Reading Bliss: Wounded Love...

Friday, February 14, 2014

Wounded Love...

Title – Wounded Love

Series – From Love to Loathe

Author – Phoenix Rayne

Genre – Romance

Publication Date –February 14, 2014

Publisher – G Street Chronicles

Cover Artist – G Street Chronicles

Jyme has searched across country for his one and only true love. He get's a reliable lead and rescues Cricket from the horrid Casino life. It appears that Cricket and Jyme have it all together now. They have a house, serenity, safety...a normal life. But something always seems to take Cricket back to her past...sometimes, her present life requires it.

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I woke to an alarm but it wasn’t my alarm. I sat up, looked around, and
realized it was the hotel’s fire alarm going off. I jumped up, ran to
Cinnamon’s room, and swung the door open. She was knocked out on her bed
half dressed; I shook the shit out of her, and she started yelling.

“What the hell is that noise?”

I ran down to Sugar’s room, and she was butt naked and so was her
company. I screamed at the both of them to get up. They both jumped up
disoriented. I ran back to my room. I put my stilettos I’d had on
earlier in my big purse and slid into my house shoes. I ran back down
the hall, passing Sugar and her company. I ran back into Cinnamon’s
room, and she was wide-awake at her safe in her closet getting money
out. I had forgotten about my safe, so I ran back to my room. I put the
code in and yanked the door open; I pulled out the small stack of money
and reached in deeper. I got the plastic bag that was balled up in the
corner and shoved everything in my purse. I reached deeper, found the
last item in the safe, and slid it on my ring finger. I slammed the door
and took off towards the living room. Cinnamon was waiting at the door;
we clasped hands and ran for the stairs. The hotel was in an uproar. We
made it down to the lobby, but it was so congested with customers
trying to leave the casino.

“Basement,” I yelled to Cinnamon. We took the employee stairs and ran
down the long concrete hall. There were about a dozen people in front of
us, but we finally made it through the door. When we got outside, the
back lawn was crammed with people rushing towards the front of the
building. Cinnamon and I still held on to each other’s hands. We made it
to the front of the building, and everyone was frantic. I pulled out my
cell phone to call Sugar, but someone pushed me so hard I dropped the
phone. I let go of Cinnamon’s hand to retrieve my fallen phone. I found
it and stood up straight; a man in all black with a white ski mask stood
right in front of me. Before I could even prepare a good scream,
someone covered my mouth with a wet bandana, and then I was out.

I woke up to soft kisses all over my face, and then I stretched wide. I
was sleeping well and I kept my eyes shut. Someone was happy to see me. I
have had this dream so many times, and I enjoyed every single one of
them.

“Hi there,” I breathed.

“Hi.”

“Where’ve you been?”

“Looking for you.”

“I’ve been right here the whole time.”

“What?”

“You used to come and see me all the time, and then you stopped.” I told him. I kissed his neck and pulled him closer.

“I’ve missed you so much.”

“Cricket?” He said my name in an odd way.

“What’s wrong? Do you have to go now? Please, Jyme, just stay a little longer.”

“Cricket,”

“Shh, just hold me real tight before you go.” There was a knock at the door, and I freaked.

“NO…PLEASE…JYME, DON’T LET HIM HURT ME. HE HITS ME SO HARD. PLEASE DON’T
LEAVE ME PLEASE.” I screamed at the top of lungs through tears. Someone
knocked again, louder this time.

“Wait a minute,” Jyme yelling. I clung to him and wrapped my arms around
him tighter. I cried into his chest, and my eyes started stinging.

“Cricket, I’m right here, and I won’t let anybody hurt you, I swear.”

“But he’s at the door, and he’ll beat it down. He’s done it before,” I said frantically.

“Shh, Babe. Are you afraid of me?” he asked softly.

“No.”I assured him.

“Then open your eyes and look at me” I slowly opened my eyes and blinked
several times through piercing pain. Then, I saw him, and I slid my
fingers through his jet-black hair.

“Oh it’s you!”

“It’s me,” he chuckled

“You know, you with hair; you’ve never come to see me.”

“Cricket, you’re really here, and I’m really here with you. I’m not sure
what you’re talking about right now. But I’m not going anywhere, and
neither are you.”

“Huh” I asked him. I couldn’t help it but I pinched myself. I felt the pain but I didn’t wake up.

There was another knock at the door, and Jyme got up from the bed. I
really saw him this time. His hair was loose and shoulder length. He
wore jeans and a t-shirt, and his feet were bare. I looked around and
recognized everything. We were in our room, and nothing had changed. The
bedding was the same, and so was the furniture. I looked out the window, and there were the boats all in the water.