Payback's a Bitch (Dangerous Game Series Book 1)

by Hannah Hilton

  Table of Contents

  Dangerous Game

  Copyright

  About the Book

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  1 Julie

  2 Cameron

  3 Julie, AKA Constance

  4 Cameron

  5 Constance, AKA Julie

  Also by Hannah Hilton

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  About the Author

  Dangerous Game

  Payback’s A Bitch

  Hannah Hilton

  Copyright © 2020 by Hannah Hilton

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locations is purely coincidental. The characters are all productions of the author’s imagination. Please note that this work is intended only for adults over the age of 18.

  About the Book

  I want to be the woman I have always dreamed about. This is my chance to try something different.

  Why can’t I stop thinking about him? He’s not worth the trouble.

  Seeing him after all this time ignites something strange inside me. It’s hot and cold at the same time. That passion is there lurking under the surface.

  There is also something else. It’s primal and it speaks to me. It’s revenge.

  That man does know how to push my buttons. He hasn’t changed much.

  Why shouldn’t I get some closure? He doesn’t deserve mercy.

  I can have my way with him and discard him like yesterday’s trash. It will be easy.

  That’s what I’d convinced myself of. How could I have been so damn naïve?

  Everything changes with that first touch….that first kiss…those words of encouragement on the tip of his tongue.

  I’m in trouble.

  There’s no way to disguise my craving for him.

  What happens when the past that I’ve tried to forget comes back to haunt me with a hot muscular body to make me melt?

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  1

  Julie

  It was the momentous milestone nobody could dispute, and the keys in my hand suddenly made it feel real.

  The papers were signed and I was about to embark on a different kind of journey. My career had stalled. I was taking a mandatory leave of absence to get my head straight.

  The last straw was insignificant, but it was enough to push me over the edge.

  The sabbatical was open to interpretation. Learning to cope with stress on Wall Street wasn’t easy when everybody was behind me with a sharp implement, metaphorically speaking. They wanted me to fail, but they disguised it with kind words to keep me from seeing their betrayal in my rearview mirror.

  “I’ve been thinking about the first time we met. I would never imagine in a million years that you would have the courage to buy a house. This place has good bones but you need to know that it’s in desperate need of repair. I warned you to steer clear of a fixer-upper, but you didn’t listen to me,” Bethany said from behind my back.

  She was my best friend, and it had always felt like we were separated at birth. But it wasn’t until after high school that I finally learned to be comfortable in my skin. There was no reason to be mean, even when I did have ample opportunity.

  Nobody had the right to put somebody else down. My past wasn’t going to determine my future. One thing was painfully clear: I was the architect of my own destiny. This would be my life and I was going to live it the way I wanted to. Being a doormat had never gotten me anywhere.

  It was time to turn over a new leaf and try something different.

  I was standing there with my eyes closed, at the back of the house, listening to the waves crashing onto the shore. The place left a lot to be desired. I was expecting the inspection to come back with a scathing review. But the real estate agent had informed me that the place was in relatively good shape, with a few minor issues that were not up to code.

  The house was pure white with clean colors throughout. That was a blank slate for my decorative eye. This wasn’t about resale value. It was time to nurture my special flair for the dramatic. Beach colors were swirling around in my mind with a variety of different pigments and shades.

  This was my canvas.

  Consulting with the experts confirmed it was going to need electrical work and plumbing, and a carpenter’s expert hand. They estimated another $20,000 would be needed to give the place the facelift it was looking for. Some whispered into my ears about those who worked under the table.

  These tradesmen could be found in the want ads.

  “This is my dream house. I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and get dirty for something I love. I have a few people stopping by to give me quotes throughout the day. I’m looking for a jack of all trades. I don’t want to have to hire separate people to do different jobs. This is going to be a struggle, but I’m determined to see it through to the end,” I said while rolling up my denim shirt.

  It was open in the front with a tight-fitting white t-shirt underneath. My pair of faded blue jeans was molded to me like a second skin. It was nice to get back to my country roots with aspirations of turning this place into a polished diamond.

  “Julie, I will get started with the landscaping. A few perennials will bring this place alive. I took the liberty of calling around. There was one name on everybody’s lips. He should be here shortly to take a look at the place. I hope you know what you’re getting yourself into,” Bethany stated. She had her gardening gloves on, and was wearing a wide-brimmed sun hat to keep her from getting sunstroke.

  “I trust your expertise,” I said emphatically with my hand on her shoulder to encourage her best work.

  “I can see a couple of raised flower beds in the front yard. You should see if you can rebuild them from scratch with reclaimed wood when you hire a carpenter. I would suggest speaking to the owner of that dilapidated barn a few miles down the road. You’ll be surprised at what kind of price you can get for something they’re trying to get rid of.” The information went deep into the recesses of my mind, to revisit at a later date.

  “I knew there was a reason why I love you. I hope you know that I appreciate everything you have done for me. I think people should say these things when they still have the chance,” I said with a catch in my throat.

  “You deserve to find happiness. I’m more than happy to contribute a small part to see you smile. It’s been a tough couple of weeks for you. I do like this new light in your eyes. Don’t let anybody extinguish it. That man is not worth your time. You know who I’m talking about,” she hinted without saying his name.

  Bryan was a bad idea from the very beginning. He promised that his relationship with his wife was over. The man could be very convincing when he wanted to be. The very idea that I had fallen
into the bear trap of a married man’s lies had me spinning out of control.

  That carried over into my work life, until I finally snapped--with my hand wrapped around my superior’s throat while people were trying to peel me away from her.

  “You don’t have to remind me. He was the worst mistake of my life,” I said with one other name permanently tattooed in my mind.

  “Say goodbye to him forever. We should have a ritual on the beach. I do this every time a boyfriend disappoints me and I show him the door. It’s cathartic to burn his photograph. We can say a few words and then cast him out of your life, never to darken your doorstep again. It’s usually done naked wearing war paint but we don’t have to resort to those extremes,” she teased in an effort to make me smile.

  I could trace back to when my problems began. It all started with ‘him’.

  Cameron Coleman.

  I hated him with every fiber of my being. He caused me nothing but misery. I cursed his name every morning when I woke up and every night when I went to bed.

  “I’m open to ideas. I’ve been longing for a change from the moment I found out that he wasn’t leaving her. Trying to fill that void wasn’t easy,” I stammered, with my heart breaking all over again.

  My psychiatrist told me that I shouldn’t give any man the power, but it was difficult when Cameron made me question everything about my personal life. He took my heart and stomped on it without any regard for my feelings.

  The letter was cowardly but I didn’t have the courage to approach him directly.

  That was my first mistake.

  It was lucky they didn’t fire me on the spot for my outburst and physical reaction. My contracts were worth millions. Everybody knew what kind of business I brought through those doors. They had agreed to give me some space but they requested that I work from home in a mobile location with internet access.

  It was mostly consulting work and putting out fires with clients who didn’t want anybody else holding their hands. The stock market was a fickle business. It was all about trends and knowing which ones were going to give my clients the best bang for their buck.

  A temporary office was set up in the back of the house, away from where the work was going to be done. The internet had already been hooked up before I’d gotten the keys. I was beginning to think it was better for my mental health to request a permanent change in location.

  “I’m going to need some blocks in different colors for the walkway. We want that ‘wow moment’ when people drive by. I have great instincts when it comes to landscaping. You’re going to be pleased with what I come up with,” Bethany replied while on her knees taking apart the cracked stones leading to the front of the house.

  They were an eyesore.

  “I carry these designs around with me. A few alterations have been made over the last few days to capitalize on the view. The windows are in good shape. There’s room for improvement. The master bedroom needs an adjoining bathroom. Knocking down a wall will open the space up. The same thing can be said for the living room and kitchen.” I cringed when I thought about the kitchen and how I was going to have to gut the whole thing.

  My parents thought I was crazy to pay for it outright with my savings. But it saved on a mortgage that would cost a pretty penny with only the interest paid off in the next five years.

  This was going to be a labor of love. But there was a method to my madness.

  I took a hold of my blonde hair and twisted it until it was secured in a ponytail. It wasn’t the same color in high school. When I got out, I needed a fresh start. The transformation included sitting down with a makeup artist, getting rid of the blemishes, and correcting an imperfection.

  By the time I was done, the person looking back at me in the mirror was a stranger.

  From the outside, it would seem that I had my head on my shoulders--but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Childhood trauma had followed me like a dark cloud into my uncertain future. It wasn’t something I wanted to talk about to anybody other than to a prescribed psychiatrist.

  “It’s no wonder you got a great price. I still think you were crazy to consider it but maybe I’m wrong. This might be exactly what the doctor ordered. The roof is the first thing you should be addressing,” Bethany said, with her finger pointing to the way the asphalt shingles were curling in several different areas.

  “I see what you mean. Maine is known for having some of the worst storms. I will make a mention of it when I hire somebody. I just hope it doesn’t take too long to wade through that list of candidates,” I said with the words barely out of my mouth when I heard somebody clearing their throat behind me.

  “It looks like you have your hands full with this one. Sorry for interrupting,” His voice traveled across the driveway but there was no mistaking a blast from the past.

  Glancing over my shoulder confirmed my worst fears.

  Cameron Coleman was standing there looking like he hadn’t aged a day in the past 10 years. The same black leather jacket was open to reveal one of his customary plaid shirts in red and black.

  My mouth got dry and parched but I managed to stand up on my shaky legs to greet him with my hand outstretched. That one touch sent a cold shiver of apprehension running down my spine.

  “I’m…I’m Constance Nicholson,” I greeted him with my middle name and my mother’s maiden name.

  Peering into his eyes brought everything back. Something came over me at that moment. A light bulb went off over my head.

  He didn’t recognize me. He was the same, but his hair was shorter. He was still tall, a lot more muscular, and had those same eyes that could melt any woman’s resolve.

  I had changed dramatically from the last time he saw me. This was my chance to exact some sort of revenge.

  The best way to do that was to make him fall in love with me. It was a little devious but it put a smile on my face to think of sleeping with him and then kicking him to the curb with cab fare and a confused look in his eyes.

  This was going to be fun.

  2

  Cameron

  Working with my uncle in construction wasn’t very lucrative. Coming back from two tours of duty in Afghanistan made it hard for me to get used to civilization. It all seemed so pointless, but there were bright spots in every dismal day.

  Getting hired to renovate this beach house in the middle of nowhere was going to give me a purpose and a goal to strive for. It didn’t hurt that the owner was a delicious piece of candy who would probably melt in my mouth.

  Following her around had the added benefit of seeing her curves and wondering with impure thoughts about what she would look like naked. I was practically praying for a wardrobe malfunction when she bent over in front of me.

  “I think you understand the reason why I need somebody strong and capable of doing the job. Your resume speaks for itself. There is one glaring omission that I would like to talk about. There’s a gap right after high school of almost four years,” Constance mentioned while flipping through the two-page summary.

  “I was in the military, following in my father’s footsteps. Nobody can dispute how 9/11 changed everything for all of us. I think in some small way we’ve become complacent since that fateful day. Maybe we don’t want to be reminded,” I lamented with my face solemn and my words short.

  The house was a little stuffy, and in desperate need of major improvements. In my head, I was calculating the cost with dollar signs in my eyes. The basic frame and bones of the place were in good shape.

  It had the potential to be a gold mine.

  “I can’t even imagine what you went through. My uncle was never the same when he came back from finishing his service to this country. It amazes me how as a society we turn our backs on those who are suffering right in our backyard,” she replied with a shake of her head.

  “I can count on one hand how many people have thanked me. It’s refreshing to find somebody who understands. Your uncle was a br
ave man. I was never much for heroics unless it was on the football field. It’s a lot different when you’re in a platoon where no man is left behind,” I spoke with reverence, remembering with clarity those times that made me wake up in a cold sweat, clinging to the bed sheets.

  One thing was painfully clear: My time in the military had sculpted my body into granite. It was almost too easy to follow a regiment with the rest of my team at the crack of dawn, pushing myself to the limits of my endurance. Getting out and going our separate ways was a bitter pill to swallow.

  None of us wanted to relive those days.

  “I’m happy to hire somebody with your work ethic and experience. You’ve done it all, including electrical and plumbing. I’m sure a handshake deal and money under the table is the kind of compensation you’re looking for,” Constance proffered her hand with her dainty fingernails painted in my favorite color of purple.

  When we touched, there was this static shock that made her jump back with a giggle. It was cute and highly suggestive and those giant melons made it even better. It was hard not to stare directly at those natural wonders topped with very delicious strawberry tips threatening to burst though the thin layer of fabric.

  There were already a couple of holes to give me brief glimpses of her flesh glistening with perspiration.

  Three weeks was a long time to go without physical companionship.

  My girlfriend at the time was a cold fish who just couldn’t accept my mood swings. It wasn’t like I could blame her for turning a blind eye. Diana couldn’t know the extent of the horrors I had seen. Saying the words would have made the experience real when the nightmares were more than enough.

  One face continued to haunt me, and it made me unable to rest. The guilt just weighed me down.