He would give her the world and no man would treat her as well as he would.
The assertive man that he was, Zion started counting the ways in which he could make this young woman fully entrust every part of her being - her heart, her body, and her soul - into his care.
Yes, he settled within his mind. He was going to make Beatrice his in every way possible.
Then the silence of the house penetrated his consciousness and his eyes popped open.
Warning alarms went off in his brain, blaring loudly and painfully.
Something was wrong. He could feel it.
He sat up in the bed, eyes and ears searching.
Beatrice was not in bed next to him. Touching the place she now normally slept proved that the spot was cold.
How long had she been gone, he wondered frantically.
“No, no, no,” he chanted, having no idea why.
Or rather, in denial of what he already instinctively knew.
He jumped out of bed, nude.
He became entangled in his sheets and almost fell flat on his ass but he did not let that stop him as he ran to Beatrice’s room. It was there that his worst fears were confirmed.
The bed was neatly made and the closet was empty.
Even her natural scent seemed muted.
She was gone.
He refused to admit it to himself though and ran from room to room calling her name. In the kitchen, he discovered a single white sheet of paper on the island.
He stopped his search as his focus tunnel-visioned on the stationery.
Long seconds ticked by as he simply stared at it.
His chest was heaving, not from the exhaustion of searching Beatrice out but from trying to hold back the storm of emotion that he knew would engulf him when he admitted the truth to himself.
Finally, he walked to the island with slow, heavy footsteps.
His hands trembled as he picked up the note.
He shook harder as he read the words sprawled in Beatrice’s handwriting.
Dear Zion,
If you are reading this then you have surely realized that I am gone.
I’m sorry I didn’t say bye but I think it’s easier for both of us this way.
Thank you for everything you’ve shown me and encouraged me to experience these last few weeks. Meeting you has been the most profound experience of my life and I will never forget our time together. You have shown me an entirely new way of life and I will be forever grateful.
However, I am not in the market for a relationship right now. There are many things I plan to do and experience before I ever dream of settling down. Stringing you along would be cruel and unfair.
I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you by coming here.
Please don't try to look for me.
All the best,
Trixie
Zion had to read the note more than once for the words to sink in.
When they did, he sank to the cold floor. His legs were suddenly weak and unable to support him.
He began to hyperventilate and had to put his head between his knees to control himself.
He had no idea how much time had passed, but when he lifted his head the light in the room had changed.
He looked down at the note in his hand once more. It was damp with splashes of liquid.
It was only then that he realized that he had been crying.
He could not believe it.
He had not cried since he was a boy when he found out that his mother had left and would never be coming back to him and his father.
He felt that same jagged pain in his chest as he had back then. Like his beating heart had been ripped out of his chest.
He had been left a broken man by an eighteen-year-old girl whom he should have known better than to fall for.
He’d had his heart broken by his best friend's daughter.
Oh, the irony.
His bitter laugh echoed in the empty house as he wondered if this was his punishment for the callous way he’d lived his life up until now.
Chapter 24
By the balls
Beatrice was lying on the sofa in Todd's apartment.
She was floating in the place between sleep and consciousness, her mind on nothing and everything at the same time.
It had now been more than twelve hours since she’d sought solace on Todd’s sofa.
Sounds from the street below came through the open window that led to the fire escape.
Despite the hour, Beatrice could hear laughter, music and the faint hum of traffic.
In an urban section of this large city, Todd’s home was small and could probably have fit into Zion’s master bedroom alone.
It was a far cry from her accommodations for the last few weeks but Beatrice found comfort in the hustle that signaled life outside.
She liked Todd’s place. It was decorated with bright, vivid colors and a mix of contemporary and vintage furniture. It was a world away from the cool formality of Zion’s place.
At the thought of the man, she settled on her back and opened her eyes to look at the shadows fluttering across the ceiling.
She was fully awake now.
She was in the living room alone after finally having settled in. She had arrived with the breaking dawn and Todd had wasted no time in getting her to spill her guts. The two drank wine and stuffed their faces with chocolate as he listened to the tale of everything that had happened between her and Zion since the two had last spoken.
He’d been thoroughly engrossed in her story and entirely supportive of her decision to leave.
“It’s too soon for you to take these magnificent goods of yours off the market, hon.”
Todd was gone now though, citing a dick appointment with his newest love interest for his disappearance. He gave her a key to come and go as she pleased, and free reign of the apartment before he left.
She thought of what she might do from here on out.
She did not come to the big city to be in a relationship with Zion. Or anyone else for that matter. She was not interested in love.
It was about time she focused on herself, selfishly, and her need for novelty.
When Zion had left the farm, she’d realized just how focused she’d had been on making sure everyone around her happy while neglecting her own need to try new things and explore the world.
As part of her plan to take control of her life, she had sought Zion out.
All she wanted was to relieve her frustrations. To know what it would like to be fucked by Zion. To try out someone experienced enough to make it mind-blowing instead a moment of regret like so many other females she knew.
Now that she’d gotten what she came for, she did not need that man anymore. While their time together had been great, there was no need to draw out their encounter especially now that Zion had become emotionally entangled.
Her time with Zion had been unforgettable but it was time to move on.
And she was doing so without regret.
Beatrice now intended to stay in the big city and look into getting a job, maybe working in a boutique like Todd did. She loved the vivaciousness of the city and could not bear the thought of going back to dull small-town life.
And with a vision and a plan, Trixie turned to the side and fell asleep with a smile on her face.
Tomorrow would be a new day and the woman she was evolving to would tackle it head-on with confidence and a lustful thirst for life.
Beatrice had died and Trixie had risen to take her place.
Book Two: Best Friend’s Daddy
Chapter 1
Young and numb
“Thank you for shopping at Trance Boutique. Please enjoy your purchase and come back again soon.”
Trixie’s voice was chirpy, and her smile vibrant as she bid the last customer farewell.
It didn’t show in her friendly demeanor, but she was counting down the seconds until the shopper left and she could flip the ‘closed’ sign on the door. She was a profess
ional, after all.
Fashionable and well-dressed, Trixie was Lead Sales Assistant at a high-end boutique in the big city that sold designer clothes, handbags and shoes.
Although the pay could have been a lot better, Trixie enjoyed her job… most days.
Today though, all she wanted was to go home, to get into bed and sleep at least twelve hours.
So, when the last customer walked out and the clock announced that is 6 p.m., she just couldn’t hold back a huge sigh of relief.
“Thank God! I thought she’d never leave. Who needs an entire hour to choose one dress anyway?” said one of the sales assistants.
Another seconded, “You’re telling me! I was about ready to kick her out.”
Trixie didn’t laugh with the other women, though she understood their anguish.
Instead, she threw them a chastising look.
That shut them up and they scurried back to work.
She helped the other two assistants pack up and bid them farewell once all cash was accounted for, floors cleaned and all merchandise back in place. By the way the women quickly piled out the door, she could tell they were eager to be elsewhere.
So was she.
Trixie grabbed her bag and was about to leave when the store manager strolled in.
Her hopes for a quick exit were dashed when the manager said, “Ah, Beatrice. I am so glad I ran into you before you left.”
Trixie barely managed to hold in a sigh, not only because Francine Frederick was delaying Trixie's appointment with her bed, but because she insisted on using the name Trixie hated.
Although it was Trixie’s lawful first name, she didn’t like being addressed by it. It represented a time in her life she wanted to leave behind and did not like being reminded of the simpleton she once was. She had dubbed herself Trixie not long after moving from small-town living to the big city, and asked everyone she met to call her by the name.
So far, the manager ignored the request and called Trixie by the name signed on her paycheck.
How irritating!
But Trixie understood she needed to kiss ass to achieve her goals.
So, she gave Miss Frederick a huge smile and greeted her, “Oh, hello, Francine. It is wonderful to see you. I thought you’d left already. Is something wrong?”
Trixie injected just the right amount of concern into her voice though she really did not want to deal with Francine or any issues right then.
Francine, who was the epiphany of high fashion, poise and grace, waved her hand dismissively and laughed. “Nothing is wrong, dear. I just wanted to remind you to come in early tomorrow morning. The Regional Director will be here at 7 a.m. and you don't want to keep her waiting. She is a stickler for managing her time and will not stand for tardiness. I’ve been so pleased with your work over the last few months and I don't want anything to get in the way of your promotion.” the older redhead gushed.
Trixie, if she could impress the woman, knew the position of Assistant Supervisor was as good as hers.
She had worked hard for that promotion, staying later than the other staff and generally going above and beyond her duties. The promotion wouldn’t only boost her income, it would validate her move to the big city and show the doubters back home she had what it took to make it in the real world.
So of course, she was happy about her meeting tomorrow and smiled appreciatively. “Of course, I will be on time and I’ll wow her socks off. You have nothing to worry about.”
But the truth was Trixie was tired and couldn’t summon the proper internal enthusiasm for the great news.
She had been drinking strong coffee all day just to keep her eyes open.
She’d only gotten three hours of sleep the night before and barely made it to work on time.
Trixie had been out partying with her roommate, Cherry.
Cherry and Trixie had met through a mutual friend, Todd.
Flamboyant Todd had been the first friend Trixie made when she’d moved to the big city. He’d showed her how to act like a big city babe, and taken her to all the places where the young and beautiful go. She’d even stayed at his apartment for a few weeks before he got the opportunity to work and live in Paris and moved away.
Todd even helped her get this job.
He and Trixie still chatted sometimes and she missed him terribly. So terribly that she sometimes saw no reason to leave the house now that Todd wasn’t around to make things entertaining.
Cherry had been determined to get Trixie out of her funk and began inviting her out for some fun.
It started out light-hearted, but quickly spiraled into heavy drinking, experimenting with substances and tempting men into wild rendezvouses. Things only got worse when they moved in together.
There was nothing Cherry loved more than getting drunk, smoking something good and hooking up with random guys. Guys she’d bring back to their tiny shared apartment.
At first, it annoyed Trixie.
The noise of Cherry screwing these men could not be ignored no matter how much Trixie desperately wanted, no, needed to sleep.
She was trying to make a good impression at work and Cherry was a terrible influence, doing everything she could to take Trixie off the straight and narrow. Cherry was always encouraging her to go out and get wild when she should have been snoozing.
It was not that Trixie didn’t like to party or screw when the mood struck, but she did not want it to interfere with her work. Her job was far too important for her to lose, especially when she was working so hard to get a promotion.
But, Cherry nagged and nagged, and it annoyed Trixie to no end.
It was too easy to join in the fun, party late into the night and early into the morning. To do shots and smoke up. To romp around in bed with all kinds of men and get off on how deliciously slutty the whole thing was.
But today was a prime example of why she needed to set Cherry straight and establish some ground rules. Something had to change or Trixie would lose everything she’d worked so hard for.
The young and dumb lifestyle would not do anymore. Not at all.
“That’s the spirit!” Francine praised and continued to give Trixie a few pointers on impressing the Regional Director.
Her voice cut into Trixie’s irritated musings and brought her crashing back to the present.
Trixie sighed internally and settled in, pretending to listen.
Apparently, sleep would have to wait a little while longer.
Chapter 2
We need to talk
It was dark out when Trixie entered her apartment building.
Though she had to climb three flights of stairs in high heels to get to her room, she was grateful to finally be home after an hour-long talk with the store manager Francine.
That feeling, though, was short-lived.
As soon as she opened the door, she was met by a mess left for her to deal with.
A bra dangled from the door handle.
Empty alcohol bottles were scattered everywhere.
The smell of smoke was thick in the air.
The sink was piled high with dishes.
Dirty clothes covered the floor.
There was even a used, cum-filled condom hanging off the side of a trash can.
It was a scene of absolute destruction after a night of hard partying.
Trixie hissed a curse then let out another sigh.
Her eyes scanned the studio apartment, but the scene did not change and there was no sign of her roommate.
Again, irritation at Cherry arose.
Cherry was unemployed. She could have at least cleaned up the mess. It was her bra dangling from the doorknob, and likely her used condom on the trash can.
Trixie eyed her bed, which was situated across one side of the room, but knew it was no use.
How could she get to sleep with such mess surrounding her?
The answer was, she couldn’t, so she took off her high heels and dropped her handbag on the one clean spot on the counter she could f
ind.
Closing the door behind her, she started collecting garbage, righting the few pieces of furniture they owned and generally tidying up the room. She left the dishes for the very end since that was her least favorite task.
Even though the room was small, it felt like it had taken Trixie forever to finally get things back in order.
Her body ached and her eyes felt as if they were weighed down by sandbags.
More than ever, she was determined to have that talk with Cherry about their current lifestyle. If Cherry could not contribute toward paying the rent and other bills, the very least she could do was clean up.
And partying all night definitely had to stop. Getting quality sleep at night was currently Trixie's top priority. The promotion at the boutique was only the first step in her plan in becoming a successful, forward-thinking young woman in the big city. Francine didn’t know it yet, but Trixie wasn’t going to be satisfied with just a promotion. It was ultimately Francine’s Manager position that Trixie was after.
Finally, Trixie put the last plate in the dish rack and looked around. The room was damn near sparkling when Trixie slipped off her cleaning gloves.
She felt a deep sense of satisfaction with everything in its rightful place.
Her bed, as well as Cherry’s, was off to the right side of the room. It was made up neatly and the kitchen/living room combo on the other side of the room, spotless.
Even the bathroom, the only closed off area in the room, shined and smelled of fresh blooms.
Ditching her clothing in the laundry basket, Trixie hopped into the shower and cleaned off. She shuddered under the cold water, but wasn’t able to summon energy to complain.
Dressed in a thin camisole and boy shorts, she was about to curl into bed for that much-needed sleep when Cherry blasted into the room.
Looking Cherry over, Trixie noted she in no way looked sleep-deprived. In fact, she was the epitome of energy and life, practically vibrating in her trainers. And why wouldn’t she be since she’d likely slept in past noon?
Trixie Provoked Page 10