Bleeding Hearts: The Blue Family Legacy, #2

By Tamika Brown

Ten years. It's been ten years since Trenton Blue lay eyes on the woman who left him heartbroken. He searched for her endlessly, until he spots her in a crowd. She looks like the same girl he fell in love with, but somethings not right. Just when he thinks she's back in his life she disappears. Trenton needs to find her. He needs to know where she's been. He won't rest until he finds her this time.
Ten years. It's been ten years since Toya Clark left the man of her dreams. But she never forgot him which is why she didn't miss the chance to see him. But now the person she's been running from all these years is hot on her trail. The only thing she can do is ask Trenton for help if she's going to survive.

Can Trenton be Toya's saving grace in more ways than one, or will blood spilled from her past be her demise?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tamika Brown
• Release date: Jun 10, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223821557

Tamika Brown

I'm from a small town, but we have big dreams. I was born in the 70's but am truly the epitome of an 80's baby! My parents instilled in me to work hard; you can go as far as you want to with a good education. My parents ingrained this in me and because of that, I strive to be the best in whatever I do. I am an educator, but first and foremost, I am a wife and a mother of three. I take pride in what my children and husband have accomplished and strive to be a positive role model and inspiration to my children to be the best and that hard work pays off.I am an avid reader and naturally my love for reading spilled out into writing.Then came the challenge from my students to write a short story when we were studying pirates in North Carolina history. I took up the challenge and discovered that I could write!!! Whenever I get the chance, I put pen to paper and let all of the characters and plots that tumble around in my head come on out!!

Book preview

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Chapter One

Have You Seen Her

Trenton Blue sighed as he stood next to his soon-to-be sister-in-law as she gazed lovingly and proudly at his older brother, Torren. Trenton suspected that Kha’rin had a lot to do with Torren’s decision his brother was about to announce. The two of them had been through a lot recently. She’d been in an abusive relationship that almost took her life. Her brother had essentially been Kha’rin’s saving grace. Trenton like Kha’rin and was glad his brother had found his person. They would good together. Complimented one another in the way that counted.

He had that once. What Trenton shared with Toya was unique and something he believed would last forever. Hell, they’d been together since college, where they’d met. Architecture and engineering went hand-in-hand, and he fell in love with Toya, the architect, from the start. She was the first woman who’d ever told him no and continued to tell him no, something Trenton wasn’t used to. He wasn’t slack in the sex department or the number of women who flocked to him. Toya was also the first woman who’d left because of his family name―a new concept for Trenton, and any of his siblings for that matter. People flocked to the Blues, not ran away in terror, because of their money and prestige.

Trenton was no stranger to the Hampton’s social circles. Since Toya left him, he had his pick of women―celebrities, including musical artists, athletes, and movie stars. Some he took up on their offers, and some he didn’t. Prominent families like the Robertsons and the Grahams, both fashion powerhouse families, were in his family’s social circle and had known all his life. Other families were from new money, like the St. Johns family, and some old money, like the Stanleys, his mother’s family. These families came to the parties his parents hosted, and according to Angel Blue, the females he was supposed to date came from these families.

But if he was honest, it was all bullshit. All fake. And all exhausting, posing on cue. Trenton did his part though, playing to the camera when they were turned on him. Smiled when he was supposed to. Kissed a cheek or a forehead of the lucky lady who happened to scratch his itch for the night. Damn it was callous, but no other woman completed him like Toya. And she dropped off the face of the earth. Damn, he’d tried to find her for years after she left but had no luck.

Flashing cameras brought him back to the moment. His brother was finally taking over the company. Although it pissed the hell out of their oldest brother, Richard, Torren seizing the reigns of their father’s company was the best thing for it because Richard would run the shit in the ground.

My brothers, Richard and Trenton, will continue the run their own departments within the company, Torren announced.

As Trenton scanned the crowd, his gaze fell on her. He leaned forward to peer closely at blazing whiskey-colored eyes, the same smattering of freckles over her cheeks and nose. Her hair was much longer and straightened instead of the natural style she wore in college. Trenton’s step forward was halted by Torren’s thank you to the crowd and the barrage of questions being thrown at them as the rest of the family began to move away from the flashing lights. The press conference was over.

The family moved toward the glass doors of Blue Enterprises and Corporation headquarters. However, Trenton couldn’t move. It was like her gaze had glued him to that spot. He hadn’t seen her in years, and there she was, just as beautiful as ever. Unsure what move to make, he looked over his shoulder toward his family, but when he decided he was going after her, she disappeared into the dispersing crowd.

Damn it, he grumbled, taking one more scan of the crowd, but he couldn't spot her. She was long gone. Trenton reluctantly followed his family into the building.

Trenton settled at the conference table next to his future sister-in-law if Torren would get off his ass and ask her. He would’ve laughed at how his mother reacted to the news that she was no longer adviser, if he wasn’t so preoccupied with Toya Clark.

What was she doing here? Where had she been? Where the fuck did she go?

Those two questions circulated repeatedly in his mind. So much so, that he almost missed Kha’rin announcing she was pregnant. Trenton did a double take, needing her to repeat herself. Damn, he was going to be an uncle. He tumbled the idea around in his head and decided he liked it. Trenton glanced at his parents. His father proudly beamed while his mother’s eyes were wide, and her hand covered her mouth. Then she glanced at his father; the look they shared he hadn’t seen between them in years. Not since he was a little boy. Trenton swore his mother was crying. Something he’d not seen in a long time either. The Ice Queen apparently did have a heart.

Once the shock of the announcement wore off, the family got down to business. Torren told everyone his vision for the company, and everyone listened.

Trenton, Torren called, what are you working on right now?

That wasn’t an easy question to answer. His department had so many projects in progress that he couldn’t pinpoint just one. We have a lot of small projects going right now in various stages of completion. Why?

His brother sat back and folded his arms. The gleam in Torren’s eyes meant he had a plan. He saw it enough times when he was planning for K&M, his company.

I’m thinking of putting you in charge of the new building on the West Coast. Your engineering expertise would help with an architect’s plans.

Do you have someone in mind? Trenton asked. His heart rate tripled, pounding in his chest. If Toya was here in the Manhattan area, it might be possible to track her down and get her to collaborate. It was wishful thinking, but he hoped he could convince her, if he could find her.

Torren shook his head. No, I’ll leave that up to you. Right now, it’s been a long and emotional day. I want to go celebrate in private with Kha’rin. We’ll talk in a few days. He turned to