Until Forever Read online

  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

  Epilogue One

  Epilogue Two

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Untitled

  About Boom Factory Publishing

  Until Forever

  Copyright © 2022 by Sade Rena

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  Published by Boom Factory Publishing, LLC.

  Sade Rena CONTRIBUTOR to the Original Works was granted permission by Aurora Rose Reynolds, ORIGINAL AUTHOR, to use the copyrighted characters and/or worlds created by Aurora Rose Reynolds in the Original Work; all copyright protection to the characters and/or worlds of Aurora Rose Reynolds in the Original Works are and shall continue to be retained by Aurora Rose Reynolds. You can find all of Aurora Rose Reynolds’ Original Works on most major retailers. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, distributed, stored in or introduced into any information storage or retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic, photocopying, mechanical or otherwise, without express permission of the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, story lines and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons, living or dead, events, locales or any events or occurrences are purely coincidental.

  Formatting by: TCC Designs

  Cover by: TCC Designs & RBA Designs

  Editing by: Studioenp

  From USA Today Best-Selling Author, Sade Rena, comes this heartfelt, second chance, surprise baby romance set in the Happily Ever Alpha World.

  Latoya Reynard

  Forever is a myth.

  A made-up notion used to trick lovesick fools.

  Now, I know better.

  I fell for it once, and it was great until the boy I loved left me alone and heartbroken.

  But, he’s back in our small-town, claiming he’s ready to give me the life he’s always promised.

  I want to believe him because, despite everything, I still love him.

  There’s just one problem…

  He has no idea he’s a father.

  Jasper Vanek

  They say distance matters none when love is on the line.

  Something I wish I knew before I walked out on the best thing that ever happened to me.

  It was for the better, at least that’s what I told myself.

  I was wrong.

  And now after all these years, I have a chance to fix things.

  From the moment I lay eyes on her, I realize the mistake I made and know that I have to have her again.

  She’s mine, and I’ll do whatever it takes.

  Imagine my surprise when I return not only for my woman, but also the seven-year-old son I knew nothing about.

  PROLOGUE

  JASPER

  Life has a way of knocking the shit out of you.

  But it pales in comparison to guilt.

  It’s the worst kind of torture. Hitting you smack in the nuts; breaking you down before you even have a chance to do the thing that’s wrong.

  “I’m sick of this shit,” I mutter while snatching my duffle bag on the way out the front door.

  The screen is old and creaks when I push through it and snaps back into place. I rush down the steps and immediately get to work on securing my things to the back of my bike.

  “Get your ass back in here, boy. I’m not done talkin’ to ya,” my father’s words come out slurred as he stumbles onto the ragged porch.

  Like any other day, he’s in one of his moods, blaming me for his pitiful existence. I’ve heard it all before, so I don’t bother glancing back at him. What’s the point? I’ll see the same thing I’ve seen my entire life. A broken man who’s bound to drink himself to death. A man who wastes every dime we have on bad gambling bets. A father who’s made it very clear he hates having me as a son.

  I scoff and breathe in through my nose while tugging the rok straps into place. “Yeah, well, I’m done talking to you,” I yell, still not bothering to glance in his direction.

  I hear him stumble, followed by a low curse.

  “W-where the hell you think you going?”

  “Far the fuck away from here,” I say through clenched teeth. Doing everything in my power not to give in to him, I yank on the last strap then grab my helmet from the handlebars, palming it against my chest.

  “Answer me, boy.”

  With my shoulders pulled back, I hold my head high and throw my leg over the seat of my bike. I try not to look at him but can see him from the corner of my eye anyway. He trips over his feet on his way off the porch.

  “Think you better than me?” He staggers to the edge of the steps, spilling a little of the beer he holds in his left hand. “Hm? Well, ya ain’t. I see how you turn your nose up at me; you and that uppity girl you been runnin’ ’round with. She’s gonna get tired of the small-town lowlifer, and you’ll soon see we ain’t no different,” he snips.

  My nostrils flare as I level my motorcycle and release the kickstand. He’s trying to get a rise out of me. Stir up emotions I’ve fought long and hard not to give in to. It’s nothing new, an everyday occurrence in this household.

  “You think that girl loves you? Sure she likes you now—they all like the fuckup until they outgrow ’em.” He continues his rant, though now he’s no longer on the porch and only feet away from me.

  “I’m nothing like you,” I spit before lifting my helmet over my head and slipping it on.

  The thing is, I don’t believe a word that comes from my mouth. I am my father’s son—an outcast to the people of my small Tennessee town, a rebel and social reject.

  It wasn’t always like that. Once upon a time, I had friends, and people cared for me. But like the plague he is, my father ruined that. He broke ties with the people of this town, burned bridges I’m no longer allowed to cross.

  So now, I live in the shadows of a drunk and am forced into a legacy I don’t deserve. You are who you’re raised by; at least that’s the way they treat me—always watching me with disdain in their eyes, expecting me to mess up.

  If they’re going to judge me, hold my father’s sins against me, I might as well give them something to talk about. The mysterious bad-boy persona certainly got me a lot of attention from the ladies.

  They expect the worst from me. Everyone does—until Latoya. She gets me, sees me as a person, and never judges. He’s wrong about her, we love each other, and after tonight, now that graduation is over, we’re leaving this godforsaken town.

  We’re going to go to New York or some other big city where they eat shit like tofu stir-fry and meet at the local bar every Friday after work. She’s going to get her nursing degree, and I’ll finally get my GED, maybe take classes at a trade school.

  We have a plan, and we love each other. So my dad is wrong, and I refuse to allow him to get in my head.

  “Don’t come back here. I’m done caring for your ungrateful ass.”

  I rev m
y engine and throw my gaze in his direction. “Fine by me.” Slapping the visor into place, I lean into position and speed off toward the best thing that ever happened to me.

  Latoya.

  * * *

  The music coming from Latoya’s multi-level house is loud; I hear it the moment I turn onto her street. It’s a vast difference from how things usually are in this neighborhood, and on a weeknight, no less. The road is wet under my tires as I steer my nineteen eighty-four Harley-Davidson Softail between two cars.

  People file in and out of her home, some carrying gifts, others aluminum-wrapped food. The front door is open, and I see everything that goes on inside. After releasing the kickstand and shutting off the engine, I settle on my bike while removing my helmet.

  My shoulders slump with the intake of breath, my mind and heart racing a mile a minute. No matter how hard I try to push my father out of my head, his words haunt me, digging in deep like they always do. A car rolls past, breaking my concentration. I watch it pull up to the stop sign at the end of the street, then point my attention back toward the front door.

  There she is—my Latoya. She’s beautiful in a yellow dress; the color’s perfect against her brown skin. Her hair is up today, soft ringlets of curls framing her face. From here, her wide smile is visible. She’s happy, but she usually is. And tonight, of all nights, she should be.

  A few hours ago, she walked across the stage, leaving high school behind. And because of my father, I couldn’t be there. I didn’t get to support my girl as she ended one chapter of her life. That’s okay, though, because, by the end of the night, we’re leaving this fucking place. Only me and her for the rest of forever.

  Getting off my Softail, I place the helmet on my seat and fix my clothes. Her entire family is there, including her father, who’s never liked me all that much. I suck air into my lungs and step on the sidewalk, stopping with my shoulders hunched and continue to watch her. A couple cut in front of me, and I stumble back a little.

  “Sorry.” I wave at them and tug my jeans up on my hips.

  They ignore me on their way up the first level of stairs, then the second set before finally disappearing inside. I watch as Latoya greets them, her grin larger than I’ve ever seen it. A numbness washes over me, and I glance around, not looking for anything in particular, but more to stall.

  My fingers tingle, so I shake them out then rub my palms together. What’s gotten into me? We’ve planned this day for an entire year. So why am I second-guessing myself right now?

  “Okay,” I say to myself then climb to the first landing.

  “Congratulations, sweetheart,” the woman who cut me off says to Latoya.

  “Thank you, Auntie.” Latoya beams.

  “We’re so proud of you. Your father told us you’ve been accepted into five of the top nursing programs in the country. Are you going to pick Vanderbilt? I know your daddy would hate for you to be too far away.”

  By the time she finishes, I’m at the door, standing awkwardly on the threshold. Latoya prepares to answer her, but then her sights land on me. Her posture changes instantly, and warmth spreads over her features, much like every time we’re together.

  “Excuse me, Auntie Sharon.” Latoya touches the woman’s shoulder and saunters around her, heading straight for me.

  I force a smile of my own, thankful that she doesn’t seem to notice.

  “There you are.” She hugs me tight, and I hesitantly wrap my arms around her thin waist. “What’s the matter?” she asks when she leans back to look at me.

  I inhale deeply. “You look beautiful.”

  Her eyes twinkle when she stares at me, but instead of living in her embrace like I usually do, all I can think about is the mounting pressure. My father’s words are still fresh, and hearing that lady’s question unsettles me. Until I convinced her to run away with me, Vanderbilt was her dream. We’re only twenty minutes outside of Nashville, and unlike me, she has a great relationship with her family—with her father.

  Latoya searches my face, a slight frown forming on hers. “What’s wrong?”

  I shake my head because I can’t begin to explain anything to her. How can I when I’m not sure what the problem is myself?

  “Jas, talk to me.”

  Her words are full of concern, and I can’t help but love her even more for it. She’s the only person to care for me in a long time. I had friends at one point, but that’s gone now. The only light in my life being her.

  I sigh. “I’m just ready to get out of this town, that’s all.”

  Latoya stands still for a moment, almost as if she doesn’t believe my words, like she knows I’m lying. Everything is wrong, and it will be until I’m away from this hellhole that I call a life.

  “Congrats, by the way,” I say to break the awkward silence.

  She takes my hands in hers, and I glance down. We’re so different, she and I, in more ways than the obvious. She’s a black woman and I’m a white man. She comes from a good family, one that cherishes her and pushes her to do great things. My dad hates me and has since the moment I was born, blaming me every day of my life for the loss of my mother. She died giving birth to me. Complications no one saw coming, but he still holds me accountable.

  Latoya excels in school, with acceptance letters to some of the top universities in the country. She’s soft, intelligent, caring, and would give you the clothes off her back if you needed them. She’s not the kind of girl who usually falls in love with a high school dropout.

  Girls—women—like her deserve the best, not some pipe dream fed to her by the boy she liked when she was a kid. She’s going to be somebody, and I—well, I have nothing to offer her.

  “Toya, baby girl?” her dad’s voice booms over everyone else’s. “It’s time for cake.”

  She backs away, but it’s clear in her eyes that she doesn’t want to leave me. I nod, silently telling her that I’ll be all right. Not that I believe it, but she needs to hear it. She pauses for a moment.

  “Go ahead, graduate,” I say slyly.

  She’s smiling again, and this time I return the gesture.

  “I love you.”

  I gasp at her words but manage to keep her from noticing. We’ve said it before, but rarely, and for some reason, it hits harder this time.

  “I love you, too,” I whisper as she walks away and joins her father in the center of the room.

  He makes eye contact with me, and I sink into the wall closest to me, watching while he goes on about how proud he is of her. The people in the room share in his sentiments, and it wrecks me, hitting me deep down in my chest. She has her whole life ahead of her, and I’ll only get in the way. Latoya darts her gaze at me for a split second, and I fake another grin. The air around me grows thick, nearly suffocating me.

  “She’s gonna get tired of the small-town lowlifer, and you’ll soon see we ain’t no different.”

  There it is again, my father’s pessimism torturing me.

  “Thank you, everyone,” Latoya coos.

  She’s looking around, and I know she’s trying to find me. He’s right. As much as I hate to admit it, my dad is right. She’s going to outgrow me, resent me for taking her away from her family, away from her dreams.

  I’ll hold her back, I know I will. Then I’ll hate myself more than she ever could. I can’t do this. I won’t kill the dreams she has of college and building a career. She’ll save lives, but only if what I want doesn’t interfere with that. I wish things could be different, that she can have the things she wants and still be with me.

  “I’m sorry,” I mouth, knowing she’ll never know how sad this makes me.

  I pause for a moment to get one last look at her. She’s still so happy, enjoying this time with her family. Regret fills me. How could I be so selfish to ever consider taking this away from her? She has people who love her, people who will do anything to see her live the best life possible.

  As she stands in the middle of the room with her parents, I watch them. Pain and an
ger fills me, the aftermath of falling prey to my father’s words. At this moment, I hate him, probably more than I ever have. Why is he right? Why is he able to break me even when we’re miles apart? How can he get in my head no matter how hard I try to keep him out?

  I glance around, taking in the rest of the room. People take up nearly every inch of the house, more smiles and pleasantries surrounding me. My skin sweats, and I swallow the lump I hadn’t realized had formed.

  Visitors crowd around her, and I fade into the distance, slowly backing away until I’m in front of her father’s study. I can’t see her now, not with the amount of people blocking my view. I glance behind me, seeing a notepad on the desk. I step around the desk, looking into the crowd every so often. After locating a pen, I tear a page from the top of the notebook.

  My palms are wet, and I struggle to keep a good grip on the pen. My pulse races in tune with the scratching sound of my writing. I hate this—leaving her—but I have to. She deserves more than what I can give her, and I know that she’ll never let me leave.

  So this is how I have to do this. Explaining myself and ending what we have in a letter. It’s better than doing what I want and running out of here, I owe her much more than that. My heart aches with each word, but it’s for the best. She’s going to go on to do great things with her life, and I’ll only be a burden.

  I slap the pen down on the desk, the impact of it ringing through my ears. No one seems to notice, everyone is still focused on Latoya. Tearing the note from the stack, I fold it twice and awkwardly hold it against my chest. When I exit the office, it’s like my senses refocus and I realize that I’ve tuned out everything—the voices, the music, all of it.