Chapter 1
Trigger Warnings Include: physical and emotional abuse, grief over the loss of a parent, PTSD, cursing, alcohol use, attempted sexual assault, and explicit sexual content.
**Authors Note**
Torn is Book 1 of the Breaker Ridge series. Breaker Ridge Beginnings is a prequel novella to Torn. The prequel is optional, but it does give good background info on the characters. It's complete and can be found here: https://www.inkitt.com/stories/1513314
***
ISABEL
Tucker: I know your dirty little secret.
My feet slowed near the top of the stairs as I frowned at my best friend’s text. Dirty secret? I don’t have a… My heart jumped, and I froze. Oh, God. He can’t mean…
I rushed the last few steps to my room, dumping my dance bag at the foot of my bed before running a shaky hand back through my dark hair, the strands still damp from my hours at rehearsal. My face scrunched slightly at the feel as I battled my mounting panic, forcing myself to think.
Tucker couldn’t know. Could he? I shook my head. No. There’s no way. He wouldn’t have even brought it up like that if he found out… Right?
“Crap. Oh, crap. Oh, crap,” I mouthed. Because there was seriously no telling with Tucker. My hands dropped to my hips as I paced the hardwood slats of my bedroom floor.
But it’s not like I’ve even told anyone. Not except Annie, and there was no way my sister would’ve spilled. Not even to Jet if I asked her not to.
The breath I’d been holding released from my lungs with my relief. Unless… What if no one told him? What if I’ve just been that obvious?
Oh, God. Humiliation flooded my cheeks just thinking about it. Tucker would never let me live it down. Things would get weird, and I could not handle that. I just couldn’t. But ignoring his text would only make it worse. Crap.
Me: I don’t know what you’re talking about.
I cringed the moment I hit send, because that text was basically like catnip for Tucker. There was no telling what he’d come back with. Lost somewhere between annoyed and terrified, I tossed my phone onto the bed, not able to look at his response yet, and headed for the shower. I shoved open the bathroom door, and my hand immediately flew to my chest.
“Holy shit!” I shrieked, gaping at the six foot plus of practically naked, startled male. Steam flooded out around me as my eyes trailed along the corded muscles of his back to the firm, perfect ass I’d just seen him tuck beneath his boxers before I realized I was staring. I jerked my gaze back up, only to find Tucker’s amused smirk as he watched me from the streak he’d swiped across the mirror.
Oh, my God. Horror struck my expression, and I spun away, pressing my back against my bedroom wall as my entire face flushed crimson. That did not just happen. That did not just happen.
“Liked what you saw?” his deep voice chuckled, and I closed my eyes, suddenly praying a hole would open up in my floor so I could jump right in.
“More like nearly had a heart attack!” I snapped instead of answering. “What the hell, Tucker?!”
“Sorry,” he replied, laughter still filtering through his voice. The jerk. “Didn’t think you’d be home yet, and Annie said I could come up here to change since she’s out with Jet. The locker rooms were packed when I got done at the gym today.”
“Yet you have your own bathroom right across the street,” I countered, listening as he rustled through his bag, doing my best not to picture which half of his body was still uncovered. Because Oh. My. God. The perfection I’d just seen.
“Yeah, but I kinda busted my shower this morning, and I’d rather have a chance to fix it before anyone can ask why I’m using the one downstairs.”
“You busted your shower,” I said slowly, tilting my head as my brow furrowed. “Do I even wanna ask?”
“Probably not.” Tucker sauntered out of the bathroom, jeans slung low on his hips, his black t-shirt stretched across his broad shoulders and chest. The sleeves hugged the bulge of his biceps, holding my gaze hostage as he ran the towel over his deep, sandy blonde strands. He dropped his gym bag against the wall before turning to face me, and I had to yank my gaze up to meet the swirling whiskey of his stare as he tossed the damp towel to the floor. He flopped across my bed, stuffing my pillow under his armpit before leaning his head against his hand, and gave me a playful grin. “So, still waiting to hear when you got so dirty.” He waggled his eyebrows.
I stiffened, my heart hammering in my chest at the reference to his text, before faltering. “What?”
“The mess, Izzy.” Tucker smirked. “In the bathroom. Y’all’s room is always perfect, but it’s like a tornado blew through there today.”
“Oh.” I blinked, still trying to process. That was it? That’s what I’d been freaking out over?
“Wait.” Tucker cocked his head forward, leaning closer. “Did you think I meant something else?”
“What? No, of course not. What else would you have meant?” I protested too quickly, earning myself a raised brow before Tucker’s eyes widened.
“Holy. So you actually have a secret?”
Shit. Damage control. I needed damage control. Rolling my eyes, I spun away and scooped up the towel he’d dropped. “Not what I said,” I tossed the words over my shoulder before darting to the bathroom where the hamper lived.
“Yeah, but I’m right, aren’t I?” Tucker sprung up from the mattress to follow.
“No.” I winced when he stopped in the doorway to reach up and grip the doorjamb just barely above his head. His large frame filled the space as his elbows spread out to rest against the sides, blocking my escape.
I swallowed, my attention drawn again to the way the material of his shirt pulled at his biceps before I caught myself. Ducking my head, I began snatching up the mix of dance items and beach gear from the floor, way too aware of how Tucker’s gaze was drilling a hole in the back of my neck as I tossed things into the hamper.
“You’re a really bad liar. You know that, right?”
“I’m not lying,” I snapped.
“Then why won’t you look at me?”
“Maybe because that was embarrassing?”
“For who?” Tucker smirked. “I’m the one that had my pants down.”
Oh, God. Heat flooded my cheeks all over again, and I reached for the beach towel under my sister’s flip flops, giving it a sharp tug. Sand flung out over the bathroom floor, and I dropped my head with a groan as Tucker chuckled. Hole. Floor. Seriously. Anytime now.
“You suck,” I grumbled.
“Nope. Definitely something I don’t do.”
I shot him a glare as he flashed me a glimpse of that cocky, playful grin that was just so… him.
“Can you just get out of my room, please? I’m still gross from practice, and I can’t shower with you up here.”
His attention immediately shifted to trail along my sweat coated spandex, like he’d just thought to take me in, and I gave him a pleading look when his eyes finally came up to meet mine, but instead of some snarky comment like I’d expected, he cleared his throat.
“Uh, yeah. Good idea. I’ll… wait downstairs.” He drummed his hands against my bathroom doorway before pushing off and took a few awkward steps backward, nearly bumping into my bed. I gave him a funny look, but he shook his head and shot me a grin, playing it off as he ducked out of my room. “And I’m raiding your fridge!”
“Shocker!” I called back, hearing his laugh as his feet hit the stairs.
“Need snacks for that dirty secret you’re gonna share!”
I groaned and dropped my head against the wall. Shit.
Why? Why did I have to freak out?
Mind whirling, I trudged over to turn on the shower, peeling off my clothes in a daze, but it wasn’t until the warm spray of the water hit my back that I managed to snap myself out of it. I dropped my head back with a sigh. What am I doing? I’ve gone months without revealing my feelings. Why did I suddenly think he figured it out?
Better yet? How am I going to play this so he doesn’t?
***
I took my time getting ready. My mind needed a chance to process before I braved going downstairs, and by the time I finished my hair and makeup, the best I could come up with was denial. Or distraction.
Selecting a black skirt and an off the shoulder purple top, I paired it with my favorite, strappy black sandals. If my life was about to go up in flames, I was going to look good doing it. I paused by my dresser, letting my fingertips dance along the delicately carved etchings for a moment, and took a steadying breath before selecting a pair of earrings before heading downstairs.
I found Tucker leaning against the kitchen counter, some of his sun-streaked locks–a product from all of his days at the beach–swept across his tanned brow as he scrolled through his phone. He looked up, and my stomach rolled with nerves as he watched me slide onto the barstool across from him.
He doesn’t know. It’s fine. I had to steel myself with the reminder before managing a small, “Hey.” Praying it sounded normal enough to pass.
“Hey,” Tucker greeted back after a few seconds, his eyes flickering over me as I tried to swallow the lump of nerves now suddenly in my throat. “I’d say it took you long enough, but I think you were actually faster than normal.”
“Funny,” I deadpanned, rolling my eyes, my tension easing as he flashed me a wide grin.
“Here; made you one.” He slid a sandwich in front of me, and my stomach instantly rumbled at the sight of food.
“Thanks.” I smiled just as our phones went off.
Tucker answered while I glanced down at my text.
Annie: Bob’s Diner? Jet’s calling Tucker.
I glanced up, meeting Tucker’s gaze. “Diner?” he mouthed, and I nodded.
Me: Perfect timing. Be there soon.
Annie sent me a thumbs up back, and I slid down from the stool, smoothing my skirt as Tucker hung up with Jet. We headed to the door, and I’d just grabbed my purse from the hook when Tucker leaned in, the scent of his cologne enveloping me as his face hovered just an inch from my ear, his breath brushing across my cheek, sending my stomach in knots once again.
“Still going to get you to spill that secret,” he whispered, leaving me gaping as he darted out the door, half of my apparently stolen sandwich devoured and in hand.
My mouth opened to protest before I paused, forcing myself to take a deep breath. I knew better. I knew Tucker. If there were any chance of making it out of this without him figuring out the truth, I couldn’t react. Okay. I can do this. Pulling my shoulders back, I followed him out the door.
