I'm gonna make her pay for that.
I tell the photographer, "I want you to make sure you're tough on her today. I want to see how she does under pressure."
He nods his head as I walk away. I want to make Allie suffer. I don't know what this sudden urge is to see her in pain, but it's consuming me.
I have a vision of her at prom, directly after we slept together. I changed schools but decided to at least attend the end-of-the-year prom. And it was there I thought about giving Allie a second chance, only to see her all over the quarterback. Right after she and I had sex, she was flaunting her love for this other guy. I wonder if he knew about her STD?
The fact that she would go around sleeping with so many guys and not tell them about her disease, well it speaks volumes about her character. I judged her all wrong back then, having no idea what kind of person she really is. But now that she's here, I have a new opportunity to make her pay. I'm gonna teach her a lesson, show her you can't get away with treating people so carelessly. Tossing them away, just like she did with me.
I turn and stalk out of the studio with conflicted feelings. I'm not normally one for revenge; this aggression towards Allie is uncommon. I'm not sure what to do with it. I know I need to punish her, I'm just not sure how.
I'm need to formulate a plan.
I leave her to the video shoot. It's an insignificant one. I don't even know how she got booked with this company considering her agency is unknown. I'm gonna have to talk to my vetting staff.
I feel anxious, adrenaline coursing through my veins, because even though I want to torment Allie, I also have this irrepressible desire for her. I guess I've never fully gotten over the cheerleader that almost damaged my life forever. And who taught me her own lesson—to harden my heart.
She was incredible back then and she seems to be now, but what most people don't realize is that Allie isn’t what she seems. To do what she's done to me, well it means she has not one scrap of dignity or integrity, and that's something she just can't get away with.
I decide right then that I'm gonna turn her life upside down, just like she did to mine.
As I walk from the studio to the elevator that goes up to my penthouse apartment, I can only think about Allie.
Fuck, she's taken over my mind already.
What gives me some small satisfaction is knowing that I've made it in the world and she hasn't.
I'm at the top and she's at the bottom. My, how the tables have turned. She used to be the charismatic cheerleader that had the world at her fingertips. Unlimited potential. And me? I was the lovelorn teenager who was obsessed with her. The token nerd. I had the brilliant mind, she had the brilliant body.
Now, I tower over her in every sense. I smile to myself. I’m about to have a hell of good time getting to know this Allie and making her beg for me.
Allie
Finally, I can breathe. I've just finished the shoot with Hard Pressed . It was definitely not as bad as I thought it would be.
I love modeling and being on camera. It's during those moments that I realize I'm in the right career, even if things have been hard. Because even though I signed with a bad agent, I still have a love for the profession and that's what propels me forward. Keeps me pursuing dreams that the less passionate would have given up long ago.
This is finally a quality, high-paying job, and I'm grateful for the work. I only wish I could be doing this sort of thing every single day.
Back in a little dressing room, I take down my hair and gather my things together.
It's no easy work being a model. I guess I've learned that the hard way. Jobs for me are hard to come by and yet I know I deserve better. If only there was a way to make a name for myself.
In high school, my talents always came easily to me. I never had to work very hard at being popular, or being a cheerleader. But now, in the real world, as I try to make my dreams come true, I'm starting to see that it's a lot harder than it appears.
I look in the mirror. My makeup is applied perfectly, as they had a professional do it, so I think I'm in a keep it on for the day even if it is a little much. I take off my outfit, though, and fit my slim body into an oversized T-shirt and some black leggings.
I was kind of dreading today and I don't know why. Hard Pressed is a great place to work and I'm wondering if maybe there's a more permanent position for me here like my agent suggested.
They do a variety of media. And I think with such a big company, there might be a place for me to stand out.
I walk out through the hallway and run into a couple of producers.
"You did really good today, Allie," one producer says.
"Yeah, we like you a lot," another one says. "I think you might have potential here for more gigs. We'd love to see you again, and we'll contact your agent."
When they're gone, I allow myself to feel just elated. If I didn't have such a crummy agent, I'd be even more excited. If these producers do contact me for more work, I just certainly hope Cheri does her job and gets back to me. What I’d really love is to be able to sign directly with Hard Pressed and avoid Cheri altogether.
Some of the other actors and the crew are milling about, and I join them.
"Hey Allie," one actor says. "You did really good today. I think the shoot will be a huge success."
"Yeah, same to you. I never knew that Hard Pressed was such a cool company."
One of the other girls smiles at me. "I've been doing work for them for two years, and it's always an absolute joy to work here. I think you should come on board as a permanent member of the team, Allie, you'd love it."
Inside, I'm beaming. She doesn't even know how much I love hearing that. My time in the modeling world has been strained, to say the very least. Because I have such a terrible agent, I just can't score the kind of high-quality jobs I know I'm worth.
"Well, you guys," I say, "I'm actually hoping for a more permanent position here. I have an awful agent and I'm trying to avoid her at all costs."
"Are you bound to her by a contract?" the actress asks me.
"Yes, I am. Do you think it will be a problem?" I ask.
One of the crewmembers says, "It can cause a lot of problems. I've seen models come and go but whenever they break a contract with their agent, well, it turns out bad. An agent can sue you for breach of contract and any number of things to ruin your life."
His words rattle me. I knew it might be hard to get around my contract, but I didn't realize it would be such an imposition. How am I supposed to get ahead in my career when I'm bound to this terrible agent who doesn't seem to care about me at all?
I'm losing precious time. Right now, I should be at the height of my career. I should be getting job offers left and right. Instead, I find myself scrambling for even a little bit of good work.
"Well, I have to find a way around it. I wish I'd known she was a terrible agent before I signed."
"That's what they all say," the crewmember says. "Just be careful, Allie, because you can really get into trouble."
I appreciate his concern but I’m suddenly committed to the fact that I have to get out of this contract if it means I could have a chance at something permanent with Hard Pressed . Because I can’t rely on Cheri for that.
We continue to chat and to exchange stories. I love being surrounded by other people in the business. They can offer up really good advice and their success is inspiring.
Even the crewmembers seem to know more about what goes on around here than the management. Being on the scene of a real working set is so motivating.
"Hey, Allie," one of the actors says. "How'd you get into this business anyway?"
"Me? Well let's see, I was scouted, I guess you could say, by my agency. They saw me in high school and said I have the perfect form to be a model. I signed with them blindly, not even thinking to investigate their reputation. My agent was so smooth, and she seemed like she was telling the truth. Unfortunately, she doesn't get me as many gigs as I need."
&nbs
p; It's the same old sob story I think everyone's already heard a million times over. I was a naïve girl anxious to get into the industry with the first person who approached me. I should've done a background check on my agent before I signed a contract with her. I should've known my worth and applied to some of the bigger agencies in town that have a better reputation.
But hindsight is everything. Now that I've learned my lesson, I just have to figure out what to do next.
Xavier
It’s incredible. Almost inspiring. I'm watching Allie from across the room, and she's become the focal point of the entire cast and crew. Everyone seems to love her. She's as charismatic as she’s ever been.
Halfway up to my penthouse, I stopped the elevator and came back down, needing to put my new plan into immediate action.
Seeing her here in the middle of the group, getting along with everyone so effortlessly, reminds me of high school and the way she used to be popular back then. She's never had to work hard for a single fucking thing in her life, unlike me.
I feel so jaded by her and so deceived, and yet looking at her now, I find myself having salacious thoughts. It’s like my brain and my cock aren’t communicating. Even though I know her soul is ugly, her body's fucking hot.
She's wearing nothing but a baggy t-shirt and black pants that define her slim frame. Even in that, she makes me hard.
And there's nothing I appreciate more than a beautiful woman. I guess you could say I'm a womanizer, but I couldn’t fucking care less.
I've come such a far way, down such a long road, to build this empire. I deserve all the riches at the top, including the hottest women.
Unlike Allie, I always had to struggle for friends and for affection. I was the nerd in high school who possessed a genius intellect but had a lack of friends. Seeing Allie interact with my cast and my crew this way brings up those feelings of resentment.
I want her to struggle. I want her to know how I felt being at the bottom of the totem pole. A part of me wants to punish her.
I stride over to where she's talking to her newfound friends. They all start to whisper as I come towards them.
Being the CEO and the billionaire boss of this whole operation, well, it affords me a certain amount of presence. Everyone knows when I walk into a room. I write their paychecks. And at this point, I’m quickly becoming famous in this town.
"Hello, everyone," I say. "Today was a really nice shoot. Thank you, all of you, for your cooperation and for your patience."
She's looking at me with big eyes and I know I have her right where I want her. The cast and crew scatter when I show up. I have that effect on people. My authority radiates from me, and I don't mind that people feel nervous around me. It gives me an air of power, something I plan on using against Allie right now.
She introduces herself confidently, and again I wonder where she gets that kind of natural charisma that I’ve worked so hard to develop.
"Hello, sir, I'm Allie Baldwin. I don't think we've met yet."
I can't even believe my ears. I mean, I suspected she didn’t recognize me earlier, but now, up close, she really doesn't remember me? I guess I shouldn't blame her. I look completely different from my younger version. I've grown up now. I'm much taller and pure muscle. Nothing like the geeky kid she used to know.
I shouldn't expect her to remember me, but it still pisses me off that she doesn't.
She's gazing at me with intense, hungry eyes and I can tell I have the same effect on her that I do on everyone else. She wants it bad. At least one thing's for sure—she'll never forget me again by the time I’m done with her.
I will not, however, give her the benefit of knowing who I truly am. This isn’t the right time to reveal the fact that I'm geeky Stanley Armstrong from her past, now only known as Xavier.
I smile charmingly and say, "Hi, Allie, I’m your new boss. One of the higher-ups."
I purposely don’t give her my official title. I can't have her knowing that not only am I a higher-up, but I'm the CEO of the whole fucking company. My identity can't be revealed to Allie just yet.
It gives me such pleasure to say I’m her boss. Pretty soon I'm going to be her boss in more ways than one. In all the ways that count.
Even though she jilted me in the past, I’m so attracted to her right now that it's the only I can think about. The sexual tension is practically sizzling between us. She wants me...bad, just like all the other women.
It's not surprising, and I even though I plan to let her in between my sheets, that's as far as it will ever go.
What Allie doesn't know is if she had stayed true to me, I would've given her the whole goddamn world. I've become a booming success and the fact that she left me in high school, well, that's her problem now. She's obviously struggling for modeling jobs, while I'm at the pinnacle of my career. The knowledge is satisfying.
"I'm overseeing this shoot," I say, not wanting to reveal too much truth.
"Oh," she says, her eyes lighting up. "I just want you to know that I had a lovely time working for your crew today and I think it would be so great to work with you in the future. If you ever have any other jobs come up where you need to have a blonde model step in, I'd love to be your go-to girl."
"My go-to girl?" I say as my eyes feast upon her body, and I give her a smirk. "You can be my go-to girl anytime you want."
My words are laced with heavy undertones, and I know she gets the innuendo. She wants me just as badly as I want her.
I can't help it. She's fucking stunning, even more beautiful than when we were in high school. I have to get a piece of her, and then I'll leave her just like she left me.
"Well, I'd love to get to know you a little bit better," she says. "Maybe you can tell me more about Hard Pressed ?"
Yeah, she wishes. I'm sure she would love to get to know me better, as all women do. She lost her chance. But I'm still willing to claim her and to show her what she's been missing, and only when the moment's right will I reveal who I truly am.
I can't wait to see her face when she discovers that I've turned into a billionaire bad boy.
It’s the perfect opening, and I decide it's time to put my deceitful plan into action. Allie hurt me in the past, and I intend to hurt her in the future.
"Sure, I'd love to get to know you better too. Will you have lunch with me tomorrow? Say around noon?"
She looks excited, and something about that makes me fucking angry. She really doesn't know who I am, and I'm gonna have to make her pay for that.
"Yes, I'd love to!" she says.
She's like all the other women, pining for my attention. It's just too damn easy sometimes.
"Okay, meet me at the restaurant Blackwell's. You know it?"
She nods. "Yeah, the fine dining restaurant downtown. Right?"
"Right."
I smile and turn away, chuckling to myself. Little does she know what I have in store for her. This is all part of my warped plan. If she wants to get to know me, she's about to get to know the dark side.
Allie
The scent of my signature perfume surrounds me as I walk naked from my bathroom to my bedroom. I want to take more care than usual with my body, my hair and makeup in preparation for my lunch with that mysterious man, the higher up in Hard Pressed .
In my anxiousness to get to know him, I'm not even sure I got his name. How embarrassing. I'm going to have to find it out somehow without appearing too obvious.
As it is I've ripped through my entire closet trying to find the perfect outfit. Not only is this guy in a position of power where he might be able to help my career, but he's fucking hot.
He's like six foot five of pure male muscle. I long to have his strong arms and his hard body wrapped around me. He's all I’ve thought about since I met him yesterday.
There's something brooding about him that I find completely irresistible. He stares at me with a level of intensity that nobody ever has.
It’s part of why I'm determined to make a really
good impression at lunch and prove myself worthy of his attention. I'd give anything for this date to turn into something more. So I’m dressing the part.
I pull on a tight, red leather skirt and a sleeveless white silk top. I have the body to wear just about anything, one of the perks of being a model, even a struggling one.
I slip on some designer heels that I purchased on consignment. It's hard to make rent, let alone go shopping.
I apply fake eyelashes and a swipe of red lipstick before tossing my hair and setting out to meet him at this restaurant called Blackwell's.
It's not a place I could afford on my own normal budget, but I'm anticipating he'll splurge for the bill. Even if he doesn't, I need this meeting, both for my career and for my underserviced sex drive.
Just then my best friend Lindsay calls on the phone.
I tap the phone to answer. "Hey, Lindsay…yeah, I'm just getting ready for my date with that guy. You know what’s crazy? I didn't even catch his name."
I put her on speaker so that I can finish getting ready.
"Well, from what you already told me, it sounds like you're more interested in his body than his name," she laughs.
"Hey,” I say with a laugh of my own. “I mean, you're right. He’s crazy fucking hot. But I’m interested in more than just sex.”
“Yeah,” Lindsay says, and I can practically hear her smirk. “A job.”
She’s right. That’s most important. But I can’t help thinking about all the possibilities of what could come from this date. He was so charming, and it seems like he’s into me, but he also seems like the kind of guy who could get any woman anytime he wants, and he probably does. I need to keep my head on straight.
"Well, first things first, you have to find out the size of his package." she's laughing really hard now.
"I'll give you that," I laugh. "But judging by the size of his body, his package has gotta be huge."
For a second my eyes glaze over with the image of how big his cock must be. I hope I get a chance to not just touch it but to taste it too.
God, this guy has me infatuated. I can't help but think of him like this. I'm almost giddy, and that’s crazy because normally I don't get like this about men.
Wanted: Big Bad Brother: A Billionaire Bad Boy Stepbrother Romance Page 22