Trampled Heart

Trampled

Heart

How can you mend a disregarded and wounded heart?

K. K. Harris

Trampled Heart

Copyright © 2015 K. K. Harris

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to smashword and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This is a work of fiction. Any references or similarities to actual events, real people, living or dead, or real locales are intended to give the novel a sense of reality. Any similarity in other names, characters, places, and incidents is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to all the ones who believed in me throughout this entire journey. Although there wouldn’t be enough words describe how thankful I am for each and every one of you. Some friends are put into our lives and gravitate to the family status. To all those who shall remain nameless, THANK YOU. You have made this journey worth taking and brought me so much support, feedback, and unwavering love.

Love you all…

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

First and foremost, I want to give all honor and glory to God for blessing me with this gift to entertain. My wonderful husband who doesn’t read these type of books but will do so if I desperately need him to. I appreciate all of my Beta readers, proofreaders, and editors.

I don’t proclaim to be perfect, nor do I acquire to be. I only seek to be the best ME that I possibly can be. My wattpad.com readers, thanks for sticking in there with me through the countless second thoughts, editing blunders, and the live writing process of a story. Your feedback is always helpful.

Lastly, thank you to the faithful readers of all of the K. K Harris novels; I really appreciate your patronage.

Much Love People,

NappyRedd ~ K. K. Harris

Lucky Me…

"The sarcasm of a woman scorned can be as deadly as a rattlesnake bite."

Lucky me…

Neykole James often said the same thing repeatedly in her head when she reflected on her life. Coming up she had loving grandparents and great grandparents that loved her tremendously. They made her feel like the little black princess in the world full of big fat meanies and monsters. They never let her want for anything and oftentimes bought what she didn’t have a need for. Any trouble brewing on the home front with her mother would instantly be absolved as if it had never happened.

Although she was spoiled in a way, they still lived by the famous bible scripture, ‘spare the rod, and spoil the child.’ Getting her fair share of whooping’s was a part of growing up. Always in the end, she knew why she was being punished for her wrongdoings and then life would soon move on. As with the clear parts of growing up, there comes the uncertain part.

She was fortunate enough to have an estranged mother that verbally voiced how she wishes she never met her father. In so many words, that would sound an awful lot like, ‘I wish I never had you.’ At least to a child with esteem issues it would seem that was the case. Thankfully becoming an adult taught her the best lesson to look at unfavorable situations, ‘Sarcasm 101.’ Neykole’s knack for being sarcastic would probably come off as being a bitch or even an asshole.

To her, it was just a way of coping with what she couldn’t change. Being treated like Cinderella, a handmaiden, a servant, a nanny, and so many other derogatory descriptions would be comical if it weren’t her life. During the constant ridicule of never being good enough, never doing the best that was expected, and not living up to her mother’s expectations the humor was nonexistent.

The complaint of Kole getting pregnant at an early age was heard all too often. In fact, that was the same age as her mother fell pregnant with by Kole’s father. That could have been the breaking point that caused the biggest rift in their already nonexistent relationship. As the saying goes, ‘the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree,’ Neykole obviously was a huge chip off the old block.

Unfortunately, that fact did not stop the constant soul battering mockery that continued to break what was already broken, Neykole’s spirit. After all, if your parent that is supposed to love you beyond the stars in the sky sees a failure, it must be true. One baby turned into two by a dude who often tried to ‘do better’ but never quite got it together. Before her second son reached three month’s old, she was done with their father’s constant excuse of trying and decided to part ways for good.

Enjoying her freedom from an overbearing mother and freshly single, Neykole was trying to find her way. Living on her own in a sketchy neighborhood with her two babies was better than having to depend on anyone for anything. For the first time since she graduated high school, she felt like something was about to work out in her favor for a change. The one-step she overlooked was asking ‘God’ to guide her footsteps from that point. Countless bad decisions into her newfound freedom landed her in more hot water than she was prepared to deal with at twenty-two years old.

The mistaken identity of a ‘good man’ appeared before her one after the other. The liar, cheater, and the abuser only the tipped the list of losers she wound up dealing with. The act of real love being void for so many years, any resemblance to the foreign feeling was good enough at the time. When the glitz and glamor wore off the mirage, reality hit harder than Evander Holyfield did. The last of the ‘true love’ she ever felt ended when her grandmother passed away at the age of seventeen. Since then, she made one mistake after the other until unforeseen circumstances forced her away from where she called home.

One faithful night out with a good friend turned interesting indeed. She met an attractive older man with a body like no one she has ever dealt with. He was security at the club her friend frequently visited. A simple conversation over his club name being H2O triggered a nine-month romance. Neykole rolled her eyes and fought with her tear ducts that betrayed her habitually. The word romance was used loosely, laced with plenty of sarcasm. This man pulled the wool over her young naïve eyes so tough it took her unbalanced world and turned it inside out.

He claimed to be a divorcee with children, lived alone, worked two jobs to make ends meet, and claimed he was totally into Neykole’s independent status. Spending five to six nights a week at her apartment, she never suspected any falseness. From hanging out with her friends and constantly being around her children, Neykole never expect the truths that would come.

Not only did he lie about being divorced, there were so many other missing puzzle pieces that would soon make sense. Surprising him at his job one day for lunch shattered her image of the man she thought she knew. Another woman put into perspective just what and whom Neykole had been dealing with all along.

Flashback…

Neykole was sitting in her car waiting for her boyfriend of nine months to make an appearance for his lunch break. Every day around this time, he would go to lunch and call her but today she decided to surprise him. Another car zooms into the parking lot, with a chick driving probably coming to do the same thing Kole was doing. They made brief eye contact, but that was about it. Finally, the lunch buzzer rang signaling for a lunch break.

Out comes her man with a few of his friends, smiling and talking until he spots her parked next to his car. His steps falter immediately as he retreats into the building. Neykole is beyond confused. Why would he haul ass back inside, she questioned herself. Calling his phone proves pointless as he sends her straight to voicemail. One of his friends she has met before then walks up to the car telling her he said he couldn’t eat with her today and he would call later. Confusion was evident but she also knew something wasn’t quite right with the situation. She may be young, but she wasn’t too damn dumb.

Suddenly the other woman asked Kole whether she was there for the man that retreated inside. Confirming that she was indeed there for Speedy Gonzalez, they began to talk. They introduce themselves but the other woman gets a phone call telling her to come around to the front of the building. Neykole is fuming because yet again she had been played for a fool and left with unanswered questions. After exchanging numbers, the women went their separate ways.

"Hello?" Neykole answers her ringing cell phone.

"Hey is this Ney?" A woman asked. The only way she would know that nickname was if she got it from Justin.

"Yes, who is this?"

"This is Regina. The woman you just met, where are you?"

"Going home, why?"

"Can you meet me somewhere? I think we need to talk."

"Honestly, what do we have to talk about? He has made it very clear; I’m not a priority to him."

"Please, I think you need to hear what he is saying about you."

"Fine…" Against the logical part of her brain, the curious part wanted to hear what was said.

"How old are you," Was the first question that came out of Regina’s mouth.

"Twenty-three..."

"I’m twenty-nine. How did you meet him?"

"At the club he works at on the weekend," Kole stated dryly.

"Same here," Regina confirmed.

"How long have you been seeing him?"

"Nine months, the woman busted out laughing like it was meant to be a joke. What’s so funny?"

"We are preparing to celebrate our year anniversary next month."

"Congratulations," Neykole’s sarcasm was at an all-time high. ‘What the hell does she want me to do, offer to buy her a gift,’ she thought to herself.

"Here he is calling right now. Come on."

"Come on what?"

"Get in."

"Shiiittt… Why would I do something like that?"

"I want you to hear this." Regina climbed in the backseat of her car and motioned for Neykole to do the same. Again, logic lost to curious.

Together the women listened to Justin describe how he and Ney were only friends when she developed feelings for him. He went on to explain he never saw Kole in that light and only wanted Regina. The bastard even lied saying Ney was stalking him and wanted him to break up with Regina. Regina started replaying the details that she just learned from Neykole to him and confirmed he has known her for that long.

He held firm that nothing romantic has ever happened. Saying he needed a friend while she was out of the country for her work in the military and Neykole happened to be just that. By the time they hung up the phone he had dug a trench so deep for himself, Neykole couldn’t even cry over the deceit. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the end of the revelations and the more that came out, the more Neykole wanted to die for her part in everything.

"So I have been someone’s mistress this entire time." Neykole sarcastically asked no one in particular.

"You do know about Tanika, right?" Regina asked.

"Is that his ex-wife’s name? Yeah, he told me about her."

"Ex-wife, they are not divorced. Hell, they still live together. They aren’t even separated."

"WHAT?!"

"Why do you think you have never been to his house?"

"I believed him when he said he wasn’t ready to introduce his children to anyone until he was sure about us. Besides he me his ex-was crazy. He said she would ride by his house and he didn’t want me put in that predicament."

"All lies," she shook her head.

"Wait this doesn’t make any sense. How can he be married, still living with his wife but spends as much time as he does at my house? Now Neykole wanted to find logic in this mess. Nothing made sense anymore. He is just about always there. We go out. I am at the club every Friday. Hell, he sleeps over five to six nights out the week. He gets dressed at my house every morning to go to work. Saturday’s he may not come around, but it doesn’t bother me because that’s my chill time too. Sunday through early Saturday morning, he sleeps over. He comes to my house after he leaves the club even if I don’t go. Hell everyone in there knows me as Justin’s girl."

"Oh do they?"

"Yes, they do. If Neykole hadn't heard with her own ears that Justin wasn’t claiming her, she would think this chick was the liar. Just then another thought came to Kole’s mind. Hold up! That means I’m the mistress to the mistress. What kind of shit is that?"

"He has a lot of explaining to do."

"Screw that. Why the hell are you still with him if you know he is still with his wife?"

"The wife and I have our issues. We go back and forth on a regular basis. I’m surprised she hasn’t started in on you."

"This is so bazaar. It’s like an episode of Jerry Springer and I will be damned if I end up on there."

"The truth is we met when I was at my lowest point. My husband was beating my ass, leaving our kids and me with nothing. Justin has been my rock the entire time." Regina went on and on about her life story. Although Neykole felt sorry for her, she could not shake the feeling that something else was up with this chick.

"Well, I’m done with this. Therefore, I hope things get better for you. Later," Neykole figured it was time to call it quits, hoping the moment would pass quickly.

"Oh alright… can you let me know if he calls you?"

"Uh sure," Kole hesitated. Even though it sounded like an odd request, she agreed.

Later Justin started to call no doubt to tell his side of the story. Neykole wasn’t buying any of it, letting him know she heard his confession to his mistress. Nevertheless, he continued to explain why he lied about his wife and omitted information about having a girlfriend. When it all boiled down to it, none of it was enough to continue a romantic relationship with him.

Instead, they miraculously became friends, in a way. She listened to him when he was in a funk and he showed up for her when she needed him. Mainly financially with no added stipulations, she wasn’t so desperate to resort that she would become a hoe-for-hire. As weird as it may seem, he developed a serious jones for Kole while she was actually getting over her feelings for him. Listening to his problems let her know just how truly confused he was to be so much older than she was. Apparently wisdom didn’t come with age because he was dumb as rocks.

End of flashback…

‘Who would have predicted that things would have gotten so bad?’

Three months later, Neykole was loading her and the boy’s up to move far away from Little Rock, Arkansas. The only place she has ever called home was no longer a safe haven. All because she met a fine big man at a club not knowing he would turn out to be a cheater. A terrible cheater who fell in love at the drop of a dime. It was evident it was closer to lust than love, but the scary part was he wanted all three women.

His wife whom he had years and children with and the mistress he had for some reason unknown to Neykole. Finally he wanted Neykole, the youngster that acted more grown up than the three of them. The other two women may have been comfortable in their roles, but she certainly was not. There was no way she was going to result in being his mistress to his lover; no matter how much she lacked love in her life. No more would she search for love in the wrong men nor continue to wish upon a star that her family will one day love her the way she deserves to be loved.

Poor delusional Regina turned into the stalker he once called Neykole. The only sadistic part was that she wasn’t only stalking Justin, she had begun to stalk Neykole as well. Calling her phone from different numbers, restricted numbers, and riding past her house had taken the cake. The chick was beyond psycho and there was no way in hell Kole was going to allow her kids to be subjected to such foolery. Breaking down what was going on to a good friend of hers that had moved out of state, she was instructed to make a change. Lachelle insisted she break free from her prison called home and start anew somewhere away from people who only wanted to hurt her.

I can’t believe you are moving to a state you hardly know anyone in, her mother Lisa remarked with disdain. What do you know about Colorado anyway?

I know it’s not Arkansas.

Don’t get smart, Lisa sneered. What about the boys? Who will look after them? How are you going to survive? It’s not like you have a job or a degree.

I have my second interview at the Colorado State Hospital in three days. Chelle is going to help me with the kids. We will be staying with her until I can get my own place.

Don’t worry Miss Lisa, everything will be okay. She will get the job, I know people.

Humph. Well you know folks are going around suspecting something else is going on. You know how your aunties and the rest of them act.

Something else like what? Neykole asked beginning to become defensive.

You know what I’m talking about you ain’t as simple as you act at times. They are talking about the boys having two mommies. Chelle rolled her eyes to the ceiling. Both of them were very familiar with the others family so neither of them were surprised when someone would say some jacked up stuff. They had been friends long enough, going all the way back to middle school. Both with bonafide country family who love to keep their mouths on whoever was worthy.

Trust that’s the least of your worries, strictly-dickly over here.

Chelle… Neykole exclaimed before falling out laughing.

What? I’m just stating the truth.

That is disgusting. Lisa scowled.

Insinuating that we are lesbians isn’t?

Whatever. You know if it doesn’t work out, you can’t come live with me. Grown folks need their own space. You were dumb enough to get knocked up not once but twice so you are well past grown. Lisa started on her regular beat Neykole into the ground rant. It never got old because she could practically recite the speech word for word. "And furthermore what does the daddy think about you taking his children away from him? He can’t be alright with this."

Well when you are avoiding the serving of child support papers so you won’t have to pay, the ‘say so’ kind of doesn’t matter.

I don’t know why y’all just didn’t get married, y’all already a family. It ain’t like no other man gonna want to step into a ready-made family.

You are so right and that’s cool with me. I have come to the conclusion that men are too much trouble. If I was married, he would probably just cheat, right?

All men cheat, that’s no surprise.

Alrighty then I’m done, we are leaving at two in the morning. It never ends with her mother’s mouth. No matter how mean and hateful Lisa has been, she still gave birth to her. Probably against her better judgment since she looks at Kole as one big disappointment but life must go on. Can’t change the past, on to the future Kole was ready to go.

Let me say goodbye to my grandbabies. I am going to miss them something terrible. Lisa exclaimed running off to find the babies.

So she isn’t going to miss you? Chelle asked low enough so that only Neykole could hear. That was probably why they were closer to being sisters than friends because they act so much alike. They were the cynical, sarcastic dynamic duo. Surely if they were twins, those would be the middle names picked out just for them.

I am pretty sure she won’t unless she needs me to do something like babysit my little brother and things of that nature.

So tell me this. How does it feel to be the only youngster in history to be stalked by a bunch of geriatrics?

Hardy har har… Neykole tried not to laugh, but it was hilarious. Geriatrics, really Chelle?

"Hell, he is twelve years older than you and the silly trick he has hooked on his crack pipe is thirty. No telling how old the wife is. This is