Sneak Peek of Falling, book 2 of The Fragile Line series

I couldn't decide what to post for the sneak peeks of Falling, so you get two!! This is not the first chapter, but from two different points of the book. I hope you enjoy! 

If you haven't read Beautiful, you can purchase it for only $2.99 here. Falling releases on December 26, 2015. You can pre-order your copy here!

The Fragile Line series, Falling, book 2

Sadie makes one bad decision after another. Full of regret and longing for the life she left behind, she falls into the deep end of her addiction and escalating depression.

Ryan loathes who Sadie has become, but he’s not giving up on making their relationship work. He is miserable, taking out everything on Sadie, determined not to let her make him fall again.

Aaron has waited long enough for Sadie to return to him. He needs to take control of the situation, and sets out to do just that, only to fall as soon as he begins the journey.

Jenny has a wall around her heart, vowing to let no one else in. She’s been hurt too many times. When plotting revenge for those who hurt her backfires, and she finds herself falling, the wall around her heart breaking down.

Corey has never loved before, but there’s something about Jenny that has him smitten. Her hot and cold personality has him confused and frustrated, and he realizes he’s falling in love.  

Trevor is content with his life. He just wants to help Sadie break free from her misery, and for Corey to realize it is possible to love someone. His thoughts may get clouded, but he won’t let himself fall. 

A domino effect of events sets forth in the second installment of The Fragile Line series, testing the strength of every relationship. For some, doubt and wonder will always stay with them. For others, heartbreak and loss of purpose consume them. Even still, a vision and a plan for what comes next drives them forward.  

Sneak Peek One

Jenny parked her Nissan and got out of her car, scanning the lot for Corey’s SUV, but she didn’t see it. She couldn’t remember what Trevor drove. Her nerves tingled in the slightest sense and she knew why. She had let her guard down just enough to see Corey of her own free will.

His pale blue eyes, the ones that made him breathtakingly handsome and able to attract any number of girls, scared Jenny. They were eerily familiar; making her uneasy if she gazed into them too long. They reminded her of a guy she once knew. One that hurt her.

Then again, they all had, hadn’t they?

When she walked into Steak n’ Shake she easily spotted Trevor and Corey sitting in a booth. They were sitting opposite each other. Jenny would have to make a choice between sitting with Corey, and quite possibly making his night, or sitting next to Trevor and keeping her sanity.

She chose Trevor, sliding easily into the booth, sure to smile equally at both men. No need to lead Corey on anymore. She was done with Ryan, and she loved Alex anyway.

“Have you guys ordered?” she asked.

Trevor glanced at her from over his menu. “No, not yet.”

“They have the best shakes here,” Jenny said. She opened her menu. “I love the strawberry one with the real strawberries in it.”  

“That does sound good,” Trevor agreed. “Maybe I’ll get a shake.”

After they ordered Jenny stole a glance at Corey across from her. He was studying the small bottle of hot peppers, turning it over in his hands like it was the most fascinating thing ever. She smiled to herself, amused at how uncomfortable he was. But in the same heartbeat she felt bad for having led him on.

“Are we all in agreement that we should do something to help her leave him?” Trevor asked.

“I’ve told her that a million times,” Jenny said. “I’ve even offered her a place to stay. She doesn’t want to.”

“But that’s because she’s afraid of him,” Trevor said. “Don’t you think?”

Jenny considered this. “What has he done that’s so bad? I mean other than this. Have you guys actually seen him hit her?”

Trevor and Corey glanced at each other. “Not exactly,” Trevor said. “But we’ve see him push her down and bang her head off the door.” He sighed. “And we’ve all seen her with bruises she can’t explain, or explains really badly.”

Jenny remembered the sight of Sadie at the grocery store earlier in the summer, her face black and blue. “When she had those black eyes a few months ago, what’d she tell you guys?”

Corey scoffed, but said nothing. Trevor spoke, “She tried to tell us she ran into a doorway, but when we asked Ryan he pretty much came out and said he did it.”

“But don’t you think she’s a little nuts?” Jenny asked skeptically.

“Well, yeah,” Trevor said. “But I think he’s made her that way.”

Jenny drew her breath in. That made sense. She remembered seeing Sadie for the first time in years and noticing the light in her eyes was gone. There were times Sadie could act like the girl she’d known in high school, but mostly she wasn’t the same. Jenny stared down at the table. “I saw him hit her once. It was, like, three years ago at a party.”

“You actually saw him hit her?” Corey asked. Jenny looked up, seeing anger in Corey’s eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me that that night?”

Jenny shrugged. “It’s not a memory I like to relive.”

Corey stared at her in disbelief. “Do you even like her, Jenny? Because you seem to be on Ryan’s side.”

Jenny’s jaw dropped. “I am not on Ryan’s side.”

Corey’s eyes narrowed. “Are you sure?”

“What’s your point here, Corey?” Trevor asked. “This is about Sadie, nothing else.”

“Where’d you get that hickey?” Corey asked Jenny.

Her eyes went wide with shock. “That’s none of your business!”

“From Ryan?”

“Are you kidding me? No!”

“You two seem awfully friendly. Are you sure?”

Jenny thought about leaving, but then it would be like admitting Corey was right. No, she had to stand her ground. “Look, you need to understand something right now. I have known Sadie and Ryan since we were thirteen. There are things that happened way before you guys came along that may or may not influence how I feel about either of them. Sure, Ryan and I are friendly, but that’s because we were friends in high school. His best friend was my neighbor, so we hung out. Sadie and I didn’t get along for the most part, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be her friend now. If I didn’t care, or if I was on Ryan’s side, do you think I’d be here now?”

Trevor gave her a small smile. Corey looked out the window. “She was the popular one, wasn’t she? Got everything she wanted? What’d she do? Steal a guy from you?”

“What is your problem, Corey? Just because I won’t sleep with you, you have to be a total ass?” Jenny shook her head, Corey chuckled. “Sadie and I were friends, good friends. Then some stupid guy spread some rumors about me, making me look like a slut, and then I wasn’t good enough to hang out with them anymore.”

The food arrived then, providing a momentary reprieve from the tension. When the server left, Jenny continued. “And no, she didn’t steal a guy from me. I stole him from her.” She wanted to continue, and say that Sadie stole Ryan from her, but she stopped.

Corey shoved a handful of fries in his mouth. “So you’re going for a repeat?”

“Corey, that’s enough.” Trevor sighed. “This isn’t getting us anywhere.” He waited for Corey to look at him. “Or you.”

Corey laughed. “I’m not trying to get anywhere. A guy can only take so much rejection.”

Jenny laughed. “Quitter.”

“Stop.” Trevor laughed. “I feel like the parent here.” He took a bite of his burger. “So I’ve been thinking about this all day and I have a plan. Maybe.”

Jenny sipped her shake. “Maybe?”

“Yeah. What I was thinking was that you, Jenny, could get a hold of her cell phone. Say you have to use it or something. Then get the number from it for that guy in St. Louis that she’s all in love with.”

“Aaron?”

“Yeah, him.”

“Wow, Trev. Did you come up with that all on your own? Steal a phone number from someone’s cell phone?” Corey shook his head.

“Look, you need to chill out,” Trevor said, anger heavy in his voice. “I’m not the one that thinks I have to sleep with every girl in the southwest suburbs.”

Corey narrowed his eyes. “No, not you. You’re too busy hanging on to a past that’s long gone. At least when you’re not letting someone sit on your lap.”

Trevor’s cheeks flushed. He turned to Jenny. “Anyway, see if you can get Aaron’s number. Then we’ll call him and clue him in to what’s going on here.”

“Then what?” Jenny asked.

He shrugged. “Hopefully he’ll come up here and help her leave. I’m thinking with us three and him, Ryan’ll step back and let her go.”

“Do you know how ridiculous that sounds?” Corey asked. Trevor shot him a look that told Jenny his patience with Corey’s attitude was about up. Corey sighed. “We could just call 411 and get the number. Do you know his last name?” He looked at Jenny.

“Wow, Corey. That was actually a good point. Thanks for contributing,” Trevor said sarcastically.

“I’m not sure,” Jenny said. “It’s something Italian, but I’m not sure. It starts with an L.”

“Does anyone have a better idea?” Trevor asked.

Jenny shook her head. “No, I think we could start with this. And while I’m there I’ll just ask her if she wants to leave. Or kick him out. Whatever.”

“While you’re there?” Corey asked.

“Yeah, I’ll go over there tonight.”

Corey seemed confused. “He’ll be there.”

Jenny rolled her eyes. “I’m not scared. It’s not me he’s beating.”

“Well, how will you talk to her if he’s there?”

She furrowed her brow. “I’ll tell him to take his ass in another room.”

“And you think he’ll listen to you?”

Biting her lip, she said. “I think I might have some leverage.”

Sneak Peek Two

Shawna Moore hung up the phone with mixed feelings. She held it in her hands and looked at Aaron sitting earnestly on the couch waiting for her report.

“Well?” he said.

She glanced at Brent. He was anxious for her answer too. “She broke her leg. That must be what you were feeling.”

“Did she say he did it?” Aaron asked.

“Yes. But she said no every time I asked if she needed us to come up there.” She met Aaron’s eyes. “You have to let go, Aaron. What will be, will be.”

“Let go? Are you serious?” He stood up, anger consuming his dark features.

Shawna stood, too. “Yes, Aaron. You have to let go. This is killing you!”

“I don’t give a damn about me! How can I when he’s breaking her bones?”

“What do you think you’re gonna do that you haven’t already tried?”

“I think I should go up there and kill him!”

Most people say things like that without a plan or any actual means of doing it. Shawna knew that was not the case with Aaron. “What good would that do? You’d be in jail! And you still wouldn’t have her!”

“Maybe not, but neither would he! She would be free. That’s the whole point.”

Shawna threw up her hands. “Whatever. You’re crazy.” She fell back to the chair, looked at Brent. “She’s one of my best friends and I feel sorry for her. But she’s made her choices time and again. No matter how mad we get, it’s not gonna change how she feels.” She looked at Aaron. “And she loves Ryan more than she loves you. I knew that after knowing her for a month. They have that whole growing up together thing and you’re not going to come between that.”

“Shawna, you don’t know what you’re talking about. Me and Sadie aren’t like you and Brent. We love each other no matter what. She’s afraid of him. That’s the only reason she’s there and not here. Where she belongs.” He scoffed. “Even you know she’d be happier with me. And he broke her leg! You seriously think I’m just gonna sit here?”

Brent cleared his throat, offering his first input since Shawna hung up the phone. “Sorry, babe,” he said to Shawna. “I’m with Aaron on this. Something needs to be done.” He looked at Aaron. “You could hide her, couldn’t you? At your sisters or something?”

“I won’t have to hide her if he’s dead.”

Brent ignored him. “I say we drive up there and show up at their house. Or maybe her job. That would work. Show up at her job. We can talk to her and figure out when she could sneak away without him figuring it out.”

“She works at the courthouse,” Shawna said. “And her dad’s a cop. I’ll bet he’ll help.”

Aaron scoffed. “I’ll provide my own protection.”

“Ok,” Shawna said. “Enough with the murder innuendos. I’m just saying her parents should know she’s safe.”

“So, we’ll leave first thing in the morning?” Aaron asked.

“Like hell you will,” Shawna said. “We’re going to my grandma’s.”

Brent looked at Aaron. “If you want company, you’ll have to wait until Monday.”

Aaron stared at Brent, and then Shawna. “If it was Shawna who had some asshole beating her, would you wait until Monday?”

Shawna chuckled. “Like that would happen.”

“It’s not Shawna. She’s right here, and I’m going with her to Kansas City. So if you want me to go with you then you’ll have to wait.”

Aaron stood up and stormed out of the apartment. Shawna looked at Brent and shrugged. “Think he’ll wait?”

“I don’t know,” Brent said. He looked at the wall. “You don’t really want me to ask you to marry me, do you?”

She chuckled, stood up, took two steps to the couch and sat on his lap. “I would love for you to ask me.” She kissed his cheek. “Just so I could see your face when I tell you no.”