Bad Decision: The Carter Brothers
Bad
Decision
By
Stella Andrews
Copyrighted Material
Copyright © Stella Andrews 2019
Stella Andrews has asserted her rights under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the Author of this work.
This book is a work of fiction and except in the case of historical fact, any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written permission of the author, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes only.
18+ This book is for Adults only. If you are easily shocked and not a fan of sexual content then move away now.
18+
Contents
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Books by Stella Andrews
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
Chapter Twenty-two
Chapter Twenty-three
Chapter Twenty-four
Chapter Twenty-five
Chapter Twenty-six
Chapter Twenty-seven
Chapter Twenty-eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
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Bad Decision was previously published as Made in London. Sometimes we all need a makeover and this one won the prize!
Books by Stella Andrews
In the order written
Starred Books = Reaper Romance
The Highest Bidder (Logan & Samantha)
Rocked (Jax & Emily)
Daddy’s Girls (Ryder & Ashton) *
Twisted (Sam & Kitty) *
The Billion Dollar baby (Tyler & Sydney) *
Bodyguard (Jet & Lucy) *
Bad Decision (Max & Summer)
Flash (Flash & Jennifer) *
Country Girl (Tyson & Sunny) *
Breaking Beauty (Sebastian & Angel) *
Dark, dangerous and desirable.
Summer
When I came to London, It wasn't to find him.
A man who shrugged on a life of crime like a well-worn jacket.
A man who made my principles desert me in a heartbeat.
A man who invokes fear, desperation and longing with just one flash of his deadly eyes.
A protector, a destroyer and a man with no mercy.
The one man I want and can't have.
My Stepbrother.
Max
They say you always want what you can't have.
That's never applied to me.... until now.
One taste is all I want but it will never be enough.
Warned off and threatened with my life and if I had any sense I'd back off - but I can't.
You know what?
I don't follow rules, I break them.
And I'm going to break them over and over again when I claim her soul to burn in Hell alongside mine.
This is a forbidden, dangerous and catastrophic love and I'm about to start a war.
1
Summer
The pain is like a serrated knife tearing my heart out, leaving a jagged edge that catches on the tiniest memory, reminding me I’ll never be the same again.
I never knew grief could do this to a person. My world has shattered and left me in a place I never wanted to visit. I can’t even cry anymore because the tears dried up weeks ago, leaving a gaping hole where my heart used to be.
Sighing, I look around the home I used to be happy in. The memories crowd around me and remind me of a time when only good things happened. Fate is a cruel bitch when she hits. You don’t expect it and nothing prepares you for the pain she inflicts.
Squeezing my eyes tightly shut, I see them all around me. Mom, dad and Casey. Their smiles and laughter light up the very air I breathe and for a moment everything seems normal. Then I open my eyes and the images are gone. All that’s left is the empty rooms that were packed up weeks ago and the still air of a house with no life left inside.
“All done, Miss Jefferson. You can leave the keys with the Realtor who’ll be along in a minute.”
The words cut through the air like a knife and I grip the keys in my hand a little tighter. They are the last link I have to my past and one I’m loathed to surrender.
The man looks at me with concern. “Are you ok, honey?”
Trying bravely to muster any humanity left inside me, I say softly, “Not really, but I’m going to have to be.”
He looks at me sympathetically. “I’m sorry, I won’t tell you things will get better because it’s something you won’t believe right about now. All you can do is turn the key and take the memories with you. I’ve seen many people leave homes that mean the world to them. Some leave with excitement and others with pain. Just hold on to the fact you are young and have the whole of your life ahead of you.”
I turn away before the bitterness shows on my face. Yes, I have the whole of my life ahead of me minus three very important people - my family.
Killed in a car accident just three months ago.
I was at work when I was called into my manager’s office where the cops were waiting. I will never forget the looks on their faces. Awkward, worried and extremely grave. The moment I saw those faces my life changed forever. I changed forever and now forever is a long and lonely road to travel on my own.
The man leaves me to my final farewell and I hear him slam the doors of the truck containing all my worldly possessions that are heading to a storage yard somewhere out of town. The only thing left is the suitcase packed and stored inside the cab outside, waiting to take me to the airport.
As I walk through the empty rooms, I say a silent goodbye. We were happy here. I had an idyllic childhood with the people I loved who made me feel cherished every minute of the day. I see them now, smiling at me from their usual positions. Mom smiles as she leans against the kitchen counter and asks me how my day went. I move to the den and see my dad with his feet up on the couch, flicking the remote continuously while laughing at some joke he was sent on his phone.
As I climb the stairs, I see Casey whizzing down the rail and hear my mom scolding her from the kitchen. Casey just grins the impish smile of a child with no fear and more life in her little finger than most other children. Not anymore though. I will never forget seeing her cold, lifeless, body laid out beside those of my parents. In death, they looked serene which must be in direct contrast to the fear they must have felt when the truck hit.
I stayed with them for two nights when they came home for the last time. I never left their side and spent the hours remembering happier times and telling them everything would be ok. But it never will be. Life is not ok and I am not ok because something happened that has stabbed me in the heart all over again like a frenzied knife attack.
It was when I was going through the paperwork s
tored in my father’s desk. A routine task required to get my house in order. However, the birth certificate I found erased the past and made a mockery of everything I held dear. As it turned out, my father wasn’t the one I had loved all my life. Todd Jefferson wasn’t my father, that honor falls to a man called Joseph Carter and I lost my father all over again.
The plot thickened when I started to delve deeper into my past. Then one phone call was all it took to make the dots connect the circle. My mom’s sister, Aunt Kim, called from England and I confronted her. I will never forget what she told me which is why I am heading to stay with her. I may be an American by birth and citizenship but apparently, my creation was a different story. It appears that I was made in London and now it’s time to find the person responsible.
2
Summer
The British Airways jet touches down in an unfamiliar country. I spent most of the 12-hour flight staring at the screen in front of me and saw nothing. The couple beside me long since stopped trying to engage me in conversation. I have no time for small talk and pleasantries. What have I got to say, anyway? When you are wrapped in grief, it’s impossible to see any light. Normal life is an irritant that reminds you it goes on, despite the devastation death wreaks as it claims the souls of the people you hold closest to your heart.
I go through the motions and that’s all it takes to get me through the day. I follow the crowds to passport control and reclaim my bag before heading through customs.
Even from the temperature in the airport, I can tell it’s colder here and I shiver inside. The only thing I know about London is its cold, rains a lot and like most cities, has little time for strangers.
It takes me a while but then I see her waving madly, the tears streaming down her face as she calls, “Summer, over here.”
My uncle Jimmy follows the woman who looks so much like my mother it hurts to look at her. She reaches me and hugs me so tightly, I feel a sharp pain where my purse digs into my ribs. Then she sobs uncontrollably on my shoulder as she says in a broken voice, “I’m so sorry, Summer.”
My uncle Jimmy looks awkward and tries to smile but it’s one laced with worry. Aunt Kim continues to howl on my shoulder drawing some curious looks from the people waiting in the crowd. If I feel anything it’s embarrassment as she says loudly, “You poor baby, what a terrible thing to happen. I can’t believe it. My poor Meg, and little Casey. I can’t believe it.”
I do nothing but allow her to vent her feelings and long to get this awkward meeting over with. To his credit, my uncle just pats her on the back and says soothingly, “There, there, darlin’. Let it all out.”
Finally, she pulls back and sniffs. “Come on, love. Let’s get you home. I’m sure you’re gasping for a nice cup of tea and quite frankly I could use a nip of brandy in mine. I’m not gonna lie, I’ve been a mess since I heard the news. I wanted to fly straight out but the doctor said I wouldn’t get the medical cover to travel.”
Her words remind me that she’s suffering a battle of her own and I say softly, “How are you doing?”
She rolls her eyes and laughs dismissively. “Oh, you don’t want to hear my tales of woe. I’ve had the last chemo session, and the doc says things are looking good. I’m hoping my hair will grow back and everything will carry on as it did before.”
She looks at me anxiously, “I’m sorry, love. I didn’t mean to be insensitive. Of course, I know things will never be the same again. How can they now Meg’s gone?”
I watch the tears fall once again as the grief revisits her for a second wave. Uncle Jimmy pats her shoulder and I see the pain in his eyes and the worry lines framing them. Once again, I feel the anger growing inside. Fate’s a bitch, there’s no mistaking it. Dishing out pain and grief to ordinary people just trying to do their best at living an honest life. I feel nothing but anger now and emptiness as a result of fate’s games.
We head to the car park to begin the journey to their home. It doesn’t take long before we join the stream of traffic on the motorway as we start our journey. The obvious difference is we are driving on the other side of the road. The highway, or motorway as they call it, seems smaller and more congested. The rain hits the windshield and I see the dull landscape of a country just waking up for the day. There is no sunshine, just angry clouds which suits my mood perfectly. I don’t want the sun to shine and I don’t want the birds to sing. Nothing will ever give me joy again because it can’t get past the rock that’s lodged itself in my heart. I may be alive on the outside but I’m dead inside.
The drive takes no longer than an hour and I look with interest at the rows of houses lining a small street. It seems pleasant enough, if not a little crowded. The gardens of the houses look well maintained and the houses themselves seem small and cramped, unlike the wide-open spaces I’m used to. Streetlamps stand like proud soldiers as they line the route and we drive past little shops opening up for the day and spilling their wares on the sidewalks outside.
The car turns into a small driveway and comes to an immediate stop. The house that sits beside it is small from the outside but looks pleasant enough. There are flowers and shrubs in the small garden that droop under the heavy raindrops sitting on top of them. The air smells damp and laced with the scent of grass and something I can’t quite place.
I follow them to a front door that’s seen better days. The number 17 sits proudly on it and once again, I shiver as the temperature seeps into my bones.
Aunt Kim says cheerily, “Jimmy, get that door open, I’m freezing my ass off out here.”
He mumbles a curse under his breath as he fiddles with the key in the lock. As the door opens and we spill inside, I look around with interest. We are in a tiny hallway where some stairs dominate one half of it and a couple of doors show two rooms to the side. My Aunt bundles me into a small but light kitchen that feels much warmer than the air outside.
“Here you go, love. Take a seat and I’ll put the kettle on. I’m spitting feathers here and could do with some food as well.”
I watch as she busies herself making the tea, and she says lightly, “How about a bacon sandwich, love?”
Shrugging, I say politely, “That sounds lovely.”
I’m not even sure what that is, but she’s right, I’m feeling quite hungry so anything would be good.
As she works, she chats away and I try to listen and appear interested. However, there is only one question on my lips and it won’t stay silent. So, after a rare break in her conversation, I say bluntly, “Tell me about my father.”
The silence in the room speaks louder than words and I see my Aunt and uncle share a worried look. Just for a moment, my Aunt looks unsure and then she shakes her head and says sadly, “You know, your mum didn’t mean to keep him a secret. I know she wanted to tell you but your father, I mean, Todd, didn’t want you to know. He loved you like his own, Summer and it would have broken his heart if you had looked at him any differently.”
I swallow hard as I think of my kind, caring, amazing father and nod. “I can understand that.”
Kim smiles softly. “You know, I was so happy when Meg met Todd. He was over here on business and they met at a club in the west end. She was smitten with him from that very first date. He was just what she needed after…”
She shakes her head and looks worried. “Well, after what happened.”
I feel my world closing in on me as the questions spin around the room like a vortex. She sighs. “Meg was young and impressionable. She saw Joey and was dazzled by him. He was a real lad and excitement followed him. Megan was a good girl, Summer. A lot like you and yet she was drawn into that life by him like a moth to a flame. He promised excitement laced with a hint of crazy and coupled with his good looks and gift of the gab she was a goner.”
She sighs heavily. “Mum and Dad were at their wits end. They tried everything to make her see sense but Meg was stubborn. She didn’t listen and became obsessed with him. Then she discovered she was pregnant, and the shit hit the fan
.”
I look at her in surprise and she smiles apologetically, “Sorry, love. I didn’t mean to swear.”
She shakes her head. “Mum and Dad were so angry. I mean she was only 18 and didn’t even have a job at the time. They banned her from seeing Joey and he never tried to find out why. Then he got arrested, and that was the final straw. Megan grew up overnight and her priorities changed. You were the only thing that mattered and lady luck sent her the way out in the shape of Todd Jefferson. They fell in love almost immediately and even though he knew she was pregnant, it didn’t matter to him. You see, Summer, that was how great that man was. He was prepared to take on another man’s baby as his own because he loved your mother that much.”
I picture my father and smile softly. “Yes, he was special alright.”
Kim nods miserably. “I still can’t believe it. Why is fate so cruel? It takes the good and leaves the rotten apples to fester on this earth instead.”
Uncle Jimmy says sharply, “Leave it, Kim.”
I look at them in surprise and see the hard look he shoots her and the anger in hers as she says harshly, “I’m sorry, Jimmy, but Summer needs to know what sort of man her real father is. Todd Jefferson was worth a million Joey Carters and she would be wise to forget any plan she has of finding him. I won’t let him ruin this poor girl’s life, I owe it to Megs’ memory to protect her. We’re her family now, Jimmy and need to step up and do right by the poor girl.”
My uncle sighs and speaks for the first time. “That’s not our decision to make, Kim. Summer has every right to find her father and we need to help her. She’s an adult now and more than capable of forming her own conclusions.”
He looks across the table and smiles sadly. “I’m sorry, love. Your mum was one of the best and we’ll miss her terribly. Just hold on to the memories because whatever happens, know she loved you more than anything. We’ll support you every step of the way and be right here if you need us.”