by J. L. Perry
“Just a guy from uni. I told you that.”
“Did he touch you? Has he ever touched you?”
“No.”
“You’re mine, Hanna. Nobody gets to touch what’s mine.”
“I’m yours. You’re the only person I want to touch me,” I say as I reach for his hand, placing it on my breast.
Without hesitation, he removes his jeans before lying me down on my bed and settling over the top of me. “I’m the only person allowed to touch you,” he repeats as his hand slips between my legs. “I own this pussy.”
“And I own this,” I say as I wrap my hand around his cock. “Nobody is allowed to touch what’s mine either.” A smile plays at his lips as his eyes lock with mine.
“You own every part of me, sweetheart. Even my heart.” My heart swells with love as he tenderly runs his hand down the side of my face. I wrap my legs around his waist as he slides the tip of his penis inside me. My eyes flutter closed as a whimper falls from my lips. “Open your eyes, Hanna. I want you to see who’s making you feel like this. Nobody can make you feel the way I do.”
“Nobody,” I repeat.
“I love you with all my heart, Hanna Scott,” he whispers as his lips connect with mine. His words make my heart sing. It’s the first time he’s said those words to me, and I can’t tell you how happy I am to hear them. He’s mine for keeps now. I refuse to give him up again. No matter what the future throws at us, we’ll tackle it together.
“I love you too, Harrison. I love you so much.”
I’m smiling as I step out of the elevator and head towards my office. Life is good. Hanna’s enriched me in so many ways. She even moved in with me a few months ago after she graduated from uni. I can’t tell you how happy that made me. We’ve been living in bliss ever since. I never knew just how much the love of a good woman could change you. She completes me.
We agreed that she should get her degree, even though she wouldn’t need it working with me. But it was important to her, so that made it important to me. She was in her last year, so it made sense for her to see it through to the end. Like me, she’s not a quitter.
Being away from her during that time wasn’t easy though. If she couldn’t come home on weekends, I’d travel to her. There were some days during the week I missed her so much, that I would commute the two-hour drive after work, and back again in the morning. It was worth it just to be able to sleep with her in my arms.
I’m smiling to myself as I open the door to what once was my reception area. I ended up knocking down the wall between reception and my office when Hanna came to work here full time. Her desk is now next to mine. Right where it should be. I no longer need a secretary now that I have her. We’re partners now and share all the work load. You think being together twenty-four-seven would get old fast, but it doesn’t. I want her by my side always.
“Hanna,” I call out when I find the office empty.
“I’m in here,” she replies.
The door to our private bathroom is open. I don’t think anything of it as I waltz straight in. “Fuck,” I say, when I see her sitting on the toilet with her pants around her ankles. We’re extremely open and comfortable with each other, but this is where I draw the line. “I’m sorry.” As I turn to leave, I catch the tears that are pooling in her eyes. I have no idea why she’d be crying; she was happy when I left.
That’s when I notice the white stick in her hand. “What’s that?” I ask.
“It’s a pregnancy test . . . it’s positive.”
“Why? What do you mean—positive?”
“I’m pregnant, Harrison,” she says as she buries her face in her hands and starts to sob. As much as the news comes as a complete shock to me, my initial thought is to comfort her. I can’t stand to see her upset.
Quickly closing the distance between us, I pull her off the toilet, and into my arms. Sure, we’ve talked about having kids in the future, but way, way, way in the future. We’re not even married yet. Fuck me.
“Don’t cry,” I say, rubbing my hand down her back trying my best to console her, but it’s not working. “Please don’t cry.” Is it wrong that I inhale her addictive scent as I savour the feeling of having her in my arms? I can’t help it. I’m hooked on her smell.
“You’re sniffing me again.”
“Never,” I laugh as she draws back to look at me. It’s become a bit of a game between us now. She knows damn well I’m sniffing her, but I’m a stubborn man. I’ll never admit it. Never. Not even on my death bed. I’m taking that secret with me to the grave.
“You not angry with me?” she asks as her tear stained face meets mine.
“About the baby?”
“Yes,” she sniffles.
“No!” I answer truthfully. “It takes two to make a baby. I’m shocked maybe, but definitely not angry.” Once upon a time, those words would’ve freaked me the fuck out, but not now. This may not be planned, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t happy to know she has my baby growing inside her. I’m pretty certain I’ll even be joyous once the initial shock wears off. Being a father was never on my radar until she came into my life. Now, all my preconceived notions about marriage and families seem to be things of the past. I want it all with her. Every fucking bit of it.
“God, I love you,” she whispers as she buries her face in my chest. I’m not sure how her brother and father are going to take this news, but she loves me and that’s all that matters. We’ll sort the rest out when the time arises. We always do.
“I love you, too.”
“I thought you’d be angry.”
“With you? Never.” Her face breaks out into a beautiful smile as she gazes up at me. “You know how I said I had a lunch date?”
“Yes,” she replies as her facial expressions turn inquisitive. “You lied? You didn’t have a lunch date?”
“No, I didn’t lie. I’d never lie to you,” I chuckle. Well, maybe about the sniffing, but that’s where I draw the line. My mum continually lies to my father. I flat out refuse to do anything like that. “My lunch date was with your father and Ethan.”
“Really? You should’ve said something. I would’ve come with you.”
“Well, that’s the thing. I wanted to speak to them in private.”
“Why?” I smile when her brow furrows, she’s so adorable.
“Because,” I say, running the back of my hand tenderly down the side of her face. “I wanted to ask them for their permission to marry you.” We’ve only been a couple for just over a year now, but when you know, you just know. She’s part of me and I can’t imagine my life without her in it.
“You did?” My smile grows when her eyes widen.
“Yes.”
“What did they say?”
“They gave me their blessing.”
Tears rise in her eyes as her pretty face lights up. “You know you didn’t need to do that.”
“I know, but I wanted to. After everything that happened in the beginning, I wanted to do things right this time.” In my heart, I already knew they’d say yes, but I just wanted to be sure. Hanna’s parents are thrilled that we’re a couple, and Ethan has more than accepted it, he’s embraced it. He can see that we’re perfect for each other, and he knows that I’m in this for the long haul. Our friendship has gone back to the way it used to be, which I’m thankful for. “I even stopped by the jewellers on the way back to the office.”
I chuckle when she gasps. “You did?”
“I was gonna wait and organise something special, but I guess now that I know I’ve knocked you up, in the bathroom with your panties around your ankles is as good a place as any.”
I laugh when she lets go of me and slaps my chest. Quickly bending over, she shimmies her panties up her sexy as fuck legs. Once they’re in place, she pulls down her skirt that’s bunched around her hips. I kinda liked it better the way it was.
I couldn’t love this woman any more if I tried. Technically she’s not family yet, but she’s home to me. I feel like I
finally belong somewhere when I’m with her.
We stand there in silence for the longest time, with our eyes locked on each other. Although she’s been crying, she looks happy. I’ll never tire of the way she looks at me. I hope she knows just how happy she makes me.
Sliding my hand into my pocket, I fish out the ring. This isn’t how I wanted this to happen, but in my heart I know it’s the right time. At least she can never doubt that I’m marrying her just because of the baby. I’m marrying her because I love her, and nothing could make me happier than spending the rest of my life with her by my side.
Her mouth gapes open when I get down on one knee and place my hand on my heart. “Hanna Elizabeth Scott . . . I think I’ve been in love with you since the moment you walked out of your back door when you were fifteen, in that tiny pink bikini. After my eyes landed on your spectacular rack, I’ve been walking around with a permanent boner for you ever since.”
“Oh my God, Harrison, stop it,” she screeches as she playfully clips me in the side of the head.
“But it’s all true, your tits are spectacular, babe,” I add in all seriousness, because they are. If I ever suffocated in her cleavage, I know I’d die a happy man.
When her eyes narrow and she raises her hand in the air again, I laugh as I hold my arms up to shield my head from another attack.
This time when I speak, I make sure it’s from the heart. “Sweetheart . . . I love you. I love everything about you, but most of all I love how you make me feel. You’re it for me. I couldn’t imagine my life without you in it. This may sound crazy, but you make me feel whole. It’s something I never felt until you came into my life. I want to grow old with you and have a shitload of babies together.” She growls at the last part, but it’s immediately followed by a smile. I reach for her, placing my lips on her stomach. I love that my baby is in there. “I’ve never really known the true meaning of family, but I want you to teach me. I want you and our kids to have everything I didn’t.” I see tears rise in her eyes when my voice cracks. “Will you show me . . . will you be my family, Han?”
“Oh, Harrison,” she says as she throws herself into my arms. “Nothing would make me happier.”
The Boss, started out as a short story I wrote for an anthology I was asked to contribute to, along with twenty other Authors. Ten thousand words was our limit. One hundred percent of the money raised went to a charity that trains companion pets for children with autism and veterans that suffer from PTSD. It was such a worthy cause so I jumped at the chance to participate. This was the first short story I’d ever written, but when I was done I felt like there was still so much of Harrison and Hanna’s story to tell. My readers also wanted to know what happened when Harrison and Hanna returned from their weekend away in Queensland, and of course how Ethan reacted. Hence why I finished their story and produced this novella. Although it’s very short compared to my other published books, I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless. It’s a quick fun read.
J. L. Perry is a mother, a wife, and she resides in Sydney, Australia. She has been writing for just over two years, and has nine published titles to her name. Her first five books were self-published, and in December 2015, she signed a five-book deal with publishing giant, Hachette. Her last three releases, Bastard, Hooker and Jax, skyrocketed to #1 on iBook’s after release. Bastard has now been translated into two other languages, French and Hungarian. She’s a romantic at heart and her love of reading, and happily ever after’s, is what inspired her to start writing. J. L. loves to connect with her readers.
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Bastard
My name is Carter Reynolds. I was born a bastard and I’ll die a bastard. I learnt it at a young age, and nothing and nobody can change that. I’m on a one-way path of destruction, and God help anyone who gets in my way. I hate my life. Actually, I hate pretty much everything.
That’s until I meet the kid next door. Indi-freakin’-ana. My dislike for her is instant. From the moment I lay eyes on her, she ignites something within me. She makes me feel things I thought I was incapable of feeling. I don’t like it, not one bit. When she looks at me with her big, beautiful, haunting green eyes, it’s like she can see into the depths of my soul. It freaks me the hell out. She’s like sunshine and rainbows in my world of gloom and doom. I hate sunshine and rainbows.
••••
I’m Indiana Montgomery. My friends call me Indi. Despite losing my mum at the age of six, I have a wonderful life and great friends. My dad more than makes up for the fact that I only have one parent. I’m his little girl, the centre of his world. I adore him.
When Carter Reynolds moves in next door, my life takes a turn for the worse. He’s gorgeous, sinfully hot, but that’s where my compliments end. He seems hell-bent on making my life miserable. He acts tough, but when I look into his eyes I don’t see it. I see hurt and pain. To me, he seems lost.
I should hate him for the way he treats me, but surprisingly I don’t. If anything, I feel sorry for him. I want to help him find peace. Help him find the light that I know is buried somewhere within his darkness, but he won’t have a bar of it.
He’s warned me time and time again to stay away, but I can’t. I’m drawn to him for some reason. He’s always referring to himself as a bastard. That may be true, but to me, he’s more like a beautifully, misunderstood bastard. Whether he likes it or not, I refuse to give up on him.
Jax
My name is Jaxson Albright. To my friends I’m known as Jax. I’m the disgraced son of well-known Politician, Malcom Albright. You could say I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth. I was supposed to follow in my father’s footsteps and move into politics. My whole childhood was spent being groomed for this role, but that wasn’t what I wanted. I had other plans.
To my family’s disgust, I’m inked, I’m pierced and I own and run a tattoo parlour, in the hip suburb of Newtown. I fit in here. I can be the man I was destined to be, the man my family are ashamed of. The son they regret having.
I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for my saviour, Candice. My pink-haired angel. We grew up in the same circle, but like me, she’s an outcast. She refused to conform to society’s ways. She’s the only one who stuck by me and not only encouraged, but supported my dream.
I love her. No, correction—I’m in love with her. I have been for as long as I can remember. She has no idea how I feel. It’s a battle I struggle with daily. I’ve kept my secret all these years because I couldn’t risk losing her. That’s a chance I’m not prepared to take, because she’s my best friend; my only real family.
I’ve spent the last few years moving from one hot chick to the next, trying to mask these feeling I have. But it doesn’t help—I can’t get her out of my head. She still owns my damn heart.
How do you get over the girl you know you can never have? And how do you live without the one person on this earth who is made for you?
She’s my soulmate.
Hooker
Jade’s young life was tough. After her mother died during childbirth and her father could no longer look after her, she was placed in foster care where she stayed for the next ten years. She grew up feeling unloved and unwanted as she was passed around from one screwed up home to the next.
Things began to look up for her when she was adopted by a wealthy socialite at the age of eleven. Sometimes though, things aren’t always what they seem. Jade didn’t know it at the time, but her new adoptive mother had big plans for her, and spent the next seven years grooming Jade for that role.
Jade learnt early in life that she couldn’t rely on anyone but herself. Instead of letting her circumstances beat her, she took all the negatives she’d been dealt, and used them to her advantage. She grew up to be a strong, successful, determined and independent woman. She was a loner by choice.
The only thing la
cking in her life was companionship and love. She’d never experienced it, so she didn’t know what she was missing, until she had a one-night-stand with a handsome stranger. One night, that would change everything.
••••
Brock grew up privileged. He had everything going for him. Money, looks, charm, success and an endless array of beautiful women. He wasn’t interested in commitment. To him women were easy. They practically threw themselves at his feet. All they wanted was to do something nobody had ever managed before. Snare the hot, rich bachelor.
Then he met Jade. She was like a breath of fresh air. A challenge. Nothing like the women he was used too. Their one night together ignited something within him. A burning desire to own her, possess her, but Jade had other plans. Nobody says no to Brock Weston, nobody.
He’s left wondering about a woman he knows he can never have. But, when fate brings them together again, will he get what he wants? Will he be able to claim the unattainable? Or will her secrets crush him, and destroy any chance they have of being together?
Nineteen Letters
Nineteen. There is something about that number that not only brought us together, but bonded us forever. For a time though, it even tore us apart.
The 19th of January, 1996. I’ll never forget it. It was the day we met. I was seven and she was six. It was the day she moved in next door, and the same day I developed my first crush on a girl.
Exactly nineteen years later, all my dreams came true when she became my wife. The love of my life—my soulmate. She was my everything. The reason I looked forward to waking up every morning.
Then tragedy struck. Nineteen days after our wedding day, she was in an accident that would change our lives forever. When she woke from her coma, she had no memory of me, of us, of the love we shared.
I was crushed. She was my air, and without her I couldn’t breathe.
The sparkle that once glistened her eyes when she looked at me, was gone. To her, I was now a stranger. I’d not only lost my wife, I’d lost my best friend. I refused to let this tragedy be the end of us. That’s when I started writing her letters. Stories of our life. Of when we met. About the happier times, and everything we had experienced together throughout our lives.