Private Paradise by Jami Alden Read Free Book Online Page A

shrugged. “I was the one who did it. She was just along for
the ride. Besides, I was such a dick to her about the prom I feel
like I deserved it.”
    He was silent for a few seconds. “Want to
know something? I kind of wanted to go to prom. But I didn't have
the fifty bucks to buy one ticket, much less a couple hundred for
the limo, the dinner, and all that other bullshit.”
    The admission had made Carla's chest tight
and brought the sting of tears to her eyes. It was one thing to
realize someone was poor, but it was another to realize how that
translated into normal everyday things like prom.
    “ I didn't go to prom either,” she
whispered. “No one asked me.”
    Sam rolled her to her back and propped
himself up with his elbows on either side of her head. “I can't
believe what a bunch of dumbasses the guys in your class are, not
seeing how hot and smart you are.”
    Carla smiled into the darkness and pulled him
down to her, her heart exploding in her chest at his words. Sure,
he'd left a string of broken hearts including Natalie Cushman's in
his wake, but Carla was different. She had to be. There was no way
Sam had said things to them like he'd said to her. No way he had
shared his secrets and his hopes for the future. And there was
Chris, one of Sam's best friends. No way would he screw over his
best friend's cousin.
    And, she was convinced, no one had really
loved Sam. Not like she did.
    She cringed now, her fingers tightening
around the cold wrought iron of her balcony railing, remembering
just how stupid and naïve she'd been. How convinced she'd been that
she and Sam were destined to be together, especially after Sam's
father had shown up unexpectedly the first week in August, drunk
and demanding to see his son.
    Carla and Sam had been on their lunch break
and were flirting over burgers and fries when Frank O'Connell had
burst into the employee dining room. His eyes had locked first on
Sam, then Carla. The grin he gave them both was a little blurry
around the edges, but it couldn't hide the light of pure nastiness
in a pair of blue eyes that were a bloodshot, watery version of his
son's intense gaze.
    Conversation stopped as everyone turned to
watch the commotion.
    Sam had frozen, his face a grim mask.
    “ Come on kid, I haven't seen you in
weeks. Aren't you happy to see me?”
    Only Carla knew Sam well enough to see the
flush of embarrassment creeping across his tanned cheeks. She stood
up and offered her hand. “Hi, Mr. O'Connell, I'm Carla DeLuca, a
friend of Sam's.”
    Frank had focused his gaze on her and Carla
fought the urge to squirm as he eyed her up and down, his dark brow
cocked and his mouth quirked in a creepier version of his son's
cocky grin. “Well, Sam, I can see with this little thing to occupy
you, you wouldn't be missing me too much.” He'd continued to hold
her hand as his gaze narrowed on her face. “Why do I know you? Wait
a minute, you were in the paper. Valedictorian of your class this
year?”
    Carla had nodded, surprised Sam's dad read
the paper, much less retained any of the information in a brain
that was obviously pickled. “That's me,” she said, snatching her
hand away and surreptitiously wiping it on her uniform skirt.
    Frank's smile had taken on a cruel cast. “I'd
think a smart girl like you would know better than to mix it up
with a loser like Sam here.” He chuckled and turned his attention
back to Sam. “I guess it just proves, you show a girl a good enough
time in the sack and even the smartest ones will be panting after
you like a bitch―”
    Sam had exploded from the table, grabbed his
father by the wrist, and twisted his arm up his back. He started
pushing his father, who was struggling and shouting obscenities,
toward the door. “Stay out of this, Carla,” Sam had shouted when
she would have followed.
    More than the words, it was the look on his
face that froze her where she stood. His mouth pulled into a snarl,
his eyes bright with fury like she'd never