You're Mine, Nicole (Mr. Mitchell Book 2) Read online

  You’re Mine,

  Nicole

  Luxx Monroe

  Copyright © 2016 by Luxx Monroe

  Kindle Edition

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Cover Created by Premade Cover Art

  Edited by Aquila

  Formatted by BB eBooks

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  About the Book

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Epilogue

  From The Author

  Find Me Online

  Excerpt from Take Me Home

  What happens when you’re finally ready to admit something, something that you really believed wasn’t possible, but it may be too late?

  Garren Mitchell and Nicole Swanson met each other under a very unusual circumstance, but their attraction to each other was too strong to ignore. Garren’s guarded heart prevented him from giving in to the one person he’d finally felt that rare connection with, causing that love to drift away. Garren blames himself for the pain he’s caused Nicole, and isn’t sure he’ll be able to live his life without her.

  How will their love story end? Find out in You’re Mine, Nicole, book two in the Mr. Mitchell serial.

  *Intended for an 18+ audience. It is strongly advised to read book one in the Mr. Mitchell series before reading book two.

  Part II

  Chapter One

  Garren

  There’s a saying that all men should strive to learn what they are running from, running to, and why, before they die. I was a man who was running away from love. Why? Because I was afraid that I’d end up just like my father. The funny thing about that is, I’d turned out way worse than him. At least he owned up to his mistakes. Me? I may have just turned away the best thing that had ever happened to me.

  I didn’t know how, but I knew one thing was for sure. Nicole was not sleeping with another man, because she was mine. I didn’t care if it made me look fucking crazy, it just wasn’t going to happen. So I did the first thing that came to my mind. I called Nicole to tell her to stop all of this. To come home to me and to make me a better man. I’d turn in my notice with Dean Benton and we could try it—this—out together. As a couple. I called her more than a dozen times, and each time it went straight to her voicemail. “Fuck!” What had I done? I’d practically forced the only woman I’d ever had real feelings for into the arms of another man. A boy, really. A boy who seemed a little off to me. Nicole thought I was just jealous when I would tell her that there was something wrong with that kid, but it wasn’t jealousy, it was a gut instinct.

  The cool leather on my steering wheel was most likely making an indention on my forehead. I’d been debating my next move, and I’d finally come up with my final decision. Yes, Nicole voluntarily walked into that dipshit’s apartment, but I needed to do something that would get her back. I needed to march up to his apartment and get my girl, and that’s exactly what I was going to do.

  * * *

  The apartment I was standing in front of must house a few students, because just when I was about to resort to breaking down the damn door with my foot, a few young women came strutting up to the front entrance, sliding a card that granted them access. Bingo.

  “Ladies, would you mind telling me which apartment belongs to Chad McDermott?” Just saying the little creep’s name sent a wave of anger through my body, but I put on a strong face and gave the unsuspecting girls my best smile.

  “You’re Professor Mitchell, right?” one of them asked and giggled while the other one nudged her, almost knocking both of them over.

  Great, I didn’t need my name here, but if it got me in the building what the hell. “I am.”

  Both girls turned towards each other and shared a mischievous look. “We’ll let you up on one condition. You stop by our place when you’re done talking with him.”

  I closed my eyes and tried to ignore the innuendoes these ladies were throwing at me. I needed to get Nicole, and I had a feeling I needed to get her now. “Sure, that sounds great. Shall we?”

  I followed the two young women into the apartment, and they told me that Chad lived in 3D. And that’s when we all heard it. The shrill-pitched scream of a woman. “What the fuck was that?” I hollered and started to run towards the godawful sound.

  Chapter Two

  Nicole

  Two days later

  It’s true what people say about near-death experiences. When your body is close to crossing over to the other side, flashes of the people you loved throughout your life will filter through your thoughts, showing you what you cared about most during your time on Earth. Picturing Garren showed me that our time together wasn’t just sex. He and I were meant to cross paths, and I knew there was a reason his face was the last thing I saw before I went into the oblivion.

  I had never been knocked unconscious before. Once during a soccer game when a girl kicked me in the face with her cleat, I’d wished it would have knocked me out, but it didn’t.

  The strangest part about being unconscious was the vivid dreams that invaded my mind. Garren was always there, of course, but I could also hear his voice as plain as if he were speaking into my ear. As if he were standing right next to me.

  My current dream had been the most realistic out of them all. It was like I was a ghost in the room while a movie was playing.

  “Look, I know I shouldn’t be here, but I need to know how she’s doing. This is all my fault. If I would have just—”

  “Garren, I told you that you can come and check on her when her parents aren’t here. If they found out you were here, well, let’s just say it wouldn’t be good. You’re lucky I’m on day shift this week.”

  “Julie, you know I’m grateful. I don’t know what I would have done if you weren’t here. I know we haven’t seen each other since college, but you have no idea how much I appreciate this.”

  The voices I was hearing sounded like they were coming from a long, empty hallway. For a moment it was like I was right there, and then it felt like I was floating away. I could hear a hint of an echo as they talked. And why were they talking about my parents? They knew nothing about Garren, so how could they even be upset?

  “I know, and the only reason I’m doing this is because you helped me pass Physics. I’ll be back in five minutes, then you need to leave. If her parents come, I’ll hold them off as long as possible. Got it?”

  “Thank you.” And then I heard the sound of a door shutting.

  I suddenly had the notion to open my eyes—such a normal, everyday feeling that suddenly felt foreign to me. Feeling my eyelashes flutter, I finally found the strength to see.

  “Garren?” I whispered when I saw the man I’d been dreaming about for God knew how long standing right in front of me. The man I’d prayed to see for the past two months, the man I couldn’t help but love.

  “N
icole?” His voice sounded shocked, hesitant, and then I heard it. The continuous beeping that surrounded me.

  I couldn’t help it and had to squint as I took in my surroundings. White sheets, Garren standing beside me looking like he hadn’t slept in days, the machines that were hooked up to an IV that led directly into my arm. “What’s going on? Where am I?” I asked quietly and looked over at him.

  “You’re at North Liberty Hospital. God, Nicole. I’ve been so worried about you.”

  Hospital? I continued to looked up at Garren for some reassurance, and that’s when I saw it. The moisture in his eyes, the regret. That’s also when the memory of why I was hooked up to these machines flooded my mind. Chad. “Garren?”

  Garren’s movements were fast but also careful. The way he was looking at me made me feel like I could break at any minute. “You’re going to be okay.” Garren knelt down and placed a soft kiss on my lips, making my own eyes close, and I could feel tears start to form.

  “Chad. What happened to him? How did I get out of his apartment?” I opened my eyes and watched Garren as his eyes roamed slowly over my face.

  “He’s never going to see the light of day again. Don’t worry about him. He’s in a place where he won’t be able to hurt you ever again.”

  I couldn’t help it and gasped, covering my mouth with my hand. “Did you kill him?”

  Garren did the last thing I expected and started to laugh. Like, really laugh. “No, I didn’t kill him. I wanted to. God, I wanted to.”

  “Wait, so you really were there? When I…you know…the last thing I saw was your face.”

  Garren nodded and moved a piece of my hair that had fallen down by my face. “I was too late, though. I don’t have much time now, but I’ll tell you everything. I’m just so glad I’m looking at these beautiful blue eyes of yours. I really fucked up, Nicole. I’m so sorry. I’m so—” Garren couldn’t finish his sentence and instead buried his face in my chest.

  “You weren’t too late. You got me out of there, right?” I could feel his head nod, and I did the only thing I could think of. “I’m sorry, too.”

  Garren lifted his head to look at me, grabbing my face gingerly and placing another kiss on my lips. I’d missed him so much that all I could think about was letting him get in bed with me. To feel him against me again. I was about to offer when he looked like he was almost in pain. “What’s wrong?”

  “I’ve fucked everything up, Nicole. I’m so sorry, but I had to come down here and check on you. Your parents know about us. Dean Benton knows about us. I don’t want to be the bearer of bad news, especially because you’ve finally woken up, but I’m so glad I got to tell you to your beautiful face how extremely sorry I am. I’ve cost you everything.”

  I couldn’t understand how he’d cost me everything. So what, my parents knew. I was an adult now. Making my own decisions was my own business. Except, that probably meant my scholarship was pulled. Hell, maybe I didn’t even go to college anymore. “Did I get kicked out of school?”

  Garren didn’t say anything for a minute, but then he partially smiled and brushed his finger across my cheek. “I took the blame. I said I came on to you and it was all my idea. I also said that you broke it off with me and that the only reason I knew you were at that creeps house because of a text that I said you probably deleted. I made sure your other messages that you’d texted me from before were gone. Since I’d already given my notice, Dean Benton took the news better than I thought he would, but…”

  “This is my fault, too.” I was about to say how we were in this together, but a sharp pain radiated across the side of my head.

  “Nicole, are you okay?” Garren leaned forward and placed his hand over my forehead, looking at me with concern.

  “Yeah, my head freaking hurts.”

  “I need to let the nurse check on you.” Garren’s voice was almost a whisper, and we both knew what that meant. He needed to leave.

  “When will I see you again?”

  Garren ran one of his beautiful, large hands through his hair and peered over at the door. “I’m not sure how long you’ll be in here, but I better stay away. Call me when you get released and we can talk.”

  The words I wanted to form weren’t making their way through my mouth. In fact, nothing was. I didn’t know what to say. How did we get here? Me in the hospital from a psycho that I thought was my friend, and Garren not being able to be next to me. I wanted nothing more than to still be with this man.

  “I’m sorry, Nicole. For everything.” Garren stood and headed towards the door, not looking back as he quietly left my room.

  * * *

  To say my parents were pissed about Mr. Mitchell was the understatement of the year. Sure, they were thrilled, elated, a sobbing mess when they found out I’d woken up, but that didn’t last long. I’d felt the shift when the doctor relayed the message that I was going to be just fine. I’d had my head smashed so hard against Chad’s wall that it caused my brain to swell, sending me into a mild coma. The doctor had said I was lucky, that if my brain had swelled anymore it could have turned grave.

  No one wanted to talk about my abuser, but I needed answers. Apparently, the hospital wasn’t the time or place to talk about my friend who turned out to be a complete psychopath, but talking about mine and Garren’s relationship was.

  “What were you thinking, Nikki? Everything you’ve worked for? To throw it away for an older guy who just happened to be your professor? I can’t. I just can’t even look at her, Mary.”

  There are only a few things in this world worse than disappointing your father. The one person in my life who’d always been on my team. My number one fan.

  “Dad, it wasn’t like that.”

  My father walked right out of my hospital room without looking back. I really had screwed everything up, but the funny thing was, I’d do it all over again. To have that moment back with Garren before I’d slipped and said that I loved him.

  “Nikki, sweetie. Your father and I love you very much, but this? With your professor? Honey, this isn’t you.”

  “It really wasn’t like that. I didn’t know he was my professor when we met, and I just fell hard for him. We couldn’t have helped it if we tried. Isn’t that how you and dad were?”

  I noticed my mother’s features relax a little as she sat next to my hospital bed. “Yes, but we were in class together. He wasn’t my teacher.”

  Closing my eyes, I couldn’t help but picture what that would have been like. If Garren had been the boy sitting next to me in class. Would we have still had that connection? The feeling that all I wanted to do was feel him inside of me, kissing me, hugging me, just being with me. “I didn’t know that this was what love felt like. But I fell hard. I tried to get over him, Mom. I really did. That’s why I was at Chad’s place, at—” The sobs that started to take over my body were uncontrollable. Flashes of everything that Chad had done to me in his apartment came barreling through my brain like a freight train. How close it had come to something much worse, something that I’d never be able to get back.

  “Nikki, sweetheart. Look at me.”

  Brushing the tears from my face, I opened my eyes and noticed water pooling in my mother’s as well. “I’m sorry, it’s just what almost happened to me. Garren saved me, Mom.”

  My mother pushed a lock of hair behind my ear that had fallen by my face again and brushed her thumb across my cheek. “I know, trust me. I’ve told him how thankful we are that he saved you, but it still doesn’t make what you two did together right. Even if he is devastatingly handsome.”

  We both broke out into huge grins, which also made us both laugh. “Right? He’s so good looking.”

  “He is, but that didn’t help your case at school. Your father is upset because we had to do the right thing. You’re going to be able to finish your finals and take the grades you earned this semester. Well, except your Intro to Journalism class, but then we need to find a different college.”

  I sighed and kn
ew this was coming. “They’re kicking me out?”

  “Not kicking, you’re the one bowing out gracefully.”

  Closing my eyes, I laid my head back against my pillow, feeling a sharp pain radiate across my skull. For some reason, at that moment, I didn’t care about having to transfer to another school. I couldn’t imagine going back to the coffee shop that I’d met Chad at, or really anywhere else on campus. Getting a fresh start actually sounded perfect. Speaking of a fresh start, I had no idea what I even looked like. “Mom, can I see my face?”

  My mother didn’t respond right away, but soon she almost reluctantly walked over to her purse and pulled out a compact. “I’m so sorry that this happened to you, sweetheart. I’m glad Garren did what he did because I know if I would have walked in on the sight that he did, well, I’m pretty sure my stilettos would have done a fine job at—”

  “Mom, let me see.” I grabbed the mirror out of her hands and slowly opened it in front of my face. Chad had struck me a few times before knocking me out, so I was ready to see a few bruises, but I definitely wasn’t prepared to see what was staring back at me in my reflection.

  “The doctor said everything should heal up nicely, and the trauma caused to your head won’t have any lasting repercussions.”

  “That’s good.” I didn’t know what else to say because I was more worried about the girl looking back at me. The huge purple bruise that encased the top of my cheekbone was horrendous, but the huge split down my top lip looked almost worse. I reached up and felt the red, puffy skin around my cut and wondered if they’d used glue to close it back together.

  “They did a good job with that. It’s already healing nicely.” My mom smiled at me again and wiped a tear that had broken free.

  “You said that Garren did something to Chad. I want to know what happened, Mom. I’m a big girl, I can take it.”

  I could tell that I’d made her feel uncomfortable, but I didn’t want to wait any longer. I needed to know how the hell I got out of that apartment and how he didn’t end up killing me.