Consumed (Addicted to You Book 1) (24 page)

I didn’t want to listen anymore and handed Kevin his phone before I grabbed another beer.

The remainder of the day I sat at that table, drinking beer one right after the other and watching Kevin snort his entire paycheck. Again I envied him. He wasn’t being tormented by the thoughts of what was keeping her from answering her phone.

Each time he would offer to share. Each time I’d say no. Each time I’d have to think for a second before I answered.

Sometimes I hated my brother. He chose this life. He’d lost a wife. He’d lost everything. He worked and he did drugs. How was I supposed to explain that to Avery? How could I tell her any of my life?

About midnight I was nearly a case and a half of beer into my drinking and the thoughts of what was going on with Avery were driving me insane. I grabbed his phone one last time and sat back, preparing to dial.

Lingering on the last number I didn’t want to push the call through. It was one of the moments where I was convinced that Avery had moved on and was happy without me there. And I was learning that those thoughts hit me harder than thinking she needed me. But I had to find out if she was okay, so I hit send and waited.

“Hey, It’s Avery,”

I felt the anger and panic and I knew what I had to do.

“You’re right,” I broke the silence with my words. “Are you up for driving?”

Kevin looked at me and seemed to contemplate what I was asking.

“Yea,” he said honestly. “Where we going?”

“To our apartment,” I began and then realized what I’d said. “Her apartment,” I corrected myself. “I just need to make sure that she’s not in trouble.”

“And if she is?” he asked.

“Then I will help her of course,” I answered.

“And if she’s not? And she’s happy and just ignoring your calls?”

Damn him. Why’d he have to say that? Fuck.

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “I don’t know.”

“You might want to pack a bag,” he commented.

“Why?” I asked, knowing it wasn’t that far away.

“So you can stay,” he nodded. “That’s what you are going to do isn’t it?”

“What? Stay?”

“When we get there,” Kevin started, “You are going to stay, right? No matter what we are calling it right now….you are going back to Avery tonight?”

I ignored his question. I was busy dialing the phone. As I listened to her message, again, I walked towards my room. Tossing things into a bag I dialed the number one last time.

“Hey, It’s Avery,”

I never gave Kevin an answer. I just threw the bag over my shoulder and walked back into the kitchen where he was doing one last line.

“Ready?” he asked, looking at my bag but not saying anything.

“I’ve been ready,” I admitted as I followed him out of the apartment and down the stairs.

Kevin was right. I was going back to Avery. I was going home.

If she’d have me.

Forbidden

Book 2 in the Addicted to You Series

The more forbidden it is…..the more you are going to want it!

Spencer Phillips has forbidden love in his life. Living with the memories of family disaster, bad choices and a love lost; he has no desire to repeat the heartache and pain that love brings.

Even when it comes in the form of Avery Bradfield.

Regardless of how good things seem to be between them, and often in spite of it, Spencer is determined that love only brings disaster and destruction. It’s a fate he isn’t willing to tempt again.

Until the day he learns he has really lost her.

When his biggest fear becomes reality, Spencer must face his own demons and accept that some addictions in life are permanent. As he finds out, sometimes what is most forbidden is the same thing that you just can’t live without.

Coming August 2015

About NJ Flatman

If you don’t know by now, I am known to most of the world as Jenni.

I am a slightly crazy, seriously overdramatic, extremely emotional, hopelessly romantic, just a touch perverted, creative genius.

But it is my belief that all of the best storytellers are.

I was raised in the mountains of North Carolina, but the western side of Michigan has been my home for more than a decade. I currently live walking distance to our version of the beach with my sixteen year old daughter, all of our combined personalities and whatever stray people I tend to take in.

From the time I was old enough to hold a pen to paper, I have dreamed of writing novels. I achieved this dream first as a ghostwriter and then decided to jump in and try it for myself.

And here I am.

One of my favorite quotes is from none other than Stephen King.

"Love isn’t soft, like those poets say. Love has teeth which bite and the wounds never close."

If you are a handsome prince swoops in and saves me kind of girl then my stories are probably not for you. They are romance, and they show real and true love, but they show all sides of it-including the dark and not so soft and happy parts.

When I'm not pouring my heart and soul into romance and perversion I spend the majority of my time carting my kid back and forth to theater and music obligations, hanging with the crazy people I call friends, out enjoying various stuff in town, killing things on xbox and trying to find a minute to actually sleep.

My house is never clean, calm or quiet, but I've discovered I work best in chaos.

I've always been a firm believer that life is for living, not existing and I’m on a mission to live mine to the fullest or die trying. For me, this means loud music, from the gut laughing, unconditionally loving and trying my damndest not to have to cook

Stay in touch with me:

Blog: http://agoodgirldirtymind.com Facebook: Http://facebook.com/njflatman

Twitter: @njflatman Email: [email protected]