Bittersweet Melody

  Praise for Bittersweet Melody

  “This is Belinda’s best book yet! Bittersweet Melody has all the FEELS. Every single one of them! There are so many levels of emotions this book hits on: from giggling banter between best friends to one smoking hot veteran who’s guilt, sacrifice, and struggle will tear your heart out. Love it!”

  ~ Susan McCray, Amazon customer.

  "Grab a tissue because this story had all the feels. Prepare to swoon..."

  ~ Shea MacLeod, International Best Selling Author of the Sunwalker Saga

  “With Bittersweet Melody, Belinda Boring breaks your heart and slowly rebuilds it, piece by agonizingly sexy and turmoil-filled piece. Cooper is so delicious, I want to take him home and make it all better!”

  ~ Christina Silcox, Literary Redemption.

  “Belinda Boring has hit another home run! This time she brings the angst of Cooper Hensley. I totally fell in love with this story!”

  ~ Lisa Markson, The Paranormal Bookworm.

  “Wow, Belinda Boring has done it again with this book.

  Bittersweet Melody was so emotional and intense—making me

  cry, laugh, and yell at the author. This is a 5 plus star read!”

  ~ Holly Cooper, Amazon customer.

  “This story of Cooper and Caylee is simply AMAZING. Warning! You will get SUCKED IN. You MAY experience sobbing, snot-faced, ugly cries. And your heart will probably melt just a little in the process. Wow. Just wow!”

  ~ Jeanine Palinkas, Goodreads customer.

  “This has to be one of the most heartfelt stories of two young people struggling to get beyond the after effects of war. Well done, Belinda!”

  ~ Cindy Mayberry, Amazon customer.

  “This is my first Belinda Boring book, and I am now hooked!!! Cooper and Caylee's story is truly moving and so heartfelt.”

  ~ Kat Loves Books.

  “This is one of those books that once you start reading you will not be able to put the book down until you finish!!!”

  ~ Sue Brooks, Romance Book Reviews.

  “This book raises Belinda Boring to a whole other level! Bittersweet Melody is extremely well written and truly touched in my heart by the magic written here.”

  ~ Jane Elizabeth Stahl, Amazon customer.

  "A truly beautifully poetic story of moving on, letting go, and starting again. I was fully enthralled with Caylee and Coopers story. It was emotional, deep, and beautiful."

  ~ Megan Stietz, The Book Eclectic.

  "There were strong emotions pulling me in all directions throughout this book.” "There were strong emotions pulling me in all directions throughout this book.”

  ~ Rebecca Martin, UK Amazon customer.

  “I would love my very own Cooper. Like all of Belinda's books, Bittersweet Melody is full of swoon. And then some! Definitely a must read romance.”

  ~ Jaime Cross, Just Jaime’s Reviews.

  “Bittersweet Melody is a book about love, hope, loss, friendship, trust, and believing in yourself. Belinda Boring has done a great job of bringing all of those ideas together into one seamless story.”

  ~ Julie Engle, Amazon customer.

  “Very smooth, sexy, and very entertaining. Typical Belinda!!! Awesome!!!”

  ~ Nichole Bensinger, Amazon customer.

  “Wow, Loved this book. Belinda Boring has written a great story of loss, pain love and redemption.”

  ~ Meredyth Winter, Amazon customer.

  “I absolutely loved this book. The characters are GREAT! I fell in love with Caylee and Cooper right from the beginning.”

  ~ Jessica Bolduc, Jessica’s Bookshelf.

  “I was sucked in, had my heart twisted around in knots, and then had some hope for each of them to find a new happiness."

  ~Tammie Dillon, Amazon customer.

  “Cooper and Caylee's story was absolutely inspiring. This book will shatter your heart and uplift your soul at the same time. Belinda Boring created a masterpiece.”

  ~ Laura Soask, Laura Blogspot Everything Goes.

  BITTERSWEET MELODY

  A Damaged Souls novel

  Copyright 2015 Belinda Boring

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  Published by Blushing Heart Press

  Edited by Theresa Cole.

  Cover Design by Lacey Weatherford, Moonstruck Media Graphics

  eBook Edition

  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 recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to www.Title and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Dedication

  This book is dedicated to all who have fought and continue to fight for our freedoms—whether it’s in the military or taking a stand against day-to-day injustices. I add my voice to the countless others and say THANK YOU.

  Thank you for your love, sacrifice, and determination to make each day better than the last. Your efforts don’t go unnoticed. Your lives inspire us all to be better and love harder.

  And Dad, for the sake of my sanity and that wonderful image you have of me being your sweet and innocent little girl, PROMISE you’ll skip the following chapters: The second part of Chapter 17 - Chapter 25 - Chapter 26

  Trust me . . . you don’t want to be scarred by all the S-E-X. *winks*

  Acknowledgments

  Bittersweet Melody is definitely one of those books that completely blindsides the author. Two years ago, I was approached for a special project and it was then Cooper Hensley first introduced himself. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the story was put away on a shelf until the timing was right. Deep in my heart, I KNEW there was a much deeper, authentic, life-changing journey between Cooper and Caylee. I just had to be patient enough for it all to unfold.

  And damn, did it unfold.

  Bittersweet Melody grew so beautifully big; there was no way I could do it justice without losing some of the emotional elements I love. For a writer, honoring your characters is vital so it was one of those ‘no-brainer’ decisions to split the book.

  BAM! From 25K novella to a TWO full-length novels.

  A BIG thank you to everyone who helped me throughout this process. Your support and love has meant the world! I wouldn’t be able to do what I do without knowing you’re all there, cheering in my corner. Sometimes even holding my hand and wiping away the tears. I love you all!

  A special GRATEFUL thank you to those who kept me on task, held me accountable, and did late night writing sprints. You all believed in me, in this story, and didn’t quit letting me know just how much it needed to be told. I owe a lot of this release to YOU.

  I hope you enjoy Bittersweet Melody and fall hopelessly in love with Cooper. He needs it. He needs to remember that while life can suck, it can also hold indescribable joy. Like me, he has a tendency to over-think and forget that EVERYONE deserves love, no matter what! This is definitely one of my favorite books that I’ve written. For those who know me . . . see if you can see a little of me entwined within the different characters.

  Thank you for reading!

  Hug and kisses,

  Bels

  Prologue

  Cooper

  Combat is like the ever-changing tide. You know it’s coming, but you can never tell what kind of impact it’ll have until after it happens.

  There’s a consequence to everything—the key is to somehow be ready for it.

  Having been trained in all things technical, I could recite the different procedures, tactical maneuvers, and protocol in my sleep. I could gun down the enemy with precision
and accuracy.

  In the three and a half years since I first enlisted, I serve five tours, each one executed with textbook perfection.

  I knew who I was—Sergeant Cooper Hensley of the U.S. Marine Corps. I was serving my country with honor by performing my patriotic duty.

  It’s almost comical how, in a split second, it can all change.

  Be tested.

  Be undermined.

  But it didn’t matter how many times I reminded myself of that. It didn’t change the outcome. It was meant to be a routine patrol—it should’ve been.

  Like I said, combat’s like the tide, and sometimes the price paid is too high.

  Chapter One

  Cooper

  Every night, the nightmare was the same. Like a vice grip around my heart, the emotions threatened to choke me, filling me with an all-consuming anguish that sent me teetering over an abyss of guilt. Even though two years had passed since that tragic day in Afghanistan, I relived it in my dreams.

  There was more I could’ve done. Should’ve done.

  Owen had a family—a wife. He had a future. He had meaning. And in a split second, it was all stripped away. If I could’ve gone back in time, I would’ve done something different. I would’ve taken his place. Protected him more.

  He had so much to live for. Too damn young. We were all too young for the horrors we’d faced.

  That was something I’d learned quickly—the innocent often got caught in the crossfire.

  ****

  We’d been through the small, rural village before, never encountering anything that resembled resistance or suspicious movement. We were each confident in finding nothing out of the ordinary, and that simple assurance filtered through the group as we quietly bantered back and forth. The villagers had always been friendly, their small children usually running out of dilapidated homes and buildings to wave and offer us smiles. They gave us no trouble and we did likewise.

  Something was different that day, however. There was an eerie feel in the air as I looked about the deserted streets. Clutching my M16, the safety still on, I slowed my pace and scanned the area for any sign of danger. Nothing obvious jumped out, but there was no denying the way the back of my neck seemed to tingle with awareness.

  “You thinking the same thing, Hensley?”

  Glancing over at Sawyer, I nodded. “It’s too quiet.”

  “I swear it feels like we’re being watched. What about you, Scott?” Sawyer questioned.

  The four of us walked through one of the side streets, our orders to observe and report. When Scott nodded his agreement, the fluttering of curtains caught my eye as someone cautiously peeked between the hanging material.

  Damn. Not good.

  Tightening the grip on my weapon, I pushed down the flare of nerves that surged through me and cast a sidelong glance at Sawyer. He’d caught the movement, too.

  Pushing the button on the mic at my throat, I kept my focus trained on the window where I’d seen the brief motion. “Sergeant, we’ve got a situation here. The streets are empty and civilians are hiding in their homes.”

  “Intel states there’s no updated reports of insurgent activity. Proceed with caution, Corporal.”

  “Did you hear that?” I mouthed, my three squad brothers nodding they’d also heard the instructions. “Be on guard.”

  Travis held my gaze, and I didn’t need to ask what he was thinking. His expression matched the others. The time for bantering back and forth was over.

  Walking in formation, our concentration was razor sharp as we readied ourselves for whatever was brewing. It was unnatural—too damn still for this not to be some kind of ambush. Even the background noise of birds and animals was muted, like they also sensed danger was approaching and were secreted away. It was as if a shroud of silence lay over the village. My boots crunched over the road, steady and firm. It was unnerving—the void of children playing and laughing and the general hustle and bustle of villagers heightened my awareness.

  Focus, Cooper. Find your center and remember your training.

  An overwhelming prickling sensation was the only warning before the sound of gunfire echoed. We knew it was coming, expected something, and adrenaline began pumping through my body as each member of the team immediately dropped to their knees, weapons ready.

  “Contact. We have contact left!”

  I swiveled to look in that direction, scanning the rooftops and windows for any sign of the hidden gunman. Questions fired through my mind as I recognized how imperative it was to reveal the threat promptly. Was there one or more? How quickly could we disperse the danger? Did I have a clear shot?

  “Sergeant, shooter at eleven o’clock.”

  “I have one at eight o’clock.”

  “Advise how to proceed, Sergeant,” I radioed in, my heart thundering in my chest. One quick glance reassured me that each of my squad was unharmed, also scoping out his surroundings.

  We may have been strangers when we came together six months ago for this recon tour, but we were a band of brothers now.

  There was nothing I wouldn’t do to keep them safe. When the orders came in that our time together had been extended, we hadn’t complained. We worked well together—like a well-oiled machine.

  “Squad status,” Sergeant Miller barked back.

  “All accounted for,” I replied, rechecking to make sure. “We’re about thirty-five yards down the street, cover is minimum.” Crouching down by the trunk of a small tree, the others were making the best of what they’d scattered to—building doorways and a beat-up vehicle.

  “Lock and load.”

  It was the order we were waiting for, and with a steady hand, I began loading my weapon, and then flipped the safety off. The rules of engagement and using deadly force had been drilled into me—into each recruit—from the very beginning. No matter the situation, the only time we could retaliate was when the enemy gave us no other choice but to use our weaponry.

  With this new order, we were now on high alert—authorized to kill on sight.

  “You okay, Sawyer?” I checked, worried by how slowly he was moving. Even though the gunfire had momentarily paused, another rule was to make sure the team was ready for the next order. From my vantage point, Scott and Travis were adjusting their weight so they could act quickly. “Sawyer?”

  His head turned toward me, a pained look in his eyes as he struggled to respond, his mouth forming words but nothing coming out.

  The realization hit like a freight train, slamming into me hard as dread settled in the pit of my stomach.

  A ricochet bullet—the shot you never saw coming.

  Judging the distance between us and scouring the street, my brain was already trying to estimate how quickly I could reach him. Just a few yards. A few small yards and I could cover us both as I bolted from the tree’s slight protection, grateful for the armor-plated vest keeping my body securely covered.

  One step. Two steps. Three steps. Each step removed any doubts about Sawyer being injured. The proof was undeniable. I reached for my mic to radio in the update.

  “Coop,” he whispered with labored breath, his hand covering his neck as bright red blood dripped between his fingers. “Watch out.”

  There was no time to turn and fire at the threat. A scorching fire blazed through my body, the bullet’s impact propelling me forward. The silence was decimated once again by an infusion of explosions, the ambush coming from all around us.

  Staggering forward, I dropped to the ground, determined to crawl if needed.

  Just a little more.

  Regardless of the distracting pain, I would take down the bastards attacking us.

  A blinding agony sizzled through my thigh, all but robbing me of the ability to think as I struggled to remain coherent. There was no way in hell I would die on this street—me or Sawyer.

  “Contact, Sergeant. Contact!” My earpiece sparked to life as Travis and Scott radioed in. “Hensley’s hit!”

  Dragging myself next to Sawye
r, I didn’t know what was louder—the bullets whizzing through the air or the sound of my racing heart in my ears. As my vision started narrowing, I shook my head in an attempt to clear it.

  Not now. Focus. Duty first. Protect. Stop the threat, I inwardly shouted, demanding myself to push past the pain.

  A body toppled off the opposite rooftop, a faint scream gurgling from the insurgent as he fell to his death.

  “One target eliminated,” Travis commented.

  “I’m hit, Sergeant. Sawyer, too,” I added through clenched teeth, the strain from focusing taking its toll. My heart thudded in my chest, blood pounding as it seeped from my leg. I refused to acknowledge the gaping wound and the crippling agony that robbed my breath. There would be time for weakness later. Blackness rushed at me as my vision swam and left a blurry haze around the edges.

  I’d trained myself to remain calm under pressure, to never panic and give in to distracting emotions, but there was no holding it back as unconsciousness beckoned.

  Stay the fuck awake! I ordered myself, attempting to lift my gun and failing miserably. Protect your team!

  This wasn’t part of the plan we all had talked about late at night. Each of us had hopes and dreams for our futures, things we wanted to do and accomplish. I wasn’t the same guy who had enlisted fresh out of high school, but I knew I wanted more from life—more than war, fighting, and death.

  For the first time I could remember, my body refused to obey as thoughts flew through my mind.

  I was just forty-five days short—my last tour before going home.