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This has been a wild ridethe Off Series I have had such a support from so many people, that it wouldn't be possible for me to na Off The Record

First, e h it has , "Uh-huh" when he asksattention I hope that one day things will settle down and I can give you the attention you deserve

My law partner, Jennifer, for letting me take so ht on deadlines You are a that you let ether

Shout out tome tweak and refine the manuscript

To Jeanne Frazier and the gang at Vitalink for the an

Thank you to Jay Byars, Major Model Managerace the cover I love it and I know all of the readers will adore him too I first found a picture of Jay on the internet before I even started writing the book He was literally who I envisioned as Linc Caldwell, so it was extra special that I was able to put him on the cover Ladiestry not to droolyou may short out your E-Reader or smear the print!

Finally, to Ellie at Love N Books and Kayla at My Book Muse You gavethe way, and let's not forgetit was your brilliant minds that came up with the title!!! Much love!!!

Five years ago

He's gone

I can't believe he's really gone

Maybe he'll come back Maybe he'll realize what a stupid, selfish decision he's iveness and after we rovel just a bit, we'll open our arms up and tell him it's okay We'll assure him that a moment of weakness is all it was I know th and fortitude he'll need to get us through this family disaster I'll take care of both him and

But deep downI know he's not co back

My tears have finally dried and I sit up inwet fro like a brass band has taken up residence inside Cocking htly, I can still hear my mom's muffled sobs in her rooer to subside than mine

Swinging s over the side of uess that's to be expected after lying here for al My head feels fuzzy and my body weak There is no time for that, however

I need to go to my mom

Opening her bedroo on her side She's curled in a fetal position, with one of her pillows crushed to her chest She's trying to hold on to so, and sadly, a pillow is all she has

I walk to the edge of the bed Her eyes are closed but wet rivulets seep out froht red and her lips are dry

With extreentleness, I pry the pillow out of her clutches She doesn't even open her eyes, but a warbled sound co I slip into bed and replace the pilloithto my warmth She buries her face intofrom her skin onto mine

I reach up to stroke her hair, which is thin and brittle I'm surprised it doesn't break off in my hands

"Shh, Mommy It will be okay"

My rief starts to subside In its place, I feel a boiling hatred start to manifest It starts in the ine liquid lava bubbling and expanding in h ertips and toes

My hts consume me for the man who has just destroyed me and my mother

My naomery I am sixteen years old and I vow to ain

Present day

I quietly shut the door toout a chapter ofto ht of tears to come but they don't My eyes remain dry and my heart remains cold

On the other side of the door, I can hearaway His steps sound sure and confident But then again, Marc has always been sure and confident It's without any bitterness that I ado is what attracted me to hiot what he went after He pursued rads at Duke and I eventually fell to his char to Columbia my senior year after he landed a swank job on Wall Street He even had that knowing look on his face when he presentedthat I'd say yes to his proposal

Marc's confidence infused me with confidence that I could actually be in a healthy relationship He had finally convinced my jaded heart to open up to the possibility of a happily ever after My last serin onsun I wasthe man of my dreams and I had been offered a job at The New York Post where I had interned the previous suht in my world and my life was perfect

But I should have known it was too good to be true

Just three weeks shy of iven a healthy dose of reality to bring my head back down from the clouds of love My afternoon class was canceled so I was practically gid

dy to be going hoe to be over with so I could join the real world That place where I would have a satisfying career, I would marry my one true love and ould have two-point-three kids to raise in a posh, Connecticut suburb I was relishing an afternoon of laziness and then I would cook a root home from work

I should have figured so when I opened the apart from the bedroom But I didn't understand what it was So I walked down the hallway, seeking out the cause I res toin the bedroo a picture on the wall

I was so stupid So naive

Even those first few seconds, when I opened the door and found Marc's naked body puhtsex in our bed But then awareness crept in as soon as I recognized the small birthmark Marc had on his lower back

My cheeks still heat with eic I couldn't see the woman's face but by her breathyI stood there, but finally it dawned on me that I should be pissed as hell and I finally found my voice

"HoneyI'm home," I said with syrupy sweetness

You would have thought I shot electricity between the two of them because Marc reeled backward as if he'd been shocked The wo the sheets over her body, but I didn't look at her I stared at Marc as he slid off the bed and pulled on his pants over his shriveling dick

"EverbabyI' toward me with his arms held out in supplication

I still can't believe the lack of emotion I exhibited My voice was flat when I said, "Sorry for what? For screwing around with--"