Next to Never: Shattered Innocence Trilogy Read online

  Contents

  Copyright

  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

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  Acknowledgement

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Upcoming Books

  Next to Never

  Shattered Innocence Trilogy

  Copyright © 2015 A. L. Long. All rights reserved.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by

  any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying,

  recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system

  without the written permission of the publisher except in the case

  of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters , places and incidents either are the product of the

  authors imagination or are used frictionally and any resemblance to any actual person, living

  or dead, events or locales is entirely fictional

  Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links

  contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no

  longer be valid.

  Any people depicted in stock

  imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used

  for illustrative purposes only. Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

  Editing by: H Elaine Roughton

  ASIN: B01K8ORQEU

  ISBN: 978-1537156354

  CHAPTER ONE

  “Come on, Dylan, you need to get out of this funk. Life is too short. I’m really worried about you.” Lilly had been Dylan’s best friend since the 7th grade. She couldn’t stand her best friend wasting away in her tiny apartment. “Getting out will be good for you. Michael would be heartbroken if he saw you like this,” Lilly continued with a smile, taking a seat next to Dylan on the couch.

  Lilly’s concern for Dylan began about eight months ago when the death of her fiancé Michael was announced. She knew Dylan was holding on to the chance that he was still alive and lost somewhere. Michael had gone with his best friend Eric to the Rocky Mountains for a hiking trip. It was something they had planned for several months. Somehow, during their hike, they separated. Eric had looked for hours for Michael, but couldn’t find him. It was getting dark and the weather was turning unseasonably cold for late May. Eric could see a storm was coming in and knew he needed to head back for help. During the days to come, Lilly stayed by Dylan’s side awaiting any news. Lilly was told the weather had been more than uncooperative for the search team. This news was beginning to have an effect on Dylan. Finally, about two weeks into the search, the search team found something. It was a small piece of Michael’s jacket. There was a trace of blood on the fabric which was later confirmed to be his through DNA testing. This was when Dylan began closing herself off from everyone. The authorities concluded that Michael may have been attacked by a black bear or a mountain lion, and with the severe weather conditions, he wouldn’t have survived. Ultimately, the search team was forced to stop the search. When the news broke, Dylan couldn’t eat or sleep. Lilly spent weeks with Dylan making sure her friend didn’t wither away. The only possibility left was to search for his remains when the weather warmed up. But even then, there were no guarantees.

  *****

  Dylan knew, deep down, she needed to move on with her life. Michael was her whole world. They did everything together. Going with Lilly to the opening of a new nightclub was the last thing she wanted to do.

  Lilly presented Dylan with two VIP tickets for the premier opening of one of the hottest new nightclubs in New York City. She thought it would be a good opportunity to get Dylan out of her apartment. Dylan hadn’t left her apartment unless she needed groceries or met Lilly for coffee. Lilly was always able to get admission tickets to the most sought-out events. This was only because her family happened to be one of the most prominent families in New York. They were well known for their numerous donations to research and contributions to various charities.

  “Lilly, you should really see if someone else can go with you. I don’t think I’d be very good company.” Dylan couldn’t think about doing anything without Michael. Only a month ago, she was attending his funeral instead of getting married. She never really got to say goodbye since there was no body to bury. Only his photo was displayed at the front of the church. Saying goodbye to a picture seemed so heartless. These events still consumed her thoughts, making it difficult for her to move on. Deep down, she knew she needed to take the first step to get on with her future. Thinking about him wasn’t going to bring him back. The first thing she had to do was get a job, and then find a new place to live. She could no longer afford the apartment they shared together. Dylan had a little money left in her savings account to cover the rent and buy groceries. If she was careful and didn’t overspend, she would be able to cover her expenses for a couple of months at the very most.

  Thankfully, of the dozens of applications she put in over a month ago, she finally heard back from the one company she was interested in. The call came in that morning from the HR department at Northgate Financial. They wanted her to come in for a pre-employment interview. With the interview scheduled for Monday afternoon, she was nervous about what it would bring. It would be a great opportunity if she got hired. It was coming up on a year since she graduated from Columbia University and she needed this job more than anything.

  “Dylan, you know you are my best friend, I’m not going to go without you. We could celebrate the upcoming job interview you have on Monday. You have to go with me.” Lilly was looking at Dylan with a pleading pout. Dylan was feeling sorry for her friend.

  “All right, Lilly, but only if you promise you’ll behave and you won’t try setting me up with any of your guy friends.”

  Dylan was looking back at Lilly with apprehension, knowing that she shouldn’t have agreed. “Deal, but only if you promise to have fun?” she said with a big grin.

  Lilly was so excited. Dylan thought she was going to jump out of her pants, but instead she jumped up from the couch and gave Dylan a big hug.

  As Lilly was leaving her apartment, Dylan was hoping she made the right decision by going out with Lilly. Lilly was always trying to set her up with some guy she knew. This was how Dylan met Michael.

  One morning, Lilly and Dylan had plans to meet at a local coffee shop off campus. The coffee shop was a favorite hangout for many of the college students. When Dylan arrived to meet Lilly, she spotted Lilly sitting at a corner table talking with Michael. Lilly and Michael knew each other through their parents. It was only later that she found out Lilly invited Michael to the coffee shop to hook them up. Dylan was drawn to Michael the minute she saw him. She remembered how beautiful his baby blue eyes were. The way the sun hit his light brown hair, revealing the golden highlights. Then there was his lean, muscular build, which towered over her five-foot-five f
rame.

  Dylan remembered how well they fit together. There was nothing that could keep them apart. Everyone could see that they were meant to be together. Michael was very affectionate. She knew he loved her as much as she loved him. When he was willing to wait until they were married to consummate their love, Dylan knew there was no one else for her. Even though they never went to third base, he still showed her how much he loved her. It didn’t matter that he was more experienced than her. He didn’t care that she wasn’t comfortable in pleasuring him the way he needed. He knew they had the rest of their lives together to learn what each other liked.

  *****

  Dylan was looking inside her walk-in closet trying to decide what she should wear for her night out. Lilly was going to pick her up at seven and she only had a couple of hours to get showered and ready for an evening she wasn’t looking forward to. She would have preferred snuggling up with a good book and a glass of wine.

  At five-foot-five, Dylan could have worn anything and still looked great. Her long auburn hair and emerald green eyes made anything she wore look like it was made for her. At twenty-three, she had been blessed with a body that would make any man’s mouth water. Her breasts were firm and just the right size for her petite frame. Her legs, although not long, were toned and defined, thanks to most of her time being spent at the gym. The twenty-four hour gym hadn't only done wonders for her body, but it also kept her mind away from thoughts of Michael.

  It was almost seven when Dylan finally decided on a little black halter dress. The dress was form fitting and showed off her curves in all the right places. She matched her dress with some strappy four-inch sandals, accented with diamond jewels along the straps that crossed and fastened around her ankles. Her hair was styled in an up-do and secured with a hair clip perfectly matching her strappy sandals. Her makeup was light and minimal, with a small amount of brown shadow applied to her eyes, a little mascara, and nude lip gloss to top it off.

  While placing the final touches to her appearance, the doorbell rang. “Just a minute, I’ll be right there,” Dylan yelled as she took a last look at herself in the full-length mirror located in the corner of her bedroom. When Dylan opened the door, Lilly was waiting in the hall.

  “OMG, Dylan, you look great. We are going to have so much fun tonight,” Lilly complimented as she entered Dylan’s apartment.

  Closing the door, Dylan turned to Lilly. “I will really try to have fun tonight. Maybe this will be good for me. It’s just so hard not to think about….”

  Lilly cut Dylan off as she pulled her in for a hug. “I know it’s hard, but let’s not think about anything but having the best time ever.”

  Dylan smiled at her friend’s words as she grabbed her coat and clutch, locking the door as they left her apartment.

  When the cab pulled up to the new nightclub Thrive, there was a line outside the club that extended around the block from what Dylan could see. “Lilly, I don’t think we are going to be able to get in. Look at how long the line is? It’s going to take forever to get in. Maybe we should just call it a night. We could rent a movie, have some wine….”

  “Don’t be silly, Dylan, I have VIP passes. We don’t have to wait to get in.” Lilly cut in before Dylan could finish. Lilly took Dylan by the hand and guided her to the front of the line where a burly-looking guy, with muscles that would not end, was standing. Lilly presented the VIP passes to the guy. She assumed he was the doorman or some sort of bouncer. As the burly guy looked at the passes, he nodded and began removing the velvet rope, allowing them to step through. As they entered the club, they could hear the music blasting. The place was packed. Looking around, Dylan thought it looked amazing. There were three levels of the club. On the first floor was a dance floor centered in the middle of the room, which sunk three steps below the main floor. The brass railing circling the dance floor was surrounded by high tables with bar-like stools. The bar was massive and stretched along the right of the club. There was a conversation area with pillow-like furniture and tables to the left. Many of the patrons were making their way to the second and third floors, which had additional seating, with an additional smaller bar on each floor.

  “Oh my God, Dylan, look at this place. We are going to have so much fun,” Lilly said as she took in her surroundings. “Let’s see if we can find a place to sit.” Lilly, without hesitation, grabbed Dylan’s hand. They both made their way through the crowd and up to the second floor when Lilly spotted a small table next to the glass railing looking down on the dance floor below. When the waitress came by, Lilly went ahead and ordered them a drink. Dylan wasn’t much of a drinker except for a glass of wine now and then.

  When the waitress came back to the table with their drink order, Dylan noticed there were two guys following her. Lilly looked up and greeted the two guys. Dylan thought the guys were good looking, but neither one were Lilly’s type. Lilly usually went for the taller body builder type. Lilly introduced the shorter of the two as “Darren” and the other as “Luke.” They each had two drinks, one in each hand. Together they set one of the drinks in front of them. Darren asked, “Do you mind if we join you?”

  “Of course you can join us. I didn’t think you guys would make it in so fast. The line outside is pretty long,” Lilly replied.

  With a smile, Luke replied, “We have connections. The bouncer out front is a good friend of ours.”

  Dylan thought Lilly’s friends were very nice. They were all having a wonderful time. Darren asked Dylan to dance, which she shyly accepted. Dylan wasn’t sure if Lilly told Darren or Luke what happened to Michael, but Darren was being a complete gentleman. He wasn’t making any moves on Dylan other than taking her by the hand as they went to the dance floor or guiding her through the crowd with his hand gently resting on her lower back. She was glad for that. She wasn’t ready to start any type of relationship. She did, however, think about what it would feel like to have the touch of a man against her body again.

  When the song ended, Dylan told Darren that she needed to go to the ladies room. As Dylan was heading to the restrooms, she noticed a guy leaning against the bar looking at her. She wondered how long he had been watching her. From what she could see of him, he was amazingly good looking. His hair was dark and cut short, just above his shirt collar, being a little longer on the top. He was wearing a white buttoned dress shirt and a dark suit jacket with matching slacks. He looked to be very tall. Dylan guessed over six feet. The closer she got, she was able to see more of his features. He was truly gorgeous. His eyes were hazel in color and he had the darkest lashes she had ever seen. He could have been on the cover of GQ magazine with that face. She was thinking how easy it would be for him to entice any woman to do whatever he wanted. When he smiled at her as she walked past him, she just about lost it. His smile sent an electric surge through her body she had never felt before.

  It took a while before Dylan made her way back to her table. The crowd was unbelievable. She spotted Lilly with her two friends on the dance floor below. As Dylan watched them dance, she thought about how much she missed Michael and how she wished he was here with her.

  A male voice came up behind her and she slowly moved her head in his direction. “Excuse me, but would you like to dance?”

  Dylan didn’t quite hear what he said since she was thinking more about Michael than the spoken words of the man leaning towards her. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

  The man repeated, “Would you like to dance? I hate seeing a beautiful woman sitting alone.”

  Dylan looked more closely at him and realized it was the guy standing at the bar. Even though she was hesitant, she finally agreed to one dance and proceeded to the dance floor. He gently took her hand and led her to the dance floor.

  The music had changed to Bruno Mars, Just The Way You Are, as they reached the dance floor. Dylan looked up, staring at the most amazing hazel eyes. “I’m not sure if I can dance to this song.”

  He looked back at her with those gorgeous eyes. “No wor
ries. Just follow me.”

  As Dylan put her right hand into his left and placed her left hand on his shoulder, she began to move to the beat of the music. She closed her eyes for a moment to take in the scent of this man. He smelled like musk and spice. Somehow, she felt comfortable in his arms. The more they danced, she could feel him pulling her closer. The song was just ending before it eased into another soft slow melody. As they danced, her mind began spinning, Who was this man that had her so lost in his embrace?

  As the medley of songs came to an end, she pulled back from him and they headed back to her table. Lilly was sitting at the table along with Darren and Luke.

  “Lilly, it’s getting late and I’m ready to leave.” Dylan didn’t want to spoil Lilly’s fun, but she needed her bed.

  Lilly looked up at Dylan in disappointment. “I really would like to stay a little while longer. Are you all right with leaving alone? I can call a cab for you?”

  The gorgeous man standing next to Dylan, whom she didn’t know by name, interrupted. “Let me give you a ride home. It’s late and you would be waiting a long time for a cab.”

  Dylan looked up into those hazel eyes with surprise. “I can’t let you take me home. I don’t even know your name.”

  “Rade… and I have to insist you let me take you home.”

  Dylan looked at Lilly for re-enforcement, only to be disappointed. “I think that’s a great idea. It would make me feel better knowing someone was with you to make sure you got home safely.”

  After Dylan realized she wasn’t going to win this argument, she agreed to have Rade take her home. “Good, it is settled, then. I’ll have the valet bring my car around and then we can leave,” Rade said as he grabbed Dylan’s coat and held it for her so she could slip it on. Dylan told Lilly she would call when she got home. They said their goodbyes as she was escorted by Rade to the front door.