THAT FIRST BREAK (Broken Redemption Prequel 1)

Chapter 2

Lucas

The loud music and smell of stale alcohol hit me before can make out the faces in the room. Watching my sister, Embree, and their friends disappear into a crowd of people I don't recognize puts me on edge. Knowing Amanda, this party was an open invitation to anyone who wanted to come. It would explain why there are more bodies crammed into the space than students in our high school.

The Klines are infamous in our small town and surrounding communities for their wealth and because they own so many of the businesses in the area. Their large mansion-style home—which looks an awful lot like the White House—sticks out like a sore thumb among Ruby Creek's simple, middle-class homes.

While their life of luxury might impress most people, to me it seems tone-deaf and out of touch with the fabric of this town. To be that rich, in a town full of working-class families who are struggling to make ends meet, would make me miserable. If I were in their shoes, I'd take on the responsibility of helping the community do more than just survive. I'd invest all my wealth into ensuring everyone thrived. That's not what the Klines do, however. To them, providing menial jobs, at minimum pay to the residents of the community, is as far as their goodwill extends. Never mind that so many of them work two or more jobs to make ends meet.

Looking around at the fancy light fixtures hanging from the ceiling, and the obscenely expensive-looking furniture, I shake my head. Why in the world would anyone want to live this kind of life?

"Guess who?" her fresh, fruity scent hits me as her hands come over my eyes.

"Hi, Becks." I smile, reaching for her hands to pull her around to face me. Leaning forward, I drop a kiss on her cheek. Rebecca Franks, my girlfriend of ten months, stands before me in all her glory. Her bright smile, pink cheeks, and adoring stare remind me she's everything I should want.

"You came..." Her tone is whimsical. The relief in her voice shoots a pang of guilt through me when I realize she thinks I came for her.

To hide my shame, I pull her in for a hug. She knows this isn't my scene, which is why she wasn't surprised when I declined her invitation to come. That she thinks I'm here to see her, when I only came to watch over the girls, feels so damn wrong.

I swear, I'm not a dishonest person, and the last thing I want is to hurt anyone. It's why I'm doing everything I can to erect firm boundaries between the life that's meant for me and the things I cannot have. Becca is everything I need, which is why I can't reconcile why it's Embree who I wish was in my arms. It's like this twisted part of me can't stop wanting what's forbidden. Embree is family, like a cousin of sorts. Her relationship with my sister, the relationship between our parents. There's just too much history. Too much that could go wrong.

Becca is what's best for me. She's the one I need to want. Regardless of how I feel, or what I wish were different. This right here is where I belong. Dropping a kiss on the top of her head, I pull away and look down at her.

With her expression full of longing, she asks, "Will you dance with me?"

Tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear I smile, nod my head then let her lead me to the open area that's set up as a makeshift dance floor. The song You and Me, by Lifehouse blares through the speakers as we make our way through several couples already swaying to the ballad.

No sooner do I wrap my hands around Beck's waist, than that familiar awareness tingles up the nape of my neck. Before I can stop myself, my eyes lock onto the whiskey-brown eyes that stare back at me from across the room. That spark that exists between us ignites and detonates around us and suddenly it's like everything disappears. The room, the people, the girl in my arms. The only thing that exists for me at this moment is her. My Embree.