Spent - Part Two (Bad Boy Fighter Book 2) (11 page)

Mom tries to say something, but Vince cuts her off before she can, “If you’re certain that’s what you want, we won’t stand in the way.”
 

The glare my mother gives my stepdad is one I saw far too many times as a child. Sighing, Vince looks down at her and gives her the most compassionate and loving gaze I’ve ever seen from his dark eyes. I smile when I see my mom’s expression soften and change to reflect his own. I soon realize that the love I’ve been looking for was the example I had in the later part of my youth, but like my mother, I had had to learn the hard way before finding it.

Luke plants soft kisses along my knuckles while Vince, Mom, and Cameron all discuss lawyers, moving my things out before I get discharged, and how they’re all hungry for lunch. The variety of conversation they’re all having is entertaining, but I soon find myself getting lost in hazel eyes staring deeply into mine. His soft kisses against the wounds on my hands sends a chill through my body. I might just be able to heal from these wounds after all.

A commotion outside my hospital door causes all of us to suddenly become aware once again of our surroundings. The sound of nurses and a man with a deep voice bickering echoes through the halls of the wing, shaking the solitude found within the sterile walls of my room. Luke moves in closer to me, his frame appearing to grow in size as he instinctively prepares his body to protect me.

As the voices draw nearer, I hear a hint of an accent in one of the voices. I’m dopey from the drugs but something isn’t sitting right with me and I strain my ears to hear better to try to pick up what the voices might be saying.
 

Vince stands near the door, as if preparing to fight off whatever horde might attempt to penetrate our fortress of safety. Mom and Cam clamber near Luke and I, partially to protect me and partially to draw in from Luke’s protective shadow.

The voice with the accent gets even closer, and my hazy subconscious is yelling at me telling me something isn’t right.
 

I grip Luke’s forearm tightly. Normal me wouldn’t be jumpy and would just try to ignore the commotion, but I’m slowly beginning to realize that normal me doesn’t exist anymore, thanks to Derrick.

A Spanish accent comes through clearer, as if the person is standing right outside the door.
 

Oh no. It can’t be…

I can’t make out what he’s saying, but the look of sheer terror that flashes across my mom’s face rekindles forgotten memories and a chill through my spine makes me tremble.

Oh, God no. Not him. Not now.

Luke feels me shaking and looks down with concern, but his appearance says that he has no clue that he’s about to meet my heinous past face to face.

Closing my eyes, I try to ease my breathing before I go into a panic attack. Luke’s comforting arms hold onto me, but when it comes to what’s outside that door, nothing in this world can make me feel safe, not even Luke’s 250 pounds of pure muscles.
 

The door to my room slams open. I hear his voice booming through the room, but I don’t open my eyes. Luke’s grip tightens. I can tell he’s tense and ready for a fight. Taking in a deep breath, I allow my eyes to open, revealing before me the figure who has plagued my dreams my entire life.

Beto Garcia, my father, stands still in front of the hospital door. His dark eyes stare back into mine, with a mad intensity to them that reminds me of someone who I’ve encountered far too recently.

The fear that my father has instilled in me goes far beyond memories of physical pain. I see my past flash before me, and the emotional pain comes flooding in. In his eyes, I can see the damaged soul of a little girl, a girl who still resides inside of me, scared, and shaking, and shouting a prayer for someone to hear.

Luke is excited. Things are back on track with Tasha, and he’s headed to her place to take her out to dinner.
 

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Thank you so much for reading Part 2 of Spent. It really means such a great deal to me. If you enjoyed it, I would love you so much if you could leave me a review, even a short one, on Amazon. It only takes a minute, and helps to keep me writing more of the kinds of books you love.

I really do love to hear what you have to say - it’s important to me that you enjoy spending time with the characters in my books as much as I enjoy bringing them to life for you.

The final chapter,
Spent - Part Three
will be out in August, 2015.

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The final chapter for Tasha and Luke is not to be missed. I’m looking forward to connecting with you and revealing everything I can without too many spoilers of course, on social media.

Thank you again! You’re all so wonderful.