Hey guys!
Some super exciting times going on! For starters, the FOUND BY YOU BOXED SET, which includes both books in the series is only $0.99!
Limited time sale to celebrate the release of Brody!
$0.99 on all retailers!
You can get it now on all available retailers at this price.
Then, next Monday, book three in the series, Brody, A Found By You Novel, drops! Look out for the book October 19, 2015.
For now, here's chapter one of Brody! Hope you enjoy it :)
Releases: Oct 19, 2015
Blurb
He saved me…
Brody Chandler.
At a time when I was at my lowest, and cared far less about myself than anyone else possibly could.
But I can’t tell him everything and I have a feeling he’s doing the same behind that semi-truck’s wheel.
Who is this big, strong guy taking me away, and could I ever fathom a world in which he’s with me?
---
Chapter One
Brody
I sat at the counter of the old
diner I always stopped at on my route. I could have driven longer, but when I
got close to Mae’s my foot instinctually hit the brake. She had my apple pie
ready at the counter like clockwork. She knew I’d stop too. She had my
schedule. Two a.m. and pie just went together, and if I was going to have it,
it might as well have been at the best twenty-four hour diner in Arkansas. And
believe me, I’d been to quite a few of them to be able to say that.
The middle-aged black woman made sure to scoop a good-sized portion of
vanilla ice cream right on the top. A la mode done right.
I grinned at her, forking in a few
bites before she went to serve two others that came in, a girl and a guy. They sat
at a booth, taking my attention a bit. I might not have paid them any mind, but
the guy had a few years on the girl and she didn’t look to be his daughter, him
being white and her African American. I couldn’t see her face with her head
down and long hair covering her cheeks. The strands streaked with some kind of
magenta color and I found that pretty unique. She piqued my curiosity, this
strange woman hiding behind her hair, but the guy took his place beside her,
hiding her from my view. His hand slid over
the tops of her brown shoulders. He squeezed her. I looked away. The two
weren’t really any of my business.
Settling into my spot I went back to
enjoying what I considered the fourth meal of the day—the one between dinner
and breakfast. Since I started truck driving a few months ago, my schedule was
all messed up. I ate when my body needed it, and right now, it needed Mae’s
pie.
Finishing up my dessert, I gazed
over my shoulder and realized the couple that came in after I arrived were
gone. It was just as well I hadn’t noticed. I didn’t allow myself to have many
breaks when on the road so when I did I was in my own little world.
I wiped my mouth with my napkin and
gave Mae a tip the equivalent of the cost of my tab. It was damn good pie and I
wanted to support her small business. Through previous chats, I knew the diner
to be family owned. You always took care of family. That I knew.
Picking my ball cap up from where
I’d previously place it on the counter, I slipped it on top of my mop of blond
hair. That shit got all over the place when I knew I had nobody to impress. The
hat had become a permanent part of my daily wardrobe outside of work.
Sliding away from the counter, I
made my way to the bathrooms to wash my hands. This was the final stop before I
drove into the night. I had to get back on route, back home.
The door was closed when I got back
there. I poised my hand to knock and verify no one was inside, but a shrill
scream on the other end raised the hairs on the back of my neck and raced my
heart into overdrive.
I tugged on the handle immediately,
but it was locked.
“Someone’s in here!” drummed a male
voice inside. “Shut the fuck up and pull your underwear down. I paid for this
you fuckin’ tease so give me what I want.”
I didn’t need to hear anymore.
I took a step back and kicked the
door in on nothing but sheer adrenaline. The hinges were rusty and old like the
rest of the diner and the door caved easily.
The scene before me turned my
stomach. The man from before, the big one who had come in with the girl earlier,
had his pants down with his back to me. The girl was there too, her hair long
and colorfully streaked. I could see her eyes now between the strands. They
were doe-like orbs, big and brown and glistened like starlight. They also had
tears. They slid down a face covered in thick makeup. She sat on the floor
before this man, her arms around a set of legs covered in black fishnet
stockings. She had bruises on those arms and she stared at me wide-eyed with
strong terror etched on her face.
Her aggressor whipped around and red
welts on his face told me the girl fought back. She fought, but he didn’t stop.
I’d make him stop.
He came at me, and I didn’t waste
the advantage I had to assess the situation beforehand—my position versus his.
I was sure my age and all those years I spent in construction with my dad and
brother helped as I grabbed the guy’s arm. I tugged him to the side, slamming
him head first into the tiled bathroom wall.
He fell to the floor, groaning with
his hand on his head. Blood seeped between his fingers and the red smeared
across the wall let me know how hard he hit. Despite that, he got up with
wobbly steps. He charged for me.
I socked him in the gut and he went
down again. This time, I joined him and let my fists fly. I gave this fucker a
choice to stay down. He wasn’t getting another.
“She wanted it,” he called out, an
old fuck who I could now see was at least thirty years this girl’s senior. “The
cunt asked for it. She can’t say no after I paid her.”
I sent another blow to his face. “If
a lady says no that means no, motherfucker. It don’t mean shit if you paid
her.”
He let out an argh! as my
hand came away from his gut. I stood, feeling he had enough, and when he didn’t
attempt to get up and come at me again, I knew he had. I didn’t hit a guy just
because I felt like it. If I punched a dude I had a damn good reason. Only
tools continued to hit a guy when he was down.
Tired and breathing heavily, I
glanced over at the girl. She blinked back tears, staring at the filth on the
floor. Her small body shook under her hands. She looked to be in shock.
Shit.
I probably scared her more than this guy with what I did to him. I lifted my
hat, pushing my hand over my sweaty brow and head before putting it back on.
Cautiously, I stepped forward, treading lightly. I didn’t want to scare her
more.
“Are you okay?” I asked her.
She jumped. Her eyes made a beeline
up to mine, hers still sparkling in tears. She gripped her legs. Tensing, she
didn’t say a word.
I raised my hands, letting her know
I wasn’t a threat. “I ain’t gonna hurt you. I just want to know if you’re
okay.”
Her brown eyes searched me,
hesitance in their gaze. She had these eyes that made a guy want to stand up
straighter and be just a little taller if only to make her feel more protected.
That’s what I wanted her to feel—protected,
and that she was safe with me.
Slowly, she released her legs, but
pulled them to her chest again when the guy on the floor moved. He stared at
her, pushing up on his hands.
“You little bitch,” he spat behind
busted lips. “Give me back my money.”
I grabbed him by the back of his
shirt before he could get closer to her, giving him a swift kick to the gut.
He held his stomach with a grunt,
rolling to his back. I pulled out my wallet. I was unsure what money she’d
accepted from this man, but I hoped what I had was enough to keep him from
coming after her.
I threw money at him. “Now, she
doesn’t owe you shit, so stay the hell away from her.” I looked at the girl,
her glistening eyes laced in terror. “You coming? We should get you out of
here.”
