Rekindled (42 page)

Of course I need to thank all the bloggers who participated in my cover reveal and blog tour. You all do such a fantastic job in helping new authors be found by readers, and I am so appreciative that you helped share my work with others. Our phenomenal reading community wouldn’t be what it is without you.

Last, but certainly not least, I want to thank
you
, the reader. I am so humbled that you took time out of your schedule to read my novel. I hope Callie and Tate found a place in your heart, the way they did mine.

C.J. McKella is a romance writer living beneath the hot Arizona sun with her husband and their cat, Kaylie. She devotes her days to working, and her nights writing, allowing the characters in her head to come to life. When not working or writing, she can be found reading, binge-watching Netflix, or playing video games. A romantic at heart, she has a love for stories, and all things ending in happily ever after.

C.J. McKella loves to meet new people. Stop by and say hello!

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Damaged Pieces Blurb:

“When something is damaged or broken, the pieces can be put back together, but they will never be the same.”

KATIE: When I was left to raise my daughter alone, I decided dating just wasn’t worth it. I never wanted my daughter to experience the kind of heartbreak only a man can give you and I didn’t have the time, until Nicholas Sinclaire came walking into my life with his charming smile and his mischievous eyes. I just wish I would have known how it was going to end.

NICK: I knew she was it for me the moment I met her, but I had to leave. I had one more tour to do overseas and then I could come home to her for good. Little did we know, I wouldn’t come back the same man. I was damaged beyond repair, so I pushed them away and hurt them. It didn’t take me long to realize the mistake I had made. Now, I will stop at nothing to get them back in my life, but will Katie want my Damaged Pieces?

*This book can be read as a standalone.*

Prologue

Katie

Oh my God, I’m pregnant. There are six pregnancy tests spread out across the counter in my dorm bathroom. Twelve pink lines. They aren’t slightly pink, oh no, these suckers are bright pink. I’ve been sitting here staring at them for what seems like hours and feel like I’m going to be sick.

I’m 20 years old and I’m still in college. How can I possibly be pregnant? Well, that seems like a stupid question to be asking myself. I obviously know how it happened. I bury my face in my hands and try to think.

I have to tell Greg. We’ve been dating for almost a year now. Not long enough for us to have a kid together, but surely he’ll understand. I mean, it was his super-sperm that somehow impregnated me while I was on the pill. I knew we should’ve used condoms! How fucking stupid can I be?

Oh shit, I’m going to have to tell my parents. I still have four years until I graduate. I don’t know anything about kids, what am I going to do with a baby? This does not fit into my plans. I think I’m about to have my first ever panic attack.

Deep breaths, Katie. It’s going to be okay. You’ll talk to Greg and y’all will figure it out together,” I whisper to myself. He will probably come with me to tell my parents. Everything is going to be fine.

There is a knock on the bathroom door and I startle. “Be right out!” I say.

I get up off of the bathroom floor, where I’d been lying for God knows how long, and stuff the pregnancy tests into my purse.

I open the bathroom door to see my roommate, Elise, looking at me with worried eyes.

“Hey, Katie, you’ve been in there awhile. Are you okay?”

No, I’m not okay. I’m fucking pregnant. My whole life just changed when I peed on that damn stick.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I say, giving her a tight smile, “I’m going over to Greg’s for a bit. I’ll see you later.”

She nods her head, but continues to watch me carefully. She probably heard me crying.

I hurry out of my dorm and down to my car. Greg lives off of campus, with a few of his buddies, but it’s only a five-minute drive. I make it in three. I hurry up the steps leading to his door and knock. He answers the door a second later.

“Hey, baby,” he says, pulling me to him and kissing me. See? He loves you. It’s going to fine.

“Hey,” I say, when he pulls back from my mouth “Can I talk to you?”

His eyebrows scrunch together. “That sounds serious.”

He leads me through the front door and into the living room. I look around at the three other guys sitting watching football.

“Uh, yeah, kind of. Can we talk in your room?”

He looks at me curiously, but doesn’t say anything, as he turns and walks towards his bedroom.

He sits down on the edge of his bed and looks at me expectantly. “What’s up?”

I stand by his closed bedroom door and twist my hands together, trying to think of the best way to tell him this.

Finally, I just blurt, “I’m pregnant.”

His mouth falls open and he shakes his head a couple of times. “What?”

“I’m pregnant,” I repeat.

“How?”

“What do you mean how, Greg? We had sex.”

“Yeah, but you said you were on the pill. Are you sure?”

I open my purse and pull out all six of the pregnancy tests and dump them in his lap. “I’m pretty damn sure.”

“How do I know it’s even mine, Katie?” he asks, angrily.

I’m shocked.

“You are the only person I have ever slept with, Greg, and we have been together for a year now.”

He shrugs his shoulders, “Shit happens.”

Now I’m getting mad. “What is that suppose to mean?”

“Get rid of it,” he demands.

He stands up and all of the tests fall to the floor, in what feels like slow motion. I suddenly fell dizzy. I shake my head slowly. Maybe I heard him wrong.

“What?” I whisper.

“Fucking get rid of it, Katie. I don’t want a kid and especially not with you. I was already thinking it was time for us to part ways.”

“Time for us to part ways?” I ask in a whisper. Why do I keep repeating him, and why does my brain feel like it’s moving in slow motion?

“Jesus!” He rubs his hands over his face and looks frustrated.

I walk towards him and reach out to put my hand on his arm. “Greg, I love you. What are you talking about?”

He pulls his arm away from me and looks down at me like I’m a disgusting bug. “I don’t love you, Katie. You were damn good in bed, I’ll give you that, but there is now way I’m having a kid with you. Get rid of it!”

I step back and put my hands over my belly as his words finally start to sink in. He wants me to have an abortion. The guy I have been dating for over a year and who I thought I was in love with, wants me to kill our baby. Sure, I’m not ready to be a parent, but I won’t do that.

“Greg, I can’t do that. What’s wrong with you? I love you.” I can feel the hot tears starting to roll down my face.

“I graduate in two months, so I really don’t give a shit what you do, but I don’t want anything to do with you or your baby. It’s probably not even mine,” he says coldly.

I have never heard Greg talk like this to anyone, much less me.I shake my head quickly back and forth. The tears start falling faster down my face. “Of course it’s yours, Greg.”

He laughs and shakes his head. “Whatever. You need to leave. I would tell you that we could have a quick fuck before you go, but I’m not interested in pregnant girls. Good luck finding someone who is.”

I stare at him for a second, trying to figure out if this is all just a bad dream. When I don’t move, he grabs my upper arm and pulls me out of his bedroom. I struggle to keep up with his fast pace, but he just tightens his grip. That hurts! What in the hell is happening right now? He drags me to the front door and opens it, forcefully pushing me outside.

He leans down until he is almost nose to nose with me. “Keep your fucking mouth shut and get rid of that thing,” he says through clenched teeth.

I can’t even respond as he slams the door in my face. I stand there in shock with my arms wrapped protectively around my stomach. My body starts to shake and more tears leak out of my eyes. I lower my head and turn to walk towards the stairs.

Once I’m inside my car, I lower my head in my hands and begin to cry harder than I have in my entire life. What the hell am I going to do?