Cursed Fate: Cursed Series #4

Cursed Fate

The Cursed Series, #4

By t. h. snyder

© 2014 t. h. snyder (Tiffany Snyder)

Published by t. h. snyder

First published in 2014. All rights reserved. This book is copyright. Apart from the fair purpose of private study, research or review as permitted by the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced without written permission.

This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Image Copyright

Book Cover by Design: Kellie Dennis

Photography by Ray Feather

Cover Model Joey Skundrich

Acknowledgements

My FAMILY! Roberta M Rizzotto (Mom), Angela Minnich, Jim Minnich (Dad), and Marilyn Minnich. Without you all by my side, I don’t know what I would do. Thank you for always supporting and encouraging me along the way.

To my two wonderful KIDS, you are my world Raeghyn, and Mason. I love you both to infinity and beyond.

My BETA GIRLS! Barb Johnson, Jennifer Maikis, Jamie Bourgeois, Mary Lou Moench, Ashley Blankenship, Carrie Moore, Ashley Lighthizer, Michelle Witt, Crystal Rearick and Marina Marinova. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy lives to join me on this crazy ride. I love you all more than words can say.

To the amazing BLOGS that support me and never flinch when I ask them to post my teasers and such. You’re all too good to be true.

The READERS, well hell I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you. I adore the messages you send me and all of your kind words. Knowing that I’ve touched so many of you with my stories makes my heart happy. Special shout out to Melonie Merritt, no matter how much you want to punch me in the face, this story is for you.

My STREET TEAM, Pimpette4Life each one of you bring a smile to my face. It’s been an insane year and I appreciate you all for standing by me. Love you long time girls.

My CURSED GIRLS, Carrie and Ashley. You make me smile and laugh every day. Meeting the two of you has been such an incredible experience and I can't wait to see how our friendships grow over time. Thank you for loving me and always trusting in me.

A special shout out to a few AUTHORS that I know and love very much. Without your support and encouragement, I’d be lost. I love you Stacy Borel, S Moose, Joanne Schwehm, Skye Turner, JM Witt, Jaime Whitley, Magan Vernon and AD Justice.

My POOPSIE and BFF, Christine Stanley where the hell would I be without your sarcastic wit and charm? You are my sister from another mister and I’d be lost without you in my life. Thank you for always talking me down off the ledge and believing in me. No matter what life throws at us I’ll always have your back, as I know you’ll have mine. I love your ass woman.

My EVIL TWIN and partner in crime Kris Adams. Even though we really don't cross paths in the Author/PR world, I'm so glad we've become 'real life' friends. You get my insane mood swings, understand me like no other and can manage a 6 hour road trip without killing me. Thank you for always being there for me and trusting me like a sister. I love you always and forever.

Kellie Dennis, you are a fantastic COVER ARTIST. I know you love me for my cover models, but I love you more for all the hard work you put into making my books kick ass. Thank you for dealing with my demands and always do so with an emoticon smiley.

My EDITOR Missy Borucki, I’m so glad our paths crossed and you were a part of this story. Talking with you is like talking to a long lost friend, you just get me and that means the world to me. Cheers to a lifetime of friendship, I love you woman!!!

My PHOTOGRAPHER, Ray Feather. You were awesome to work with and made the photo selection a seamless process. So glad to finally get this book out there and can’t wait for you to hold it in your hands.

Last but certainly not least, my COVER MODEL, Joey Skundrich. You are an inspiration to so many of us and I’m honored to have you on my cover of Cursed Fate. This story has been a long time coming, but you remained patient with me and stood by my side. Thank you for trusting in me as an author, but more importantly as a friend. I hope I made you proud with Steve’s story. Never give up, the fight is so much more worth it. Love you HomeSlice!!!

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

Prologue

Tonight was an average night, nothing to celebrate, yet that’s all I seem to do anymore. Celebrate with the bottle—just me, myself and I.

Having just gotten home from work, I reach for the bottle and walk outside to the back porch.

The sun has recently set; the sky quickly turning dark as I light my cigarette. The flash of the flame shines brightly and pulls me into a trance.

Lost in thought, I start to feel the heat and quickly pull my arm back, almost singeing my eyebrows.

As I fall into the chair, I take a long drag of my smoke and a swallow of the amber liquid. It’s my release—the only way to help myself feel numb and forget about everything I’ve done wrong in my life. I’m the bastard son, the worthless husband, and a deadbeat that can do no right.

My life is falling apart.

Looking down I stare at the bottle. I know I should stop, pour it down the drain, and toss it away for good…I just can’t.

The phone begins to ring in the house, yet I don’t have the will to get up and get it. Instead I slouch down in the chair and take in another gulp.

Having starred out into the darkness for who knows how long, the bottle is just about half way empty and I’m beginning to realize that I am in fact numb. My legs feel as though they’ve been torn from my body, my arms and hands merely weightless objects.

A crashing sound pulls me from my thoughts. Looking down toward my feet, I see my only escape in a puddle surrounded by pieces of broken glass.

The house phone begins to ring again. I guess I should see who is calling. It’s been ringing nonstop all night, it could be important.

Getting up from the chair, I stumble into the brick wall. Trying to regain my bearings, I push myself from the wall and walk through the sliding glass doors.

The ringing of the phone irritates me as I step closer.

“Hello,” I mutter into the receiver.

“Steve, where the hell are you?”

“What, who’s this?” I ask scrunching my brow in confusion.

“Oh my God, you have to be kidding me. Steve, it’s your fucking wife, Jenn. Are you drunk?”

“Huh, well, I don’t know, maybe a little.”

“You’re worthless, Steven. You were supposed to pick me up from work. My car is in the garage…remember?”

My head is spinning. I can hear Jenn’s voice coming through the other end of the line, but it’s too hard to register what’s happening. Was I supposed to get her?

“Forget it, Steve. I’m done.”

The call goes dead and I’m left standing in the middle of my kitchen.

Wasted…alone…worthless.

My body slowly starts to slide down the wall onto a pile of drunken waste. Closing my eyes, I allow myself to fall into the blackness that soothes me.

My eyes open to unfamiliar surroundings, my heart racing and pain taking over my body. I take in a deep breath and exhale, it was just a dream. A memory of the hell I put myself and my loved ones through for far too long.

The recollections of my life before come crashing down on me. I don’t want to think about it, let alone allow it consume my thoughts as I sleep. It’s taken me years to rid myself of the nightmares that plagued me because of the things I had done.

My breathing begins to pick up and a sharp pain starts to fill my chest. Pushing all thoughts out of my mind, I take in another deep breath through my nose and exhale between pierced lips. I can’t, no I won’t, put myself through that hell again.

Trying to calm myself, I begin to take in my surroundings. The walls around me are bright white, there’s a tall curtain to my left and a steady beeping sound to my right.

Where the fuck am I?

As I attempt to sit up, I’m forced to remain lying down. I can barely move and feel like I’ve been hit by a truck. My legs are stiff; my arms…wait my arms. Pain shoots from my fingertips up into my neck. Looking down, I see my arms have been placed in two slings.
Damn it to hell.

Holy shit! What the hell is going on?

Closing my eyes, I try to remember what’s taken place over the past few hours. I went to dinner with the crew; Linc proposed to Jo and….
fuck me
. No one saw it coming until it was too late. Cliff’s voice rings through my ears, “
Watch out!
” But it was too late. The truck smashed into the car, hitting the passenger’s side door.

Everything after that is a blur—that is until now.

I’m alone in a room, uncertain of where or how my friends are doing. Dault was seated next to me in the front, while Cliff and Ashley were in the back. Oh fuck, Ashley…please dear God, tell me she’s okay. This woman just came back into my life when I needed her the most, she has to be okay.

My eyes snap open, to the sound of a door shutting. Looking to the right I see Linc creeping toward me.

“Hey, man,” he remarks in a whisper.

“Linc, what the hell is going on? Where is everyone?”

Trying to move around, the pain takes over as I press my head back down onto the pillow.

“Relax, Steve. You’re banged up pretty bad, thankfully your injuries are nothing too serious,” he says moving to the side of the bed.

“It all happened so fast, I didn’t see him coming.”

My eyes burn as I try to fight back the tears. It’s my fault I’m in this bed. I can’t even begin to fathom what’s happening to my friends. No matter how much I’ve tried to change who I am, I’m still the man that causes pain for those around me.

“Steve, it’s not your fault. That truck came plowing through the light, it could have happened to anyone of us.”

Shutting my eyes, I squeeze my lids tight, holding back the rage building inside of me.

My body jumps to the sound of the door slamming open against the wall. As my eyes peer open, I see Etty standing in the doorway, her body heaving as tears fall down her cheeks.

Trying to regain my own emotions, I watch as Linc moves to stand by her side.