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  Adam:

  A Torn Series Novella

  K.A. Robinson

  Copyright © 2014 by K.A. Robinson

  All rights reserved.

  Cover Designer: Romantic Book Affairs

  Editor: Jovana Shirley, Unforeseen Editing, www.unforeseenediting.com

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Visit my website at www.authorkarobinson.blogspot.com or www.facebook.com/karobinson13

  Please note - This novella can only be read after reading Tamed. Tamed is book five of the Torn Series, but it can be read as a standalone novel.

  Tamed information: http://bit.ly/11pbl1k

  Prologue

  Some people were blessed with happiness. They hadn’t done a fucking thing to deserve it, but they ended up with everything they could ever want—money, love, and success. They had it all, and they hadn’t lifted a finger to get it.

  They were the lucky bastards.

  The rest of us got nothing but shitty luck and disappointment. No matter how hard we worked, no matter how much of our hearts and souls we threw into whatever we did, we would rarely reach our goal. We never managed to feel the satisfaction of having it all right at our fucking fingertips.

  Everything was an uphill battle.

  But sometimes, the greatest battles would bring the greatest triumphs. Every once in a great while, shit happened that would blow your mind and leave you breathless. It would make every single moment of suffering worth it all.

  That was the birth of my daughter.

  After my years of simmering anger, jealousy, explosive emotions, and pure sorrow, she was the light at the end of the tunnel.

  Well, she was one of the lights. Amber was the other.

  I’d believed that soul mates and love at first sight were bullshit, but Amber had changed all of that. She had changed everything. That first glimpse of her had spun my fucked-up world out of control.

  Past

  October

  The moment I’d opened my eyes that morning, I’d known that something was going to happen. I’d had no idea what it would be¸ but I could feel it in my bones. I didn’t believe in premonitions, but I always trusted my gut instinct. It had never failed me before. If I had listened to it years ago, I would have avoided a lot of heartache and utter bullshit.

  So, yeah, when I’d woken up with the feeling that something was about to happen, I’d known it would.

  I was right.

  “Adam? You here? Or are you already thinking about tonight’s piece of ass?”

  My head jerked up at the sound of Drake’s voice. He was the lead singer of our band, Breaking the Hunger. At just eighteen, he was a couple of years younger than me, and he was cocky as hell, but for some reason, I loved the shithead like a brother. Fuck, he was my brother as far as I was concerned. Jade, our drummer, and Eric, our bass player, were like family to me as well. Over the past few years, they were the only ones whom I’d felt truly connected to. Maybe it was because we would spend so much time together at shows and at practices. Whatever the reason, I trusted those three with my life.

  I smirked at Drake. “I’m always thinking about my next piece of ass.”

  “Save your boner until after the show.” Drake grinned back at me. “I don’t wanna look over and see that shit while I’m singing.”

  “Afraid you’ll feel inadequate?” I shot back.

  “Compared to you? Nah. You’d probably boost my self-esteem if we started measuring.”

  “If you guys pull your dicks out of your pants, I’ll tie them together with your guitar strings,” Jade said after walking in the doorway from the bar.

  I winced at the mere thought. I had no doubt that Jade would follow through with that threat.

  “We’ll keep them in our pants…” I told her. “For now.”

  She rolled her eyes and glanced over at Eric. He was leaning against the wall, shaking his head and laughing silently. His shaggy brown hair hid part of his face, but I could still see the smile tipping his lips. He might keep silent most of the time, but deep, deep down inside him, I knew he was just as bad as Drake and me.

  “Good, because it’s time to go on,” Jade said. She turned back to the door, twirling her drumsticks between her fingers.

  The rest of us followed her to the door. The moment she opened it, the crowd started whistling and shouting. We were playing at Gold’s tonight, our main bar. We had a pretty decent fan base, especially considering we lived in Morgantown, West Virginia.

  My home state was known for its coal and love of country music, not its appreciation for rock ’n’ roll. That was okay though. We’d still rock this fucking bar every time we played.

  I grabbed the hem of my shirt, pulled it over my head, and tossed it next to the door. I hated wearing a shirt while playing, and since no one ever complained about my lack of clothes, I could get away with it. I smirked when I heard a few women whistle and call out my name.

  I wasn’t blind. I knew I was hot. Every woman who looked at me knew the exact same thing, especially the ones who had a thing for tattoos and piercings. I thought of my body as a piece of art, and I’d decorated accordingly. I sported two full sleeves. Plus, my chest and back were covered in tattoos. I would be lying if I said every tattoo had meaning. A few of them I’d gotten done just because I liked the designs, but several of them represented things in my life that I didn’t want to forget. In some cases, they were things I did want to forget, but I’d refused to allow myself that reprieve. My stupidity, my sorrows, my love—my whole motherfucking life was tattooed on my skin.

  I hadn’t stopped at tattoos though. I loved going for shock value. I’d dyed my dark brown hair an electric blue, and I would style it into a Mohawk that attempted to defy gravity. I had two piercings in each of my eyebrows along with a set of snakebites. I had another piercing, but it wasn’t visible unless I stuck my tongue out.

  I looked like a badass motherfucker, and that was what I wanted. I wanted to wet the panties of every woman around me. I wanted to scare the shit out of every guy who looked at me. Most of the time, I could manage to do both of those without even opening my mouth.

  What could I say? I was gifted.

  Where I went for shock value, Eric was the opposite. He had a few tattoos on his arms, but that was the extent of his art. His light-brown hair hung in his eyes most of the time, and I thought it was something he did on purpose. Eric was as deep as the ocean, and I knew he had secrets that I didn’t even want to think about, so I wouldn’t.

  Jade was a feisty little Southern belle who had learned over the years just how to put all three of us guys in our places when we needed it. I still liked to piss her off whenever I could, but I loved her to death. She constantly changed her hair, so I never tried to keep up with the color. Whatever color she decided to go with, whether it was brown or blue or pink, it would suit her. Jade was like a lion cub—cute, but she still had claws.

  Drake was the dark one. He was also as much of a whore as I was. I thought that was what had bonded us in the beginning—our mutual love of pussy. He’d sleep around almost as much as I would. His hair was styled the same as Eric’s, but Drake’s was almost black. He sported a few piercings of his own but not as many as me, and it was the same with tattoos. I knew he had one big-ass tribal tattoo across his back that went from elbow to
elbow, but I didn’t think he had any others—at least none that I’d ever seen anyway.

  The four of us jumped up onto the stage and waited for the lights to go up. It was dim as fuck on the stage, making it easier for us to see out into the screaming crowd. My eyes scanned over each face as I wondered whom I’d end up leaving with. I glanced over at the table that our band usually occupied, and I was surprised to see three women and a guy sitting around it.

  “What the fuck?” I mumbled.

  Everyone knew to leave our table alone.

  My voice caught Drake’s attention since he was standing only a few inches away from me.

  He followed my gaze over to the table. “They’re with me. It’s cool,” Drake said.

  Surprised, I simply nodded. Drake didn’t have many friends outside of the band—at least none that I knew of. Obviously, seeing a table full of his friends was the last thing I’d expected. I glanced back over at the table to take another look at his friends.

  My eyes skimmed over a pretty blonde sitting next to the only guy who was also blond. I smirked. They matched. My eyes landed on a redhead next. She was pretty but not my type. I moved on to the last woman. My entire body locked up when I finally managed to get a good look at her. She was by far the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. Her hair was a rich chocolate color. Her nose was tiny, cute even. Her eyes were wide and expressive. I could see that from this far away. Her lips were what really caught my attention though. I had a thing for lips. Hers were perfect—full and pouty. My dick hardened as I pictured her on her knees in front of me with those lips of hers sucking me dry.

  My eyes moved lower. Her tits looked perfect from here—big enough to play with, but not so big that I’d smother myself. I prayed to God that they were real. I knew one thing. I wanted to find out for myself.

  I sucked in a shocked breath when I realized that my fucking heart was beating out of my chest. I narrowed my eyes at the brunette. I was suddenly angry with her. My goddamn heart had never raced at the sight of a woman. I wasn’t even sure if it beat half the time.

  I shook my head and looked away. Fuck that shit. I didn’t want anything to do with a woman who made me feel anything at all, especially after only a glance in her direction.

  I should have known right then and there that things were about to go to shit, and it would all be because of a brunette with perfect lips and nice tits.

  ***

  Through our entire set, I refused to look at the brunette. I swore, I could feel her eyes on me, but I wouldn’t dare glance up at her to confirm my suspicions. I was afraid that I’d take one look at her and lose all control. Gold’s didn’t care if I performed shirtless, but I doubted that management would appreciate it if I jumped offstage, grabbed the brunette, and fucked her from behind on the table. They might even kick me out.

  When our set ended and the crowd roared around us, I forced my usual cocky smirk onto my face. I set my guitar down in its stand and jumped offstage to grab my shirt. I took my time with pulling it over my head, giving my bandmates time to close up shop. Gold’s staff would store our instruments in the back room for us just like they always did. I had another one I’d use at practices and other shows, so it was just easier to leave this one here.

  Jade left the stage first and made her way over to our table. Eric and Drake followed behind her. I took a deep breath before following them. Jade dropped down onto the last empty chair at the table, forcing the three of us to steal chairs from another table. I frowned when I realized that I would end up next to the brunette. I pretended to ignore her as I sat down and scooted my chair up to the table.

  Drake spoke up, introducing all of us, “Guys, this is Chloe, Logan, Rachel, and Amber. These two idiots are Eric and Adam. Jade is the tiny chick.”

  Amber. She even had a pretty name.

  I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye for a split second. She’d caught my eye when I was onstage, but as I sat next to her, she literally took my breath away. Her green eyes were bright as she studied the band. Her skin was tan and smooth. I wanted to reach out and trace my fingers along her jawline. If her skin was half as soft as it looked—

  No. I forced myself to stop thinking about touching her.

  She was friends with Drake, which meant she was off-limits. I couldn’t pull my usual one-night stand with her without someone ending up pissed off.

  Besides, I needed to stay away from her. She wasn’t good for my heart. I knew that much already since it was beating out of my chest.

  Eric asked me a question about one of our songs, and I dived into a conversation with him, nitpicking every little thing he asked. I was desperate to forget about Amber and the fact that she was sitting so close that I could actually feel the heat coming off her body. Drake joined our conversation, but it didn’t help. I could still feel her. Every time she moved, I would catch a faint whiff of her perfume. She smelled like cotton candy and flowers.

  I wanted to run my tongue across her skin to see if she tasted like cotton candy, too. My dick hardened instantly at the thought of touching her.

  I jumped slightly when a hand landed on my shoulder. I looked up long enough to see that the chick touching me wasn’t Amber. Without another thought, I grabbed the random girl and pulled her onto my lap. Her short dress slid up her legs until it barely covered anything.

  Thank God. I needed this distraction.

  “I’m Stacey,” the girl said.

  One of her friends made herself comfortable in Drake’s lap while her other friend went for Eric’s lap.

  “I don’t need to know your name,” I said as I looked at her. All I need is for you to distract me.

  Stacey was pretty in a slutty kind of way. I knew her kind, and they were my type. I’d fuck them, give them their five minutes with the band, and then go on my merry way. It was that easy. They never made my heart race, and they sure as fuck never made me feel nervous.

  I spent the rest of the night focusing my attention on Stacey, but every time Amber so much as lifted her ass cheek a centimeter off her chair, I was aware of it.

  I almost sighed in relief when Amber’s friends decided that they wanted to leave. I ignored all of them as they said their good-byes and left the bar. The minute she disappeared, I lifted Stacey off my lap and stood. Without a word, I grabbed her hand and led her to the back room where we stored our instruments.

  “Where are we going?” Stacey asked.

  “To fuck. That okay with you?” I opened the door and slid inside. She followed closely behind.

  As soon as I closed the door, Stacey pulled her dress over her head. Apparently, it was more than okay with her.

  It was too bad that the entire time I was fucking her as she bent over the speaker, I was picturing a petite brunette with blow-me lips.

  Present

  July

  “Adam?”

  My name was barely a whisper on her lips, but I instantly jerked upright.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked groggily.

  “Nothing, it’s just…” Amber trailed off.

  “What?”

  “I can’t sleep without you next to me,” she whispered from her hospital bed.

  I grinned as I stood and stretched. Attempting to sleep in that godforsaken chair was about the dumbest idea I’d ever had—okay, maybe not, but it was in the top ten.

  “Why didn’t you just say so?” I walked over to the bed. “Scoot over.”

  I waited until she shifted to the edge before climbing onto the bed with her. The bed was narrow, but we made it work. I shifted halfway onto my side and pulled her close. Amber snuggled deeper into my chest and sighed contentedly.

  “This feels nice,” she mumbled. “You realize, this is probably the last night of peace we’re going to have for the next eighteen years?”

  I chuckled. “I know, babe. Try to get some sleep, okay?”

  “M’kay,” she mumbled, already drifting off.

  I held her tightly as I thought about the past few
hours. Watching her bring our daughter, Gabriella, into the world had altered my life. I’d had nine months to prepare for that moment, but I was a fool for thinking I’d been ready for all of it. I still couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that I was a father. The little pink bundle who was currently sleeping in the nursery was my blood, my child…my daughter.

  My gut clenched. Daughter.

  Jesus, it was like God was getting his revenge on me. All the women I’d slept with over the years were people’s daughters. Now, I had one of my own. I’d kill every little shit who came near her. There was no way I would let her turn out like most of the women I’d been with.

  No. Fucking. Way.

  Unable to sleep, I watched Amber as she slept peacefully in my arms. My heart warmed when she mumbled my name in her sleep.

  This was what love felt like. I’d thought I knew what love was before, but it was nothing compared to this.

  Amber was…everything. She was my goddamn everything, and now, Gabriella was, too.

  Past

  January

  My dick constantly throbbed. One would think that after three months of constant throbbing, I would have grown used to it, but that was a fucking joke. Anytime Amber was in the same room as me, I would be as hard as a rock.

  I had yet to speak a word to her.

  I would laugh at the ridiculousness of my situation if it wasn’t for the fact that I was suffering—badly. I’d been fucking anything that was decently pretty, but still, I throbbed. If something didn’t give soon, I was going to lose my mind.

  I’d spent Christmas in blissful peace, very much aware of the fact that Chloe—the blonde who seemed to have Drake by the dick—and Amber had been several hours away from me. There had been no chance that she’d suddenly appear in the bar, and I’d have to go find the nearest whore to shove my dick into as soon as she disappeared. I hadn’t even had sex that entire week. That was a new record for me.