Scarred Love by M.S. Brannon
(Sulfur Heights #1)
Publication date: June 6th 2013
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
(Sulfur Heights #1)
Publication date: June 6th 2013
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
Synopsis:
“I am certain, without
any doubt, she was meant to be in my life. We belong to each other. I
spent too much of my time consumed with what everyone else thinks of my
feelings for Darcie, but the truth is, it was always supposed to be this
way.” ~Reggie EvansDarcie Claiborne spent several years of her young life living with a monster, always fearing what he would do next. Clasping onto her last ounce of hope, Darcie releases a scream. It’s her final attempt to live; to survive the villain of her reality. Sweeping her up in his arms, Darcie’s knight in shining armor rescues her from the hell she’s been living; from the stepfather she’s feared for all those years.
Reggie Evans has been forced to grow up before he’s ready when his mother dies of an overdose, leaving him responsible to raise his younger brothers. One fateful night, Reggie jogs by an old, run down house and discovers a young girl clinging to life as she screams for help.
Three years later, Darcie is healing and always protected by the man who saved her, but now she’s fighting with something she isn’t prepared to face. The growing love for the man who saved her life three years ago, the same man who’s nine years older. All the while, Reggie fights to protect Darcie from the demons of her past and new ones of her present.
**Mature Content Warning** 17+ for language and sexual content**
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GOODREADS Excerpt:
Darcie
It’s
about one in the morning when we pull into the driveway and park next to Reggie’s
Camaro. I am wasted. Unable to walk, shitfaced, wasted. I can’t form a single
thought and my lips are numb. All the guys are pissed at me. Apparently, I was
running my mouth to Vanessa during the entire race and ended up chucking my
empty tequila bottle at her head. I can’t remember if it hit her or who won the
race for that matter.
Jeremy
runs around to the passenger seat and hoists me out of the car. I climb onto
his back and he carries me up the back steps into the kitchen. I’m attempting
to sing “Creep” by Radiohead, but
butchering the song with every syllable when Jeremy sits me down on the
counter. Jake avoids me as he makes his way down to the basement. Screw it! I
could care less right now. I achieved my goal; I’m drunk as hell and it’s
amazing!
I
swing my feet back and forth while singing the lyrics to “Creep.” “I wish I was
special. So fuckin’ special...”—a little louder
now—“…but
I’m a creep!” Jeremy’s hand comes across my mouth, quieting me. I jerk my head
back smacking it on the cupboard and shout, “Hey! I’m singing, Jer!”
Jeremy
hands me a glass of water and a couple of Advil. I swallow the pills and let
out a loud burp. He rolls his eyes, trying to hide the smile across his face.
“Do
you want me to help you to bed, Darcie?” he asks.
“Ahh,
Jer. That’s so sweet. Where’s Presley? She can help me. It might be weird
seeing your sis in her underwear.” I laugh obnoxiously at my strange comment.
God, I’m wasted.
Jeremy
blushes. “She’s with Drake and I’m not going in there. If you need help, then
I’ll help you.”
To
Jeremy’s relief, Reggie walks around the corner, glaring at both of us. He
looks sexy as hell, wearing only a pair of black basketball shorts that are
slung low on his hips. I’m practically drooling as I look at the slight trail
of blonde hair below his belly button and the defined V of his abdomen. His
hair is loose and tousled from sleep. Oh shit. There go my hormones again. I
want to rip his clothes off and suck on his…lips? I let out a small giggle
followed by a hiccup from my dirty thoughts.
Jeremy’s
angry as he looks over at me. “She’s fucking wasted, Reg. She drank a pint of
tequila and started running her mouth to that girl she beat up at school.
Everyone else bailed on me. I’m trying
to get her to bed.”
Reggie
rolls his eyes and shakes his head in disgust. “I’ll put her to bed.”
Relief
passes over Jeremy’s face. He smiles then sprints out of the kitchen and flies
down the stairs, heading for the basement. Man, I didn’t think I was that much
of a pain in the ass.
Reggie
walks over to me and puts his hands on either side of my thighs. My breath
hitches at our closeness and flashes of last night play in my mind.
I
press my forehead to his and whisper, “Always my knight in shining armor.”
“Always.”
His lips stay close and I’m hoping he will crash them into mine, but he
doesn’t.
“I’ve
had a bad day.”
He
lets out a small sigh and says, “Yeah… I know.”
Reggie
slides his hands behind my butt pushing my core against his waist. Butterflies
are swarming in my stomach as I wrap my legs and arms around him. I plant my
face in the crook of his neck and that familiar smell of salvation engulfs me.
It’s divine, a combination of soap and Reggie. Lifting me off the counter, he
walks down the hall toward my bedroom. I look into his eyes where I find
fierce, ocean blue pools, drowning me in desire. My body is warming with
pleasure as I feel his hard muscles constrict with every movement.
Reggie
kneels on the bed hovering over me. I let go of my grip and push myself to the
top, lying on my pillow. He lifts one of my legs and pulls off my leather boot.
It drops to the floor and he repeats with the other. He’s sitting up on his
knees between my legs and my body is rushing with excitement. His hands slowly
slide down the zipper of my jacket. I can’t believe this is going to happen. I
don’t want anything more than to give him the innocent part of me. Now, I wish
I was a little more sober.
“Sit
up.,” Reggie demands, never taking his eyes off mine.
I
comply. His hands skim over my shoulders, moving my jacket down and the heat
from his touch is sending me over the edge. Reggie tosses my jacket to the
floor and then he leans down and puts a faint kiss to the cigar burn on my left
shoulder. My breath hitches from his gesture and I wish he could take all of it
away. Using a gentle touch, his hands guide me to lie down. I’m panting with
want. All the familiar feelings of our storage room make-out floods my body.
Moving off the bed, Reggie pulls the comforter over my body then leans down and
places a gentle kiss on my forehead.
“Goodnight,
Darcie.”
Wait.
What? He’s leaving me?
The
door clicks shut. Embarrassed and rejected, I roll over onto my side and cry
for the second time in twenty-four hours.
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