Read Shatter Me (The Jaded Series, #1) for Free Online

do this on my own. If I get to the point where I really need it, I’ll ask. I’m not at that point yet. Hopefully, I never will be.”
    “Okay, Bailey. I’ll leave it for now. But please let me know if you need more money. I’ll come up with it somehow. You know I love you and would do anything for you.”
    Tears sting my eyes at her words. God, what did I ever do to deserve this woman? “I know you do, and I love you too,” I whisper.
    After I promise to call her tonight and we say our goodbyes, I decide to explore the town. I figure it would be best to know where everything is since I’ll be staying awhile. My first stop is a convenient store where I hope there is a public restroom so I can change and freshen up.
    Grabbing some clothes and my toiletries, I stuff them into my backpack and get out of my car. I lock my door and pocket the keys. The town is so small that you can park just about anywhere and still be in walking distance to all the little businesses.
    The sign out front of the convenient store says “Evelyn’s Market.” When I make it inside, I notice that it is not only a convenient store, but also a deli and mini grocery store. There are several cases that hold hot and cold deli items. I see six aisles with shelves full of canned goods, dry foods, boxed foods, and your everyday staples.
    In the far back, hanging from the ceiling, is a big sign that announces a public restroom. With a sigh of relief, I head to the back of the store.
    Once I enter the bathroom, I go straight to the last stall. Luckily, it is a handicap stall that’s big and has its own sink. I immediately strip my clothes off. Wetting the washcloth that I brought with me, I commence in giving myself an old fashioned “whore’s bath.” Once done, I pull on a fresh pair of panties, a bra, a pair of jeans with holes in the knees, and a “Walking Dead” t-shirt. After slapping on some deodorant and brushing my teeth, I flip my hair over the sink and wash my hair. I dry it the best I can with my hand towel. After brushing my hair, I feel almost normal again. I am as fresh as I can be without taking an actual bath.
    Coming out of the restroom, I decide to wait on getting something to eat until right before I am due to be at Jaxon’s Pub. I don’t know how long the job will last so I need to conserve the money I have just in case it doesn’t work out.
    On my way back to the library I see a volunteer fire station on a side street. Right across the street is the ‘Jaded Hollow Police Department’. Okay, good to know where that is , I think to myself. Every town I stop in I always look for the police station, just in case. On another side street I notice a tall building that says it’s an elementary, middle, and high school.
    After dropping my backpack off at my car, the entrance to the library calls my name. It’s one of the smallest libraries I’ve ever seen. Straight ahead, once you walk in the door, is a counter where you checkout and return books. To the right, there are three small tables that have four chairs a piece. Beyond the tables, there are tall bookshelves creating aisles. Beside the tall bookshelves are two shorter bookshelves that hold children's books.
    Pulling my book out of my purse, I sit at one of the tables. I discovered a new passion when I hit the road. I absolutely adore reading romance books. During one of my stops at the beginning of my trip I stumbled across a library that was giving books away. All you had to do was make a donation. In an attempt to keep myself occupied when I wasn’t driving I picked out two books and donated two dollars. Those two books were lifesavers. I’ve picked up several more since then at thrift stores. Now, I am completely addicted to reading how others get their happily ever afters. I know it is fake, but if I can’t have it in real life, I can at least enjoy it in fiction. My current story is about a couple that has been together since high school. The man and woman have