You Broke Me First Phoenix Mountain Series Book 3

I crack an eye and it stings. I groan and cover my eyes.

“Darc?”

I lift my arm and Peter is in the doorway.

I blink my eyes to adjust to the light. “What happened?” I try to sit up, but everything hurts.

He scratches his head. “You were kind of hexed.”

I stitch my brows. “Hexed?”

He sits on the edge of the bed. “Yeah…um…Seems Allie…she tried to rip your heart out.”

“What?” I look at him with confusion.

“I’m not clear on the details. This magic stuff hurts my brain, but she basically tried to make it so you couldn’t love or get with anyone. She had been doing it for a while, but this time, she went all in.” He explains

“Wait. Hold up. She’s been using magic on me this whole time?” My brows shoot up.

He nods. “Azriel said it was in small doses. Little here and there, but this last one was a big one. You basically went crazy, tore through the city to her place and tried to…I don’t know what you were going to do, but Zander and Ricky shot your ass with wolfsbane and you’ve been out for eight days.”

“Eight days?” I say in shock.

“Oh yeah. They loaded you up. It took three days to get your wolf to retreat.” He says.

“Holy shit.” I look down then look back at Peter. “Where’s Allie now?”

He ticks his head. “At Bears.”

I nod.

“Darcy. Azriel tells me this spell, it focused your feelings on the one you really care about. You ran to Allie.” He tilts his head to me.

“Yeah, but it wasn’t real. It was magic. It’s probably why I’ve been so off my game.” I say to him.

He shakes his head. “You can’t fake love, Darc. You can’t command the heart to feel a certain way, no more then you can command an ocean to go where you want.”

I look at him. “Say that again.”

“What? About the heart?” He asks.

I roll my hand to him. “No. After that.”

“You can’t command an ocean.” He restates.

I look around. “Ocean.”

I look wide eyed at him. “I need to see Zan. Now!”

****

I walk into Zanders office with Peter behind me.

“Darcy you’re awake. How are you? You should be resting.” Zander says from his desk.

I stride across his floor and lean on his desk. “I’m fine. I remembered something. The next piece is near an ocean.”

“Ok. What one?” He asks.

“I don’t know.” I push off his desk, biting my cheek.

Zander nods. “At least it’s something. Keep trying and we’ll start investigating.”

Peter claps my shoulder and wrap his arm around me.

“Hey.” Zander calls.

I turn.

“Take it easy ok. We don’t know if there’s side effects.” He says.

I nod and walk out with Peter in tow.

****

I sat on the bench in front of my locker for a long time.

I just thought of everything. Tried to make sense of it.

I stood up, opened my locker and pulled out the file. I sat back down and opened it.

I don’t know what I’m looking for, but I feel like I’ll find something in here that will tell me what it is about Sam that I’m missing.

I flip the pages and I came across her high school photo. I pick it up. My face falls as I look into her sad eyes.

I see the hint of her scar. I remember that scar. I remember touching it before I…

I slam the picture back in the file and close it. I throw it on the bench beside me.

I cross my leg and lean on it, scrub my face and hair.

Fuck, I was a giant dick. What kind of asshole does that?

I rub the back of my neck. Me that’s who.

I was so fucking proud of myself. So fucking cocky.

I stole everything from her. Everything. Turned it into a fucking joke.

I remember her face. I remember what I felt. I can still hear me laughing. Fuck, I can still see her face as she cried.

What’s worse is it took seeing her face again to even acknowledge that it happened. I haven’t even thought about that night in six years.

Damn. I have to fix this. I caused all of this. I took something sweet and innocent and destroyed it for money and entertainment.

I have to fix this.

The next thing I know, I’m racing down the highway to Briar Hill. I’m going to fix this. Even if she still hates me forever, I’m going to try to make this right.

I pull into Bears pack house driveway and get out.

I head for the porch and Bear comes out.

“Hey.” I wave as I put my hands in my pockets.

“How are you?” He asks.

“Uh…I’m good. Really. It was…a wake up call.” I give a quick smile.

He grunts.

“Is she here?” I ask.

“She’s not taking visitors.” He grumbles.

I climb a couple steps. “Bear, please. I just want five minutes then I’ll go.”

“I don’t think…” He starts.

“Bear…it’s OK.”

He turns and steps aside. She steps forward.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything so beautiful in my life. Her hair is in a messy bun. She’s wearing a pair of cut off Jean shorts, but damn. She looks like an angel. It almost hurts.

“Samantha.” I breathe. I swallow my guilt as I take another step.

She takes a step back.

I press my lips together and back off.

Her face is pained. I hate seeing her like that. I realize now that in my whole time of knowing her, that’s the only face I’ve ever made her have.

“Sam. I know it may mean nothing now. But you got to believe me. I’m so sorry. What I did to you…it’s unforgivable.” I look at her as I fight my emotions.

“You’re right it is.” She crosses her arms.

I hang my head.

She takes a couple steps down to me. “But what I did was unforgivable too.” She chokes.

I look up and her eyes welled with tears.

I shake my head. “No. Sam. I deserved it. I deserved everything…”

“You didn’t deserve that. I went too far and I’m sorry.” She squeaks.

I breathe a shaky breath. I look up at her. “Can we start over?”

She looks down and slowly nods.

I let out a little chuckle and wipe my nose with my jacket sleeve.

I hold out my hand. “Hi. I’m Darcy.” I smile at her.

She laughs and looks at the sky. I felt so good making her laugh, It’s now my number one favorite sound.

She looks at me. “Sam.” She takes my hand. My arm fills with that electric warmth I felt before.

I step close to her. “Nice to meet you.” I say softly.

“Nice to meet you too.” She hitches.

I wrap my arms around her head and hold her. I stroke her hair.

“I’m so sorry, Sam. So sorry.” I whisper as a tear rolls down my cheek. I rest my cheek on her head.

She wraps her arms around my waist and hugs me tight.

I hear Bear go back in the house as we just hold each other on the porch.

I push her back and she wipes her cheeks.

“So. I know I’m a long way from being trusted and forgiven, but I want to make this right. I want to do this right.” I say to her.

She stitches her brow together. “What do you mean?”

I put my forehead on hers and look into her eyes. “Date me. Nothing sexual. Nothing like that. Just dinners, movies, moonlight runs and picnics under the stars. What do you say?”

“No sex?” She arches a brow.

I raise my head. “It'll be tough…” I smile at her. “But I think I can handle it." I scrunch my face and get close to her, rocking her hips a bit.

“Just me. No one else.” She clarifies.

“Just you and me.” I whisper, pointing my finger between us and still slowly rocking her.

She lets out a soft breath. “Okay.”

“Yeah?” My brow goes up.

She smiles. It lights up her whole stunning face. Fuck, I love it. “Yeah.”

I pick her up by her waist and jump down the few steps I was on. “Yes!” I say hitting the dirt.

She’s in my shoulder giggling.

I separate from her. “Sam, I swear. This is going to be perfect.” I smile. “Can we start now?”

“Now?” She arches a brow.

“Yeah. Burgers and beer. You up for it?” I thumb to my car.

“I’m not dressed…” She starts.

I lean to her. “You’re gorgeous just the way you are. Let’s go.”

I can’t believe it. I look at her in the passenger seat, the wind blowing in her hair. The sun kissing her caramel skin. Her scent dancing around my head.

She’s giving me a chance. A chance to fix things. I didn’t think it would happen, but it did. Now I have to make this good.

I’m going to show her what I should’ve shown her six years ago. I’m going to show her that, that creep is no longer alive. I’m a new man and I’m changing just for her.

I place my hand on the stick shift and watch the road. I feel her hand slide under mine. I look down and I lace my fingers with hers.

I turn my head to her and she gives me a small smile. I smile back.

I push the clutch and I help her shift to a higher gear. She laughs. I chuckle with her as I hit the gas and the car goes faster.