arms when a familiar face makes my jaw tick. Topher James is walking toward us with his girlfriend clung to his arm. His upper lip raises in disgust as he spots Saige.
“Well, if it isn’t the happy family,” he sneers, focusing on me. “You always did prefer whores.”
I try to pass Brenna to Saige but she shakes her head. “No. I’ve got this.”
B clings to me tightly, wanting nothing to do with Topher, and hides her face in the crook of my neck. Instead of trying to interfere, I stand back and let Saige handle it. She smirks as she takes a step toward him.
“How you have any fans at all is a mystery to me. You are nothing but a coward who beats women and manipulates them into thinking they’re not good enough. Well guess what? You can’t hurt me anymore. And Colby? He’s a hundred times the man you’ll ever be. So you can take your little insults, your bruised ego, and your drug problem somewhere else because I could care less about you.” She goes to walk by them when she stops and looks at his girlfriend. “Try to keep him away from the coke. He has a bit of a temper when he’s on it.”
There’s the girl I used to know.
Topher’s face turns an angry shade of red and I can’t help but chuckle as I follow after Saige. When I reach her, she smiles and leans in to kiss me. Meanwhile, Brenna’s face is formed into a pout.
“B?” I ask. “You okay?”
She huffs. “Aunt Maddie was right. He is a dildo.”
My eyes widen and Saige erupts into hysterical laughter.
Well, she’s not wrong.
THREE MONTHS LATER
I USED TO HATE being home. The quiet allowed my mind to wander, and I’d get stressed out about things I really shouldn't worry over. But now? Home is my favorite place in the world.
Saige comes to sit next to me, cuddling against my side with an envelope in her hand. She looks at it for a second and then smiles as she hands it to me. My brows furrow as I take it from her.
“What's this?”
She shakes her head. “Just open it.”
I carefully rip it open and pull out the contents. The first thing that catches my attention is the gold seal at the bottom. What kind of official document is this?
I, Register of Probate, hereby certify that in a court of law the name of
Brenna Elizabeth Ambrose
was this day changed to
Brenna Elizabeth Hendrix.
My heart swells as I finish reading and turn back to Saige. “You changed her name?”
She nods. “To what it should've been all along.”
Unable to express how she makes me feel in any other way, I pull her into a bruising kiss. However, it doesn't last long before Brenna interrupts.
Some things never change.
“Mommy!” she all but shouts, her eyes wide. “Look at all this money! There has to be a million dollars in here.”
Saige looks confused. “Where'd you find all that?”
“In my piggy bank.”
My eyes scan the room, looking anywhere but directly back at her.
“Colby!” She hisses accusingly. “Is that the rent money I gave you?”
It takes everything in me not to smile. “I can't answer that.”
“Why not?”
“Because Brenna told me not to lie.”
Saige sighs, and her eyes roll into the back of her head, but I can tell she’s not angry. “What am I going to do with you?”
I smile, purposely making my dimples show to give me some leverage. “Love me for eternity?”
She chuckles. “Like I ever had a say in that.”
“Mommy, can I get a Ferrari?” Brenna asks as she tries to count all the money.
Saige gets up and goes over to help her stack it all neatly together. “What do you want a Ferrari for? You can't even drive.”
“So? They're pretty.”
“You don't need one.”
B scoffs just like her mom. “You'd just be jealous because you don't have a Ferrari.”
I grin contently as I watch them bicker back and forth, knowing Saige doesn’t stand a chance in winning this one.
Everyone has that one true thing in their life. A childhood friend. A high school sweetheart. A trusted adult. Mine, on the other hand, is them.
Corrupt My Mind
My name is Zayn Bronsyn,
and I think I screwed up.
I wasn’t supposed to fall,
especially not for her.
She’s in a league of her own,
and I’m just her brother’s scumbag friend.
The last time I saw her,
she was thirteen with braces.
Now, she’s back from boarding school,
with an hourglass body that’ll bring me to my knees.
If Easton finds out I hooked up with his sister,
he might actually kill me.
She’s too innocent, too perfect for a guy like me,
but I can’t resist bringing her into my messed up world.
Amelia Donovan might be the one to revive my blackened heart.
Corrupt My Mind
Coming October 16, 2020
Want more Colby and Saige?
Check out this bonus chapter.
Acknowledgments
After The Rebel’s release day, my husband asked me how my day went. I told him it felt like my birthday. He laughed as I went to sleep saying, “Happy Birthday to me.” The next morning, I woke up with an idea. I was going to write a surprise book for my birthday.
Funny story. Colby was actually supposed to be a side character that disappeared by chapter eight of The Rebel. And well, clearly he had other things in mind. He has to be one of my favorite characters to date.
I knew that if I moved onto the spin-off series without writing Colby, the chances of me going back to him and telling his story were slim. Only because when you write, there is growth with the characters. And I couldn’t stomach the idea of not writing his story.
Colby, Saige, and Brenna stole my heart. I spent every day writing this until long past the time everyone in my house was asleep. The words felt like they were pouring out of me and I couldn’t possibly love this book any more than I do. I couldn’t love Colby any more than I do.
So, thank you to everyone who has written reviews asking me about if Colby is getting a story and to all of you who have sent me messages asking the same thing, because it assured me that it was the right thing to do.
Thank you to my team who listened to me stress out about whether or not I was going to have enough time to write it. All three of you deserve medals.
Thank you to Cassie Chapman with Opulent Designs for making such a FIRE cover. Seriously, you took my idea and made it more than I could have ever imagined, and I love you for it. Your talent is unmatched.
Thank you to my editor, Kiezha, and my proofreader, Tiffany, for working with me on my insanely tight schedule and making it perfect.
Thank you to all the friends who helped keep me focused and motivated to finish this book in time. Without you, it probably wouldn’t have gotten done.
And lastly, thank you to all of you, the readers, for loving Colby as much as I do. I know I say it a lot, but I wouldn’t be where I am without all of your support, and it means the world to me. I love you all.
xoxo,
Kels
About the Author
Kelsey Clayton is an internationally selling author of Contemporary Romance novels. She lives in a small town in Delaware with her husband, two kids, and dog.
She is an avid reader of fall hard romance. She believes that books are the best escape you can find, and that if you feel a range of emotions while reading her stories - she succeeded. She loves writing and is only getting started on this life long journey.
Kelsey likes to keep things in her life simple. Her ideal night is one with sweatpants, a fluffy blanket, cheese fries, and wine. She holds her friends and family close to her heart and would do just about anything to make them happy.
North Haven University
Corrupt My Mind (Coming 2020)
Change My Game (Coming 2020)
Wreck My Plans (Coming 2021)
Waste My Time (Coming 2021)
Haven Grace Prep
The Sinner
The Saint
The Rebel
The Enemy
The Sleepless November Saga
Sleepless November
Endless December
Seamless Forever
Awakened in September
Standalones
Returning to Rockport
Hendrix