S. Elle Cameron

All love is a tragedy...

Filtering by Tag: Short Story

Dangerous Love Now on Wattpad

The 1st short story to "My Interpretation: Short Stories Derived from Songs" is now up on Wattpad. Please read it, vote and leave comments. The short story is called "Dangerous Love" and is inspired by Ariana Grande's "Leave Me Lonely" featuring Macy Gray from her "Dangerous Woman" album. 

 

It's a story I am very proud of and I mentioned before these stories are like music videos on paper but more in depth. They are what envision in my mind when listening to a song. Click the title below to read "Dangerous Love."

 

Dangerous Love: Inspired by Ariana Grande's "Leave Me Lonely"

Adalyn: Whirlwind (Short Story #10)

See, I told you I would post something at least once a week! I know the week is really over but it doesn't truly start a new week until Monday, right?! Right! Besides, I gave you two posts last week! Anyway, here's a new short story for you guys to enjoy. It's from Adalyn's point of view and if you read Turn It Off you'll know that she mentioned her dad had a history of drug abuse while she was trying to help Peyton with his problem. This is about one of those moments.

Read the short story from last week here: Ronan: It's Always Her (Cont.)


Listen to "Shouldn't Come Back" by Demi Lovato on repeat while reading for the full experience: 



Adalyn: Whirlwind 


                They’re arguing again. I love my dad but I think he’s lost his mind. I know any moment now my brother will come into the room to have someone to escape the madness with. This is an ongoing thing now. He’s always had a history with drug abuse but it seems the addiction is back and all I want is for him to go away. He doesn’t understand the pain he causes when he lets his demon get the best of him. He’s not the same person. 

                My father’s a very successful business man. He owns a chain of “do it yourself” hardware stores across the country. He’s won many awards for his achievements yet he’s a drug addict. No one ever thinks an addict can look as clean cut and intelligent as he is but then again most people don’t know the truth. They only go by what they see in the media and on TV. He’s not the poster child for drug abuse when it comes to looks but his behavior…

                It hurts so much. My mom tries so hard to keep the family together and pretend that it’s all normal but both Mike and I knew. We can hear them through the thin walls. We’ve seen the evidence around the house. The thing about drug addicts is they get sloppy. They can hide it for a while but soon nothing else matters to them but their drugs. It’s the same thing that started to happen to Peyton. It’s how I knew before anyone else. 

                Speaking of Peyton, I wish I could talk to him about it but he’s busy trying to get himself clean in rehab. I can’t tell him that my dad fell off the wagon again while he’s trying so hard to get on. It’s almost like I can’t win. No one else knows about my dad’s problem outside of the family except for Peyton. He’s not only my boyfriend but my best friend. I’ve never felt so alone before. 

                My brother knocks on my door before I yell for him to come in. I already knew who it was. He closes the door behind him and sits on my bed. 

                “They’re going at it again,” he says staring down at the floor.

                “What happened this time?” I ask sitting next to him.

                “Mom found a needle on the floor in the bathroom.” He looked so disgusted when he said it. I felt the same way on the inside. 

                “Oh. I figured it was something like that when mom yelled something about rehab.”

                “Adalyn, is it ever going to get better? Will he ever just quit or is this just going to be a sick cycle?” he asks finally looking up at me.

                I remained quiet for a while before answering. “I don’t know. I hope he just quits and be done with it for good.” I pause before saying what I really wanted. “Sometimes I think we’d be better off without him.”

                Mike looks at me like he wants to disagree but I know he can’t. “I know what you mean,” he says quietly. “But he’s our dad so we have to find a way to help him. I don’t want to lose him to this.”

                “We just might though…”

                I couldn’t be optimistic about anything. My boyfriend was in rehab for the summer while my dad should be in a rehab. Why is this my life at 15? Why is this my brother’s life at 14? We’re too young for these kinds of problems. It’s slowly ruining us. My father is ruining us. That pains me. 

                Maybe he should go away for a while…and maybe he shouldn’t come back. Him being here is just a whirlwind of chaos.


Don't forget to pick up your copy of Turn It Off and the rest of the series here: A Tragic Heart Series

               
 

Ronan: It's Always Her... (Continued)(Short Story #9)

It's been since October that I've written a short story (remember those?!). I missed writing short stories on my characters from the A Tragic Heart series. I believe this series will always be my favorite and the characters will always be the most real to me which is why I write little blurbs about them...so I never have to let them go.

As promised, this one is a continuation to the last one and it's from Ronan's point of view. Clearly it would belong with the second novel, RED and jumps eight years into the future (from where RED left off). You can check out the first part to the story here: Ronan: It's Always Her...

Listen to "Close To You" by Rihanna on repeat while reading to get the full experience:



Ronan: It’s Always Her (Continued)

                There she was. Sitting across from me in an expensive restaurant in Los Angeles just talking away. She had a smile painted across her face as she spoke and her red hair was now dyed blonde; a new look is what she called it. She looked beautiful…even more beautiful than I could remember. Adulthood looked good on her and it was clear that she was far from that high school girl who broke my heart way back when. 

                She went on about her idea for the photoshoot she wanted to collaborate with me on. For the most part it sounded like a good idea but I couldn’t really tell you because I wasn’t listening much. I just kept thinking about how she was the most beautiful girl in the room…in the world. Just a few days ago I was with a gorgeous model in my bedroom and now here I am with my high school lover and thinking about just how unattractive that model was compared to her. She has no idea. 

                “Enough about work,” I interrupted her as I reached across the table and grabbed her hands. Her nails were painted black and her skin was smooth. “How have you been, Peyton?”

                She gave me a smirk before answering, it was almost a blush. “I’ve been great, actually. I’m in a really good place and things just keep getting better. I never thought I’d say that but…here I am,” she replied.

                “That’s good. You seem really happy,” I responded with a little disappointment in my tone. I was happy that she was happy but there was a part of me that wanted her to confess that she missed me. I wanted her to say that she still needed me even though we’ve been apart for eight years. 

                “Before coming here I got to spend time with Mason and the rest of the family. The kids are getting so big…they’re not even kids anymore. Can you believe that?!” she asked. “Lila’s going to be starting college soon!”

                Lila’s her baby cousin. Mason is her dad’s first cousin who took her in after both her parents died while she was still a baby. For her, his kids are basically her little sister and brothers. 

                “That’s crazy. Time really does fly. Who would’ve thought we’d be here? A lot has happened,” I said taking on a slightly tighter grip onto her hands. 

                “It really has. I can’t even keep up anymore,” she basically mumbled. 

                Before I could say another word the waiter came and interrupted us asking if we were ready to order. She wasn’t sure what she wanted so I ordered for the both of us. I told her not to worry she’ll love it and she responded with a “you always knew me so well.” 

                We talked more over dinner, mostly about work and how I would make her vision come to life. She loved my input and told me this is why I’m her go to person for things like this. We make a great team. If only she knew what that truly means to me. It’s crazy how she was the one to hurt me so I let her go but I’m the one longing for her again. Most people will say I’m insane but they’re obviously the ones who never met Peyton Hayley Giordano. 

                She suggested we go back to my condo where I have an in house studio. She wanted to get a visual of how things will be set up. Of course I wouldn’t object to it. She’s always welcomed in my home. Aside from being my ex she’s also one of my oldest friends. Nothing will ever change that. 

                We walked inside together and I offered her a drink. She declined. All she wanted was for me to show her to the studio so I did. 

                “I have an idea,” she announced. 

                I lifted my head to look at her, letting her know she had my attention. “What is it?” I asked. 

                “Let’s do things a little differently. I want a photoshoot tonight. Just on a whim kind of thing. All natural,” she replied.

                “Okay. Let me get my camera set up,” I said about to walk out of the room before she stopped me.

                “Here’s the catch!” she said staring at me biting her bottom lip. 

                “Go on,” I urged curiously.

                “I want to be nude. Nothing covered. All natural, like I said. No retouches, nothing but my natural self.”

                I was speechless. “Peyton-“

                “I wanted a shoot like this for a while and I could’ve asked anyone but I wanted you to do it. I mean, who better than you? You’ve already seen the package.”

                “That was years ago,” I replied. “It’s different now.”

                “Are you seeing someone?” she asked.

                “No. Not really,” I responded quickly.

                “Then what’s the problem?”

                The problem was I was still in love with her and seeing her that naked will definitely send me over the edge. I couldn’t tell her that though.

                “I’ll go get my camera.”

                When I came back she started to undress slowly. I watched her take off every piece of clothing and I wanted to forget about the photoshoot. I just wanted her. 

                “Ready?” I asked not able to take my eyes off of her.

                “As ready as I can be,” she said pushing her newly blonde hair out of her face. 

                We took shots on the bed, the shower, my balcony…almost everywhere. Not once did she feel uncomfortable. The photos came out beautiful. She was just about to start putting her clothes back on when I said something to get her attention.

                “What if I didn’t want you to put those back on just yet?” I asked boldly.

                She stopped and stared for a bit so I walked closer to her. She didn’t make a move. She seemed shocked. 

                “Roe, what are you saying?” she asked as I ran my fingers up and down her arm. I always loved the softness of her skin. 

                “I’m saying that I still have feelings for you and I can’t let you leave me tonight…not like this.”

                “Roe-I don’t think-“

                I cut her off with a kiss. She pulled back but before she could interrupt I kissed her again. This time she let it happen. She let her panties drop out of her hands and wrapped her arms around my waist. I guess this was happening on my balcony in the middle of the night. Let’s just hope paparazzi didn’t follow us here…

Don't forget to pick up your copy of RED and the rest of the series here: A Tragic Heart Series

 
 

Ronan: It's Always Her... (Short Story #8)

It's been a while since I graced my blog with a short story based on my book series, The RED Tragedies series (aka A Tragic Heart Series), so I'm giving you a new one I actually wrote almost a month ago but never posted it. This one is from Ronan's POV, and if it was part of a book it would fit with RED (Book 2). It jumps into the future and shows Ronan as a grown man with a career and life of his own. Here's the link to the last short story: Peyton Hayley: No Need To Catch Me (I'm Not Falling)

Listen to "I Hope You Find It" by Miley Cyrus on repeat while reading:



Ronan: It’s Always Her…

            I’m lying next to a girl I barely even know. I shot her a few times for the cover of various popular magazines but that’s about it. Lately this has been my life. Girls come and go because none of them can match my first love. She happened eight years ago and she remains a friend but I can’t help but think that she’s my true one. 

            We ended when we were seventeen years old after a huge scandal broke loose that she was sleeping with a famous rockstar, Alex Kinsley who was eight years her senior. He got booted from his band and his career took a beating all before she found him dead from a drug overdose in his multimillion dollar home. What did she get out of it? A hot music career that looks like it won’t sink anytime soon. 

            Being that we decided to pick up our friendship after Alex’s death, I became her go to photographer. She uses me for everything from album covers, appearances to magazine shootings; the only thing she won’t use me for is love. Even after all the wrong she’s done and the pain she’s caused me, inside I still love her. That will never change but for some reason I fight the feeling.

            “What are you thinking about?” Adriana asks as she runs her fingers through my hair. She’s the model I photographed today for the next issue of Vogue. I invited her out for drinks and the rest you can come up with yourself.

            “Nothing really. Just how beautiful those photos came out. You’re gorgeous,” I lie rolling onto my side and kissing her neck. She laughs and buys into the lie I just told. I couldn’t tell her that I was really thinking about my ex from high school who I still hang with every once in a while.

            “How come a nice and hot guy like you don’t have a steady girlfriend? What’s wrong with you, huh?” she asks playfully. “Are you really a serial killer or something?”

            “Yeah, that’s totally it,” I reply with a smile. “Seriously, though, I have no idea. I guess I just haven’t met the right girl.”

            Truth is I have met the right girl, our happiness is just stuck in the past somewhere frozen in time. I remember when she asked for me back after Alex died and her life was getting back together. I declined and told her I could never go there with her again. Now I’m not so sure if that was the right decision.

            We remained good friends and talk about anything we feel the need to. I’ve witness a few guys come and go out of her life and she had a share of heartbreaks after Alex but it was nothing she couldn’t handle. Truth is I’m not so sure she ever got over me either. The good news is she’s more stable than she was when we got together.

            Peyton was a broken a girl. She had no parents and was raised by her dad’s closest cousin, his wife and her uncle. Her father died in a car accident when he was only 17 and her mom commit suicide shortly after because of it. Basically, she never had a fair chance. When we got together I thought I’d be the one to fix her and I did for a while…but I wasn’t enough. Peyton always aimed for something a little more risky. 

            She took everything from me. My virginity, my heart, my ability to love another; it’s all gone because of her. 

            “I’m going to jump in the shower for a while…you’re welcomed to join me,” Adriana says with a smirk before climbing out of bed. 

            I told her I’m okay for now as she closed the bathroom door behind her. I picked up my phone from the night stand next to me and saw I had a new text message. 

            I have this really cool idea for a photoshoot. Call me so we can talk about it.”

     Thinking of the devil. Of course I would call her. In fact, I couldn’t wait to hear her voice. I replied to her text saying, “Busy right now but I’ll contact you later. Maybe we can talk about it over dinner?

     For some reason I felt nervous, sort of like I was asking her out on a date. She immediately texts me back telling me that dinner is okay and tomorrow night would be good for her. I smile to myself and put my phone down. I can’t wait to see her again. It’s been months since we’ve last spoke in person. 

            I get out of bed and decide to join Adriana in the shower. It wouldn’t be a good idea to be hung up on Peyton for the rest of the night when I had a beautiful model in my shower. Before I head in the bathroom I hear my phone go off again like I had another message. I double back and check it only to see a message from Peyton.

            Can’t wait to see you. Feels like it’s been ages. Maybe we can hang a little more this week since I’m in town for a while…you know, just us old friends and a lot of catching up?”

            Of course I agree to it. Here we go again…

                        To be continued…

Don't forget to pick up your copy of RED and the rest of the series here: http://www.amazon.com/S.-Elle-Cameron/e/B00FNI34X4/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1 

 

Peyton Hayley: No Need to Catch Me (I'm Not Falling)-Short Story

It's been a while since I wrote a short story based on the characters from my book series (RED Tragedies aka A Tragic Heart series) but tonight I'm giving you another short story. This one is from the POV of Peyton Hayley (Peyton and Taylor's daughter). If it were to fit into a book it would be part of RED (Book 2). It's a short scene between her, Alex and Jackson.

Listen to "Throwing Punches" by Paramore on repeat while reading:




Peyton Hayley: No Need to Catch Me (I’m Not Falling)
            I lie across Alex’s bed stuffing strawberries into my mouth as we talked about nothing important. I was in one of his t-shirts that met just at my thighs and his hand rested just above my knee. It’s hard to pay attention to anything he’s saying because I can only think about how much I’ve missed him. We were forced to stay away from each other by almost everyone. My uncle, Jackson, forbid us to be together mostly because I was 17 and he was 25 and he claims he knows Alex better than I ever would; but I know that’s not true. They may have been close friends but Alex has shown me parts of him that no one else was ever able to see. Now that I’m 18, there’s nothing stopping us from being together. 

             I stop him in the middle of his sentence with a kiss. He responds just as I want him to and before I know it the strawberries I was eating were scattered on the floor while he was on top of me. It didn’t get too out of hand, mostly because it never got the chance to. We were interrupted by the doorbell. 

            “Ignore it,” I urge pulling him into another kiss. He obeys and we’re both acting as if we’re afraid to part.

            The way Alex and I started wasn’t exactly applauded. I was underage and he was a major rockstar. I had a faithful and charming boyfriend and he was a good friend of my very famous uncle. We were a recipe for disaster. So many things were sacrificed for us to be together but the only thing that matters is that we are together. Age was never an issue for either of us. Since that kiss in his car when I was 16, I knew somewhere deep down we would be together along the road. It was only a matter of time and growing up. We vowed to wait until I was 18 to go any further but that didn’t happen…we couldn’t keep our hands off of each other and I’m glad we didn’t. Everything had to fall apart so they can fall together.

            “I’m so glad I have you,” he whispered in my ear before lightly tugging on my earlobes. I giggled before kissing him on his neck. I was just about to kiss his lips again until the doorbell rang once more.

            He looked me in the eyes and told me not to lose the feeling because he’d be right back. I roll my eyes as he gets up and walks out of the room. 

            “Might as well clean up these strawberries,” I say to myself as I begin picking them up one by one. No one’s ever “right back” once they answer the door. 

            After I clean up the mess we made I realize that things were taking a little longer than they should have. I gave it a few more minutes before I decided to walk down the stairs to see who it was. It was 10pm and unusual for it to be one of Alex’s bandmates. They always call before they just show up. 

            “Hey, Al! Who is it?” I ask before I fully make it down the stairs. I stop in my tracks when I see Jackson standing there. He hates Alex, why would he be here?

            “Jack?!”

            “Peyton…of course you’re here with him.” Jackson turns away and laughs to himself for a second before speaking up again. “You know what, this was a mistake. I shouldn’t have come by.”

            “Why did you?” I ask folding my arms across my chest. Jackson has always been one of my favorite people. We were so close it was hard to believe we were niece and uncle. He’s the coolest uncle anyone could ever have. He was more like a big brother or best friend. We fell apart once Alex and I got together. 

            “I wanted to make amends with Alex. We’ve been friends for some time and I don’t want us to be enemies anymore but I just got a reminder on why we are. You could’ve at least put on clothes before coming down to see who it is.”

            “I didn’t know it was anyone worth putting on clothes for,” I shot back. 

            “Woah! Guys come on. Let’s not,” Alex interrupts. “I would like for all of us to get along. Jack and Peyton you guys are family…act like it…and Jack I’m sorry. Look, I know she’s your niece and you helped raise her but I’m in love with her.” He looks at me and I have no expression. I never heard him admit it out loud. 

            “Alex, you love yourself,” Jackson replies as if he was correcting him.

            “You may not believe me yet but it’s different with her. She’s young, I know that but…what we have is good and you’re going to have to accept that sooner or later.”

            “Don’t fucking tell me what I have to accept,” Jack raises his voice and steps a little too close to Alex. The last time they were this close, Jackson left Alex with a bloody nose.

            I rushed between the both of them just to insure Jackson wouldn’t throw any punches. I don’t want a repeat of last time. 

            “Jack, you should go. There’s no need for you to be here,” I say staring him in his eyes. It’s a cold stare. Never would I have thought Jackson would be my enemy. 

            “Peyton, you’re making a huge mistake. Just come back with me and things can be a lot different,” he pleaded.

            “I don’t want things to be different. I want Alex and if you can’t accept that then you have no reason to be here…or in my life.” I could tell it broke his heart, hearing me say such harsh words but if he truly wanted to make amends, he would know he’d have to accept this.

            “Okay. I got it. I hope you two are happy,” he says before walking away towards the door. Before he left he turned around and said, “Peyton, I may not be there for you when you need me because trust me, you’re going to need me.”

            For some reason his words struck me hard…almost hard enough to knock me over. Alex gently touched my shoulders and kissed my neck. I wanted it to relax me but all it did was send a chill down my spine. Alex and I will be okay…Jack will see just like everyone else will…

Don't forget to pick up your copy of RED and the rest of the series here: http://www.amazon.com/S.-Elle-Cameron/e/B00FNI34X4/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

Adalyn: At Least We're Still Friends (Short Story)

Last week I posted a short story from Mason's POV and this week's story takes off from that one but it's from Adalyn's POV. You can read last week's here (Mason: The Brother's Club) to catch up. This scene is strictly between Adalyn and Peyton and if it belonged to a book it would be part of Turn It Off (Book 3). Hope you enjoy!

Listen to "At Least My Heart Was Open" by Foy Vance on repeat while reading:

https://soundcloud.com/foyvance/at-least-my-heart-was-openhttps://soundcloud.com/foyvance/at-least-my-heart-was-open



Adalyn: At Least we’re Still Friends

            There he stood right in front of me. All six foot two of him, his green eyes staring at me; those same eyes I fell in love with…those same eyes that convinced me to give it all to him. We were in the back of the barely lit bar our band plays in from time to time. We just finished a show and the rest of our crew already left to go home. It was just me, Peyton and the bar employees. 

            “Tonight went well,” he said taking a seat next to me. 

            I could barely look at him; not after what I did…not after what our breakup did to him. Mason told me he ended up in a hospital bed getting his stomach pumped from alcohol poisoning. He almost drank himself to death because he was so depressed. He wouldn’t take it well if he knew what happened between me and his cousin last week. 

            “Yeah, it did,” I replied looking down at my drink. I circled my finger around the rim of the glass. Anything not to look at him. 

            I still love him…I always will and part of me wants him back but I’m not sure how smoothly that would work out.

            “Mason told me you came by last week looking for me. I got a little caught up and never got the chance to stop by,” he said positioning himself to look directly at me. 

            I could tell he knew something was bothering me. I hoped he didn’t ask. 

            “Yeah, I did. I wanted to talk to you about us…I just wanted to make sure we didn’t lose our friendship,” I took a sip of my drink. “We’ve been best friends and bandmates for too long to let our relationship fuck all that up. I just wanted you to know that I will always love you Peyton and I don’t want us to not be us anymore.”

            “I feel the same way,” he said as he placed his hand over mine. “I’m glad we’re on the same page. Adalyn, I really wanted us to work. I’m madly in love with you and…I’m sorry. I was a jerk…an asshole.”

            At that very moment I wanted to kiss him. I wanted to forget all this talk about friendship and grab him right there. I gulped down my drink quickly to avoid the feeling. 

            All I wanted was to tell him I was sorry and explain to him that Mason was a mistake. I didn’t mean to sleep with his cousin that day. It just happened. After spending the day with him, I felt a short connection with him and Peyton just never showed up. I was vulnerable and Mason looked good with his wet hair slicked back and his shirt off. I never thought the second guy I would lay with would be my ex-boyfriend’s cousin. They’re like brothers and this would devastate Peyton. Mason and I vowed to keep it a secret. Besides, no one needs to know. It’s not like it would happen again anyway. 

            “How are we going to go back to being just friends if we’re still this much in love?” he asked grabbing hold of his beer bottle in front of him. 

            “We’ll just have to deal with it. We did the best we could as lovers and it didn’t work. We always worked as friends though. It’ll be hard but we’ll be okay,” I answered finally looking up at him. He really is a handsome boy…red hair and all; in fact it only makes him more attractive. 

            “Before we go back to being just friends can I kiss you one last time?” he asked moving in closer. 

            “But…we’re in a bar with people around,” I objected. 

            “No one’s paying any attention to us. I just want one last kiss and that’ll be it,” he continued to press the issue. 

            He had a point. The lights were dim and the bar crew was cleaning up. I leaned in and lightly grabbed him by his collar. He smirked a little before I pressed my lips against his. He pulled me closer and groaned a little. I wanted more…I wanted to take it back and say let’s try one more time but I thought about what happened with Mason last week and all of my thoughts were shattered. If I got back with Peyton I would have to tell him. I fucked up any chance of there being an “us” ever again. If he knew, he would never look at me the same. He would call me a name or two and stop speaking to his cousin. Peyton’s temper isn’t made for the truth. 

            I pull back and he tries to kiss me again but I turn my face away from him. I can’t do it another time. Once was enough. 

            “Come on Addy…let’s just go back to my place and work this out,” he softly pleads. “I love you and you love me. Let’s not make this harder than it needs to be. I’ll be better this time. I’ll put a cap on my rage and I’ll be more respectful of you.”

            “Peyton, no.” My eyes are teary and my face is turning red. “Trust me, you don’t want me. I’m not the same me anymore. We won’t be the same.”

            He caressed my arm and bit his bottom lip. He didn’t hear a word I just said. All he thought about was taking me back to his place and “making up”. 

            “Peyton!” I raised my voice a little and smacked his hand away. He jumped back into reality. “No! I’m just going to go home now. I’ll talk to you later.” I got up and walked toward the door at the back of the bar. I took one last look at him before walking out. He focused his eyes on mine and I saw the anger inside of him. I walked out knowing he found some other girl to take my place that night.

            Now I sit in my room looking at the picture we took together as a couple. I want so badly to call him and tell him I take it back but I’m sure he’s too busy with Claire or Lauren or whoever was willing…I let a tear fall and lay in my bed. At least I sort of did the right thing…at least we’re still friends…

Find out more about Adalyn and Peyton in the RED Tragedies series here. Adalyn appears in A Tragic Heart, RED, Turn It Off (Coming Soon) & What Could've Been (Coming Soon). Peyton appears in A Tragic Heart, Turn It Off, & What Could've Been. 



Mason: The Brothers Club (Short Story)

New week, new short story! You can check out last week's right here (Taylor: The Greatest Liar). This week the story comes from Mason's point of view and if it fit a book it would be Turn It Off (Book 3 of the series). We know a little about this scene from A Tragic Heart (Book 1) when Mason confessed something to Peyton but it was never played out. Well, now it is! The story is entitled "The Brothers Club" and I hope you enjoy! It's a tad bit longer than the previous two.

Listen to "Ink" by Coldplay on repeat while reading:

https://soundcloud.com/deepak-pal-4/coldplay-ink-from-ghost-stories-live-2014-128-kbps-audio-only




Mason: The Brothers Club
             
            The doorbell rang for a second time before I decided to hop off the couch and answer it. My mom and dad are gone and Peyton is God knows where. Ever since he and Adalyn broke up, he’s been going down that slippery slope again. I’m a little afraid for him to be honest. 

            “I’m coming!” I yell towards the door as I make it down the hallway. 

            I open it to see Adalyn standing in front of me. Obviously, she’s here for Peyton. Lately, all these two do is yell at each other and then make up. I never thought it would be like that for them. She’s so good for him and they were happy for about a year straight. I thought she would be the girl to set him straight and keep him that way. I guess it’s true, we can’t change people. All I know is, he’s a fool! Adalyn is the closest thing to perfection we’ll get in this world. As she stands in front of me, she looks like a model who was snatched right out of a Maxim magazine cover. 

            “Oh hey, Adalyn! What’s going on?” I ask standing in the doorway.

            “Hey, Mason, is Peyton home?” she asks looking past me and into the house.

            She slowly moves her blonde hair away from her face. I never realized how bright her eyes are…they’re the perfect honey brown. 

            “Uh, no, he’s not. He left not too long ago. I have no idea where he went and how long he’ll be.”

            “Oh,” she replies in a disappointed tone. “I just wanted to talk to him about what happened the other night.”

            “You mean, about you two breaking up?” I ask raising one eyebrow. 

            She bites her bottom lip pretty hard before responding. “Uh, yeah. Of course he told you,” she says nonchalantly. “He tells you everything.”

            “Well, you’re welcomed to come in and wait for him if you’d like. He may be back in a little while,” I proposed. 

            She looked around for a few seconds before answering. “Okay, it’s not like I have anything better to do anyway.”

            I move to the side to let her in and she moves past me swiftly. She stops in the family room and turns to me. 

            “The Breakfast Club?!” she says with a wide smile. “That’s what you’re watching?!”

            “Uh, yeah…” I reply a little embarrassed. “There was nothing else on and-“

            “That’s awesome! This is my favorite movie!”

            She sits in the very same spot I was in just before I answered the door. Looks like I’m stuck watching The Breakfast Club with Adalyn. I admit I’m a fan of the movie too. I’m sure there was more to choose from but what can I say? I like a good 80’s movie. 

            The time speeds by and the end of the movie comes faster than I remember; yet there’s still no sign of Peyton. In a way, I enjoy him not being here. Spending time with Adalyn isn’t so bad. It’s actually a first for me. Every time she’s around Peyton’s with her. I never got a chance to get to know her. 

            “Hey, uh, so you want a beer or something while you wait for Peyton or do you have to go?” I ask a little more nervously than I should have.

            “A beer sounds not so bad right about now. Like I said, I have nothing to do,” she answers with a smirk. 

            I quickly head to the kitchen and take two of my dad’s beers out of the refrigerator. I come back and hand it to her. 

            “Thanks,” she says as she takes it from my hand. “You know, it’s a pretty nice night. Want to go out back and hang for a while?”

            “Sure! That sounds cool.”

            I lead the way and she follows along. Before I know it we’re both drinking and talking. She tells me about why she decided to break up with Peyton and how she’s honestly just worried about him and his state of mind. 

            “Has he seemed really off lately? Should I be worried?” she asks as if she truly cares about him. I can see how much she loves him. He started off as her best friend and bandmate and then became so much more. Peyton was her first for everything. 

            “He’s…” I pause for a few seconds. “He’s been drinking…a lot.”

            “Oh God!” she says as her eyes widen. “Has he-“

            “No, I don’t think so,” I answer before she can even ask the question. She’s worried he started using the hard stuff again. Peyton just got out of rehab last summer and we’re all a little afraid he’ll end up much worse if he goes back down that route again. 

            “Just keep an eye on him. I know he probably won’t let me get that close to him for a while,” she says moving her curly blonde hair behind her ear. 

            Just as she finishes her sentence, the sprinklers pop up and starts to spray us both. It’s unexpected and hilarious. We both squirm and fight to not get wet but it’s useless; we’re drenched by the time we make it back into the house. 

            We’re laughing as I close the back door. Her hair is sticking to her face and I slick mine back.
            “Well, uh, you can’t go home like that. Come upstairs and let me give you a shirt at least,” I say with a smile.

            She follows me up the stairs and into my room. I pick out something that I know wouldn’t look too big on her. 

            “Thank you,” she says as I hand it to her. 

            I walk out the room only to double back when I realize I probably should have offered her a pair of my basketball shorts to go with it. I open the door without knocking only to see her in her bra.
            “Oh, uh, I’m really sorry, I uh-“I begin to say.

            She laughs a little and tells me it’s okay. “I’m in a bra, not naked,” she laughs.

            “O-kay,” I say awkwardly. “Uh, well since you don’t mind I was just coming in to offer you a pair of shorts.”

            “Sure Mason, a pair of shorts would be great,” she says still in her laced pink bra.
            I stare at her longer than I should. She starts to unbutton her pants but I don’t even think to leave.

“This is the part where you should probably walk out,” she jokes, “unless you don’t want to…” 

I know it was meant as a joke but some part of me took it as a proposition. 

“What if I don’t want to?” I ask not taking my eyes off of her. 

Her face turns serious and we both stand there staring at each other. I make the first move and walk closer. She doesn’t move so I get as close as I can. I touch her wet hair and she looks up at me.
“Mason…” she says softly while looking into my eyes.

“I know…this is wrong but…” I can’t even finish my sentence. 

I move my face towards hers and kiss her lightly. She kisses me back letting me know she was one hundred percent with it. I place one hand on the side of her face and she continues to kiss me. She places her hand over mine and kisses me harder. 

Peyton’s like my brother so everything about this is wrong but I can’t stop myself. Adalyn’s too beautiful not to touch. I pull back from the kiss to take off my shirt. She looks at me and sits on my bed; her jeans already unbuttoned. Is this really going to happen? She’s no longer with Peyton but that doesn’t make it okay. He’s still in love with her and she’s in love with him. He’s the only guy she’s ever been with in that way; but most of all, he’s my cousin. 

None of these thoughts stop me. I go for it and before I know it, Adalyn and I are fully at it. For me it’s mostly lust, for her…well I can’t say. She’s a great girl and I think I could really like her if it ever came to it but more than likely that’s not going to happen. It was just the heat of the moment. 

When we finish she scrambles to find her clothes. Wet or not, she was in a hurry to go and I’m sure the last thing she wanted to wear was something that reminds her of me and what just happened. 

“I won’t tell Peyton,” I say after we’re fully dressed. “He doesn’t have to know.”

“I think that’s best,” she says barely looking at me. 

“I’ll let him know you stopped by,” I say before she walks out my room. 

“Yeah, thanks,” she replies as she hurries out. 

Well, so much for being one half of the brothers club…

Find out more about Mason and Adalyn in the RED Tragedies series here! Mason and Adalyn appears in A Tragic Heart, RED, Turn It Off (Coming Soon), and What Could've Been (Coming Soon)

.

Taylor: The Greatest Liar (Short Story)

Last week I posted my first short story based on the characters from my book series (RED Tragedies Series or A Tragic Heart Series, whatever you want to call it) and here I am this week with a new one. You can view the one from last week here (Peyton: The One) before reading this one if you want. As I stated in my initial post about the short stories they will be posted in no particular order and can fit any book.

This week the story comes from Taylor's point of view and if it belonged to a book it would belong to A Tragic Heart (Book 1 of the series). It's entitled "The Greatest Liar" and would fit perfectly with the triangle that happens between Taylor, Mason, and Peyton. Enjoy!

Listen to "The Greatest Bastard" by Damien Rice while reading:

https://soundcloud.com/damienrice/the-greatest-bastard




Taylor: The Greatest Liar

            Sometimes I wonder if we’re really in control of our decisions or if fate forces us to do what we do. Either way we have to pay the consequences. I guess life is unfair that way. I let one single tear fall before opening the door to our apartment. This used to be the only place that put a smile on my face after a hard day and now I can’t even call it my safe haven. It’s been built upon lies.

            I fake a smile towards the once “love of my life”. He really did keep his promise about trying to be a better man for me even after the infidelity and the whole getting another girl pregnant thing. The problem is that I just couldn’t forgive him as easily as I thought I could. It hurts all the time, just the same.

            He smiles back at me and pulls me into a hug as he kisses me softly on the cheek. He was lying across the couch watching a game he probably didn’t even care about. It was just something to pass the time until I came home.

            I told him I had something to take care of with Jackson since he came back to town. I told him he only had a week here and I wanted to spend time with my brother. It was a lie…all of it. Jackson is really in town but I wasn’t spending time with him…I was with Peyton. Mason knows Peyton and I are best friends but he would even find it weird that I chose to spend the entire night with him on a day we had a date planned. Truth is I would rather spend my time with Peyton at his place than go out into the real world with Mason. The biggest problem about that is Mason’s my husband and Peyton’s his closest cousin. Guilt consumes me once more.

            “How’s my love?” Mason asks with a grin. He’s been extraordinarily welcoming lately.

            “I’m good,” I lie.

            “I was thinking since you canceled our date maybe we could pull an all-nighter and watch a few movies over junk food. I bought your favorite cheesecake from your favorite bakery.”

            He flashes me his puppy dog eyes and I can’t decline that. He’s really trying. He’s really sorry. I wish I could say the same about myself. 

            “I’d love that, Mason,” I reply in a soft voice. “Just let me take a quick shower first.”

            I walk past him hoping he doesn’t ask why I need a shower. Honestly, I feel dirty after spending the night loving Peyton just to come home and fake it with his cousin. Mason and I had a good run but it’s over…I just can’t fully let him go. I’m doing to him what he did to me first but I think I’m the greatest liar in this situation. 

            Eventually I’m going to tell him; I’m just trying to figure out how and when. This is going to crush him more than it crushed me. At least Lauren wasn’t a friend or a family member. Peyton is practically his brother. They were raised together and even grew up in the same household. They took on the world together since forever and here I am breaking up one of the greatest bonds that ever existed. The stories of Mason and Peyton are legendary…but this one is going to go down as the most iconic. 

I strip off my clothes and turn on the shower. The moment the warm water hits my face I let the tears fall. How could Mason cheat on me for so long without it affecting him like this? It’s only been about two weeks since Peyton and I started this affair and I feel like I’m already breaking. 

I tried to justify my actions by remembering that I probably was always in love with Peyton from the start and just didn’t realize it. Peyton recently told me he was in love with me from the first time we ever spoke to each other. He saw me around from time to time and always thought I was his type of girl, he just never acted and Mason got there first. I thought Mason was all I ever wanted but once I got to know Peyton, I saw just how wrong I was. It was fate.

That’s exactly what I want to tell Mason when I break him the news. I want to tell him that it was fate that brought Peyton and I together. Our bad decisions weren’t ours at all but it was something in this cosmic universe that conspired to put us together before time even started. We’re soulmates and as foolish as it sounds it must be true because we both felt the attraction the moment we stood in front of each other. Peyton wasn’t just meant to be my best friend…he was always more. I’m his extra rib and Mason…Mason is the pawn that was played to bring us together. Maybe if I explained it this way Mason would understand and wouldn’t be as hurt; but even I know that’s not true.
I turn off the shower water and step out. I wipe off the foggy mirror in the bathroom to take a good look at myself. I still look intact and Mason wouldn’t suspect a thing. I hurry and head straight to our bedroom to get dressed. I throw on one of Mason’s t-shirts and walk back into the living room. He bites his bottom lip as I sit next to him.

“I always liked that shirt on you,” he says coming closer.

“I know, that’s why I wore it,” I reply as I forced him to cuddle with me. 

His skin is always so warm and something about that makes me feel like everything is going to be okay. Part of me wants Mason forever but I know I have to make a choice…or maybe the universe has already done that for me. In the end, I don’t think the choice is really mine at all. I was made for Peyton and Peyton was made for me; but for the time being I’ll just enjoy the movie and cheesecake with Mason.
           


Find out more about Mason and Taylor in the RED Tragedies series here! Mason appears in A Tragic Heart, RED, Turn It Off (Coming Soon), and What Could've Been (Coming Soon). Taylor appears in A Tragic Heart, Turn It Off and What Could've Been.











Peyton: The One (Short Story)

Earlier today I posted that I would start writing short stories based on the characters from my books. I didn't know I would start so soon but the writing bug bit me tonight. The first story is told from Peyton's (the one from A Tragic Heart) POV. I thought, "Why not start with a fan favorite?"

The short story is entitled, "The One" and takes off from the part in A Tragic Heart where he and Taylor comes back from their vacation with Mason in Australia. If "The One" belonged to a book it would fit right in with What Could've Been. It's an excerpt based on Peyton not going for a ride that night in A Tragic Heart. Enjoy!

Listen to the song "Cherry" by Moose Blood while reading:

https://soundcloud.com/nosleeprecords/moose-blood-cherry





Peyton: The One
           
           It’s hard to believe in just a few short days I’ll be leaving her just to follow my dreams. It feels a little selfish but I know she wouldn’t want it any other way. A few years ago I wouldn’t have dreamed of deciding to live my dream or staying home for a girl…I never thought I would be so tempted to choose the second choice. 

            I run my fingers through her black hair as her head is on my lap. She fell asleep on the couch while we cuddled watching TV. It’s nothing new. She does this all the time; suggests we should watch something but falls asleep not even thirty minutes in. The thought puts a smile on my face. 

            We just got in from our trip to Australia with Mason and we’re both a little jet lagged. I’m surprised she was able to fall asleep so easily. During most of the trip I was a little bothered thinking about how I would have to leave her almost as soon as we get back from our trip. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed myself with her and my cousin, it’s exactly what I needed but it was bittersweet knowing that everything finally fell into place when I have to leave. 

            I thought about going for drive to clear my head but decided to stay right here with her. Usually a drive out on the town would help but I thought why leave her when I have to be out of here in a few days anyway. Besides, it’s pouring out there and that may not be a wise decision. I want to savor every moment with her…even if it means watching her sleep. 

            Funny how two years ago I was a kid running wild and now here I am, engaged and ready to start a family with the most amazing girl I’ve ever met. I’m only seventeen and four months shy of my eighteenth birthday but I feel like I’ve aged at least a decade since then. 

            I leaned over to kiss her softly on the side of her face. She moves around a little before finally waking up. She sits up and yawns with a stretch. God, she’s so adorable! I admire every second of this moment. 

            “Hey, what happened? You were watching it without me!” she whines as she looks back and forth from the TV and me. 

            I smirk at her and shake my head a little. I knew this part was coming. She falls asleep and then blames me for still watching the show. 

            “Actually, I was watching you,” I correct her. 

            “Well, that’s not creepy at all,” she replies sarcastically. 

            “So you’d rather me watch the movie without you?” I raise one eye brow and stare at her.

            “Ugh! Shut up and kiss me.”

            I love when she demands me to do something. She can be so feisty at times and I must admit I love it. I submitted to her and did as I was told. She always demands me to kiss her when she knows she’s lost a debate. 

            “I can’t wait to marry you,” I whisper to her before she kisses me again. 

            “Neither can I,” she replies after biting her bottom lip. She knows what that does to me. 

            I start to caress her arm and she knows what’s coming next. I can’t keep my hands or eyes off of her. Every day is almost like I’m just seeing her for the first time. 

            “Aren’t you tired?” she asks with her head slightly tilted to the side.

            “Not tired enough,” I say staring into her beautiful green eyes. 

            I pull her into me and kiss her a little rougher this time. She doesn’t interrupt and goes along with it. I grab the sides of her face and lightly run my fingers through her hair. She does the same to me, letting me know we’re on the same page. 

            I lay her on the couch and she bites her bottom lip and lets out a small laugh. She excites me in the most non-sexual way possible. I genuinely love her and adore every little thing about her. I can’t imagine this any other way. 

            I slowly lean myself on top of her just to stare into her eyes. I have to reposition myself because my side is still sore from the stab wound Karson gave me. She notices it and lightly touches my side. 

            “It’s okay. We don’t have to,” she says with a serious look. 

            “No, no, I’m fine. I’m good,” I assure her. I kiss her once more and I feel her hand touch the back of my neck. It gives me chills in the best way. “I hate that I have to leave you so soon.” I stare at her waiting for a reply.

            “It’ll be okay. We’ll be okay. Go follow your dreams and have the time of your life with your band. I’ll be right here waiting for you when you get back.” She smiles at me and I can’t help but smirk back. 

            “This is why I love you so much,” I respond kissing her on the cheek.

            “I can’t even begin to mention the reasons why I love you,” she says.

            We kiss again but this time it lasts for much longer. She knows how to make me feel good about any situation. That’s when you know you’ve met the one. I can’t wait to leave so I can come back home to my baby. 

Find out more about Peyton and Taylor in the RED Tragedies series here! They appear in A Tragic Heart, Turn It Off (Coming Soon), and What Could've Been (Coming Soon)!


Turn It Off: Based off of the character Peyton from A Tragic Heart (Short Story)




Intro

Enough was enough. This was the last time I was going to allow him to treat me this way. My mom is gone and there’s no reason for me to remain here any longer. He’s the reason why she’s no longer breathing and I refuse to go out that way. It was time for me to leave.
I looked at my face in the bathroom mirror. I was too young to go through this madness. I was only thirteen and I felt like I was living the life of a man. My face was sore and bruised. I guess since my mother was no longer here to be his punching bag, I had to suffice.
Karson was my stepdad since I was nine years old but I never respected him. Night after night I would lie in my bed listening to the horror going on in the room next to mine. My mother’s screams from his beatings would enrage me, but what was I to do? I was only a kid. Still, I continued to blame myself. I should have been stronger.
It wasn’t until I got a little older that I started to fight back. Fighting back only made him start to hit me too and that’s when my mother decided it was time to go. She had the mother’s attitude of: you can do what you want to me but leave my son out of it. I begged her for years to leave but it wasn’t until he started to hurt me that she listened. I only wished she listened sooner.
I applied alcohol to my face to clean my cuts and placed a cold compress beneath my eye. It was swollen from the fight I just had to endure. His reason this time: my mother’s death is all my fault. It’s not even like he cared about her to begin with. The only thing he loved was the bottle that seemed to be glued to the palm of his hand.
There was never a real father figure in my life. My dad left when I was only seven and I haven’t seen or spoken to him since. My mom was the only person I had in my life. She was my best friend and I loved her to pieces. It kills me that my love for her wasn’t enough. If it was she wouldn’t have ended up the way she did. She was a beautiful and intelligent woman that only deserved the best, which is why I could never understand how she ended up with Karson. The guy was bad news from the start.
I knew if I didn’t make plans to leave soon that I would end up just like my mother. I don’t want to die running away. I made my way back to my bedroom and locked the door. I picked up the phone and dialed the only person I knew I could trust, my cousin Mason. It was time for me to go…











 Chapter 1: Rebellion/Jessica

Come on, Peyton! We can’t waste time! He’ll be home any moment now!” my mother said frantically as she threw a bunch of our belongings in a bag.
“Why are we running this way? Just tell him that you’re leaving him! That you had enough!” I replied helping her put a few things away.
“Because you know he’ll kill us both before he allows me to leave him!”
“Mom, you can’t be afraid of him forever. You can’t just run because you’ll spend your whole life running,” I said calmly as I placed my hand on her shoulder.
I pulled her into a hug and tried to console her. She started to cry and I hated Karson more than I ever thought I could at that moment. She was scared but I wasn’t. I had to be strong for her. I wasn’t going to allow him to touch her again. I’d rather die fighting for my mother’s life than have her be afraid any longer. She held onto me tighter and I knew that even though I was her son, I was also her protection. I might have only been thirteen but I been through enough to pass as much older.
“I’ll help you pack, mom, but you can’t be afraid. I’ll protect you,” I told her as I kissed her forehead.
“I love you,” she said as she wiped her tears.
“I love you too, mom”.

It didn’t take us long to get everything together and walk out of the door. I could feel her sense of relief from the moment we stepped out of the house. She rushed to start the car as I placed the bags in the trunk. This was it. We were really leaving him forever. My mother was finally going to get her freedom…the freedom she absolutely deserved.
I got in the passenger seat and she sped off as fast as she could. She was still nervous; her hands were shaking as she grasped the steering wheel. She stared straight ahead at the road but her eyes seemed dead and filled with worry.
“It’s going to be okay, mom,” I said trying to comfort her.
“It will. I know it will,” she responded as if she is still trying to convince herself.
            She was in deep thought and never saw it coming. What should have been the happiest day of our lives turned sour in an instant. The sun was shining and the skies were clear which should have been a sign of happiness. Instead, it was just a sign that the calm comes before the storm.
The light was turning from yellow to red but her mind wasn’t on that. Her eyes saw what was ahead but her mind blinded her. She accidentally ran the red light and my life changed in a few seconds.
I remember hearing a bang. I felt the impact. I felt the pain of my head hitting the glass window beside me. Tires screeching. Screams. Chatter. Then darkness.

I slowly opened my eyes and blinked a few times. I must have passed out for a little while…but it wasn’t long enough. I quickly gained consciousness and realized I was still in the passenger seat of my mom’s car. I wasn’t prepared for what I was going to see next. My mom. Her head leaned lifelessly on the driver’s side window. Her arms dangled at her side…her eyes wide open. A truck slammed into her side causing just enough damage to knock me out and end my mother’s life.
I snatched off my seatbelt and did what any other son would have done. I tried to save my mom. I leaned over to her side and attempted CPR the best way I could. The damage done to the car prevented me from being able to lay her seat flat.
“Come on, mom! Mom, please don’t do this to me!” I yelled while trying to pump her chest. “Mom!”
I pushed the passenger door open and unbuckled my mother’s seatbelt. I pulled her out of the car to lay her flat on the concrete. The sound of police cars and the ambulance filled the atmosphere. I attempted CPR again but I wasn’t having any luck. I knew I was doing it right, my mother taught me a billion times.
She was a doctor; a surgeon to be exact. She taught me a lot about saving lives, I just never thought I would have to use her lessons to save her own life.
“Hey, hey! You need to get checked out! Move away from her! Let the paramedics handle this kid!” A police officer yelled at me.
I ignored his orders and continued to try and save my mother’s life. I knew it was over but something in me wouldn’t allow me to give up.
“Come on kid!” he yelled again, this time pulling me away. “What’s your name?”
I look back at my mother who was now being handled by the paramedics. They were repeating my failed attempt. I couldn’t pay attention to anything else but my mom. We all knew it was too late but I wasn’t trying to admit it.
“Hey, kid! What’s your name? I need to know that you’re okay!” the officer said once more.
I look away from my mother for a few to answer him.
“Uh-um, Peyton…my name is Peyton Giordano. That’s my mom.  Her name is Cathleen Taylor-Davis. I need her to be okay! Please, tell me that she’s going to be okay!”
“They’re going to do everything that they can for your mother. You need to stay calm and go with a paramedic so I can take your statement,” he told me.
“No, no, I need to be with my mom. She needs me, I can’t-“
“Kid, you gotta calm down, you need to get checked out, you may be in shock,” the officer said, leading me to the ambulance.
A paramedic came over and began attending to me. They all were asking so many questions I couldn’t comprehend it all. My mind was focused on my mother. I was so far away I couldn’t see past all of the men that surrounded her.
“Will she be okay? That’s my mom. She’s all I have,” I said to the paramedic who was flashing a light in my eyes.
“They’re doing the best they could,” was all she said to me. “You don’t seem to have a concussion so that’s good. But, you will need stitches for that gash in your forehead.”
I lightly touched the right side of my head and saw a bit of blood come off on my finger tips. I didn’t even realize that I was hurt. I guess I went numb to pain when I saw my mother.
“We’re going to take you in for some observations and tests. Stay here,” she said before hopping in the ambulance and picking out a few packaged bandages and other supplies.
The crowd of people started to slowly move away from my mother. My heart sank when I saw it. They were preparing to zip her up in a black body bag like she was packaged meat. I immediately ran over to her, pushing everyone out of my way.
“No, this can’t be happening! Mom! No, no, no, no, no! This isn’t real!” I said out loud without realizing.
The same officer from before pulled me away from the scene.
“Let me go! That’s my mom!” I shouted while trying to get away.
He grabbed me by both of my shoulders forcing me to face him.
“I’m sorry, I really am but they did everything. You can’t go over there right now. Do you have any other family to call?”

That question lingered in my mind before I made the call to Mason to let him know that I was leaving. He was my only family. I told him not to tell his mom and dad my real reason for wanting to leave Karson; he promised me he wouldn’t. We planned to give my face some time to heal so there wouldn’t be any questions asked. During that time I stayed far away from Karson, making sure I wouldn’t give him any reason at all to go off.
About two weeks later I was living a new life in a new home with the only family I had left. My aunt and uncle welcomed me with open arms. I was always like a second son to them. Mason and I grew up together and were more like brothers than cousins. That’s how I knew that I could trust him. We knew all of each others' secrets and never judged. In reality, Mason saved my life a number of times and no one ever found out about it. He kept every moment to himself. I owed him more than I could ever repay. 

To find out more about Peyton pick up your copy of A Tragic Heart now!