CEO Devoted

during their vows. You can't hide from me. I know you were remembering our wedding day. How I looked at you when you were walking down the hall. From the moment you walked into that church, you took my breath away and ten years later, you still do. Don't you remember how I used to make you feel, Kins? Please, darling, tell me you remember the way we were. She held her breath as I wiped away her tears with my thumbs. -What happened to us? We were so happy, so in love. You remember, don't you? Kinley I lamented, "Of course I remember. - I would never be able to forget.

He was in my veins, in my blood, imprinted so deeply into my bones that I didn't know where I began and he ended. - You protected me. You're always protecting me, Christian, but you can't protect me from this – from what we've become. - I loved you before. I love you now. - He kissed the tip of my nose. - I will always love you. - You love what we were then, not what we are now. He finished. You know it's over. We had to finish. I couldn't continue to allow him to sacrifice more than he already had for me. It wasn't fair what I was doing to him and I've put him through every month for the last two years. I had to stop being selfish and put his needs and desires first. I loved him enough to let him go, knowing I could never give him what he truly craved. I tried... But I was damaged. He shook his head. - I don't want that for us and I know you don't either. We're still here, sweetie. Deep down, it's still us. - Christian, please... I'm not trying to hurt you. It's the opposite – I'm trying to free you. I'm tired of disappointing you all the time. I can't live like this anymore. - Well, I can't live without you. I opened my eyes, revealing our life together in my devastated expression. It was the least I could do. It was killing me too. I didn't want this, but I had no other choice. I had made the wrong choice over ten years ago, and it cost me the love of my life. - How do I look at the woman I love and just walk away from her? As? Please tell me, Kins, because I have no idea. I swallowed hard as more tears slid down my face. - I know you blame me. - This is not true. - Yes it is. I can see right through you. I have always seen it and I will always see it. I wish I could change things. If I could take it back... Damn, I just can't do this anymore. I spent years regretting what I can't change, and now I see it in the way you look at me, in the way you talk to me. You blame me, Christian, so stop pretending you don't. - I do not care anymore. Let's work on it. "All you'd be doing is settling for me, and I can't do that to you. We've been trying to make this work for years. It is enough. You have to let me go. - The fuck I will. I pushed him. - Stop! Just stop! We agree! -What other choice did you give me? - The only choice we have left! -That's not the answer! Our chests were rising and falling in unison, which was the only thing in sync with us. - How can you not see that? What are you doing to yourself, to me – to us? I backed away, his questions leaving me breathless. - What do you want me to do? -Fight for us! - I can't do more than I already have, Christian! I no longer have the strength to fight! Everything was taken away with every-" I stopped myself, unable to say the words. It hurt like hell. - Christian! I do not want to stay here! I need to leave! -For God's sake, Kinley! You can't leave my sister's wedding! - I don't mind! It's your fault that no one knows the truth, and the longer I stay here, the harder it is not to tell everyone! Even though I didn't want him to say the words, there was no way to contain the fury that was rising in his body as he spat: - Let's not ruin their marriage because you want to tell everyone that we're getting divorced! - Yes! I want to tell everyone! It's time! We've been hiding this for months! We've been pretending to be something we're not for years and I can't do that anymore! For once, can you just listen to me? Can you just see things through my eyes? You can't protect me anymore! I'm not that young girl you found in the forest! Why can't you see this?! - You will always be that girl for me. You may have forgotten about her, but she never left my side. You never left me and you never will. Did you understand? - Christian, we are no longer an us. - We will always be one us, Kins. From the first time I claimed your lips, you were mine. He did the only thing he could in a moment that felt like we were saying goodbye. Grabbing the back of my neck, he crashed his lips against my mouth, kissing me like he did that night all those years ago. He was trying desperately to remind me who we were. Except when we pulled away, resting our foreheads on each other for support, I cried. - I don't want to be yours anymore... This hurts a lot. I lied. Not for me. Not for us. For him. It was my turn to protect him... From me. My mind was thrown back to that night when I met my soulmate at fifteen, in the forest, where he protected me, and... Made me believe in love at first sight. CHAPTER 01 Past Kinley - You need to go easy on the whiskey, Kinley, or you'll get sick. - My best friend Jax warned, standing next to me in the forest. I was trying to enjoy the end of the year party. It was where everyone from various schools always gathered in our small town of Fort Worth, Texas. - Jax, it's the last day of our freshman year of high school! We are officially sophomores and have reached another year at good old Adam

Ohio, I had no one until my aunt got involved. Here, I only had her and Jax. - You mean when she lost custody of me and I had to go live with my aunt or just be another abandoned child thrown into the system? He sighed deeply, knowing I was right. Jax wasn't going to win this argument. My mother could try to find me until she was exhausted, but I wouldn't give her the time of day. In my eyes, she was as dead as my father's sperm donor. I never met him. He left us after she said she was pregnant with me. At least that's what she always said when I asked about him. Although I didn't ask often.

Especially as I got older and realized what my mother was. - Listen. - Jax persuaded. - I'm not trying to tell you what to do. - Serious? Because it sure looks like you are. You have no idea what she put me through. - I know enough. - You do not know anything. He tried to take the bottle from my hand, but I swallowed another drink instead. - I don't like seeing you like this, Kinley. - Excellent. - I shrugged. -Then don't look. Before he could respond, I pulled away from him. I was furious that he was mentioning her when all I was trying to do was forget the fact that she thought I'd want to talk to her, let alone see her. She meant nothing to me, and I was mostly upset that she was making Jax and I argue. Besides my aunt, he was the only person I could count on. I met him on the first day of sixth grade, which was also my first day at a new school, and I swear he could smell my fear. It was a running joke between us. I was very shy at the time, I wasn't used to having friends. When it came time to choose a partner in science class, I looked around the room in a panic, not knowing anyone. Until a boy with kind eyes hovered over my table, asking if I wanted to be his partner for the rest of the school year. There was something about him that made me smile, and at that point in my life, I couldn't remember the last time I had smiled. However, rumors of our friendship served as the basis for school gossip. Everyone thought we were making out behind closed doors, but that wasn't true. We weren't. It wasn't like that between us. We were just best friends. Jax was on the football team and played quarterback since he was six years old. My best friend was incredibly handsome and had absolutely no problem scoring points with the girls, on and off the field. While I remained single, never having a boyfriend. I didn't feel like I needed one. I had Jax, and that was good enough for me. He lived close to my house, and since my aunt was constantly working in the ER as a nurse, Jax and I spent a lot of time together. We slept in each other's beds more times than I could remember, which was probably why gossip ran rampant in our hallways. It wasn't a big deal. I was used to people talking about me since they knew I lived with my aunt and my mother wasn't around. No one knew why, however, and it only piqued their interest in wanting to continue gossiping about me. My aunt bought us a beautiful house in a nice neighborhood that reminded me of the movie Pleasantville. It didn't take me long to discover that everyone knew each other in this city. Completely opposite to the hustle and bustle of Cleveland, where everyone kept to themselves. When she decided we were going to move, she chose the first place her finger landed on the map. Luckily, the hospital in Fort Worth was looking for a new RN, and she fit the bill, working all kinds of crazy hours, so I didn't see her much. Yet another reason I was grateful for my friendship with Jax. He also came from a broken home. His parents divorced when he was younger, and neither of them were around much, so we found family in each other. Pushing the thoughts aside, I drank more as I entered the forest I was unfamiliar with. It was almost like I was entering a different world. Tree after tree filled my surroundings as the forest came alive with the sounds of animals. As the smell of smoke and marijuana began to fade, I realized how deeply I actually was in 1 In the US there are several credentials to categorize nursing. A Registered Nurse (RN) is responsible for completing medical treatments as requested, as well as being involved in the diagnostic process. middle of nowhere. - Shit. - I whispered to myself, looking around. Hoping to find the sense of direction from where I came. I must have gotten lost, ending up in a hole. - Well, look what we have here. someone whispered behind me, making me stumble against a tree as he caged me with his arms around my head. - I've never seen you before. I would remember such a beautiful face and such an incredible body. - He said harshly close to my face, exuding the smell of drink and marijuana. - What is your name? I didn't recognize this guy, and the longer I stood there, the faster my heart beat in my chest. -Kinley. - I replied, feeling much more vulnerable than before. - Such a beautiful name, for such a beautiful girl. What are you doing alone in the woods, darling? Don't you know you might come across a bear or a wolf? - Ummm... right. I need to go back. - I dodged him to leave, but he blocked my advance. - You don't have to leave. I'm here now. I widened my eyes. - I want to leave. - I tried to move again, but he wouldn't let me. - No, I'm not done with you yet. - Understand one thing – I'm not interested. - I bet I can make you interested. - If you don't let me out, I'm going to scream. He smiled. - I'm going to make you scream properly, only it will be my name. I turned my face away as he leaned in to kiss me as the sound of another voice echoed through the forest, shouting, "Frank! Leave her alone! You're scaring her, you idiot! I have never been so relieved to hear a stranger's voice as I was at that moment. I let out a deep breath I didn't realize I was holding when he stepped back and turned around. We both looked in the direction where the voice had come from. There was a tall, strong guy with dark hair standing a few feet away from us. I couldn't make out who he was yet. It was very dark. - Mind your own fucking business, Christian. This has nothing to do with you. Christian? Was that Christian Troy? Walking towards us, he smiled, looking at me before nodding at Frank. - Do you want to stay here with him? I looked between one and the other, saying. - Umm... no. Christian laughed, smiling widely. It was Christian Troy. He was one of the most popular guys at our school. I couldn't help but smile back at him, feeling relieved that he was there with me in that moment. This was the first time he said a word to me. I thought he didn't even know I existed. The reassuring expression on his face kept attracting me. When he caught me looking at his defined arms and broad chest, I blushed and looked back at Frank. - Oh I see. - Frank joined the conversation. "Do you want to go out with him instead?" And that? Because I'll tell you right now, he doesn

school. Guys like them were all the same, every single one of them. Acting as if they were the bosses and owned every place they entered. The worst part was that the girls fed off his bullshit, arrogant smiles, and smug attitudes. Over the years, I'd heard enough to know that I needed to stay away from Christian, and the fact that he was looking at me the way guys did in romance movies was disturbing. As much as I didn't want him to have an effect on me, when one of the most popular boys in our school was ogling you, you couldn't help but feel affected.

With a super-confident arched eyebrow, Christian narrowed his gaze at me and I swallowed hard. I watched as he continued coming toward me, one sure step after another. Slowly, I licked my lips, my mouth suddenly going dry. Out of nowhere, it felt like I was under some spell that I couldn't control or begin to understand. His gaze immediately followed the movement of my tongue, and I found myself taking a step back as he crossed his arms over his chest and tried to hold me steady. - Ummm... thank you. - I expressed, wanting to break the awkward silence. - You kind of saved me now. - I do what I can. Kinley, right? - You know who I am? - Of course I know the name of one of the most beautiful girls in our school. My heart beat faster and I couldn't help but notice how much he towered over me. He was tall, much taller than my five foot one. He was probably just over six feet tall, with dark hair and intense green eyes that had a hint of blue. His chiseled chin and stubble only added to his sexy allure. Not to mention he didn't look his age. He looked older. It was probably easy for him to buy drinks or sneak into clubs, which I knew he did with Julian. At least that's what everyone at our school gossiped about. Christian was unfazed, standing there in all his glory as I tried hard to ignore his manly appearance as he watched me. - Are you flirting with me? - I blurted out, mentally punishing myself. The one time I needed to appear calm and cool, and I couldn't. Not with the way he was looking at me. - Would you like that? - No. - That's not what your body is telling me. - Well, you can't read my mind. He gave me a sexy smile, making me roll my eyes. - Right. Try it. "I don't want to embarrass you any more than I already am. - I'm not ashamed. - I shouted, clearing my throat, my voice giving me away. - Remember you asked for this. - He took a step towards me, leaving no space between us. "You're shocked that I know who you are, which is funny because I actually asked about you, but from what I hear, you're fucking your best friend. I sighed. - I am not. - You didn't let me finish. I don't think you're fucking Jax because you don't strike me as the kind of girl who would spread her legs for a guy who isn't exclusively fucking you, and Jax is all over them. Was he right. I couldn't argue with him there. - You don't date. You've never had a boyfriend. So that tells me you're either waiting for Prince Charming or have no interest in getting hurt. Which, let's face it, we're in high school, and the chances of a guy breaking your heart are pretty high. Especially since you have no experience... - I have experience. He smiled. - I bet you've never been kissed. My jaw dropped. - Yes I went. - Hmmm... - He thought about it for a second. - I say it's a lie. - I really was. - All good. So prove it. I shrugged. - It was with a guy from another school. - You mean the guy you just invented? - I'm not making it up. His name was Joseph, and he was a great kisser. In fact, we really enjoyed it. We couldn't get enough of each other. - Right... - Stop with the sarcastic comments. I'm not lying. - Like I said, prove it. -I just said. I said his name was... - I said to prove it, not make up lies. - How am I going to prove this then? I never expected what came out of his mouth next. Never in a million years did I imagine that one of the most popular guys in our school would defy-" "You can prove it by letting me kiss you." CHAPTER 02 Christian - Are you for real? - She asked, completely taken by surprise by my challenge. I knew she was lying. I'd been asking around about Kinley McKenzie since middle school, when she walked into my science class with a turquoise backpack. It was the first thing that caught my attention about her. What girl in sixth grade didn't have a pink or purple backpack? So naturally, I was immediately drawn to it, with turquoise being my favorite color. I was going to ask her to be my class partner, but that son of a bitch Jax beat me to it, and they've been inseparable ever since. He followed her around so much that I was surprised he still managed to win over as many girls as he did on a monthly basis. Supposedly, they were not interested in each other. Although I couldn't blame him if he had a crush on her. She had never been touched by anyone, and all the guys at our school wanted to try and get with her just to say they were the first. On the other hand, I was attracted to her ability to still smile despite all the shit she was going through with her mother. I had heard enough to know that her past was nothing I had experienced with my two loving parents, but I was still affected by my best friend Julian going through so much shit in his life. Making us both grow up too fast. The number of times Julian had shown up at my house after being beaten by a foster father was surreal. Seeing the pain in his eyes, knowing that he was trying to be strong for my parents, who had to watch him go through so much suffering because he was part of the system. They loved him like a second son, and my father, being a lawyer, had to get involved with the courts to constantly change his place of residence. Not that it mattered. He would go from one shitty situation to the next. My parents wanted to adopt him, but Julian refused, saying they were already doing enough for him. My mother did the only thing she could. She turned one of our guest rooms into his bedroom, just so he felt like he had a home to go to when he needed it. I hated seeing all the shit he went through. He didn't deserve it. He was a good person, a great friend, someone I could count on no matter what. We were seven years old when Julian first showed up at our house with a bloody nose from his adoptive father. At first, I didn't understand wha