The Boys of Hawthorne

***This book is a dark romance, reverse harem type story. Please consider this a trigger warning. This book contains triggers from beginning to end and I will not spell them out at the beginning of each chapter. If you decide to continue reading, this is your warning and I hope you will enjoy the story.

Aspen

Hauling boxes from the flat to the moving truck parked outside at the curb, sweat cascades down my back, making my skin slick but cool when I’m lucky enough to feel a slight breeze that seldom makes its presence known.

“Why are we moving again?” I grumble to mom, hating that we’re being uprooted once more. This is the third time in just as many years that we’ve had to move.

“I know you’re tired of moving honey, but this time it will be different. I promise. No more moving after this.” Mom says, trying to be reassuring as the massive diamond adorning the third finger on her left-hand glints in the sunlight.

“What’s this guy’s name again?” I ask after I’ve loaded another box into the back of the moving truck, settling my hands on my hips and training irritated eyes on my mother, “And why have I never met him?”

“We haven’t been together very long, honey. But he’s the one, baby girl. When you know, you just know.” She says with a shrug, her eyes bright with happiness as her face splits with an ear-to-ear grin, “Oh, honey. You will really like him! And he has kids that are around your age.”

“That’s great, mom. But, what’s the rush? Why couldn’t you two have dated for a while instead of running off and getting hitched at the first chance you got?” I’m rather irritated about the entire situation.

I didn’t even know that she was seriously interested in someone and then she comes back from a long weekend, with a wedding ring on her finger and a new last name.

What the hell, mom? If I were to have done something like that, she would have wrung my neck for sure.

“I don’t expect you to understand yet, honey. You’re still young but one day, you will meet a man that sweeps you off of your feet and you won’t want to wait another moment to spend the rest of your lives together.” She sounds so happy, and I’m truly glad that she’s happy, that’s all I’ve ever wanted for her but it’s just such a shock.

I’ve had twelve hours to adjust to the idea of having a male figure in my life, and not only him but apparently, his four kids as well.

Great.

“And where is this new husband of yours and his four kids to help us with moving our stuff into his place?” I ask, not ready to give up my irritation in lieu of mom’s happiness just yet.

“Honey, don't be like that. I promise you will like him,” she lets out a huff and grasps my wrist, pulling me over to the concrete steps leading up to our front door.

“Come on kiddo. I think there are only a few boxes left.” Mom says with a squeeze of my thigh and an encouraging smile.

“And then, to unload and unpack it all. Where are they again?” I ask, still perturbed, even if I do want mom to be happy.

“Collin couldn’t get off of work to help and his kids are in school.”

“Typical,” I grunt.

And so it begins, I think, rolling my eyes as I make my way back into the flat to get the last of our things, mom following just behind me.

“Must you be so negative about this?” Mom asks as she bends down to grab the final box. I stand up holding mine and take one last look around the space we’ve called home for a little over a year now.

“I’m not really seeing a bright side at the moment, Mom,” I mutter walking back out to the moving truck, stepping over the trailer attached to the hitch that’s hauling our car.

“Where are we moving to anyway?” I ask as I watch houses of friends that I’ve made pass by as we drive towards Highway 105.

Mom glances my direction, her smile slipping from her face as her grip on the steering wheel tightens wheel until her knuckles are completely white, “don’t be mad,” she says, causing me to tense up for the words that are fixing to leave her lips, “we’re moving to Hawthorne…” she quickly rushes out, her attention trained on the road instead of the shocked look on my face.

“WHAT?” I screech. Surely, I heard her wrong because there is no way that we’re moving two hours away to Hawthorne.

“I know that you’ve gotten attached to Monument, but you’ll love Hawthorne too, honey.” Shaking my head and turning towards the door, I sink down in my seat, dread filling me as houses thin out, becoming few and far between.

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Hauling the last box up the stairs, my arms are aching, and my legs are screaming at me, having gotten more of a workout today than I’ve had in way too long. “I’m gonna need a shower after this. Even my stink stinks,” I say, cringing as I catch a whiff of myself.

“Go on. You may have to look around a bit for the bathroom though. Collin didn't mention where it was at.” Not giving her the chance to change her mind and give me another task to do, I rush up the stairs, setting the last box on the desk, and start opening doors, trying to figure out the bathroom from the closet.

Once I find it, I turn the water as hot as it will go and make quick work of shedding my clothes before stepping beneath the spray, groaning at the feel of the water beating against my sore muscles.

After stepping out of the shower, towel wrapped around me and tied at my breast, I open the door leading to the other room, letting my curiosity get the best of me.

The smell of cologne greets me as I step into the room. It’s relatively tidy for a guy—the bed looks to have been hastily made and there are dirty clothes in the laundry hamper, but otherwise, it’s clean.

Sports posters adorn the walls, trophy’s sit on a bookshelf along with a signed football and helmet. I pick up the football, my fingers running over the leather as I take in the room, trying to get a feel for who my new brother is.

I place the ball back in its place and make my way over to the bedside table, where a picture frame sits that caught my attention. Picking up the frame, I lower myself to sit on the edge of the bed, taking in the image of the girl smiling back at me through the picture. She’s stunning, her dark eyes twinkling, her full mouth curled up into a wide smile, showcasing a set of straight, white teeth. Her light, blemish-free skin is a stark contrast to that of her dark hair and eyes, making her dark features stand out against its paleness.

Noise downstairs catches my attention, and placing the frame back on the bedside table, I rush back towards the bathroom. Stopping just as I get to the doorway, I turn back around and take one last deep inhalation of the intoxicating scent before closing the door behind me.

Fully ready half an hour later, I rush down the stairs and follow the sound of voices coming from somewhere further in the house. I step into a kitchen that I’m sure my mom is in heaven to be able to cook in, and the sound of a man, who I assume to be Collin, is talking to my mom. “They will be home later. They’ve got games and other after-school activities going on right now,” he tells her, then leans down to place a kiss on her lips.

“Children in the room!” I squeal and cover my eyes, not wanting to see my parents making out in front of me.