Title: Pained
Series: Bullied #2
Author: Vera Hollins
Genre: Dark High School Romance
Release Date: March 31, 2020
Blurb
Two months have passed since the day I pushed Hayden away.
Two months since I found out he loved me and wanted to be with me. I’ve been
trying to move on and forget about him, but my heart refuses to listen.
Two months since I found out he loved me and wanted to be with me. I’ve been
trying to move on and forget about him, but my heart refuses to listen.
Hayden had almost died saving me. Half of me wants to
forgive him for everything and give him another chance. The other half prevents
me from doing so, distrusting him and ignoring my heart's desires. Hayden is
dark and complicated, and as the days pass, he gets further away from me,
ignoring me whenever our paths cross.
forgive him for everything and give him another chance. The other half prevents
me from doing so, distrusting him and ignoring my heart's desires. Hayden is
dark and complicated, and as the days pass, he gets further away from me,
ignoring me whenever our paths cross.
I have less than a year before I go to college, and I won't
see him ever again. I have to believe I will get over him and move on with my
life. I have to believe in my future without him.
see him ever again. I have to believe I will get over him and move on with my
life. I have to believe in my future without him.
Unless he didn't really move on, and our masks are about to
fall.
fall.
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Excerpt
"He smirked,
his eyes heating. “Our rooms are very similar.”
his eyes heating. “Our rooms are very similar.”
That was true. Not
only our walls were covered with the layers of our souls, but my room was also
messy, so many papers, sticky notes, and art supplies lying all around. I
wouldn’t change a single thing about it.
only our walls were covered with the layers of our souls, but my room was also
messy, so many papers, sticky notes, and art supplies lying all around. I
wouldn’t change a single thing about it.
“You’re right.”
“That was why I
felt...” He stopped mid-sentence, taking another drag of his cigarette.
felt...” He stopped mid-sentence, taking another drag of his cigarette.
My body leaned
closer to him on its own. The mood between us shifted once more. “What?”
closer to him on its own. The mood between us shifted once more. “What?”
He locked his jaw
and looked away. “It doesn’t matter.”
and looked away. “It doesn’t matter.”
“It matters to me,”
I whispered. Without conscious thought, I moved and covered his hand that
rested on the mattress.
I whispered. Without conscious thought, I moved and covered his hand that
rested on the mattress.
He flinched and
looked at my hand, frowning. I feared he would pull his hand away, but he
didn’t. “Why?”
looked at my hand, frowning. I feared he would pull his hand away, but he
didn’t. “Why?”
My pulse beat madly
in my throat. “Because... Because you matter to me.” I tightened my grip around
his hand, feeling exposed. My eyes went to his scar, and I wished I could touch
it, definitely not for the first time. “I want to know everything about you.”
in my throat. “Because... Because you matter to me.” I tightened my grip around
his hand, feeling exposed. My eyes went to his scar, and I wished I could touch
it, definitely not for the first time. “I want to know everything about you.”
His breathing sped
up. “Everything?”
up. “Everything?”
“Everything.”
He sucked in a quick
breath, taking in every line of my face with undiluted hunger. He balanced his
cigarette on the edge of the ashtray and met my gaze.
breath, taking in every line of my face with undiluted hunger. He balanced his
cigarette on the edge of the ashtray and met my gaze.
“I felt at peace
there,” he said hoarsely. “I felt like...”
there,” he said hoarsely. “I felt like...”
I leaned even closer
to him. “Yes?”
to him. “Yes?”
He swallowed. “Like
I belonged there.”
I belonged there.”
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Author Bio
Vera Hollins is the author of the Bullied series, which has
amassed over 30 million reads online since 2016. She loves writing emotional,
dark, and angsty love stories that deal with heartbreak, mental and social issues,
and finding light in darkness.
amassed over 30 million reads online since 2016. She loves writing emotional,
dark, and angsty love stories that deal with heartbreak, mental and social issues,
and finding light in darkness.
She's been writing since she was nine, and before she knew
it, it became her passion and life. She particularly likes coffee, bunnies,
angsty romance, and anti-heroes. When she's not writing, you can find her
reading, plotting her next book with as many twists as possible, and watching
YouTube.
it, it became her passion and life. She particularly likes coffee, bunnies,
angsty romance, and anti-heroes. When she's not writing, you can find her
reading, plotting her next book with as many twists as possible, and watching
YouTube.
Author Links
I wanted to be their woman but that came at a cost—one that I wasn’t sure I could pay. My control is what has kept me alive so far and giving it to them wasn’t my first choice, but I had to save Jag’s life. Spending one night between them was the only way to stop the horrifying vision I had of him laying on the side of the road. Giving Texas and Jag my body was something I could do if it meant I’d change the outcome of my premonition. I’d given plenty of men my body—but these two wanted more. They wanted my mind, my tightly held control, and my soul.
