Conviction (Consolation Duet #2)(79)

Stabby Birds: You guys are the best people I know. You’re my sisters through and through. We laugh, cry, and bond together like nothing I’ve ever seen before. I love you!

My Fairy Godmothers: Laura, Lauren, and Christine . . . you are the true meaning of friendship. You were behind me each step of the way. Cheering me on, messaging me, and making me smile. I learned so much from you and love you three!

FYW: The writing world could only be so lucky to know people like you. Thank you for being who you are. #WednesdaysWeWearPink

Claire Contreras, Mia Asher, Whitney Gracia Williams, Rebecca Yarros, Mandi Beck, Kyla Linde, Kennedy Ryan, SL Scott, Lucia Franco, EK Blair, Kristy Bromberg, Pepper Winters, Elisabeth Grace, Livia Jamerlan, & Angie McKeon—thank you for making me smile, laugh, talking through one of my crazy ideas, and just being my friends. I’m truly blessed to have you in my life.

Jesey: I haven’t been able to do this until now. Thank you. Because of something we dreamt of two years ago, look where we are. It’s amazing to think the friendship we’ve had has somehow twisted our worlds to this place. I love you!

My Instagram girls: You make the absolute most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. EVER! I love you all so much!

@tiffany.the.bibliophile

@smuttybooklover

@fixtion_fangirl

@dragonflyreads,

@butthisbook

@macie.reads

@thereadingruth

@jengare

@demeriahh & so many more.

My editor: Lisa, you make editing fun and often funny. Thank you for the support and friendship through this process.

My formatter: Christine, I learned page breaks! Seriously, you are first-class in this business. Your professionalism and attention to detail are above and beyond. You work tirelessly and it doesn’t go unnoticed.

My cover designer: Sarah, thank you for making two of the most beautiful covers ever.

My photographer: Lauren, thank you for capturing everything this story entails.

My proofreader: Ashley, thank you for finding all the errors and making it shine.

Lisa from The Rock Stars of Romance: THANK YOU! Your support has meant everything to the success of this series. I can’t begin to thank you enough. I love your face!

Reanell: Thank you for letting me use your name and I didn’t even make you a villain!

Bloggers: I don’t think you guys understand what you do for the book world. It’s not a job you get paid for (well, not nearly what you deserve). It’s something you love and you do because of that. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

To my husband and children, I’m so lucky to have you. You probably bear the worst part of this process. I love you three more than anything in this world. Thank you for putting up with all that you do. I know I need to put the computer and phone down more because you deserve that. Thank you for being here and supporting me day after day. Thank you for letting me cry when my feelings are hurt. Smile when something amazing happens. But mostly thank you for loving me and believing in me.





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Shit happens.

I never really understood that saying. Yeah, there were certain situations in life that were shitty, but they were just that; they were life. So it really wasn’t the shit in life that was, well, so shitty. It was life itself.

Life happens. That was much more appropriate.

Unfortunately, many of us found that out earlier than some. We found out just how awful life could really be. We found out that monsters were, indeed, real. They walked among us. They looked just like you and me. They came in the form of the people that we loved and trusted the most. The people whose only job was to love and protect us.

Funny thing about life is that it never turns out the way you want it to. It’s never fair. It’s harsh and brutal. It kicks you when you’re down. It makes you wish you could give up and part with it just to have a semblance of peace.

I almost felt that peace unintentionally. And if I had known exactly what I was fighting against, I would have succumbed to it. I would have traded my young, shitty life for the peace that came with death.

I should have. I would have been free.





Copyright ? 2013 Syreeta L. Jennings





Chapter 1


I needed a drink. A strong one.

One that could possibly knock me on my ass and make me forget what I had done just 20 minutes ago. This was always the hard part. The guilt, the self-loathing. Sometimes it strangled me. I hated what I did. I hated the pain I inflicted but it was part of the process, part of what came with being me.

I hurt people, and it wasn’t something I was proud of.

Pulling into the parking lot of the first bar I spotted after leaving the scene of the crime, I punched in a number on my cell phone, speed-dialing Angel. “It’s done,” I announced, not even bothering with a cordial greeting. Those were reserved for days when I didn’t feel like locking myself away from everyone and everything. For days when I didn’t feel myself breaking into a million pieces.

Angel sighed on the other end, feeling my pain through the receiver. “You okay, baby?”

“Yeah. I will be. Down to get shit-faced?” I chuckled though I truly couldn’t find the humor in my own request.

“I’m always down. Where are you?”

After giving Angel the address, I fixed my smeared mascara in the visor mirror. I could have just stopped at a liquor store and gone home to drown my troubles, but I needed an excuse to hold it together. A distraction. In public, I’d have no choice but to plaster on a phony smile and ignore the immense guilt I felt. I’d be forced to pretend.