Heartless (An Enemies To Lovers Novel Book 1) Read online

  Copyright © 2017 by Author Michelle Horst.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, email to: [email protected].

  Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.

  Cover Design: RBA Designs

  Formatter: Allusion Graphics, LLC

  To Leeann, Morgan & Kristine.

  Thank you for having faith in me.

  PROLOGUE

  DELLA

  Life is made up of a series of lies.

  Love? It’s a fairytale some person made up so they didn’t have to face the cold, hard fact that we are all alone. You come into this world alone and you leave it alone. Loneliness, it’s the one the thing we fear most. It means you’re forgotten, you’ve been rejected, or you’re overlooked.

  Little girls are told fairy tales of how a prince will come along to sweep them up into their loving arms. From a young age, they are taught that their purpose is to belong. They have to have a family, a husband, children – without this, they are failures.

  Little boys are told stories of firemen, policemen, the brave souls who will overcome any evil. They are taught that their purpose is to be the man of the house, to protect, to provide – if they’re not able to do this, they aren’t men.

  They’re all lies that most people believe. We create such unnecessary pain for ourselves. You feel like a failure because no one loves you. You only exist if there’s someone who sees you. Your life only has worth if you’re living for someone else.

  That restlessness you feel? It’s your soul crying out to be set free from all the deceit you’ve been forced to believe.

  Once in a while, someone will break free from the norm society has created. I want to be one of those people. I want to be different. I want to break every damn rule society has ever made for us.

  It will mean that I’m alive and not just another sheep wandering aimlessly through life.

  CHAPTER 1

  DELLA

  “Don’t look now, but they just walked in,” the red head whispers excitedly as I start to clear the table.

  Rameses, the bar slash diner where I’ve worked since my first year of college, is always crawling with students.

  I place the empty plates on top of each other as her blonde friend looks over her shoulder.

  “Fuck, he’s so hot. I’d give anything to be screwed by Rhett.”

  At first, I used to get embarrassed when I heard people talk like that, but after being at college for almost three years, there’s very little that shocks me now.

  There’s not much in the way of dating where I’m from. Hell, I had to go to Polk County High School because Saluda only has an elementary school. Besides the random adventurer traveling through and the summer wave of tourists, the meager population of around seven hundred didn’t cater much for dating material.

  I glance in the direction of the door and watch as a group of guys walk in. I don’t know them that well. I’ve heard rumors about them, that they’re known as the Screw Crew. Every girl wants to be screwed by them and every guy wants to be one of them. It’s really stupid.

  They take a seat in my section, and the one with black hair grins at the blonde sitting at the table I’m busy clearing. He bites his bottom lip and winks at her. Damn, even I have to admit that’s hot. I might not date but just like any warm-blooded girl, I appreciate a hot guy when I see one.

  The blonde shrieks excitedly and jumps up. “By tomorrow, my name will be on Rhett’s screwed list.”

  The red head throws some money on the table and follows her friend over to where the guys are. The blonde slides onto the guy’s lap, immediately kissing him as if there’s no tomorrow. The university should have making out as a sport. I swear half the students would qualify for the Olympics.

  People don’t behave like that back home. Sue, the owner of the Mom ʼn Pop diner I used to work at, would be chasing them out the door. After Mom passed Sue took us in. It’s because of Sue that I’m able to study for my degree in Graphic Design. Without her generosity, Jamie and I would’ve been living on the streets. I had been working at her diner for about three months when Mom passed away after her long struggle with cancer. Sue let me borrow money so I could lay Mom to rest. She also took us in. She’s old and hard as nails, but she’s also the only one who cared about us.

  I was ten when Dad died. It was an accident that took him from us. He was out hiking when he tripped over a root and plunged down Big Bradley Falls. After Dad passed, things got bad. Mom was pregnant with Jamie and had to take all kinds of odd jobs to keep the pot going. I was sixteen when Mom passed. Poor Jamie was only six and didn’t understand the finality of death. For months she asked where Mom was and when she would come back. Even though we lost our parents early in life, things weren’t all bad. Being poor didn’t matter as much. I’ve never been scared of doing an honest day’s job. I just want more for Jamie. I want to give her the world and that won’t happen as long as we’re stuck in that town. Even though Saluda is only three and a half hours away, it feels like I might as well be from another planet. The people back at Saluda are set in their ways. That’s not me. I crave more from life than the monotonous existence that small town has to offer. I want to experience everything life has to offer. I want to be independent. I want to travel. I want to live.

  I place the glasses on the tray before taking the dirty dishes back to the kitchen. I studied my backside off to earn this free ride at UNC. The tips I make just about cover the rent. It’s not like I need much, anyway. I’m here to study so I can get my degree.

  Only six months left and I’ll be finished. Then I’ll be able to find a good job. I’ll go back to Saluda to get Jamie and we’ll leave that town for good. That’s my three step plan. I don’t have time for anything else, let alone fooling around. Not that I’m Miss America with a line of guys going around the block, waiting to date her. Hell no, the opposite sex hardly notices me, which is perfectly fine by me. Besides, guys are all horny idiots. I’ve heard one of my roommates, Willow, once say, “Dicks rule, brains drool.”

  I share an apartment with three hot girls, like sizzling off the charts hot. Leigh, Willow, and Evie just have to pout and the guys are all puddles of drool at their feet. They make it easy for me to go by unnoticed, which is a blessing. I might share an apartment with the girls, but we hardly know each other. I’m too busy to hang out with any of them. Come to think of it, sometimes an entire will week will pass by without me seeing Willow or Leigh. Evie is the only one I see every other day.

  I walk back out and head over to the table the guys are seated at, noticing that more people have joined them. As I get to the table, I spot Evie. She’s glaring at the blonde that’s busy devouring one of the guy’s faces.

  “Are you ready to order?” I ask in general.

  Evie tears her eyes away from the couple. When she spots me, a pretty smile pulls at her lips. I wish I had her hair. Because of the natural curl in her ginger hair, she can just wash and go, leaving to air dry. I, on the other hand, have to blow dry my thick brown hair, or it will look like something m
ade a nest in it.

  “Hey, sweets. Get me my usual, please,” she says. I quickly write down her order of six chicken nuggets. She’s addicted to the chicken nuggets we serve here.

  “You know her?” One of the guys asks Evie while looking at me. He’s got dirty blonde hair with a five-o-clock shadow dusted over a strong jaw. He looks like he could be trouble.

  “Yeah, Della’s one of my roomies.” She points at the two blonde guys she’s sitting between and starts to introduce the guys to me. “These two are Jaxson and Marcus.” Then she tips her chin at another guy that’s busy on his phone. “That’s Logan. Jaxson and Logan are twins.” She wags her eyebrows playfully. “Double the trouble.”

  Seeing as they’re friends of Evie, I smile at them. It doesn’t really matter that she’s introducing me to her friends, it’s not like I’ll remember them tomorrow.

  She glares at the black haired guy again. “That’s Rhett,” she practically spits his name out.

  Hell, something must’ve gone bad between them.

  Rhett shoves the blonde from his lap and licks his lips as his dark brown eyes wander over the length of me.

  “Why haven’t we met you before?” he asks. “I’ve been at the apartment quite a few times but I’ve never seen you there. Trust me, I would remember a face like yours.”

  I ignore his flirting and answer, “I’m either studying or here at work. I hardly see my roommates.”

  “I bet you taste sweet,” he says, winking at me.

  Now I see why Evie doesn’t like him. I can’t blame her at all. I scowl down at him before looking over the table again.

  “Anyone want something from the kitchen? We’re closing in twenty.”

  “I’d take one of you,” Rhett tries again.

  “You’re wasting your time,” Evie snaps, irritated.

  When he looks at Evie the smile drops from his face. Seconds tick by in silence before he looks back at me. “Are you a carpet muncher?”

  “A what?” I frown at him, not in the mood for games. I’m tired and I still have an assignment I need to finish before I can even think of sleeping.

  “Are you into pussies?”

  What a jerk.

  Probably thinks he’s God’s gift to women.

  I take a deep breath so I don’t give him a piece of my mind. I need this job more than I need the satisfaction of telling him to go to hell.

  “I’ll have a Dr Pepper, a cheeseburger, and fries,” Jaxson suddenly says. It sets off the others and I quickly write down all the orders. I give Jaxson a grateful smile before taking the order to the kitchen.

  When I’m done handing the order over to the kitchen, I head out front to clear more tables. While I’m busy clearing the table next to the one Evie and her friends are seated at, Marcus says, “I bet you a hundred you can’t get her to spread her legs.”

  “I’m a master at getting girls to spread them wide for me. Spreader bars should’ve been named after me,” Rhett jokes, while he pulls the blonde closer to his side. “Isn’t that right, babe?”

  She nods all dreamily actually falling for his shit.

  I shake my head, figuring Rhett already has that hundred in his pocket. The blonde will hump his leg right here if he says the word.

  I go get their orders and as I place Rhett’s plate in front of him, he takes hold of my wrist. He tries to pull me closer, but I resist, yanking my hand free from his.

  “Come on, babe. You’re so damn cold. I’m sure I can find a way to warm you up.”

  Ignore him, Della. He’s just an arrogant jerk.

  Ignoring my own warning, I place my hands on the table and lean forward until I’m right in his face. I smile sweetly and bite my bottom lip, just like he did earlier. I watch with satisfaction as his eyes lock on my lips.

  “Oh, baby,” I groan seductively. A cocky smirk pulls around his lips. He’s arrogant enough to actually believe that he stands a chance with me. What an idiot. “You think just because you’re hot every girl wants to be with you. The day I let you touch me is the day hell freezes over. There’s no way I’m letting your rotten, STD infested dick near me. ”

  I blow him a kiss and walk away, feeling pleased with myself for putting him in his place.

  “Make that two hundred dollars. Like I said, there’s no way she’s spreading it for you,” Marcus says as he starts to laugh.

  The words register and I stop dead in my tracks. Slowly, I turn around as my blood starts to boil. I only realize my mistake when a huge smile spreads over Rhett’s face. I just fell for their stupid game. The bet is about me.

  “Double that,” Rhett says as he locks eyes with me. “Four hundred dollars.”

  Marcus and some of the other guys at the table laugh again. “You’re on. Damn, I’m going to enjoy taking your money.”

  “How stupid are you?” I ask all the guys in general. I seriously doubt they have any kind of brain activity between all of them. “You’re making a bet in front of me. Do you really think I’m going to let any of you idiots near me?” I’m angry and offended that they would make a bet about who can screw me first, let alone do it in front of me.

  Rhett gets up and walks over to me. I glare at him, wishing I could castrate him with just a look.

  He lifts his hand to my face and I slap it away. “You’re seriously a piece of work,” I snap, wanting to do him some bodily harm.

  “What’s going on here?” a deep voice interrupts my thoughts of punching Rhett right in the face.

  My eyes dart to the owner of the voice and for a moment, I forget to scowl. I’ve seen him with the group a couple of times, but never up close before. Damn, he’s hot. The other guys pale in comparison to him. He’s much taller than the others, with dark brown hair that’s begging to have my fingers tangled in the thick strands. Our eyes lock and I almost forget to breathe. His eyes are dark pools that would make any girl forget her own name. His jaw’s covered with a few days’ old stubble, and it only makes him so much more attractive. His shirt’s tightly wrapped over a muscled chest. I’d love to find out if it feels as hard as it looks.

  Suddenly, Rhett says, “Carter, you’re just in time. We have a bet going. Four hundred dollars to whoever gets her to spread them first.” The jerk points at me with a thumb. I have a sudden urge to grab it and twist it right off his hand.

  For some reason, the stupid bet really bothers me now that Carter is here.

  To make things worse three more guys walk in and come to stand at the table.

  “You guys want in?” Marcus adds oil to the fire.

  “In on what?” one of them asks.

  “Betting pool. Whoever screws her first, wins.”

  My eyes drift over all the faces around me. Evie mouths ‘sorry’ to me. Jaxson and Logan are too busy eating to pay attention. Marcus winks at me and it makes my anger flare back to life.

  Before this really gets out of hand, I turn around and walk back into the kitchen. I wait until they leave before I go back out to clear the remainder of my tables. I’ve worked at Rameses for almost three years. You would think I’d be used to dealing with idiots like the Screw Crew.

  ***

  The walk home feels much longer tonight. I should’ve taken my truck. It’s old and leaves a huge ball of smoke whenever I pull away, but at least it still runs.

  When I get home, the apartment’s empty. That’s what I like most about sharing with the other girls. When I’m here, I always have the apartment to myself. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to go out with them, to have close friends I can laugh and chill with. But then I remind myself that I’m not here to make friends. I’m here for Jamie. My sister is all that matters. A month after I finish here, Jamie will be eleven. I need to find a good job and get us a place of our own before she’s twelve.

  I throw my bag on the single bed. I don’t have much in my room, just the second-hand bed and nightstand. I first shower, then make myself some coffee before settling down on my bed. I need to finish the assignment I�
��m working on even if it takes all night. Luckily it’s Sunday tomorrow and I only have to be at work at twelve, which means I can sleep in.

  I get lost in my work until I’m finally happy with it. Grabbing the cup with some cold coffee still left in it, I walk to the kitchen. I’m busy rinsing the cup when I hear the door open. I dry my hands and go to see which of the girls are home. When I see Carter coming in with his arm around Evie, I feel a slight sting of disappointment. I brush the unwelcome feeling away.

  “… fucking bitch,” he finishes whatever he was busy saying as his eyes land on me.

  Damn, those eyes of his have the power to turn my mind to slush.

  Then Evie looks up and my lips part with shock when I see her swollen cheek. Mascara is streaked over her cheeks, with red blotches around her eyes. I rush forward and grab Evie away from him.

  “Get your hands off her,” I hiss.

  Was he busy cursing Evie as they came in?

  I bring her to the couch and let her sit down. I lift her face up, and with worried eyes, I take in the bruise on her cheek. Her tears make my insides quiver with anger. Evie is one of the nicest people I know. Why would he hurt her?

  I turn back to Carter, my body shaking with rage. “Get out!”

  He takes a step towards me and it makes me tense. I’m nothing like my friends. I won’t hesitate to introduce my knee to his balls.

  “Let me-” he starts to talk, but I cut him off. He can keep his explanation for those air-headed bimbos he likes to screw.

  “Nothing you say will make this okay. You’re nothing but a spineless piece of shit. Is it a turn-on?” I sneer as I walk towards him. “Does it make you feel like a man?”

  “Della,” Evie calls from behind me. I need to get back to her. I shove him as hard as I can, and I’m pleased when he takes a step back.

  He tilts his head and there’s an expression on his face I can’t read. Maybe anger? Who cares anyway? I hate the Screw Crew. They’re nothing but a bunch of bullies. I hope they aren’t close friends of Evie. She needs to stay away from guys like them. They’re nothing but trouble.