Chapter 1

Welcome to Briarwood Hills

June's Pov

Mom's silver Honda rolled to a stop in front of one of the biggest mansions I’d ever seen, which naturally cost millions of dollars more than our old apartment’s five years rent.

Probably ten lifetimes more, looking from the size.

“Here we are.” Mom said, sounding nervous and excited at the same time from the driver’s seat.

My little brother Joey leaned on me, staring out the window with wide eyes.

Outside, a man in a white top and black jeans was waiting at the steps, Mr Blackwood, Mom's soon to be husband, with Rally, his seven years old blonde daughter.

My palms became grimy on my jeans shorts as I swallowed, still not used to the idea of all this. This new life.

Just a few days ago, right at our dinner table in Maple Falls, Mom dropped the bombshell that she was getting married and that we're moving. I nearly choked on my drink when the words left her mouth.

Married.

Mum didn't exactly have the best record when it came to men. Her poor decisions, heartbreaks, and disappointments were still discussed by half the town. And I'd given up tracking.

“I know what you're thinking June. And I promise you, he's nothing like Dave. He's a good man. He’s a billionaire. He’s… wonderful. Kind. Successful. He treats me so well. We have been talking every day for a month now.”

My own messy relationship still makes a burning sensation in my chest.

Walking in on Kyle, my boyfriend's head between my best friend's legs, his tongue tasting and finding the tender pearl buried at the top of her folds, was a picture that would remain in my head for all time.

Even worse were his remarks that now leave scars inside of me and a lasting trauma.

“Come on, June, don’t look so shocked. You really thought I wanted you? You're boring and pathetic, an ugly duckling, that’s all you are. Couldn’t even get hard with you. Hannah’s better. She’s what I want. ‎And I only dated you because of a bet, yeah June, a fucking bet. The guys wanted to see who could screw the ugly duckling first. Guess what? I won.

‎That’s all you ever were to me, a game.

‎And I've been dating Hannah for a long fucking time now, just so you know, the whole school knew. The only idiot who fucking missed it was you.”

‎I closed my eyes pressing my hands together in front of me ‎to die his voice.

‎Hannah and Kyle were the last thing that I wanted to think about at this moment. I don't want to be any more miserable when I am reminded of them.

This is why I tried to talk Mom out of it, but a part of me couldn’t bring myself to ruin it for her.

Mom hadn't been this excited about anything in a long while, which saddens me especially on days I had to see her drink heavily while getting a hangover the next morning.

“Hart!” Mom called like a teenager, with a smile on her face as soon as she stepped out from her silver Honda.

The man’s expression softened when he saw her. He stepped forward, gave her a kiss on her cheek, and kept his hand on her back.

His eyes came to me and Joey who followed after her. ‎

Now clearly getting a good look at Mr Hart outside the photo mom showed me suddenly made so much sense why Mom had fallen fast for him.

The man was hot, like ridiculously hot for someone in his late forties, how is he almost fifty and still look like this kind of hot.

His black hair was combed back in waves which looked wonderful on him.

His jawline was amazingly positioned, masculine, which probably leaves women doing double takes. I mean who wouldn't do a double take.

And those arms, God, those Veins, muscle, strength. I couldn't stop the image from going through my head of what those hands would be capable of if they weren't stuffed in Mom's back.

It was a bit inappropriate to think about him this way, but Mr. Blackwood was ideal for Mom. Ideal in a way that made me feel guilty for noticing just how absolutely attractive he was, and I can't deny suddenly knowing he was going to make mom very happy.

“And you must be June,” he said. His voice deep.

Heavens, even his voice too... could leave any woman’s pussy throbbing just hearing him say her name.

Not...me though. I mean nineteen years old me had not once ever actually felt that ache people talked about. Nothing ever made me hungry for sex.

Not the fumbling kisses with Kyle, not the sweaty make outs at Maple Falls highschool graduation dance, I'd done to make myself feel better for my break up with Kyle.

Not even late nights when I had given in and tried what other girls did…putting my own fingers between my legs just to see what the hype was about.

It never worked, not once, not ever, maybe that’s why I was still a virgin, maybe that's why Kyle dislike me, though I doubt that the reason everyone at Maplefalls high disliked me because I was a nerd and I had freckles.

“Your mother talks about you all the time. It’s good to finally meet you. Welcome to Briarwood Hills.”

“Hi,” I said quickly, my palms resting on my jeans from nervousness. “Your house… is amazing.”

He gave a small smile. “Glad you think so.”

Mr. Blackwood stepped aside and gestured for us to go inside.

“Come on in, let me show you around. This place is yours too now.” He said beckoning us inside.

As soon as I entered the mansion, my breath went on hold. The inside was completely different from anything I had ever seen.

The floor was gorgeous and clean reflecting a lovely chandelier light above.

There was a staircase leading up and the walls beside it were covered with a few paintings.

And again looking over the bottom of the stairs a piano was at corner which appeared to not have been played very often.

Joey let out a surprised gasps beside me moving up the stairs, that I hadn't seen in a while, no, I hadn't seen at all, this was essentially Disney World for someone who was typically buried in books or video games all day.

Mr. Blackwood laughed. “I’ll give you both a proper tour later. For now, Rally can show June to her room.”

“Come on!” Rally said, grabbing my hand with all the strength her seven year old body could muster. “It’s upstairs, you’ll like it.”

I let her drag me toward the stairs, her blonde curls bouncing as she took two steps at a time.

“You like pink?” she asked, glancing back at me with big curious eyes.

“Uh, sure,” I said, a little out of breath from trying to keep up with her energy. “Why?”

“Because your room’s pink. But don’t worry, it is not too girly. Just a little girly.”

I couldn’t help smiling. “That’s fine.” I said my eyes, catching movements up the stairs.

A girl was coming down, twenty I guess, with beautiful light brown skin. She was putting on a tight crop top that merely covered her, and a skirt so short I was afraid I saw more than I wanted.

Her hair was this wild, black beautiful cloud of curls mixed with blue, bouncing with every lazy step she took. And her nose you could see a silver ring that caught the light as she kept her eyes glued to her phone.

She didn’t even look at me until she was right next to us. Then she finally dragged her gaze up from her phone, her eyes going over me head to toe.

“Cute hoodie.” she said flatly and walked passed me, her hips swaying down the hall.

“Who… who is that?” I asked Rally.

Rally stopped at the top of the stairs, and turned to me.

“My brother’s fuck buddy.”

I nearly tripped on my last step. “I’m sorry…what?”

She grinned, showing the gap where one of her front teeth was missing. “That’s what she is.”

I stared after the blue head’s disappearing figure, my mind scrambling. Okay, a seven year old should not know words like that.