Lost in the Moment (A Savioe Family Novel)

Lost

In The

Moment

Ginny Atkinson

Copyright 2014 ©   by Ginny Atkinson

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with or sponsored by the trademark owners.

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Acknowledgements

A huge thank you to JR and Lynn without your help and ability to listen to me ramble about plot, character flaws and whining in general, I never would have finished. I would also like to thank all the fans of
Tangled Up In You
who requested more of the Savioes. Thank you for all the E-mails.

                            Chapter One

Drez

A scream rent the air followed by the sound of glass shattering.
Fuck... they’re at it again.
I lifted my left eyelid and glared at the bedroom door. Well it’s more like a closet with a single twin mattress shoved in it than an actual bedroom. The slatted door barely hung on by its hinges leaving a gap between the door and the frame. I had to prop my boots against it to keep it closed most of the time. A soft thud shook the paper-thin walls. A small cloud of drywall dust floated down to the floor as the peeling wallpaper waved like a flag from the vibration. Her quiet sobs muffled his normal drunken rant… this time. I flung my arm across my eyes and sighed.

This has become an every nigh
t thing since he got laid off earlier this year and we were forced to move to this run down flea infested four-room house. I made the mistake once of trying to break it up and ended up getting the shit beat out of me. That wanker busted my lip, chipped a tooth and left me bleeding on the ground for hours. She just let him, even encouraged it toward the end. That’s the last time I’ll stick my neck out for anyone. So if the bitch wants to get knocked around. Fuck her, I let him.

It wasn’t always like this. When m
y aunt first got custody of me after my family died last year, she was the typical wholesome housewife. We had decent food on the table every night, laundry was always done, our old house was spotless and he seemed happy to have me around. That changed when the money my parents left for me ran out. My father’s solicitor informed me then that they spent all of it on useless shit that they have since ended up pawning. The only money left was enough for me to buy Grace and put very little in my own checking account. I only used that when I need petrol or to get some food when I could no longer stand my stomach hurting from hunger.

Grace i
s my 1970 Dodge Charger and yes, I named my car. Beau Savioe helped me get her last year after I passed my driving test and received my license. He seemed like a cool guy. I met him in auto shop the middle of my first junior year. Yes, I suck at school. I failed a grade when I first moved here. I had some trouble getting accustomed to life in the States. Back at home, I always had tutors who came to our house. My friends were handpicked for me by my mother; she wouldn’t even let me hang out with the blokes from my rugby team. I never really had any real social interaction with people my age so when I came here I was completely lost. I had never stepped inside an actual school before so Beau did me a solid and helped me out. He let me know who to hang around, who not to and he found Grace for me at a very cheap price.

Their bedroom door slammed shut or open. I really d
idn’t care which as long as they left me alone. I needed to get some sleep for school tomorrow, not like I really care about my classes or anything. I just go to get away from these assholes. Why don’t I just move out? Well I have no money. I also have no job at the moment. I was hoping that would change soon. Mr. Cox, the auto shop teacher, was trying to get me a part time gig at his brother’s body shop. It doesn’t pay much but at least it would be something.

My stomach cramped bring
ing forth a quiet groan from my lips. Damn when was the last time I ate? I laid there with my hand covering my stomach trying to remember. It felt like it was last week or maybe the one before. I don’t really remember. I do know that I stopped eating here when I poured a bowl of cereal one morning and the bowl filled up with more cockroaches than marshmallow bites. I cringed when I rolled over on my side and stared at the peeling wallpaper. I seriously cannot take much more of this.

             
                                          *****

The door flew open with the force of his kick.
The top hinge finally gave up its struggle to hold on and flung across the room landing on my arm. “Get your sorry ass up. It’s time for school.” He sneered at me as his eyes scanned the small room in hopes of finding something of value only to narrow in disappointment.
That’s right, asshole. I have nothing now thanks to you.

I s
at up and rolled my neck to try to get rid of the kinks. He still stood in the threshold; his stained T-shirt barely covered his paunchy stomach as he glared at me. He had on his oversized boxers and black crew socks. I wished he’d start wearing pants. I stood up, grabbed the only pair of jeans I had and shoved my feet in them. “Your aunt and I both agree that it’s time for you to start pulling your weight around here. We’re sick of you fucking mooching off us. So get a job or sell that car before the end of the month. Or you’re out on your ass.” In other words, he was tired of me being here and wanted me out or working to pay for his fucking beer.

“Got it.” I mumbled picking up a discarded
T-shirt and sniffed it to see if it was wearable again. My nose crinkled at the smell of stale sweat. I put it on with a sigh. It looked like I need to do some laundry. He grunted at me and moved away from the door. I flopped down on the mattress and pulled on my boots. After making sure he had left, I grabbed the rest of my clothes and shoved them in my pillowcase. If he wants me gone, I’m gone. I can always sleep in Grace until I can get some money coming in… hopefully.

I stormed into the living room and kitche
n moments later with everything I owned shoved into the small pillowcase. My aunt sat at the small round kitchen table taking a sip from her coffee cup. She still had on her threadbare housecoat and stained fuzzy slippers. Her left eye was already starting to bruise from their fight last night. I choked down a pang of sympathy that threatened to bubble up.
She doesn’t want my help.
I had to remind myself.

I ran a hand through my hair and mentally cringed at the greasiness I encountered. Damn, I’m going to have to find somewhere to wash it.
I wasn’t allowed do it here. I had long since been banned from using the bathroom for more than just taking a quick waz. Not like I’d really want to anyway, the place had a thick layer of mold everywhere and I swear there was something living under the bathroom sink.

I took one last look at her and walked out the door.
The crisp October air greeted me on my way to Grace. Oh was she a beauty, a 1970 solid black beast of a car, back when cars were made of steel instead of fiberglass and plastic. She had a 440 cu in 7.2 L engine that purred like a jungle cat and a 4 speed manual tranny with the pistol grip shifter. Everything on it was original except the brakes and stereo. I mean yeah, she still has a few chips in her paint and a tear or two in the seats but she’s mine. We have been through a lot with each other. I got my first speeding ticket in her, my first kiss, my first blowjob and even got laid in here a time or two.
Man
,
if those seats could talk.
I chuckled slightly as I popped open the boot and tossed my shit in it before slamming it shut.

I slid behind the steering wheel and revved the engine loud enough to make him jerk open the front door.
He started yelling at me. I just revved the engine again and threw up my hands acting like I couldn’t hear him. He narrowed his eyes at me and raged over to the curb. A small smirk crept across my lips as I gunned the car leaving a trail of burnt rubber behind me. With the window open, I held out my hand and flipped him off on my way down the street heading toward the school.

             
                                          *****

A few cars were
scattered about the carpark when I pulled up to the school. I glanced down at my cheap gas station watch and noticed that I had twenty minutes to kill. Shit, not enough time to grab a shower in the locker room. I opened the glove box pulled out my deodorant and quickly slathered on some. Hopefully that would help with a bit of the funk emanating from me. I placed it back in the glove box and pulled out my toothbrush. Damn, I must have left my toothpaste back there. I shrugged and tried the best I could to remove some of the slime from my teeth with the dry bristles.

A
dark blue Chevy pickup truck pulled in next to me. Normally I would not have paid any attention to it but a pair of long legs incased in denim caught my eye. They were gorgeous, toned in all the right places and longer than I had ever seen. I knew if given the right amount of time I could come up with some serious fantasies about those legs. What I would do to get those wrapped around me. My eyes slowly traveled up to the cute ass that topped them and the gentle curve of her hips.
Turn around, pet. I really want to see if the front matches the rest of you.
Much to my disappointment she never did.

She slammed the car door and s
macked the back of some guy’s head as they walked up the steps to the bus loading area and commons beyond. My eyebrows raised in appreciation as she gently swayed up the steps, her light brown curls that tumbled down her back moved in time with her hips. They were quickly followed by a guy in a leather jacket carrying a black motorcycle helmet. His stride was slow as he kept his dark head downcast. Yeah I know that walk. Either he was in the doghouse with his girl or they had just broken up.

A tap on my window startled me briefly. I turned my head and saw Beau standing there with a serious expression. I nodded for him to move and opened the door. “Hey, what’s up?”

He shook his dark head and leaned against the truck. Was that his? Shit that means that girl was either his girlfriend or little sister. Either way that means my future fantasies were put on hold. He took a deep breath. “I need a favor.”

My mouth dropped open for a moment
in complete shock before I nodded. “Name it. You know I’ll help you no matter what it is.”

He coughed to clear his throat. “I need you to meet a girl at this locker at lunch and bring her to Frank’s every day for
a while.” He handed me a small scrap of paper with a locker number on it. “I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.”

I took the paper and glanced down at it. That’s just a f
ew lockers down from mine. “What’s this about?”

He huffed out a sigh. “My brother and his girl are going through some serious shit. Her dad caught them in her room Saturday morning and went off. Now they are forbidden to see each other. I hate seeing the little fucker so depressed. So I figured I’d ask you to help us out.”

That must be that kid with the motorcycle helmet from earlier
. I thought as I closed my eyes and tried to do a quick rundown of how much the extra running around this was going to cost me in fuel. I silently groaned, fuck this is going to be a hassle, but I owe him. I hesitantly agreed. “Yeah, it’s no problem. When do you need me to start?”

He exhaled a sigh of relief. “Thank you. Her friend Jess heard from her mother that she should be in school today. You can’t miss her. Short thing, long black hair, green eyes and an ass you can bounce quarters off of.”

“A great ass huh? Are you sure you trust me around her?” I chuckled heading into school.

             
                                          *****

Marie

Being the only girl in a house full of boys sucks. I’m talking with a capital
‘S’ sucks. I have five brothers. Yes, I said five, two older and three younger. The eldest, Beau, just turned eighteen in September. Lucien, who goes by Luke, will be eighteen in July. I turn seventeen in May. Charles will be sixteen in March then you have the twins Remi and Dev. Dev is older than Remi by three minutes and will turn the ripe old age of seven on December 31st, while Remi turns seven on January 1st. I was completely outnumbered here.

To beat it all none of them
seemed to acknowledge that I am a female. I know at some level they are aware of it but on a day-to-day basis. Nope. They treat me like one of the guys. I get picked on physically. I’m talking wedgies, swirlies and even the occasional punch here and there. I don’t mean one of the
‘I’m going to kick your ass’
punches more of the ‘g
ood job bro’
hits in the shoulder.

Of course
, I think a lot of it has to do with my size. I’m 5’11, 166 pounds and wear a size ten shoe. The only thing petite about me is my bra size and the fuse on my temper. I’m not saying I’m fat. I’m not really. I work out with my brothers three times a week and have more muscle than I care to admit.

I used to be one of those rough and t
umble kind of girls until I started middle school. I tried, I mean really tried, to fit in with the rest of the girls. I’d take care of my appearance, wear the latest clothes and even gossip about boys. None of that seemed to matter. I was still that Savioe girl from the bayou. No guy wanted to have anything to do with me and the girls that I thought were my friends just wanted to hang out with me because
‘Like, your brothers are so hot.’
So when my dad got a job offer in Virginia I was all for the move, until we got here. The girls here took one look at me and blacklisted me. I hadn’t even done one thing to them at the time. Within a few weeks, I got tired of being crapped on by them and started being a bitch.

It wasn’t until Roxy, Luke’s girlfriend, started to come around that I actually considered trying to be me again.
Yeah it started off really bad. I mistook her friend Jess for her and tried to shove her in a locker for ignoring my brother. Well… and for Jess calling me white trash, which I’m not, my dad’s one heck of an attorney and makes more money than I’ll ever see in my lifetime. So because of that incident, I ended up getting suspended and my brothers tried to get to the bottom of things. That’s when Luke and Roxy started talking and eventually ended up dating. Now she just treats me like one of her friends.