Elusive Love (28 page)

Love was elusive. It was also fucking terrifying. But in the end, we would have to face our fears to become the person we wanted to be, and then we could take life by the balls. Then and only then, could we find the happiness we’d longed for, the happiness we deserved
.

I knew one thing for certain. Caley and I weren’t going to walk away from this. We weren’t sprinting into it, but we weren’t walking away. We were going to take our time and explore every moment, every emotion.

Time didn’t matter because we’d found that elusive thing called love.

OTHER BOOKS BY K.A. ROBINSON

TORN SERIES

Torn

Twisted

Tainted

Toxic: Logan’s Story

Tamed

Adam: A Torn Series Novella

TIES SERIES

Shattered Ties

Twisted Ties

DECEPTION SERIES

Deception

Retribution

STAND-ALONES

Breaking Alexandria

Taming Alec

Steam

The Consequences of Sin

WRITING UNDER THE PEN NAME K. ANNE

Ultimate Temptations

PLEASE CONTINUE READING FOR AN EXCERPT OF DECEPTION!

I’m strong—or at least, I want to be. I try to be. Oh, how I’ve tried.

But life screwed me over. When I was at my weakest and lowest, desperate and alone, he found me.
Robert changed everything. He gave me everything.

He was every woman’s dream—rich, powerful, and charming. He made me forget the fact that he’s twenty-four years my senior.

He made me feel alive, and for the first time in my life, I was content.

Until I met Cooper—his son.

And Robert? He began to change.

I’m despicable. I know I am. I’m ashamed of what I want.

Things are never what they seem.

Greed.

Lust.

Lies.

Murder.

Deception.

NOW AVAILABLE!

PLEASE JOIN MY MAILING LIST FOR THE LATEST UPDATES:
HTTP://BIT.LY/18EC6X7

My feet were killing me. All I wanted to do was go home, take a shower, and crawl into bed.

Work had been brutal tonight. I’d been working at the same diner for almost two years, but up until last week, I’d only been part-time. The day after I’d graduated from Morgantown High School, I’d switched to full-time.

I didn’t really mind waitressing, but my body was still getting used to being on the move constantly. The diner, a small family-owned business, was always busy with the same customers. Most of them knew me by now and usually tipped well. A few college kids would come in from time to time, but they usually went to one of the more popular spots in Morgantown. I didn’t mind though because they were normally the ones who would leave crappy tips.

I pulled into the driveway of my foster parents’ house and yawned. I hoped they were asleep. My foster dad, Rick, was an asshole to me most of the time. The only reason he kept me and the other foster kids around was because of the nice checks he would receive for taking care of us. I knew my time here would be up soon. Today was my eighteenth birthday. Hopefully, my foster dad hadn’t remembered. I didn’t feel like getting kicked out of the only place I had to go tonight.

My foster mom, Tammy, wasn’t as bad as Rick. She could even be nice at times, but her fear of Rick’s temper would keep her from defending any of the kids. Rick wasn’t physically abusive, but when his temper got the best of him, he’d go on a rampage that rivaled a three-year-old’s. Tammy had learned long ago to lock up anything breakable.

I’d been in twelve different foster homes since I was three. Tammy and Rick’s house wasn’t the best, but it definitely wasn’t the worst. I shuddered as I thought about my last two houses. Yeah, I could deal with Rick’s asshole ways. I didn’t give a gigglefuck about Rick’s temper as long as he wouldn’t try to touch me.

I climbed out of my piece-of-shit car and headed for the house. My car was the only thing I truly owned. I’d saved every penny I could and purchased it two months ago. I’d paid six hundred dollars for a 1989 Chevy Impala, and I definitely got what I’d paid for. The body was rusted out in several places. The right rear fender was an ugly green color while the rest of the car was a faded red. It was the ugliest Christmas-themed car I’d ever seen. Actually, it was the ugliest car I’d ever seen—period. But it would get me from point A to point B most of the time. Sadly, it wasn’t even street legal, but I didn’t have the extra cash to get everything I needed to make it so.

Once I reached the house, I stuck my key into the lock and turned it. I frowned when the door didn’t unlock. I pulled the key out, thinking that maybe I’d shoved it in the wrong way, and I tried again. Realization hit me when the lock still didn’t turn over. Rick had changed it while I was at work.

I sighed in defeat before knocking loudly on the door. Lights turned on in the living room, and then I heard the door unlocking.

Rick opened the door and frowned at me. “Yes?”

“Um…the door wouldn’t open for me,” I said.

“Probably not since I changed the lock.”

“Why would you do that?” I asked even though I knew the answer.

“You’re eighteen now, Claire. You’re no longer my problem.”

I laughed humorlessly. “Seriously? You’re kicking me out on my birthday?”

“Yeah, I guess I am,” he said without remorse.

“Can I at least get my clothes and stuff?”

He shrugged. “Make it quick.”

He moved out of the way, and I hurried past him toward the room that I shared with Shelly.

Shelly was a foster kid, too. She’d been here when I arrived. She was only ten, but I’d found myself gravitating toward her from the beginning. We would look out for each other. I hated to think about her being here alone. I was pretty sure I was the only person in this house who cared about her.

I passed by the boys’ bedroom on the way to my room. Besides Shelly and me, two other foster kids lived here. Kevin was thirteen, and Jerimiah was eight. I wasn’t as close to them as I was to Shelly, but I’d still miss them as well.

I opened the door to my room and flipped on the light switch. Shelly was sound asleep in the bottom bunk. I moved quietly around the room, shoving my clothes and personal items into the suitcase I’d carried around since I was first put into foster care. It didn’t take me long to pack. I had very few clothes and even less personal items.

My eyes misted as I picked up the only thing I had left of my mom—a locket. I opened it up to see the tiny photo of her and me. I was only a few months old in the picture. My mom had been killed in a car accident right before I turned three. Her parents were also dead, and no one knew who my father was. With no family to take me in, I had been thrown into the foster system.

I closed my eyes and tried to remember my mother. As always, nothing came to me, except for the way she’d smelled. All I knew about her was that she’d smelled like strawberries. I closed the locket and slipped it into my jeans pocket. Once it was safely tucked away, I closed my suitcase and glanced down at Shelly. I hated to wake her up, but I couldn’t leave without saying good-bye.

I crouched down next to her and gently poked her a few times.

Her eyes slowly opened, and she stared up at me. “Claire? What’s wrong?” she asked as she sat up.

“I have to leave, kiddo. My time’s up,” I said as I tried to smile at her.

“What? Why?” she asked, panic filling her voice.

“Rick’s giving me the boot. I gotta go.”

“He can’t do that!” she cried angrily.

“I’m eighteen, so technically, he can.”

Shelly’s eyes filled with tears as she sprang off the bed and wrapped her tiny arms around me. “I’m going to miss you so much.”

I hugged her back tightly. “I’ll miss you, too. Take care of yourself, and keep out of trouble, okay?”

“You know I will. Will I see you again?”

I pulled away and cupped her cheek. “I don’t know. Maybe someday.”

She nodded as her shoulders sagged in defeat. “Please be careful.”

“Always. I love you.”

“Love you, too,” she whispered.

I pushed her back into bed and tucked her in. I kissed her forehead before pulling away. I stood and grabbed my suitcase off the floor. I gave her one last smile before I opened the door and slipped silently into the hallway.

Rick was still standing by the front door when I walked into the living room.

“Did you get everything?” he asked.

“Yeah.”

“Good, because you’re not welcome back here. Got me?”

“Yeah, I got you.” I shoved past him.

I didn’t look back as I walked to my car. I tossed my suitcase into the backseat before climbing behind the wheel. I backed out of the driveway and headed toward the main part of town. I couldn’t stop the tears from falling as I realized just how screwed I was.

I had fifty bucks to my name until I would get paid next week. I just hoped that I could make decent tips until then, or I’d be living on air. There was no way I’d be able to afford an apartment, even a shitty one, for at least a few months. I had no money, no friends, no credit, nothing. I was completely alone. The only thing I did have was my car.

I gently patted the dashboard. “Looks like it’s just you and me now, ugly Christmas car.”

I drove back to work and parked behind the building. There was no way I would park on the street. With my luck, a cop would come by and notice that every sticker on my car was expired. I didn’t need a tow bill that I couldn’t pay for. I shut off the engine and reclined the seat back until I was looking up at the roof of the car.

At least it’s not cold out
, I thought to myself as I closed my eyes.

My entire body was rigid as I tried to control the emotions raging inside me. I tried to find the positives, but aside from the fact that I wouldn’t have to deal with Rick anymore, there were none. I attempted to shut off my mind, so I could sleep.

I would be working the morning shift tomorrow. I needed the money too much to oversleep and miss my shift. Plus, I wouldn’t want to do that to my boss, Bob. He was a really nice guy, too nice for his own good sometimes.

I vowed to myself that I would figure things out when I woke up the next morning. I had no other choice. I had to make a plan, or I’d never survive.

Days had passed since Rick kicked me out of his house. I’d accomplished nothing unless I counted the tips I’d made. I had been living off of dollar cheeseburgers and washing myself in the restroom sink at work. A Laundromat was nearby, so I at least had clean clothes.

The first day, I’d left after my shift ended. I’d waited until the diner closed and everyone was gone before driving back and parking behind the building again. I’d made sure that I was up and gone before the diner opened the next morning since I was on night shift.

The second day had gone much the same way. Hiding at the local library all day, I’d lost myself in the pages of not one, but two books. The first one was a paranormal book about angels and demons that I’d read a million times. I would use it to escape reality. My problems would seem so small when compared to the main character’s issues. So what if I was homeless? At least I didn’t have to worry about stopping a hoard of demons from taking over the earth and enslaving mankind. The second book was a romance. It was about a girl my age starting fresh in college and falling in love with a man who was no good for her. I couldn’t help but feel sad as I’d read it. There was no fresh start at college and no love in my future.