Three Years Gone

They all said that Tiffany was head-over-heels for me. But when my baby bro came back, she shipped me off to the sticks. Said I needed to do some serious soul-searching. After three years in the middle of nowhere, Tiffany stared, wide-eyed at my messed-up leg. She said she’d messed up big time, and wanted me back.

Chapter 1

Tiffany found me rooting around in the pigpen, using my bad leg as a crutch. I was trying to snag a snack. Word was, some bigwig was in town, and everyone was out rubbernecking, so I had a chance to sneak into old man Henderson's pigsty. I thought I heard someone calling my name in the distance.

"Jax, Jax Harrison?!"

I ignored them. I was too busy stuffing my face. A chance to eat was rare and I wasn't letting it slide. This slop, some unidentifiable mush, hit my empty stomach and it was blissful, even though I knew I'd be sick later. It was hard to believe, once upon a time, I’d been the golden boy of A-town, with a life of high-class comfort. Now, I was scrabbling for scraps like some street rat.

All thanks to my ex-fiancee and her smarmy assistant. My folks, bless their hearts, bought their load of bull. They bought the lies and sent me to this hole to "think about what I'd done," ignoring me for three years.

Did they have any idea about this place? It was a magnet for folks, and not the good kind. No one had any dignity here, especially not a good-looking guy. Life was a constant barrage of beatings and abuse.

Suddenly, a strong hand hauled me up. I flinched, my body shaking.

"Sorry, wasn't trying to... I was just so hungry, I'm sorry…"

The voice was incredulous. “Jax, what are you doing?”

“It’s Tiffany, Tiffany Miller!”

Tiffany? The name was familiar. Right, my ex-fiancée, the one who personally dumped me in this place.

And there was the other half of that toxic duo, gagging behind her, his hand clamped to his nose.

Tiffany whirled around, dragging him away. She cuddled up to him. “Ryan, honey, it’s so gross here, I’m sorry. Don't get your shoes dirty."

She then looked back at me, her face all twisted. "Okay, enough. You’ve suffered enough for three years. Let’s go."

Leave… leave this place?

I wiped my mouth with a cracked hand, trying to hide my scars, my whole mangled self. I had been golden boy Jax, but I was dirt now.

I followed them, my limp growing more pronounced, escaping this prison.

In the car, Ryan asked how I was doing.

I shut my eyes, pretending to sleep. Why wasn't I happy to be going home?

It was the hate. I hated Tiffany and Ryan, the two jerks who framed me for assault so they could hook up. My parents swallowed it, hook, line, and sinker. Then they sent me here, where my dignity got beat out of me, bit by bit.

And then there was Liv. My love. I was finally leaving, but what about her?

Ryan, hearing my silence, bit his lip. “Jax, man, I was just worried about you. I….”

Tiffany, ever the protector, grabbed my arm and hauled me up. Classy Southern woman she was, she wasn't strong enoug...