Keeping Hope (Broken Girl Series) Read online

  His eyes search mine, looking for something. I’m sure he sees the emptiness inside. I close my eyes tightly, craning my neck until my lips meet his. His hand moves to the back of my neck pulling me in. The intensity between us is at an all-time high.

  We kiss deeply as I pour in every ounce of emotion from within. I hear a small moan escape as the electricity flows between us. This is how I want to feel, this is everything.

  My everything.

  I trace my hand over the ripples of his toned torso toward his arousal. I caress him over his jeans, his moans quickly turn to groans. I don’t know how he did it, but within seconds we are both in the backseat. His hand travels up, under my top, releasing and caressing my breast. Our breathing is rapid. Clearly we both needed this.

  I continue to stroke him, trying to work the button loose to his pants. In desperation, he removes his hand from my chest to free himself of his pants, allowing me access to his cock. I squeeze and stroke his full length as he starts to trail kisses down my neck. Without hesitation, he pulls my top over my head and pulls down the cup of my bra. His hand kneads one while his mouth meets the nipple of the other. The sweet nips of his teeth provide a heady mixture of pleasure and just the tiniest sensual pain.

  My arousal starts to pool between my legs. I’m so ready for him, for this. He runs a finger tenderly along my stomach and down between my legs. I part for him, needing to feel him. As soon as his fingers hit my sweet spot, I arch up, wanting more. I moan loudly. The exquisite feeling of him touching me is all the distraction I need.

  “Oh, Cole,” I moan out.

  A sweet grin spreads on his face. He watches me as he continues to circle my clit, sparks flying through my entire body. He slowly rubs his fingers from my clit toward my opening, gently slipping his fingers in. I buck toward him, eager to feel him inside of me. I close my eyes, biting my bottom lip. I feel the intensity build as he continues to work my clit. He takes my hands in his free one, placing them firmly above my head, holding them in place.

  I buck up against him at the loss of his touch, a weak moan leaving my mouth. He takes himself in his hand, stroking his length before lining up to my entrance. He thrusts into me slowly, inch by inch until he fills me completely. I gasp at the delicious feeling of him inside me, gritting my teeth together as the pressure builds. His rhythm is just right, not frantic and not slow, just right. I rock with him, increasing the connection. My heart hammers so hard as he fills me with pleasure.

  “Cole,” I whimper. I pull my hands free and begin to weave my fingers through his hair. Our lips once again meet as we start to kiss. He licks and sucks my tongue in rhythm with his thrusts.

  Breaking the kiss, he repositions my hands above my head and starts to work his way down to my neck, sucking and nibbling the skin. I turn my head to allow him access, the contact heightening my senses. The shaft of his cock rubs against my clit and I feel the unbearable desire inside me as it builds. I try to wiggle from his hold, desperate to grasp on to something. I’m so close to exploding.

  He draws back, a little smirk on his face. It’s obvious I’m close. My moans and involuntary body movements are frantic. He holds my gaze, his eyes wide as he never breaks the hold.

  “Come for me, baby. I want to see your face when you do.”

  I shut my eyes, feeling his thumb work my clit as he continues to thrust into me. The tight feeling inside me and the pressure of his thumb is enough to push me over the edge.

  My orgasm takes over every inch of my body. My muscles tighten as I strain to work through the pulsating, heat rushes through me like a volcano. My chest heaves as the last of the throbs work through me. My limbs become weak and lifeless. I slowly turn my head, opening my eyes. Cole is still watching me, his face dressed with the biggest side-ways smirk I’ve ever seen. He leans down, softly kissing the tip of my nose. His eyes are heavy with lust as he leans back, withdrawing himself before repositioning my legs over his shoulders. He drives back into me. His rhythm more needy and his breathing heavier and more audible. He thrusts in, each stroke longer and deeper. I feel him fill me completely.

  “Oh, Kennedy! Fuck,” he cries out breathlessly.

  Within seconds, I feel him grow even larger and the pulsating of his cock inside me, right before I feel the heat of his release. A loud groan escapes him as he moves my legs before collapsing beside me. His chest heaves rapidly in his post sex slump. I run my hand over the side of his torso. He giggles a little as he takes my hand in his.

  “Someone ticklish?” I ask, a little teasingly. He smiles widely, the kind of smile that reveals all of your teeth. He sits up, sliding me across his legs until I’m sitting in his lap. He holds me there, stroking my hair away from my face, and tucking the loose strands behind my ear. I lean into him, the comfort of his body relaxing me.

  “I’m pretty sure I could sleep forever, just like this. You’re like my comfort blanket,” I sigh, falling deeper into his hold. He squeezes me tightly, encapsulating me with his whole body.

  “It’s so good to hear that,” he whispers into my ear.

  “I love you, Cole. You know that, right? I know I don’t always react well to certain things, but this life on the outside is a huge learning curve for me. I’ve never had a relationship before you. I don’t understand things in the way you do, but please, never doubt my feelings for you.”

  He kisses the side of my face lovingly. “What did I do to deserve you? I love you so much, Ken. I never realized what I was missing in my life until you came along. I guess I was on auto pilot, but now that I have you, I feel like my life has purpose, you know?”

  I nod, my head moving against his chest. I know that this is where I belong, here with Cole. He has accepted me, despite all my faults, and messed up background. He loves me, for me. The guilt of kissing Pete hits me like a damn sledgehammer. I sit up a little, reaching down to pick up my discarded clothes. I start to quickly pull on my clothing, Cole following my lead.

  “I guess we should head home, huh?” he says with a wink.

  Cole

  When we pull up onto the driveway, I cut the engine and sit there for a second, clutching the steering wheel.

  “What’s wrong, Cole?” I feel her head peering toward me. I look at her, snapping myself out of the daydream.

  “Just thinking of how to tackle the whole ‘moving out’ thing with mom.”

  She gasps a little, her hand covering her mouth. “Shit, your mom’s gonna hate me,” she mumbles.

  “No,” I say gently. “You know mom loves you. You’re like the daughter she always wanted.” I let out a puff of laughter.

  “But she’s going to think I’m taking you away from her. You’re her only child, Cole…”

  “But that’s the thing,” I interrupt, “I’m not a child anymore.” I sigh heavily.

  Me and mom are close, we always have been. My father has been so involved with his job, he’s barely at home. It’s always been just the two of us.

  “You know my mom will understand. She wants the best for the both of us. Anyway, they were expecting me to move out soon, with the whole college thing and all.”

  I snap myself from the shitty ass thoughts in my mind. Most of which consist of my dad giving my mom a hard time. I jump out of the truck and rush around to help Kennedy out. I take her hand, pulling her to me as her feet reach the ground.

  “It’s going to be awesome, baby. Just you and me, finally getting time together. I know this is the right thing for us.”

  She looks up at me, smiling. At first it’s a small smile, but as the smile grows, the dimples in her cheeks become more obvious. The smile reaches her eyes, setting them alight. In this moment, I know she’s everything I need, want, and more. I take her hand tightly as I lead us into the house.

  As soon as we enter, I hear music playing and the sound of my mother singing. I’d like to say she has the voice of an angel, but that would be lying. She sings like she’s tone deaf, but it doesn’t matter, I still love it. For as lon
g as I can remember my mom has loved to sing and dance, and she doesn’t care how she looks when she’s doing it. It’s one of the things I love most about my mom. Despite being utterly dreadful, she still gives it everything she has. I bang the door closed, making her aware that we’ve entered. She turns around, her face lighting up at the sight of us. She waves her hand, gesturing us into the family area. I look down at Ken and can see she’s stifling a laugh.

  “Get your asses over here, you two. I’ve been waiting for you to come back for hours. I need to hear all about this surprise!” She dances around the coffee table, making her way over to the stereo and turns down the music. She comes back and takes a seat in the chair beside the couch. She drops down dramatically, her hands flying in the air. We make our way over, sitting on the couch. I look over at the table and notice the half empty bottle of red wine. I narrow my brows and turn to my mother.

  “Have you been drinking?” I ask seriously. She laughs loudly, but I’m concerned. My mom never drinks on a week night. “Is everything alright, mom?”

  She looks over at me pouting and waving her hand. “Stop your fussing, Cole. It’s nothing. I’m just letting my hair down and relaxing a little.”

  I narrow my eyes at her.

  “Hey!” she blurts. “After the afternoon I had a work, I needed this drink, believe me. Oh, and your good news? Presumably it is good news,” she says, leaning forward, resting her head on her hand.

  “Well we think so.” Ken smiles.

  “So…” Mom’s eyes dart between me and Kennedy. “What is it?” She rubs her hands together excitedly.

  “We’ve decided to move in together. You know, have our own place,” I rush out.

  “But…” she interrupts.

  “Mom, let me finish.” Her face drops as she sits back in the chair, waiting for me to finish.

  “So, Pete’s aunt offered to let us rent her apartment at a fraction of the price. It’s fully furnished and the offer was just too good to turn down.” I search her face for some sign of emotion, but her expression remains neutral, not giving anything away.

  “And where is this apartment?” she asks tentatively.

  “It’s not far from the University. You know those new builds? The Mediterranean style ones.”

  Her eyes widen in reaction. She sits upright, shuffling to the edge of her seat. “Really?” she asks.

  I smile widely and nod.

  “Wow, Cole, those apartments are lovely, but I don’t know how you’re going to afford it there.”

  “Like I said, Pete’s aunts doing us a huge favor.”

  “Well,” she pauses, tapping her fingers. “I guess I should say congratulations.” She jumps up, wrapping her arms around me and Kennedy, squeezing us like only a drunk woman would.

  “Seriously, guys, I’m really happy for you. I’m gonna miss the shit outta ya, and it’s sure as hell gonna be quiet around her from now on, but seriously, I’m happy for you.”

  I laugh out loud. “Mom, your repeating yourself. You definitely need to step away from the wine.”

  She slaps the top of my arm. “Watch it, boy. You’re still living under my roof.” She giggles, falling back into the chair, looking like she might fall asleep any second. I turn to look at Kennedy, who is yawning widely, her hand flying up to her mouth as she tries to hide it.

  “You guy’s should be thinking of calling it a night. You both have school tomorrow, remember?” Mom points between the two of us.

  I nod, reaching down to take hold of Kennedy’s hand.

  Kennedy reaches down, quickly placing a light kiss on the top of mom’s head.

  “Night, mom,” I shout back over my shoulder, throwing my hand in the air, gesturing a wave.

  I walk in front of Ken, pulling her weight behind me. I glance over my shoulder and fuck she looks tired. I can’t wait to curl up and hold this beauty in my arms. There’s no better fucking feeling than having her here, next to me, knowing she’s mine.

  The sudden sound of the door closing jolts me awake. I bolt upright, rubbing my eyes, trying to work out what the hell is going on. I look up to see Kennedy standing there, looking a little sheepish. Her body is wrapped in a towel and her hair is dripping with water.

  “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

  “What time is it?” I ask yawning.

  “Time to get up and get that fine ass of yours moving.” She winks, leaning over, kissing me lightly on the lips. Droplets of water drip onto my bare chest.

  “Shit, that’s cold,” I shriek, pulling the bed covers over me in attempt to protect myself from getting any wetter. She tugs on the sheets, uncovering me before she shakes her hair, getting me all wet.

  She giggles as I yell out. Making a mad dash for the door, Kennedy closes it quickly behind her. I jump up, using the bed covers to wipe the water off my chest. A smile spreads from ear to ear across my face. It’s good to know I can wake up and be this fucking happy. I can’t remember the last time, that something as simple as this, filled me with such a good feeling. I pull on my shorts and head over to the bathroom. I hear the sound of the hairdryer and I shake my head, the smile never leaving me.

  I quickly shower, brush my teeth, and head back over to my room to get dressed. On my way across the hall, I peep in Kennedy’s room, as the door is slightly ajar, but there’s no sign of her. Damn that girl works fast!

  I pull on my clothes, use the towel to dry off my hair, and eagerly head downstairs. I feel desperate to see her, as if it’s been a lifetime that we’ve been apart, not minutes. The smell of eggs and bacon hits me as I head down the staircase.

  Damn! That smells good. I wander in; mom, dad, and Kennedy are all chatting and eating breakfast at the table. I stop for a second, paying attention to my dad. And fuck! He’s smiling! I don’t know whether I’m more shocked at the fact that he’s smiling or whether it’s because he’s actually here. He’s never here for breakfast.

  Kennedy turns and notices me there. She nods and I grab some breakfast before sliding in next to her at the table.

  “Well, good morning, son,” mom sings adoringly.

  I smile widely. “Mom, dad.” I turn to him. He smiles. He’s mouth doesn’t move but the skin around the corner of his eye creases. I’ll take it as a smile and it’s probably the best I’m going to get. He’s so unreadable. I never know what version of dad I’m going to get. I mostly expect him to be angry or some shit about the whole apartment thing.

  “So, I told dad about the apartment, and we are both really happy for you. Isn’t that right, Frank?”

  He looks at mom, dead in the eye, pausing with his fork to his mouth, before shooting her a snarky smile. “Of course.” He turns to me and Kennedy, fake smile in full flow.

  I don’t press it. The last thing I want to do is rock the boat. I’m just glad he isn’t yelling at us.

  “So, you guys packing tonight?” dad inquires.

  I look at Kennedy as her face drops. Her mouth hangs open and I can’t help but laugh at her a little.

  “Ppppacking?” she stutters. “I totally didn’t think about packing,” she chuckles. “Well you know, I have very little to pack.”

  Mom busts out laughing. “Have you seen Cole’s room?”

  “Fair point.” She looks over at me. “Better get packing, babe.” She pats me lightly on the back.

  “I have some boxes down in the basement for you guys. I will help you tonight,” Mom offers.

  “If you’re not busy today, mom, you could do it while we’re at school, yeah?”

  “Not likely!” she says, standing and taking the empty plates to the sink area.

  Kennedy

  I’ve been thinking about this a lot. Actually nonstop.

  Today I need to speak to Pete. This thing, whatever it is, has to stop. The whole trip to school, I sit silently, thinking about how I’m going to approach him about it.

  Shit. I’m not looking forward to this.

  We pull into the parking lot, and Cole jumps out, sprin
ting around the huge truck and to help me out.

  “Mi lady,” he jokes, trying to speak with an English accent.

  “Why thank you, sir.”

  “Sir…Hmmm. I think I like that. You should call me that more often,” he teases, linking my hand with his. He kisses me intently before I hear footsteps approaching. I turn to see Jake and Pete walking toward us. I quickly separate myself from Cole and our company, keeping my eyes down as I walk on my way to the entrance where I see Ash waiting for me. I skip along, trying to get to him, and away from Pete, as quickly as I can.

  “Errr, awkward,” Ash screeches. I give him a knowing look, before hooking my arm in his and walking into the school corridor, toward the lockers.

  “So, first day back, Barbie. How does it feel?”

  I give him a sideways glance. He knows just how much I hate school. It will be an even shittier experience for me without Abbey here. “I wish Abbey was here.”

  “Me too, girl.” He leans in closer, his voice so quiet I strain to hear him. “How’s the Pete thing working out for you?”

  “I have to talk to him,” I say, matter of fact. “It has to stop. He needs to know it’s never going to happen.”

  “But it already did…”

  I hit him hard on the chest. “Comments like that do not help, Ash. Seriously!”

  “What?” he wails. “I’m just trying to lighten the situation, Ken. I know this is hard for you, doll, but don’t overthink it. If you’ve made a decision, then so be it!” He wraps his arm around my shoulders, pulling me against him as we walk toward our first class.

  I smile at him, holding on to his hand resting over my shoulder. The last thing I want to be is that annoying, moaning, depressive, knocked up girl. As the saying goes, if you can’t make it, just fake it.

  “I spoke to Abbey’s mom yesterday. She’s feeling super positive about Abbey’s condition.”

  “Really?” I say, excited to hear some positive news about Abbey.

  “Sure. She’s stable and has been for a few days now. They think she might be able to come home, well, be transferred to the hospital here in Newport.”