Elite (Privileged #2)
By Madison Stevens
This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents depicted in this work are of the author’s imagination or have been used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, locations, or events is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved.
Copyright 2014 Madison Stevens
Smashwords Edition
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Cover designed by Najla Qamber Designs
***
Elite (Privileged #2)
by
Madison Stevens
Living the high life in Grace Locke’s elite world has left her listless and unfulfilled. Her parents have it all mapped out for her, from birth to marriage, including the man she’s supposed to love and marry. It’s too bad she can’t get her kiss with Dean, a cowboy from outside her circle, off her mind. Things change when her grandmother challenges Grace to break free and begin to learn who she is and not who her parents want her to be.
Attacking her new life with the gusto of self-exploration, Grace finds she really only feels free with Dean. Unfortunately, that soon becomes complicated when she’s drawn into helping her ex-boyfriend, not out of love, but out of her concern for his suffering younger sister. Sworn to secrecy by her ex to protect his family’s reputation, Grace has to deal with a suspicious Dean and her ruthless parents who care little about her happiness. Freedom, Grace soon learns, can come at a cost.
***
Chapter One
I’ve never really spent much time being single. It always seemed like there was some boy floating into my life. I usually met him at some party hosted by my parents, a boy from the right family with the right connections. We’d hit the town like we owned it, and to be honest, that wasn’t far from the truth. But it never seemed to last. Chance was the longest relationship I had been in, and even after several years together, it didn’t even feel like we knew anything about each other.
“Grace.” I looked up from my menu, startled from my thoughts. Emma stared at me from across the table.
As much as I loved having my best friend with me during my visit with my grandmother, it had been more than a little hard to see her together with my brother Gavin. Not because I didn’t like them as a couple but more because of my own jealousy. Being the third wheel wasn’t something I was used to or liked. Hell, I didn’t know if I could ever get used to it. It was sad and lonely, a position I wasn’t wholly unfamiliar with and tried never to feel.
My gaze flicked between my brother and my best friend. Both seemed keenly aware of my current thoughts.
“Oh for Christ’s sake,” my father grumbled from down the table. “Give the man your order.”
I turned to look at my father and then to the waiter standing next to him.
“I’ll take the Coq au vin,” I said.
I raised a brow at my father. Years of studying French and I could now order off a menu like a pro. His influence had produced such an impact on my day to day life. It was so much more important I know how to order in French than continue with those silly painting and ballet lessons. Heaven forbid I learn a skill that might not help me at a future business meeting.
“Well, I’m certainly glad that crisis has been averted,” my grandmother piped up from beside me.
Emma choked on her drink, and I turned to conceal my smirk. My father’s sigh was just icing on the cake. He hated this time of year, but family duty meant he had to put in his dues. Grandmother held the keys to his kingdom. One big flub and he might find himself a small player in our large estate. Of course, no one really thought that might happen, but he liked to be sure.
I watched as he plastered on a fake smile for my grandmother. The wrinkles on his face deepened, and I wondered if they might crack from the strain. It was obvious which position they were used to being in. Years ago, he had been as handsome as Gavin, but time had taken its toll on him. It was hard not to wonder if his normal angry disposition played a role.
“No crisis, Mother,” he said, the strain evident in his voice.
I turned to watch my grandmother. She was such an elegant older woman, who tended to say whatever was on her mind. I supposed that was from years of being the head of the household. What I wouldn’t give for that kind of freedom.
“Oh, I’m so glad to hear it,” she said. Her sharp voice cut across the room. Several people around us turned to watch.
“Mother, please,” my father said, his voice strained. Part of me almost felt bad for him. If he hadn’t just spent the last two weeks blasting me for the breakup with Chance, I might have stepped in to help. But at this moment, he really did deserve to squirm a little.
“Well, Clare, it’s been so lovely spending time with you,” my mother said, her unpolished face showing no signs of worry. Botox, the ultimate poker face.
“I’m sure it has,” my grandmother said. Her unabashed grin said so much. She really did enjoy torturing my parents.
“We’re sorry we won’t be able to stay longer, but our jobs just won’t allow it.” My mother’s sharp eyes fell on me. “But at least Grace will be here.”
My grandmother turned to look at Gavin and Emma. Everyone’s last night but mine.
“Are you sure you wouldn’t like to go back with them?” Her bright green eyes searched my face.
“Well, of course she wouldn’t,” my mother said.
I grinned when my grandmother’s eye twitched. That was her tell. She was done with my parents for this visit.
“Are you trying to get rid of me?” I grinned at her.
My mother’s gasp could barely be heard over the laugh my grandmother let out.
“I always did like you best,” she said. She winked over at Gavin. “You’re too much of a looker to be my favorite.”
He grinned back at her. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
The mood lightened as the waitstaff brought our food. The conversation, as it nearly always did, drifted to my father’s work. Hospital this, investment that. All the money talk, you’d think someone other than himself cared. Didn’t matter. It gave me time to retreat back into my head and try not to think about the mess that my life had become.
At one point, I knew who I was and where I was going. It seemed so stupid that one guy could mess it all up, or maybe it was meant to be messed up. It wasn’t exactly like I was thrilled with the prospect of becoming like my mother.
I sighed. I didn’t hate them though, or the life they had given me, but it would be nice if I could make some decisions for myself.
Emma reached across and patted my hand. My wine-braised chicken sat mostly untouched.
“Are you sure you don’t want to come back with us?” Worry knitted across her brow.
I shook my head. “I’m fine,” I said. “I’ll do some painting with Grandmother, and let the staff wait on me. It’ll be nice.” I grinned at her but faltered at her knowing gaze. I glanced down at my cooling chicken. “It’s fine. I’d be a third wheel.” I held my hand up to stop her protest. “It’s okay, really. I’m happy for you both, and some alone time will do me good.”
Emma turned to Gavin. He knew. If anyone would, it would be him. He gave a nod and patted Emma on the arm.
“She’ll be fine,” he said. I watched as he comforted her and felt a pang
. A lump in my throat formed, and I knew the chicken would have to be a late night snack instead. At least it tasted better reheated.
* * *
“You were quiet the ride home,” my mother said as we made our way into the enormous house.
“Just thinking.” I stopped at the main hall at the door of the library.
“Thinking about Chance?” Her face brightened at the thought.
I groaned and walked into the room. Books lined every wall.
“No, Mother. Please, just let it go,” I said and covered my aching eyes with a hand. The throbbing at my temples only increased.
“I would if you would make the right choices,” she snapped.
“And what would those be?” I dropped my hand. Anger coursed through me.
“He has good connections, and we’ve known the family for years. You couldn’t do much better.” She looked me up and down.
Heat flamed my face. “We’re done here.”
I raced from the room and rushed past my father. By morning, they would be long gone, and I could finally rest.
At the top of the stairs, I stopped to wave at Gavin and Emma down the hall.
“See you in a week,” Emma softly called.
I nodded and retreated to my room. On the other side of the door, I breathed in deeply.
“You have one week to get it together, Grace,” I said to the empty room.
The little stuffed animals in the chair by the fireplace stared back at me. I sighed. Everywhere I went, no one saw me as I was. Hell, I didn’t even know if I saw myself.
I walked over to the four-poster bed and flung myself on the fluffy down comforter. With an arm over my eyes, I had to chuckle. I suppose I did inherit a few things from my parents. A flare for the dramatic would be one. But it all just seemed so hopeless.
There was no way my parents would let this whole thing with Chance go unless I found someone they approved of even more. It certainly limited my dating pool and left no room for tanned cowboys.
Parts of me tingled every time I thought about Dean. There was something about him that just sparked a fire in me. His carefree nature wasn’t something you ran into in my circles. Nobody had the ability to just not care.
I ran my finger on my lips as I remembered the kiss we shared. My face flushed the more I thought about it. It was something I hadn’t even told Emma.
It had been so surprising though. The kiss. The chemistry had been there since we first met in class. I never had much problem with some mild flirting, but with him, it just seemed wrong. The night of the party had not gone like I expected. Chance and I were finished. Gavin got into a fight, and no one was in the mood for much of anything. And yet, there Dean was, tall and muscular, and there to save the day.
The dancing had been fun. He moved on the floor like he had been doing it all his life. When he took me home, I had been so upset by the evening, he brought me inside. It was sweet and not something I got much from men. When he stepped closer, I knew he was going to kiss me. At that moment, there was nothing I wanted more. For once, I wanted to let go and do something.
But that kiss. It was nothing like I thought it would be. He seemed so passive and sweet, I just assumed his kiss would be as well. Instead, it was consuming. Dean pulled me hard against him. I felt the hard planes of his chest and the muscles moving under my fingers. Shocked, I looked into his smoky blue eyes. The passion reflected there still made my heart pound.
He leaned forward and locked his mouth on mine, taking control of the kiss. My body responded easily to him, and I pressed myself even closer. He groaned against my mouth and even when just remembering it, I felt my nipples peak at the thought. It was sexy. Dangerously so. My hands had moved without thought, and I fisted his hair. His hands moved up my sides and just as his thumbs brushed the sides of my breasts, we heard the click of the lock on the door.
I pushed myself away from him, still stunned from the most amazing kiss ever. When Emma had walked in, I did the only thing I could do, hide.
I groaned as I lay on the bed and remembered the look on his face. It was one of rejection, and that’s exactly what I had done.
I pulled my arm off my eyes and stared at the pink canopy over the bed.
What was I supposed to do? We couldn’t be together. It just wouldn’t work. I came from yacht club and galas; he came from horses and rodeos.
I snickered. Or at least I hoped he did. The idea of him, bare-chested riding horseback, sent more than a few naughty thoughts through my mind.
I jumped when my phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out.
Heather: Hey there, sexy bitch. How’s break going for you with the fam? Your grandma giving your dad hell?
I chuckled. Heather always seemed to have a way of making me smile. We had started hanging out more now that Gavin and Emma were together, and I wasn’t with Chance. It was nice to have someone to be the third wheel with me.
Me: lol. Not yet, but there’s still time. Everyone leaves tomorrow. Then it’s just me and grandmother.
Heather: Sounds like a barrel of laughs.
Me: It’s fine. Grandmother doesn’t hassle me about things. How are you?
Heather: Have yet to see dickless, but there’s still time.
I chuckled. She hadn’t gone into a lot of detail about her neighbor, but apparently, they had grown up living next to each other. He wasn’t fond of her lifestyle choices, and she wasn’t fond of his analness.
Me: Well, good luck with that.
Heather: You too. Talk to ya later.
Me: Night.
I sat the phone down on the table and stood to stretch. It had been a very long week. Wouldn’t do me any good to fall asleep in my clothes.
I pulled out a green satin gown and slipped it on. It didn’t matter if you had someone to impress or not, it always felt good to slip on something pretty.
I paused at the mirror. The girl looking back seemed different than the one from last year. Despite not trying to, I had lost some weight, and it didn’t look good. My cheeks were far too hollow, and my normally shiny blonde hair had lost its luster. Something had to change, but the biggest problem was figuring out where to start.
I quickly brushed my teeth and washed my face. I walked in the dark to the oversized bed and sighed as I nestled down. Maybe a break from things would improve my situation. It certainly couldn’t hurt at this point.
I drifted off to sleep thinking of the one thing I had been for months: the kiss that changed everything.
***
Chapter Two
It had been quiet around the house since the others had left. Grandmother still kept to her clubs and charity events, while I sunbathed next to the pool or got my nails done, but the evenings were ours. We would go out for dinner and then take in a play or listen to the symphony. There was never a shortage of things to do.
We stayed in my final night. The chef prepared a lovely meal out on the patio, which overlooked the gardens. The warm summer evening sent gentle breezes across the flowers, and the sweet smells drifted to us as we finished our refreshing cold meal.
When a small plate of tarts came out, I grinned at my grandmother.
“It’s a miracle you’re able to stay so thin with your love of desserts,” she said, smiling.
I took a bite and savored the sweet and tart lemon flavor.
“But it’s good to see you eating,” Grandmother said quietly.
I slowed my chewing and looked up. Her weathered eyes said what she wasn’t saying aloud. She had noticed. I had wondered if she would. We hadn’t spoken about anything of importance the whole time, but maybe I was just better at avoiding the conversation than I thought.
I smiled awkwardly at her.
“I eat all the time,” I said.
“Maybe not all the time?” She lifted a perfectly groomed brow.
I laughed. “Well, not all the time, but I do love food.” I squirmed under her stare. “So what do you think of Emma and Gavin?”
She set her fork down and leaned back. I smiled at my quick dodge.
“Emma is a lovely girl, and she’s been quite good for Gavin.” She leaned forward. “What about you? With the way your parents go on about Chance, you would have thought there had been an engagement broken.”
I sighed. Not much of a dodge.
“More like an assumed engagement,” I grumbled.
“There’s no such thing,” she said firmly. “If he wanted to get married, he would have given you a ring.”
I blinked several times. It made sense of course, but why hadn’t anyone else thought of that?
“Boys aside, I’m concerned for you.” She took a bite of her tart and stared across the gardens.
“I’m fine. I really am,” I said. They were hollow words I’d said so many times at this point to so many people.
Her head snapped back to me, and her clear green eyes seemed to spark.
“You aren’t fine,” she said and waved her hand at me. “Just look at you. You’re wasting away over some stupid boy. Let me just tell you this. There are loads more out there.”
“It’s not him,” I shot back. My temper flared as I stared her down.
“Well, what is it then?” She quietly leaned back to listen.
And just like that my anger was gone. Grandmother wasn’t asking to harp or pick apart. That was just her way. Direct and to the point.
I sighed and leaned back. “It’s not Chance,” I said. “He’s just a symbol for everything.”
“In what way?”
“Chance is everything that my parents want for me. The right path.” I rolled my eyes.
Grandmother took a sip of lemonade. “And this isn’t the path you want?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. I was never really given the choice.”
She leaned forward again with interest. “And what would you do if you had the choice?”
Elite Page 1