TAME ME
BY J.A. COLLARD
Tame Me
Book #1 in the Blood Brother s MC Series
J. A. COLLARD
Copyright
Tame Me
Book #1 in the Blood Brother s MC Series
Published by J. A. Collard
Copyright 2016 by J.A. Collard
All rights reserved. ©
Disclaimer
This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to event, places, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The author acknowledges all song titles, film titles, and film characters mentioned in this book are the property of, and belong to, their respective owner.
Acknowledgements
First of all I would like to thank each and every one of my readers. Thank you so much for taking a chance on me and purchasing my book. Your support means the world to me.
Thank you to my husband and best friend; I don’t know how I could have done this without you. I can’t stress how many times I’ve said, “One minute and I’ll be there.” So thank you for being so supportive of my dream and encouraging me to follow through. To my two gorgeous kids, thank you for being patient with mummy.
To a very close friend of mine and who’s name I have used as one of my characters, Luisa. I don’t know how I could have done this without you. Thank you for all your help. You have been my support person through this journey. You were the one that encouraged me to publish this book, so thank you so much.
A big shout out to all my family and friends who I know I have driven insane talking about Tame Me, thank you for supporting me. In particular to my dad, you brought me up to believe in my dreams and that if you put your mind to it, you can achieve it. Dad you’re right. Thank you.
I’d like to thank Kate Stone from ‘Kate Stone Designs’ for my gorgeous book cover; you worked with my vision and made it the best it can be. Thank you for formatting this book and for my awesome video. Thanks Kate.
Thank you to Hot Tree Editing and to Karen Jurgensen PA from ‘The Write Success’ for proof reading and helping me get this book out there.
To my author friends, thank you so much for your support and being there for me every time I had questions. You know who you are.
Chapter One
Jasmine
“Well, Luisa, that’s done. I can’t believe I wasted a whole four years married to that jerk.” I sit at my kitchen table and cry my heart out.
Luisa, my childhood best friend and also my current employee at Je t’aime Florist, drops into the seat next to me and wraps her arms around me. “Don’t cry, Jazz. He’s not worth your tears. Everything will work out; you’ll see. I’ll help you. You’re like my sister, and there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you, so please stop crying.” I sniffle and wipe my tears away using the back of my sleeve. “Besides, there’s nothing that a bit of ice cream and Dirty Dancing won’t fix.”
A surprised laugh escapes my lips. Only Luisa can make me smile and forget about everything, for a while at least. In the past, I’ve driven her insane with all the times I’ve made her watch that movie and my drooling over Patrick Swayze. As kids, we lived on the same street and went to the same school. Being an only child, I thought of her as the sister I never had. Luisa has been there for me through thick and thin, has gotten me through the hardest year of my life, and my divorce with Nic.
I married the love of my life at the age of twenty-two. Nic was the last of the Greek gods; he had a cataclysmic effect on me. I still remember the first time I set eyes on him. He came into my store to purchase some flowers for his sister, who had just had a baby boy, and he was so excited that he was going to be an uncle for the first time. Nic is an American born to Greek parents. At the age of twenty-five, he was already a proven successor of his father’s law firm. He was part of a large empire and a noted entrepreneur.
I remember how handsome he looked that morning, wearing a gray suit with a white shirt and blue tie. His eyes were so dark they had taken my breath away. Butterflies erupted in my stomach, and I was so nervous I couldn’t speak a word, but his smile changed that, and we soon got to talking about life. He asked me out to dinner that night, and I accepted. When he handed me his business card, I gave it a quick glance; it read: Nic Pasparedes, Attorney, Pasparedes Law Firm. I couldn’t believe my luck. Not only was he handsome but a successful businessman too.
That night at dinner, we indulged in conversation and found we had similar interests in music and movies. I told him about my childhood living on my family’s ranch and how, above all, I wanted to get out of that boring town and make something of myself. I explained my journey of opening my own business in floristry and how Luisa had accepted my offer to come and work for me. I had named my store Je t’aime, which was French for “I love you.” I’d always wanted to go to Paris and see the Eiffel Tower.
Nic was patient, listening to me chatter away my life story, but when I stopped, he smiled and cupped my cheek. His smooth caress on my face made me feel special. I was absolutely smitten by him. That’s all it took, one date and he had me in the palm of his hands. He had this effect on me that I wasn’t used to. I was still a virgin and had no experience with sex. Sure, I had kissed a few boys and gotten to second base, but sex was sacred to me. I wanted to wait till I married my true soul mate, and I wanted it to be special. I knew I was way too old to be a virgin at twenty-one, but I wasn’t willing to give up my innocence to just any man. Nic respected my morals. He came from an old-fashioned family and honored my wishes. That’s not to say we didn’t play around and come very close a couple of times, but he knew he would marry me one day and be willing to wait.
Nic proposed to me a year after we first met; I was head over heels in love with him. He bought us a house in Manhattan and we had a good life. Sure, he worked a lot, but who was I to complain when I had my own business to run. At the age of twenty-seven, Nic became a partner at his father’s law firm; he had worked so hard for it. I was proud of him and only wanted to see him happy.
Our marriage had been good for that first couple of years. We had a healthy sex life, having sex two to three times a week, but I also felt like something was missing. Nic was a selfish lover, always taking from me and not giving in return. When he would come, he would leave me still wanting more. He would then fall asleep with me feeling unsatisfied and all heated, but I pushed those feelings aside as Nic made up for it in other ways. He was a romantic, sending me twelve red, long-stemmed roses every week and taking me out to fancy restaurants and work affairs.
My blissful life all changed one fateful day. I received a call from the bank advising me that our house was going to be sold off at auction. Nic had not been making the mortgage payments, and when I confronted him about it, he said, “You worry too much Jazz. The bank must have had an error. I’m an attorney, remember? Leave it with me.” And of course, I left it to him.
Looking back at it now, I was naive for trusting him without asking further questions. Nic looked after all our finances. I mean, why wouldn’t I let him? He was an attorney after all. A couple of days later, I had returned home from work, and there was a sign on my front lawn saying, “For Sale by Auction.” Nic had been gambling our money away, and he lost everything—the money, the cars, our home that we built. The only thing I had left was my store. I was so thankful that I had left it in only my name, as Je t’aime was my pride and joy. They couldn’t touch it, but where were we supposed to live? I couldn’t go back to my parents and be a failure, especially when they didn’t approve of me marr
ying Nic in the first place.
With all the arguments and uncertainty after I found out he had lost all our money, that was when our marriage began to go downhill. I could never trust him again. If he’d been lying to me about his gambling, what other lies had been told? I knew something was up when, night after night, he was returning home late from work. He would always give me the same excuse that he’d been working on a massive case that required him to stay late and that I shouldn’t worry since it would be over soon, but that day never came.
Now here I am, sharing a little two-bedroom apartment with my best friend. Lu helped me get my life back together. She had been renting this apartment and working for me for three years. When all this happened with Nic, she asked me to move in. At first, I wouldn’t take her up on her offer because I found it hard to accept the fact I needed help. Always being independent and sure I could manage on my own without having to rely on anyone until I couldn’t. I couldn’t afford to rent a place of my own and still keep my store, and Je t’aime was my lifeline. I have put my heart and soul into that little mecca of commerce, making it a successful boutique.
Last year I extended the store and designed a café, which attracted more customer traffic. Ricky is a great barista. Not only can he make a coffee that makes the angels sing, but also, he’s quite attractive and has the ladies eager to get their morning fix. I don’t mind. If we’re making more money so women can indulge in a bit of eye candy, who am I to complain?
As promised, Luisa and I eat the whole tub of ice cream, and she endures another night of Dirty Dancing. “Nobody puts Baby in the corner.” Lu laughs when my favorite part of the movie comes on.
“Why can’t I have that life, Lu Lu? I thought I found my Patrick Swayze, but apparently I was wrong.”
Luisa’s smile is sad. “Jazz, you’re so young and gorgeous, give yourself time. He is out there. Don’t lose hope.”
“Just like you haven’t lost hope?” I ask Lu. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to bring Russell up.”
Luisa dated Russell for two years. She met him online, and one day they couldn’t be apart anymore, so he moved to America from Australia. Russell is a blond-haired, blue-eyed surfer. At first, they were inseparable. They made a life together here. Russell started a job teaching kids how to surf, and Luisa couldn’t have been happier. Her life was coming together. That was until he cheated on her with a younger, big-breasted Barbie doll.
He returned home from work one day, saying he was leaving her for someone else. Just like that! Luisa tried to work things out but soon discovered that he had been cheating on her for the last six months. So here we both are, watching Dirty Dancing with a full tummy of ice cream.
“I’m going to bed, Lu. Gotta get in to work by 7:00 a.m. tomorrow. I have that delivery to make at the Royal Vista Hotel.”
“I can do that for you, Jazz. You’ve had a lot going on.”
“No, it’s fine. You know me, the perfectionist. I need to double check the order and make sure everything is all ready to go.”
“Okay, have it your way, Miss Perfectionist. Don’t say I didn’t offer.” Lu adjusts her glasses on her cute little nose and her face changes from playful to serious. “Please just promise me, Jazz, that you’ll ask me if you need my help, okay? You know I don’t mind.”
“Thanks, hun. What would I do without you?”
“You just remember that, girly.” She embraces me with her small arms, and then I head to bed.
That night I toss and turn. I have so much on my mind that I can’t sleep. Just remembering the way Nic looked in court today, all alone and confused. I’ve never seen him like that, so lost. I know I can’t feel sorry for him. I have to remember why I’m in this position in the first place. No! I won’t feel sorry for that man.
Chapter Two
Jasmine
My body is stiff and sore as I reach over to turn off my alarm. I switch off the button as I remove my sleeping mask, seeing that the clock display reads 5:00 a.m. I grunt as I lie back down and rub my eyes, trying to get rid of the weary, tired feeling. Finally, I kick my bed sheet off the bed and head toward the bathroom, struggling to open my eyes. The glare of the overhead light has me groaning and shielding my eyes. After a few seconds, I straighten and grab my toothbrush. When I glance in the mirror, I don’t like the woman staring back at me. My face is pale with black smudges under my eyes from lack of sleep, but I feel a little better once I’ve brushed my teeth.
As I undress, I check out my reflection in the mirror. I’ve always been lucky in the figure department. Being of South American descent, I have a curvy ass and good-sized, perky boobs with a thin waist and nicely toned legs and calves. I may not be tall, but I make up for it in other areas, and with my regular Zumba classes, I’m able to keep my figure.
Where did that glossy brown hair go? Where were those shiny hazel eyes? I haven’t seen those in a while. Nic changed me. I used to smile and there was laughter in our daily exchanges. People would always say, “I love your laugh.” Now I look pale, and I can’t remember the last time I felt happy.
Things have to change. I need to change. I’m still young, and surely I still have life left in me. Oh, maybe I need a holiday. Yes, that’s it. Maybe I can finally go to Paris like I’ve always wanted. Wait a minute! Reality check, Jasmine, you have a business to run. Well, there goes that dream. I check the time on my phone and notice it’s 5:30 a.m. “Oh, crap!” I have an hour to shower, change, and get to the other side of Manhattan. Oh yes, that’s another downfall of this divorce. I now live in Queens.
At 7:00 a.m. I have the flowers and vases in my van ready to deliver to the Royal Vista Hotel. I did it! I’m proud of myself. In one hour, I have driven like a crazy woman to my store, checked all the flowers, and put them in my van. I enjoy these mornings. There's something about decorating a hotel with my flower designs; that they’ve chosen Je t’aime’s services to display flowers in their five-star hotel is an honor. This hotel is strict on their choice of colors. Wanting to keep with the modern veneer theme, they always request white Oriental lilies, Singapore orchids, and green leaves in a glass vase, which are on display in the foyer for a week until I return.
During my divorce, I had to take a step back and ask Luisa to look after this side of the business for me. Life had taken a turn, and I couldn’t get myself out of bed, let alone deliver the flowers. So Luisa, being the best friend that she is, took control and hired a part-time employee named Hailey. She was a great student as Luisa and I both trained her in floristry design. But here I am, back to reality and my same old routine, delivering flowers to the Royal Vista Hotel.
Parking my van, I notice Bill, the doorman at the Royal Vista, standing by the entrance. He’s an older man in his sixties. He has gray hair with a bristled mustache that curves a little around the edges, which makes me giggle. His eyes are kind and crease at the corners when he smiles. He always looks pristine in his black suit and red tie. He has a way of making me feel comfortable around him with his warm smile and easygoing personality. I climb out of my van and start opening the back doors when I look up and notice him approaching. He once told me that he suffered from polio as a kid, which left him with a permanent limp.
“Hi, Jasmine. What have you got for us today?”
I look up at him and smile. Bill knows what flowers I deliver, as the hotel manager always orders the same flower designs. “You know that’s a silly question, Bill. Unless a new manager takes over this hotel, I think you’ll be seeing a lot more of these flowers.”
“Well then, you’ll be happy to know there have been a few changes since the last time you were here, and one of those changes is a new hotel manager.”
I stop what I’m doing and blow my hair out of my face. “A new manager? Luisa never mentioned that to me. I hope he still wants to use Je t’aime’s services.”
Bill helps me by taking some vases out of my arms. “Don’t you worry, Jasmine. Mr. Owen said he would like to meet you and discuss a few things. He asked m
e to fetch you once you’ve finished up in the foyer.”
Suddenly feeling nervous, I tie my hair up in a ponytail to lift it off my warm skin. I’m thankful I decided to wear my shorts and T-shirt. “I hope it’s good news and not bad, Bill. I can’t afford to lose the Royal Vista’s business.”
“I’m sure it’s all good news. Mr. Owen probably just wants to meet you. He’s a good man from what I know. Can’t say the same about his son, though. He’s a bit rough around the edges and in some motorcycle gang.”
“Really?” I’m intrigued. How does a five-star hotel manager have a son in a biker gang? “Thanks, Bill. How about you help walk the flowers in the foyer so I can get on with my work? Wouldn’t want the new boss to think the flower girl is holding up her staff.” I wink at Bill, and he appreciates the joke.
It is 9:00 a.m. before I finish my display. As I stand back to admire my work, I hear the rumble of motorcycles out front. I’ve always had this fear of motorcycles, especially men riding them. The riders look so scary with long beards, long hair, and tattoos. They have this aura around them that said, “Don’t mess with me or you’re dead.” I know I’m being paranoid, and maybe I’ve watched too many episodes of Sons of Anarchy, but I can’t help it.
I grab my things and head out front to my van. Bill smiles while he holds the door open for me. “Don’t forget Mr. Owen wants to meet with you, Jasmine.”
“I didn’t forget. I’ll just put my things away and go up to meet the man himself.” As I pass the sidewalk, I see a length of about fifteen motorcycles parked next to my van, making it difficult to get to the back of it. I rush past them with my head hanging down, trying to avoid them.
“Hey, darlin’, is this your van?” someone yells out. I ignore them, hoping they’ll leave me alone. “Hey, didn’t you hear me? Is this your van? If it is, you need to move it, like now.”
Tame Me (Book #1 in the Blood Brothers MC Series) Page 1