Choosing You: The Pierced Hearts Duet: Book Two Read online

  COPYRIGHT© 2019

  Choosing You by M. Robinson

  All rights Reserved.

  No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author.

  This book is a work of fiction. References to real people, events, establishments, organizations, or locations are intended only to provide a sense of authenticity and are used fictitiously. All other characters, dead or alive, are a figment of the author’s imagination, and all incidents and dialogue are drawn from the author’s mind's eye and are not to be interpreted as real. Though several people, places, and events portrayed in this book are historically correct, the story is fiction that the author has made up for entertainment purposes only.

  LYRICS TO THE SONGS USED HAVE BEEN CHANGED FOR COPYRIGHT REASONS.

  DEDICATION

  My Good Ol’ Girls!

  THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK. YOU.

  Leeann Van Rensberg & Jamie Guellar

  Thank you for running this group the way you do. I couldn’t do this without you.

  Amanda Roden, Amy Coury, Ann B. Goubert, Ashley Sledge, Beverly Gordon, Chantel Curry, Christin Yates Herbert, Corie Olson, Darlene Pollard, Donna Fernandez, Jamie Gueller, Jessica Laws, Jill Bourne, Keisha Craft, Leeann Van Rensberg, Lily Jameson, Marci Antoinette Gant, Melinda Parker, Michelle Chambers, Nicole Erard, Nysa Bookish, Ofa Reads, Paula DeBoer, Rhonda Ziglar, Sarah Polglaze, Shawna Kolczynski, Tara Horowitch, Terri Handschumacher, Tiffanie Marks, Tracey Wilson-Vuolo, & Vanessa Reyes, Wendy Livingstone!!!

  I am so fortunate to have each and every one of you. You all have been such a blessing. Thank you so much for getting the word out for my babies. You guys are the best, and I love every single one of you. Thank you for being a part of this journey with me. I will forever be grateful for you.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  HEATHER MOSS: You bring so much happiness into my life. I am honored to have you as my best friend, and I love being a part of your journey. You have grown so much this last year, shit, these last five years. And it’s been amazing to see you become the woman you are today. I know you have so many blessings coming your way and I can’t wait for you to experience them! Thank you for being my person in this crazy thing we call life. I couldn’t do this without you, and you mean more to me than you’ll ever know. You’re the prize, babe. Always remember that! You inspired so many moments in this story, from your strength to your feedback, to your amazing resilience from what life hands you. I wrote this book for you!

  ERIN NOELLE: I value your friendship more than anything. Thank you for being who you are and your editing! You’re the best!

  WESTON BOUCHÉR: You were the perfect muse for Aiden. I couldn’t have asked for a better model to work with.

  Danielle Sanchez: I am honored to be a part of Wildfire Marketing Solutions. All the help and knowledge you have provided in a short amount of time, has been amazing. I’m so grateful to have you as my PR. Thank you for caring about my words and babies.

  Meagan Brandy: We have become so close over the last few months. Thank you so much for being there for me when I need you. I value our friendship and your advice! You’re such an amazing soul and you make me laugh so hard. All. The. Time.

  Muffins:

  Lily Garcia: Thank you for always providing the quickest feedback, and for making me laugh. You have such an amazing heart and I am lucky to have you in my life. Your suggestions on this book were so amazing! So many light bulb moments!

  Emma Louise: You are seriously a Godsend. From your feedback, to your suggestions, to your teasers and promos. You help me so much at the drop of a dime, and I will never be able to express how grateful I am to have you. Thank you for being in my life.

  Jennifer Pon: You kicked ass with feedback and suggestions as always. Thank you for always being honest, and for being my friend. I value our friendship so much. You’re such an amazing human!

  Jessica Laws: You are one of my fastest alphas, you jump onto reading anytime I ask. Thank you for always being there for me and my stories. Your feedback and suggestions are always valued and never overlooked.

  Leeann Van Rensburg: I don’t even know where to start! You are truly an angel. You’re so giving, and I couldn’t have asked for a better friend, alpha reader, teaser/promo maker, street team co-president. You’re the best and I appreciate the hell out of you.

  Louisa Brandenburger: These last few months have been rough for you, but you have managed to be an amazing alpha reader! Thank you so much for that. I value your feedbacks, suggestions, and friendship! I know things are going to get back on track for you, it was just a little speed bump.

  Michelle Chambers: Thank you for everything you do! You’re the best! You always make me laugh, and I can’t wait to see you again!

  Nicole Erard: Thank you for all the help and support you provide. You have such a great heart. I value our friendship and our conversations. Thanks for always being honest and so helpful with VIP.

  Alphas & Betas:

  Betty Lankovits: You’re one of the funniest humans I’ve ever met. Thank you for always being so helpful with everything. Michelle Tan: Welcome back, I missed you. Tammy McGowan: You were amazing with your feedback for this book! Thank you so much for taking the time and providing the detailed feedback. I appreciated it so much. Michele Henderson McMullen: LOVE LOVE LOVE you!! Carrie Waltenbaugh: You’re one of my best betas! Thank you for always jumping right into anything I send. I appreciate it so much. Your feedback is always one of the best. Mary Jo Toth: You have been with me for years now and you’re still just as amazing as you’ve always been. Thank you for everything. Ella Gram: You’re the sweetest beta ever. Thank you for always giving me your honesty and your feels. Tricia Bartley: I always look forward to your emails because you always give back the best feedback and it makes me laugh every time. Patti Correa: You’re amazing! Thank you for everything! Maria Naylet: I love you so much. Your friendship means so much to me. Thank you for always making me laugh and being hoenst with your feedback. Deborah E Shipuleski: Love you babe. Kaye Blanchard: Your edits truly are one of the best. Thank you for taking the time to look through and try to catch as much as you can. KR Nadelson: I missed you, welcome back. Georgina Marie Kerslake: As always I love you. Thank you for loving my babies the way you do. Ashley Reynolds: I’m happy I made you cry and that this book touched you so deeply. Thank you for always sending back the best edits. You’re the best and I value your feedback and friendship. Chasidy Renee: You’re such an amazing person. Thank you for always jumping on my books so quickly and giving feedback so promptly. Danielle Renee: You’re amazing!! Marci Antoinette Gant: You have been with me for such a long time. I love you so much. Thank you for all the pimping you do for my babies. Dee Renee Hudson: You’re the best girl. I love you so much. Thank you for everything. Misty Horn: You’re the best! Thanks for always getting back to me so quickly and being so helpful when I get stuck and need suggestions. Nohely Clark: Thank you for the help with the Spanish translations and being the speed reader that you are! You’re truly amazing and I’m so happy to have you in my life. Ashley Singer-Falkner: Thank you for all your quick feedback. You have helped me so much. Mary Sittu-Kern: You were so much help. Thank you! Sanne Heremans: I love you so much! Thank you for all the help! Kris Carlile: Thank you for all the feedback and suggestions you provide. You’re the best babe. You helped so much with this duet. Elena Reyes: I love you.

  Bloggers & Bookstagrammers:

  I don’t even know where to start with my love and appreciate for you! You make it all possible for my books to be seen and read. Thank you so much for everything you do. It never goe
s unnoticed. I will forever be grateful for you.

  My VIPS & Readers:

  I couldn’t do this without you. The love and support you give me on the daily, is one of the things I love the most about my career. The friendship and family we have established is something I appreciate and value the most in life. Thank you for always being there for me, and for loving my babies the way you do. You make this all possible

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  NEWSLETTER

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  MORE BOOKS BY M

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  EROTIC ROMANCE

  VIP (The VIP Trilogy Book One)

  THE MADAM (The VIP Trilogy Book Two)

  MVP (The VIP Trilogy Book Three)

  TEMPTING BAD (The VIP Spin-Off)

  TWO SIDES GIANNA (Standalone)

  CONTEMPORARY/NEW ADULT

  THE GOOD OL’ BOYS STANDALONE SERIES

  COMPLICATE ME

  FORBID ME

  UNDO ME

  CRAVE ME

  EL DIABLO (THE DEVIL)

  ROAD TO NOWHERE

  ENDS HERE

  EL SANTO

  EL PECADOR

  LOST BOY

  NOVELLAS

  KEEPING HER WET

  KEEPING HER UNDER THE MISTLETOE

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  COPYRIGHT

  DEDICATION

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  CONNECT WITH M

  MORE FROM M

  PROLOGUE

  ONE

  TWO

  THREE

  FOUR

  FIVE

  SIX

  SEVEN

  EIGHT

  NINE

  TEN

  ELEVEN

  TWELVE

  THIRTEEN

  FOURTEEN

  FIFTEEN

  SIXTEEN

  SEVENTEEN

  EIGHTEEN

  NINETEEN

  TWENTY

  TWENTY-ONE

  TWENTY-TWO

  TWENTY-THREE

  TWENTY-FOUR

  TWENTY-FIVE

  TWENTY-SIX

  TWENTY-SEVEN

  TWENTY-EIGHT

  EPILOGUE

  AUTHOR NOTE

  Prologue

  <>Aiden<>

  What do you do when you meet your soulmate at seven-years-old?

  You give…

  You live…

  And you love…

  Until you hear the words, “I just don’t love you anymore.”

  Putting an end to us.

  To you.

  To. Me.

  Right then and there.

  “I’m just fighting for our family! I’m just fighting for you!” I stood abruptly, hovering above Bailey. Losing my goddamn mind. “Don’t you see that?! How can you not see that?! How can you not see me?!”

  “You’re scaring m—”

  “I don’t give a fuck!” I seethed, unable to hold back the anger ripping through my entire body any longer. “I’m standing right here! Right. Fucking. Here!” My foot connected with the ground in a loud, hard thud, my hands raked through my unruly hair.

  Fucking pissed.

  “I’m paralyzed in time with you, Beauty! Fucking stuck with nowhere else to go! Do you have any idea what this is doing to me?! To our kids?! Do you even fucking care?!”

  “You need to calm down!” a familiar voice shouted from behind me as the door suddenly swung open. I should have expected it, but at this point I didn’t care anymore.

  I just wanted…

  Needed…

  My girl.

  I turned around, roaring, “You don’t tell me what to do! Do you understand me?! You don’t ever tell me what to fucking do when it comes to my wife!”

  “I’m not your wi—”

  I grabbed the vase filled with sunflowers off the table and chucked it across the room. It shattered upon impact, splattering water and shattering glass everywhere.

  “You don’t get to say that to me!” I sternly pointed at her, and all she did was back away.

  From me.

  The second I reached for her, a set of strong hands grabbed my arms, pulling me back. Further and further away from my world.

  “Get your fucking hands off me! Get your fucking hands off me now!”

  “Please! Please! Just make him go away! I don’t want to see him anymore!” she cried out, more tears falling down the sides of her beautiful face.

  “What the fuck!” I bit, shaking my head. Violently trying to fight them off. “I need you! Your kids need you! We fucking need you!”

  “I don’t care! I just don’t care!”

  “How can you do this?! How can you fucking do this to me?! After everything we’ve been through, Bay! After everything I’ve done for you! You’re my world! You’re my goddamn reason! I’m fighting for my fucking life! I need you to fight for it too!”

  She covered her ears, her body quivered from head to toe. Cowering away from the man who once was the only person who could ever calm her.

  Soothe her.

  Love her.

  “Don’t do this! Don’t do this to us! You need to fight, Bailey! Goddamn it, just please fucking fight for me! You can’t let go! You can’t fucking do it, baby!”

  In a distant tone I’d never heard before, she repeated, “Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!”

  “I’m sorry, but you have to go,” one of the men dragging me out ordered.

  “To hell with you!” I struggled to maintain my footing, my stance on not leaving this room, but my will to fight was diminishing with each step as they continued tearing me out of the room.

  “I hate him! I never want to see him again! Don’t let him come back! Please! Just keep him away from me!”

  The look on her face.

  The sound of her voice.

  The way she was recoiling from me…

  It was all too much to take, too much to bear, too much to live through, while I was hauled out of the place that was never supposed to be her home.

  Before I knew what was happening, I blinked, and I was suddenly sitting in my car. Aimlessly staring out the windshield with a bottle of Jack gripped tightly in my grasp. There was nothing left of me, just a hollow shell of a man slouched over in the driver’s seat. One leg hanging out the open door with the other firmly pressed on the brake pedal.

  My weighted-down head bobbed side to side, trying to remain conscious as I chugged yet another swig of the fiery burning liquor. Welcoming the sting as it soared down my throat. Except I didn’t feel a fucking thing other than the agonizing pain that had taken over my being. Not even the whiskey could make that go away.

  Nothing ever could.

  All the familiar happy faces ahead of me blurred together.

  Their laughs.

  Their smiles.

  Their endless banter.

  I blinked again and, for a second, the haze in my eyes subsided, gazing at Noah and his girl from afar. Making me realize I was sitting in the field of his clubhouse, drinking away my wife.

  I stumbled toward them with the bottle of Jack still clutched in my grip.

  How did I get here?

  When did I get out of the car?

  Noah quickly made his way over to me and grabbed onto my arm. “Aiden, what’s goin’ on? Did you drive here like this?”

  “Bailey…” I slurred, staggering all over the place. Barely able to stand on my own two feet.

  “Jesus Christ, man. What the fuck?”

  Taking another swig from the bottle, I tried shoving him away. “Bailey… Bailey… Bailey...”

  “For fuck’s sake, Aiden.”

  He’d never seen me like this, and I was going to knock him on his ass when I said,

  “She’s gone… My Bailey… left me. Forever.”

  Chapter 1

  <>Aiden<>

 
; “Please, God, just send me a sign… please, I need something to hold onto…”

  And just as I wanted to give up, surrender my goddamn flag, I heard Journey cry out, “Ma! Ma! Ma!”

  My heart stopped.

  My stomach dropped.

  The room started to spin.

  I felt her.

  She was there with me.

  With us.

  The woman I couldn’t for the life of me forget…

  Vowing, “I’m here, Aiden, I’m here.”

  I shut my eyes.

  I had to.

  I was dragged back to the place and time when Bailey announced, “Aiden, I’m pregnant.”

  “Ma! Ma! Ma!”

  If I wasn’t already on the ground, that one little word that flew out of Journey’s mouth for the first time would have had the power to bring me to my knees.

  It was like taking a bullet to the heart, then and now…

  “Bailey,” I cautioned, fully aware of where she was going with this. She took one look at me and knew as well.

  “Ma! Ma! Ma!” Journey yelled it over and over again, hysterically trying to keep me there in the present.

  With her.

  With them.

  “Don’t,” Bailey countered with tears already swelling up in her eyes. “She’s the baby girl we’ve always wanted. The one you always wanted. I can feel it, I can feel her.”

  “Bay, it’s not the right time.”

  “Ma! Ma! Ma!”

  Each time Journey screamed, it felt harsher than the last.

  Each time she bawled, I died a little more inside.

  “What?” Bailey jerked back, the hurt and devastation eating her alive. “How can you say that to me? How can you stand there and say that to me, Aiden?”