Broken Read online

  “What?!” she screams.

  “Yep. I’m at the Bradstone. You wanna come and get drunk with me?” Please say yes.

  “That sounds like a plan. I’ll be there soon, text me the room number.”

  “Doing it now. See you soon.” I hang up.

  Thirty minutes later, Abby is standing at my door with a bottle of bourbon in one hand, and a bottle of Coke in the other. “I could have called down,” I tell her as she enters the room.

  She always looks so damn good. I’m feeling frumpy in comparison. Her long blonde hair and long legs remind me of Stef. Personality-wise, they’re also very similar. It’s the reason why I love them both so much.

  She throws her bag beside mine on the sofa and turns to face me, her bright green eyes mischievous. “So, how

  drunk are we going to get?”

  “Paraplegic. Well, I can, after I talk to Logan.” I take a seat at the dining table beside the wet bar.

  Abby is grabbing glasses and ice. “I take it you don’t want him knowing anything is wrong until he gets back from NY?”

  I shake my head in return. “He has that family thing with Celeste. He’s already on edge. I’ll tell him the minute he lands.”

  She has the bourbon poured and is now adding the Coke. “Fair enough. Although, I think you should tell him. He’s going to be pissed when you do if you leave it too long.” She hands me a glass and drops down in the seat opposite me.

  While she gets comfortable, I take a long sip and place the glass back down on the table. “I know.”

  “So, what happened?”

  Here we go. “Logan saw my dad at the airport and confronted him about him being a shit father. It was going to happen. I just didn’t think today would be that day. Anyway, he sent me a text apologizing for having a go at dad. I had no idea of the details, but I knew it was going to be bad, so I packed up as much as I could fit in the back of the Escalade, I raced to the ATM, pulled out five grand, and went back to the house.” I take another sip.

  “Would he honestly cut you off?” she asks, her mouth agape. Abby doesn’t know my father because he’s never around, so she doesn’t know what to expect.

  “Yep. I know it. I managed to pay for the hotel room on the card and filled the Escalade with gas, but it'll be canceled by now.”

  “Shit. Are you okay? What are you going to do?”

  Just as I go to answer her, my phone beeps. “Hang on,” I tell her as I stand and pick my phone up off the bed.

  Logan: Stef’s birthday is tomorrow, and the family thing with mom, is the day after. I’ve decided to come home on Tuesday. Lucas is staying behind, but I’ll be back in the afternoon. I miss you too fucking much already. I love you.

  Me: You don’t have to do that, babe.

  Logan: Yes, I do. It’s for me more than you, so get over it.

  Me: Love you, too.

  “Oh, I know that look. Logan said something sweet and sexy,” Abby mocks.

  I lower myself back down in my seat. “He’ll be home Tuesday.”

  She rolls her eyes. “You two make me sick.”

  “Jealous?”

  She rolls them again. “Yep.” Then she takes a long sip from her glass.

  A moment later, my drink needs refreshing. “I still think you and Lucas should get together. And when I say together, I mean more than just screwing each other.” Those two have sex, a lot. But neither of them will admit they’d be amazing together because they would. Lucas thinks she’ll be there waiting for him, waiting for him to finish sewing his wild oats, but that door is closing, slowly. Each time she sees him with another skank, her tolerance for him lowers, further and further. I'd hate to have them at each other’s throats because I’d be stuck in the middle. Somewhere I wouldn’t be comfortable being, because I love them both so much.

  Just as I’m feeling the effects of the bourbon take hold of my body, I decide to call Logan. I want him to be able to understand me. Apparently, I mumble when I’m drunk. So I pull up his contact info on the screen of my phone and put it on speaker. “Hey, babe,” he sounds a little upbeat. He must be drinking with his siblings.

  “Hey, sexy,” I blurt.

  “Are you drunk?” he chuckles.

  “Not my fault. Abby made me do it.”

  “Don’t listen to her Logan. I’m the semi-sober one. She’s the one that's pissed,” Abby calls.

  “Nuh-uh. She brought it with her. She made me get drunk. Anyway, I wanted to talk to you before she made me get too wasted.” He laughs at me. “I miss that damn laugh,” I tell him.

  “I miss you.”

  “Miss you, too. Anyway, I’m not going to get soppy,” I can’t. I’ll start crying, and I know I won’t stop until he’s back here with me.

  “Okay then, but you need to tell me what happened when your father arrived back at the house after my little confrontation with him.” Logan’s now in serious mode.

  “The usual, babe. ‘I told you to stay away from him. Go near him again, and I’ll cut you off.’ I swore at him a few times, I told him he was a shit dad, and hopped in my car and left. That’s why I’m with Abby.” I’m cringing. I hate half lying to him, and the look on Abby’s face tells me she wants me to open up and give him the truth. I can’t do that, not while his family is finally mending.

  I shake my head at her because I know she’s drunk enough to yell something out.

  “You’re sure you’re okay?” Logan presses.

  “I’m fine. Well, I will be in three days, at least. Thank you for coming earlier. I’m sorry you feel you have to.” I want him with me now, but that wouldn’t be fair to him. I can’t live my life relying on him.

  “I’d come now if you wouldn’t give me hell about it.”

  “I know, but I would give you hell. You need to be with Stef. Marshall is away,” Stef’s live-in boyfriend, “I don’t want her to be alone on her birthday.”

  “You’re right. I know you are, but it’s hard, baby.”

  Abby frowns and gives me her sad face. “Trust me, I know. Now, go and be with her. I have Abby. I’m not on my own.”

  “Thank you, Abby,” he calls out.

  “Not a problem. I love the bitch,” she laughs.

  “How could you not,” he tells her, and I roll my eyes. “Stop rolling your eyes, Hayley,” he adds.

  “Man, he knows you too well,” she laughs.

  “Okay you pair, say goodnight,” I tell them. When they do, I take him off the speaker and put the phone to my ear. “I love you,” I sigh as I fight back the tears.

  “Love you, too. Three days, babe. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

  “Okay. Bye,” I whisper. I’m not doing as well as I had hoped. I miss him, and with the added bullshit from my father, I just need him here with me. I need him in my bed, with his protective arms wrapped around me.

  “Bye, baby,” and we hang up.

  Chapter Four

  Logan

  On the night of Stef’s birthday dinner, our father stood at the table during dessert and asked for our attention. “I had a call from your mother and her treating doctor. They have decided not to go through with the family counseling session we had booked for tomorrow. It seems that your mother is rather embarrassed about her actions, and I honestly don’t think she’s ready to receive the backlash I know you will give her over her treatment of Hayley.” He looks at me. “I wouldn’t blame you if you went all out on her, I would defend you, and she knows it. None of us are quite ready to forgive her, so I think it’s wise that we leave the meeting be, for now. I'll be going to meet with her, but I’m her husband, and I want to start taking steps to repair our marriage.”

  I don’t want to sound like a dick, but I’m more than relieved. I’m definitely not ready to face her. I need some more time to get used to her being gone so she can get help, and I need to let go of the resentment I hold towards her for how she’s treated Hayley over the last few months.

  As soon as dinner is over, Stef pulls me into her bedro
om, closing the door behind her.

  Curious, I take a seat on the edge of her bed, and she drops down beside me. “What’s up, sis?” I ask and when she turns to face me, I can see that she’s nervous.

  “Okay, now that the whole thing with Celeste has been canceled, I want you to go home,” she says, barely louder than a whisper.

  “Why?” Now, I’m on edge.

  She takes my hand in hers. “I’m about to be the shittiest friend there ever was, but I need you to swear you me you will keep what I tell you to yourself. You cannot tell Hayley anything I say, agreed?” she is so fucking serious that my stomach begins to churn, but I agree anyway. “You need to go home because there is a lot more going on than you’re being told. She wanted you to stay for Celeste, and me, but since that’s canceled, you need to go to her.”

  Immediately, I stand, dropping her hand. “What happened? What didn’t she tell me?”

  Stef shakes her head. “That, I can’t tell you because I need her to be able to trust me. Please don’t fuck around with a normal flight, get the red-eye, and call her. Don’t bother going to her house. But that’s all you’re getting from me.”

  Shit. “I’m going. Can you arrange the flight while I get the driver to take me to the airport?” I need to leave, now! I'm not mad at Stef, she'd made a promise, and Hayley needs to know that she can trust her.

  “Get going.” She also stands.

  Reaching out, I take her in my arms. “Thank you.” I kiss her cheek and head for the door.

  Once my bag is packed, I race to the front door. “Where are you going?” Lucas and dad ask in unison.

  My hand is already on the door handle. “Stef will fill you in. I have to go.” Lucas and father nod, they know I wouldn’t leave like this if it wasn’t important.

  I WAS AT THE AIRPORT and on the red-eye within the hour. The whole flight, I was twitching, and a nervous wreck. In the end, I had to tell the stewardesses what was going on because they were looking at me like I was a terrorist.

  As soon as I’d explained the situation, they relaxed and told me that I was a great boyfriend. What a load of shit, if I were a great boyfriend, I would never have left her the way I did after attacking her cheating, asshole father.

  Hayley

  I spent most of the day in bed feeling sorry for myself and missing Logan like crazy. But by ten-thirty that night, I decided to get up and have a shower. I was hoping it would help me calm down, but it didn’t. It just cemented that the love of my life was on the other side of the country and that my father hated me. Stupid shower, stupid brain. I can’t switch it off.

  While I'm seated on the edge of the bed in my bathrobe, brushing my hair, my phone begins to ring.

  My heart aches when I see that Logan's calling. “Hey, you’re-” he cuts me off.

  “Where are you, baby?” he sounds panicked.

  “Why?”

  “I’m home. I went past your house, and the Escalade wasn’t there. Are you okay?” he’s freaking out.

  I let the breath I was holding go. “I’m at the Bradstone.”

  “What?”

  “I’ll text you the room number.”

  “I’ll be there soon.”

  “Okay,” I whisper. I’m not ready to get into this. I’ve cried most of the day. I’m just not ready.

  “Hey,” his voice has softened.

  “Yeah?”

  “I love you.”

  “I love you, too.”

  “Text the room number, Princess. I’ll be there as soon as possible.”

  “Okay.” I hang up and proceed to send him the information.

  Logan

  Stef told me not to tell her I knew she wouldn’t be home, so I had to lie. I was in my car at the airport when I’d called. She sent the text to me, and I drove faster than ever before. I needed to be with the other half of me.

  Hayley

  While I'm sitting on the bed crying, I hear a knock on the door. With the sleeves of the dressing gown, I wipe away my tears as I move to the door.

  The second I see him, I know he’s raced to get here, his arms immediately envelop me, and he kicks the door closed behind him. “What happened?” he whispers, as he bends and picks me up, carrying me over to the bed.

  Once we’re lying face to face, I start talking. “Dad kicked me out.”

  His hand reaches up, and he brushes my still wet hair out of my face. “Why, why, didn’t you tell me?”

  “Because you would have come home.”

  “Of course, I would have come home. Have you spoken to your mom?”

  LOGAN

  The fucker did what I’d suspected he'd do. “No, I haven’t talked to her yet. The minute I received your message about seeing him at the airport, I raced around packing the car. I went to the bank pulled what I could, and just as I’d arrived back at the house, he drove in, and immediately, he started yelling at me. He tried to take the Escalade, but unfortunately for him, I paid for it, so he couldn’t.”

  As soon as she’s asleep, I’ll be doing a little planning with Lucas. I know she won’t take my money, and I also know she would rather drop out of school than have my father pay for it.

  Luckily, Lucas, without my knowledge, took a few photos of Henry and the little mistress that was hanging off him. I might just have to use the photos Lucas took, without my knowledge of Henry and his mistress to bribe him into paying his daughter's college tuition.

  Hayley can’t know about it or be in on it, she wouldn’t agree to blackmail and extortion, but they work well when you need them to.

  Leaning in, I kiss her.

  “Tomorrow, we move you into my house. You’re not staying here. Okay?” Reluctantly, she nods. “Hey, you aren’t a burden. You aren’t going to be in the way. I want you there. Hell, I spoke to Lucas and told him I’d be moving you in, and he was pumped. Baby, please come and stay with me and be okay with it.” I kiss her again.

  “Okay. I will.” She then takes a breath and comes closer, her body pressing against mine.

  HAYLEY

  The next morning, after our very long shower, we packed up my belongings, and I followed Logan back to his house in my Escalade. It was an odd feeling, knowing I wasn’t going to go back to my home, but at the same time, I was excited. I was going to be living with the man that said he wanted to marry me.

  The moment we'd pulled into the estate and parked the vehicles, I see Logan jump out of his car, and he comes over to the driver’s side door and opens it for me. “Welcome home, baby.” He’s beaming, and it’s infectious.

  My smile matches his as his hands grab at mine, and he tugs me out of the car. “Babe,” I chuckle, “I need my purse.”

  He lets go and swiftly moves to the trunk and opens it. “I’m proud, you look like you managed to cram your whole room in here,” he says as he begins unloading the trunk.

  With my handbag secure, I move around the car and come up beside him. “I was in a panic. I just grabbed whatever I could.” I lean in and grab my father’s football trophy.

  “Isn’t that his pride and joy?” he gives me a half-smile.

  My face is beginning to ache. “It sure is. I’m surprised he hasn’t called yet. I didn’t have a plan when I took it. I just wanted to piss him off. I'll either smash it, or we will come to a compromise.” I shrug.

  Logan drops my bag he'd pulled out of the trunk, on the ground, and throws his arms around me, lifting me off the ground. “I thought I was proud a minute ago, but it doesn’t compare to this.” He lowers me until my feet are firmly planted on the ground, and his lips press to mine.

  “Fuck unpacking, take me to bed,” I beg of him.

  Again, he lifts me, my legs wrap around him, and he starts for the front door. We don’t make it to the bedroom. We only get as far as the sofa in the living room.

  Logan lowers us down, and a moment later, Logan’s pulling my jeans off. The second he drops his own, he lay’s back down on top of me. I know he wants to take his time, but I don’t.
“Just fuck me,” I breathe, and when our eyes meet, I see that his smile is devious. He doesn’t bother ripping off my panties he just moves them to the side and thrusts inside me. “Fuck yes,” I cry. That’s exactly what I wanted.

  He moves fast, hard, and deep, and it’s fucking amazing. When we’ve finished screaming each other’s names, he collapses against me. “Holy crap, I love you,” he pants.

  “Love you too, babe.” My arms are still around him. “Should we finish unpacking?” I ask, breathless.

  “In a minute,” he chuckles.

  “I was going to go down to the gym, but that was a workout.” He shifts his head and kisses me.

  “Nope, we both need to hit the gym, and I need to do some laps. I haven’t been in the pool in days. Coach always knows when I’ve slacked off.” I kiss him back.

  AS SOON AS THE CAR is unpacked and Logan has made room in his closet for my belongings, he lifts me in his arms. “I fucking love that you’re living with me.”

  My eyes are locked on his. “Really? Are you really, happy that I’m here, and that you don’t have a place to go to when I give you the shits?”

  He lets go of a laugh. “Yes, I love that you're here. I love that I'll wake up with you every single morning. If I get pissed off, which won't be at you, I’ll hit the gym. Rarely do you upset me. The only time you do is when you try to put everyone before yourself. You deserve attention, too. I need you to know that. I need you to know you shouldn’t feel as if you’re a burden. If you were, do you think my dad would have offered for you to move in without my knowledge?”

  I smile at his logic. “I guess not. Come on, let’s get changed and hit the gym before we both lose our scholarships.”

  Logan

  She’s even sexy when she’s all sweaty, and lifting weights. I skipped the pool, but I continued to work out in the gym. When Hayley comes back, wearing nothing but a tiny, black bikini, I pull her into the shower and worship every inch of her glorious body.

  With our bathrobes secure, Hayley lays down on the bed, and I snuggle up beside her. “We’re never going to get anything accomplished,” she chuckles.