This Trust of Mine Read online

  This Trust of Mine

  By

  Amanda Bennett

  Copyright © 2013 By Amanda Bennett

  All rights reserved. Printed in the United States

  No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval systems, without prior written permission of the author except where permitted by law.

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  Cover art by Robin Harper/ Wicked By Design

  Check out other books by Amanda Bennett

  Time To Let Go

  Beautifully Broken (The Broken Series #1)

  Breaking Beautiful (The Broken Series #2)

  Misguided Heart

  This Love of Mine (Raine Series #1)

  Coming Soon

  This Heart of Mine (Raine Series #3) JULY 2013

  Unbreakable Hearts (The Broken Series #3 novella) AUGUST 2013

  Faithless SEPTEMBER 2013

  (All dates are subject to change)

  You can find Author Amanda Bennett at the following:

  www.authoramandabennett.com

  www.facebook.com/authoramandabennett

  www.twitter.com/spoiledbrat81

  www.goodreads.com/author/show/6550967.Amanda_Bennett

  A huge thanks to everyone who constantly supports me and reads my books. You all are amazing beyond belief.

  A special thanks to:

  Jenn Foor (Author) Rebecca Donovan (Author)

  Thank you for all the support.

  Robin Harper (Cover Artist)

  You are an amazing person and cover artist and I have decided I am keeping you..LOL

  Thank you to all of my new friends on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads y'all are amazing, wonderful people.

  A HUGE shout out to The Rock Stars of Romance, y'all ROCK!!!

  Thank you to all the book bloggers that have helped spread the word for all of my books and that have taken the time to read and review my work. I seriously couldn't have asked for better people in my life:

  Denise & Nic w/ Flirty and Dirty Book Blog, Swoon Worthy Books, Sugar and Spice Book Reviews, Into The Night Reviews, I Heart Books, The Book Hookers, Hardcover Therapy, Morning After A Good Book, Bridger Book Blog, The Sub Club, Winding Stairs Book Blog, Sandwich Making Bitch Book Blog, LeBook Squirrel, Totally Booked, Book Crush, and The Little Black Book Blog, just to name a few

  To my #1 fan and amazing new blogger Tamsyn Bester (The Secret Book Brat) You are an amazing person and I am proud to call you my friend.

  A HUGE thanks to my beta readers and amazing new friends. I could not have finished this book without y'all:

  Cami Holt-Krystyniak (my amazing editor and an even more amazing best friend), Ena Burnette, Mechelle Lovell-Jackson, & Tosha Powers

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 1

  One month later

  Madison

  "Raine, get your ass out here and warm up, I don't want to have to tell you again."

  "Yes, Coach." I yelled back as I slipped my cell phone back into my bag. This was the tenth time I had checked it today, and still nothin' from Kayla.

  It had now been a month since I had spoken to her last. I called her after the long as hell, twelve and a half hour long drive, but she didn't pick up. After at least twenty more calls on my behalf, I finally got a phone call back from Cami. She did little to ease my anxiety by saying that Kayla was sleeping and would call me back sooner rather than later. She also told me not to worry.

  Well, it was too late for that. She had seemed so excited for me to call her when I got in, I guess I just assumed she would pick up the instant she saw my name illuminate the screen. Apparently not.

  That whole first day of practice was extremely brutal. Not only had I not worked out at all over the short summer break, but I also couldn't manage to keep my head at practice. When I got back to the dorms that evening, I took a quick shower and prayed that in the ten minutes I was gone, I hadn't missed her call.

  Luck had been on my side that night, because she called the minute I got back to my dorm. From the moment I answered the phone, I knew something was off with her. She wasn't my happy, carefree, pretty girl anymore. I urged her to tell me what was wrong, but she just told me she was missing me and to not worry. Unfortunately, when it came to that girl, all I did was worry. I knew her momma hadn't been back, mainly because I had my gran keeping tabs on her, but I would also hope that she would have said something.

  Our conversation that night was short and sweet, with the promise that she would call me the next night, around the same time. That was exactly twenty-nine days, eight hours and five, now six minutes ago. Believe me, it wasn't for a lack of tryin'. I had picked up my phone countless amounts of time, but it always went straight to voicemail. Voicemails I knew she wasn't receiving or at least not listening to, because her voicemail box had been full for a week now.

  I hated the fact that I had let a girl do this to me. I know I was the one who all but broke it off, but we had promised to at least talk. We only had a few weeks left before school now, and I was starting to go a little nuts. What if she found someone else, but couldn't bring herself to tell me? Ugh, this shit was starting to get really ridiculous.

  The next day, after practice came to a close, I gathered my things and high tailed it back to my dorm. I knew my coach was ready to give me a verbal lashing, but I just wasn't in the mood to deal with his shit today. When I opened my door, I half expected my roommate to be there, but he had yet to show up.

  I threw my gym bag onto my bed in the far corner and quickly grabbed my cell phone checking it for messages. Still nothing. Damn it, Kayla. If I didn't have practice and if school wasn't about to start, I would've driven my ass down there, demandin' she talk to me. I scrolled through my phone for Glenn's number and dialed. After the third ring, I was about to hang up, but then I heard Glenn's voice.

  "Hello?" There was a lot of commotion in the background and I wondered where the hell he was at.

  "Hey, what's goin' on?" I shouted.

  "Madison, bro, how's it goin' in the big AZ?"

  "It's goin'. Hey, I need to ask you a question." I didn't want to involve Glenn in my drama, but from what I had gathered from the last time we talked, he was still talkin' to Cami.

  "Shoot."

  "Have you still been talkin' to Cami?" I regretted askin' the minute the words left my mouth.

  "On and off, yeah. Why what's up? Is somethin' wrong?" I could still hear an array of voices in the background and I was starting to get pissed.

  "Where the hell are you?"

  I heard him shush everyone and it suddenly went very quiet. "We're havin' a little going away party for everyone headin' off to college. We're all down at the swimming hole. Cami's actually her
e, do you wanna talk to her?"

  A wave of relief washed over me, but it only lasted for a second because suddenly, my mind went to wondering where Kayla was. "Yeah, put her on please."

  The line went silent for a minute and then Cami's small girly voice echoed through the line.

  "Hello?"

  "Hey Cami, how are ya?" Ugh, I just wanted to get straight to the point, but I also needed to handle this conversation with finesse, so I could get as much info out of her as possible.

  "I'm doing good, Madison. How are you? Sorry, dumb question. I'm guessing you want to know where Kayla is?"

  She didn't sound irritated at all by this, so I went for it. "Yeah, if you don't mind. I've been tryin' to call her for a month now, and I get nothin' back. Is she okay, Cami?"

  She let out a loud sigh before answering me. "She's doing good, Madison. She's just been busy getting ready to start school and all. She's actually here with me."

  My mouth dropped open and my mind ceased to work. I was also having a hard time breathing. What did she mean she was with her? Kayla could find time to go to the hole with everyone, in a bikini, but couldn't even pick up a phone to talk to me? What the hell?

  "Serious, Cami. Are you serious?"

  "Yeah, Madison. I'm serious; she's on the other side of the hole right now swimming with Dennis.

  She was at the swimming hole, and she was there with Dennis. I'm surprised smoke wasn't billowing out of my ears, because I was fuming. I felt like I was about to pass out with all this new information. And, I was suddenly beginning to worry that Kayla was slipping back into her old ways. I could only hope that Cami wouldn't allow that to happen.

  "Madison, you still there?"

  "Yeah. Alright well, as long as she is okay then I'm gonna let ya go. Thanks Cami."

  Before she could respond, I hung up. I wasn't interested in knowing anything else that was going on with all of them. Obviously, what I thought we had, was totally different than what she thought we had.

  I chucked my phone across the small room, and I heard the screen of my iPhone shatter as it hit the wall. I threw myself back onto my bed and covered my eyes with my left arm. How could it have gotten to this point? Everything seemed fine when I was saying good-bye and leaving. What the hell had happened between then and now?

  I knew it was still early in the night, but I was bushed and had no reason to stay up anymore. She wasn't going to call, and I sure as hell wasn't going to push her any further by tryin' to call her. I was officially done tryin' to make her want to be with me, or even talk to me. I shoved off my clothing, keeping only my boxer briefs on, before rolling over and drifting off to sleep.

  *****

  She was there, standing in front of me. Her beautiful, brown curled hair hung down to the waistband of her super tight, short white cut offs. My eyes raked down her body, taking in every single detail of her, so I could commit it to memory. Her pale pink shirt clung to her sweaty body in the mid-day sun and when my face finally met hers, she was smiling.

  I wanted to reach out and touch her, but I had been having these dreams long enough to know, that if I tried, she would disappear and this time I wanted her to stay. "Why have you been away from me so long?"

  I knew she wouldn't answer, she rarely, if ever, did. But, I needed to hear her voice. I needed to hear her to say something, anything. I was dying not being able to touch her, feel her or listen to her.

  "Say something, Kayla. Please." I stood back staring at her. Her face went from elated to sullen in less than a second. I wanted to comfort her. Something was wrong and I could tell she needed me. "Kayla, please tell me what's wrong."

  She turned briskly and started walking towards our place. I followed slowly behind her, but she was gaining distance. The more I tried to catch up, the further she would go.

  "Kayla, wait! Come back!"

  I stopped mid-stride as she came to a halt and slowly began turning in my direction. Her face was covered in black, and I could only assume it was from her mascara because she looked as though she had been crying. Just as she was about to turn away again, I caught sight of a large bruise over her left eye. I began running faster than I had ever run before, but it wasn't enough.

  Just as I reached out to grab her to comfort her, she was gone.

  I shot straight up in bed, drenched in sweat. I checked my phone through the splintered screen and it flashed a bright blue twelve, zero, zero. I wiped my hand down my face and then back through my hair, trying to catch my breath.

  The dreams had only gotten worse since the first time. It was about a week after I had spoken to Kayla, when she started appearing as the star in my nightmares. She was always wearing the same thing and her face always went from happy to sad, in a matter of seconds.

  I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts enough to go back to sleep, but nothing was working. I reached for the bottle of water I had left in my sports bag and the sleeping pills that my doctor had prescribed to me. I wasn't a fan of taking medication to sleep, but it was the only thing that seemed to keep her away.

  I popped the small white pill and swallowed the remaining contents of the water bottle. I laid my head back down on my pillow and counted, waiting for sleep to take me under.

  Chapter 2

  Kayla

  The last thing I wanted to do was go down to the swimming hole with everybody today. After the night Madison left, I found myself not wanting to do a lot of anything, actually. I had all but holed myself up in my room, refusing to go out or talk to anybody. I knew Cami was leaving soon, but that didn't change the fact that I just wanted to be left alone.

  I didn't tell anybody about the ending to that night. Cami was the only one who knew, and it was only because she had come looking for me when I didn't come home by two in the morning.

  It didn't take her long to find me. Despite what Madison seemed to believe, that place, our place, behind the shed wasn't very inconspicuous, because Cami found it right away. I had no idea how long I had been out there by myself, but the look on Cami's face when she found me, was reason enough for me to not ask.

  With a little bit of help on Cami's behalf, we made our way back to the house and up to my room without being noticed. I collapsed on my bed in a fetal position and remained unmoving for the next forty-eight hours. Cami brought me some food and water every now and again, but I had no interest in eating or drinking anything. I just wanted to be left alone.

  She had kept my grandparents away as best as she could, but my granddad was one stubborn old man. He was constantly coming in to check on me, making sure I didn't have a fever and such. What happened to me, didn't come with a fever, it just came with heartbreak and bad memories.

  I gave into Cami's demands finally, and went with her to the hole with Glenn. They had been spending quite a bit of time together and I wanted to be able to see her a bit before she left this weekend. When Cami told me that Dennis was going with us, I about choked on my own vomit. He was the last person I wanted to see, and the last guy Madison would want to hear about me being around.

  I threw on one of my most unattractive swimsuits on and threw my hair up into a ponytail before we headed out to meet Glenn. I vowed not to ask anyone, especially Glenn about Madison, but being around Glenn again was making that harder than I thought possible.

  The overwhelming need to say something took over me and I was at a loss when he answered my unasked question.

  "He's not doing that well, but baseball is keeping him busy."

  He glanced at me out of the corner of his eye, and I half smiled knowing he was telling me the truth.

  The rest of the day seemed to drag on and I was having absolutely no fun at all. The last time I had been here it was with Madison and that's how I wanted to remember it. I heard Glenn's phone ring from across the water hole and by the look on his face, I knew exactly who was calling. When I saw Cami get on the phone next, my suspicions were confirmed.

  I tried to concentrate on what Dennis was saying, but i
n all actuality, I just wanted to go home. I excused myself and swam back over to Cami, just as she hung up. I wanted so badly to know what he had said to her, but more than anything, I wanted to know what she had said to him. I just couldn't bring myself to do it.

  Once we were back home, I wasn't sure what I was supposed to be doing. I was already registered for school, I found a part time job at one of the local boutiques in town and I had everything I needed to start. I started the hike up the stairs when my grandma caught me by the arm.

  "Honey, I believe you and I should have a bit of a talk."

  "Oh, Gram, I really don't feel like it right now. Can we do it tomorrow?"

  "No, we sure as hell cannot. Now come." I stood back in shock at the tone of voice she had pulled on me, but more so, the language. She never cursed, not one little bit and if she was cursing now, it was because she was dead serious, and mad.

  "Okay."

  She led me out to the front porch, to the matching wooden rocking chairs. I sat in the one right next to her, crossing my arms across my still damp bathing suit. "So what do you wanna talk about?"

  "You need to talk to me, and you need to talk now. I don't know what exactly is goin' on with ya, but I reckon if ya don't tell me, we're gonna start havin' some issues."

  My grandmomma's face looked so sad and I wanted to ease her frustration, but there was no way she could handle what I had to tell her. In fact, it would probably kill her.

  "I can't. I just can't." I buried my face in my hands as the tears started rolling endlessly down my face. I knew why she was asking questions. The bruise on my left eye was just now starting to completely disappear.

  "Did Madison do this to you?" She pointed at my fading bruise with a stern look on her face.

  "Oh no, god no. Madison would never hurt me, Gram. You know him better than that. It wasn't Madison."

  "Then you have five seconds to tell me who it was and what has happened to my bright eyed little darlin', because honey, the girl I'm lookin' at in front of me, is not her."