Free Twisted By Love, Reincarnation Tales, Book 1 by Jasmine Haynes Page A

all in ways they didn’t even know.
    “It’s total bullshit,” Wade said sharply.
    His brother had been through his own tragedy.
Clare’s sister had died in a tragic accident when they were in
college. Her death had irrevocably altered their lives, too. With
so much tragedy in his family history, Bern had been good at
putting it out of his mind, but it struck him now.
    “Look,” Wade continued, “don’t bring this up
when you visit. Mom hates it.”
    “Fine,” Bern said. Obviously Wade had become
touchy on the subject. Bern was stuck between believers and
nonbelievers. If he asked his sister Suze, she’d go wild imagining
that he’d finally come around to Jake’s way of thinking, her way.
    He moved back to the less volatile topic.
“I’ll keep in touch about the Gillespie meeting and let you know if
there’s any change.”
    “Sounds good.”
    After ending the call, Bern turned out the
desk light beside him and sat in the dark. Maybe he should have
talked to Jake about this long ago. It might have helped his
youngest brother. Maybe he wouldn’t feel like the family outcast.
Not that any of them had ever treated him like that. But it was all
in the perception.
    Bern’s perception had been changing since the
day he first saw Livie. Even then, he’d known it wasn’t the first time. For a brief moment, he’d even known her
name.
     
    * * * * *
     
    Toni left Livie sleeping soundly in the
bedroom. It was past twelve on Saturday night, but Toni couldn’t
sleep. She opened a bottle of Livie’s expensive wine. There’d been
other labels in the cupboard, but Toni enjoyed downing the pricey
stuff like it was water, especially because Livie had paid for it.
Livie was a manager and made more money than Toni did as an office
assistant. Ugh, a manager, all that responsibility, not to mention
the overtime Livie didn’t get paid for. That wasn’t for Toni. If
she was a little cash short once in a while, well, there was manager Livie to help out. Or their mom.
    In the living room, Toni pulled out her cell
phone and dialed Reese. Every time she’d had a moment to herself
today, she’d sent him a text or left him a message. He didn’t
answer. He’d stopped taking her calls on Thursday. Toni narrowed
her eyes. Now she knew why. Because of Livie. Her belly burned
thinking about what she’d witnessed last night.
    His voice mail message kicked in. “I’m so
sorry,” she said softly, meekly. “I didn’t mean it. You’re not an
asshole. Will you forgive me? Please let’s try again. I’ll be
better, I promise.” She heaved a great sigh into the phone. “I miss
you.”
    She laid the phone on the table and topped
off her wineglass. He wouldn’t call back. He was probably deleting
her messages without even listening to them. Asshole. And all
because of Livie.
    That kiss. Remembering it, Toni boiled inside
with...well, it was part rage, part revulsion, part desire. Reese
had never kissed her like that. He hadn’t even tried to sleep with
her. She’d lied to Livie about that, just to make her feel more
guilty.
    She’d been waiting down the street from his
house. He’d never invited her there, but she’d followed him home
and knew where he lived. When he didn’t arrive directly after work,
she’d feared he had a Friday night date, that he’d thrown her over
for some blonde bimbo. Imagine her shock when Livie pulled up to
the curb. Livie. How could she?
    Toni ground her teeth. She knew how. That was
Livie’s style, stealing Toni’s boyfriends. She’d first done it when
they were in high school. Walter Fenneman, the love of Toni’s life.
Her whole future would have been different if Livie hadn’t made
Walter fall in love with her. Of course Livie claimed she hadn’t
done anything, that she wouldn’t even date Walter because he was
with Toni. Right. Toni knew the truth: whatever she had, Livie
wanted. She’d always made Toni’s boyfriends fall in love with her.
She’d lie, cheat, or steal, then bat