Tainted Love (Book 1) (45 page)

I was glad Rachel invited me for lunch. Because of t
he breakup, we hadn’t had much Rae and me time. She’s been taking exceptional care of me. She basically bitch slapped me over the phone and I’m not one to call Rachel’s bluff.

I
’m unbelievably early though and somehow I feel like I’ve forgotten someth…money!
Crap
!

Searching my purse, I turn immediately to g
o back to the apartment, but my way is blocked by a man in black boots and black jeans. I trail my eyes up the rest of his clothing: black t-shirt, black leather jacket. My eyes stop at his lips and a terrifying chill creeps up my body.

A cunning,
predatory smile parts his lips, the same smile he had just before he raped me, just before I shot him.

It
’s Rick.

All color evaporates from my body and it goes cold with fear.

“You look even more beautiful up close,” he purrs, a sound that slithers through me causing me to shiver in repulsion. But another thought dawns on me: “up close”?
What the fuck
?

“
Yes, up close,” he says as though I had voiced my concern aloud. Had I? My brain has so checked out, I don’t know if I had spoken or not.

“
I’ve been watching you for years now,” he confesses as if people aren’t milling by us.

My eyes all but bug out of my head at his revelation.
Years?!

“
Yes, my sweet. I’ve been watching for too long, it’s time I step out from the sidelines, or in this case, the dark.” He takes a step toward me and twirls a lock of my hair between his fingers. I’m frozen.

“I have been watching that apartment of yours for the past week, wondering when you’d make an appearance. I almost lost patience waiting on you, but you delivered. And I must say that you look even more beautiful with dark hair. The dirty blonde look was never your natural color. I will take complete joy in
running my fingers through it.”

He inches even closer to me and runs his hand down my arm.
I am so revolted by this man; this man that I trusted with my secrets. This man who took said secrets and trapped me in an abusive relationship under the guise of love, breaking me in the process. This man who raped me, knowing my aversion to the act. This man who took everything that was innocent about me back then and twisted it into something dark, dismal and unlovable.

Why can someone not see that I am in danger?
City of brotherly love my ass
!

“It was you,” I say, remembering the person I saw that night I ran
from my apartment, away from Ben. “It was you.”

He chuckles, but he makes no attempt to corre
ct me if I’m wrong. It was him.

“And your friend, Dylan, will think twice before he ever tries to hurt you again.” I almost expire at his revelation. “Well, he won’t be thinking ever again.” He smiles as though he is proud of himself – which he probably is – and I feel myself go weak and woozy.
Oh my God!

I have to get away from this man, this monster!
Trepidation fills me and I move to run, but he halts me.

“
You’re going to get in the van, Delilah.” He jerks his head to the black, heavily tinted SUV dawdling at the curb, the same one I kept seeing these past few weeks. Had it been following me since I left the apartment?

“
You’re not going to cause a scene. If you so much as resist, I’ll shoot you and then I’ll find little Miss Rae and off her too.” He shifts his jacket revealing his revolver. “And if you think I won’t do it, try me.” He tugs me closer to him and he digs the gun into my side. “It has a silencer.”

Hot and cold fear runs through my body and
the light-headed feeling swarms me once more. I wish I would pass out, maybe then I could get some help. Before I can even put my plans in motion, Rick tucks the gun back inside his waist and scoops me in his arms. Thankfully, because I’m not sure I could have made the short walk to the SUV.

Rick plants a deep, revolting kiss on my lips and cheers and whistles break out around us.
Oh
now
they choose to pay attention
?

He whisks me into the SUV and it immediately starts moving when Rick shuts the door.

There is a privacy window up and I wonder if my screams would cause the driver to pull over and help me.

I highly doubt it.

“What are you going to do?” I ask shakily, my voice too soft.

“
Oh, she speaks!” Rick exclaims. “What am
I
going to do? Well…” He pulls me in closer and his next words pour over me like gasoline. “I’m going to finish what I started.”

The privacy screen starts to slowly roll down and my fear turns to shock as all my suspicions come crashing down on me.

“Oh, Delilah, have you met my friend…Ryan Baylor?”

Writing this novel took courage and lots of it. I ended up getting it from some of the most amazing people I have ever met. Without them this book would not have been released.

To those who read this novel in its infancy, when it was just thoughts thrown on paper, when it was called
Her Impassioned Plea
– Melissa, Angelique and Petagaye (my lifelong friends) – thank you. You ladies saw what this could be, but never in a million years did I think I could release this. You had so much faith even in my mediocre writing and I appreciate your support, love and critique.

To Elle, who forced my hand to make this my next release, thank you for believing in this story. Thank you for loving the characters and thank you for being annoying. Without your persistence, this novel would still be on the back burner.

To my beta readers Raj, Donna, Bobbie-Jo, Catherine, Wendy, and Bonnie, thank you guys for your interest. To Raj, Donna, and Wendy, your feedback is what made this story better. Thank you for your concern and your dedication to making my work better. I swear you guys helped write this novel. I can’t thank you guys enough for your critique, your correction and your ideas. Let’s see how it all turns out, huh?

To my kickass lad
ies and gentlemen of the Kastle, I can’t thank you enough for the distraction, entertainment, support and love. Thank you, to the Kween of the Kastle (and my lover), Kari for creating this group. You all have become my family and I can’t imagine that I went through 28 fricking years without knowing you guys. I love each and every one of you with an undying, unwavering love. Thank you all.

Nappi-boo, I can’t express how much I appreciate your friendship. Ladies and gentlemen, this woman is amazing and so very talented.
She’s not my PA but I would sell every last one of my granny panties to have her services. However, God has placed her in my life as a friend (and lover) and I will take her any way I can get her. Thank you for all your support, ideas and work, my love!

To my Goodreads family who have stuck with me, thank you. You guys have been my backbone and I appreciate every word of encouragement. Thank you guys for always checking in on me and for always having my back through this period of my life. You guys were there for me through every challenge and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Thank you!

To Angela and Eva, I stand amazed every day when I see how our friendship has turned out. You two are my family now…inextricably bonded by chocolate male chickens.

To my editor Charlie: you are my light. You illuminate my thoughts and allow me to see more clearly my very own story. Thank you for your faith in my writing. That has been the thing that has stood out to me since I’ve known you; the faith you have in my writing is unparalleled and I can’t thank you enough for that. It motivates and inspires me to keep writing…
you
motivate and inspire me to keep writing. Love you, Charlie boy!

To the other Charlie in my life: thank you for choosing me, thank you for caring and thank you for always being there when I had a crappy day…

Let me be there for you now.

Finally, and most importantly, thank you to the fans! Wish I could hug each and every one of you. Can I be cliché? You guys have been the wind beneath my damn wings throughout this whole journey! Thank you for purchasing and loving what I write. Thank you for telling others about me. Thank you for being fricking awesome!

Thank you to my KICKASS street team,
Geezy’s Sinful Saints
. You guys are beyond amazing!!!! Every day I stand amazed at how strong you ladies’ pimp hand is! I want you in my corner every day, and in the very same way, I will have your backs ALWAYS.

Thank you, Bri, for sharing your story with me. It was very heartbreaking, but inspiring. You have a story to tell my dear, and even if you never tell it, it deserves to be told. You are a survivor and I admire the heck outta you!

Each of you has something special to offer…don’t live this life and not show it to the world. I want to be able to cheer you on from my side of the world too.

This is a list of songs and how they appeared in the novel. Music is an important driving force behind my writing. I draw a significant amount of inspiration from music based on where my mind goes during the writing process. Music is my escape, so enjoy this musical journey!

Tainted Love
–
Karen Souza

Swagger Jagger –
Cher Lloyd

Sexy Bitch –
David Guetta feat. Akon

Ain’t Too Proud To Beg –
The Temptations

I’ll Be There –
The Four Tops

Where Did Our Love Go? –
The Supremes

Manic Monday –
The Bangles

I Get Knocked Down –
Chumbawumba

Is This Love? –
Bob Marley

No Ordinary Love –
Sade

Reason –
Hoobastank

Jumper –
Third Eye Blind

She’s Got Issues –
The Offspring

One Week –
Barenaked Ladies

I Can’t Make You Love Me –
Bonnie Raitt

The Hymn of the Child on Awakening – Liszt

Sacrifice –
Elton John

Luck Be a Lady –
Frank Sinatra

Dream a Little Dream of Me –
The Mamas and the Papas

Best I Ever Had –
Drake

Addiction –
Ryan Leslie feat. Fabolous

Promise –
Ciara

Speechless –
Beyoncé

Dance For You -
Beyoncé

Tainted Love - Book Two

Will Sullivan be found, or will she fall to the hands of the man she hates most? Will Ben ever discover that Sullivan is missing? Will he care? Will her secrets finally be revealed even as she faces death or worse…going back to the life she left with Rick? Find out in the highly anticipated sequel!

Luke & Lydia’s Story

Luke

My mom left my Dad and me when I was 15, saying that we were “holding her back”; around the same time my girlfriend of two years, Penny, moved away because her Mom got a promotion in San Francisco. She didn’t even tell me that shit. She knew I loved her more than life itself and she didn’t even tell me. Women are selfish bitches, and ever since I learned that lesson, I haven’t let any of them close enough to leave me again.

Moving to San Francisco with my best friend Collin was not just for job-related purposes. I wanted to see Penny again. All those years and I still missed her, still loved her. But what I found when I got here was women, women and more women. And God, do I love the women! God’s greatest creation since condoms and paternity tests. Am I right, guys?

Little did I know that I would also find THE woman. She’s crazy and, hell, is she beautiful! She’s my crazy fucking Amazon and if anyone tries to take her from me, it won’t be pretty. I’ve been hit over the head with a baseball bat called love and there’s no turning back. The guys are gonna have a damn field day with this shit. Fuck me.
Lydia

My
ex-fiancé is a rich, douchebag fag. No, really, he’s a fag. I caught him getting it real good by a buff dude in OUR bed. I couldn’t get the image burned out of my head fast enough as I high-tailed it out of there and into the arms of my best friends. The high life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be with all its secrets and lack of love. That’s what it was between James and I and I won’t do it anymore…not until I find someone worth of my heart and my…um, other intimate parts.

I’ve been celibate for the past two years and doing well in my quasi-virgin, man-hating existence, until…boom! I saw him and it was over. Love at first sight doesn’t happen to me, but shit if my heart isn’t caving to Luke Somerville. He’s the one. My destiny; and if I have to fight, maim and behead every bitch who thinks they have a right to him, then I will. Sluts, be warned.