RECKLESS DESIRES:THE ODEN LEGACY
img img RECKLESS DESIRES:THE ODEN LEGACY img Chapter 1 Amiriam
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Chapter 6 Luke img
Chapter 7 Amiriam img
Chapter 8 Amiriam img
Chapter 9 Amiriam img
Chapter 10 Amiriam img
Chapter 11 Amiriam img
Chapter 12 Luke img
Chapter 13 Amiriam img
Chapter 14 The wedding img
Chapter 15 My new beginning img
Chapter 16 Luke img
Chapter 17 Honeymoon Trip img
Chapter 18 In my dream city img
Chapter 19 Am I falling for her img
Chapter 20 Amiriam img
Chapter 21 Amiriam img
Chapter 22 Luke Oden img
Chapter 23 Honeymoon still on img
Chapter 24 Your fault, img
Chapter 25 I think am falling in love img
Chapter 26 Amiriam img
Chapter 27 Amiriam img
Chapter 28 My feeling down the drains img
Chapter 29 I feel betrayed img
Chapter 30 I miss Luke img
Chapter 31 Can't still get over it img
Chapter 32 Amiriam img
Chapter 33 Amiriam img
Chapter 34 The invite img
Chapter 35 A seat between worlds img
Chapter 36 Stacy's Storm img
Chapter 37 The Family Fractures img
Chapter 38 Amiriam img
Chapter 39 Stacy img
Chapter 40 Oden house img
Chapter 41 Luke img
Chapter 42 Oden family img
Chapter 43 I need my sanity img
Chapter 44 Luke Oden img
Chapter 45 The visit img
Chapter 46 A Gentle Return img
Chapter 47 Double Trouble img
Chapter 48 The Shadows Under Her Name img
Chapter 49 Cracks in crystal img
Chapter 50 The envelope that changed everything img
Chapter 51 The lie that binds img
Chapter 52 Luke's doubt img
Chapter 53 Torn Between Worlds img
Chapter 54 The Man in the Shadows img
Chapter 55 Shadows in the Doorway img
Chapter 56 The Space Between Trust and Truth img
Chapter 57 Shadows of Regret img
Chapter 58 A House Founded Upon Secrets img
Chapter 59 Unmasked img
Chapter 60 Stacy's World Begins to Crumble img
Chapter 61 The last Storm img
Chapter 62 Boundaries and Bridges img
Chapter 63 In Her World img
Chapter 64 Confessions and Crossroads img
Chapter 65 A Return Spiced with Lies img
Chapter 66 Shadows Before the Storm img
Chapter 67 Luke oden img
Chapter 68 Stacy insanity img
Chapter 69 Have had enough img
Chapter 70 Amiriam img
Chapter 71 I can't believe she's gone img
Chapter 72 Jackson Oden img
Chapter 73 Quite place louder truth img
Chapter 74 One chapter at a time img
Chapter 75 Standing where she can find me img
Chapter 76 A step in the right direction img
Chapter 77 Just walk with me img
Chapter 78 Wounds you can't see img
Chapter 79 What I Never Said img
Chapter 80 Learning to try img
Chapter 81 Moment between us img
Chapter 82 Love like peace img
Chapter 83 For Amiriam img
Chapter 84 What love really looks like img
Chapter 85 Oden Love img
Chapter 86 Where healing lives img
Chapter 87 The Quiet after img
Chapter 88 Permission to shine img
Chapter 89 What we walk toward img
Chapter 90 The choice to stay img
Chapter 91 It's all love img
Chapter 92 A Ring, a Boy, and a Beginning img
Chapter 93 The weight of blooming img
Chapter 94 The Quiet Exit, the Loud Beginning img
Chapter 95 A Quiet Yes img
Chapter 96 The Pause That Protects Us img
Chapter 97 Three in the Frame img
Chapter 98 The Boy He Was' Letter img
Chapter 99 Wedding day img
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RECKLESS DESIRES:THE ODEN LEGACY

NYDIA WILLIS
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Chapter 1 Amiriam

As Amiriam pulled up to James's residence, she scowled and studied the unfamiliar car ahead. It was a gaudy, red BMW, but she couldn't put a model name to it for the life of her. Her favorite six-year-old squirmed in the back seat, reminding her. Looking in the rearview mirror, she mashed her SUV into park and focused on matters more urgent. Like preventing urine from dripping onto her leather seats.

"Do you need to go pee?" she asked James. She was his nanny for a couple of years, and it truly was the greatest job in the world. He had a sticky mop of dark, curly hair on his head, and two dimples that made him able to get away with murder. Most of the time, at least.

With a quick motion of his head, James unfastened his seat belt and scooted over toward the back passenger door as if his pants were afire.

That's what you get for not going while we were still at my sister's house, Amiriam had to think about saying, but she kept quiet. It made no difference how many times she instructed the boy to listen to her; if he didn't feel like it, he wouldn't. And reminding him of the fact that she was correct wouldn't do any good, either.

Sprinting to catch up with the boy, Amiriam searched for the keys that would open his front door as she gazed upon the strange car suspiciously.

James was the first to reach the front door and swung it open, making Amiriam put her hand, which contained keys, down to the side. If the door were open, then that would imply an older brother was home. Well, half-brother if they needed to get all technical. She didn't know much about enigmatic Luke Oden other than the fact that he and his little brother shared the same dimples-and the same disrespect for obeying the rules. The man had gotten under her skin at every meeting they'd ever had, and she'd learned to keep him at arm's length if she hoped to keep her sanity.

"Yay, me," she grumbled to herself and then entered the humongous foyer. White and black marble tiles comprised the floor, and fresh-burning bleach permeated the air so that James's house smelled more of sterile museum than home space.

Maybe AMA, the maid, had a new vehicle and bought it on sale because the douche Amiriam wouldn't deal with was out again man-whoring in the city.

Then she remembered the make of the car, and her shoulders sagged. It was a BMW. AMA could never pay for a BMW.

Dammit.

In search of the blessed cool air to soothe her cheeks, Amiriam discovered it to be as hot as Hades inside, and her brows furrowed in puzzlement.

What the hell?

James's parents were away, and it seemed that she got to have a handyman come to repair the AC unit.

Her ears perked up at the strange sound of rap music coming from deeper inside the house, startling her from the unusually warm accompanied in the foyer. Having heard it, she peeked into the dining room to find it empty before venturing farther toward the middle of the house. The family room was not occupied, nor was the kitchen. Curious, she inspected the study when James called her name over his shoulder and diverted her attention.

"Hey, Amiriam. What's that?" Dangling from his six-year-old fingers was a crimson, lacy bra, and her eyes were about to come out of their sockets.

Bending forward, she yanked the delicate stuff from him and then jammed it behind her back.

"Where in the world did you get that?" she snarled, the face growing flushed with embarrassment and anger.

"It was on the couch. Is that.?" Now his face was burning bright red.

Reaching into her rear pocket, she took out her phone and nearly shoved it into James's chest. "It's nothing. Here. Take this, stay in here, and play some games for a bit, okay? Don't go outside till I come and get you. Get it?"

The electronics-addicted kid didn't even let her finish before he opened her phone and dove into the first game his wee fingers happened to find.

Stuff that he would be busy for a couple of minutes, Amiriam strode towards the rap music like a woman on a mission while the dumb bra swung back and forth.

When girly giggles reached her ears-along with the stifling heat that seeped out of a crack in the back door-she gritted her teeth.

Swinging it open with more force than she probably should, she walked towards the hot tub frothing along the side of the house.

They didn't notice her at first. Clearly, the two people in the hot tub were both preoccupied. Nevertheless, that did not dissuade her from noticing their exposed position. Mr. Jerk was lounging in the hot tub and Ms. Lacy Bra was sitting on top of him-topless. His inked arms drifted up and down her spine at a slow pace as she left kisses down the curve of his neck. All she could do was keep her eyes from wandering or retreat inside before they noticed.

But yet, somehow, she found that she had enough guts to hang on and yell, "Hey, Jerk! Can we chat for a sec?"

The woman in his lap spun around in surprise before leaning her naked chest into Luke's.

Her high-pitched voice could have shattered glass when she shrieked, "Who the hell are you?"

"She's the nanny," replied Luke to her, his voice tinged with boredom before turning to Amiriam. "Is there a problem?"

Amiriam complained. "Yeah. I'd say so. Your little brother just found his first bra on the couch. Thanks for that, by the way. The back door was open, so all the cool air got out, and your house is a freaking sauna. The music is so loud I'm surprised the cops aren't at the front door breaking it down for disturbing the peace, and don't even get me started on the profanity blaring louder than a foghorn. Do you think it's appropriate for a six-year-old to be hearing this crap?" Waving her hand at the topless bimbo, she went on, "And don't even get me started about your houseguest. What if James had happened to see this? Do you have any decency whatsoever?"

She nodded to said bimbo. "And you! Do you have any self-respect at all? Do you know who this creep is? I'd wager twenty dollars right now that the guy doesn't even know your name. Yet, here you sit, straddling the guy and yelling like he's a freaking blessing' from the heavens. Get a break. Dress yourself up. And get the heck outta here before I force you."

Amiriam's breast was heaving by the time she'd finished her little oration to discover that Luke's lips were twisted into a sneer.

"Anything else, Nanny?" he sneered.

Teeth gritted, Amiriam took the bra and cinched it up into a ball and hurled it at his head. Bimbo shrieked as the lightweight material whizzed past her and hit the side of the hot tub before splashing into the water.

Luke's eyes turned dark as he uttered, "You missed."

"Next time, I won't."

Whirling on her heel, Amiriam ran inside, slamming the door behind her. Her blood was pounding as she leaned against the glass door and took a couple of deep breaths.

I hate him. I hate him. I hate him, she told herself.

"Everything all right?" James asked, startling her.

"Yup," she gritted out. "Just peachy."

            
            

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