Olivia's Ride (Sawyer Brothers Book 4) Read online

  Olivia’s Ride

  Book Four of the Sawyer Brothers Series

  C.A. Harms

  Olivia’s Ride

  Copyright © 2016 by C.A. Harms.

  All rights reserved.

  First Print Edition: July 2016

  Limitless Publishing, LLC

  Kailua, HI 96734

  www.limitlesspublishing.com

  Formatting: Limitless Publishing

  ISBN-13: 978-1-68058-707-4

  ISBN-10: 1-68058-707-2

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to locales, events, business establishments, or actual persons—living or dead—is entirely coincidental.

  Dedication

  Sometimes all it takes is that one person to change everything. That one moment of clarity, one smile, one kiss, and from that point it all just makes sense.

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Epilogue

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  Prologue

  Olivia

  “Olivia.” I turned around to find Landon Murphy jogging in my direction. To say I was a little shocked would be an understatement.

  Landon was a jock, a very popular and somewhat wild guy on campus. We rarely talked, but shared some of the same friends.

  He stopped just before me and I stepped back to allow a little more room between us. “Hey, Landon.” I offered hesitantly.

  He shot me that smile I was sure worked on every girl he gave it to, but it didn’t have the same effect on me. I knew what type of guy he was and I wasn’t interested.

  My uncles and even my father would have a field day with a guy like him. Hell, they would have him squealing like a pig and hightailing it back home within seconds with his tail tucked between his legs. The thought brought a smile to my face.

  Of course the arrogant ass took it as a flirty smile meant for him, and he kicked his efforts up a notch.

  “So, I was wondering if maybe you wanted to go out sometime, maybe during break.” I tried not to laugh because that would have been rude. But as he continued to stare at me, giving off a vibe like he had just scored big, the laughter bubbled up and spilled over.

  “You’re joking right?” I asked, biting my lip to control myself.

  “No, actually; I am being serious.”

  “Listen, I’m not trying to be a bitch, but I’m gonna be completely honest with you.” I paused just to make sure the meathead goon was still with me. When he nodded, I continued.

  “I’m not that girl, Landon. Believe me when I say your games won’t work on me. I grew up with one very protective father and two ass-kicking uncles. I know the games men play to get what they want from girls because they made sure I knew. I don’t fall for lines men throw out because frankly, I smell bullshit from a mile away. You, Landon, are a bullshitter.” He squinted his eyes and started to argue.

  “No really, let’s just save us both some time here. I’m friends with Payton. You do remember Payton, don’t you? She was your girlfriend, or so she thought, until she found you in bed with Kara.” He took a step back and his hands fell to his sides. Yeah, he had nothing to say then.

  “Now I’m gonna let you walk away and pretend this whole thing didn’t happen, because I can assure you I won’t think twice about it.”

  I watched as he slowly backed away and turned around, walking back toward the direction he had originally come from.

  Landon Murphy, the asshole of all assholes. I had always thought of myself as lucky that he had steered clear of me. It saved me from having to be the girl who told him no.

  I never once showed any signs of interest, but I guess he finally went through every girl within our circle; now I was the unlucky target of the week.

  I shifted my bag a little higher on my shoulder and turned toward my dorm. All I wanted to do was get to my room, finish packing my things, and get ready to go home for break. I missed my family and the sweet little faces of my twin brothers.

  Walking with my head down, I didn’t notice anyone standing in front of me until I collided with what felt like a brick wall.

  Two hands gripped my arms to secure me from falling backward, and my head lifted to find the source of my current situation.

  As I scanned the broad chest before me, leading up to a thick neck and strong jaw line, I swallowed hard. When my eyes found his mouth, it tilted up in a grin. A grin that made my stomach lurch.

  Oh my god, was I panting?

  “Sorry about that, sweetheart.” A deep southern drawl ran over me like honey. “I was damn impressed with the way you handled that arrogant asshole. I didn’t get a chance to move out of your way before you came barreling through.”

  When my eyes met his, I swore my knees were going to give out. He was without a doubt one of the most gorgeous men I had ever met.

  “Sorry,” I whispered, because I had nothing else to offer. My tongue felt like it was three sizes bigger than normal.

  “No need to apologize. I was the one in your way. It’s not every day you see a pretty girl put a guy like Landon Murphy in his place. If you don’t mind me saying, it was pretty damn impressive.” His smile was perfect.

  I stood there in front of this nameless, sexy guy, and must have looked ridiculous. I couldn’t form a complete sentence. All I did was stare and nod my head like some freak.

  Where the hell did the “take no bullshit” girl from five minutes ago go?

  Oh I know—she was momentarily wrapped up in the gorgeous eyes of this complete stranger who still stood before her, smiling sweetly.

  And that was when I knew I was in for some trouble.

  I spent my entire upbringing being trained, so to speak, to face these types of situations. My father and uncles would sometimes spend hours prepping me for what they referred to as the bullshit tactics of so-called men.

  They were brutal in their preparations.

  But nothing prepared me for what I felt when this gorgeous specimen before me flashed that sweet dimple. It was the icing on this “Oh, shit” sandwich because I was hooked. Anchor to my ankle, sinking faster than the Titanic. So much trouble.

  I must ha
ve looked as if I suffered from some antisocial disorder, because I seriously had no idea what to say.

  Who was I and what had I done with Olivia? When it was necessary, I usually had no problem spouting off my mouth at any point in time. Except today. I was mute.

  Right now I could use some of the Sawyer sass.

  Chapter One

  “I stood there like some damn fool,” I complained as I flopped down on the stool across the counter from my stepmom, Amber. “And he just kept smiling, as if I was the funniest thing he had ever seen.”

  I had been back in Livingston for less than two hours, and I couldn’t stop thinking about the most embarrassing yet tantalizing moment of my young adult life.

  “Sweetheart, if that man stood there staring at you with a smile on his face, I can almost guarantee he wasn’t thinking you were a fool,” Amber assured me as she wiped down the counter. “What else happened?”

  “He introduced himself and I held out my hand to shake his.” I allowed my palm to slap against my forehead as I remembered yet another dumb ass move. “He looked at my hand and then back at me before laughing. Yep, he literally laughed.”

  I lifted my head and Amber was standing before me her arms crossed over her chest, with a displeased look on her face.

  “Okay momma bear, don’t get all volatile; he did call me cute.”

  Before I could say anything further, my dad’s loud voice startled me, and I spun around to face him.

  “Who called you cute?” he asked.

  Choosing to ignore his question, I jumped off the stool and practically jumped into his arms as he accepted me without hesitation.

  I had the most amazing father. He was stubborn and sometimes a little hard to handle, but he was also one of the very best friends a girl could ask for. He always had my back, no matter what. He and I had been through some pretty heavy things, yet somehow we always came out on top.

  “I’ve missed you,” I said as he lifted me off the ground and squeezed me tight.

  “Missed you too, kid. And there are two little boys who missed you too.” My twin brothers Rory and Rogan—I adored those sweet boys.

  “Are they at Gran’s?” I asked.

  He nodded and I reached around to grab my bag from the counter.

  “Well, let’s get going then,” I advised as I stepped around my dad and waited for him to say good bye to Amber. She still had another hour before the bakery closed.

  I stood in the doorway ignoring the kissy face they had to play before he finally followed me.

  As we exited the bakery, my father wrapped his arm around my shoulder as we walked toward his truck. “Don’t think I forgot about the conversation I walked into.” I could feel the fluttering in my stomach kick into overdrive. I should have known he wouldn’t let it go.

  “Spill it, Liv,” he pushed further.

  “It was nothing, really,” I attempted once again to brush it off.

  I swear the guy had a built-in bullshit meter. “We can dance around this or you can just tell me, but either way in the end I’ll find out. Why don’t you save us both the trouble?”

  I climbed up in his truck as he walked around to the driver’s side. When he got in and started the truck, we both remained silent.

  I knew how it would all go, it always went the same.

  That lecture about college guys and the things they all thought about. My father was always so one-sided when it came to what he felt was best for me, and it was never a gentle conversation.

  My choice in colleges had a lot to do with the distance it put between me and my father. I loved the man truly but I wanted some freedom from his hovering. Not to mention my uncles were just as bad as he was. Together the three of them were a force to be reckoned with.

  “Do I need to visit A&M and kick some little shit’s ass?” he asked, causing me to laugh.

  “No, Dad,” I replied. “It’s nothing like that.”

  “Then what is it?” he asked, and I knew there was no way around it. He was a very stubborn man. He wouldn’t stop hassling me until I came out with it.

  “I made a fool of myself and the guy called me cute.” I couldn’t help but smile when he gripped the steering wheel so tight his knuckles turned white. “My hell, between you and Amber. The both of you are ready to throw down instantly. You do realize I am twenty, and I don’t need you all ready to beat ass at every turn.”

  “I don’t give a shit if you’re twenty or forty, I’m still gonna be ready to handle it.” He turned his truck up the lane that led to Gran’s house. It never failed; this ranch always felt like the best slice of heaven to me. There were so many memories of my Pop, but not only him—my mother too. It was that strong, amazing feeling of home the moment it came in to view. Like no matter what happened or how bad I might be feeling, this just made it all safe again.

  “His name is Keeton Pearce, Daddy, and he wasn’t making fun of me,” I assured him “He’d actually observed me blowing off some jock who was making an attempt to ask me out. I sorta called that guy out on the bullshit he was feeding me, and Keeton witnessed the whole thing. He was real sweet and I was a complete fool. There really wasn’t more than that.”

  I pushed open the door and jumped out as he began mumbling. “Keeton…what kinda name is that, anyway?”

  I couldn’t help but laugh. Keeton could have been named Ryan and my father still would have had an issue with him.

  I chose to ignore his grumbling words and jogged toward the back entrance of the house instead. The moment I pushed open the door and stepped inside, I heard the happy squeals of my little brothers. It was another joyful escape, because I adored them.

  Rogan was first as he rounded the corner and slid on the linoleum floor in his socked feet. He was a little tank, all chubby cheeks and bright eyes. Directly behind him Rory followed. He was the shier of the two, but he was a tricky little stink. You couldn’t let that look of innocence fool you because he knew just how to use it to his advantage.

  They both dove at me and I barely caught them as I rolled backward and took them both with me. “Hey little dudes; I missed you.”

  Repeated squeals of my name over and over, mixed with their laughter, was music to my ears. Going away to school was hard when I knew I would be leaving them behind. I was missing so much and I hated it.

  Chapter Two

  Keeton

  “Well, would ya look who decided to grace us with his presence?” I could hear the slur in his voice and the smell of smoke was so damn potent it almost knocked me back out the front door.

  My father’s words used to affect me. For years, I spent so much time trying to find a way to impress him, to make him proud. Then I finally figured out the son of a bitch was so damn miserable with himself that no matter what I did, it wouldn’t amount to shit. He would always find something wrong, regardless. I had grown immune to the garbage he threw at me. My older brother was the same; they were both assholes.

  “College boy,” Karver snarled. “You finally figure out that you’re trailer trash like the rest of us? Giving up on that imaginary life of greatness?”

  “I’ll never be anything like you sorry sons of bitches. You’re both pathetic.” I walked past them both and their laughter echoed throughout the small space. I was focused on only one thing—to get the last of my things and never return. Every other time I had attempted to remove my possessions, Dad and Karver were either gone and the place was locked up, or we got into a fight and I didn’t even make it past the living room.

  I was more than ready to put this hellhole behind me for good.

  I didn’t like the person I became when I was around them. Their toxic behavior only brought me down and I refused to allow them that pleasure any longer. They both knew how to get to me and they thrived on it. They were sick fucks like that.

  You would think a father would be proud of his son getting a scholarship based on academics alone. I busted my ass throughout school, knowing I wanted something better for myself. I di
dn’t allow much time for parties and bullshit; I knew they would only lead me down the same path my father and brother were on. I wanted more. Karver took the other route and followed in my father’s footsteps. He’d become just like our dad. Drunk and worthless, with a nasty streak of anger. It was one of the biggest reasons my mother chose to leave.

  I was the only one she still maintained a relationship with. She was living someplace up north with a man she met a few years ago, and she was happy. For the first time that I could remember, she laughed and talked about life freely. We weren’t real close, but it was a nice feeling knowing she finally found a man to take care of her. I didn’t focus too much on how little we talked but appreciated the times we did.

  After the life I had led, the things I had witnessed, I found it hard to believe in long lasting love. I just hoped this one turned out for her much better than the first.

  As I entered the small eight by eight room to which I had been confined during my youth, I looked around, trying to remember even just a small sliver of happiness in that place, and came up empty. This trailer had always been the one place where I felt useless, and I was ready to leave that feeling behind.

  I was ready to let go.

  I began gathering the small amount of items I wanted to keep. A small box hidden in the closet filled with pictures of me and my mother when I was a baby, a time before all the hate. Mixed within the photos were a few other items that reminded me of good times. A few CDs that were my favorites growing up, and a watch that was my grandfather’s. I took it from my father’s dresser one night when he was passed out on the couch. I didn’t want to chance him taking it to some pawn shop in need of money for a new bottle of whiskey. It was the only thing I had to remember my grandfather. A man who, if still alive today probably would have beat the hell out of his sorry ass son for being such a disappointment.