the road ahead with a large, beaming smile playing across

      her

      face

      .

      Well, if her smiles were always this huge, then I didn’t care if she married a preacher. Okay, maybe a little, but seriously, watching her now—seeing how happy she was—made me realize how lonely she might’ve been the last two years. It was drastic for her to get engaged with someone so quickly, but if it was what she wanted, then who was I to come in-between her and her Prince Charming? Well, here’s hoping that he was the one after all. Hell, I have yet to

      meet

      him

      .

      Seriously, who is your mystery man? You’re killing me, smalls. Pulling out my strawberry lip salve, I popped the tin open before I glided my pinky over it and applied some to

      my

      lips

      .

      It’s Brett Edwards, she said with a pained, crossing on

      sour

      ,

      face

      .

      I dropped my lip salve along with my jaws. You’re kidding, right? Please, please, please, tell me that you are. I was praying to the gods—or whoever was listening—to help me salvage my senior year in high school.

      Mom exhaled a long sigh—a big indicator that she was darn serious. "This was why I never mentioned it to you because I was afraid of this; that you might change your mind and never come back

      here

      ,

      Liv

      ."

      She was imagining the extremes. Come on, really? It was no big deal. I was a grown up; I could deal with this. "But Brett, mom? Really?" That did not come out right. Personally, I had no problems with Brett, his only child on the other hand, Greyson… Ugh. Kill

      me

      now

      .

      He was your typical asshole… Thinking about him was a waste of energy.

      Enough

      said

      .

      Mom reached out and gave my arm a tight squeeze. He’s amazing, Liv. He treats me like a queen. Not only that, but he makes me feel wonderful. I did promise you that I wouldn’t marry again until I found my Mr. Darcy. Well, I believe with my whole heart that he is, Liv. He loves me. Well, he’s been in love with me for decades. That’s why he never got married.

      That got my attention. Pride and Prejudice was our all time favorite film. For her to mention Mr. Darcy, it was major deal. "What do you mean? How long have you

      known

      him

      ?"

      Since high school and then college, but he left to live in Chicago after we graduated. As you know, I was dating your dad since I was seventeen, so he never stood a chance.

      My mom’s story was disheartening, but at the same time, inspiring. I had to suppose if Mom and Brett would be happily married and in love, my feelings about Greyson would have to be set aside. I had nothing against

      true

      love

      .

      I also forgot to mention it to you, hun, but we moved in with them. Greyson lives in the pool house, so you’re in the clear. I promise. My mom rushed to add in that teeny, bitty piece of information.

      Inhale, exhale, Olivia. The world wasn’t ending. This was my chance to give Mom her happiness, so I dared not ruin this for her. Living with the Edwards—of course! Brett and Mom were now engaged.

      "I need a moment to digest this tidal wave of

      crap

      ,

      Mom

      ."

      "I’m so sorry to do this to you, Liv. I wanted to warn you, but I was scared you might not come

      back

      home

      ."

      "You’re being silly. Of course I’d come back, but I would’ve appreciated a little adjusting time, you know? This is a lot to take in, Mom. The crazy, major, upheaval kind, but if you’re happy, then I’m happy. That’s all

      I

      want

      ."

      My mom looked misty-eyed before she gave me a grateful smile. Thank you, sweetie. She sniffed, wiping the sides of her eyes. "This means a lot to me. I expected screaming or even an attempt to get out of it, so thank you for not putting me through that. You’re the best daughter a mom could

      wish

      for

      ."

      She always gave me too much credit; however she was my mom, right? They always tended to do that, even if their kids were horrendous. "Thank me after a week and I haven’t scratched Greyson’s

      eyes

      out

      ."

      "He’s a good kid, Liv. Just give him a chance.

      Trust

      me

      ."

      Yep, that was what my

      mother

      said

      .

      But, not a chance in hell I’d give that douche a chance. I didn’t trust him. All he ever did was make snide remarks whenever he was anywhere near my vicinity.

      This belief was reinstated that very same night after Brett and Mom chatted up with me for a couple hours after dinner; talking about Liam, my undecided college plan, my goals and so forth. As Mom assured me earlier, Brett was a good man—a man who thought the world of my mother. It was icky and amazing at the same time when they were next to each other.

      They wore the look of being in love pretty well. It was funny how second chances worked. Even though they married other people in the beginning, when fate intervened, these two were done for. What person would have enough strength to fight what you were fated for? I was sure my mom fought it at first, but in the end, she folded… just like the rest of us. We were, after all, just human.

      I was truly overwhelmed with all these new additions in our lives. However, my mother was truly radiating a happy glow, and I, too, felt somewhat happy that she found someone to

      cherish

      her

      …

      But—and yes, there was always a huge but—this didn’t feel like home to me. Somehow, I felt like I was walking into someone else’s life and I felt bereft. I was jet-lagged and the last thing I wanted was to unpack in a new bedroom that I didn’t have any attachment to. Though the room was nice, overlooking the vast garden and swimming pool, it was still strange

      to

      me

      .

      It was sad to think that the house I grew up in—my childhood home—was sold after my parents divorced. Mom and I had moved into a leased townhome, but we didn’t stay there for that long for me to feel sentimental about the place.

      Mom had done all of the moving while I was gone, so all of our things were in Brett’s home when I got here. It was all too drastically fast and I needed a moment to breathe, to take it

      all

      in

      .

      It was going to take a lot of time getting used to; however, I was willing to try for my mom. Besides, this was my senior year—my last year in high school—and no man was going to ruin it for me. Even if his name was Greyson Edwards.

      Liam was probably expecting my call, so was my father, but I didn’t feel like talking and explaining my odd situation to anyone. Not yet anyway. So, since it was a warm night, I decided to have a quick dip in

      the

      pool

      .

      It was almost midnight, so instead of diving in head first, I had to resort to using the steps, careful not to disturb anyone.

      My thoughts were occupied with emailing Liam or not as I approached the azure pool that was lightly illuminated. A soft moan escaped when my body sunk into the cool, refreshing water. I was smiling, floating as I stared at the twinkling stars when I heard the first thump, thump sound.

      Harder, Grey! a woman’s voice demanded, coming from the pool house. Then the loud sound went erratic, jackhammer loud. Shit! the woman screamed.

      What the hell! Could they get any louder?

      Greyson was having sex and he didn’t care if anyone was around to hear it. He simply did his own business just because he could. He was a total douchebag.

      The last leg—the finale—was even worse. I thought the woman was being cut open and gutted. I was cringing and gasping as she rode out her orgasm. I stared at the lightly lit pool house, seriously wondering if she

      was

      okay

      .

      Five minutes later, I was still struck appalled and in deep shock. I watched, paralyzed, as Greyson and his latest girlfriend emerged from the door. He was escorting her out while she kept her hand glued to

      his

      ass

      .

      The second they disappeared, I swam back to shallow water and stepped out of the pool. Deep in thought, I squeezed the water out of my hair, sighing. I was walking towards the table where I had left my towel when he spoke behind me. "Were we loud? Sorry. I didn't know we had an audience. If I did, I would've made a better show

      of

      it

      ."

      Funny, he didn’t sound a bit sorry at all. Don’t bother, I gritted out, loathing his cockiness.

      He laughed like he was being tickled.

      Fucker. I rolled my eyes and continued

      ignoring

      him

      .

      However, even with my indifference, the idiot remained.

      So, how was Australia? I heard that you slept your way around all summer long. I’m curious; do you prefer American or Aussie dicks? Or are they all the same? A dick is a dick, right? I heard him snort, which angered me

      even

      more

      .

      "Yes, they’re all

      juicy

      ,

      Grey

      ."

      "Mine is oozing, Liv. Keep that in mind, will ya? Might come handy to you if you need to get a

      workout

      done

      ."

      I spun around and glared at his grinning face. Dream on, Greyson.

      Always, Liv. He started walking backwards, still facing me as he tapped his chest a few times. "Sweet

      dreams

      ,

      Pooh

      ."

      Pooh. Winnie the Pooh had been my favorite… back in third grade, and apparently, Greyson remembered that little tidbit. I didn’t need another reason to stay and banter with him. I left the pool area in a flash, needing to erase that mocking laugh that irritated me to

      no

      end

      .

      That night, my dreams weren’t sweet. In fact, they were nightmares of Winnie

      the

      Pooh

      .

      The terror of the douchebaggery had begun.

      Two

      Grey

      Pooh .

      I hated Winnie the Pooh with a passion because of one person. Olivia.

      She looked so angelic coming out of the pool… like a beauty that never got old to look at. Every guy in school wanted her. I did, too, but I’d rather get hit by an eighteen-wheeler than admit that.

      Fuck

      that

      .

      When it came to her, I got all hot and cold. Literally. My body’s reaction to her added more to my contempt where she was concerned. I wanted her so bad that my body burned for hers. On the other hand, she was such a bitch that those burning feelings would freeze at a single word

      from

      her

      .

      I knew she was beautiful. Hell, sometimes I got so awestruck that I forgot why I hated her to begin with. I remembered gasping when I first saw her in our third grade class.

      She knew how she affected men, and she used that to her benefit. She toyed with men, parading them in front of me. The only thing I could be grateful for was that none of my guy friends took the chance on asking her out, nor did she seek them out, knowing how I’d react.

      Everyone that went to school knew about our extreme dislike to each other.

      Olivia Taylor…

      Had

      been

      …

      My first crush.

      My

      first

      kiss

      .

      My

      first

      love

      .

      My first heartbreak.

      Things fell apart during fourth grade and it hadn’t stopped since. I remembered that the hate had started when I received her letter. It was how she broke up

      with

      me

      .

      Roses

      are

      red

      Violets

      are

      blue

      When I flush the toilet, I think

      of

      you

      .

      To this day, I hated roses—or anything red or blue. The letter was, of course, burned with a match light in my backyard. Everything I felt for her then had gone to ashes.

      It started little at first. A little teasing here and there, or a snide remark whenever she passed by, then it got to spitting showdowns. Summers without her here were pretty quiet.

      Now my disruption was back, living in my own home. Wonder what kind of gimmick she’d ploy to rile

      me

      up

      .

      I didn’t have to do anything, not really. I knew for a fact that having me breathe the same air as her already made her furious. All I had to do was keep my smug, cocky, sexy smile in place and it was a surefire way to drive her crazy.

      Easy.

      The following morning, I was in the kitchen chugging a glass of orange juice when she strolled in, wearing tiny sleep shorts and a tiny, sleeveless shirt that showed off her flat stomach. Olivia gave the word morning wood a new meaning. She was so hot that I almost spat out the juice, but instead, I choked on it, making me cough loudly.

      If you stopped checking me out, you could’ve saved yourself the woody. Olivia tsk-tsked me before grabbing an apple from the fruit basket and sexily biting

      into

      it

      .

      Damn, but she was fine. I wished more than anything that she would turn ugly, yet damn, she only seemed to get better. My secret desire for her was raging right along with my morning issue; not from any romantic sense, but in a purely one-off, sexual conquest kind

      of

      way

      .

      Saving face, I gave her a onceover and snorted, leaving her at that. Though women in skimpy bikinis might’ve surrounded me all afternoon long, Olivia’s tight body was the only thing that got me going hard

      all

      day

      .

      She was going to be trouble; I could just feel it in the air. The goosebumps that spread like wildfire all over my body weren’t from the thought of her as trouble, but from the images of her sweet little body sweating

      for

      me

      .

      Three

      Liv

      There was still a week left before school started, so I spent most of my time hanging out and catching up with my best girl, Josie; shopping, watching movies and exchanging romance novels that got our attention. Since we were in high school, sharing books was not only economical, but also quite fun. We hadn’t gone ebooks yet, so we spent most of our afternoons sipping coffee in Barnes & Noble, hunting for the perfect book. She, too, was a major Mr.

      Darcy

      fan

      .

      So, let’s get down to business, Josie muttered as we sat across each other on the carpeted floor, with her leaning against the historical romance book, while I had contemporary romance as my cushion for the next couple of hours. We did this a lot; hunt down for our next ultimate read. Sometimes, we got so consumed that we would end up reading most of the novels we picked, purchase it and then discuss it for the next week. If I had a book soul mate, her name was Josie Stephens.

      Placing my thumb in-between pages, I eyed her with impatience, sighing. Interrupting mid-reading was just plainly rude. This was a rule for most bookwhores. She knew better than to get between me and my current paper romance. "What business would this

      be

      ,

      hmm

      ?"

      Josie rolled her golden eyes at me. Duh. It’s been two days since you arrived from down under, Liv, and still you haven’t said anything about what it’s like having a hunky prime specimen, with the name of Greyson Edwards, living in the same house.

      I sighed. Josie, though she wouldn’t admit to it, had a serious fixation for Greyson. Her loyalty was admirable, not like Edith, who killed my trust by dating Grey—no scratch that—they were friends with benefits, so she exchanged a quick roll in the sheets occasionally with a guy for our friendship since kindergarten. I supposed our friendship wasn’t all that important to her since she easily threw it away when she got her first night with Greyson Edwards.

      Carefully placing the book on the floor, I folded my arms underneath my breasts, ready to be interrogated, petulantly. "Grey is a douche to the highest order. This morning, I caught him staring at my ass. How’s that for a start? Really, it’s gross. I felt like his eyes were

      molesting

      me

      ."

      Josie, instead of being disgusted like I hoped she’d be, looked even more intrigued. "I tell ya, Liv. That guy is still holding

      out

      hope

      ."

      I’m with Liam, thank you very much. Besides, Grey and his bad boy appeal don’t really get my engine going.

      She smirked. "Um, which planet are you from? You’re such a liar. This one-time during lunch, I saw you stare at him all afternoon without his

      shirt

      on

      ."

      One-time. That incident only happened once and she was holding it against me! I was going through such a rough time, and Grey was there, throwing a football nonchalantly—sans shirt and all—and I sort of slipped out of my hate-campaign

      towards

      him

      .

      That was two years ago and you knew how messed up I was after that surprise algebra quiz. One thing I hated more than anything was Mathematics. Those darn numbers all looked muddled to me. Throw in the letters and I’m a

      hot

      mess

      .

      Her dark knowing eyes glittered with amusement. "Do you ever

      wonder

      —

      ?"

      I had to cut her off. "No, Josie, I fucking don’t. Not when he’s the subject. So

      drop

      it

      ."

      She sighed, still grinning from ear to ear. "If you say so… but just remember this, I’ll be the first person to say I told you so, Olivia."

      Ignoring her, I tried to read again, hoping I could get absorbed in the plot that got me interested before Josie interrupted me. But alas, my mind had been dominated by soft brown hair and deep blue eyes.

      Damn

      her

      !

      When I got home, I was surprised to find out that Grey wasn’t going to be home for the next few days. Apparently, he was going somewhere. Something like a last hurrah before school started again. Brett seemed to be okay with it. It made me wonder if his easy parenting only made Grey more of a notorious player—well, notorious at everything.

      Greyson was known for not following rules. Period. Now looking at the easy going Brett, it made me wonder if he was okay with his son prancing about town with no care in the world, racing like a maniac around the canyons.

      I even heard rumors last year that they went racing around that particular canyon where a massacre happened about a decade ago. It was a dead town, with no lights, with no service and nothing around you but darkness. Why the heck would you risk your life for that kind of sport anyway? It was dumb and, not to mention the obvious, stupid.

      So when I went to bed that night, I wondered what it would be like to live in Grey’s world. Josie, for one, was fascinated by it. I was more curious than fascinated, but would never want to be

      in

      it

      .

      Men like Grey were not taken seriously. Liam, on the other hand, was more my type. Funny, hot, had fantastic manners, a man with an accent and, not to mention, smart. He was all I could ever want in

      a

      man

      .

      Even though we were separated by continents and we weren’t opposed to try to see if there were other fishes in the sea during our time apart, I knew he was the one

      for

      me

      .

      One year was all I had before I went back to Sydney, study there and hopefully, permanently, make it my home. I had it all planned out. We loved each other. That was all that mattered.

      Four

      Grey

      D o you need me to give you a ride? I asked the fresh looking Olivia, who just came downstairs, all made up for her first day of senior year. The question could be taken in all the ways she wanted. It wasn’t hard to figure out that I wanted—had wanted for years—what everybody else got a taste of. She knew this, though no one was going to admit it

      out

      loud

      .

      Laura, my father’s girlfriend, who was the only woman around here that I got on with, served me a plate with pancakes before spinning around and greeting her only daughter. Good morning, sweetkins. Pancakes, eggs and bacon? she directed to Liv, who was trying her damnedest to avoid my gaze as she situated herself across me, nodding her reply.

      Since dad was on his man throne, she didn’t have that much choice when it came to seating without being so obvious.

      Josie’s going to come and get me in ten, no worries. She gave me a saccharine smile before soaking her pancakes with maple syrup. She always had a sweet tooth; it was her weakness I once knew

      so

      well

      .

      My father, Brett, reached across to pour her a glass of orange juice. Grey won’t mind. Right, son? It’ll save Josie the hassle. We’re technically all family.

      Uh uh, I mumbled. Uhhh… family? Hold that shit. Olivia and I were in no way—I MEAN, no shitting me way—a family in my head. My imagination alone would get me in trouble. If they planned to marry—which I’m hoping they didn’t—I would certainly oppose it one hundred percent. It wasn’t about Laura, but definitely about Olivia. The thought of her as my stepsister killed my appetite. Hell. To.

      The

      .

      No

      .

      Downing the rest of my orange juice, I gave a light shiver as my thoughts hounded about her as family. Seriously, I needed to get out of here. The woman in question was dressed to provoke more illicit thoughts from me, wearing some tight jeans that left nothing to any guy’s imagination. Looking at her straight in the eye after what my father just said, would be beyond awkward.

      After a quick discussion between the adults, and Olivia telling Josie that she’d be riding with me starting tomorrow, I dashed out of there in a flash.

      Once I was outside, I pulled out my keys and opened my

      car

      door

      .

      The only thing I allowed myself to buy with my maternal grandparents’ money that I inherited as a part of my trust fund was my BMW M3 GT4, black on black. I raced as a hobby and it was the only thing that was an escape for me. So even if I wasn’t into buying expensive items, I had to give in to this

      sweet

      ride

      .

      The car was pricey, but my car was my haven. The faster they were, the better. There was nothing more exhilarating than shifting gears through the canyons. It was a dangerous sport, but one I thrived for. I craved the adrenaline rush, that feeling when you know your blood’s humming through your veins, all set and ready to go… and the squeal of the tires, the smell of rubber and the sound of a hungry engine, was the only thing better

      than

      sex

      .

      Sliding into my car, I sat there a moment and listened to the engine roar to life. I was frowning when I saw Olivia emerge from the front door, strutting my way before Josie’s Honda came to view. Those two were best friends. Even though Olivia and I barely spoke a word to each other, Josie and I had a friendly camaraderie. I could see her now waving towards me before Olivia blocked her from my view as she hopped into her car. She gave a quick honk and I just nodded

      towards

      them

      .

      I hated these moments, and I usually got them once in a blue moon, but I had always wondered what the fuck really happened with Olivia. At one point, she and I were so close. I supposed I shouldn’t even be surprised. She was a bitch in the making then. After all, didn’t they say the gorgeous ones were as shallow as they came? I would normally disagree, but when it came to Liv, I had to side with that saying.

      After that little spitter-spatter incident in the kitchen, I had been avoiding her like a disease. You see, though I had been constantly thinking about her, I just couldn’t give myself away. I did want her, bad, but that was where I was cutting the line. So I spent most of my time chilling with my boys, hittin’ the sheets with Edith a couple of times before I finally came back home late at night. Even then, when I passed by outside her room—which overlooked the pool house—I looked up, wondering what she’d been

      up

      to

      .

      I heard she was seeing a guy in Australia, but I wasn’t sure if it was serious or not. From what everyone was saying, those two looked great together. She wasn’t in my social media circle, but even if I could see tagged posts by friends of friends, I couldn’t, for the life of me, look at it. I pinned it down to disgust that she was sleeping her way around town, but who knew if it was legit? I knew the entire football team wanted to nail her last year, and even a few bragged that they did, much to my… disgust.

      I was no saint, but seriously, when it came to Olivia Taylor, I had double standard. Maybe because I despised her for so long. Maybe because she was my first kiss. Or maybe because she was my first love. Truthfully, there was no love left since she broke my little third grade heart, killing all of my good intentions then. Olivia taught me so many things, and one of them was the remarkable feeling

      of

      hate

      .

      Shrugging, I removed any thoughts of her as I shifted the stick and drove off to school. My mind became a breeze when I went a little above the limit. Reckless driving wasn’t a favorite of mine, however, this morning, I felt the sudden need for speed. I wasn’t going to pretend that I didn’t know what opted this immediate rush for my fix. It was her, living in my brain, coming to life in there and holding me hostage.

      It would be shallow to say that I was transfixed by her angelic beauty. It was more than that. I knew it was. The moment always caught me the second she entered my world, and it seemed that each and every time I would become hypnotized by everything about her. Even her cattiness enthralled me, which was mind-boggling. I liked my women a tad saucy, yet submissive. Olivia, well, she was a force on her own. Maybe that’s what it was, that she didn’t care much about what I wanted and thought of her that really got my blood going.

      Whatever it was, I knew the moment I got a taste of her again, our worlds were going to collide, combust and explode.

      Without notice, I had already arrived to my destination. I wasn’t even surprised that Edith was waiting for me in the parking lot. She and I really weren’t an item, but you could just say that she saved herself for me, whenever, wherever I needed those times. I wasn’t a commitment-phobe; however I didn’t like the idea of dating one girl for months on end. Open relationships were more my thing. Life was one big party; why be a pooper and bust it with love and relationships? Ask my mother; she was a great role model.

      Running a hand over my hair, my eyes scanned the parking lot. As always, Liv was around, talking and catching up with old friends. For a second, our eyes caught and then she had the nerve to roll her eyes at me before resuming her conversation.

      Ass, I muttered under my breath just as my eyes landed on her bottom. Hole. Way to go mess with my head so early in the morning, Olivia.

      Coming out of the car, Edith came bouncing in to greet me with a kiss on the lips. Hey Grey, I’ve missed your hot ass. She grinned before reaching out to my behind and giving it a tight squeeze.

      Great, she was one of those women who would easy mistake your hardness as if she was the one who had that kind of effect on me. Well, it wasn’t like I was going to openly admit who caused me to be in this state. No fucking way. "Easy there, Edith. It’s the first day of school. Wait until lunchtime to get frisky,

      will

      ya

      ?"

      When I looked up, I caught sight of Olivia giving me the evil eye before I saw her look away and start to walk with Josie towards the main hallway.

      Huh. Olivia and her demeaning looks, nothing’s changed in that forefront.

      It was a difficult accomplishment, but I managed to pry my eyes away from her swaying hips. The woman could really strut, and it didn’t help that each step she took emphasized her curves.

      Sighing out loud, I told myself to get

      a

      grip

      .

      As classes went, they were same old, same old; different class, different teacher, but same old outcome. Boredom. I wasn’t lazy, per se, but I wasn’t one who would go out of my way for extra credit. I had a good photographic memory, so I supposed this came in extra handy when it came to school and exams.

      Tiffany, my other go-to sidekick besides Edith, was plastered on me when we join the rest of the crowd during lunchtime. My mood was decently okay, until I saw Olivia talking to Gavin, I almost lost my shit. Literally, I could feel the heat permeate out of my pores. What the fuck was Gavin doing? When he asked me yesterday about Olivia, I told him off, stating that she was fucking off limits. No man in my crew ever disrespected me like this—until now. They knew Liv and I had history, albeit it was puppy love, but still, to me that counted for something.

      "The fuck’s he

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