Resisting Fate (Predetermined) (29 page)

He nodded, turning to face my mother, grabbing her hand a second later. How had the woman not seen his evilness? Was he doing something to her to keep her all smiley like she was? “Well, Beverly, I’d better get going. I’m going to have to find a place to stay for now until I can find work permanently.” God, I hated the word permanent coming out of his mouth.

“Oh Christopher, you can stay here! With us! My husband, well soon to be ex-husband, won’t be back. He sent divorce papers over this morning to me while I was at work.”

Holy hell in a hand basket… What did she say? I turned to stare at her. My mouth went slack-jawed as I studied her glassy eyes. “Divorce? What do you mean divorce, Mom?”

“I don’t know,” she waved me away with her hand. “I don’t need him anymore anyways.

What in the holy hotcakes happened? Not that I was complaining or anything. I’d have to be a mental case to miss the douche-douche. Then more reminders from the past echoed in my head and it finally made sense:
Adrian is a warlock. He has his…ways.

Jacks words…

I inhaled a sharp breath. So was it only a coincidence that the guy had up and disappeared from our lives like that? Or had Adrian really somehow done something to make it happen? Did he cast a spell on the step-douche, making him leave like he did, and even going as far as making him want a divorce? If he had, then I had no idea how I felt about the guy who stabbed me with a needle in the neck and kidnapped me anymore.

He was pretty awesome with his makeup abilities though if that was the case.

“I wouldn’t impose on you. You need family time with your children right now.” He stated, staring back at me with raised eyebrows, and a wicked twist to his lips again. I bit my lip and prayed internally that my mom didn’t insist on this because I had a feeling that this guy would take her up on the offer in a heartbeat.

“You’re right. I’ve got a lot of making up to do with my daughter here.” My mom sighed, “I’ve treated her unjustly, and I need to right my wrongs.” I snapped my jaw shut tight, shocked with her revelation. This lady was so not my mom. Well…maybe once she was. But now? I didn’t know…

“Yes. Yes, you do. You need to cherish your children when they are young. I’ve seen too many perish at such a young age in my line of work.” My fists clenched tight around the fire poker that I had yet to drop. What kind of work did he do exactly? And why did I suddenly feel threatened by him? I inhaled deep through my nose, reining in control as he spoke. “I will call you soon. We’ll do a family dinner once I get settled. I’d like to get to know my niece a little bit more. Learn more about her boyfriends and friends, maybe?” he smirked, and I so wanted to scream at him. Hell, I wanted to use my fire poker and yank it up his ass. I did manage a smile of wicked intent back at him instead. He was going down and I’d be the one to put him there…

 He kissed my mom, turning on all smiles once more at Jamie before leaving me in my hellish wonderment. I pressed a hand over my palm as he exited the door. Damn, this wasn’t good. My mom walked over to me, Jamie in tow, as she wrapped her small skinny arms around my waist. Her head tilted against my shoulder and a breathy, longing sigh fell from her mouth. All her desperate sighs had me doing was tense up–to the point where I felt as though all the blood had drained completely my face. I dug my sharp nails into my palm, but held back my snarl of disapproval. My mom really needed to get over this need of having a man around – especially since she always picked the worst kinds.

“Emmy…things are about to change for us, for the better, sweetheart.” I glared at her awed face. The exact opposite built in my stomach. All these changes, whatever the hell they might be, were definitely not welcomed in my book.

 Like always though, fate was out of my hands and in response, all I could do was nod.

Deep inside though, I knew the truth about all the changes that everyone had been spouting off to me. And whether my mom knew it or not, she’d never been more wrong in her life.

The end…for now.

Teaser for When It’s Least Expected by Heather Van Fleet

Recommended for 16+ due to some language, underage drinking, and slight sexual content

Moving on after a tragedy can be impossible, especially when you’ve been dealing with those tragedies for over two years. But it’s her senior year, and Harley Anderson is more than ready to do just that, even though the skeletons in her closet can’t exactly be hidden.

Enter Mason Daniel, the egotistical, sexy, surfer boy from California. A boy with his own hidden demons, and an even bigger secret agenda. Mason isn’t right for Harley. He knows this better than anyone. He’s the epitome of a runner, a guy who takes what he can get, only to split a short while later. But he can’t deny the emotions that Harley brings out of him, so he’s going to break his rules for once.

He should have known what it would lead to…

Two kindred souls, both lost and then found. Will they fail in their search for contentment and happiness, or will they instead find true love when it’s least expected?

Chapter One

“Come on, David. You know you want to at least try to go! Pretty please, with a big, delicious cherry on top…for me?” Harley Anderson seriously thought she’d never live to see this day. This one, single day when she’d be down on her knees, arms outstretched in mock prayer, begging and pleading with her twin David to go with her to their high school’s first football game of the season.

“It’s not going to happen, Harley, so just lay the hell off for once, would you?” David barked, pushing past her. His jaw clenched in what was probably irritation, but Harley knew what was best for him. He
had
to go to that game. David was a sports fanatic, had been since the day their father first placed a football in his chubby, toddler hands. Harley knew, without a doubt, that he’d regret this day if he stayed at home to mope like the skilled loner he’d become.

Harley settled her arms over her chest, and threw herself onto the floor. Her eyes narrowed, her lips pursed in frustration, and she groaned. This
couldn’t
be happening! She turned her head to watch him wheel away, his anger becoming more evident when he whipped his shoes off and threw them against the closet door. Harley snorted and shook her head. Great… He was in
that
kind of mood today. Lucky for him, she knew just exactly what to do.

Now…if only he’d listen to her.

She picked at a lone hangnail, gathering the right words to say in her head. How did she convince him to go when she hated the sport herself? Seriously, if she wanted to watch a bunch of barbaric animals running up and down a field of grass, then she’d go to the prairie park two counties over! She never understood the appeal of throwing balls and jumping on top of each other anyways. Oh, and the sweat…just…ick! Don’t even get her started on the sweat or the smells that accompanied said sweat. She shivered at the thought, staring over at David’s pale profile.

“It’s the first game of the year, and you’ve gone since we were four, David!” Harley growled, pounding her fist into her lap. Her bright, brown eyes begged and pleaded with the boy who occupied the leading role of both her best friend and her brother. His answering scowl said it all. Um, yeah, apparently he wasn’t falling for her puppy eyes anymore.

She blew a breath from her mouth, rising off the hard wooden floor of his room. She’d never get him out of his funk. And like always, she failed as a sister. She had to get him to function again, had to get him out of the house at least. He’d plunged into a pit of worthless, self-pity. If he kept burrowing himself deeper into this despair, she’d never get him out. Who was she kidding though…pigs could fly, and cows could jump over the moon, but David would still be there…moping his life away.

Luckily, she loved a challenge.

“Would you just give me a break, Harley? I’m tired, like I just ran a marathon legless kind of tired.”

She giggled. No matter the mood, no matter the frustration that seemed to endlessly take hold of her insides, David always had a way of making
her
feel better. And that’s exactly why she had to push him. She knew that her brother still existed behind his shell, behind the mask he always covered himself with. She was determined to bring him back, even if it was the last thing she ever did in life.

Harley stretched her arms out in front of her and interlocked her fingers, regretting her five minutes of floor begging. She made her way towards the floor to ceiling mirror that hung on his wall next to his door. She twirled approaching her reflection. She cocked her head to the side practically staring holes through the material of the white, mid-length skirt, grinning inside at her appearance. It was feminine-like, floating around her bony knees like a butterfly’s wings. For once, she almost looked and felt like a girl, and not just a washed out string bean

“Besides,” David continued behind her, his voice low and hinting of sadness. She blinked, staring back at his reflection in the mirror behind her. His matching brown eyes seemed sad as his tone. Her chest tightened, her heart burned, but she refused to give up on him. He reached for the brake release on his chair, and scooted closer to her. “I’m really not in the mood to have pity eyes on me all night because of this damn chair.”

He stared down at his one, under-muscled leg, releasing that world famous, half-hearted David shrug that he almost always saved for when he lied. Harley knew that move all too well. She had one similar herself. In that one single moment, Harley came to the conclusion that her brother had to be either severely depressed or truly insane. It didn’t matter either way. It was time she ended his feel sorry for himself attitude once and for all.

Time to pull out the big guns now…

“Sure, big brother,” she bit her lip, praying he’d fall for it. She had nothing left to lose. “I’ll just go with Abigail then.” She sighed, letting her eyelashes bat heavily against her cheek.

She moved unhurriedly towards the bed, sitting on the edge with an extra bounce when she reached it. She slapped her hands against her lap, heaving out yet another sigh. “I mean, we
were
going to meet her there anyways, so I guess it’s not a big deal if she picks me up…”

She chanced another look at David, noting how his wide eyes had popped with the mention of her best friend. His lips twitched, his jaw clenched, and he all but rewarded her with his famous middle finger wave. Harley grinned menacingly in response. Oh yeah…she’d gotten to him. Finally.

Too bad for him, she wasn’t anywhere near done. Not by a long shot.

“You know, she’s been asking about you…” The statement hung in the air between them, and Harley held her breath. A button had finally been hit, and intrigue sparkled in his normally dulled eyes. She straightened her spine and waited for a response. She was officially one step away from an “I did it” fist pump. Now all he had to do was say yes…

Abigail, her best friend in the world, would
always
be the key when it came to David and his emotions. The two of them were
desperately
in love with each another, and had been since the age of six when David secretly stuck little balls of red play dough into Abigail’s ears. Abigail rewarded him back by dumping an entire container of grape Kool-Aid on his head.

Young love had never been so sweet…

Now, if only life had stayed that simple. “Crap, Harley,” he groaned.

Harley blinked, instantly knocked out of her daydream. She stared back at David. All traces of happiness had been wiped from her brother’s lips. In its place sat a frown that never seemed to cease.

Crap, he wasn’t going to comply.

“I just…” He paused, running a hand threw his long shaggy brown hair, “…can’t tonight. Tell her I’m sorry and that I said hey though, okay?”

And boom, he was back to square one, sounding even more defeated than before.

With her shoulders slouched for real this time, and doubt weighing heavily on her heart, Harley wanted to give up, but in order to keep her role as the family’s most argumentative member of the group, she had to try, at least once more.

David
had
to get out of that house! And Harley
had
to be the one to make him.

“Daaaaviiiiiid…” she droned, stomping her bare feet before she began to chase his retreating body out the door.

Damn he was fast in that chair.

“Come with me, God damn it, and start freaking living again!”

She cringed, slapping a hand over her mouth, instantly regretting the ridiculously mild swear word she’d just spouted off. She paused, her ears opened wide as she waited for the inevitable.

“Watch your language, Harley Ann!” Right on cue. Her mother had some seriously inhuman ears.

Harley shrugged, staring over at their mother’s office door. The verbal warning trumped the alternative of course. Money in the swear jar sucked, especially when the budget was limited.

“Sorry, Mom! Won’t happen again!” Harley rolled her eyes and grinned. David chuckled a few feet ahead of her before he turned towards the kitchen. Harley snarled at his back, almost forgetting her original intentions.

She reached the doorframe of the kitchen seconds later, gnawing on her lip, watching and waiting on bated breath when he struggled to stand on one leg. He stumbled at first; grabbing the countertop, before angling himself just right to reach for a cup alongside the sink. She gripped the side of her shirt, so she wouldn’t automatically reach out for him. He didn’t want help, a fact made known a while ago, but her instincts screamed at her to do something anyways.

He moved back to his chair to wheel towards the fridge and successfully poured himself a glass of milk. He downed it in one, slow gulp. Harley exhaled a slow, quiet breath. Yeah, her brother may have been one legged, but he wasn’t an invalid. She had to remember that.

She glanced at the clock on the wall. Six-fifteen…dammit! She’d run out of time. Guess she’d forego her annoying begging after all. It apparently wasn’t going to work anyways.

“Fine, whatever…don’t go then. But please, David, next time…?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll go… Next time.” He shrugged. She grinned. Hey, it was a start at least…

“Next time though, watch out because I am totally dragging your butt out of that wheel chair, and
making
you go!” She crossed her arms, and tapped her toe. She was the epitome of stubborn, and no snarky, big attitude jerk like her brother would stop her from getting her way.

“You know I love you, Harley, and I promise you I’ll get out of this funk soon.” Yeah right, sure he would. He leaned backwards onto his wheels, and his arms bulged around his t-shirt. The boy would lay anyone flat with muscles that huge. She didn’t call him on his lie in the end. Like she said, she’d done all she could, so what was the point of adding more drama to the mix?

An uncomfortable silence passed between them and Harley stared blankly over his shoulder out the kitchen window. She blinked a few times. The guilt of his accident ate away at her once again. She swallowed a lump in her throat, to keep her emotions in check, before refocusing on his face staring up at her.

Dammit…wasn’t this supposed to get easier? Wasn’t the guilt supposed to go away? Wasn’t the ache in her heart supposed to heal itself eventually? No matter what the therapist, her parents, or friends tried to convince her of, her brother sat in that stupid wheel chair because of her.

A change seemed to crawl over David’s face the longer she stared down at him. Despondency appeared in his dulled eyes. A sense of torment seemed to pull down the edges of his lips. He looked so defeated that Harley had to stifle the sob building deep in her throat.

With one hand gripping her neck and the other one covering her mouth, Harley watched her usually untouched by trouble , twin brother, rubbed the palms of his hands, silently across his upper thighs. His eyes were dry, lifeless, and no words, other than
lost and longing
, could describe how he appeared when he stared down at the empty spot where his left leg used to be.