119 Kitty Lane
MINK
Starting my new life in Rosewood Ranch is easily the best decision I’ve ever made. New friends, new job, new everything. But by far the very best part of it all is meeting Amethsyt. She puts the Cherry in Cherry Falls, and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to get her out of my mind … or heart.
She’s too young for me. Too pure. She doesn’t know about my past. But even though I can throw reason after reason out there for why we can’t be together, I can’t stop myself from claiming her as mine. She’s not meant for a rough man like me, but that won’t stop me.
I’ll protect her from this world, allow her to grow and flourish the way she deserves. That’s my plan. Until she’s taken from me. Until I find out her father’s plans for her. . . But I’ll always find my sweet Amethyst, always keep her safe. And heaven help anyone, including her own father, who tries to steal her from me.
1
Amethyst
“I’m here!” Glory flings the door of my tiny studio above the laundromat wide open. I burst into laughter when I see she’s dressed all in black and has her camera hanging around her neck.
I texted her twenty minutes ago telling her I had a special mission for us. That’s all she needed to know, and she was out the door and on her way here. Glory is always up for whatever shenanigans there are to be had. She’s full of adventure, as long as it doesn't make her stray too far from Cherry Falls. She was born and raised there.
“Maybe I should have been more clear about the mission.” I bite my lip.
“We aren't doing some kind of stakeout?” Her shoulders drop as she shuts the door behind her, flipping the lock back into place before glaring at me because it was unlocked in the first place. As strange as it sounds, I’ve never really needed a key to get into the places I’ve lived. I’ve always been let in, so real keys are a bit new to me.
“I thought you had a story or something,” she mutters and walks over to my daybed, where she flings herself down. It doubles as both my sofa and bed.
The only other room in this small open space is the bathroom. It’s plenty for me. Despite what people might think, I’m not high maintenance. Everyone assumes because I look a certain way that I live some fancy, posh life. But I try to keep things simple. I didn’t want a glamorous life. I love my parents, but their world is not one I want for myself. I have no desire to follow in my mother’s footsteps and become a model.
“We might find a story,” I add, not wanting her to be disappointed. Glory was the first real friend I made when I arrived in Kissme Bay.
I had moved to get out from under my father’s thumb and spread my wings. I was never great at making girlfriends, but Glory and I just clicked from the first day we met. It helps that she’s not shy, and some may even consider her pushy at times. I’m still working on trying not to be so introverted, but I hope with time and being out on my own I’ll get there.
I watch as she sits up, tilts her head to the side, and takes me in. She looks adorable. Her hair is in a messy bun on top of her head, some stray locks falling loose and framing her pretty face. I try not to fidget. Glory can be really good at sizing people up and reading them. I guess that comes with being a reporter. Asking questions is actually her job.
“All you had to say was you wanted to hang.” She sighs.
“Right.”
“Come here.” She stands from my bed and gives me a hug. “We’re friends. Real ones.” She nudges me.
“I know.” I’m so weird and gun-shy. Her friendship is genuine. But boarding school was hell for me. A lot of the girls hated me on the spot. They hadn’t even given me a chance. That makes for a lonely life in an all girls boarding school.
It continued to be that way when I was sent to an all girls college in France. Where I got a degree in marketing, because my father wouldn't let me get one in photography. Once I graduated, I came home and packed my things.
My father didn’t even bother to come to my graduation. He wants to control me but not be bothered with me at the same time. Let’s just say that he’s not handling me moving out too well.
Above all things, my father prizes perfection. I suppose that’s what patients would hope for in a surgeon of his caliber. But what he fails to remember is that I’m not one of his patients that’s looking to be perfected. I’m his daughter.
I am actually doing really well. Then again, I’m used to being alone. I’ve spent most of my life that way. The only difference now is that I have more freedom. I do things because I want to and to make myself happy. I was surprised by how free I felt as soon as I cut the strings my father controlled me with.
So here I am living in a tiny apartment instead of the sprawling mansion my dad owns. The clothes and furniture I brought with me probably cost more than this entire building. Coming home to this place every night makes me happy, and you can’t put a price on that. This place is all I could afford with my current job at Frenchie's Ferris Wheel. I take pictures of happy families and couples in love. I enjoy it. At least more than anything else I’ve ever done.
Glory lifts her camera, snapping a picture of me. I bought her that camera for her birthday. She’s getting better with it. I’m not a big fan of having my picture taken like my mother, but with Glory it’s different. She isn't trying to use me or push me to be something I’m not.
“You just want to hang here and order in, or you got something else in mind?”
“There is a mission.” I lick my bottom lip.
Again she looks me up and down.
“It’s … about a boy.”
She lifts one perfect eyebrow at me, the corner of her lip twitching with a smile.
I can feel my face flush with heat.
“Hit me with a name.” Her face lights up. Glory knows everyone.
“Brigger Douglas.” I say the name that I can’t get out of my mind.
She ponders silently. It takes her a second, but I can see the moment she figures it out.
“He bounces at the Tipsy Cow! You threw me off for a minute when you said a boy.” Her mouth hangs open before she bursts into laughter. I’m not so sure what’s so funny. Then my stomach starts to turn.
“Is he married or something? What? Tell me!” I’ve been crushing on the man since I spotted him one night. I might have followed him a little but stopped when he walked into the Tipsy Cow. I’ve never been in a bar before. That wasn’t the only time I saw him. I spotted him a few more times around town. Instead of trying to give him a smile or something, I usually hid like a dork.
“He’s just so...” She throws her hands up. “Giant? I bet he could kill things with his bare hands.”
Yeah, he is definitely big. Something about him pulled me, and now I want to know more. I suppose the two of us together might look a little odd. If I’m being honest, more than a little. He is the total opposite of me.
“You’re crushing. Maybe we should start small and work our way up to Big.”
“People call him Big?”
“Yep. I really don’t know much about him, but he’s hard to miss. He’s new, but not as new as you. In fact, I really don’t hear much about him.” She scrunches her nose. “Except when he gets into fights with people at the bar.”