Shattered: A Salvation Society Novel Bella Emy (best ebook reader for laptop .TXT) 📖

ears. This is usually not my scene, but like I said before, there was no way I was going to miss this. Erin would never let me anyway. Plus, I need to be here with her. My best friend is known for living on the wild side. I need to keep an eye on her.

Still, I like to pull her chain. “Tell me why we’re risking our asses again to be here…”

She offers me a smile from ear to ear, flipping her long, blonde bangs out of her eyes. She had just dyed her dark hair to a golden blonde this morning. Lord help her when her parents find out. “Too late to back out now. Let’s go.”

Somehow, I find my way out of the crowded party and exit out through the kitchen’s side door. Casey Holander’s place is huge, and considering the fact that her parents are out of town until Sunday afternoon, no wonder she and her older sister, Melanie, had thrown this event. Melanie just turned nineteen a few months back, so her parents figured what could possibly go wrong while they were away for three days. She was here on break from college for the summer.

Little did they know what their daughters were planning since the moment they found out their parents would be away. But as the old saying says, when the cat’s away, the mice will play. That statement couldn’t be more accurate.

As I step foot outside, I take in my surroundings. There’s no one out here but me and nature. Most people are inside dancing to the music, drinking of course, and acting like fools. I don’t even know how I had escaped out of Erin’s sight. No, wait. Maybe I do know. A few minutes after we’d arrived, Jason Delaney, her crush since freshman year, asked her to dance. I had become totally invisible since then.

But that was fine with me. This would give me a few moments to catch my breath. I’m not much for the crazy party scene. I prefer to stay in most nights and catch up on some of my reading. I’m a total bookworm, but I’m not some nerd. I love music, love to dance, and I’m popular enough at school. I just love the feeling when I get lost in a book. That’s all.

I walk to the edge of the back porch and sit down on the wooden bench. I pull out my cell phone from my back pocket. Scrolling through it, I click on the reading app on my iPhone, and the last place I left off in my story pops open. A smile forms on my face, and I indulge myself once more in the characters and plot.

Moments later, I’m rudely interrupted.

“Must be some really interesting conversation you’ve got going on there to be missing this great party.”

My head snaps up and standing a few feet away from me is a guy I’ve never seen before. I definitely would have remembered him. Granted, he’s dressed modestly with a faded pair of jeans and a black T-shirt, but damn, the way those clothes are sitting on him look like they were made for him. I need to look away.

Yet, I can’t.

He’s breathtaking. His dark brown hair and scruffy beard give him that rugged bad boy look I’ve never been able to resist. He’s got to be at least a year or two older than me, maybe even three. Maybe he’s one of Melanie’s friends from college. Damn, she’s lucky. If guys looked like this at my school, I would never be absent.

But now he’s looking at me funny. I’d better say something.

“Excuse me?” Great, Alexa… you’re doing great. If I could facepalm myself right now without being so noticeable, I would. I so would.

His lips pull into a smug grin.

I gulp as he walks closer to where I’m sitting.

“I mean, yeah. There’s the end of the summer party going on inside. Everyone is in there having a blast. And yet, here you are. All by your lonesome. You must be having some amazing conversation reading a super long text from… hmmm,” he places a finger on his stubbly chin and then adds, “a boyfriend who couldn’t make it?”

Who the hell does this guy think he is? Does he think he has my life all figured out? Yeah, not really. His guess couldn’t be further from the truth if he tried.

“No, I’m just reading,” I hold out my phone so he can glance at my screen.

“Not much of a partier… I get it. Me neither.”

“I never said that…” I begin, but he’s obviously amused, and even though it irks my nerves, I’m totally intrigued.

“Okay, my apologies. May I?” he asks, pointing to the seat next to me, but it’s not like he waits for me to answer. He makes his way over and sits down. Almost immediately, I’m inhaling his scent. Not purposely, but his cologne is so strong. Not in a bad way. He smells amazing. He fucking looks fantastic, too.

Shit. Listen to me, cursing up a storm. Totally not like me, but this guy is making me do things...

He puts his hand out. “I’m Kalen Starling.”

God, I already love his name. In fact, it’s my absolute favorite name, even though I’ve never heard it before now.

Kalen.

Kalen Starling.

Kalen and Lexi. I love the sound of that.

I bite down on my bottom lip, and coming back to my senses, I reach out and his firm handshake practically pulls me out of my core. Holy crap. “I’m Alexa Alderidge, but my friends just call me Lexi.”

His eyes widen. His gorgeous green eyes. Fuck.

Our hands let go, and I’m sticking my phone back into my pocket.

“Alderidge, as in Alderidge Estates?”

Oh, great. Of course he’d heard of it. Anyone who wasn’t living under a rock knew Alderidge Estates.

I nod. “Yeah. That’s my dad’s company.”

He nods, too. “Nice.”

He has no idea. Ever since I’ve been a little girl, I’ve had everything handed to me on a silver platter.