"This is all your fault you freaking loser. I found out she was with you..." He sprang forward, both hands shoving at my chest. But his weak muscles didn't match mine. Thousands of bench presses at the gym afforded me the ability to stay my ground. I was like a brick wall in comparison and Chip's feeble shove didn't budge me. I threw up both of my hands in a blocking stance, swatting the fucker's hands off of my chest. He teetered, thrown off balance, and went backward again.

A short, "whirt whirt," sounded from an approaching patrol car, demanding my attention. I hadn't noticed it pull to the curb until I saw the door fly open and an officer rushing at us.

"Hold it right there!" The cop's hand jumped to his baton, prepared to beat us down. Chip began ranting and the cop turned to listen.

"Rob, he hit me! That fucker punched me. I want him arrested for assault." Chip raged.

"Sir! Down on your knees." The cop barked the order at me. Me!

Fucking Chip. He called the guy by his first name. That figured. He probably owned half the cops in this town.

I shot a glance to Lauren, hoping for her support. She'd tell the officer that it was Chip who started this, that he slapped her and I defended her, but when I turned to look, the sidewalk where she'd been standing was empty.

The officer cuffed my hands behind my back and read me my rights. Chip continued ranting as he stood on the sidewalk next to the patrol car. I gritted my teeth and glared at the bastard. What a pussy. My suspicions were now confirmed. Not only was Chip a whining little bitch, he was a goddamn coward too.

I knew why Lauren was afraid of him. She should dump his ass for sure. He was nothing but a small town loser-a big fish in a little pond. But I understood the dynamics of intimidation and fear. How fear kept people from doing what they should, like standing up for themselves. I used to be that way when I was bullied in high school for being a geek, when Lauren's football boyfriend shoved me against my locker in the hall. I didn't fault her for her actions. I just wanted her to be safe.

I was placed in the dirty back of the patrol car, on a seat riddled with black stains, smelling of anger and defeat. The door slammed shut. The last thing I saw was Chip standing on the sidewalk, a smug look on his face as he turned and walked away. Then, I focused my stare on the wire mesh of the cage inside the patrol car that separated me from the outside world. My jaw was set tight as the car pulled away.

I shot one last hopeful glance out of the patrol car as it passed the diner, checking the window seats, then the front tables in the coffee shop window as we cruised by. Finally, my eyes searched for her familiar figure in the park at the end of the main street. My chin dropped to my chest. Lauren was nowhere to be seen.

The End.

Continues in Driven By Destiny. You can download the complete 3 book series now.

Bonus 3: Breathless.

Eve Carter.

Book Description.

The young, hot professional Motocross rider, Jesse Morrison, knows how to leave an impression. Only lately, it has mostly been bad impressions. Frustrated about unlucky turn of events, he surrounds himself with women, booze and drugs, until he, in search of a change of pace, sets out on a trip to sunny California to help his uncle open a sports bar.

In Los Angeles, Jesse meets the one woman who can lead him back on the right path, the stunningly beautiful 22 year old, Niki Milani. Only problem is, she is not interested. Niki has her own past demons to fight. A past that left her feeling abandoned with a deep void in her soul. She cannot open up her heart easily and it's almost impossible for her to trust a man ever again. Especially, not a bad boy player who seems even more messed up than herself. However, Jesse is not the type to back down from a challenge. He is determined to prove to Niki that there is more to him than what appears on the surface. That he is the one person in her life, who can fill the void.

The story of Jesse and Niki is a New Adult Romance that will leave you breathless.

Chapter One.

Jesse.

"What the fuck are you doing, pervert? Get your hands off my girl."

The hot breath of a large hairy dude was blasting in my face, smelling like shit on stick. I pulled myself out of the girl's embrace and rolled to my right. Leaning on the cheap plywood bar to steady my woozy legs, my heart was shooting blood to the body parts needed, in case I had to beat the living shit out of this fucker. Adrenalin was spiking like wildfire throughout my system.

"Mind your own business, asshole. Get the fuck out of my face." I turned my attention back to the girl I was getting close and personal with. Looking like the usual small town bar girl with her dark rimmed eyes, long false lashes, and full cherry red lips that moved around the straw in her drink. Lips that made my cock rock hard.

The high had kicked in ten minutes ago with a line of white in the bathroom stall followed by three neat shots of Fireball whiskey. My buddy, Chet, had won a local motocross race and we were here at the Oxford Tap in upstate New York to celebrate. Not like I needed an excuse to shoot coke and down Fireballs, or any booze for that matter. My life sucked. It sucked balls, big time, but right now all I cared about was how I was going to smash this ugly dude's face three quarters of the way to the crapper.

The hairy bastard plowed past the ditsy bar girl who got in his way on his trek to find a place for his fist to sink into my face. Chet, my wingman had disappeared. Out back somewhere with his tongue halfway down the throat of some young chick fresh out of high school with a fake ID. I shouldn't be so outspoken, but I can't help my drunken self. I'm pretty damn charming after downing a few brew skies, if I say so myself.

Fearless, I jutted my chin out, "You're so ugly. Dude, your breath smells like a dog just took a dump in your mouth. Why would you think she likes kissing that?"

"You're a dead man, mutha-fucka!" he raged at me, struggling to get past the packed crowd.

The confrontation between the Beast and I didn't go unnoticed. Two bouncers were already shoving their way past the standard Saturday night regulars, their radar set on us.

The room was spinning. Bodies packed into the small dreary, beer stained area of the local watering hole in this small shit-hole of a town. I didn't care if the Beast hit me or not. I welcomed the thought of the pain of his blows. At least it would blur out the pain in my soul. I teetered. My alcohol induced, unstable balance may have been an advantage. I staggered out of the Beast's line of fire, just long enough for a strong hand to grab a fist full of my jacket collar from the rear. A heavy hand pulled me down and to the side, pummeling me through the bodies in the crowd. Their drinks crashed to the floor and liquid libations flew through the air, as someone dragged me by the scruff of my neck out the back door of the bar. The same large hand shoved me past the girl I had been chatting up, and I slurred, "Hey, meet me at my truck in the parking lot."

"Shut the fuck up Jesse!" A gruff voice barked out. I knew all the bouncers at the Oxford Tap.

"Manny? Is that you, bro?" In my drunken stupor I couldn't quite tell who had a vice grip on my arm, but now I was pretty sure it was my old friend Manny. Manny, the bouncer, coming to my rescue again. Or so I thought.

Crap. He was throwing me out.

"Dude, you got the wrong guy." I gave a wink and a "call me" gesture to the girl gaping at the scene unfurling in front of her dainty face. Nice perky tits bounced under her top as she walked. Or talked.

"Just saving you from getting your ass kicked again, Jess," Manny puffed, maneuvering his 350 pound frame towards the back of the bar, flinging me around like a rag doll.

"Fuck that. I can take care of myself Manny. No need to get all violent on me." But I couldn't take care of myself. No way in hell. My motto was: "Get fucked up and score as much pussy as possible. Life is short".

Tomorrow, I won't even remember the girl's name, hell in ten minutes I won't remember her name. What the fuck was her name?

Manny shoved me out the back door and threw me into the alley, letting go of me just in time to send me grinding into the hard cold pavement. Landing hard, sliding, the rough texture of the cement peeled the top layer of my skin from my face, right about the cheekbone area. Small pebbles of grit wedged themselves into the flesh of my face, small enough that I'm sure I would inflict further pain on myself later, just trying to dig them out with tweezers. My skin peeled, my flesh oozed bright red blood.

Damn.

That's gonna leave a scar.

Pain signals, fresh and crisp, spiked, like razor sharp lightning into my brain. Hurting like a muther fucker, even in my high and alcohol induced haze. But I didn't give a fuck. I welcomed the pain, no, I savored the pain. As I lay on the ground, my swollen and skinned face absorbing the hardness of the concrete, my eyes rolled back into my head. I just wanted to feel the moment. In my suck ass life, at least for one instant, the pain reminded me of something - I was still alive.

I groaned.

"God damn fucker, Manny."

I reminded myself to kick his ass the next time I saw him. We were friends back in high school and used to sneak under the stadium bleachers at night drinking beer. Now I drink the hard stuff and he's just a washed up small town ex-football star, throwing drunks like me out of this crappy bar.

Fuck.

My face.

I groaned again and pulled my hands up to my chest. Planting both hands, palm down on the concrete, I attempted to push myself up onto my hands and knees. My stomach wrenched. I hung my head and closed my eyes. It was splitting apart from the inside out, a jackhammer pounding a hundred miles an hour. I shook my head in an attempt to stop the bile from rising in my esophagus, but the shaking motion just provoked the jack hammering.

Fuuuuuck!!

Where's my damn truck?

I stalled on my hands and knees, hoping to find some feeling of stability. Crawling over to the brick wall of the building, I used it's firmness to help me climb to my feet. Where the fuck had I parked my damn truck? I leaned my back against the cold brick wall, patting my jean pockets with bloody knuckled hands, for the familiar lump of my truck keys.

Fucking A. I sniffed, rubbing the back of my hand against my good cheek and pushed off the wall. Steadied myself with one hand against its surface and fished the keys out of my jeans', squinting, as my left eye was swelling shut.

I can do this. I can make it to the truck. Just put one foot in front of the other. One foot in front of the other...

I staggered off in the direction of my truck, or what I thought was the direction of my truck. Every step sent new shards of pain throughout my body. Didn't give a fuck. I had it coming to me. I was just a big screw up anyway.

Shaking fingers pressed frantically at the buttons on the black key fob. A shrill metallic sound blast ripped the airwaves, making my ears bleed. Fuck! I hit the alarm button by accident. The truck horn blared loud enough to wake the dead, splitting my head into a million pieces.

Pounding the key fob buttons again, I smashed at the damn device with my thumb, trying to make this acoustic nightmare stop. Whichever bastard invented this annoying feature deserves a swift kick in the balls. Twice.

I hit the buttons enough times and, thank heavens, the truck horn stopped. But my head didn't stop, it kept on going and going, pounding and pounding. Slumped up against the driver's side, I hunched my torso over the shiny black surface as much as I could. I paused there for a few minutes waiting for the world to right itself on its axis and my breathing to regulate.

My truck - she's a beauty. Raised, big monster wheels. An F-150, 4x4, full bed of course. Any man who doesn't have a four-wheel drive pickup truck is a pussy. I stroked the door handle and smooth surface of the side door panel.

Old friend Jack is in the console, or somewhere else inside.

I fumbled with the door, cringing in pain with each strain of my sore muscles and swollen hand. Finally, it opened and I fell into the driver's seat sprawled out on my back with my legs still dangling out the door. Reaching my good arm out, I groped around the front seat for the bottle of Jack Daniels I had left there earlier.

Where the hell you at, Jack? Stretching and pulling myself further into the cab of the truck on my stomach, I searched around the floor board area. Bingo. Hello Jack ole buddy. Come to daddy. Downing a large gulp of my fiery friend, I hissed with clenched teeth at the familiar sting in my throat.

Damn, that feels good.

I slouched into the cushions of the truck seat, bottle in hand, and ready to drink myself into oblivion. I snorted and licked my lips. The salty mixture of sweat and booze assaulted my taste buds. I didn't care. I'd drink my Jack one way or the other. My head fell back against the headrest of the seat. It felt like the seat swayed and shifted beneath me. Slow or fast, it didn't matter. I was down for the ride wherever it took me.

Shame about losing the girl. I liked her scent. Cute too. Seemed like a girl that was up for having some fun. The type of girl that spent most nights trolling from one bar to the next, making herself too available for the wrong guys. Those "no good" guys. Guys like me. I didn't know if she was that hairy bastard's girl or not but I didn't give a shit. I just wanted to see my dick in her mouth and her head bobbing up and down between my legs.

As I laid there with my eyes closed, fantasizing about bobbing heads, I heard the crunch of light footsteps on gravel, approaching my truck. The sound stopped just outside the door that was still standing open. Who the hell is bothering me now? If I don't move, they might think I'm passed out. Or dead. Dead would be better. I wish I were dead. The silence of the darkness swallowed me for a minute, the truck seat bucked, or so it seemed in my alcohol blur of reality. That's when the silence broke.

"Hey there." The trill of a female voice invaded by foggy senses. I rolled my head to one side and lifted my head off the headrest just enough to get a look at girl behind the voice, squinting with one eye open. "Um, you okay?" the voice continued.

My gaze met a pair of black rimmed, wide eyes blankly staring up at me. Ah, it's the giggling tit girl from inside the bar, still sucking on that straw. Damn those lips were hot. "Hey yourself." I tried to sit up, wincing in pain. "What are you doing out here?"

"Um, you told me. You know...at your truck." She twisted side to side, still holding onto her drink glass. She was pinching the straw between her thumb and forefinger, letting it rest for a moment on her lower lip as she spoke. She rolled her eyes in the direction of the bar and then my truck, outlining the path from there to here with her eyes.

Sharp memories of why I landed on my ass on the pavement sliced into my brain. "Shit, your boyfriend is not gonna come out here and go all Frankenstein on me, is he?"

She shrugged her shoulders, still twirling the straw between her fingers, never letting it lose contact with her lower lip. Or tongue. "Oh, he is an asshole." She sucked in her cheeks. "You're hot. I like your hair. I like how it falls in our eyes. Is that a tat?" She pointed with her chin at my bicep, the drink straw still attached to her mouth.

"Uh, yea?" What else would it be? "Why don't you hop up in here? Join me for a drink." I held the bottle of Jack up in the air, gripping the glass neck of it with my good hand.

She shrugged again, cocking her head to the side and let loose of her straw long enough to run her hand through her long, over processed bleach blonde hair. She threw one last glance back over her shoulder towards the bar and disappeared around the front of the truck, popping up outside the passenger side door. I leaned over with a groan, shifting my bottle of jack to the other hand, and jabbed the door handle open. Climbing up into the cab, her perky tits bounced as she adjusted herself on the seat. She was petite. Big eyes, big tits, and wet lips begging for me to be impulsive.

Extending the bottle in her direction, our eyes locked in a rock solid stare. She tipped her head back and took a long slow swig without taking her eyes off of me. I pushed up the center console armrest to make the front seat a bench seat and slid over next to her. I watched her lick her plump lips with the tongue I had designs on. That tongue was mine. It would taste like Jack Daniels. I wanted it in my mouth. I moved closer. My face was inches from her lips. I smelled the heavy scent of her cheap perfume. She lowered the bottle from her lips, leaving her mouth open, inviting, still gazing into my eyes. Her wide brown eyes didn't seem to notice the blood stained gash on my face. Her tongue flicked out of her mouth, wetting her lower lip. My cock twitched in response.

She stared at me with those eyes and said, "Hey, wanna fuck?"

Oh yea, game on.

Sliding my hand around the back of her neck, I filled my fist with her long loose hair and pulled those wet lips onto my mouth, firm and hard. Full lips filled my mouth, with the flavor of Jack and her fruity cranberry drink, which I sucked off her teasing tongue. I shoved my other hand up under her loose top searching for the warmth of those perky tits I had envisioned earlier. She pawed and scratched at my chest, pulling and tugging at my t-shirt. She shoved her hand in my crotch as she swirled her tongue deep in my mouth. My cock raged hard and ready, her hand squeezed at it through my thick jeans. Oh yea, baby. I needed more of that, but without the jeans in the way. I sucked her plump lower lip and drew it between my teeth, as I pulled back to readjust my position to get down and dirty with this chic.

She crawled up on my lap, spreading her legs to straddle me. I slid under her and shoved her top up with one hand and pushed her tit up with the other. Her long hair fell around me as she leaned in to smash her mouth on mine, panting, rocking and grinding on my lap. I tore at her bra, pushing and pulling the fabric, reaching with my mouth to find a dark circled nipple. Damn, she's hot. Her wrenching and grinding moves were making me harder. The firm nub of her nipple rewarded my tongue and I sucked and flicked across it. Her hands couldn't find my hard cock fast enough and she tore open my belt buckle. She unzipped me in a flash. Grabbing her face with both of my hands, our heavy breathing filled the cab of the truck with hot vapors. She ripped open my jeans and grabbed my cock, wrapping her warm, small hand around it. I shoved her head down to it. She went willingly. I threw my head back, and sucked in a quick breath as those hot wet lips closed around my cock. That's a girl.

"Suck it baby," I whispered. I held her head, my hands tangled in all that blonde hair, and watched her head bob up and down on my dick.

I heard a noise.

Jesus fucking Christ. Is someone going to ruin a good blow job?

Someone where crashing my party here in the cab of my truck with Little Lu Lu.

Shit. I opened my eyes to the awareness of a large, rather angry looking dude swarming my truck. Beast Master of the Universe had realized Cha Cha was missing and came out to find her. I realized I was remiss in my duties as a gentleman and had forgotten to get her name. Ah, but now we were about to being introduced.

"Carrie. What the fuck do you think you are doing?"

She screamed.

"Get the fuck out of that truck," he yelled. His face screwed up in anger. "And you, dick head. You are a dead man!"

Damn, this dude was pissed. Maybe Lucy, or Carrie, was his girl after all? I had her pegged for the town tramp.

"Fuck off, Brian. You don't own me."

"Get your ass out of that truck. I'm tired of you yanking me around every time we have a fight."

Oh fuck, a lover's quarrel and I'm the lucky asshole getting caught in the middle. His ugly face was screaming at my passenger door window. The door yanked open and in one swift pull, Beast Master snatched the girl. She squealed and wrenched, as he removed her small body from the truck by her one arm.

"You asshole. Get your hands off of me," she screamed.

"I can't believe you were sucking this guy's dick. You are nothing but a fucking whore."

The beast was getting a little upset here but before I could intervene, he hammered her so hard that she went flying into the ditch.