It doesn't get any more Scandalous than this with continuous deception and wild plot twist!
Keeping a Side Chic in Check Ain't Easy, But Somebody Has to Do It
Is it for better or worse...Or from Better to Worse...
Kayla and Bryan are trying to find a happy medium in their relationship. Unfortunately, people they dealt with in the past won't allow it. Bryan is adding more skeletons to his closet while Kayla is trying to keep hers suppressed.
The forbidden fruit is up for grasp and temptation is too heavy to resist. Dirty secrets become the foundation to a relationship that was doomed from the beginning. With all the lying and sneaking around going on, the wedding they're planning may turn into a funeral.
...BRILLIANT READ!!!
This novel is certainly not what I was expecting: it was funny and gripping and emotional...
Excerpt
Chapter 1
“Is this what marriage life is going to be like with you? A bunch of nonsense complaining all day?” Bryan argued.
“Bryan, I am not complaining. All I would like for you to do is put a little more effort into this wedding planning.” Kayla explained.
“I am a man, Kayla. That’s not for me to do, that’s woman shit. You tell me what you need financially and I will give it to you. The rest is up to you.”
“Wait a minute, you’re not the only one financially vested in this wedding. I have put in just as much money, if not more than you, into this so it would be nice if I have your input on major things like the venue for instance.”
“Here we go again. Do you think that I like the fact that my future wife has to contribute these expenses on top of our household expenses?
Then to make matters worse, you’re always throwing it up in my face. That ain’t cool, Kayla.”
“Bryan, I have told you over and over it’s not about the money. All I want is your interest and input. We are supposed to be a team and the last time I checked, there’s no ‘I’ in team.”
“Look, I have to go. I wouldn’t want to be late for work. I mean, I do need the small amount I am contributing, right?”
“I love you, too.” Kayla said, watching Bryan walk out the door with a chip on his shoulder.
The truth of the matter was that Kayla had been contributing the majority of everything towards the wedding and the household bills. Work was a lot slower for Bryan in the winter months, but the landscaping company he worked for boomed from spring to fall.
After a year of working, Kayla expected Bryan to have sense enough to put back money for rainy days, but he clearly had no idea how to manage his money. For the most part, Kayla didn’t mind putting in a few extra dollars for the household since she was doing quite well at the hospital, but she had other internal issues with Bryan that bothered her.
Kayla had mixed feelings about taking Bryan back after his scandalous encounter with her ex-boyfriend’s mom, Ms. Jenson. She knew that there were two sides to every story, but she’d never get the truth from either. She questioned Bryan’s true intentions. Perhaps Bryan did love Ms. Jenson, but knew in the end Ms. Jenson would go down for husband’s murder, so he needed Kayla as his romantic alibi. What if he was still reaching out to Ms. Jenson?
Kayla knew that Bryan loved her, but was he in love with her or did he secretly wish he was still with Ms. Jenson? Then there was the fact that Bryan would randomly stress out and act like a jerk towards her, but he would always say it was because of his financial situation. Perhaps he just missed Ms. Jenson. Kayla couldn’t put her finger on the entire truth, but she decided not to let her mind entertain her with things that weren’t evident. Even though Bryan had his faults, he still treated her and Nicholas well, the sex was awesome, and he came home to her every night.
He cooked dinner, did house chores, and they still laughed together like high school friends, but they were bickering as if they were already married.
Having to see Ms. Jenson and her family throughout the year didn’t make the situation any better. Both Kayla and Bryan had several court appearances in the high profile case of Jenson vs. Jenson. Kayla could feel the cold stares from her ex-boyfriend, Raymond, whenever she had to make an experience. Kayla was required to appear, but they ended up not needing her as a witness. Bryan was automatically ruled out for conspiracy due to lack of evidence and a solid alibi from the cruise he took with Kayla at the time of Mr. Jenson’s death. However, Bryan was called to the stand as a character witness against Ms. Jenson. Prosecutors were trying to give Ms. Jenson first-degree murder for the passing of Jimmie Jenson, so they drilled him about his and Ms. Jenson sexual relationship. Most of his comments were overruled and told to be dismissed by the jury.
Mr. Jenson’s autopsy reported that he was released from the hospital regarding his head injury under the direct home care of Jennie Jenson. He then was given a toxic dose of medicine, which he was allergic to and had a reaction. The prosecution argued that the drug was also found in Ms. Jenson dentist office.
However, defense argued that the evidence was circumstantial, but the main issue of this was the fact that Ms. Jenson was able to provide the court with documentation of a confidentiality agreement she had with an undisclosed certified private nurse who also cared for Mr. Jenson. The judge ordered to breach the confidentiality agreement, forcing Ms. Jenson to reveal the identity of the nurse. It turned out to be a Latino nurse who spoke very poor English.
The defense went forward with improper handling of medicines due to lack of communication. Unreasonable doubt that the death was intentional could not be proven. After twelve hours of deliberation, the jury decided that there was too much circumstantial evidence and not enough evidence to prove deliberate administration of the drug by either party.
The case was declared a mistrial and even though Ms. Jenson lost her license to practice, she got away with murder. Not only did Kayla have to worry about her wedding, the Foster case, where her old roommate was allegedly murdered years back, she also had to worry about Ms. Jenson and her crazy son Raymond on the loose.
About an hour later, after arriving at work with her usual Starbucks caramel macchiato, Kayla’s co-worker, Rebecca, ran up to her as she was placing her belongings in her locker.
“You’ll never guess what just happened,” Rebecca said, looking around to see if any was in the locker room.
“What, somebody got fired?” Kayla guessed.
“Even better, your arch enemy Destiny is on her way to Straight Way for psychiatric evaluation.”
“Lord knows she needed that after she tried to get me fired and threaten me to testify for some mess she created.”
“Exactly, Kayla, mess that she created!”
“What do you mean?”
“Girl, I found out that the man Destiny was sleeping with wife found out. Once everything was in the open, the husband told Destiny he was done with her because he wanted to save his marriage. Destiny, being the deranged woman that she is, hired her ex-boyfriend to beat her up and have rough sex with her so she could accuse the husband. Here is where things get very messy. The investigators found the husband’s DNA in Destiny bed, so initially, he was arrested. However, the rape kit revealed it was not the husband’s semen inside of her the night in question. The idiot ex-boyfriend either took the condom off, didn’t wear one, it busted, or whatever happened and police made Destiny reveal the second party.”
“Get out!” Kayla said, astonished by the information.
“Crazy aint it? Once the police questioned her again, Destiny tried to lie and say the husband had a friend join in on the rape, but they told her the initial police report she made was different, and they had the DNA to find out who this mystery person actually was.
She finally told them who he was and once they questioned the ex-boyfriend, he nearly pissed himself and told the police that Destiny paid him to have wild sex with her, but he didn’t know anything about a set up or another man.”
“Rebecca, are you serious?”
“Serious as a heart beat.”
“That filthy, shameful cunt.”
“I know, right? Don’t pity her; pity that unborn child because she is pregnant and only God knows who that baby’s father is.”
“How did you get all this info?” Kayla finally asked.
“I gotta go, talk to you later,” Rebecca whispered, hearing someone else walk into the locker room.
What Rebecca had told her didn’t surprise Kayla at all. Destiny was known for being a compulsive liar, cheater, and everything else in between. Destiny was one of those characters where you knew something would go wrong just from being in her presence. Kayla’s was excited because Destiny was one less person and situation she had to deal with.
Shortly after, Kayla went to the nursing area and grabbed her charts for daily rounds. Although Gabby was still her supervisor, the friendship they once had remained non-existence. Kayla was constantly hearing from other co-workers that Gabby wanted to fire her in addition to hearing that Gabby was making cheap shots in regards to her personal life. The funny thing was, Kayla never got into detail with Gabby regarding her personal life.
The only thing she did tell Gabby when they were friends was that she and Bryan had broken up, but that was over a year ago. She couldn’t even recall mentioning exactly who Bryan was or even if she had mentioned his name. Furthermore, Gabby was married, so Kayla couldn’t figure out how Gabby had the time to concern herself with her business when she had her own husband to worry about. Kayla also took note how Gabby would give her extra cleaning duties and extra hours of emergency assistance duties, but Kayla allowed it to roll off the back of her sleeve.
It was extra money in her pocket and the head supervisor gave her praise for it. Besides, if things got too out of hand, Gabby had told Kayla things about their head supervisor that was extremely unethical and unprofessional. Kayla knew if she ever was fed up that she would tell every word uttered from Gabby’s mouth.
“Hello, Kayla, how are you today?” Gabby asked in an unconcerned voice.
“I’m fine,” Kayla dryly replied, not caring to ask her.
“Well, some of the nurses and I were putting together a fundraiser this weekend to help raise money for Lebohnuer Children’s Hospital. I was wondering if I could add you to the campaign.”
“I have plans this weekend, but I would be more than happy to donate,” she responded, still staring down at her charts.
“Kayla, we definitely appreciate any contribution, however, your time would be of great value as well.”
“Well, just as I stated, I have obligations this weekend and will not even attempt to try and change them on such a short notice.”
“Kayla, I’m sure that Bryan wouldn’t mind spending quality time with your son while you helped out a few hours.”
“First off, don’t talk as if you know my situation or my family personally because you don’t.”
“Oh, I feel like I do from the all the conversations we’ve had,” she replied, in a condescending tone.
“Look, Gabby, I don’t do wishy washy friendships where one minute we’re cool and the next we’re not, so let’s keep it professional, okay?”
“Fair enough, I guess I’ll catch you later then…Oh, I almost forgot, tell Bryan Gabriela from the hospital told him hello,” she added, as she walked off.
Mack's friends suggested he visit a quaint town in Washington State called Leavenworth, but they had an ulterior motive—a motive that resulted him agreeing to help one of their friends track down her missing sister. That led him to the remote small t
