SNEAK PEEK
My first love. A Valentine’s Day Masquerade Ball. And a secret that could ruin everything.
The day of my divorce, I don’t feel free—I'm broken. A single mom, barely holding it together, with no idea how to start over.
Then a masked stranger kisses me like he owns me. And I let him—because for one reckless moment, I want to forget.
But when the mask comes off, I’m staring into the eyes of the man who shattered me in another life. Callum Reid. My first love. My greatest heartbreak.
Six years ago, he walked away to chase his rock-and-roll dreams. And I ran straight into the arms of the wrong man—and had a son.
Now, my life is a house of cards, built on the lies I didn’t even know existed. And Callum’s return might be the weight that makes it all come crashing down.
Callum was always my undoing. Now, the truth we uncover might destroy everything—including each other.
Click Here to claim My Rockstar Ex’s Broken Vows
CHAPTER 1 ~ SIENNA
We burned like stars, too bright to stay
Friday, February 14
Rosewood Hall
375 Briarcliff Estate Lane Tarrytown, NY
10:21 PM
I trace the rim of my martini glass, watching the smoke rise from the signature cocktails lined up along the bar.
The mask shields my face, but more than that—it shields my insecurities.
I feel like a fish out of water here, so I'm attempting to fake it until I make it.
The anonymity helps.
Fourteen hours ago, I scrawled my name across those divorce papers. My hand has only recently stopped trembling, and I think that has more to do with the liquid courage than anything. It’s not like I’m heartbroken, more like sad that I failed at a major milestone in life. And even more, I’m not sure how life looks now that I’m a single mom.
But, for a few hours, in this ethereal haze of Rosewood Hall's alcove bar, I feel like someone else entirely. Someone bolder.
"You should come," Brooke had insisted this morning, tossing the masquerade invitation onto my kitchen counter. "I have two invites to this exclusive party and there is no one I would like to go with than you. You’ve signed the papers, now it's time to start living again."
Easy for her to say. She doesn't have a five-year-old to consider. Life is too complicated for me to act like a twenty-something again, out on the prowl. I got pregnant my junior year of college, so I leap-frogged over most of that rite of passage.
As I think this thought, like magic, the mysterious figure who's been watching me all evening materializes through the fog. He's lost his black tuxedo coat somewhere along the way, showing off the tight body I've been imagining underneath all night.
He's tall, broad-shouldered, and devastatingly sexy in his clearly expensive and tailored get-up.
Interestingly, he has the sleeves of his tux shirt pushed up, and the open French cuffs pulled up and folded over the arms of his shirt like he’s somewhere other than a buttoned-up formal event. And I like that air of rebelliousness. It reminds me of who I used to be.
He almost looks like a model expressing his individuality among a sea of matching black penguins.
I immediately honed in on the word "LEGEND" tattooed in thick, black block letters along the front of his forearm.
Yes, sir, you look like you could be a legend, indeed.
It takes a certain confidence to ink that on your body, and I’m here for it.
His mask matches mine—black and silver and nondescript. It’s concealing just enough to make him seem more mysterious. My pulse quickens and I’m drawn to his deep blue eyes.
I don't know what it is about this guy, but I noticed him right away. I've been looking for a woman with him… But he seems to be alone, though I saw him talking to a group of men.
Could he be gay?
The bartender slips through a door behind the bar, leaving me alone with him and five smoke-filled cocktails. The rising white vapor only adds to the mystique of him and this moment. It’s almost as if was scripted for us.
He steps closer, locking his gaze on mine. A smirk plays at the corners of his lips. He raises his glass in a silent toast. I nod and clink my drink against his because, why not, right?
Leaning against the bar, he brings this charged energy that wraps around me like something I shouldn't want but can't help craving. Everything else fades away and I’m mesmerized. Pretending to be someone else with him in this moment gives me life.
The mist from the dry ice behind the bar swirls around us. When his knee brushes against mine, it sends a jolt up my thigh and lands right between my legs.
Part of me says I should pull away, but I stay. My heart races, and I can almost hear Brooke's voice in my head telling me to loosen up, to let myself feel something real for once. "Fuck a stranger," she’d said.
That will never happen. But it can’t hurt to flirt a little.
The air between us is electric. Dangerous in the most delicious way, and I find myself shifting ever so slightly closer, drawn in by whatever this magnetic pull is.
I'm here, we're alone together and he's definitely giving off the sultry mystery-man vibes. Fuck it.
His ice-blue eyes behind his mask glint with mischief as he gestures at my drink with his head.
There is something familiar about those eyes. It almost feels like déjà vu. A sense that I’ve seen them before. Maybe he’s just the man of my dreams.
I nod at him and all the endorphins charging through me accelerate. I'm not sure what exactly we are doing here, but I'm not going to stop the momentum.
With a quick look around, he puts his glass on the bar and steps closer. When he reaches for my hand, I offer it, and he pulls me into his space. My breath catches as his other hand finds my waist. The warmth of his skin seeps through my satin dress and sends a shiver through me.
I sense every pulse of energy between us. All of it is so intoxicating that I feel a little light-headed. I make a mental note to thank Brooke later.
His breath mingles with mine, warm and inviting, and I bite my lip, offering a silent invitation I never thought I’d give. My body betrays me, leaning into his, craving more of that insatiable pull that’s had my eyes glued to him all night.
When his lips brush the curve of my neck, just below my ear, a shiver runs down my spine. My fingers find his shoulders, sliding down his arms, tracing the raised lines of tattoos beneath his crisp, white shirt. The texture of inked skin feels bold and raw under his shirt—so different from the polished perfection I have lived with for the last six years.
A mysterious, masked, tattooed stranger in a dark corner is breathing down my neck, and for the first time in years, I feel alive. I don’t know who I am right now, but I like her. Maybe Brooke is onto something after all.
When his mouth finally finds mine, it tastes like smoke and danger, like every bad idea I’ve ever wanted to say yes to. The kiss deepens quickly, urgency igniting between us, and my fingers tangle in his hair as he presses me against the bar. His closeness, his intensity—it’s all-consuming, and my heart races with something that feels a lot like freedom.
Well, I guess he isn't gay.
Suddenly, footsteps echo from the corridor. We break apart suddenly. Both of us are breathing hard, and the moment dissolves sadly, almost as quickly as it happened.
I dart away before the people approach, smoothing my hair and trying to calm my racing pulse. My cheeks are flushed, and I'm grateful for the dim lighting and the mask. Hopefully, it hides how affected I am by that stolen moment.
What in the holy hell was that?! Oh, my God, that isn't me, but damn, I want more of it.
My lips still tingle, and my skin feels electric where he touched me. It's only when I'm lost in the crowd of masks that I realize I have no idea who he is. The revelation hits me like a bucket of cold water, sobering me up from whatever magical spell I was just under.
I scan the sea of decorated faces around me, wanting to spot him again.
Is he still watching? Is he as shaken as I am?
I'm not sure if I want to give myself five or kick myself for running away from him like a teenager.
* * *
11:47 PM
I slide into the back of Brooke's favorite luxury car service. While I don't think about it much, it is nice having a wealthy friend to help me navigate these types of scenarios. The hour's drive back to the city undoubtedly would have put a damper on the magical evening if we didn't have someone to do it for us.
My borrowed Louboutins pinch my toes in places I didn't know existed. And the transition from the glittering ballroom to the quiet darkness of the town car has my ears ringing a bit.
“Okay, spit it out.” Brooke turns to me, her blue eyes more vibrant now that she’s pushed up the mask to where it rests on her forehead. "You've been floating around like you're in a dream since I found you. What happened when you disappeared?"
"If only I could’ve disappeared." I fidget with the delicate silver mask still tied around my face. I’m still finding its security comforting. I’m sure Brooke would read my face like a book if I didn’t have it in place.
"Stop deflecting. What happened when I couldn’t find you? You came back looking like you'd seen a ghost. And you were craning your neck around like you were waiting for the president to walk in the door. Who were you looking for?"
Heat creeps up my neck. The memory of the masked man's hands, his lips…the way the shadows played across the ornate molding above us while the dry ice created this otherworldly atmosphere… It all makes me pulse between my legs...
I can’t help but smile at the memory. I might as well fess up now—the mask doesn’t shield my mouth. "I might have kissed someone." I bite my lip, unable to hold back a smile.
"What?" Brooke practically launches across the seat. "Details. Now. Who was he? When? Where? Why didn’t you tell me before now?!"
"I don't know." I laugh at her dramatic gasp. "We were both masked, and the lighting was so dim, so I truly have no clue who he is. But, God, it was hot."
"This is exactly why I dragged you here! See what happens when you let yourself have fun? I need more. You’ve just made my night."
"I wish I had more. I got spooked when someone was approaching the bar. I didn't know them, so I’m not sure why I cared. And now I'll never know who the mystery man is."
"Shit. Too bad y'all couldn't shimmy off somewhere and do the full deed."
"Yeah, a kiss was pushing it for me. No way."
"A girl can dream…"
The excitement bubbling in my chest feels foreign but wonderful. "It was nothing like going to something like this with Marcus. Remember how he used to insist on my specific attire? God forbid I embarrass him by wearing the wrong shade of white for the season."
"And now you're making out with mysterious strangers in dark corners. I'm so proud." Brooke pretends to wipe away a tear. "Best divorce present ever."
"Yeah, I guess. Because I’m in the throws of it with my five-year-old, I don't have time for anything more. I just wish I had at least talked to him. I bet his voice was as sexy as his body and that kiss. I’m so rusty at this."
"You haven't even been divorced for twenty-four hours. You weren't supposed to find your forever man. Just a little masked fun. It's perfect. Well, except you should have at least gotten to third base. Baby steps, though. We'll get you there."
"True," I say, but is it? The thought of getting anywhere beyond first base fills me with anxiety. I touch my lips, still feeling the ghost of his kiss. "It was pretty perfect."
"And you look amazing tonight, by the way. Nothing like your usual mom uniform. No wonder mystery man couldn't resist."
"Yeah, well, it did feel good to wear something different. This never would have passed as appropriate for the big-time attorney’s wife." The bitterness in my voice surprises even me. "Thank God for my stylish friend."
"Marcus was smart. He swooped in at your most vulnerable, playing Mr. Perfect Southern Gentleman, and molded you into his perfect vision. He knew just what to say," Brooke's voice softens. "No one saw his true colors until it was too late."
I lean my head back against the seat and unwanted memories flood in. How quickly I'd let Marcus fill the void Callum left still bites at me. How desperate I'd been to prove I was over my first love…so desperate that I'd jumped straight into another relationship. Right into Marcus's perfectly laid trap.
"I knew, though. Deep down, I knew he was just a rebound. But he was so... different from Callum. So put together. So sure about everything." I shake my head. "How I stayed for so long is what makes it all the worse."
"Don’t be so hard on yourself. You were pregnant with Ollie when you married him. He isolated you and had you convinced you couldn't make it on your own. At least that’s the version I understand."
My throat tightens. "You nailed it. I can't believe I let him control me for so long. The constant monitoring of my phone, my friends, my clothes. Making me quit my job to 'take care of our home.' I loved being home with Ollie, of course. But I lost a piece of myself every day I was with Marcus."
I feel short of breath just thinking about him and I’m mad I let him in to ruin my first attempt to have fun without him.
"Look, the important thing is you got out," Brooke reminds me. "You're free, now. Tonight proves there's life after Marcus Walker."
"Maybe." I fidget with my mask. "But I can't jump into anything. That was my first mistake and how I ended up with Marcus. Ollie has to come first." I swallow hard. "I can't trust my judgment right now. Life needs to be about taking care of my son and getting to know myself again."
"Sienna." Brooke grabs my hand. "One kiss at a masquerade ball isn't going to land you in another bad marriage. You're not that naive twenty-two-year-old anymore. You're stronger now. Wiser. And you’re not looking for another husband."
I try to smile, but my mind is already racing ahead with worst-case scenarios. "Better to keep things simple. If you get invited to any other masked parties, I’m your plus one. That’s about the extent of my social or dating abilities at this time."
"We can start there," Brooke says firmly. "You deserve to feel beautiful and wanted. You’re free to kiss anyone now, but if mysterious, masked strangers is all you can muster for now, that works."
One night of fantasy is enough.
Even if those perfect lips haunt me for eternity.