How can you continue living when you’re living a lie? How can you convince your body to stop feeling, your soul to stop caring, and your heart to stop beating? Haunted by her past, Olivia Adler flees Boston for a beach in Florida, leaving everyone behind, trying to shut the world out. Remaining a relative recluse in her self-imposed prison, she tries to turn everything off, wanting to feel nothing. But a new acquaintance won’t let that happen. After being away from Alexander for a month, his voice constantly ringing in her head, reminding her that her inability to confront her demons will not only destroy her, but also him, can she really be expected to want to feel again when it brings nothing but pain? Back in Boston, everywhere he turns, Alexander Burnham is reminded of Olivia… His Olivia… He tries to dull the ache left in his heart the only way he knows how… in the bed of a beautiful woman. But Alexander isn’t about to lose his Olivia. After a clue comes to light regarding Olivia’s whereabouts, can he convince her to return to Boston with him? When a force that has laid dormant for months resurfaces, can Alexander still protect her from the unknown danger? And when Alexander comes face to face with a shadow of both his and Olivia’s past, will he be able to tell her the secret that is threatening to tear them apart? A Tragic Wreck is the continuation of T.K. Leigh’s heart-breakingBeautiful Mess series.
“Just answer me one question, Olivia,” Alexander said loudly over the rain that had begun to drench them both. His tone gave her pause. She slowly turned around to face him.
Taking a step toward her, he gently brushed her damp hair back, caressing the scar on her forehead. “Does he make you come the way I do?” he asked, his voice husky with desire for the woman standing in front of him.
Olivia’s head shot up.
“Does he know how to make your body react with just a simple touch?” He ran his fingers down her arm, making her entire body want to melt into his. “Does he drive you wild when he’s inside you?” Placing his hand on the small of her back, he pulled her against him. Lightening coursed through her soul from feeling Alexander’s body flush with hers again. He leaned down, his lips feathering soft kisses along her neck. “Is he strong enough to be with you? Does he make you feel whole?”
Olivia scrambled to get out of his embrace, needing to distance herself from him. She looked down at her feet, not wanting to look into the same green eyes that found her in her dreams each and every night.
“Olivia, look at me.”
She raised her head quickly, her body betraying her by so eagerly obeying Alexander’s demand.
“Do you really want to live life without me in it?!” he cried out.
Olivia’s chin trembled as she thought about what life without Alexander had been like. She hated every second of it, but she couldn’t be with him. It would only end badly for all involved. “I can’t, Alexander,” she quivered. “I wish I could, but I just can’t.”
“Why, Olivia? Please. Tell me why and I’ll leave you alone. Why him and not me?”
She stared into his eyes as they fought back tears. “You want to know why?” she spat out. “Because I’ll never love him. I can walk away from Cam anytime because I don’t feel anything for him. And I just don’t want to feel, Alexander. I’m done feeling. It hurts too much. My entire life, everyone I’ve ever cared about has been ripped from my world. You said it yourself. I’ll just destroy you, too. So, please, go home. Find someone else and forget that I ever walked into your life that night back in August. Please. I beg you. I’ll never be able to get over my past.” Olivia brought her hand up to wipe at the tears that were flowing down her cheeks.
“That’s not your decision to make, love.”
She melted at his term of endearment. Alexander placed his hand on the small of her back again, pulling her body toward his. She gasped at his erection pressed against her stomach. “I want you to feel, Olivia,” he whispered. “I want to you to feel me. Don’t deny your body what it needs.” He leaned down, planting gentle kisses on her neck. “I’ve missed the smell and feel of your skin, love.”
She stilled, not wanting to get pulled back into his web. “Do. Not. Call. Me. That.” She pushed against him, ridding herself of his embrace and heading toward her front door.
“Please, Olivia…” Alexander begged.
“I’ve kept my end of the bargain, Alex,” she hissed, spinning around, her eyes blazing. “I told you why him. So leave.” She lowered her voice. “Please, Alex. You need to forget about me.” He was so close and Olivia could feel her resolve starting to melt. She secretly wanted to jump on him, kiss him deeply, and feel him inside of her. But she couldn’t do that. She needed to forget about him. The attraction scared her to death and she knew that she would only end up shattered in the end. She knew she couldn’t deal with that pain.
He pulled back, looking at her. “Tell me you don’t want me in your life and I’ll go. I want to hear you say the words, Olivia. Tell me you don’t care about me. That you’ve moved on. That you’re happy. Say the words, and I’ll leave right now and forget all about you.” A tear fell down his cheek as a lump formed in his throat from the thought of losing his Olivia once more. “Say the words, love, and you’ll never have to see my face again.”
Review by Tabitha
T. K. Leigh, otherwise known as Tracy Leigh Kellam, is a producer / attorney by trade. Originally from New England, she now resides in sunny Southern California with her husband, dog and three cats, all of which she has rescued (including the husband). She always had a knack for writing, but mostly in the legal field. It wasn’t until recently that she decided to try her hand at creative writing and is now addicted to creating different characters and new and unique story lines in the Contemporary Romantic Suspense genre. When she’s not planted in front of her computer, writing away, she can be found running and training for her next marathon (of which she has run over fifteen fulls and far too many halfs to recall). Unlike Olivia, the main character in her Beautiful Mess series, she has yet to qualify for the Boston Marathon.
February 24
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February 26
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February 28
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Even though it is such an angsty read, I love this series
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