Abandon: The Unloveable Series Book One

Abandon, Book 1 in the Unlovable Series

Written by Michelle Lowhorn

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Cover Art by Steelyard Graphics

First Edition

©2014, Michelle Lowhorn

Exclusive publishing Rights granted to Rebel Ink Press, LLC by permission of the author

www.rebelinkpress.com

Thank you to my wonderful family for all of their support.

Randy, Jessie, Nate, Mom, & Dad.

I love you!

I appreciate the amazing group of people

at Rebel Ink Press!

Thank you Cindy Cowan for agreeing to

be my critique partner!

Prologue

The most beautiful woman in the universe ran across the open field toward him.  From the first moment he’d laid eyes on her, he’d known she’d eventually be his.  Her long blonde curls bounced with each step she took.  The short, blue sun dress molded to the tiny bump proving she carried a stowaway.  As she approached, he could see her trademark megawatt smile and laughter in her piercing blue eyes.  Just the mere sight of his gorgeous woman took his breath away every time.  But the thing he was most proud of was that she wore his ring and bore his name, Hennessey.

He caught Brooklyn as she leaped into his arms and he spun her around and around.  “I can’t believe this land and house are really ours,” she giggled as he continued to twirl her through the air.

“Will this place make you happy, love?”

“Garret, I’d be happy living in a cardboard box as long as I was with you.  I love you with all my heart,” she proclaimed followed by a passionate kiss.

“If you kiss me like that again, we’ll never have our picnic.  Remember you’re eating for two now so it’s doubly important you have a nutritious meal.” Garret mockingly scolded her as he spread the red and white checkered blanket out on the lush green grass.  “Take a seat, love, and I’ll show you everything packed in this huge wicker basket.  The appetizer for today is one of your favorites, plump globe grapes, sliced cheddar cheese and sparkling grape juice.  Sorry but you’re not allowed to have champagne for at least another six more months.  Today’s main course is my mom’s famous fried chicken, potato salad, baked beans, and homemade yeast rolls,” Garret announced as he pulled each item from the basket.

“What’s for desert?”

“That’s a surprise and only if you eat all of your lunch, young lady,” Garret said with mock sternness.

Brooklyn picked up a grape and popped it into her mouth like a good girl as she stared at her husband. 

“I promise to do everything in my power to make you happy, Brooklyn.  I will love you until the day I day and I promise never to let you down,” Garret proclaimed as he lightly stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers.

“Wake up, Hennessey.  Nap time is over, asshole,” the gruff voice announced a second before an enormous fist connected a painful punch to the right cheek which forced blood to spray out of the opposite side of his mouth.

“Where did you hide the package you son of a bitch?”  The same fist landed an uppercut to the chin causing his head snap back and slam against the brick wall.

“Boss, he isn’t going to talk.  We’re wasting our time. Besides, my knuckles are swollen and split,” whispered a voice.

Garret opened the only eye that would cooperate to see who’d entered the small room while he dozed. 

“You’ve turned out to be quite a surprise, Hennessey.  I never would have thought you had the balls to steal from me but even more impressive is how long you’ve lasted without breaking.  I always thought you were the pansy of the family.  Gage is the one I felt like was more my rival in intelligence and endurance.  Well done, Hennessey.  But I’ve grown tired of this fun.”

Please forgive me, my love.

“Bang!”  The force from the bullet sprayed his brains out the back of his head.  “Clean this mess up and dump the body where I told you.”

Chapter One

A beautiful female alto voice sang the tender words to Amazing Grace in the background as Gage Hennessey entered the room assigned to his younger brother in the only funeral home in the small town.  Quickly scanning the room, he spotted his elderly parents.  It was no surprise their faces looked hollow and their usual spirit drained.  Sadly, they were nearly unrecognizable.  Their defeated look sent a pang through his normally callous heart.

He’d dropped everything and hopped on the first flight out of the Central American hell hole he currently resided in.  No longer did he work for the United States government, now he answered to no one but himself.  He and his team of expert commandos provided protection for the families of the worst kind of scum ever born. The only difference from what seemed like a life time ago was the size of his paycheck.   Initially, when he still had a conscience, he’d felt guilty working for the leeches that preyed on the weak and desolate.  Now a days, the only thing he felt was numb at least until he received the call from his nearly hysterical father.  Ever since he boarded the plane, a bottomless rage consumed his thoughts.  As soon as he performed his brotherly duty, his top priority would be to hunt down these dregs of society that killed his younger brother.  Before he was finished, the wretches would suffer unmercifully right up to the last second before he took their worthless lives.

A soft touch to his sleeve brought Gage back to the present.  “I’m so glad you’re here, son.”  His father, Daniel, quietly spoke the words as he pulled Gage into a bear hug. “Your mother and I need you. Thank you for coming so quickly.”

It was a mystery where Gage and his brother, Garret, got their height because none of the men on either side of the family came up to his chin.  For most of his life, Daniel had stood a proud six feet but today he looked as though he’d shrank several inches.  It had been almost two years since Gage made the trek home for a visit.  Today he was full of regrets and especially for not making the journey home months ago when his father first eluded to the fact his younger brother might be in a bit of trouble.  Had his parents aged so much before the strain of losing their youngest child or was it directly related to Garret’s death.  Because of his selfishness and unwillingness to come home, he’d never know the answer.

A few seconds later, his mother ran into his open arms nearly knocking him over from the force of her contact.  He lovingly held both his parents as they cried their hearts out on the front of his shirt.  He’d gladly give everything he owned, if only he’d wake up and find this ordeal was all a bad dream.

“A parent should never have to bury their child,” his mother, Marie, said with a strangled voice. 

“I know, Mom.  I’m so sorry I wasn’t here to protect him,” Gage whispered in her ear.

“Don’t you dare think like that?  Do you hear me, Gage?  It wouldn’t have made a difference if you were here or not.  His body might have died two days ago, but the true Garret Hennessey disappeared months back.  The drugs took everything; his family, his laughter, his demeanor including his spirit.  There was nothing any of us could have done to change that so I don’t want you to feel any guilt.”

They could have saved their breath because it didn’t matter what anybody said, he should have been there.  It had always been his job to protect his little brother, whether Garret was five years old or twenty five.  It was a proven fact Garret Hennessey was incapable of staying out of trouble.  In high school, he was constantly getting into scuffles with the other boys.  With an inner smile, Gage remembered the times when he’d have to take over Garret’s fist fights because his brother was in over his head.  This time, Gage failed in his duty to keep him safe.

On Gage’s tenth birthday, his parents had given him the best birthday present ever, a younger brother.  Even with ten years separating their birth, the brothers shared numerous characteristics, abilities, and interests such as:  height, body build, love of nature, superior athleticism, enjoyment of watching horror films, and unfortunately they loved the same woman. 

Gage would never forget the night Garret brought Brooklyn to dinner for the first time.  It might have been five long years ago but it still felt like yesterday.  Gage had been home on leave when his brother introduced his family to his girlfriend.  The instant Gage’s eyes focused on her, he’d fallen in love.  She’d been a twenty year old college student working on her teaching degree the first time they met.  Her long blonde hair, piercing blue eyes, and gorgeous body had nearly knocked the breath from his lungs.  But when he heard her husky voice, the blood rushed from his brain straight to his crotch.  Damn she was the sexiest woman he’d ever seen.

“Gage…Gage.  Are you listening to me?”

“Sorry, Mom.  I was lost in thought.  What did you say?”

“I asked if you ate before you arrived.”

Did every mother find happiness in cooking for her sons or just his?  It never mattered what the occasion, if there even was one, her initial instinct was to cook for him.  There seemed to be an underlying message food solved all problems.  “I ate dinner on the plane,” he answered absentmindedly.

“That’s not enough food to fill up a big man like you,” she scoffed as she swiped her hand through the air.  “I’ll make you something to eat as soon as we get home.  I moved some thick steaks from the freezer to the fridge this morning just in case you were hungry.”

From previous experience, he knew there was no use arguing.  If his mom got it into her head he needed to eat, then by God he’d better eat.

“Daddy!” Squealed a high pitched voice seconds before something tiny plowed into his right calf.

****

Brooklyn could understand why her toddler was confused.  Gage looked almost identical to her recently deceased husband before the drugs ravaged his body. 

The first time she’d met Garret would forever be burned into her memory.  She’d stayed on campus during spring break because the price of a plane ticket home had been outside of her miniscule budget.  If it hadn’t been for a hardship scholarship, she’d never been able to go to college and therefore never met the man of her dreams.  In hindsight, that dreamy thought was ridiculous.  She and a friend had flirted with the bouncer to gain access to the only bar in town.  In those days, she loved to dance.  She’d been showing off her moves when she made eye contact with an attractive man standing at the bar.  She’d stood paralyzed by his intense gaze as Garret quickly closed the gap between them. He didn’t even ask her to dance, he just wrapped his arms around her, pulled her against his chest, and swayed to a rhythm all their own.  They slowed danced the entire night.  Whatever Garret wanted, he got.  All those years ago, she’d been convinced it was destiny.  If the situation wasn’t so horrific, it would almost be funny.

Gage turned around and looked down at her baby.  Makynlee practically fell on her diapered bottom trying to tilt her head back far enough to look the giant in the face.  “Daddy, up!”  Makynlee stood up and high stepped to her own rhythm as she squealed with delight.

Goliath reached down and plucked the tiny tot off the floor.  The little girl placed a miniature hand on each cheek and closely inspected his face.  After a minute, she turned back to look at her mother and smiled.  “Wook Mommy.  Daddy tome bat.”

The only thing that kept her from breaking into sobs was the look of pure hatred on Gage’s face.  Brooklyn expected him to be upset with her but she hadn’t banked on this level of animosity.  Obviously he blamed her for what happened.  It shouldn’t have surprised her, Gage had never cared for her.

“No Makynlee, this is your Uncle Gage.  He’s Daddy’s brother,” Brooklyn quietly corrected as she dared to venture closer to him.

With a wrinkled forehead, the confused little girl turned back toward Gage.  Her tiny hands rubbed his cheeks as her eyes meticulously inspected every inch of his face.  Without warning, Makynlee placed a loud smacking kiss on Gage’s lips and wrapped her arms around his neck in a monstrous bear hug as she loudly giggled.  “Kynwee miss, Daddy.  Owwie, Daddy home!” The tiny tot exclaimed to everyone in the room.

“No, Sweetheart.  This isn’t your Daddy.  Remember Daddy went to heaven.” Gage’s mother explained as she reached for her granddaughter.

“No Gammy,” the toddler cried as she attempted to walk up his chest so her grandmother couldn’t pry her little arms from around Gage’s neck.

“It’s alright, Mom.”  The overly muscular man pulled Makynlee back into his arms.  The two stared at each other for a full minute.  It was a toss-up as to which one scrutinized the other’s face the most.

There was no denying Brooklyn’s three daughters were Hennessey’s.  All the girls had the trademark strawberry blonde hair and piercing blue eyes.  Garret’s mother had mountains of photos of her two sons as small boys.  Their hair might have darkened as adults but when they were young, Garret and Gage had the exact same colored hair.

Gage’s deep voice pulled Brooklyn from her daydream.  “Sorry, Muffin.  I might look a lot like your Daddy but I’m not him,” he explained as he handed her off to his mother.

That’s when he fixed his stone cold stare on Brooklyn.  She’d tried to prepare herself for his anger but she’d always had difficulty maintaining her emotions around the overbearing man.  Everything about Gage was over the top.  He towered above everyone else and Brooklyn didn’t even come up to his shoulder.  From her advantage point, Brooklyn had a front row view at the man’s massive chest and abnormally bulky biceps that proved Gage’s relentless workout routine.  Even though Gage was no longer in the armed forces, he still kept his auburn hair cut military short.  But it was his intimidating stare that always sent chills throughout her body.  At first glance, his eyes seemed to bore a hole into his intended victim.  On deeper inspection, Brooklyn was moved by the pain and despair hidden behind his emotionless façade.

“I’m surprised to see you here.  I’d have thought your guilt for driving him away would ensure your absence from his funeral.”  There was no mistaking his barely contained anger toward her.  She’d guessed he’d blame her for his brother’s death.  It was no secret Gage never felt like she deserved Garret.  He’d done everything in his power to keep his younger brother from marrying her five years ago.  Perhaps fate had been just to punish her with the last three years of misery for loving one brother and marrying the other.  Undoubtedly she deserved Gage’s hatred.

“You need to leave be…”

“No, son.  This isn’t the place for it and besides, you don’t know what Garret put her through,” Daniel scolded as he lightly touched his son’s arm.

Brooklyn’s four and a half year old daughter, Olivia, wrapped her arms around Brooklyn’s leg as she peered up at the unfamiliar giant.  “Who is that, Mommy?  He looks a lot like Daddy.”

“This is Daddy’s brother, Gage.  You were just a toddler the last time he visited.”

“Hello, Pumpkin.  You probably don’t remember me because the last time I saw you, you were about the size of Makynlee,” the large man remarked as he knelt down to her level.  “I gave you the nickname pumpkin, because your hair was the color of a pumpkin when you were born.”

The baby in Brooklyn’s arms gave a cry to make sure she wasn’t ignored.  By the look of surprise, Brooklyn guessed Gage hadn’t been told his brother had a third daughter.  “This is Sadie.  She’ll be three months old next week.  I believe she’s hungry so I’ll find a quiet place to feed her.  If you’ll excuse me?” 

“You go right ahead, Daniel and I will watch the girls for you,” Gage’s mother offered as Makynlee unexpectedly lunged for Gage.  Thankfully her uncle caught her seconds before the tiny girl tumbled to the ground.

Brooklyn was only too happy to run and hide from Gage’s menacing gaze.  Only slowing down enough to snag the diaper bag, she made a fast getaway.

****

“Pick Owwie up,” Makynlee demanded as she pointed her chubby index finger toward her sister.

“Do you want me to pick up Ollie?” Gage asked the toddler in his arms just to verify that’s what she’d said.  When she nodded her head, he followed her directions and lifted the preschooler with his other arm.

“She can’t say my name, so when she tries, it comes out like that.  Mommy says I should get used to it because Makynlee will probably always call me Owwie.  She said that Daddy couldn’t say your name either when he was little.  Mommy said he called you Dage.  She told me that Makynlee is lucky to have an older sister like Daddy was lucky to have you.  It’s my job to protect Makynlee and Sadie, right Uncle Gage?”

The large, usually in control at all times soldier was intimidated by the two little girls.

“Owwie, tive Daddy tiss.  He tome bat home to us.”

“Are you going to come live with us like Makynlee said?  Maybe if you help Mommy fix all the broken things then we won’t have to go live with Grammy and Papaw.  I think Mommy needs to be loved because she cries a lot.  Maybe you could love her as much as she loves us?  Then she wouldn’t be sad no more.”

Gage looked at his parents for help, but they weren’t offering any.  They seemed to be enjoying his discomfort.  “Papaw and Grammy are excited for you to come live with us.  We’d be so sad if you didn’t move in,” Marie said with a smile.  “Here, let us hold the girls so you can catch up with some of your old school mates.  I think most of the town showed up to pay their respects,” Gage’s mother suggested as she and Daniel held their arms out for their granddaughters.