Twisted Minds (28 page)
Authors: Komal Kant
“I, um.” She bit on her lower lip, looking just as anxious as I felt. “I wasn’t sure if you were seeing someone else.”
“No, I’m not.” A laugh left my chest. “All I’m seeing is you. Your smile, your laugh, the way you get mad at me, how incredible you look naked, what it feels like to have sex with you.”
Her cheeks flushed beneath the glow of the street light, and I realized how much I had actually missed her.
Memories of our time together flashed through my mind. Sugar on her cheek, the sun hitting her hair spun from gold, the light in her blue eye, the first time we kissed. There was no way to forget those extraordinary memories.
“Really?” Her expression grew hopeful as she gazed up at me, and I could see all her reservations melting away. “Because I wasn’t even sure if you’d want me back.”
“Of course I want you back.” I couldn’t hold back, not now that she was really standing in front of me. “I have thought about you every single day since we’ve been apart, and all I want to do right now is kiss you.”
Kira drew closer to me, and my body instinctively tingled as I reached out for her.
“Then kiss me,” she whispered.
Without further hesitation, I pulled her against me, bringing my lips to hers in a kiss that reached my toes. She pressed her body against mine, her hand grabbing onto my arm. Heat and light and lust built up within me. My hands roamed her slender body, resting just above her ass, and I considered all the things I wanted to do to her.
Before my imagination ran away with me, I reluctantly released her. There was no way I could continue kissing her like that and not want more.
“Um.” Kira was breathless, her cheeks flushed as she glanced away. “I have something for you.”
She extended her arm, and there was something in her small hand I hadn’t noticed before. Maybe because I had been too focused on her.
I stared at the brown leather in surprise—it was a journal.
Taking it from her, I ran my fingers over the spine, floored by the strange gift. Kira was the one who had wanted me to get rid of my journal, yet here she was presenting me with a new one.
“I don’t understand.” I looked up at her again, my forehead creasing.
“I thought you could use it to make a new kind of list,” she explained. “Not one that revolves around women, but instead on the things you want to achieve in your life.”
Truth be told, I hadn’t thought much about what I would do with my life beyond inherit my father’s company, but now that a brand new journal was in my hand, I realized there was so much more I could do with the privileged life I had, so much I could do for other people.
“Thank you,” I said, feeling overwhelmed.
It was a freaking journal, but for some reason, it had gotten to me.
Kira smiled a smile that could warm hearts. She reached for my hand and squeezed it. “I thought maybe, if you wanted, it could be the start of a new beginning for us.”
There was a hint of fear in her voice as though she was worried I would turn her down. After everything we had been through, there was no way I was letting go of her.
“A new beginning for us,” I echoed her, pushing a strand of her golden hair behind her ear. “I like the sound of that.”
With my heart ready to burst, I leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her mouth, entangling my fingers in her messy hair.
In that moment, with Kira tucked against my body, her sweet lips pressed against mine, that floating sensation swept through me like a warm breeze, setting every part of me alight.
And right then and there I recognized it for what it was.
This feeling coursing its way through my veins, flowing through every part of my body like a force to be reckoned with—it was love.
Epilogue
Finn
The streetlight cast an orange glow across my car as I sat inside, gripping the bottle of tequila with too much force.
If it shattered, I didn’t give a fuck. At least it would distract me from the pain that haunted me every day. The pain of being betrayed by someone I loved, someone I had trusted.
Cassidy.
To put so much faith in someone who had broken my heart had been a stupid thing to do, yet I always had to be the good guy like my parents had taught me to be. Maybe if I’d listened to Nate in the first place, I wouldn’t be sitting in my car getting drunk off a bottle of tequila.
Weak—that’s all I was.
My need to see the best in people had allowed Cass to manipulate me with her poison, and I hadn’t been able to see the fucking truth. Love had blinded me. I would never be a fool in love ever again.
I had been weak, but I refused to be weak any longer.
My eyes fell on the journal sitting on the passenger seat. The pages were barely filled, proving that I wasn’t really a man. I was a boy who had let myself be taken advantage of. That would never happen again. I refused to allow it to happen.
The journal gave me hope; the city was full of promise—this was where I would start my new beginning. I would be the guy that Nate had been. I would be the next Nathaniel James.
And I would never let anyone into my heart the way I had let her in.
I would be a new Griffin Walsh.
Flash Feed Exclusive!
The Manhattan Manwhore Sheds Light on Social Issues
After receiving plenty of negative attention online, Nathaniel James AKA The Manhattan Manwhore has spent the last year creating the mobile app, The List. This app allows users to create their own list of charitable efforts they plan on pursuing and setting themselves a deadline to reach their goal.
James first shot to fame after his journal was leaked in the summer of 2015, detailing a hefty list of sexual exploits, one of which included famous socialite, Sydney Lipton. After spending a low-key year in New York City, James has bounced back by not only creating a fast-selling app, but by also opening the very first homeless shelter in a Manhattan mansion.
Using a combination of his personal funds, and an investment from his multi-millionaire father, James has opened up the shelter for the underprivileged who live on the streets of New York City.
At the official opening of the shelter, James’ mother approached us for a comment. “I’ve always encouraged his interest in social issues,” she told us, flattening down her impeccable hair. “I do what I can for the needy. In fact, I hire plenty of them to work in my rather large home.”
A former conquest of James’, Tamryn Goodwill, who was mentioned briefly in James’ journal, contacted us with the following story: “I once took some silverware from Nate’s apartment, and he didn’t even care. I think his act of selflessness in that situation was what set him on the path of being more generous. I don’t want to take all the credit for his change of attitude, but I know deep down it was because of me.”
When asked about how his infamous journal has affected his life and if he feels he has redeemed himself, James commented with, “I’m trying my very best to help however I can. I guess you’d have to ask my girlfriend about the redemption part.”
James’ girlfriend, Kira Walsh, is in her second year as an Anthropology and Classical Civilization student at NYU, and says she supports his philanthropy wholeheartedly. “This is something we love to do together. Even the tiniest effort can make a huge difference in someone’s life.”
With the success of James’ app and the opening of the ‘Mansion Shelter’, we can’t wait to see what he has in store next. We’re starting to think that Nathaniel James might just be our favorite playboy turned philanthropist yet.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Twisted Minds—what an emotional rollercoaster. To say these characters pushed me to my limits is an understatement. I don’t think I have ever felt for any of my characters the way I have for the ones in this book. Nate, Kira, Finn, and Cass—you have officially drained me.
The journey with them has been incredible, but scary. Scary, because I have never written anything like this before. Incredible, because the story is more than I had ever dreamed it could be.
Michelle Rowe (AKA Michelle Flick) was so important to me during the entire writing process. Considering I decided to set the story in her hometown of Ripley, she was my go-to person at all hours of the day. She not only described Ripley in great detail, she also drove around town taking tons of pictures for me so I could get a visual of it. Thank you, Michelle! I owe you so much!
Erica Cope, as always, was incredibly supportive as I wrote this book. The best thing about Erica is I’m able to talk to her about my concerns, my fears, and anything that is bothering me, and she is always there to encourage and motivate me (even when she is pretending to write with me!). A fun fact: the names of the wines that Nate and Kira drink are all names of Erica’s books.
Once again, thank you Eden Crane for designing such a perfect cover. The fact you nailed this in one draft is amazing! I don’t know how you do it. To think that my initial concept was “string” and I refused to deviate from it, and you somehow turned “string” into this cover is the reason why I love working with you!
To my husband, thank you. Seriously, just thank you. Thank you for letting me sleep in. Thank you for cooking for me. Thank you for not caring that I look a little funky. Thank you for doing all of that so I could devote all my energy into this book.
Finally—to the readers. Thank you for taking this twisted journey with me. I hope this book finds a special place in your heart.
Much love xo
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Komal Kant is the international bestselling author of BENEATH HIM who writes Contemporary Romance and Paranormal novels. She likes to write about sarcastic females and swoon-worthy guys who end up falling in love under unusual circumstances.
Born in Fiji, Komal grew up in Sydney, before finally settling down in the U.S. with her husband, and their tough-guy Shih Tzu and lapdog American Pit bull.
You can find out more about Komal and her books on her website:
http://komalkantbooks.com/
Or sign up for her mailing list to receive updates on her books:
http://eepurl.com/7Z4VP
OTHER BOOKS BY KOMAL KANT
With Me Series (Can be read as stand-alone novels)
Runaway Mortal Series
Stand-alone novels
Twisted Minds
Prologue
Hadie
Like always, he didn’t say anything.
Even though I stood there; arms crossed, forehead scrunched up, and in a mood that could rival Heathcliff’s, he still didn’t say anything.
Today I was upset—furious, annoyed, frustrated. Today I had needed him, and he hadn’t been there for me. I knew that a relationship like this could never work. It was stupid and volatile and self-destructive—but it was so hard to let him go. He was my confidant, but he was also my undoing.
“Where were you today?” I cried, gesticulating wildly with my hands. “You said you were always going to be there for me, so where were you, Lincoln?”
The cool wind weaved around me, sending loose strands of hair flying over my face. I probably looked ridiculous standing out here in the cold yelling at him, but it was so hard to keep everything bottled inside when this kept happening all the time.
“How can you lay there and not say anything?” I demanded, fighting back tears. “How can you let me feel this way and not come to me?”
More silence. No response.
Being ignored by him, being neglected, not having his attention was tearing me up inside. I needed him to understand me. I needed him to say the things that would help me fix myself.
But he was silent. He was cold as stone. He didn’t exist anymore. It didn’t matter how long I stood here; he wasn’t going to answer me.
Lincoln Rylan Bracks
Beloved son and brother
If tears could build a stairway and memories a lane, we’d walk right up to Heaven and bring you home again.
Breathing heavily, I took a step back and stared at the bare ground around my boyfriend’s grave. Or ex-boyfriend? Did our relationship status automatically change now that he was gone, or did it stay the same for as long as I wanted it to? I had no one to ask.
The tree he had been buried under was dry and barren; the winter had taken away all of its color and life. That tree was me. I felt dead, even though there was blood pumping inside of me.
All I wanted to do was freeze myself in a moment with a boy who still had my heart; a boy I loved so much I would’ve followed him anywhere. Except he’d left me for a place I couldn’t ever follow him to. Death.
The wind continued to whip around me, but I stood there motionless, staring at the only remnants of the boy who had once swept me up in a world of color and light.
For a second I thought I heard his voice on the wind and prayed he could hear mine.
“I am nothing without you,” I whispered into the cool air, feeling the full weight of his absence.
The wind wrapped around me like an icy blanket, making me shiver; then all at once it fell away.
And with that the moment was gone, just like he was.