Broken (Broken #1) Read online

  “Mum,” I warn and give Caleb a smile.

  He doesn’t break, he only smiles wider, “I’m moving here.”

  “Oh dear, how do your parents feel about this?” My mum asks and glances at me. Why is she glancing at me?

  “They’ll hate it but I make my own decisions,” he gives a small shrug.

  My mum sighs and shakes her head, “I guess it’s your choice but throwing away a brilliant education for a girl you’ve known a couple of weeks is ridiculous at best.”

  “Mum!” I gasp.

  Caleb shrugs again, “I know what’s best for me and if that’s ridiculous then I guess I’m guilty as charged.”

  “Oh you’re very charming,” my mum’s eyes narrow. We watch as she stands and walks to the drawers. What’s she doing? What’s that bag? Oh dear god no. She throws the bag on the table and a few packets of condoms fall out of its bulging belly. “Don’t get her pregnant, you may be willing to give up your education for her but…”

  I fold my arms on the table and bury my face in them.

  “Don’t worry about it Dawn,” Caleb waves her off. “Safety first. Cross my heart.”

  Oh, he’s enjoying this. “Caleb!”

  “Just saying,” he states, trying to supress his smile but failing as it blinds me seconds later. “I promise to do everything in my power to keep Gwenny in school until she graduates.”

  This my mum likes, I can tell by her apparent grin, “Good.” She exhales a long breath before continuing. “So, tell me what your plans are. I hope you don’t expect to move in here…”

  “I’ve started looking at apartments near the university,” he says and places his hand over mine on the table. “I have a trust fund so money isn’t an issue.”

  A trust fund? “Okay, good,” my mum nods, her lips pouting slightly as she thinks on it. “Well, you’re an adult, it’s your life you’ll do as you please. You however,” she gives me a pointed look. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but he’s just a guy. Don’t get distracted.”

  “Okay,” I sigh with a roll of my eyes. I’m not stupid, I really like Caleb but I’ve wanted to go to University since I was little. We don’t have family, my mum’s parents abandoned her when she fell pregnant with me and I don’t think she knows who my dad is. I’m guessing I’m the result of a one night stand gone wrong and as much as I’d like to hate her for that, I don’t and never will.

  “Also, if you get pregnant and he leaves you, don’t expect to come back here,” she gives me a pointed look.

  Caleb frowns at this but remains silent. I only nod. What can I say to that?

  “So,” she smiles warmly now, all seriousness gone. “Pizza and box office?”

  “Yay,” I grin.

  Caleb looks at me, “Yay? Who says yay?”

  “You’ll find there are a lot of things she says that nobody else would say. Good luck.”

  I scoff, “A lot of people say yay.”

  “Not normal ones,” Caleb murmurs playfully and clips me on the chin. “But I don’t like normal so it’s all good.” Then he grins, throws his arms in the air and in a high pitched tone he cheers, “Yay.”

  “Dork.”

  We’re snuggled up on the couch, my mum sitting in the chair to the right, watching some action film on TV when Caleb’s phone alerts him to a text. He opens it with a frown and for obvious reasons this worries me. This is the second time I’ve seen him frown and both of them have been today.

  I can’t help but read over his shoulder.

  Nathan: I can’t believe you’ve done this to me. You ruin everything. I’m done.

  “Who’s Nathan?” I ask quietly so only he can hear.

  He chews on his lower lip for a moment and lets out a sigh. “My older brother.” I watch him place his phone in his pocket without responding.

  “Is everything okay?” My ear’s against his chest so I can hear his heart beating faster than it was a second ago.

  “Yeah, it will be.” I relax slightly until I hear him add, more to himself than to me, “He’ll get over it.”

  “Get over what?”

  “Nothing,” he gives me his shining smile and kisses the bridge of my nose. “Just family stuff.”

  “Is it to do with you leaving?”

  “Nah, he doesn’t know about that yet. Watch the movie, you’re missing the best part.”

  I leave it, my trust in him is greater than my trust in anyone else. Which isn’t exactly a feat since I have no one in my life that I trust. Except my mum but some days I’m not even sure if I trust her. I know he’ll tell me when he’s ready and I’m sure whatever he’s done isn’t that bad.

  “I have to go,” he stretches as the ending credits roll. “My dad’s expecting me and I’ve got a few things I need to sort out.”

  “Will I see you tomorrow?” I ask, missing him already and he hasn’t even left yet.

  “Yes, but not until the afternoon,” he stands and I stand with him. It feels good to stretch my body after such a long time curled up. “Is that okay?”

  No, “Course.” Lies.

  “Good. See me out?” The look on his face tells me I shouldn’t say no. Mostly because the look on his face screams of lust. There’s nothing I like better than a make-out session with Caleb.

  “Duh,” I giggle and follow him to the front door.

  As soon as I step outside and the door closes my back is pressed up against it and Caleb’s mouth is on mine. His hands grip my hips as he presses his front against me. My body immediately lights up, flames of passion licking at my skin and nerves. By the time his tongue pushes through my lips I’m a trembling mess, my hands in his hair and my thong so wet I’m surprised it hasn’t dissolved.

  “You’re perfect,” he whispers against my mouth before resting his forehead against mine. “How can one person be so perfect?”

  “I have love handles,” I blurt as a way to prove the fact that I’m far from perfect.

  His warm hands slip under my top and slide along the waistband of my jeans. He grips the bare skin above my hips and grinds his hard bulge against me. “Every inch of you is perfection. I can’t wait to see it all for myself.”

  Blink.

  “I’m serious,” he looks serious. His hand clasps mine and brings it to his chest, “You make my heart race by just looking at me.”

  “You too,” I say breathily and kiss his soft neck. Running my nose along his slight stubble I slide my hands into his long hair. “Even if this doesn’t last, I’ll keep hold of this forever.”

  He grins, his teeth glinting in the glow of the street lights, “It’ll last.”

  “I hope so.”

  His hands grip my shoulders as he takes a step back, “You’ll see babe. It will.”

  I mentally repeat my spoken words. I hope so.

  “Until tomorrow,” he kisses my pouting lips once more and walks backwards out of my driveway, not turning around until I go back inside. Which I do quickly as I’m worried he’s going to fall.

  “He seems nice,” Mum says and my heart is even happier. “Don’t get pregnant.”

  Sigh. “I won’t mum.”

  “That’s what I said,” she grumbles and my heart is definitely no longer happy.

  “Well I’m sorry that me being born was such an inconvenience to you,” I don’t say it angry, my voice is weak. What’s worse is she doesn’t correct me, even as I walk solemnly and slowly to my bedroom, hoping the entire time that she will.

  I have to work today, I don’t mind work, I like being busy and my boss Charlie is pretty cool. He’s an older guy, at least sixty and he’s fun to talk to.

  We laugh a lot while we make and serve drinks for paying customers. The café is only small but we’re normally quite busy, like today I’m rushed off my feet, I don’t even notice when Caleb walks in until his hands are at my hips and I’m squealing in shock.

  “Don’t do that,” I cry but can’t contain my smile.

  “Best smile ever, I want you to smile at me lik
e that every time you greet me,” he dips his head and presses his lips against mine briefly.

  I flush at his words and flush even more when my boss clears his throat. “Go sit,” I demand and push Caleb towards an empty table. “What do you want to drink?”

  “Warm milk with honey.”

  I quirk a brow, “Warm milk with honey?”

  His eyes go slightly wider, almost defensively, “What’s wrong with latte?”

  “Well, it’s…”

  “A girl’s drink,” my boss chips in on a chuckle.

  Caleb scowls playfully at me, “It’s my families Friday tradition. Every Friday we sit down together and watch a movie with a warm milk and honey.”

  “So why are you here and not with them?”

  He grins showing his perfect white teeth, “Because I’ve got a new family now and she needs to learn the tradition.”

  Throb. Throb. Throb. Goes my heart.

  “So, take ten minutes off and drink my girly drink with me,” he jests and pats the chair beside him. “Pleeeeeeeeease?”

  “Go on,” my boss chuckles and shoves me towards my chair. “You’ve hardly had a break yet. Sit.”

  “Yay,” Caleb cheers and pulls me onto his lap.

  “Yay?” Charlie asks, his face showing his surprise.

  “A lot of people say yay,” I defend my boyfriend. Ha! I have a boyfriend.

  “Only you and him,” Charlie chuckles and gives Caleb a pointed look. “Get out while you still can.”

  Caleb nips at my neck as I watch Charlie walk towards the counter, “Reckon I should get out while I still can?”

  I shake my head, “No. I think you should stay.”

  “Well, I guess that’s good because…” he lets his voice trail off before squeezing me tight and announcing, “I just enrolled.”

  “You enrolled?” Bloody hell. He just enrolled.

  “Yep and…” he lets his voice trail off once more. “I just looked at a place, I move in next week.”

  Double crap. The good kind.

  “Oh my god,” I laugh. “That’s…” And then the tears come.

  “Hey,” he coos and pulls me tight to him, his hand stroking my hair. “What’s the matter?”

  “I thought you were going to leave me,” I sniff and bury my face in his neck. “I genuinely thought you just wanted to have sex with me.”

  He pulls me back and wipes at my ridiculous tears with his thumb, “Well,” he wags his eyebrows twice. “There’s that too.”

  How can I laugh while I cry? That’s just weird and shouldn’t be possible. “Dork.”

  “Is it wrong of me to be excited about taking your innocence and making you mine completely?”

  My breath hitches and my stomach warms in anticipation for the night that will most likely come. “I don’t think so.”

  “Good,” he bites the lobe of my ear. “Because I am really, really excited.” I can tell by the bulge beneath my arse and I have to say, it’s making me feel things I’ve never felt but really like feeling.

  “Milk and honey times two,” Charlie says, snapping me out of my lusty daze.

  “Brilliant,” Caleb grins. “Thanks.”

  “Yeah,” I say and sip my hot drink. “Oh my god, this is amazing.”

  “I know right?” Caleb doesn’t let me slide off his lap, he keeps me there and drinks his drink.

  CHAPTER Two

  I can’t believe he’s actually moving here! I never thought he would, I thought it was all a rouse to get into my pants. Not that anybody can blame me for thinking that way. Now I feel guilt and a lot of it. He’s only ever kissed me and maybe dry humped me a couple of times. Never has he once tried to actually sleep with me. Though to be honest we’ve never had the opportunity.

  “What will your parents say about it?”

  “My parents are dicks.” This is his response and I’m not sure on how to respond to his response. It worries me a bit.

  “Tell me about them.”

  He seems to think about it for a moment before continuing, “They’re rich and think they’re entitled. Nathan and I were never allowed to do anything wrong growing up. The slightest mistake and we’d be grounded for weeks, sometimes our dad would take his belt to us. Nathan got the worst of it, he took a lot of my shit for me.”

  “That’s sad.”

  His eyes seem to glitter for a moment, “It is what it is. They’ll hate this but I doubt they’ll care too much.”

  “They’ll blame me.”

  He nods, “I won’t lie, they probably will but I’ll keep you away from them. They’re vile people and I never want that anywhere near you. You shouldn’t be tainted by people like them.”

  “They’re your parents.”

  “And because of that reason, I do love them deep, deep, way deep down. Also because of that reason, I know what type of people they are and they’re the kind of people who you don’t want to be near.” I open my mouth to interject but he cuts me off with a finger to my lips. “They’re the kind of people I don’t want you to be near. Let me protect you from evil as much as I can. Okay?”

  How can somebody be so sweet and so perfect all of the time? I ask him this.

  He only smiles and responds, “I didn’t used to be.”

  “Why?”

  “No more story time, you need to work and I have to go to the bank and sort out my funds,” he stands, me still on his lap but his arms catch me and lower me to my feet. “I’ll pick you up when you finish.” With another light kiss to my lips and one to my neck he leaves me and my warm and aching heart behind.

  Swoon.

  I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more handsome man from behind. It seems like an odd statement but it’s a true one. Caleb is sexy, he knows it though but he’s not arrogant about it. Even from behind you just know that when he turns around, the front is going to look so good. His back is right to promise such things, except Caleb is like nothing you could ever dream up. He’s perfect. He’s beautiful in the way only a man can be beautiful.

  I can just tell he’ll be one of those men who age well; his cheeky and charming smile will last an age. I can just imagine him at the age of sixty, smiling at the women as they pass. Most likely driving me crazy but at the same time making me swoon that he’s mine.

  When work finishes Caleb picks me up, he’s not in a good mood but it’s not aimed at me. We’re currently sat in his car outside my house because it’s raining so we can’t go to our special spot on the beach.

  He rests his head between his hands on the steering wheel, his leg bouncing up and down. I see his bottom lip disappear under his top row of teeth as he worries it.

  “Hey,” I say softly and place my hand on his back. “What’s the matter?”

  “My parents cut me off.”

  “W…what?” What does that mean?

  “They emptied my trust fund and said I can’t have it back until I graduate.”

  Oh shit. “That’s not so bad.”

  “Trust me,” he grimaces, turning his head so his temple is on the wheel and his eyes are on me. “It is. I don’t graduate for two years. How the fuck did they find out I wasn’t going back?”

  “They’ve done this to get you to go back with them?” Oh no, he’s going to leave me.

  “Yep.”

  Thump. Thump…. Thump. My heart just skipped a beat and not because of something good. “That’s…”

  “It’s fucking bullshit,” he shouts, startling me when he flies back and punches the steering wheel.

  “Hey,” I say softly and run my fingers through his hair. “It’ll be okay, you’ll see. You can just go back and do what you need to do.”

  “No,” he blurts, his eyes on me. “I can’t do that.”

  “It’s just two years.”

  “To some people,” I think he says but I can’t be sure because it was as loud as his breath. Which isn’t loud at all. He sighs and grips his hair with both hands, “It doesn’t matter. I have about ten grand in my other acco
unt, they can’t touch that. Oxford will surely transfer the course money so I won’t have to worry about that. I’ll just get a job here. At least my deposit is down on our place. And the first few months. That’ll give me enough time to get a job.”

  I can’t believe my ears, my heart skips a beat for a good reason this time, “You’re still moving here?”

  “Fuck yeah,” he grins and brings my hand to his lips. “It’ll be great. Who needs money?”

  My lips twitch, “Everybody?”

  “True dat,” he remarks and leans over to kiss me. “Let’s just forget about them for now. Let’s just forget about everything. How about we go for a long drive, pull over somewhere and you let me kiss you until our lips are sore?”

  “Kay,” I breathe and in seconds the car is running and we’re driving to location unknown. I hate to ask but I do anyway, “How did they find out? I haven’t told anyone but my…”

  “She wouldn’t, she doesn’t even know who my parents are.” His eyes suddenly widen. “That bastard. That absolute fucking bastard.”

  “What?”

  “My brother,” he roughly handles the gearstick. I want to say, what did that gearstick ever do to you? But I don’t think that would be appropriate. “Damn it! I’m going to fucking kill him!” He pauses, smirks a little. “Nope, I’m going to throw eggs at him.”

  Eggs? “Eggs?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Why eggs?”

  “My brother…” As we’re turning down a wooded lane there’s a pop followed by a hissing sound and slowly the car starts to wobble. “NO! NO! NO! NO!” Caleb shouts and climbs out of the now prone car. I follow and watch as he kicks the now flat tyre over and over again. “This is not my fucking day. Fuck!”

  “Caleb,” I rush to him and grab his arm. “Calm down, it’s just a tire. We’ll fit the spare.”

  He chews on his lower lip and looks at me apologetically.

  “Bloody hell. You don’t have a spare.” This isn’t a question, the look on his face has already told me. “Great.” I lean against the rain splatted bonnet and watch him pace backwards and forwards in front of the car. He mumbles to himself for a while, looks at the tire, turns back around to continue cursing and mumbling, before finally coming over to me, grabbing me by the back of my neck and slamming his lips down on mine.