His Burning Addiction (Ranchers of Madison County #3)

Chapter One

Hanna stood at the counter in the grocery store, in a town she never thought she’d see again, waiting for her things to be checked. When a voice she’d hoped not ever to hear again came from behind her.

“Oh, wow, the prima donna is home. I heard you were back.”

Hanna stiffened at the voice that tormented her throughout high school.

Blake Denison. Star quarterback, student body president, and the most popular guy in the county.

To make it worse, his family had been one of the richest in town.

He’d driven a Corvette to school, lived on the biggest ranch within three hundred miles, and worn clothes that made him look like he’d jumped out of a GQ Magazine.

While she grew up in a run-down ranch on the wrong side of town with her drunk father, mother, and sister, she’d had to walk a mile and a half to school every day, no matter the weather.

She’d worn her sister, Shasha’s, hand-me-downs that never fit her, or she bought them from Goodwill with the money she made from working.

Her life had been one struggle after another.

She spent her childhood dodging her father’s fists, protecting her mother, and living down the horrible reputation of her slut of a sister.

Not only was Shasha a whore and sleeping with anything with a dick, but she was also a devious, selfish liar, and everyone thought Hanna was the same way.

, when it couldn’t be further from the truth.

She had always been a timid thing. She’d never liked the attention. Her main focus had been on keeping her and her mother alive and getting a scholarship to college so she could get them out of town. It would be their only chance, so she worked hard to get it.

One thing she’d had that drove her sister nuts and gave her way too much attention was her looks.

She’d always been gorgeous, way more beautiful than her sister, with very long dark hair and light green eyes.

She was slender, but some of that had been all the walking she’d done.

She’d filled out a bit since she’d been away because she didn’t have to walk miles a day anymore.

Blake hadn’t been the only person who had tormented her.

In school, everyone followed Blake, and what he did, they did.

She’d been pushed into lockers, had her books smacked out of her hands, and so many people who tried to trip her, she was amazed she’d actually made it out of that place and was at the top of her class.

She’d probably gotten as many bruises at school as she had at home from her father.

“Are you going to ignore me?” he said.

She sighed, turned, and looked up at him.

He’d grown since she last saw him. He’d also packed on the muscle and become even more handsome.

His hair looked a little darker than it had in high school.

Now it was a dark chestnut color. His denim-blue eyes hadn’t changed.

She’d always felt like he could see inside her soul.

No man since had ever affected her as Blake had.

Not even her late husband. She gritted her teeth.

“Hello, Blake. I hope you and your family are well.”

Her teeth snapped together when he smirked.

“Really? That’s what you got for me after eight years?”

“Yes. I’m not sure what you expect from me.”

He narrowed his eyes on her. “Maybe to act more human. Show emotions.”

She inhaled and held it in to try to calm herself. He’d always done this. Nothing she did was right, and he was very vocal about her flaws.

“I’m sorry you don’t approve. I have to go now.” She turned, paid for her things, and grabbed the bags. She made a hasty departure but tried not to be obvious about it.

She gasped when an arm came in front of her and pushed the door open before she could. She knew that arm and hand.

“Here, let me help,” his gruff voice said very close to her ear.

She tightened her grip on her sacks and tried to hide the heat and shakes that started from his closeness.

It was incredible to her that she still wanted him after everything he’d done to her over the years, and it was the last thing she wanted him to know.

She was afraid he’d use the knowledge to hurt her.

She never understood her feelings for him. When she caught him looking at her, something in his eyes made her think he was attracted to her, but then he’d turn away. She’d always hoped he would ask her out or stop bullying her. But it never happened.

“Let me carry your bags,” he said, trying to reach for them.

She clutched them to her chest. “No, thank you.” She heard him growl and tried to put space between them, but with his long legs, it was embarrassingly easy to keep up with her since she was about a foot shorter than he was.

She stopped in front of her car and turned to him. “Why are you following me?”

He pulled his gaze from the vehicle they stood by. “Is this your Tahoe?”

She glanced in confusion at her SUV. “Yes, why?”

“Pretty fancy for a country bumpkin.”

She sighed. “Listen. I’m only here to help my mom for a while, so I think we can easily avoid each other if we try.”

“What if I don’t want to?”

She closed her eyes for a moment before she looked him square in the eyes.

“Blake, I endured your humiliation, abuse, and torment through our senior year of high school. I don’t have to any longer.

We’re adults now. I’m sure you can find another weak, pathetic person to push around. Now, I have to go.”

“Wait,” he said as he followed her.

She shook her head, unlocked her door, and got in. She closed and locked the door before he got to it.

“We can’t even have a conversation?” he asked through the glass.

She rolled her window down a bit. “I don’t think so. I don’t have the energy to block your jabs and insults.”

He sighed. “I’m not here to torment you.”

She put the vehicle in gear. “I don’t think you know any other way with me. Please move.”

He stepped back when she started to back up. Most of her wanted to run from him, but that small part that never disappeared made her want to jump into his arms.

She glanced back to see him watching her drive away with an angry scowl on his face. She had to remind herself he couldn’t hurt her any longer. She was there to help her mother in her last stage of cancer, and then she would leave again and never come back.