Forever Yours (Forever Series) Read online

  Forever Yours

  Alla Kar

  2013. Copyright. Alla Kar

  All rights reserved. No parts of this books may be reproduced or transmitted in any forms without written permission from the author, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes. If you are reading this book and have not purchased it or won it in an author contest this book has been pirated. Please delete and support the author by purchasing the ebook from one of its distributors.

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to any person, living or dead, any place, events or occurrences, is purely coincidental. The characters and storyline are created from author’s imagination or are used fictionally.

  To everyone searching for a Happy Ever After.

  Chapter One

  Layla

  “Why in the hell is he here?”

  Ah, shit. I’m not as prepared for this as I told myself last night. Taylor is standing in the doorway of his apartment, his hands shoved down into the depths of his low-rise jeans. His dark, black hair is still wet from his shower, and his white T-shirt is stuck to his still damp chest. The hoodie hanging lifeless over his shoulder blows in the wind. A frown slowly forms on his lips and I know he’s pissed.

  I grip the strap of my suitcase and look over my shoulder like I don’t know who he’s talking about. “Oh, Damon?” I ask.

  He narrows his eyes. “Oh, yes, Damon,” he says, sarcasm lacing his voice.

  “His family lives in Dallas, too, remember. I was already planning on stopping by to see his dad. He asked if he could come with us and I said yes. He’s going to the same place.”

  I can hear Damon talking to Cindy behind me. Then I hear them shoving their suitcases into the back of Taylor’s Hummer. I don’t dare look back to see. Taylor tightens his jaw and gives me ‘the stare.’ “Why didn’t you feel it was necessary to tell me he was coming, Layla?”

  Biting my lip, I glance down at the pavement below me and press the toe of my boot into a tire mark. “I didn’t think it was a big deal.”

  Taylor’s eyebrows shoot up to his hairline. “Really? You didn’t think it was necessary to tell me that Damon was coming? After he’s hit on you? Touched you? I’m already being decent to the guy. What more can you ask from me?”

  By ‘decent’ Taylor means letting him inside for our get-togethers, not beating his face in and not bothering me twenty times while I’m at work with him. That’s his way of showing appreciation for Damon saving our lives. But, that’s it, nothing more.

  “Taylor … ”

  “Don’t ‘Taylor’ me. You started this. You should have told me, Layla. You had no right to invite him without asking me first.”

  God, he’s going to be more difficult than I thought. I mean, it’s my family we’re going to see. Which I’m already nervous about. It’s not like he’s going to stab us in our sleep. He’s just along for the ride. Taking a few steps forward, I drop my suitcase and place my hands on Taylor’s shaking shoulders. “Calm down, big guy. This is supposed to be fun. A fun trip back home over Christmas break. He’ll spend most of his time with his dad, anyway. We will have all the time we want together.”

  Taylor’s eyes soften but he keeps his jaw set. A blanket of fog escapes his mouth in the cold December air. “Since he’s already here there isn’t anything else to do. But, know that I won’t tolerate any bullshit. I’ve already beat the hell out of him once, and we don’t need a rematch because I won’t stop.”

  I don’t doubt him. Nodding my head, I reach to grab my suitcase. “Try to be nice, Taylor. It won’t hurt you.”

  Taylor grumbles something underneath his breath as I walk away. The back of the truck is almost full when I push my suitcase in. “We have a full house, don’t we?”

  I turn to Damon and smile. He’s grinning ear to ear, his eyes wide with excitement. He’s excited to see his dad again. It’s only been a few months, but I’m sure it feels like a lifetime. “We do.”

  “So, what did The ‘Taylor Jacks’ say about me coming? You didn’t tell him until now, did you?” His voice drips with jealousy. And he isn’t trying to hide it.

  I frown over at him and slam the trunk door. “Damon … ”

  “I know,” he holds his hands up in surrender. “Be nice. Stay out of the way. I got it. But, I don’t want to go if he’s going to start shit the entire way. He … he touches you to get a rise out of me. I can see it on his face. I know you’re in love with him, Layla. I do. I’m not trying to be a cock-blocker or anything of the sort. But he does that shit on purpose.”

  God. Where are a shovel and a shallow grave when you need them? I want to hide somewhere because I can feel the heat rising up my neck to my cheeks. “He is just overprotective and he has every right to be. I’ve almost died twice since he’s known me.”

  Not that Damon doesn’t already know that. He saved my life the second time and Taylor the first. Taylor had a hard time accepting the fact that he couldn’t save me the second time. He cried. It was one of the most emotional times of my life. I’d never seen him so … sensitive. It was a nice change from his alpha-male-me-man-you-woman act. He had been so beaten and bruised about it. Besides the fact that Damon has expressed his feelings toward me, I truly think that is the reason Taylor hates Damon. Because Damon saved me when he couldn’t.

  A small smile crawls up the side of his mouth, and he places both hands on my shoulders. “I know, Layla. You don’t have to take up for him. I know.”

  Damon is giving me a small smile when someone pushes their arm down on top of Damon’s and breaks our contact.

  Taylor looms over us with a snarl on his face. “Rules of this trip … ”

  From the side of Taylor’s Hummer Cindy ‘boos’ at him. “No rules. It’s a road trip, Taylor. Don’t be a buzzkill.”

  Taylor rolls his eyes. “No touching. No drinking in my truck. No inappropriate anything. Do you hear me?”

  Damon lifts his brow. “Are you talking to everyone or just me? Because I’m getting the feeling it’s just me.”

  “Answer the question.”

  Damon gives us a big show of bowing in front of Taylor and saluting him. “Yes, Your Highness. I wouldn’t dare touch the King’s Lady. I’m a man of my word, sire.”

  Taylor huffs and clenches his fists at his side until his knuckles turn white. “You better –,”

  Brett places his hand on Taylor’s shoulder and pulls him back. I couldn’t be happier that Brett is coming along. He is the only person Taylor will sort of listen to. “What he means is thank you,” Brett says, tapping Taylor’s shoulder. “Let’s stop bitching and get this show on the road, literally. We have a sixteen hour drive ahead of us.”

  Cindy’s arms fly around Brett’s neck and she slips onto his back. She winks at me over his shoulder. “Yes, so let’s get our panties out of our asses and go!”

  Brett tosses Cindy into the grass and they start rolling around like two-year-olds play fighting. Taylor smirks but realizes he is still supposed to be mad and stops. “They’re right, we need to hurry if we’re going to get to our room in Nashville for the night.”

  Taylor presses his foot against Brett’s arm as they roll on the ground. “Let’s go.”

  With Mittens in my arms, meowing, I climb into the passenger seat of Taylor’s Hummer. Damon climbs in the backseat and Cindy and Brett in the middle.

  We go to Taylor’s house before we leave. It’s a little out of our way but I wanted to say bye before we left. Trent and Amy have warmed up to me since the incident. They spend the night with us on the weekends sometimes. Unless Taylor is in one of his I-want-you-all-weekend-long-with-no-interruptions-moods. Taylor’s mom is back at work, much to Taylor’s disma
y. If he could, he would work three jobs just to support them. But, his mother isn’t having that. She will take barley any money from Taylor. It tears his heart to see them struggle.

  Amy is the first one out of the door when we pull up. “Taylor! Layla!” She runs toward us, bouncing into Taylor’s arms.

  Taylor swings her around and presses a kiss to the top of her head. She looks over at me and wraps me in a hug. “I’m going to miss you guys. Can’t you stay here for Christmas?”

  Taylor reaches over and ruffles her hair. “We’ll be back Christmas day to see you guys. It’s just a week, Amy.”

  She rolls her eyes and glances to her side. Pink rises up her cheeks when she looks at Damon. The kid has it bad. She loves to come over and begs me to invite Cindy, Brett and Damon. We all know it’s really Damon she wants to see. “Hey, Damon,” she says, giving him a small wave.

  A smile rises from the corner of his lips and he reaches over to give her a hug. “Hey there, pretty girl. How did softball tryouts go?”

  Her entire face is blood red when she pulls back. “I made the team,” she whispers.

  “What? No way? I told you that you could do it.”

  She smiles and twirls a piece of her hair around her finger.

  Taylor grabs Amy’s arm. “Why don’t we go inside and say bye to Mom and Trent.” It’s obvious Taylor hates that Amy has a crush on Damon. Not that it would ever happen, I mean, he’s seven years older than her, but it still makes him mad. I think it’s hilarious.

  Damon winks at Amy and she turns a shade darker, if that’s even possible. Taylor’s house smells like cookies and warm vanilla when I walk in. Trent is sitting on a bean bag in the middle of the floor playing Xbox. “What’s up, people,” he says without looking away from the TV.

  “Trent, get off of that for two minutes. Your brother is leaving.”

  Trent growls and stands up. A mini Taylor in the making. He smiles over at me and wiggles his brows. “Ah, future sister-in-law. You look beautiful in the morning.”

  Smiling, I bring him in for a hug. “It’s nice to see you, too, Trent.”

  “Yeah, yeah, now give Daddy some sugar,” he says poking his cheek out for a kiss. Kissing his cheek, I can’t help but laugh. He’s going to be a heart-breaker.

  Taylor’s mother is handing out cookies when I get to the kitchen. Taylor is leaned against the counter, inhaling his. “These are great, Mom.” She waves him off, then turns to hand me one.

  She’s in her faded scrubs and bright pink Crocs, so I figure she’s getting ready to leave for work. “Hi, Layla. How are you, baby?”

  She hugs me tight and I force back the memories of my own mother. Mrs. Jacks has only been nice to me since she met me. Not that I deserve it. She nearly died because of me and my dad’s bullshit. You would have never noticed it. She squeezes me tighter before letting go. “You guys better be careful and go the speed limit. Seat belts and keep your eyes opened.”

  Cindy scoffs and plucks a cookie from the plate on the table. “Taylor has already laid down all the rules I can take for this trip.”

  Mrs. Jacks raises an eyebrow and smiles. “I’m sure they weren’t the same as mine. So add them to the list, kids.”

  “We will, Mrs. Jacks,” Damon says, lifting a cookie to his mouth.

  She winks at him. “I’m heading to work, guys. Please, please, please, be careful. Call me when you make it to Nashville and then when you make it to Dallas.”

  We all give her another hug and she grabs her purse and heads out to work. Taylor stretches and pats Amy’s head. “Well, we better head out. We’ll see you all soon.”

  After we say bye and pry Amy off of Taylor’s arm, we get into the truck and go.

  By the time we leave town, everyone is already asleep. A soft featherlike touch travels up my thigh to my open palm. Mittens growls and shifts so she can get comfortable again. “You nervous?” I ask.

  Taylor shakes his head. “No. I’m hoping I’ll win them over with my good looks.”

  “Or your modesty. Don’t forget that.”

  Taylor laughs. It’s so nice to hear. This isn’t just a vacation to Texas for Christmas. It’s Taylor meeting my grandparents. When I told them I was engaged they flipped out. You’re so young. What does he do for a living? Is he in college? Tattoos? Good family? I pushed off the questions and told them they could make their own judgments when we got to Texas. I can only imagine the look on my grandma’s face when she sees Taylor’s tattoos. She hates them. But, whatever. She’ll get over it.

  “You’re overthinking something over there. What is it?”

  Shaking my head, I squeeze his fingers tighter with my own. “Thinking about how lucky I am to have you.”

  Taylor’s gray eyes dart toward mine and hold. “I love you, Layla. Always.”

  There isn’t a doubt in my mind either. Looking back in the truck, I see Cindy lying on Brett’s lap. Brett’s head is resting against the headrest and he’s snoring. Then my eyes drift to Damon’s. He’s staring at me. Something sad crosses his face but then he blinks and it’s gone. I give him a weak smile and turn around in my seat.

  Dallas, here we come.

  Chapter Two

  Taylor

  Goddamn, we’re finally in Nashville.

  The green population sign reads 609,644. It’s going to be 609,649 for the night. It’s already dark and the streets are slammed packed with honking cars. People stagger down the sidewalks, holding each other up, laughing. A lot of cowboy boots and hats scatter across the streets. I thought that was just a stereotype, but I guess it makes sense since this is the hometown of country music.

  Layla stirs beside me. I glance over at her. Her head is pressed against the side of the seat, her blond hair scattered around her face and Mittens lying in her lap. We were going to put Mittens in a carrier. But, she wasn’t having it. She wailed like a damn banshee all morning long. Layla groans and she sits up in her seat, rubbing her eyes with her fist. “Are we in Nashville?”

  “Yeah,” I say. “We’re almost to the hotel.”

  Layla scratches at Mittens’ head and turns to wake up everyone else. Everyone. I try not to growl. Of course, Layla invited Damon behind my back. I should have known. She’s been trying to get us to be friends for the last few weeks. Inviting him over. As if I don’t have to deal with him enough, she invites him to my apartment, begging me with those big blue eyes to give him a chance. Because that’s worked so well in the past. I have given him a chance, for her. Not for him. Because I know he saved us for Layla. Not me. I would be stupid to think it was because he wanted to save us. It was because he wanted to save Layla.

  I could have torn his arm off when he touched her this morning. Has the kid not learned anything? I’ve been jittery since we got on the road; every time I look in the review mirror, there he is. All smiley. I want to knock that smile off of him. I just want to get to Dallas so we can dump his ass with his dad and leave.

  “We’re here?” Cindy asks, her voice rough from sleeping. “Fucking finally,” she yawns.

  “Yeah,” Layla looks at the GPS, “we have two minutes until we’re at our hotel. I hear it’s swanky.”

  I stop at the red light and a group of drunk college kids pass by us on the pedestrian walk. One girl stops, nearly falling over in her heels. She cups her hands over her eyes, like the sun is out, and flashes us before dropping to the ground, laughing.

  Layla gasps, then sits up in her seat, hanging her head out of the window. “No one wants to see that shit,” she yells toward them. The girl, too drunk to notice, starts waving at Layla from the ground.

  A dark blond-haired guy grabs the drunk girl and hauls her over his shoulder. He glances over at us and an unreadable emotion crosses over his face. It looks like rage. It’s fucking creepy. “MMA fight at the coliseum tonight,” he yells. He turns his gaze to Layla and he flashes her a cocky smile. I tighten my fingers on the steering wheel and squeeze. They all stagger off the road and onto the sidewalk. I contempl
ate tapping them with my truck, but vote against it.

  Cindy laughs from the backseat. “I know where we’re going tonight.”

  I’m already shaking my head. “No, we’re not. Did you see the way that guy looked at Layla? I’ll end up in a fight.” I would demolish him. My heart jackhammers thinking about it.

  Cindy scoffs. “Come on, Taylor. Stop being such a jealous ass. Layla’s hot, guys are going to look. Just take comfort in knowing that she’s yours and no one else’s.”

  Where the fuck has Cindy been these last few months? Does she even pay attention to anything? As awesome as that sounds, it’s never that simple with me. When I see someone staring at her ass, or flirting with her, I want to snap their neck. She’s mine. MINE. Sighing, I run my fingers down my face and slap the steering wheel.

  Damon chuckles from the backseat. Screwing my eyes closed, I take a deep breath to calm myself before speaking. “What’s so funny, Damon?”

  Layla sighs, then presses her face against the passenger side window with a thump.

  “Nothing, Taylor,” Damon says with a laugh.

  “No, say it. You’ve got something to say, so say it.”

  “Okay.” He pauses. “I think you’re an oversensitive jackass. Layla is your fiancée. She agreed to marry you because, she loves you. You shouldn’t worry about her cheating because believe me, she isn’t going to.”

  “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

  “It means that, believe me, I’ve tried – ,”

  Brett interrupts Damon. “I need to get some cigarettes, Taylor. Turn into this gas station right here. And, Damon, I would advise you to shut the hell up. We’ve had a decent trip so far. Don’t ruin it now. I can only hold Taylor back so much, dude.”

  “The only reason we’ve had a good trip so far is because we’ve all been asleep,” Damon mumbles. Then why did you come, asshole?

  God, I could punch his lights out. Turning into the gas station parking lot, Brett gets out and raps his knuckles on my window for me to follow him.