Hacked by Love, Part 3 Read online

  Hacked by Love, Part 3

  By Sharon Cummin

  Copyright © 2017 Sharon Cummin

  All Rights Reserved

  Warning: This story contains explicit sexual content that is not intended for those under the age of 18. All characters appearing in this work are fictitious and the age of 18 and older. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  Check out my Amazon Author Page – Sharon Cummin

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  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Epilogue

  Chapter 1

  Lauren

  I was so damn lucky that I hadn't seen him in the airport. Believe me, my eyes scanned the place a million times. I don't remember a time I'd ever looked over my shoulder so much. When I finally boarded the plane, I let out a long breath. It should have been one of relief, but it wasn't. Had I hoped he'd come up behind me? If so, what had I expected him to say? There was so much going through my head. I hadn't intended on being with him again. I should have gone to my room instead of his. Why hadn't I been able to do the right thing?

  It hadn't made anything better being with him again. When I thought it was just a one time thing, I'd been able to convince myself that it wasn't him, it was just being with a real man. The second time was more explosive than the first and left me with the most fucked up feelings. Yes, I was having actual feelings for the one man I couldn't stand, the one man I needed to stay far away from, the one man that could tear my future away. Part of me felt horrible for leaving the way I did in the middle of the night. Why, I had no idea. He'd done the very same thing to me just three months before.

  I sat there with my phone in my hand as I put it in flight mode. Why had I gotten his number? Would he be beyond pissed if he knew I had it? What would he do if I called him? He'd probably hang up on me. I felt like a damn stalker. That wasn't me. I was strong and independent, not some clingy, needy teenager. My finger hovered once again over the button to delete his number, but I couldn't do it. I let out a huff, as I closed his contact on my phone. The more I tried to get him out of my mind, the more I sat there thinking of him every second through take off. What the fuck was wrong with me, I wondered?

  I put my earbuds in, turned on some music, and closed my eyes. I needed to get home. That was all that mattered. Jackson, I thought to myself. I needed to keep my thoughts on Jackson. He was the only one I needed to be concerning myself with.

  As soon as that plane landed and I had my stuff, I headed for my car. I needed to see my boy. I'd only been gone for one night, but I'd missed him so much. It was crazy how my life had gone from being all about me to being all about my little man. I thought about how thankful I was for him every single day. I needed to keep my eyes on the prize, a good life for him. There was no way I could let myself spiral down the path those last three months had taken me. The job was mine for the taking, all I had to do was make it happen faster than Lance. Keep your mind on the project, I told myself over and over on the drive home.

  I walked through the door, and my boy came running. My stuff hit the floor, as I scooped him up and hugged him tight.

  “I missed you so much,” he said.

  “I missed you too, Jackson,” I said.

  My grandma came around the corner and hugged us both.

  “How did it go?” she asked.

  She wasn't much into hearing about my work, but I was happy she asked. The only thing she really knew was that I was going against one guy for the job. She didn't know that neither of us were guaranteed a full-time gig at the company. I wasn't going to worry her with that part. All I knew was that if I didn't get more done than him, I wouldn't even have the chance.

  “Better than I thought,” I said. “He didn't get through either. I have a second chance, and I'm going to make it happen.”

  “I'm so proud of you, Lauren,” she said. “Your grandpa would be proud too. You're an amazing woman. You've come a long way, and you're a great mom to that little boy. He talked about you every waking moment.”

  “I couldn't have done any of it without you,” I said. “I'll take Jackson to his room to play. You relax and watch one of your cooking shows. Thank you for watching him so much lately. I'll make it up to you.”

  “Just kick that guy's butt,” she said. “I know you can do it.”

  I turned and walked toward the living room.

  “At least one of us believes in me,” I whispered before speaking louder to Jackson. “Let's go play with some of your toys.”

  “Okay,” he said before jumping up from his spot, grabbing my hand, and pulling me forward.

  I spent the rest of the night playing and reading with him. Once he'd had his bath and had gone to bed, I got my laptop out and ready. I pulled up my work and began trying to once again figure it all out. There had to be a way to get through, and I had to be the one to find it. I felt like I was racing against the clock.

  My mind kept going back to Lance, but not the way you think. I wasn't wondering if he was working or if he was getting any closer. Instead, I was wondering if he was thinking about me. Was he pissed that I'd left, or had he not even given it a second thought? Maybe he was happy I'd left like I had. Maybe he was relieved that he hadn't had to deal with getting rid of me in the morning. Then I found myself wondering how often he slept with women. Was it a normal thing for him to sleep with someone so fast? Was he a player? It didn't matter. I didn't plan to be with him again. Was he wondering the same things about me? Shit! He probably thought I fell into bed with any man. That would be wrong. I wasn't like that. I felt so damn bad for letting it seem that way. I'd been with him without a second thought both times. The next day, it was as if we hadn't been together at all. I didn't want him to think of me that way. What did it matter what he thought? Why did I even care? Ugh! My mind was messing with me, and I didn't like it.

  I went back and forth with myself on messaging him. Maybe I should call him, I thought. No, I couldn't do it. He would think I was crazy. The more I thought about walking out after being with him, the less I thought of myself. I'd done it because I was scared. I was afraid of the way he made me feel. I didn't want to feel anything for him or any other man. I had things I needed to accomplish. I needed to think about my son. I hadn't left because it was a one night thing and I was making my exit so I wouldn't be seen doing the walk of shame. Oh shit! I had done the walk of shame.

  I stared at my screen and couldn't help myself. I'd wanted to cut all communication. I was set on leaving him alone and concentrating on my own work. Why was I being such a damn girl about it? I had to say something. I needed to clear if from my mind. If I apologized for leaving, I'd be taking that weird guilt off of myself. I'd also be taking a risk. Apologizing to him, to my enemy, was like giving him control. He'd think I was weak. He'd use it against me
. I couldn't help it, I had to do it. I needed to clear my own mind. I didn't sleep around. I didn't walk out in the middle of the night. I didn't sleep with anyone. Before I could talk myself out of it, I quickly typed the message and hit send.

  Me: I'm sorry.

  It didn't take two seconds for me to want to take it back. I wasn't sure how, but that didn't matter. He'd already seen it, I could tell he had. There was no taking it back.

  Chapter 2

  Lance

  I was finally home, and I was pissed. No matter what I did, I couldn't relax. I felt like my head was going to explode. Who did she think she was walking out on me like that? If it wasn't bad enough that she was telling some Jackson guy she loved him, I had to find the damn note with Eric's number on it. It was pretty obvious that my dick hadn't worked magic on her. She was jumping from one dick to the next. Before you say it, I knew I wasn't much better, but that shit didn't matter. I wouldn't be played like some punk in high school. It was over. I was done.

  When my mom called and invited me to dinner, I took her up on it. There was no reason to sit at home thinking about Lauren. All that would have done was pissed me off even more. Not five minutes after walking into my parents' house, Sammie was on my ass.

  “You okay?” she asked.

  “Fine,” I grumbled.

  “What are you so cranky for? Did something bad happen during the meeting?” she asked just as we all sat down around the table.

  “Was the flight okay?” my dad asked.

  “It was fine. I'm happy to be home and away from there,” I said.

  “Isn't that your ultimate goal?” he asked. “Don't you want to move there?”

  “Of course I want to be there, who wouldn't?” I asked as if he was out of his mind.

  “I can't believe you'd even consider leaving us,” Sammie said with her lips all pouty.

  “Somehow, I don't think I could get rid of you if I tried,” I said roughly.

  “Whatever,” she said. “I bet you being a grump has something to do with her.”

  “With who?” my dad asked.

  “With the competition,” Sammie said with a smile. “Lance met her in the bar and did her the night before he found out who she really was.”

  “Lance,” my mom snapped.

  I looked over to see the biggest grin on my dad's face.

  “Since we're just blurting shit out,” I began but stopped myself when James kicked me under the table before giving me a please don't look.

  If my dad would have given Sammie shit over what I had to say, I would've finished my sentence, but that wasn't the case. My dad would have given James all the crap. His precious little girl wouldn't be at fault for keeping such a secret. It would have to be her husband's fault. It was a load of crap, but there was nothing I could do about it.

  “I'm going home,” I said, as I pushed my chair back and stood up.

  “You just got here,” my mom said.

  “You're better off if I'm not here right now. I just need some time to think. Then I need to blast through my work before she does. There is no way I'm letting her ass beat me.”

  I turned around and walked out of the house without even saying goodbye to my little niece. My head was a mess, and I really needed to get it together. They hadn't done anything wrong. None of them deserved the attitude I'd given them, nobody but Sammie that is. She was definitely going to hear about it later.

  I was sitting at my desk, looking between my laptop screen and the paper with Eric's number on it. It had been over an hour since I'd been home, and I'd gotten nothing done. The more I told myself I didn't care who she fucked, the more I wanted to beat her ass. I'd been with her twice, once more than my usual, but that didn't give me claim to her. She could do what she wanted, so why was it bothering me so much? Did I really think I was that special that she'd give up sex for one go every three months with me? I knew I was being unreasonable, but that didn't change just how strong I felt about it.

  When I heard the knock at my door, I let out a huff and stood up. It was Sammie, and I was going to let her know exactly how I felt about that little stunt she pulled. I didn't need my mom thinking I was some kind of loser. By the look on my dad's face, it hadn't bothered him at all. I almost felt like he was mentally giving me a high five. When I reached for the knob and pulled the door open, I was shocked. It wasn't Sammie at all. It was my dad. He walked through with a case of beer in his hand. I looked out into the hallway for my mom, but she wasn't there.

  “Does mom know you brought that here?” I asked in a confused tone.

  My mom would never ever encourage drinking, especially not with me involved. She'd lost her first husband to a drunk driver, and I couldn't tell you how many times I heard her call me no matter what speech.

  “Who do think dropped me off?” he asked, as he put the beer in my fridge. “I'd be on the couch for months if I drove home after this.”

  He grabbed a beer out for each of us and handed me one before walking over and plopping down on my couch. What the heck was going on, I wondered? I couldn't believe he was there.

  “Don't give me that look,” he said. “Sit your ass down and have a beer with your old man. You met a girl in a bar, so I know your ass has had a beer or two. From the sounds of it, you could use one.”

  Once I sat down and threw back a couple of beers, I let it all out. He knew I expected the enemy to be a guy. I left out a few details about the night of the bar, but I did tell him I left and she was late the next day. He laughed when I told him about the meeting. Then I explained the three months that followed that first meeting. When he asked about the meeting I'd just come home from, I told him almost everything. He was my dad. We were close, but not close enough to share certain things with.

  “So you did her again,” he said, and I nodded. “You knew who she was, Lance. There's no explaining that away.”

  “I know it,” I said. “What pisses me off the most is that she took off in the middle of the night and was completely gone by the time I was up.”

  “Why does that bother you?” he asked. “You did the same shit to her before.”

  “I don't know,” I said. “I've never had anyone walk out on me.”

  “You're definitely my boy,” he said with a laugh. “Believe me, I was a cocky asshole before I met your mother.”

  “I might be drinking with you, but please don't over share,” I said.

  He burst into laughter, and I instantly felt a tiny bit better. My dad was awesome, and I knew he'd do anything for me. Him being there, talking to me about my problems, was actually pretty cool.

  “I was a star player,” he said. “I thought I could have any woman, I could really. The moment I met her, she knocked me on my ass. I wanted to beat her ass for the way she talked to me. No woman had ever treated me like that. She treated me like she would anyone else. I think that was what got to me the most. We were both stubborn and strong willed. Neither of us was going to let the other win. That woman did things to me. I can't explain it. She took up residence in my head, and she never left. As much as we both tried to fight, there was no way we were going to walk away from each other.”

  “It's not like that,” I said. “I can't stand her. She is so damn cocky. It drives me crazy. She fucks with me on a daily basis. It takes all I have not to lose my shit with her. We could never be together. I'd never put up with that crap in person. When I was with her, I needed to relieve some stress. That's all it was.”

  “Then why'd you do it again?” he asked.

  “I wasn't going to,” I said. “I had no intention of being with her again. She showed up at my door saying we needed to talk.”

  “Did you talk?” he asked.

  “No,” I said. “That's what drives me crazy. I don't want to be with her. I don't want to be with anyone. I have goals. All that lovey family shit has to wait until I've reached all of them. She's not good for me. I heard her telling some guy she loved him on the phone, but I didn't turn her away when she show
ed up. That's not good. I'm not someone's second choice. Fuck that! There's just something that drives me crazy about her. I've been with other woman, I've just never been with the same one twice.”

  “Son,” he interrupted.

  “Before you give me shit, listen for a second,” I said. “I'm not a jerk. It's not like I sleep with every woman that walks by. I haven't been with that many. When I need a stress reliever, I take care of it. It doesn't happen often. I just don't want anyone getting attached. I don't want to sit around and have sweet conversations and romance. Like I said, that shit has to wait. Of course I want the whole family thing one day. I just don't want it yet, not for a long time. When I've been with women, it's been about relieving the stress and nothing more. A quick, go through the motions, so I get what I need kind of thing. Shit! I can't believe I'm saying this to you.”

  “I get it,” he said.

  “It's different with her,” I continued. “I don't know how to say this.”

  “Just spit the shit out, Son,” he said.

  “It's not calm and relaxed. It's not just about getting that release. It's different.”

  “How so?” he asked with a confused look on his face.

  “I don't know,” I said. “It's just different. When I'm with her, I feel like a different man. I have to control every single thing that happens. Shit! I think about things with her that I haven't thought about before. Please don't make me explain. She fucks with my head the entire time, and she doesn't even know it. Let me just say, I'm rougher than normal. I want to show her I'm the one in charge. I don't know if it's because she messes with me so much daily and I want to feel like I have control somewhere. I can't explain it. All I can say is it has never been like that when I've been with someone before. I don't think it's normal. I think I didn't turn her away the second time because I wanted to see if it was just a one time thing or if I'd feel the same way again.”

  “And,” he said.

  “It wasn't just a one time thing,” I said, as I shook my head.