Missing Piece: Kindred #1 Read online

  Missing Piece

  Kindred series book one

  Lizzie James

  Copyright © 2018 Lizzie James

  This book is a work of fiction, names of characters, some places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual events, places or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, transmitted or stored in a database in any form, without the prior permission of the publisher.

  This book shall not be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent.

  Published by Lizzie James 2018

  Edited by Eleanor Lloyd-Jones at Schmidt Author Services

  Formatted by Rachael Tonks at Affordable Formatting

  Cover Design by Kathryn Dee

  Cover Model: Camila Andrews

  Photo Credit: Warren James at Warren James Photography

  All Rights Reserved

  Contents

  Author’s note

  1. Tillie

  2. Johnny

  3. Tillie

  4. Johnny

  5. Tillie

  6. Johnny

  7. Tillie

  8. Johnny

  9. Tillie

  10. Johnny

  11. Tillie

  12. Johnny

  13. Tillie

  14. Johnny

  15. Tillie

  16. Johnny

  17. Tillie

  18. Johnny

  19. Tillie

  20. Johnny

  21. Tillie

  About the Author

  Also by Lizzie James

  Author’s note

  First, I have to give a massive thanks to you. The reader. Without you, I wouldn’t be able to do what I do. This book is for you.

  Firstly, I have to thank the amazing Camila Andrews. You became the perfect Tillie and thank you so much for being my cover model. Can’t wait to see you at Belfast!

  I would also like to thank these amazing women – Scarlet Le Clair, Kathryn Dee, Rebecca Barber, Jade Pitman, Kathryn Stokes, Tania Shrimpton, Emma Lloyd & Louise Evans – your support and belief in me has been amazing and I’m so thankful to everything you’ve done for me. From the daily pimping, to facebook messages. Thank you!

  To my beta readers – Scarlet Le Clair, Kathryn Dee, Lorren Smith, Paula Tarpley Genereau, Karen Bill, Amanda Williams & Emma Lloyd – thank you all so much for your honesty.

  To my mother, Susan, again, thank you again for just being you.

  To Carl and Stuart, my brothers. Thanks for just being there.

  To the most amazing cover designer I could ever ask for. Kathryn Dee, thank you so much and I love working with you.

  Eleanor Lloyd-Jones and Rachael Tonks. Thank you for being a part of this book.

  Thank you to all the bloggers that have helped me and the ladies that share me. You guys rock and your support is amazing.

  Hope you enjoy this book!

  Love,

  Lizzie x

  1

  Tillie

  Walking onto college ground after leaving high school was scary, I’m not going to lie, especially if you were me. Carrying a plastic box and one single suitcase was tragic. I didn’t have any of the belongings that everyone else seemed to have. Most of the students there had parents and friends helping them to carry their stuff to their dorm rooms.

  Me? I was simple, or pathetic really depending on how you looked at it.

  I quickly made my way to the main office to collect my class schedule and pick up my keys for wherever I was staying.

  Please give me a single dorm room.

  I approached the office door just as someone pulled it open from the inside. I continued walking forward, hoping whoever was inside would be nice. I hated rude people.

  That was the first bad choice of the day.

  I stepped over the threshold of the doorway when my foot collided with something. Looking down over the box I was carrying, I could see it was someone’s leg.

  Fucking great.

  I went ass over suitcase and ended up sprawled over it on the floor. Thankfully, I was dressed in leggings, so I wasn’t flashing my ass to the whole world and whatever douche had tripped me over.

  “Oh, my dear,” an older woman’s voice called. “Are you okay?”

  I groaned, still slumped over my suitcase.

  Just kill me now.

  “Logan, be a gentleman and help the girl up.” The woman had a bit of a bossy tone to her, which I kind of liked.

  “I don’t know,” a hot male voice said from behind me. “It looks like a good view from here.” He chuckled under his breath and I just knew that my ass would be starring in his dreams tonight.

  I leaned back on my knees just as a hand appeared at my side. Without arguing, I took it and used him to help me to get back up on my feet. As I did, I looked up at him to give him some abuse for knocking me on my ass when it happened: mouth fell open and mind went blank.

  Damn. Did all the guys around here look like him?

  The guy was about two inches taller than me with dark hair. I could see what looked like the point of a star tattoo on his arm beneath the sleeve of his t-shirt.

  He must have read the look on my face when he smirked. He leaned over and pressed his finger underneath my chin, lifting it up to close my mouth.

  How embarrassing!

  “It’s all right, darlin’,” he mocked. “Everyone wants me.” He winked and turned around, leaving me with a receptionist that was no doubt gawking at the both of us.

  I shook my head, grabbing my suitcase and box, dropping it on the floor by the counter.

  “Are you okay?” she asked, looking over her glasses at me.

  I wanted to laugh at the look of concern on her face. I nodded, giving her a tight smile. “I’ve come to collect my class schedule and the keys to my dorm room.”

  “Oh, right,” she said, flustered. “What’s the name?”

  “Tillie Jacobs,” I replied.

  Please give me a single.

  Looking around at the walls, it was obvious that this was a football school. Just like my research had shown. All around the room, there were pictures of the team and their cheer squad throughout the years hung the whole way around the room.

  I looked back to the receptionist, frowning when I realized she was still looking for my name in whatever filing system she had. Surely the letter J wasn’t that hard to find.

  “Here we are,” she smiled. The smile didn’t stay on her face for long, though.

  “Everything okay?”

  “Well…” She wouldn’t look at me for some reason. She slid a form across the counter toward me. “There seems to be a problem with your transcript.”

  “Problem?” I asked meekly. I took a step closer so I could try to see whatever she was reading on the form. Her finger pointed to the section where my name was, and I wanted to groan. I had filled the entire form in blue ink when I should have used black. However, in the housing section, there was a big blue check mark in the ‘other housing already occupied’ box.

  “What the hell?” I shrieked, taking a closer look. “Who filled that part in?”

  How could I be so stupid to mess this up?

  “I assumed you did, sweetie.” The look of doubt on her face had me shaking my head.

  If I hadn’t ticked the box and if she hadn’t ticked the box, that left me up shit creek without a paddle. “So where does that leave me? I get a dorm, right?”

  She turned and grabbed a pile of papers.

  Watching her for a few moments, I began to worry. Where the hell would I be staying for the next school year? She looked up at me and I knew that whatev
er she was about to say was going to be bad.

  “I’m sorry to say, all available dorms have been assigned to students.” She cringed when she said it. I couldn’t be angry at her. It wasn’t her fault. I just wanted to disappear into a big hole.

  “So, I have nowhere to go?” I was trying hard not to panic, but from the look of sympathy on her face, it was obvious I was failing.

  “The only thing I can advise is to apply to a sorority house.”

  She had to be fucking kidding. Me, Tillie Jacobs, apply to be a pledge at a prissy sorority house? Hell would have to freeze over first.

  I nodded, letting her think that was my decision. Quickly grabbing my suitcase, I exited her office sighing loudly. I knew I should have let Dad come with me. But no. I had to be my stupid, independent self.

  Looking around outside, I tried searching for someone of authority. There was sure to be someone that could help me escape my fate as a stupid sorority slut.

  Leaning against the wall outside was the guy I’d clumsily tripped over. Logan, was it? I was never attracted to the bad boy, tattooed type but I couldn’t deny he was good looking. I must have stared at him for a little too long when he cocked his eyebrow at me.

  “What’s the problem, sugar?” He smirked cockily at me, probably assuming that I was checking him out, which I obviously was.

  “Nothing.” I shook my head, dreading my next words. “Do you know where the nearest sorority house is?” I shuffled my feet, fidgeting on the spot.

  He smirked, taking a drag on his cigarette. His eyes slowly trailed down my body and back up before he bothered to reply. “You don’t look like sorority material.” He chuckled, flicking his cigarette to the floor before stubbing it out with his shoe.

  I wrinkled my nose in disgust at his actions. I had no problem with smokers, but people who threw their rubbish on the floor really wound me up.

  Before I could say anything, he bent down and picked the stub up. He moved a few steps away, depositing the stub in the bin. “So,” he said, turning back to face me. “Why are you looking for a sorority?”

  I cringed, wanting nothing more than to avoid this conversation but it obviously wasn’t going to happen. “I kind of messed up my admission form.” I couldn’t look at him, so I stared at the tree behind him.

  “What do you mean by ‘kind of’?” His head ducked into my line of sight and he had the widest grin on his face. He must have thought I was a complete idiot.

  “I didn’t fill the housing section in right, okay?” I snapped at him, hating how this day was going.

  He kept a straight face for all of two seconds before he threw his head back, letting out a proper belly laugh.

  Just fucking great!

  I narrowed my eyes, trying not to show how angry and upset I was by him laughing at me. I grabbed the handle on my suitcase and began walking away from him.

  Before I could get too far, he ran after me and positioned himself in front of me, stopping me in my tracks.

  “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” He looked at me with a small smirk on his face. “I didn’t mean to laugh.”

  “Yes, you did.” I wasn’t a fool. If someone had told me the same, I’d probably have laughed too.

  “It was funny.” He grinned at me, making me roll my eyes, not sure whether it was at him or at the situation. “So, you need to find a place to stay, right?”

  I appreciated him trying to change the subject. Today had to get better.

  I nodded, hoping like hell he had another option. It had never been a part of my plan to become besties with sorority sisters.

  He grabbed the handle of my suitcase and moved it toward him. Taking a few steps, he nodded his head toward the path and I quickly fell into sync with him.

  “So, I can either point you in the direction of our sororities or I can give you another option.”

  “What is it?” I eagerly asked. “I’ll take anything.”

  “Well, I have a neighbour. She’s an older lady, who can rent you a room. She’s cool but will probably need a little help around the house. You know, cooking, cleaning… that kind of stuff.” He cocked an eyebrow at me, waiting for my reaction.

  It sounded like heaven compared to what would be in store for me if I went to a sorority house. I couldn’t help myself. I threw myself at him, giving him a hug. He squeezed me gently before letting me go.

  We quickly made our way across town in a taxi, and I couldn’t help but wonder what was waiting for me. Back home, I lived with my Dad and it was always just the two of us. I hoped this lady was nice and could help me.

  After paying the taxi driver, I pulled my suitcase behind me, following Logan up the path. Staring up at the house, I was impressed: it looked like a lovely home. The walls were an oak brown and there were flowers lining the path to the house. I could see this lady was house proud. Maybe I was in luck. I was lost in my own little world when I was hit from the side. I didn’t stumble too far, thankfully.

  A pair of hands grabbed me, making sure I didn’t fall.

  I looked up coming face to face with a pair of green eyes. I couldn’t shout or get angry with him for nearly knocking me off my feet. He had black, shaggy hair—a bit like you’d expect a skater boy to look like, and, looking down, I saw I was right in my assumptions. In his hand was indeed a skateboard with illuminous green splotches of paint on it.

  “I’m so sorry.” He grinned, releasing his hold on me. “I didn’t mean to bump into you.”

  “That’s okay.” I smiled, accepting his apology. I began walking toward Logan, who immediately slid his arm over my shoulders.

  “Are you visiting someone?” He cocked an eyebrow at me, probably wondering why he’d never seen me before.

  “No.” I shook my head. “I’m hoping to take the last spare room. Do you live here?” I pointed to the ground beneath me.

  He quickly shook his head and pointed his thumb over his shoulder to the large house opposite. My eyes widened in surprise. That was one big house. Probably host to a lot of college parties.

  “I’m Sammy.” He smiled again, showing off his pearly white teeth.

  Sammy was cute in a ‘boy next door’ kind of way. He grinned before Logan cleared his throat, gaining both of our attention.

  “See you later, Sammy.” He gave him a cocky smirk before he steered me toward the door.

  When we reached the door, he unwrapped his arm from my shoulders and pushed the handle down, opening the door and walking straight in.

  “Logan!” I whispered roughly, shocked at how cocky he was acting.

  He rolled his eyes, reaching forward and taking my hand in his. “Come on,” he chuckled. “She doesn’t bite.”

  I widened my eyes, allowing him to drag me further into the house.

  “Honey, I’m home,” he mockingly called, poking his head through the door into the lounge.

  “Hey, sweetie,” an older, sweet voice replied to him. “There are some cookies in the kitchen for you to take over to the house.”

  He untangled his fingers from mine, walking to the armchair by the window. He quickly leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to her cheek.

  I smiled in surprise at his actions. You’d never think this tattooed bad boy was a softie at heart.

  “I brought a visitor for you.” He grinned, stepping to the side so that she could see me.

  She smiled in response and wasted no time in standing up to greet me.

  “This is Joy. She looks after us with sugary cookies and stuff.” He gave me a quick wink before continuing with his introductions. “This is Tillie. She’s a new friend of mine.” He took a few steps away from Joy and stood back at my side. “I have a favor to ask.”

  She never stopped smiling at him. “What’s the problem?” Her eyes flickered between Logan and me. I could see from the look on her face that she adored this boy.

  “So, Tillie here has kind of messed up her application…” He rolled his eyes mockingly. “Short story: she doesn’t have a dorm room.�
��

  Her face broke out into a sympathetic expression at his words. “Oh, you poor thing.” She quickly stepped toward me and wrapped her arms around me.

  I hugged her back, allowing her to rock me from side to side. My eyes met Logan’s and he gave me a goofy grin, pushing his thumbs up. I rolled my eyes at how silly he was.

  “Well, let’s get you settled then.” She pulled back from me, looking me in the eyes. “You’re welcome to stay here, sweet girl.”

  My eyes widened in shock at how quickly she was ready to take me in to her home as a guest. “I can pay you rent. I’ll get a part time job and do whatever I can to help out.” I was babbling at that point. I wouldn’t have been surprised if she hadn’t understood me.

  “Oh, hush,” she admonished me. “If you can help with the shopping and help me around the house, that’s all I ask.”

  I shook my head. This was too much. I couldn’t just take a room off this kind lady and not even offer any money in payment.

  “Can I please pay you rent?” I’d clean the house every day if she needed it but taking a room for free. I just couldn’t do that.

  “Absolutely not.” She moved closer to me, taking my hands in hers. “Please let me help you.” She nodded her head towards Logan, a cheeky smile gracing her face. “This one over here.” She shook her head. “Those boys across the road have become like family. They’re always over here raiding my cupboards for cookies.”

  I giggled at the thought of Logan on a sugar-high.

  “I need the extra help around here.” She winked at me, reminding me so much of my own grand-mother that passed away a few years ago.

  I nodded my head, reluctantly giving in. I’d find a way to repay her. Even if it was only through grocery shopping. “Thank you so much!” I enthused, tightening my grip on her hands.