Once Loved
Shattered
Past # 2
By:
Cecy Robson
Releasing
Jan 20th,
2015
Loveswept:
Flirt
He’s
the campus golden boy. She’s picking up the pieces of her broken
past. But in Cecy Robson’s scorching novel of second
chances—perfect for readers of Monica Murphy and J. Lynn—their
differences only make their connection more explosive.
Every
memory Lety Tres Santos has from her childhood comes with a scar—some
emotional, some physical. Her father is an abusive drug addict, and
her mother enables his destructive behavior. College offers Lety a
fresh start . . . until her father finds a way to ruin that, too.
Now, after losing her scholarship to kick off junior year, Lety must
somehow stay in school, pay tuition, and turn a deaf ear to the
whispers that follow her. And she intends to do it all without Brody
Quaid’s help.
Brody
is a lacrosse star, a 4.0 student—and as a freshman, he fell hard
for the beautiful and spirited Lety. But their relationship crashed
and burned because he couldn’t break through the walls she’s put
up around her heart. With Lety hurting more than ever, Brody strives
to win her back and make her believe in real love and true
partnership. That will mean opening up secrets locked away in his own
past—and trusting someone more than he’s ever dared.
Lety
knows how painful it can be to depend on the wrong man. She also
knows how much Brody wants to do this the right way. But it takes
more than sizzling desire to move on and build a future together.
My
smile faded. Brody, God, Brody.
What was I going to do about him? He was sweet, and smart, and good
to me. But I wasn’t good for him, even though I really wanted to
be.
My
anxious steps slowed the more I thought of him. We’d met in
chemistry class at the beginning of our freshman year. He introduced
himself as only Brody could, by nailing me in the head with a
crumpled ball of paper. I’d glared at him over my shoulder.
“Do that again, and I’ll kick your ass, pretty boy,” I’d
warned.
He’d
smirked. “You think I’m pretty?”
No,
I think you’re hotter than Alex Pettyfer standing in hell,
I didn’t say. Instead, “Pretty damn obnoxious” was my response.
I’d turned around when the prof stepped into the lecture hall,
stiffening when I heard paper crumpling behind me. I’d booted my
laptop, certain he wouldn’t have the stones, when another ball of
paper bounced off my head. Like a knee-jerk reaction, I flung my
chemistry book at him. Brody caught it before it struck him in the
ribs. Instead of getting pissed, he’d laughed and offered me a ride
after class.
We’d
spent the remainder of the year practically inseparable, but it
wasn’t until the start of the next semester that we became more
than close friends. What sucked was that it didn’t last.
Thanks
to Carlos, again.
My
two-hour crew practice had been brutal, but it was the thoughts of my
family that left me suddenly tired. I left the trail after another
five minutes of walking and crossed the road. I wasn’t ready to
head back to my room, so I veered into the small reflection garden at
the top of the hill. I took a seat on one of the wooden benches,
allowing my duffel bag to fall onto the gravel walkway. I liked it
here and visited often. It provided me with a sense of calm
I’d always craved as a child. Simple, easy, not something I had to
seek beneath my bed when I was scared.
This
time, the peace didn’t last, and I wasn’t alone for long. A
parade of steps thundered to my left. I glanced up and saw the
members of our lacrosse team jogging toward me on their way to the
trails. They all ran shirtless except for Brody. As co-captain, he
raced in the lead alongside his friend Logan.
Lacrosse
wouldn’t start until next semester. But Saint Jude’s had won the
Division III NCAA championship the last two years. The coach planned
to keep the title and made them train long before their first game
took place.
Brody’s
gaze flickered when he saw me. My body tensed. I hadn’t been
prepared to see him, but I shouldn’t have been so shocked. The team
ran the campus’s perimeter at the end of each practice and finished
where the cross-country trails opened to the sports fields.
He
slowed to a stop. His teammates for the most part continued without
him, tossing me a glance before crossing the road and disappearing
into the trails. The few who remained watched me carefully. “Bro,
come on,” Isaac Parker urged.
“I’ll
catch you guys later.” Brody joined me at the bench, placing one
foot on the seat to stretch. “Hey, Lety.”
Isaac
spoke to Brody like I wasn’t even there. “You sure you want to do
this? Her dad’s pretty fucked up.”
Brody
rose to his full height. “So’s anyone caught jerking off to
cartoons while wearing pink underwear.” He shrugged. “But I still
hang with you.”
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