

Pieces Of One: Part 1
Published on 6/15/2015
Genres: Romantic Suspense
Two men want me and I want them. Simple, right? Except for one slight complication…
For over two years, I’ve been dealing with a pain in the butt MY way.
Separately.
She has her life and I have mine. They don’t intermingle. It’s the only way to keep things sane. But now she’s done something monumentally stupid and the only way to untangle myself from her mess is to live life in her shoes. Me, on the run in five inch stilettos. Great.
My name is Trista Dividir. I have Dissociative Identity Disorder and Marvy is my other personality, my alter.
To get my life back, I lie, I cheat, and I fall for both of her lovers. Little do I know, I’m not the only liar.
Did I mention I have another alter? Yeah, I didn’t know about her either.
Book one in a three part contemporary romantic suspense series.



He stares at me in the elevator, waiting for me to say something. I nervously keep my eyes forward, trying not to catch his reflection, but it’s pointless in the mirrored elevator. Struggling to suppress the smile pulling the corners of my mouth, I pucker my lips when I catch myself glimpsing his well landscaped body. My heart slams my ribs with fear and admittedly, a little pleasure.
Frozen in place, I finally swallow the deluge of saliva building in my mouth. “About my car, my friend drove me here and she’s waiting for me outside.”
He hasn’t taken his eyes off me, but they narrow as he tips his head to the side. “Yeah, I saw it last night when the valet guys brought me the keys. It’s safe.”
Tilting my head down, I dart my eyes left and right. “So…um…can I get them?”
“They’re in the office.”
I blanch and my head jerks up. “What the heck? Then why are we going to the penthouse?” My voice squeaks like a prepubescent boy; I can’t help it. For a moment, I stop breathing.
Please don’t let him want to get some. A twisting pain guts me as the knots in my stomach clamp down.
The guy flashes a smile that should be illegal in this universe. My mind begins to wander with Marvy-like thoughts.
“You look different in the daylight.”
My ears erupt in flames. Instinctively, I move my ponytail forward trying to block my face. I wish I had a hat on.
Irritated at both myself and his comment, my back stiffens. “I like this look,” I say flatly.
“I do too! But it so doesn’t look like you.” Unabashed, he moves closer.

On impulse, I try to match his steps moving farther away, but he closes the distance.
“What’s wrong?” he asks, brushing his fingers against my arm.
The knots sail from my stomach to my chest and then back down to my stomach. I know I should keep my distance, but my feet aren’t moving this time.
“Nothing,” I whisper, my breath lost.
Leaning in, he traps me between his arms and the mirrored wall. I have no choice but to spin and face him. His closeness makes me back up, only to realize I’m against the same wall he was against last night. He cocks his head to catch my gaze. The flare in them should be a warning I heed, but I’m lost in a sea of hazel-green. Dipping his head, he kisses the nape of my neck below my ear and I am drowning.
Oh my God! My eyes flutter back as I unsuccessfully try not to enjoy it, but my mind is in a freefall.
The knots melt, turning warm and slick below my hips. Between my thighs they explode with pulses. His soft lips explore behind my ear, and with small soft teasing bites. When he moves to my mouth, every resolve I walked in with disintegrates.
His kisses are rough at first but he must notice my unease. Pulling back, he holds my face, and searches my eyes for a few blinks. The next kiss is a baiting tender lip touch and small nibbles. I respond to the sweetness and part my mouth to taste more of him. When his hands go to my hips to pull me closer, my arms go around his neck as if they belong there. I stand on my tippy toes to maximize every inch to reach him. He moves his hand up to my breast, cupping it like he did with Marvy last night.
Reality slams into me and I snap my eyes open, tears stinging my sight.
Panting, I shove him back. Fucking fuck–all! I was right! He is a great kisser, but I can’t do this. This is her, not me. I look at the lights indicating floors. I swear this damn elevator was faster last night!
Catching my breath I rattle, “I…I…I can’t do this right now. I just came to get my car. I have shit to do today and my friend is waiting outside.”
Stunned, he blinks at me. “Oooh–kay.” He narrows his eyes again. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
I shed my jacket as it’s suddenly piping hot in the elevator. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
“What the hell is this?” he asks, grabbing my arm with the bruises. “Did he do this?”
My eyebrows shoot up. He? So it wasn’t this guy! I think happily with a small smile of relief.
“Wipe that look off your face, Marvy. I told you he’s dangerous!” He points a finger and the severe tone tells me more than I want to know about Marvy’s outing. The guy growls and rakes his hands through his hair. “Look, I’m sorry. It’s just I’ve seen how he treats women,” he says with a softer tone, tracing the bruises on my arm.
I jump a few inches when Kitta’s ringtone, Baby Got Back, pierces the silence. I step out of the guy’s grasp and fumble with my phone to answer it.
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About SVC Ricketts
SVC Ricketts is a Contemporary Romance author and professional smart alec (self-professed). Her work has been recognized by the Pacific Northwest Writers Association and was selected as a finalist for the 2013 PNWA Literary Competition in the Romance category.
Raised between Southern California and Oahu, she moved to the Pacific Northwest in 1993 and although she loves it here, her heart belongs to the Islands – it always will. When she’s not in, what she loving calls “book-mode,” she multitasks her life between her hilarious adult special needs daughter, super smexy husband of 11 years, two dogs, and sweating out her stress in a hot yoga studio
Website • Twitter • Goodreads
Teresa Rose
one that goes out and gets what she wants, and isn’t shy
Mary Preston
Someone super confident.
Esther Gerdzen
Someone very sure of herself
Jolanda L
Someone who says what on her mind.
Elisa Panjang
Someone who is crazy and fun.
Betul E.
Someone who loves to be the center of attention, who loves dancing and acting super crazy!! Probably someone who HATES reading 😛
Stephanie
Someone who doesn’t play by the rules.
Cassie
Probably psychotic….
Tina Taylor
My alter ego,would be more outgoing and not shy,knows what she wants and goes for it.
sandra stroh
someone who is wild and not reserved
Lisa M
tough, fierce, gets what she wants, speaks her mind
DanielleCury
Someone more fun.
Maria Malaveci
Someone wild and not quiet!
Kim Brown
Badass!
Marcy Meyer
Definitely a wild child!
Jay
Someone who doesn’t follow rules
Tiffanee
Someone who isn’t shy at first, she would most likely be more active, and crazy confident.
Rita Wray
Someone mysterious.
Paige
Someone who took no one’s shit.
Tachelle
My alter identity would probably be super impulsive and have no resistance to “instant gratification.” The identity would probably have zero filter and say whatever she wants. Pretty much my complete opposite and be all the things I can’t bring myself to act on.
Christi
Someone who is to going and confident.
Brandy Lucero
Someone super confident which I am not.
MJ Symmonds
I’d be someone very mysterious and very sensual. Thanks
Christie Marsh
Someone spontaneous
Kimberly Parker Addison
I’m already a bad ass, I guess my alter ego would be meek and timid
Debra Saucedo
A person that doesn’t look back at her wasted life filled with regrets!!
Maria Lazarou
Someone confident
Jen Zingaro
Sexually adventurous
Aline
A Tough as Nails Person that takes no shit
Anna
More confident
Latifa Morrisette
Someone more outgoing and risk taking.
Beth Miller
Someone with no responsibilities so I can read as often as I wish.
Diane Buckner
One that can engage her brain to mouth filter!! Or one that loves herself.
Amber Rae Johnson
Someone that speaks her mind and doesn’t worry about the consequences lol
Heather Scully
Well… I’m a Gemini ♊, and as such, I already have a split personality. And both are kind of a handful. I don’t suggest I take on another personality. Fairly certain mine would chain me up as some sort of Jekyll and Hyde +1. Lol ??
Sounds like an awesome read. Thanks for the chance. ??❤??
Lisa ward
Someone who is not afraid to speak her mind .
Go after what she wants .
Laughs a little more..
Sue LeBlanc
Someone who lives a happy, healthy life with someone she truly loves.
SVC Ricketts
I love these comments! You all describe EXACTLY what inspired this story. When an old favorite song came on the radio, memories of who I used to be compared to who I am now was a lightning bolt.
Thank you all for your fantastic comments & sharing who your alter would be!
Crystal R Solis
My alter ego would be a brave, confident chick that didn’t take shit from anyone and NEVER second guesses herself. Too bad that in real life I am super shy.
Bethany Elaine Macielag
My alter ego is Elaine. She can be very evil and vindictive. She is very confident and independent. She knows what she wants and she takes it. Of course as ‘me’, I am the complete opposite. Thankfully I can tame Elaine. Even though I love the confidence, independence, and drive; the evilness would cause A LOT of issues.
Lisa markson
Someone more confident
Mary Lowery
Someone with self confidence!
Heather
A badass ?
Andrea Cox
My alter ego would be wild! Everything I never could be and then some!
Heather Kallam
My alter ego would be super extroverted and very, very decisive.
Heather S.
A confident, sultry woman 😉
Maria Theresa Santos
someone confident
Ruth Jeter
more assertive
Natasha Persaud
I am who I want to be: confident, don’t abide by rules, etc. I can’t think of anything that I would want to alter
QuenKne Ma
I would think she would be a very confident, outgoing woman.
Becky Nichols
My alter identity would be a spy or a hitman (woman)! I’d love to live a double life lol
Lorraine Irvine
Never really thought about it tbh but an angel.sounds good lol x
Nikolina
A self-confident person.
Deborah Favorito
My alternate person wouldn’t be shy.
Gabrielle
Someone who is wild!
Jeri Entler
my alter identity would probably be a slut
Catherine Bates
My alter ego would be a complete bad ass that helps put the bad guys in jail. Oh and perfect hair no matter what
Mary Y.
Confident and healthy
Irma J
Probably a killer, lol.
Joann Downie
My alter would be aggressive but not overbearing, sexy, and RICH!!
Joann Downie recently posted…WISHLIST WINNING WEDNESDAY-STATES THEME
Tiffany Johnson
an alt/grunge chick
Nicole Ortiz
Someone who is confident and not afraid of anything or what people think.
Tanya Guthrie
I’m thinking a slut! I’ve been so far from that my entire life.
Victoria Dattilo
someone who speaks her mind and goes after whatever she wants no matter the time or the place kind of like Marvy
lea
Someone with a lot of confidence!
Diana Doan
Someone more carefree.
Samantha Nania
Someone super confident and sassy
Linda Moffitt
A doctor