Breaking Beauty: A Second Chance Romance Read online

  Standing under a tree to the side of the house, I wait for Martha and as I hear her footsteps approaching, I almost cry with relief. I just need my cell to call the cab and then I can go to a safe place to consider my options.

  However, the person that comes into view makes my heart plummet like a lead weight. The shivers that wrack my body are no longer from the cold and the water on my eyes is not from the rain because, holding my purse and looking so incredibly angry is the one person I never wanted to see again, Sebastian Stone.

  I hear the screams in my mind as I face my biggest fear. He prowls toward me like the predator he is and I can almost taste his anger in the air. He stops a few feet from me and holds out my purse, “Yours I believe.”

  His voice is deep and husky as it always was. That voice used to send desire straight to my core because it’s the sound of power and of a man who demands respect. However, any respect I ever had for him was destroyed that day, so I step forward and snatch my purse from his hands and turn to walk away.

  A hand on my arm stops me in my tracks and as I stumble, that same arm pulls me into a hard body and strong arms lock me in a prison I know I will struggle to free myself from. He leans down and his whisper sends shivers through my body as he says softly, “Going somewhere?”

  Just for a moment my defenses are weakened and any smart retort I have been rehearsing for five years is forgotten in a heartbeat as the familiar feeling of being in his arms melts my heart and renders me an idiot. Then the memories resurface along with my anger and I push him sharply away, hissing, “Don’t touch me.”

  The look on his face almost makes me laugh out loud because I’ve learned a lot in the past five years and my strength is one of them. He stumbles back under the force of my shove and I face him with my eyes flashing. “I’m sorry, do I know you?”

  He nods and I see a weariness in his eyes that tells me everything I want to know. He’s unhappy. Well, that makes two of us, so I start to walk away hoping that he takes the hint and stays put. However, he never could take a hint and I hear his footsteps follow me and he says in a dull voice, “You owe me an explanation at least. Is that too much to ask?”

  Stopping suddenly, I spin around and look at him in disbelief. “I owe you nothing. You know, maybe once we were friends. Maybe once I would have owed you something but not now. You see, the day you turned your back on me and proposed to my sister, I think that pretty much canceled out any debt I ever owed you. In fact, come to think of it, you probably owe me, so fuck off, Sebastian and run back to the whore you call your fiancée and I hope you’ll both be very miserable because you deserve each other. Now if you don’t mind, I am a busy woman and only came to check that the bastard who called himself my father is actually dead and buried. Now I can go back to my family and live a happy life without any of you in it.”

  I turn away before my voice reveals how close I am to breaking and he says, “Family?”

  Just one word and yet I hear the many questions loaded in it. His sounds lost and slightly vulnerable which hurts me way more than it should. Not trusting myself to speak, I carry on walking and as I hear his footsteps walking in the other direction, I feel the tears running down my cheeks in rivers.

  I make it out of the gate and onto the road outside where I intend on calling a cab before a car slows down beside me and the window winds down and I hear a voice shout, “Get in.”

  I carry on walking and completely ignore him because Sebastian is obviously not taking no for an answer. As I walk, he crawls beside me and just knowing he is so close makes breathing difficult. After a few minutes, I stop suddenly and shout, “Just fuck off and leave me alone! I don’t want anything from you.”

  “Listen, I’m going nowhere so you may as well jump in. This will be over a lot quicker if you just let me take you where you’re heading and then I promise I’ll leave you in peace.”

  Maybe it’s because I’m cold and my feet are starting to hurt that I give in so quickly and say angrily, “Fine, but you can take me straight to the cab office in town. I don’t want to spend a minute more with you than I need to.”

  I don’t miss the triumphant gleam in his eye as I climb inside the passenger seat and edge as close to the door as possible. Being in such close proximity to the man I ran from is the hardest thing I have ever done, so I stare pointedly away from him and clutch my purse to my chest as if it’s a shield that will protect me from him.

  I don’t miss that he turns the heater on high and feel grateful for the warm jets of air that caress my body breathing new life into it.

  I try to focus on the speeding landscape outside as he says softly, “We need to talk—properly.”

  “I have nothing to say.”

  “Maybe not but I do.”

  Shrugging, I say dully, “I don’t want to hear it.”

  As the car eats up the distance, I try to focus on anything other than the situation I’m in and can’t believe that I’m here at all. Then, just when I think he’s given up and is actually going to leave me alone, he pulls the car to the kerb sharply and locks the doors.

  6

  Frantically, I try to unlock the door but the bastard obviously has total control of them because he says firmly, “I’ve waited five years to say what I want to say and you will listen.”

  “I will listen, how dare you. I won’t listen to a word you speak from that lying mouth of yours because I know everything I need to already. Did you not agree to marry my sister?”

  He nods but I see the fire in his eyes as he snaps, “I had to.”

  “Had to!” I laugh bitterly. “Well honey, had to doesn’t cut it. You know, maybe once I would have believed your lies. Maybe once I could have forgiven you for them and maybe once I would have been happy to be locked in this car with you but not now.”

  “And why is that?”

  “Because I’ve moved on. You see, Sebastian, once upon a time this little princess thought you were her Prince Charming. She believed you when you crawled into her bed at night and spoke about a life filled with happy ever afters. She was impressed by the man who warmed her heart during the darkest storm and she would have believed anything you said. However, this fairy tale didn’t have a happy ending. The wicked king put paid to that and altered everything. I mean, where does it say in the fairy tales that the Prince marries the ugly sister because I must have missed that one? So, whatever you have to say doesn’t matter anymore. I have a new life and a new family. People who love me and a place to call home. So, be a good boy and drop me where I want to go because I don’t want to hear it.”

  “Where do you want to go, I’ll take you there?”

  I feel surprised that he’s already given up trying and a little disappointed as I say roughly, “I told you, the cab office in town.”

  “No, I’ll take you home to your—family.”

  I see his eyes flash and realize he’s testing me and I feel the irritation prickling inside as I snap, “If I told you where I lived, I’d have to kill you.”

  He smirks and I say angrily, “I could kill you, Sebastian, in fact, I’m close to it now.”

  He is almost laughing as he shakes his head. “And how would you do that I wonder? Is there a samurai sword in your purse, or a gun perhaps? Hmm, maybe not because that purse looks fit for a handkerchief and nothing more. Maybe you will karate chop me into oblivion or bore me to death because if I remember rightly, you couldn’t even punch yourself out of a paper bag.”

  Just for a moment, I let his words sink in and he turns on the ignition and drawls, “So, come on, Angelica, why don’t you take me home to meet your new perfect family?”

  I want to smash his head against the window and remove that smirk from his mouth with my fists. I want to head butt him into the afterlife and cut off his balls but instead, I preserve my dignity and say calmly, “The cab office will be fine, thank you.”

  It surprises me when he nods and pulls away from the kerb in the direction of the town. No words are spoken as
the car eats up the distance and he even flicks on the music to disguise the awkward silence. I try to relax feeling astonished that it was so easy. Then as he pulls into the parking space outside the cab office, I am more surprised that he doesn’t stop me from leaving the car.

  As I slam the door on the past, I’m not sure of the future. He gave up on me—again. It’s what I wanted, wasn’t it? As I walk into the cab office, I tell myself I’m glad he did, however, the only person I’m fooling is myself because suddenly it feels as if I’ve lost him all over again and it hurts like hell.

  It doesn’t take long to book a cab and start the journey to my temporary home. As I reel off the address, the driver looks surprised. “Are you sure, honey?”

  “Of course, I’m sure.”

  He hesitates and then says with a curiosity I’m used to hearing, “It doesn’t feel right taking a young girl like you there.”

  “Maybe not but it’s where I want to go. Why is that so difficult?”

  He falls silent and I know he’s concerned. Like most of our safe houses they are protected by tales of terror that keep everyone away. However, as I sink back in my seat, I can’t wait to get there. To get to a place where I feel safe and secure. A place that will allow me space to breathe and work out my next move. I need this time because I can’t leave before hearing my daddy’s will and I’ll need the following days to build up a strength that has been tested so severely today.

  As we turn off the main highway down the dusty track, I feel comforted by the bumps over the rough terrain. The trees that line the route offer seclusion and a distance from a civilization that would never understand the life I now live.

  The driver interrupts my thoughts and says in a worried voice, “I’m sorry, honey but you should know the same car has followed us the whole way.”

  “And you’re just telling me that now?”

  I feel angry because there are no prizes for guessing whose car that is and I say angrily, “I wish you had told me and we could have shaken him. Now he knows where I live and everything’s ruined.”

  The driver shakes his head. “Then whoever’s driving is a fool.”

  “You’re right about that.”

  Once again, the tears threaten to reveal how fragile I am and I feel the despair overwhelming me. He can’t come here; I need to be alone. The trouble is, he knows where I’m going now because this road leads to only one place. Hell.

  7

  We draw up outside a wooden cabin in the heart of the forest where the track runs out. The car behind me comes to a halt behind us but I don’t care anymore. He can deal with the consequences of following me by himself because he won’t like what he finds.

  The driver waves away the dollars in my hand and says fearfully, “On the house.”

  Placing it carefully on the seat beside me, I say gently, “Thank you, this is your tip.”

  He makes to speak and I smile reassuringly. “Please - it will make me happy.”

  He nods and I can tell he wants to leave as quickly as possible and I can see why because parked outside the cabin is a beast on two wheels. To everyone else the emblem on the side promises pain and retribution. It’s unforgiving and takes no shit just like the man who rides it. I’m surprised at who they sent but not unhappy about it. How can I be because he is just the man I want to see right now and I scramble out of the cab desperate to run into the comfort his arms provide.

  The cab doesn’t wait to find out and squeals off down the track and I turn to see Sebastian leaning against his hood watching me with cold, calculating eyes. Before I can even warn him to leave, the cabin door flies open and I almost weep with relief. “Who the fuck is that, Angel?”

  I watch as the blood drains from Sebastian’s face as he sees the beast before him. Filling up the doorway is the man who sits on the right hand of Satan himself. His cold, deadly eyes, pierce through the darkness and the light from the cabin reveals the monster within. His head is shaven and a huge tattoo of a cobra wraps around his arm to his neck, drawing attention to the huge biceps they decorate. This man takes no shit and could kill us both within seconds and I have never been so pleased to see him in my life.

  He prowls down the steps menacingly and stares at Sebastian with the cold hard look of a killer before saying roughly, “You have two seconds to get back in your car and leave. Nobody comes here but the invited and you are not one of them, so leave while you still can.”

  I hold my breath as Sebastian stares at him with an angry expression and I see the fire in his eyes weighing up the situation. Then his better judgment kicks in and without a word gets back into his car and leaves without a backward glance.

  As his taillights disappear down the track, I turn to the man who scared him off and run into his arms, sobbing with relief. As those arms of steel wrap around me, I feel everything slot back into place. I’m home.

  By the time we get inside, I’ve composed myself and feel a little foolish. Snake turns to me and I see the concern in his eyes as he nods toward the couch. “Sit.”

  My legs fold under me as I sink into the comfort of the couch and it sags as he sits beside me and places his arm around my shoulders, pulling me into his side where I have sat a thousand times before.

  “It’s good to see you, Snake.”

  “You too, darlin’. How did it go?”

  “As expected.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” I hear the impatience in his voice and laugh softly. “You always were impatient, Snake.”

  He laughs. “That guy outside, is that him?”

  “Yes.” My heart plummets as I think about Sebastian and Snake growls, “I should have fucking wasted him - prick.”

  “He’s not worth it.”

  Spinning around, I raise my eyes. “I’m surprised they sent you, things must be quiet back home.”

  “I suppose they are but I would have come, anyway.”

  “Why?”

  “Because we care about you, darlin’. You wouldn’t let anyone come and we know how hard this is for you. Ryder wanted me to check you’re ok and bring your stuff.”

  He nods toward the pile of cases in the corner.

  “You got those on your bike?”

  Laughing, he shakes his head. “No, I brought the truck. It’s parked out back and I loaded my bike on board. You need a car, so you can keep that.”

  “Great, that’ll go down well when I rock up to the house on Monday in a pickup. My mom will have a seizure.”

  “It’s a win win then.”

  We grin at each other and I lean back and stretch out. “How’s Bonnie?”

  I watch as Snake’s expression softens at the mention of his old lady and he smiles sweetly. “Studying. She’s got her final exams next week and my life is hell.”

  “I doubt that.”

  He laughs as I shove him hard. “Just because she’s paying you no attention you’re pissed. You guys are all the same. You think the whole world revolves you but newsflash, it doesn’t.”

  “You sound like Bonnie.”

  “I’ve lived with her long enough, it must have rubbed off.”

  He settles back beside me and says gently, “So, what did you learn?”

  His words bring back the horror of my day and I say sadly, “That my old ghosts weren’t buried with my father. I saw my mom and felt nothing. Does that make me a bad person?”

  “No.”

  “My sister too; I hate the evil bitch and I feel as if I let myself down when I spoke to her.”

  “How?”

  “Because there was so much I wanted to say and yet I resorted to childish digs. You know, Snake, I wanted to walk in there and prove I was some sophisticated lady who no longer cared what happened in the past. I had images of myself tossing my hair back and being quick witted and cool. I wanted them to see that they hadn’t broken me and none of it mattered anymore.”

  “But it does.”

  The tears almost blind me as I nod. “Yes, it matters a lot.”

>   “What about the guy, how did you feel when you saw him?”

  The pain hits me once again and my voice shakes. “The same.”

  He pulls me against him and rubs my shoulder. “I’m sorry, darlin’, what you gonna do about it?”

  “I don’t know.” I sigh heavily. “I must stay and listen to my father’s will read on Monday. Apparently, I’m named in it. God only knows what horrors he’s dreamed up for me and I wish it didn’t matter and I could just walk away but it does.”

  Snake nods. “You know, darlin’, you need to see this through if you stand any chance of healing. When we found you in Stoker’s MC and brought you to the compound, you were so brave. We saw the strength in you because after what you went through you still had fire in your eyes. Over the years I’ve seen that bravery first hand and know that you can conquer anything, if you want to that is. I’m guessin’ there’s unfinished business you need to resolve and you can only make a decision when you have the answers you need.”

  “But what if I make the wrong one?”

  “You won’t. You know, Angel, if your path ends here in this town, I’ll be happy for you. If it brings you back to The Reapers, I’ll be just as happy. We live a fucked-up life that nobody who hasn’t lived it can possibly understand. Some of us will never leave and thrive on it. Some leave and find their lives outside the steel walls we live inside. They are still family though, so whatever you choose know you’ll always have a home with us. We’re your protection, your backup and your bolt hole. We are always there for you night and day and you only have to call and we’ll be there. Do what you have to because the only important thing is to make Angel happy, it always was.”

  As the tears fall, he takes my hand in his and I squeeze it hard. “Thanks, Snake. I owe everything to you and the Reapers. I’m going to take the next few days to work out where I go from here. The answer may be written on the pages of my daddy’s will but whatever those words say, I know they won’t be easy to hear. It’s why I wanted to come here alone, because I need a clear mind. When I left all those years ago, I was running. I ran straight into trouble and then I found Stokers MC. It was perfect because I knew my folks would disapprove, hell they would hate knowing their princess was a biker whore and that’s why I went there. I also knew they would protect me from the people I hated and yet I didn’t know what I was getting into. We both know the club was corrupt and you and Ryder took them down as they always knew you would. When you took me to live with the Reapers, I discovered what family really means. So, thank you, Snake, I can’t repay what you and the guys gave me but I need to find out who Angel will be in the future. Maybe living as a Twisted Reaper is what was always meant to be but I need to bury the past before I can deal with the future.”