Scarred Love by M.S. Brannon
(Sulfur Heights #1)
Publication date: June 6th 2013
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
Synopsis:
“I am certain, without any doubt, she was meant to be in my life. We belong to each other. I spent too much of my time consumed with what everyone else thinks of my feelings for Darcie, but the truth is, it was always supposed to be this way.” ~Reggie Evans
Darcie Claiborne spent several years of her young life living with a monster, always fearing what he would do next. Clasping onto her last ounce of hope, Darcie releases a scream. It’s her final attempt to live; to survive the villain of her reality. Sweeping her up in his arms, Darcie’s knight in shining armor rescues her from the hell she’s been living; from the stepfather she’s feared for all those years.
Reggie Evans has been forced to grow up before he’s ready when his mother dies of an overdose, leaving him responsible to raise his younger brothers. One fateful night, Reggie jogs by an old, run down house and discovers a young girl clinging to life as she screams for help.
Three years later, Darcie is healing and always protected by the man who saved her, but now she’s fighting with something she isn’t prepared to face. The growing love for the man who saved her life three years ago, the same man who’s nine years older. All the while, Reggie fights to protect Darcie from the demons of her past and new ones of her present.
**Mature Content Warning** 17+ for language and sexual content**
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AUTHOR BIO:
M.S. Brannon was born and raised in the Midwest. She still resides there today with her wonderful husband and son. When she is not writing or reading, M.S. Brannon spends time with her family, watching movies, and discovering new music. She writes romance because she believes love and heartache is the rawest emotion one can experience.
Excerpt #1
Darcie ~ Age 12
“Darcie, your stepfather does these things because you refuse to listen to anything I tell you,” my mom says while swallowing a handful of pills with her glass of red wine. “Just stay out of his way, be in your room when he’s home and it will give him less of a reason to punish you.”
I’ve been putting up with Robert’s punishments for eight years and I’ve come to the conclusion that I will never escape them until I leave. My mom takes pills and drinks from her bottle of wine several times a day. When she’s not drinking or downing pills, she’s sleeping.
I despise my mother. She’s weak and I fucking hate her.
She tells me I deserve punishments and she’s probably right, but what she’s neglected to tell me is why she allows him to do it. I barely remember what our life was like before Robert Stein, but I know it was never this horrible. We managed to have fun and I never lived in fear. Why did she let Robert change her? Isn’t a mother supposed to protect their child? Once a child is born, isn’t their mother expected to possess this sixth sense, that same kind of sense that can allow women to lift cars off their children? My thoughts fade as soon as she squeezes the ointment on her finger and rubs it onto the fresh cigar burns on my back and thighs. Robert never gave me a reason why he did it other than he couldn’t find his ashtray.
Excerpt #2
Darcie
Suddenly, I am transported back in time to three years ago. The feeling of being pinned down by my arms and legs, the feeling of a man’s weight restraining me and the inability to breathe flashes into my mind. I start to violently shake my head from side to side. My breathing gets short and fast. Without even realizing it, I start to scream; just like I did the night he planned to touch me.
Jake freaks out and quickly releases my body from under his. “Shit, Darcie, I’m sorry. I forgot how you get.”
I’m still screaming, unable to move. I’m frozen to the carpet. I’m still in that house. Lying on that urine soaked bed.
Salvation arrives.
Reggie appears out of the nowhere. He kneels down beside me. His hands are wiping the anger away from my face as he whispers into my ear, “Shhh, Darcie. It’s okay. I won’t let him hurt you again, never again. As long as there’s breathe left in my body, he will never harm you again.” His voice is all I need to hear. My eyes begin to focus. My brain begins to register the only true protector I’ve had in my life.
Excerpt #3
Darcie
It’s about one in the morning when we pull into the driveway and park next to Reggie’s Camaro. I am wasted. Unable to walk, shitfaced, wasted. I can’t form a single thought and my lips are numb. All the guys are pissed at me. Apparently, I was running my mouth to Vanessa during the entire race and ended up chucking my empty tequila bottle at her head. I can’t remember if it hit her or who won the race for that matter.
Jeremy runs around to the passenger seat and hoists me out of the car. I climb onto his back and he carries me up the back steps into the kitchen. I’m attempting to sing “Creep” by Radiohead, but butchering the song with every syllable when Jeremy sits me down on the counter. Jake avoids me as he makes his way down to the basement. Screw it! I could care less right now. I achieved my goal; I’m drunk as hell and it’s amazing!
I swing my feet back and forth while singing the lyrics to “Creep.” “I wish I was special. So fuckin’ special...”—a little louder now—“…but I’m a creep!” Jeremy’s hand comes across my mouth, quieting me. I jerk my head back smacking it on the cupboard and shout, “Hey! I’m singing, Jer!”
Jeremy hands me a glass of water and a couple of Advil. I swallow the pills and let out a loud burp. He rolls his eyes, trying to hide the smile across his face.
“Do you want me to help you to bed, Darcie?” he asks.
“Ahh, Jer. That’s so sweet. Where’s Presley? She can help me. It might be weird seeing your sis in her underwear.” I laugh obnoxiously at my strange comment. God, I’m wasted.
Jeremy blushes. “She’s with Drake and I’m not going in there. If you need help, then I’ll help you.”
To Jeremy’s relief, Reggie walks around the corner, glaring at both of us. He looks sexy as hell, wearing only a pair of black basketball shorts that are slung low on his hips. I’m practically drooling as I look at the slight trail of blonde hair below his belly button and the defined V of his abdomen. His hair is loose and tousled from sleep. Oh shit. There go my hormones again. I want to rip his clothes off and suck on his…lips? I let out a small giggle followed by a hiccup from my dirty thoughts.
Jeremy’s angry as he looks over at me. “She’s fucking wasted, Reg. She drank a pint of tequila and started running her mouth to that girl she beat up at school. Everyone else bailed on me. I’m trying to get her to bed.”
Reggie rolls his eyes and shakes his head in disgust. “I’ll put her to bed.”
Relief passes over Jeremy’s face. He smiles then sprints out of the kitchen and flies down the stairs, heading for the basement. Man, I didn’t think I was that much of a pain in the ass.
Reggie walks over to me and puts his hands on either side of my thighs. My breath hitches at our closeness and flashes of last night play in my mind.
I press my forehead to his and whisper, “Always my knight in shining armor.”
“Always.” His lips stay close and I’m hoping he will crash them into mine, but he doesn’t.
“I’ve had a bad day.”
He lets out a small sigh and says, “Yeah… I know.”
Reggie slides his hands behind my butt pushing my core against his waist. Butterflies are swarming in my stomach as I wrap my legs and arms around him. I plant my face in the crook of his neck and that familiar smell of salvation engulfs me. It’s divine, a combination of soap and Reggie. Lifting me off the counter, he walks down the hall toward my bedroom. I look into his eyes where I find fierce, ocean blue pools, drowning me in desire. My body is warming with pleasure as I feel his hard muscles constrict with every movement.
Reggie kneels on the bed hovering over me. I let go of my grip and push myself to the top, lying on my pillow. He lifts one of my legs and pulls off my leather boot. It drops to the floor and he repeats with the other. He’s sitting up on his knees between my legs and my body is rushing with excitement. His hands slowly slide down the zipper of my jacket. I can’t believe this is going to happen. I don’t want anything more than to give him the innocent part of me. Now, I wish I was a little more sober.
“Sit up.,” Reggie demands, never taking his eyes off mine.
I comply. His hands skim over my shoulders, moving my jacket down and the heat from his touch is sending me over the edge. Reggie tosses my jacket to the floor and then he leans down and puts a faint kiss to the cigar burn on my left shoulder. My breath hitches from his gesture and I wish he could take all of it away. Using a gentle touch, his hands guide me to lie down. I’m panting with want. All the familiar feelings of our storage room make-out floods my body. Moving off the bed, Reggie pulls the comforter over my body then leans down and places a gentle kiss on my forehead.
“Goodnight, Darcie.”
Wait. What? He’s leaving me?
The door clicks shut. Embarrassed and rejected, I roll over onto my side and cry for the second time in twenty-four hours.
Excerpt #4
Reggie
I make my way from behind the bar and spot their table. Drake, Presley, Grady and Darcie are sitting around, laughing and sipping their drinks when I approach. She really looks happy with this douche; it makes my heart sink further. I release the frustrated breath I was holding and walk right up to their table.
“Hey, Reg, it’s fucking crazy in here tonight,” Drake says.
“Yeah, that’s why I’m here. You guys should leave. It’s way too packed and I can’t keep an eye on you and everyone else,” I say, looking straight at Darcie.
Grady instantly recognizes I’m addressing Darcie and stands to challenge me. “I don’t know who you think you are, but I can take care of her myself. Back the fuck off.”
“You’re in my Goddamn bar and if I want you to leave, then you’ll leave. So get the fuck out before I toss you out on your ass,” I seethe with anger. It’s been a month in the making and I’m ready to lay this fucker flat.
I ball up my fist and roll my head from side to side, loosening up my muscles. Grady moves around Darcie, getting dangerously close. He stands a few inches shorter than me and breathes his beer laced breath in my face. The corner of my mouth lifts slightly as I get this gratifying urge to punch the guy’s face.
Jake and Jeremy come from the pool tables to stand behind me. Jake is bouncing like he’s on a pogo stick. His excitement is impossible to contain because he knows I’m about to kill this dude. “I’ve been waiting for a fucking month for this to happen. Knock his bitch ass out, Reggie!”
Drake protectively moves Presley behind him, but places his hand on my shoulder. I jerk my arm forward. No one is going to stop me from destroying this douche bag. “Lay off, Drake. You aren’t stopping this.”Drake steps back and joins Jeremy and Jake a few feet behind me. They have witnessed my murderous rage before and know I am beyond the point of no return. I square my shoulders and roll them back. Clenching my fists open and closed, I glare down Grady, careful to never break our gaze. The bar turns deathly quiet as a crowd forms around us. Here we go. I’m ready to knock this useless piece of garbage on his ass. My feet turn as I ready myself to punch Grady in the face then I see her.
Darcie moves from behind Grady and stands beside him. “Reggie, please. Don’t do this. We’ll leave okay. Just…don’t do this.” Her face is pleading. The anger starts to slowly dissolve. Darcie has the uncanny ability to convince me of anything. The boys often take advantage of it because they know I can’t say no to anything she asks. I start to relax, settling my tense muscles. I can’t hurt her. Not again.
Jake shouts from behind me, “Darcie! He disrespected Reggie in his own bar and deserves to get his ass handed to him. I remember a day when you would be on our side. Now you’re a fucking traitor!”
“Fuck you, piss ant!” Grady shouts back to Jake.
This situation is spiraling out of control quickly. Darcie’s face falls as she looks like Jake slapped her across the face. “Jake! Shut up! Don’t say that to her!” I shout back to him.
Grady’s glare turns deadly when he steps within inches from my face. “You know…you’re really starting to piss me off. She’s not your girl! She’s mine!”
I’m ready to blow. She’s not his! She will never be his! Darcie is mine, forever! I clench my fists again and ready myself to destroy Grady once again when Darcie moves between us. Her hands are on my chest, pushing back against me. The smell of vanilla perfumes the air as Darcie wedges herself between Grady and me.
I break my gaze from Grady and meet her pleading, jade colored eyes. She’s my solace. When I look at Darcie, I find peace in a world filled with shit. I relax my fists and bring my hands to the side of her face, just like I’ve done so many times before, but this time, like the few times before, is different. This time, I want nothing more than to press my lips to hers. As we look into each other’s eyes, time stands still. Everyone else disappears. It’s just us. For a split second, she glances at my lips then back to my eyes. Her head nods slightly and before I can make my move to kiss her, Grady pushes against the back of Darcie and tries to cheap shot me in the jaw.
