Tattered Hearts Collection
Cole & Abi’s Story
by Quira Quin
Abigale
Martin, Abi, has grown up in an abusive household. When Lucas saved her from
her brothers abuse at school when they were both younger, then for years
ignored her, she never thought anyone would try to save the stuttering geek
from her own living nightmare. When Lucas pops up at a church picnic, she
realizes he just might be her saving grace.
Six years later, Abi finds herself right back where she was as a child, she has turned into her mother. But when Abi realizes she has something worth fighting for, will that be enough to end her nightmare, or will she be forced to do something she will never recover from?
Colter Hudson, Cole, had it all, a fighting
career that was taking him to the title fight, a beautiful woman by his side,
family money, and a future of taking over the family business. Due to go live
the life he always imagined when he turns twenty-five, his life is forever
changed on one fateful night.
Cole's life has spiraled downward, and he is
trying to become the man he once was. He has a strict set of rules he is
following, and it seems to be working. He is not interested in anyone or
anything that may disrupt his plan. What happens when everything he wanted is
standing right in front of him, will he be able to be the man he was before his
nightmare of a life changed him into a monster?
Cole can't stop the feelings he has, but his fear
is keeping him away. Abi has to learn she is stronger than she thinks, and she
has to fight for herself and her future. Will the past constantly haunt the
present, or will the future not be able to be the dream both are looking for?
Pasts have to be overcome, before the future
even stands a chance
Purchase Links:
Excerpt (3 heat rating)
“Maybe
Lucas is right, and you just need a week off to get your head straight, I don’t need none of that drama around here.” Blink, blink, something down
the hall catches his attention, as he looks over my head. Not hard to do, most
of the men around here are really tall. He snaps twice in the air and motions for
someone to come this way. He makes eye contact with me.
“I don’t
know what got into you, get it fixed. You look like shit. I don’t want to have to fire ya.” He practically shoves me into
the wall with his shoulder as he steps by me. Guess that was my cue, that I
should have stepped out of his way, the firing part had nothing to do with my
shocked state. At least twice a week he did that. I finally get my mouth
closed. My eyes go from that dumb blinking to narrowed slits as I glare at him.
He stands proud, his back to me. Arms crossed over his chest as he talks to
someone I can’t see.
As my thoughts start slowing down enough to understand them,
he turns, an evil grin mares his face, he leans my way just a bit. His sleazy
arrogance is irritating. He thinks he's all that and a bag of chips. Not the
washed up wannabe mobster he actually looks like. Early forties, bald on top,
trimming his beard into those sharp thin lines, that I think is sexy on some
men. On him, it makes him look long in the face and creepy.
“Abi,
and now that you’re single, consider it open
season with you and the customers.” He winks. My jaw drops to the
floor along with my stomach. Splat. Single. What? Blink… blink… no, come on he did not say what
I think he said. Six years, six years of devotion, of putting him first, he
didn’t even respect me enough or have the decency to break up with
me in person. To be an adult about all this and talk in person, in private. No,
he did do this, spread the rumor so he wouldn’t
have to face me.
A note, a text, a freaking voicemail. Anything, other than
second hand, from a slime ball, at work. Did everyone know? I know I should
have known he would do something like this after six years of knowing him. But
what was Lucas playing at here? I deepen breaths as flashes of memories flood
in. Something inside breaks loose. Everything I have blocked, stuffed, and
repressed clashing, throbbing. I was being ripped and turned inside out in a
matter of seconds that felt like hours. I feel like I have been flattened.
When I start to calm from my panic, my eyes are wide open. My
racing heart falls into a steady rhythm, my head clears, I straighten, standing
taller. Oh hell no. He was here somewhere. He had a fight tonight. He wouldn’t be drinking yet. I was shattering to pieces, trembling from
head to toe, but there was something else mixed in with it.
Author links
