Freedom, Colorado 4
Freedom to Surrender
Ashley Milosino has no job, no money, and few job prospects. When her friend’s brother, Tatum Morganton, moves to Freedom, Colorado to fill the vacancy of deputy, she gives in and agrees to show him around. His roommate, Drexel Ford, great-grandson of Henry Ford, is in town to find himself. He can’t afford for anyone to get close and learn his secret. Then why did he suggest Ashley work at the auto repair shop where he just signed on?
The sexual tension heats up, and when the three of them do get together, things explode. Against his better judgment, Drex falls for Ashley, and when he tells her the truth about himself, she is furious. Trying to solve the problem, he buys a building for her so she can fulfill her dreams. She wants to succeed on her own and dumps him.
What can he and Tatum do to restore order to their breaking hearts?
Genre: Contemporary, Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Western/Cowboys
Length: 70,154 words
FREEDOM TO SURRENDER
Freedom, Colorado 4
Melody Snow Monroe
MENAGE EVERLASTING
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Ménage Everlasting
FREEDOM TO SURRENDER
Copyright © 2013 by Melody Snow Monroe
First E-book Publication: November 2013
Cover design by Harris Channing
All art and logo copyright © 2013 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
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Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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DEDICATION
To the entrepreneurial spirit in all of us. May your dreams come true.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
About the Author
FREEDOM TO SURRENDER
Freedom, Colorado 4
MELODY SNOW MONROE
Copyright © 2013
Chapter One
Ashley Milosino was awaiting settlement of a stock trade for one of Bresson Investments’s clients when her cell phone rang. Her stomach sank when she saw the name on the screen.
“Hello.” She kept her voice soft, not wanting the other security brokers to hear her take a personal call.
“Ms. Milosino, this is George Cantel from Freedom Federal. Your car loan is a month past due.” Irritation sawed through his words.
Shit. Closing her eyes, she tried to rub away the tension headache that was already forming. She’d been waiting for her paycheck to clear before she sent the money. Two more days was all she’d need. “I’ll send in a payment today. It must have slipped my mind.” It had never left her thoughts.
“You said that last week.”
Caught me. “I just got paid. I promise I’ll put the check in the mail today.” It was a little white lie, but by the time he called again, she would have the money in her account.
“If we don’t receive it by week’s end, we’ll be forced to repossess your car.”
No! She wouldn’t be able to get to work without transportation. “Don’t worry.” Even though this George person couldn’t see her, she smiled in an attempt to elevate her sinking attitude.
“I hope for your sake that you do.”
She disconnected and slumped forward in her seat. If her landlord hadn’t raised her rent by ten percent three months ago, she could have managed. The thought of taking on a second job was looking more and more likely, but could she really handle more hours at say, a waitress position? The stress of not making it financially was taking its toll.
As if the haughty woman materialized out of thin air, the firm owner’s secretary stepped up to her desk. “Mr. Bresson needs to have a word with you.” Margaret turned without making further eye contact.
Ashley’s stomach tumbled once more. She’d heard rumors about her boss possibly being in trouble, but she refused to believe Roger would do anything to raise a flag with the Securities and Exchange Commission. He was an honest man and had been very good to her.
The stock settlement she’d been waiting for showed up on her screen, and she quickly e-mailed the confirmation to the client. Ashley pushed back her chair and smoothed out her skirt as nervous sweat pooled under her arms. Since she’d never been called to Bresson’s office before, this had to be bad.
Stay ca
lm. I didn’t do anything wrong.
Then why assume the worst?
“Ashley?” Margaret stood at the boss’s door waiting, her frown deepening.
“Coming.” The chatter of the brokers talking with their clients, along with the comforting sound of phones ringing, helped calm her for what she knew would be a day to remember.
As she maneuvered between the other workers’ desks, she glanced at Roger’s glassed-in office. His chair sat empty, causing her pulse to race. Her gaze searched the office, hoping to spot him. She’d spoken with him just this morning, and he always told her when he had to leave to meet a client. So where was he?
To her chagrin, she didn’t need any psychic ability to see her future when three of the men looked up, pressed their lips together, then dropped their gaze. She was going to be fired. She just knew it.
Do not throw up and do not cry.
The sounds seemed to dim around her as she neared Mr. Bresson’s office, and she had to force her feet to take the last few steps. The urge to fist her hands was compelling, but she managed to appear as if the summons was an everyday occurrence. As soon as she stepped past Margaret, the door closed with a resounding thud. Welcome to hell.
“Ms. Milosino, please have a seat.” His gravelly voice contained a boatload of doom.
Bresson’s overstuffed chair was leather and swiveled while the one he’d pointed to might be leather, but the seat cushion appeared tired and thin. Why couldn’t they have this conversation by the corner window seated the lounge chairs with the view of the Colorado mountains?
Because he doesn’t want you to get too comfortable.
“I’m very sorry to have to tell you that Roger Dilett is no longer affiliated with our firm.”
Her chest caved. Roger was gone? “What happened?” Oh, my God. The man had a wife, two kids, and a new home with a large mortgage.
“I’m not at liberty to discuss the specifics, but let’s just say the SEC didn’t like the way he handled some of his transactions.”
Her heart nearly stopped. As Roger’s assistant, would the SEC think she was guilty, too? The best-case scenario would be a loss of his broker’s license. The worst would be jail time and a huge fine. She frantically thought back to all of the transactions she’d done for him but couldn’t think of anything that wasn’t on the up and up.
She struggled for air, thinking Mr. Bresson might consider her guilty by association. She waited for him to ask so that she could truthfully answer, but even if she did get a chance to explain, would he believe her?
He merely stared at her and her nerves exploded. She finally dragged in enough oxygen to speak. “What does that mean for me? I was Roger’s assistant.”
The firm’s owner wove his fingers together and looked so much like her dad, she cringed. She knew the look of pity all too well. Shit.
“I know you’ve been studying for your Series 7 license, but times have been slow, and since you have not taken the test yet, I’m afraid we have to let you go. I’m very sorry.”
He’s letting me go?
Her world crashed in on her. She’d searched tirelessly for a job and wouldn’t have been offered this one had it not been for her father calling in a few favors. She’d swallowed a month’s worth of pride to accept it, but working for an investment firm was what she’d been trained to do.
“Ms. Milosino?”
Mr. Bresson’s voice finally reached her brain. She looked up and his brows rose, his head slanted toward the door. “Yes, of course. I’ll go pack up my things.” Her voice trailed off as she pushed back her chair.
“I’ll make sure you receive two-weeks’ severance.”
Tears brimmed on her lashes. “Thank you.” At least now she could pay off her late car loan. Embarrassed for him to see her less than professional reaction, she turned and walked out as smoothly as she could, forcing her shoulders not to hunch.
Don’t let anyone see you cry.
She made it to her desk without speaking with anyone, but all eyes had been on her. The sudden hush implied they must have suspected something was up. Why had she been the last to know? Was she really that naïve?
As she packed her few personal items, a wave of depression hit her so hard, her stomach cramped. The thought of disappointing her father again was almost too much to bear. She knew he’d understand that it wasn’t directly her fault, but it would still reaffirm his belief that she didn’t have what it took to be in the business world.
Instead of saying good-bye to the friends she’d made over the last year, she pretended as if she had to rush off to an appointment. She felt sorry for all of Roger’s clients and their portfolios—assuming the clients still had funds in their accounts. While she might never learn the nature of his dishonesty, she mentally thanked her boss for not getting her involved.
Once in her car, she dropped her head onto the steering wheel and inhaled, pissed she had to land a job with a dishonest boss. Unfortunately, the anger wasn’t strong enough to overtake her fear of making future car and rent payments. Other than working as a cashier, a nanny, and a waitress, this was the first honorable job she’d had that offered possible advancement.
Stop feeling sorry for yourself. You aren’t the first person to get laid off, and you won’t be the last.
The air in the car turned stale and she rolled down the window, but it didn’t help the claustrophobic feeling that enveloped her. The August midday was hot and dry, forcing her to turn on the engine. Her four brothers always accused her of finding the silver lining in every situation, but right now, all she saw was black.
Ashley drove out of the parking lot determined to get home without shedding a tear. It wasn’t until she’d pulled onto the main road out of Boulder that her chin quivered and tears streamed down her face. “That bastard.” Didn’t Roger even think how his actions would affect her?
All the way back to Freedom, she replayed the conversations she’d had with him, trying to figure out what he could have done, but each time she came up empty. He must have leaked some company secret to an investor. Damn, damn, double damn.
* * * *
“You got fired?” Dani Milan placed a hand on top of hers.
“Shh.” Ashley looked around. It was only four in the afternoon, and while the High View Bar and Grill was mostly empty, she didn’t need the few clients to learn of her troubles. She still hadn’t figured out a way to break the news to her father, but she had no doubt he’d find out sooner or later.
She probably shouldn’t have asked the girls to meet her a day before their usual happy hour, but she needed the support. “My boss had some trouble with the Securities and Exchange Commission.” When recognition didn’t cross Dani’s face, she added, “They’re the police of the stock trading world.”
“Oh. That’s not good.”
“No, it’s not.”
The bar’s front door blew open and Nikki and Holly rushed in. They, along with Dani, owned Freedom Security Services. Ashley had debated asking Summer Ashford to join them, but her friend probably couldn’t get off work until five and it was over a thirty-minute drive from Boulder to Freedom.
“You lost your job?” Nikki asked, as she dropped onto the seat.
Despite Nikki being her soon-to-be sister-in-law, Ashley hoped that because Nikki had recently cut ties with her job at the Denver PD, she might be able to offer the most helpful advice.
“I was laid off because of my boss’s bad deeds.” Ashley held up her hand. “But don’t tell my brothers yet. I’m still reeling, and I’m not ready to face Dad.”
Nikki nodded. “No problem. My father didn’t find out about my change in circumstance for a good month.”
That made her feel better. “Thanks.”
Holly waved to the waitress for drinks. All of the staff knew them here, and two minutes later, Lana brought over a tray full of their favorites. “A little birdie told me you need some extra fortification.” She winked. “This is on the house.”
Lana placed a
margarita in front of her. Ashley looked over at the very nice bartender who waved. Bless him. Too bad Bart was married. Before her brothers met Nikki, they spent half their income here.
She faced Dani again. “What did you tell Bart?”
Dani placed a hand on her chest. “Moi?”
Holly sipped her wine. “Just drink. I’m sure you can use it.”
“True.” As she drank the strawberry concoction, her muscles began to unknot, though she conceded the depression might not go away until she scored another job.
“What are you going to do now?” Holly asked.
Ashley blew out a breath. “That’s what I was hoping you guys could help me with. I’m a month behind on my car loan and my landlord recently raised my rent.” She mentioned the severance pay but said the money would go to late payments.
All three of them were now living with their men, so bunking with any of the girls was out of the question.
Holly glanced to the ceiling and acted as if the answer were up there. “You could move back home.”
She wondered when that suggestion was going to come up. “I’d rather work at USave and pump gas than admit defeat.”
“Defeat?” Nikki asked.
“My dad will never let me live this down. He’s always favored my brothers. They could do no wrong. But not me.”
Nikki cocked a brow. “Wasn’t he the one to use his influence to get you the job in the first place?”
“Way to rub in it, but yes.” She leaned on her elbows and clasped the glass as if it was a life preserver. “Here’s the thing. He once told my mom that the best I could do was marry a blue-collar worker since I’d never cut it in the business world.”
Freedom to Surrender [Freedom, Colorado 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 1