This Life With You: The Difference Series

By Jay Quin

From the creative desk of Authoress Jay Quin comes the long anticipated sequel to The Difference You Have Made.

 

Three months ago Cristiana Barnes was hired to take care of Cole Skylark's young son. What she didn't realize was that everything for her was about to change. The life that Cristiana and Cole have together is good. Maybe too good. Neither of them are prepared for the other shoe to drop when an unforeseen blast from the past makes a dramatic return.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Free Minds Publications
• Release date: Apr 5, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201249694

Jay Quin

Jay Quin is an innovative author who began her professional career in 2017 with the release of her debut book For Love & War. In her short tenure, Jay Quin has released great reads such as Dangerous: In Love With A Gangster, Nothing Feels Like You, and Say You Won’t Let Go. She continues striving towards providing spectacular books for her fans to enjoy.

Book preview

Chapter One

To Be Continued

There are moments in your life when time seems to standstill. The world around you keeps moving, but you do not. There are moments that you know you won’t forget even as they’re still unfolding. Those moments impact you in unimaginable ways. They shape you as a person and nudge your future in a different direction. Although those moments may be rare, they are powerful nonetheless. So powerful that it is hard to extract yourself from even when you know you need to.

Standing on the dance floor at the wedding reception of the only daughter of one of the richest men in the eastern United States, Cristiana knows that she is experiencing one of those profound moments. It is one of those life-changing moments if you will. Maybe it shouldn’t one, but it. That much is obvious. The music is quieter although she knows the volume hasn’t changed. Yet the sound of her racing heart drowns out the pleasant sound. Her eyes are stuck as wide saucers desperate to see every second of the chaos unfolding before her. Make no mistake, there is definitely chaos unfolding at this very moment. A chill crawls down her spine, but she’s too frozen to react to it. She’s not sure if she’s frozen from shock or fear because both are present; just like the shocking presence of this woman and the fear of the menacing glower on Cole’s face.

She’s not the only one affected. That much is obvious from the way Peter is stiffly sitting in his chair at their designated table. His left hand is balled into a fist as the right clutches the top of the chair he’s sitting sideways in. It looks as if he’s coiled so tight that he could spring forward at any given second. In fact, he’s refraining from doing so now. He knows that his brother doesn’t need him to fight his battles. Yet Peter also knows that the presence of that woman is one battle Cole likely wishes he would never have to fight.

Rachel’s reaction to the unexpected guest at her wedding is subtler, but not by much. Her once bright grin has morphed into a deep frown. Her nostrils are flared, and her eyes are lowered into slits. Needless to say, she is not happy on one of the happiest days of her life. That much is obvious. It’s quite unfortunate that this is happening now during this event. The photographer tasked with capturing candid photos will no doubt inadvertently take one or two of the confrontation thus making it truly unforgettable. That is a shame.

Even Heather looks uncharacteristically angry as she blatantly ignores the older woman that’s trying to talk to her. The woman’s invitation for conversation is the last thing on Heather’s mind. She can see the negative impact that this woman’s arrival is having on her son. She can also see the guarded curiosity on Liam’s face.

If a bomb were to be dropped right now in the middle of this idyllic reception, Cristiana is certain that Cole wouldn’t notice it at all. It wouldn’t even be a blip on his radar. That’s how deeply he’s concentrating on the woman standing in front of him with a wicked grin on her cosmetically preserved face. The woman that has rocked his world with her mere presence. The woman who just boldly called Liam Skylark, Cole’s two-year-old child, her son.

He is not your son, Cole says with so much anger it’s nearly palpable. His face is growing redder by the second, and his shoulders are so high that they’re near his ears. Palpable tension has filled his body. If he doesn’t relax soon, Cristiana fears he’ll crack a bone or a tooth or both.

Sloan places a perfectly manicured hand on her chest with a look on her face that is meant to portray hurt or offense. Her mouth is open in a small circle and her sculpted eyebrows are raised. The look isn’t natural on her. She looks like an actress who is trying to portray an emotion that she’s never experienced before. Perhaps she has never experienced it before.

"How could you say that, Cole? I gave birth to him. He is my son." Despite her strange facial expression, the indignation in her voice is authentic.

You cannot be serious. Cole moves as if he’s going to step closer to her.

Cole, take a deep breath. Frantically, Cristiana grabs his arm to keep him in place. She doesn’t want there to be a scene at his sister’s wedding, but they’re well on their way to creating one. She doesn’t know how to diffuse the situation.

"Giving birth to him does not give you an automatic right to claim him. You almost killed him with your selfishness. He is not your son. He never has been, and he never will be." His voice is thick with emotion. The tension in his body visibly increases. This is an unpleasant conversation for him, especially because he’s having it in the presence of his son. The innocent boy almost didn’t live past his first day on this earth due to the actions of the conniving woman daring to call herself his mother. It is outrageous to Cole that she would make such a claim as if she hadn’t told him that the only reason she didn’t have an abortion is that she found out too late about the pregnancy. She had made it clear that she didn’t have any interest in being a mother the day Liam was born. Cole would never forget that, nor would he allow her to forget.

Sloan’s hurt look morphs into one of disdain as her mouth twists and her shaved nose wrinkles. You made sure of that. She turns to Cristiana with mischief in her eyes. Did he tell you what he did to me? Did he tell how he stole my son away just hours after he was born?

You can stop your lying. She knows the truth, Cole interrupts with impatience. He just wants her gone.

Does she know the real truth, or the one you fabricated to gain sympathy?

Cole scoffs, You don’t want to play this game with me, Sloan. If you’re looking for a villain, you may want to take a look in the mirror.

Somberly she chuckles. You truly believe I am the villain in the story. How hard it must be to be so self-righteous. Oh, but I forget, the glorious Skylark family never does anything wrong.

His wide shoulders shrug. That’s enough of your nonsense, Sloan. Why are you here? Surely you weren’t invited. Aimlessly he looks around searching for someone who can provide answers to his questions.

Heavily Sloan sighs as she returns her attention to the powerful man. You already know the answer to that question. It’s Rachel’s wedding. Of course, I had to make an appearance. She’s like a sister to me.

No, she didn’t invite you. Cole scoffs at the absurdity of her statement. Rachel has never cared for Sloan, and she has no problem letting it be known. He knows that his sister wasn’t the one who invited the vile woman. Rachel loves Liam. She wouldn’t do something that might negatively impact him, such as allowing the woman who nearly killed him to be in his presence. His mother, Heather, can’t be responsible either. She despises Sloan even more than Rachel and Cole do. Peter, his FBI agent brother, may be the one most likely to find contact information for Sloan, but Cole is having a hard time believing that the man would actually use it. That just leaves Daniel, Cole’s father. A man who has gone out of his to let his disapproval of Cole’s current romantic relationship be known. A man who chastised his eldest son for pushing away the mother of his child after she endangered their child’s life before he was born. The very woman who is standing before him now.

You’ve been in contact with my dad, Cole assumes aloud.

Sloan’s unapologetic smirk is all the answer he needs. Not everyone in your family easily believed the lies you told about me. Two plus two does indeed equal four. Without a doubt, Daniel is responsible for what is happening.

Cole’s jaw tightens, and his eyes darken as he looks across the reception. It doesn’t take long to locate Daniel amongst the crowd of fancily dressed people. The man is standing with his attention focused on the altercation. His naturally hooded eyes look away when his son sees him. His wrinkled hands are clasped in front of him. His back is straight, and his shoulders are squared. He knows that Cole knows what he’s done, but the man doesn’t care. Daniel Skylark doesn’t care about anything but controlling those around him. He wants Cole’s submission, and he’ll get it by any means necessary. Even if his grandson may get caught in the cross-fire. Cole’s mouth twists with disdain. His father should know him well enough to know that he won’t back down so easily, especially now that Daniel has brought Liam into his pettiness. Liam is an innocent child. He doesn’t need to be exposed to the cunning habitual drug user who gave birth to him under horrible circumstances.

Pulling a deep breath through the nostrils of his nose, Cole looks at Sloan without emotion being displayed on his handsome face. I’ve never told a lie when it comes to you. You’re not worth my energy, or time. Without another word, he places an arm around Cristiana’s waist as she takes Liam’s hand, and they walk away looking like the family that they have become.

Cristiana chews on her bottom lip. She wants to speak, but she’s not sure what to say. Seeing Sloan at Rachel’s wedding is beyond unexpected. She’s never seen Cole react so angrily towards someone. He obviously does not forgive the woman for jeopardizing Liam’s life. Cristiana doesn’t blame him. From what Cole told her, Sloan chose drugs over her own son. She chose her life over his. That is not an easy thing to forgive. If only Cristiana knew the right words to say at this moment.

"What the hell is she doing here?" Peter spits as soon as they reach the table. His scowl is focused on Sloan as if she’s the prime suspect in one of his investigations. No, that’s not right. At least most of his suspects have some remorse for what they did. Sloan is heartless. She’s never been apologetic about risking Liam’s life, not even when he was less than an hour old and being treated in the neonatal unit of the best pediatric hospital in the state of New York.

Cole scoffs as he holds out a chair for Cristiana to sit. She claims she’s here for the wedding because Rachel is like a sister to her.

"I do not like that thing, Rachel frowns as she joins their conversation. Much like her brothers, she is surprised to see Sloan and unhappy, to say the least. I’m sorry Cole. I don’t know how she found out. I would never invite her to any event of mine, especially not when Liam is present. Someone must have leaked the information to her."

Don’t apologize Rachel. It’s not your fault. I have a feeling I know who invited her, Cole responds as he watches Sloan approach his father.

Peter follows his brother’s gaze. The man has done some questionable things to get his way before, but do you really think he would stoop this low? Peter is well aware of how his father disapproves of Cole’s relationship with Cristiana. He’s been assuming the man would move past that as he did with Rachel’s now-husband.

Don’t you? Cole counters in a bitter tone.

Cristiana exhales and shakes her head. Today is about Rachel. Let’s not tarnish her happy day with drama. Cole, you can confront your dad later.

Gratefully Rachel smiles at the woman. Beautiful and smart. Cole better keep you around. Playfully she holds her hand out to Peter. Dance with me brother and maybe you’ll be my favorite sibling.

I’m already your favorite, Peter chuckles as she stands to join her.

You’re frowning, Cristiana comments as she studies