Covert by Natasha Preston
I gasped. Time stood still and everything inside me turned to ice. "Megan, no!"
The gun went off with a loud bang and the sound echoed through the room. I felt her blood splatter across my face, like I had just walked out into the rain. Megan slumped forward, hitting the wooden table with a deep thud.
My body shook. I stared on in horror at Megan's limp body. Blake jumped up, dragging me with him. He swept me up and carried me into the lounge. He was a little rough. I felt like a rag doll, but I understood his urgency and I was so grateful that he got me out of there as soon as he could.
I was practically dumped on the sofa and then he was calling 999. Megan shot herself. I felt like I did the day we found Courtney and Josh - cold, distant, and unable to properly digest what had happened.
She shot herself right in the face, right in front of me. Flashes of the gun going off and blood splatting on the surface behind her plagued my mind. Images of her stabbing Courtney and Josh flashed past my eyes. I held my hands up and saw little red spots covering them.
I tried to take a breath but nothing happened. My lungs burned from the lack of oxygen. Folding myself in half, I buried my head in one of the scatter cushions and screamed until my throat was raw.
Epilogue
Blake and I walked along the soft, golden sandy beach in Cyprus. The sky was a gorgeous light blue. The sea was a similar colour and on a really bright day you couldn't see where one ended and the other began. We had been abroad for almost three months, living off savings, some money my parents gave us and the part-time bar jobs we'd landed.
Neither of us wanted to be home after everything that had happened. One day we would have to go back, but we were determined to enjoy our twenties and live it up somewhere hot. I would worry about facing the quiet little village that was scarred by Megan's actions in a few years.
I was still scarred. I saw Megan shoot herself too many times in my dreams. Trusting anyone was almost impossible. Blake was the only person I trusted. He'd been through it, too. We vowed no secrets and as hard as it was to talk about everything we made sure we did it. Secrets killed.
Everything was easy in Cyprus, well, easier at least. Blake and I spent almost every second together, messing around, making love, swimming, drinking, dancing, taking boat trips, and working in the evenings. We were living the life you were supposed to have when you were young, finally.
I spoke to Kyle often. He had a new girlfriend that he knocked up almost straight away, but they were happy and giving it a go. We planned a short trip home when the baby arrived. As much as I was looking forward to seeing the only friend that hadn't committed a horrible crime I was also dreading it. Even the thought of being back there made me feel sick. I couldn't handle being so close to where it all happened and I couldn't handle the pointing and the whispers.
Then there was Aaron. He was getting out of prison soon, in just six days. He was made to serve time for perverting the course of justice. I thought about inviting him out to stay with us for a while. After being in prison for almost two years, the sun, sand and gorgeous blue sea would do him good. But Blake was dead set against the idea - something about some stereotypical sequel film revenge. Revenge for what I had no clue, Megan was dead.
Blake watched way too much TV. But I had to listen to his fears, even if they were ridiculous. I loved him so much and trusted him with my life. He came first and he always would.
Whatever happened though I was determined to be there for Aaron in whatever way I could, whichever way Blake was also comfortable with. The more I thought about it the more I realised that the only part I was still angry with Aaron about was hurting Blake. Thankfully, I knew that was unintentional, but I was still pissed it happened. As stupid as Aaron and his actions were, he did everything to protect someone he loved. I believed he deserved a second chance.
I looked up at Blake and smiled. His short messy hair blew gently in the warm breeze. His eyes were alight with happiness and in the gorgeous blues of the Cyprus sky and sea made his eyes a bright, crystal clear blue.
"Cocktail or beer?" he asked, nodding to the little straw roofed hut that started the line of the tourist favourite bars.
I grinned. That was about as complicated as my life got out here and I loved it. I squeezed Blake's hand, smiling up at him and replied, "Cocktail and then you."
He groaned and pressed his lips hard against mine. "We're skipping the cocktail."
More books by Natasha Preston
Out Now
Silence (Book One)
Oakley Farrell stoppedtalking at the age of five and has remained in her own little world since. Her mum is desperate to find out what's wrong with her daughter, but does she really want to know?
Oakley's best friend, Cole, has stuck by her. Their friendship is easy but as they start to become closer she is faced with a new set of issues to deal with.
Broken Silence (Book Two)
Four years after Oakley, her mum, and brother fled to Australia, the trial is ready to begin. Oakley makes the decision to return to England and face the people who hurt her in person.
Her love for Cole never faded, but how will he react to seeing her again? Will they be able to put everything behind them in order to get their happy ending?
Players, Bumps and Cocktail Sausages (A companion novel to Broken Silence)
Putting his player ways behind him, Jasper Dane is now strictly a one-woman man. Jasper, desperate to start a family with his wife, Abby, is devastated when she puts their baby plans on hold.
Holly has just arrived back in town for the summer, and after landing a job with Jasper, the two form an unlikely friendship. Abby's immediate dislike of Holly and Jasper spending time together causes him to question his wife's fidelity.
Broken hearted at Abby's sudden change of heart and suspicious of her reasons, Jasper takes action, sparking a chain of events that make his once well planned out life spiral out of control.
To get what he wants, he first has to lose everything.
The Cellar
(Published by Sourcebooks)
Nothing ever happens in the town of Long Thorpe - that is, until sixteen-year-old Summer Robinson disappears without a trace. No family or police investigation can track her down.
Spending months inside the cellar of her kidnapper with several other girls, Summer learns of Colin's abusive past, and his thoughts of his victims being his family...his perfect, pure flowers.
But flowers can't survive long cut off from the sun, and time is running out...
www.natashapreston.com
Twitter: @natashavpreston
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Epilogue
More books by Natasha Preston
Natasha Preston, Covert
(Series: # )