My Only Reason (Men of Monroe Book 2) Read online

  My Only Reason

  Men of Monroe, #2

  Rachel Brookes

  Copyright © 2019 Rachel Brookes

  www.rachelbrookes.net

  My Only Reason

  Men of Monroe, #2

  Cover Photo by Perrywinkle Photography

  Cover design by Wicked by Design

  Editor: Jenny Sims at Editing4Indies

  All rights reserved. No parts of this book may be used or reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.

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

  Contents

  Prologue

  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

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Epilogue

  Men of Monroe #3

  Acknowledgments

  Also by Rachel Brookes

  About the Author

  Prologue

  Marnie

  7 years earlier.

  29th February

  Today was the day.

  The day I would ask my boyfriend and the love of my life to marry me.

  I know, I know … it’s not often you hear about a woman proposing, but I was never one to shy away from pushing the boundaries of society’s norms plus, in my eyes, women could do whatever the hell they wanted.

  It also just happened to be the 29th of February, which, according to old Irish legend, was the one day on the calendar when women could propose to men. It was a leap year tradition that my grandmother told me about every time the 29th of February rolled around. She was a massive romantic although my dad was the biggest romantic I knew.

  Yes, it was cool that I’d be proposing on the 29th, but the reason this date meant more to me than anything was that it had been four years to the day since Austin officially became mine, and he first called me his girl.

  A memory I thought about as I pursed my lips and checked my soft pink lip-gloss in the bathroom mirror before swiping a coat of mascara on my lashes.

  I smiled at my reflection, my cheeks flushing with excitement. Only three people knew what I was planning on doing today; my dad, my and Austin’s best friend, Ben Hunt, and Austin’s younger sister, Ashlyn.

  Ashlyn had been the first one I told because she’d been the person I asked for permission to propose to Austin.

  Even though I was going against the norm, I still wanted to keep some of the traditions, and I believed the biggest tradition was asking for the family’s blessing.

  Ashlyn was my only choice. I didn’t talk to or want anything to do with Austin’s parents, and knowing their dislike of me, they’d probably call him and blow the whole surprise. Austin’s relationship with his parents was non-existent, and it was all their doing.

  After Ashlyn had screamed down the phone, she’d given me her blessing. And since then, she’d sent me at least one text a day to find out if I’d asked.

  Last night, I’d sent her a text telling her that today would be the day, and an hour ago, I received her reply.

  Ashlyn: OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!! Message me as soon as it’s done. Well, after you two celebrate. I DO NOT want details of the celebration, though.

  Even now, as I slid my phone into the back pocket of my jeans and shut off the bathroom light, I was smiling at her reaction. I walked toward the kitchen, and the scent of freshly brewed coffee caressed my senses. Moaning with the anticipation of my first caffeine hit of the day, I increased my pace. I’d been up late last night scrolling through course after course, trying to figure out what I could do to move forward with achieving my dream of becoming a florist and eventually opening my own store. It had been my dream for as long as I could remember. My plan had always been to go to college right out of high school, but real life got in the way. So instead of going to college, I stayed in Monroe and got a part-time office admin job at a local construction company while I figured out my next move.

  But my dream hadn’t diminished. If anything, it had grown.

  “Mmm, you smell good.” Austin’s voice oozed sex appeal behind me and sent a shiver racing down my spine as I reached up to grab my extra-large coffee mug out of the cupboard.

  I smirked at him over my shoulder as he edged closer toward me. “Do you want coffee?”

  He nodded, giving me a wide grin that showed his perfectly straight teeth.

  I pulled out another mug and filled it with coffee, then added two sugars and a splash of cream. The way I knew he liked it. Turning toward him, I handed over his coffee before I leaned against the counter, lifted my own mug to my lips, and blew on it softly to cool it down. Across the room from me, he rested against the kitchen island and crossed his legs at his ankles, smirking seductively at me. His smirks were like kryptonite, and I couldn’t get enough. When the edges of his full lips tugged upward, and his eyes twinkled with mischief, I knew he was thinking about something dirty, and those dirty thoughts would include me. With our eyes locked, we sipped our coffees while eye-fucking each other. We’d spent an incredible morning entangled in his bed, connecting, loving, and celebrating four years together. I was at his place a lot. Technically, I still lived with my parents, but I was at Austin and Ben’s place more than I was at home. Ben didn’t seem to mind me being the third housemate, and I think it was because I loved to cook, and his dirty laundry got washed more than once a week.

  “What are you thinking about?” I asked softly after taking a sip of coffee.

  He smirked. “Just remembering what you sounded like whimpering my name when you came around my cock this morning.”

  My cheeks instantly flamed red. Even after years of talking dirty to me and never being afraid to tell me exactly what he was thinking, Austin always made me blush.

  “Fuck, I hope you never stop blushing because of what I say to you.” His eyes turned molten as he stared at me.

  “Just keep talking dirty to me, and it’ll never stop.”

  He winked as he lifted his mug to his lips, before turning and disappearing out of the kitchen when his phone buzzed from the living room, leaving me to watch and admire his retreating form.

  I diverted my eyes to the kitchen window and got lost in my thoughts as I watched the downpour outside. I knew what I wanted to ask him, but I had no idea where or when it would happen. I was pulled away from my thoughts when Austin wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me back against his chest. His height meant he could rest his chin on the top of my head, and I sighed contently when he did just that. His scent, a combination of musk and sandalwood, wrapped around me, squeezing my body in all that was Austin Hart. I couldn’t be any more in love with him than I was right at this second.

 
I was so nervous, but I was so content. It was a weird and wonderful sensation to have churning within you. I was confident in our love for each other. He took my firsts, and I took his heart. He’d made it clear to me countless times that he’d never felt love like what I gave him. Austin Hart was my now, and he was my future.

  “We’ve got some things to talk about.” Austin murmured, his throat vibrating against the top of my head.

  After twisting around in his arms, I rested my chin on his chest and glanced up at him. Immediately, his eyes met mine.

  “Fuck, you’re gorgeous.” He smiled, his eyes twinkling like the sun hitting the ocean. “I want you to have the world, Marnie Jean Lavender. Everything you want, everything you desire, every single thing, I want to be yours.”

  My heart hammered in my chest. He’d never been afraid to tell me exactly how he felt, and I loved that most about him. He wore his heart on his sleeve with me, but with others, he never showed this version of himself.

  I knew the time had come. It was now or never.

  “Will you be mine forever?” I whispered, after sucking in a desperate breath.

  His eyes grew soft, and I had no doubt he could feel my heart hammering against his chest.

  “Will you be by my side through everything?”

  “Freckles …”

  I continued to stare at the man I wanted to marry, to father my children, to start my forever, and live out my happily ever after with. His eyes danced with mine while our connection remained solid. With my chin still resting on his chest, his fingers sliced through my chestnut brown hair that hung down to the middle of my back, tugging gently in a way that comforted me.

  I wasn’t going to get down on one knee because right now, this felt perfect to me. Being in his arms. Feeling his heartbeat. Seeing the emotion in his expressive eyes. Nervous yet excited butterflies fluttered wildly in my belly, and my heart felt like it was going to burst.

  “Austin Hart, I love you, I treasure you, and I want to spend every day for the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?”

  His body went hard against me while his eyes turned extra soft.

  I waited, holding my breath, and held him as tightly as I could.

  Little did I know it would be the last time I would be in his arms.

  Because with two simple words, he crushed my idea of what my future would look like.

  “We can’t.”

  One

  Austin

  Sasha: Don’t forget double date night. Can you remind my boyfriend too?

  The words staring back at me made my skin itch. Dealing with the night shift at Monroe Police Department where I was a detective and surviving on a couple of hours of broken sleep was slowly driving me crazy. So while I appreciated the effort, being on the receiving end of this text and going head to head with Sasha Hamilton was the last thing I wanted to do. She’d got it in her head that I needed a girlfriend, and that part of her duty as girlfriend to my best friend, was to find me one, and she wasn’t shy about showing it. Operation: Find Austin a Girlfriend was underway and pissing me off a little more with every day that passed.

  Austin: Sorry, I’m busy.

  Sasha: Try again.

  Austin: I’ve come down with a really bad case of the flu. Super nasty.

  Sasha: I spoke to you yesterday, and you didn’t sound sick. Try again.

  Austin: I’ve decided to take a vow of celibacy.

  Sasha: 6 p.m. Missy’s. Don’t be late.

  Fuck me.

  I scrubbed my hands over my face and groaned. There was no way I was getting out of this. Ben wouldn’t be any help because he was so far whipped. Not to mention Sasha knew where I lived, so I had no doubt in my mind that she’d turn up on my doorstep if I wasn’t sitting at Missy’s at six p.m.

  Yawning, I cracked my neck and drained the glass of Coke in front of me. My plan for the afternoon was simple; force myself to stay awake, work out, grab some supplies, and as soon as the sun sank from the sky, I’d crash hard with the hope of sleeping for at least twelve straight hours. I had four days off ahead of me, and my only plans were to sit my ass on the couch, prop my feet up on the coffee table, and watch football or whatever rerun I could find.

  Sasha: Brunette, Blonde, or Redhead? Do you have a preference, or are you the man I hope you are, and you are more concerned about her heart.

  “Whatever’s on your phone must be some fucked-up shit.”

  I looked up, not bothering to answer Sasha’s text. I swear she was now just baiting me. Drew Hamilton, Sasha’s older brother and owner of Monroe’s go-to bar, stared at me, dishrag slung over his shoulder and sporting a shit-eating grin.

  Sighing with frustration, I revealed, “Your sister is going to be the death of me.”

  “What’s she done now?” he asked, chuckling as he refilled my empty glass.

  “I’m going on a double date with her and Ben tonight.”

  “Who’s the lucky girl?” When he lifted his brow in question, the amusement in his tone was not lost on me. “You’re going to break a lot of hearts around here when word gets out. I’ve overheard enough convos to know more than a few women want to lock down the elusive Austin Hart.”

  “I’m not dating anyone. That’s the whole point.”

  He threw back his head and laughed. “I’m glad it’s you and not me. She gave up on me long ago.”

  Hearing Drew laugh was a rarity these days. It had only been a few months since some heavy shit blew through Monroe involving the Hamiltons. Nowadays, Sasha was loved up with Ben and moving on with her life, but shit still wasn’t right with Drew. To be perfectly honest, I didn’t think the storm would clear from behind his eyes for a long fucking time. So hearing his laughter was like seeing a unicorn trot down Main Street.

  “You owe me for this.” I shook my head. “Like really owe me.”

  He crossed his arms over his chest and smirked. “You already drink here for free. What more do you want?”

  “Free chicken wings might be a good way to start repaying the debt.”

  “Jesus, my sister hooks up with a guy, and suddenly, I’m giving free food and drinks to him and his friend whenever the fuck they want.”

  “My best friend hooks up with a girl, and because I’m single, it distracts her from trying to find you a woman,” I smirked at him. “You’re welcome.”

  He shook his head, smiling. “Touché, Hart, touché.”

  “Speaking of women, did you hear Carson hooked up with a pretty brunette in Hawaii? I think her name was Gabby.”

  “Yeah, I was on the group text Gigi sent out. I still have no idea how I got onto the group text.”

  “When it comes to Gigi, anything is possible.”

  “You reckon he’ll ever come back?” he asked, pulling the rag off his shoulder and wiping down the polished wood bar top in front of me.

  Detective Carson McKnight had played a key part in bringing down Edward O’Leary’s attempt at destroying the Hamiltons. People got hurt, innocent people lost their lives, and Drew and Sasha Hamilton relived some brutal shit from their past. Ben and I had worked with him on a few undercover cases over the years, and he’d been called up to work undercover during this particular case because Ben and I were locals. As soon as it was over, he left Monroe and headed to Hawaii.

  I shook my head. “The last time I spoke to him, he sounded pretty content on the island. He didn’t mention anything about his next plans.”

  “Glad he’s living the good life.” I nod. “Although the number of questions I get asked about his whereabouts makes me want to harass him to come back and start working here again.” He looked over my shoulder and gave whoever was approaching a chin lift, and his mood shifted from intrigue about Carson to focus. “Hey Trent, what can I get you?”

  I shifted my gaze from Drew and observed Trent Jackson stepping up to the bar. Trent had been a Monroe local for as long as I had, and I classed him as a friend. Being married to Cora Lavender meant we had the Lavender girls
in common too. Now, as I watched him, unease radiated off him, and for a man who was usually super composed, it sounded off alarm bells.

  “What’s up?” I asked, narrowing my gaze.

  He pulled out the free stool next to mine, the legs scraping against the polished floors, and took a seat. My attention remained locked on him as he emptied his pockets of his keys, cell, and wallet onto the bar.

  “Can I get you anything?” Drew asked for the second time, his eyes darting back and forth between the two of us as the mood quickly changed. I wasn’t the only one picking up on the weird vibes that had entered Hamilton’s with Trent’s arrival.

  Trent shook his head. “No, I won’t be here long.”

  “Shout out if you change your mind.”

  Drew moved to the other end of the bar, and I turned my full attention to Trent.

  “So, you wanna tell me why you’re at Hamilton’s in the middle of the day, looking like you’ve got something to drop on me?”

  “Fuck,” he muttered under his breath while rubbing the back of his neck nervously. “I’m going to get into so much shit for this.”

  He shifted beside me, and I could practically hear his brain ticking over. Due to the nature of his work, him dropping something like ‘I’m going to get into so much shit for doing this’ could mean a variety of things. But turning up at Hamilton’s in the middle of the day, dressed in his fancy suit with his forehead creased with worry was not normal. I waited, my impatience growing by the second. We didn’t need any more shit hitting this town, and I was afraid that was what Trent was about to divulge.