3 Weeks Later
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“Eme, get down here.”
I stared at my name on the document and couldn’t believe he went and did this without even telling me. I hadn’t talked to him about buying my own farm, and yet, he knew. Logan knew what I needed. There was a yellow sticky note on the front of the envelope. It read:
“You’ve worked hard to make the farm a place for horses to heal. And Eme ... for you to repair too. You’ve made it a success. The rent you paid Matt went toward the down payment I made on the farm. I know you’d never be happy to live on my farm, so now it’s yours, and you earned it. You bought it. The farm has always been yours, baby. Now sign the bloody thing, stop arguing with me and promise to come on tour with me.”
I wiped the tears away from my cheeks and laughed. Then I picked up the pen on the vanity and signed the document and put it back in the vanilla envelope.
I took one last look in the mirror, dabbed my lips again, and then took a deep breath and made my way downstairs. My stomach had been tied up in knots for days. Ever since Logan told me his mother was coming to the welcome home party for Kat. My chest was tight; I had a rabble of butterflies dancing in my stomach, and my mouth was dry.
But Kat was finally coming home. She’d been in critical care for days, having lost a large amount of blood. She had bullet fragments extracted from her abdomen and damage to her bowels. The worry was she could die of infection, so she remained for weeks on intravenous antibiotics, under strict hospital observation.
Matt had been in the hospital for five days with superficial wounds to both legs. According to the nurses, he had been a horrible patient, having tried to get out of bed right after surgery in order to get to Kat. They had to keep him sedated for forty-eight hours.
When he was able to go to Kat’s room, Logan and I had been sitting with her. We headed to the door to give him time alone with her, but before the door shut I heard Matt choke on a sob then say to his sister, “You’ve beat all odds before, baby sis. You can do it again.”
Logan and I stayed downtown at Matt’s condo most nights for the first week she was in the hospital. Matt was a wreck and shut down the bar for a week; then had Brett run it ever since. Matt was never far from the hospital and Kat.
Ream lived at the hospital for four straight days, and then when the nurses finally allowed him in to visit Kat—he left without seeing her. No one had seen him since.
And Havoc. She was like me ... a fighter. She fought her way back first from severe abuse and now from being shot. She was recuperating, with attitude, in the stable.
I walked down the stairs to the kitchen. When I saw a woman standing beside Logan in the kitchen, I knew ... I knew instantly that she was warmth and kindness. A dark-haired angel with the softest blue eyes and smooth, white skin. She had a classic beauty about her, subtle and sincere. There wasn’t a hint of my mother in her and a wave of relief swept over me.
She was talking to Logan, her voice calm and quiet as she placed her hand on his chest as if she was saying something meaningful. I noticed she didn’t smile, but I imagined if she did, it would light up her entire face like her son’s. But there was a hint in her eyes, that glow I knew must have taken a long time to get back after living with Raul.
Logan lifted his head and saw me standing at the doorway observing them. “Eme.” He walked over and snagged my hand, pulling me up toward him then stealing a kiss. “You look gorgeous,” he whispered. “You do as I say?”
I wrapped my hand around the back of his neck and pulled him back down to me. “Thank you, Logan. For everything.” I kissed his cheek and he groaned then tightened his hold and kissed me on the lips.
I pulled back. “Your mom is right there.”
“Hmm, and she’ll see that I can’t keep my hands off you.”
“Logan!”
He chuckled.
I glanced over at his mother who was watching us. “Your mother’s gorgeous,” I whispered.
“And excited to meet you.” His hand slid down my back to my ass, and he slapped it inconspicuously. “Smile, Mouse.”
I took a deep inhale. “I want her to like me.”
“She loves you already. Any mother that sees her son as happy as I am loves the woman that does that to him.”
I squeezed his hand. “I love you, Logan.”
That’s all I needed, his brilliant grin lighting up his entire face. When I faced Isabella, she was smiling at us, and that’s when I saw it. Her smile was exactly like his, majestic.
Logan introduced me to his mom, and she immediately pulled me into a hug. There were tears in her eyes when she pulled back. She knew what happened to Logan and I. Well, she didn’t know everything that happened—especially what Logan suffered for months after he’d got me out. As far as his mother knew and anyone else, Logan had stayed and fought for Raul until he finally left to join his band.
“What the f*ck? Where’s the guest of honor?” Crisis strode into the house and placed a case of beer on the counter then he came over and kissed Isabella on each cheek. “Hey, you’re mom.”
She blushed, and it was so sweet, I wanted to hug her again. Logan was right; this was what a mother was supposed to be like, warm and kind. Isabella had given more than most women; she gave her son a chance at a better life.
Kite opened the sliding glass door, tongs in hand. “Burgers are on. Where’s Kat?”
“Coming,” I replied. Matt texted me ten minutes ago from the hospital. “They’re about fifteen minutes away.”
The screen door squeaked as it opened. “Hey cupcakes. Whoa, wow, that your mom, Sculpt?” Georgie went straight to Isabella and pulled her into a hug. “I’m Georgie.” She pulled back and smiled. “You’re a real looker. Hot. Damn. Sculpt, what happened to you?”
Logan rolled his eyes and whispered something to his mom who gave a half-smile to Georgie and then turned her attention to Deck who had come in after Georgie. I excused myself to pull Georgie aside.
“Raven?” I couldn’t get the girl out of my head, and I couldn’t imagine what she had to have gone through to get to the point she was at—unable to mentally make decisions on her own, to be so conditioned to do what her master wanted, that she’d even kill someone.
“Deck is being tightlipped, and Deck being tightlipped means nothing gets past his sweet, sexy, f*ck-me lips.” Georgie looked over at Deck who was talking quietly to Isabella and Logan. “He says she’s safe, whatever that means. Deck leaves tonight to f*ck knows where for an undisclosed amount of time.” She lowered her voice like Deck’s when she said the “undisclosed amount of time” part.
Georgie always became a little unsettled when Deck went off on a job; I suspected it was because of what happened to her brother, but it was more than that. I knew Georgie really cared about Deck, maybe more than she’d ever admit. “Deck likes you, Georgie.”
Georgie laughed—hard. So hard she smacked her hand onto the kitchen counter and everyone paused to look at her. She leaned in, hand on my shoulder. “I annoy the hell out of him. Deck’s incapable of liking much except his way. And if you don’t like his way, then he’ll shove it up your ass, down your throat, and then make sure you learn to like it. I don’t like his way.”
Georgie and I chatted a while then Logan came over to join us, sliding his arm around my waist and kissing the side of my neck. Crisis was his usual loud and obnoxious self while Kite ended up chatting with Isabelle for a long while.
A car horn honked.
I slipped from Logan’s arms, and Georgie and I went running out through the patio door and around to the driveway where Matt and Kat were getting out of the car.
I reached Kat and threw my arms around her. I was careful not to squeeze too tight, but it was hard not to. “God, it’s good to have you home.”
Kat pulled back a bit, and despite her smile, I saw the haunted look in her eyes. I’d seen it in the hospital too, but she was so closed off, she wouldn’t talk about anything. I knew the feeling firsthand so I kept quiet and didn’t push her.
“Come here, lollipop. Give me a hug.” Georgie hugged Kat, kissed her on both cheeks, and then looped her arm around both of us and started walking back to the house.
Matt was getting the bags out of the trunk, but I noticed that his eyes never left Kat. It would take him a long time to get over this. I suspected longer than when their parents died.
“Hey, be careful with her, Georgie,” Matt shouted as Georgie started skipping and jarred us both.
Everyone cheered and gave Kat hugs and kisses. Crisis passed her a beer and kept beside Kat as if he was her private bulldog, although from what I didn’t know.
“You good, Emily?”
It was Deck. Logan had his arm around my waist and his fingers were caressing my bare skin beneath my blouse at my belly. I nodded. “Yeah, Deck. Glad to have Kat home.”
Deck glanced at Logan then back at me again. “You need anything. Call. That goes for you both.”
“Yeah, need you to convince her to leave Kat and Matt and come on tour with the band in a few months. Can you help with that?”
Deck lowered his head as if to hide the twitch at the corner of his mouth I caught a glance of. It was hot. Deck was hot, and Georgie needed to wrap her head around the fact that Deck didn’t watch over her because he had an obligation to her brother; he did it because he cared, and Deck caring was huge. I guaranteed he didn’t care easily.
Dinner was a barbecue on the patio, and it was nice. Better than nice. Georgie’s mom and dad showed up. Her dad was cool, but he didn’t take attitude from anyone, meaning he was scary, and he was also hot.
“Ream, buddy!” Kite shouted. “Where the f*ck have you been, man?”
I glanced at Kite, then to where he was looking at the patio door. Then I searched out Kat, who was looking right at Ream. She paled. Turned white actually, and I think it had to do with the girl holding onto Ream’s arm.
Logan’s hand reached under the table and took mine and squeezed. He knew. He’d seen Kat’s reaction too.
Ream chin lifted. “This is Lana.” He didn’t bother introducing her to any of us. Instead he leaned into her and whispered something in her ear. The tall blonde giggled, gave him a kiss, and then walked back into the house.
“Not smart, buddy,” Kite said then turned away and started talking to Georgie’s mom.
Ream ignored the comment as he met Kat’s eyes. “You feel okay?”
I was holding my breath. I knew Kat she could fly off the handle pretty easily, and it was a real dick move for Ream to bring some chick to Kat’s welcome home party. But she did something I hadn’t expected—Kat nodded then looked away. She looked defeated, and it broke my heart seeing her like that. Crisis put his arm around the back of her chair, and his hand came on her shoulder and stroked back and forth. He leaned in and whispered something to her.
Lana came out seconds later with two beers, passing one to Ream.
The tension finally faded as everyone chatted and drank and ate a ton. It was Georgie getting drunk and stumbling into the sliding glass doors after coming back from the washroom that finally broke up the party.
“Well, shit.” She rubbed her head where she’d hit the glass pane. “That thing is so clean I didn’t even see it.”
“You didn’t see it because your vision is blurred the f*ck up,” Crisis yelled, laughing.
Georgie laughed then staggered out onto the patio. I got up at the same time as Deck.
“Eme, let him deal,” Logan said and dragged me back down, but this time he put me on his lap and wrapped his arms around my waist.
“But—”
“Eme.”
“But—”
“Emily,” Logan growled in my ear, and it did two things—got me wet and made me concede.
Deck strode over to Georgie. She backed away. He pursued, and his face looked pissed. I mean, I know I wouldn’t have f*cked around with that face, but Georgie was Georgie, and she was drunk.
“You going to spank me again?”
Again?
Logan chuckled. And I saw Georgie’s mom and dad weren’t moving to protect their daughter from Deck.
Deck did briefly look at Georgie’s dad Frank, and I noticed him nod at Deck as if he was giving his okay. To what?
“Deck.” Georgie smiled. “You going to take me home again and put me in your bed naked?”
I bit my lip. Crisis out-and-out laughed, and I saw Georgie’s mom smile.
“No,” Deck said. “Going to do something else entirely.”
“Oh. Sounds delicious.”
“You’re not going to like it.”
Georgie frowned. “Think I’ll stay here then.”
Deck wasn’t doing anymore talking as he latched onto her hand. He nodded to Logan then dragged Georgie inside. I could hear her squeal then shout, and finally, she was screeching profanities.
A car door slammed and then another.
Soon Georgie and Deck were forgotten, and the party broke up an hour later.
“Mouse.” Logan had dragged me upstairs the second his mother and Georgie’s parents left. He locked the door then pulled me hard up against him. “My mother loves you.”
I smiled. “She’s an incredible woman, Logan. You’re lucky to have her.”
“Yeah. She’s yours now too.”
That made me feel warm inside, and I moved into him further.
His hand curled around the nape of my neck. “You’re touring with me.”
It wasn’t a question; it was a statement. “Logan—”
“I’m not asking anymore. This is big and I want you with me.”
The band got asked to open for Damaged and they’d be gone six months. “Don’t you think that’s kind of selfish? I do have a business to—”
“No. I told you. We’ll try and work in you doing clinics at the stops we make. We need time together, baby.”
“Logan.” He was right. We did. It was Logan’s turn to live his dream. He’d given me mine now it was my turn to be there for his.
“Emily.”
He leaned in and kissed me, and I melted. I mean it was an amazing kiss, one that took away any argument I had left, and he damn well knew it. I’d tour with him. I wanted to see him play in front of huge crowds; I wanted to hear him sing every night. God, I just wanted to be with him.
He sank his hands into my hair. “You’re my everything.”
I stared up at him, my finger tracing across his lips. He caught it between his teeth then drew it into his mouth and sucked. My rabble of butterflies took flight in every direction, and my stomach dipped. I smiled up at the man who had been my knight in shining armor all along, I just hadn’t seen it.
Together we were able to repair.
I kissed him then nibbled at the lobe of his ear as I whispered, “You fixed me.”
Acknowledgements
Where do I start? Everyone who helped with “Torn from You”—a huge thank you. I know it’s never enough, but it comes from a very special place in my heart.
Thanks to my editor Kristin Anders for putting up with my gazillion emails and for bringing me back on track when I was off-roading somewhere in the back forty with my story. You kicked me in the butt (nicely) then told me what I needed to hear and I was able to bring my vision back into focus.
Robyn ... yes bestie, I’m talking about you. I’m sorry I missed so many dinners and our riding time with the horses. You understood and never gave me shit when you knew I had a deadline. I’m following my dream and you are so supportive of that. But we did manage two vacations and some great quotes.
Mom, ahh, I can’t believe you read this. Ha. You’re my Isabelle. Thank you for taking the time to proofread “Torn from You”. Those pesky little errors are like fleas ... hard to find and eradicate, but you did it.
To Melissa, my beta reader, my proofer, my emotional support ... ahhhh I’m so lucky to have met you online through my rocky path to publishing. You’re always positive and have great advice. I can’t wait until you publish your novel—it’s outstanding!
To Kari, an amazing beta reader, fantastic cover designer, and fellow animal lover. I’m so fortunate to have found you. Our visions mesh perfectly!
Kat, yep stole your name for this one. Beta reader with an attitude that sits me down and tells me straight up. Love it :)
Stacey from Hayson Publishing, what I put you through . . . ugh, damn those pesky fleas. But you were patient and understanding and so helpful. And damn you did a fantastic formatter job. Thank you!
Jonel, blogger extraordinaire who has supported me from the beginning. Hope you like this one too. Love chatting horses with you and one day we are so meeting at a horse competition. http://purejonel.blogspot.ca/
Debra from http://bookenthusiastpromotions.com/ You ROCK! When things changed, you were understanding and patient. Without you I'd still be lonely on FB. You spread the word and I've met amazing people because of you. You’re the best tour host ever—thank you!
Michelle, Jessica, Sarah, my “TFY book club Admins. I met you on this journey and am so thankful. You girls are incrediable and know that I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. Hugs and kisses.
Lovely Ladies and Naughty Books . . . I just met you, but what a wonderful group of ladies. Can’t wait to spend more time with all of you.
Bloggers, fellow readers, book lovers. Thank you for your support and the fun chats, for telling your friends and helping me bring "Torn from You" into the spotlight. I'm living my dream because of you.
Song Choice:
Goodbye (feat Islove) Glenn Morrison
About the Author
Nashoda Rose lives in Toronto with her assortment of pets. She writes contemporary romance with a splash of darkness, or maybe it’s a tidal wave. Her novel “Torn from You” is the first in the Tear Asunder series. When she isn’t writing, she can be found sitting in a field reading with her dog at her side while her horses graze nearby. She loves interacting with her readers on Facebook and chatting about her addiction—books.
Happy Reading,
Nash
Nashoda Rose also writes under the name Cindy Paterson her high fantasy paranormal romance series: Jump (The Senses #1) Step (The Senses #2) Fall (The Senses #3) and coming soon Take (The Senses #4).