“I love you. That’s why I think you deserve better. You deserve a man like Jake. One who is as innocent as you, who hasn’t seen and done unmentionable things. Any man would be lucky to be able to marry you and raise children with you, and I want you to be sure that you can see a future with me.”
He paused to give her a moment to process everything he’d said. ”Your parents will probably never approve of me, and my parents will never be in the picture. It’ll just be us… and Roni. I don’t want you to feel that you’re settling by staying with me.”
Nicole took his hands in hers and held them tight.
“We have Roni, Rich, Bree, Colin, Kara, and Pete. They’re our family. I don’t need anyone else. If my parents won’t approve of you or our relationship, then I don’t need them in my life.” She squeezed his hand in hers and said, “I don’t see being with you as settling. I feel like the luckiest woman in the world when I’m with you. Jake’s not the man that I want or need, you are.”
Kent saw the truth in her eyes and relief flooded him.
He finally did what he’d wanted to do since he first saw her that evening. He pulled her to him kissed her thoroughly, putting everything he felt into the kiss.
When they pulled away, Nicole looked happily up at him and said simply, “I choose you.”
Keep reading for an excerpt from the third book in the Friends & Lovers Trilogy
Trust in Me
Available in Spring 2013
Prologue
Roni tried to brace herself for the blow before it landed, but she was still knocked backwards into the stove. Her hands flew out, instinctively covering her face, as her hip caught the corner of the stove and she collapsed onto the jaundiced linoleum.
She curled into the fetal position and brought her arms up to cover her head, but his boot still found its way to her ribs. Roni cried out in pain as her husband kicked her repeatedly.
Hank shouted obscenities at her as he grabbed two fistfuls of her long blonde hair and dragged her towards their dingy living room.
Roni tried not to struggle as she was pulled along the floor, worried that her hair would be yanked out if she did. She kept her eyes and mouth shut, she’d been in this predicament before, and knew she’d end up with more cuts and bruises if she struggled.
She saw her opportunity when Hank stopped in the threshold and loosened his grip.
Roni rolled backwards and sprang to her knees. In one fluid motion, she gained her footing and turned to sprint towards the backdoor. Since her back was turned, she didn’t see Hank raise his leg to kick her, but felt his foot made contact with her back right before she went sprawling face first back onto the linoleum.
She didn’t pay attention to the blood that started oozing from her nose; instead she boosted herself up on to all fours and began crawling towards the exit.
Hank’s dry chuckle turned her belly cold, but Roni tried to push through the fear and stay focused on her goal.
This wasn’t the first time her husband had used physical violence to make a point. When she’d first met him, she thought he was so handsome and strong. She’d thought he’d take her away from the nightmare that she’d grown up in and protect her, the way her twin brother always had until he went away to college. She couldn’t have been more wrong.
The first time he’d hit her, she’d been beyond shocked. She’d never been struck a day in her life, her brother, Kent had made sure of that. When she’d told Hank she was going to leave him, he’d been full of remorse and promises, and she’d been foolish enough to believe him.
The last straw had come the night before, when he’d punched her in the stomach after they’d returned from the local bar. She’d been dancing to the band, by herself, but he hadn’t been pleased. As soon as they’d walked into their small trailer, he’d blind-sided her and called her a whore.
When she woke up this morning, she’d called Kent and told him the truth about her marriage. He’d been angry and appalled, but agreed to come and help her leave Hank, just like she’d known he would.
Kent was the one man she could always count on.
The surprise came when Hank had come home early and found her packing her things. She’d said she was leaving when her brother arrived and tried to walk out of the trailer quickly, but Hank had caught up to her in the kitchen.
Her thoughts seemed muddled in her mind and she crawled as quickly as she could. She felt like she’d been crawling forever, but had only made it a few inches, before she felt Hanks boot in her ass. Roni sprawled on the floor, then quickly tried to curl back into the fetal position and protect as much of her body from him as she could.
She felt his hot breath on her cheek as he leaned down and whispered, “I will never allow you to leave me.”
Roni braced herself for the next blow, then opened her eyes when she heard scuffling and the cold, hard tone of her brother’s voice.
“I should kill you right now,” Kent said in a low dangerous voice as he pulled Hank from her and flung him back towards the wall.
Roni scrambled up off of the floor and ran to the bedroom to grab her bags. When she got back, Kent was pummeling his fists into Hanks face.
She ran over to him and put her hand softly on Kent’s shoulder. “Stop. He’s not worth it. Let’s
