Tackled by the King: A Bad Boy Sports Romance (Stand Alone Novel)

by Christina Clark

  I mumbled an apology, embarrassed, and waited as the receptionist spoke to a tall man. I couldn’t help overhearing her giggle and say, “Oh, stop- you’re too kind!” I felt a twinge of annoyance at the knowledge that my meeting was being delayed because some guy was flirting with the receptionist. Suddenly, I caught a good look at his face and with a surge of anger, I realized that it was the same man from the limo. Unable to control my anger on both this asshole and the receptionist bitch, I stepped forward and forcefully said, “Excuse me- I’ve been waiting here for a while, and I’m getting late.” The man from the limo walked away from the desk, and the receptionist finally turned to face me and irritably said, “Yes- what can I do for you?” I replied in an equally exasperated tone, “I’m waiting to speak to Simon Garrett, regarding the-” once again, the receptionist interrupted me and said “Well- you’re going to have to wait. He’s already speaking to someone at the moment,” she pointed to a door behind me, and I spun around to see the same flirty limo guy disappearing through the door that read Simon Garrett- CEO.

  Chapter Three: Lucas

  “Lucas!” My father said in a gruff affectionate tone as I opened the door to his office. I had been trying to ask the receptionist whether my dad was free to see me, but she kept flirting with me until she was interrupted by a woman, and I had seized the opportunity to get away from the receptionist and quickly pop into Dad’s office. As I started to close the door, my father craned his neck to see behind me, and said in a confused voice, “Where’s Monique?” I shook my head and said, “She didn’t come along, Dad, it’s just me.” He frowned and said, “Was she jet lagged- did she go straight to the hotel?” I considered lying for a second, but knew the truth would come out sooner or later, and I said, “No Dad- I mean she didn’t come to New York. She stayed in Paris.” He shook his head and said, “I don’t understand- is she sick? When will she fly out? The wedding is in two days.” I shook my head too and sighed before I said, “Dad- Monique isn’t coming to the wedding at all. She and I- we broke up.” My father removed his glasses and stared at me for a few seconds before he muttered, “When?” I sat down across from him and said, “This morning, actually. We had a big fight again- that’s all we’ve been doing lately and I guess I’d just had enough.”

  Dad banged his fist on the table and said, “Goddammit, when are you gonna grow up Lucas?” I raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything as my father continued, “You’re thirty-five years old for God’s sake- you shouldn’t be going from woman to woman- adults fight sometimes but they stick it out. When are you going to stop being such a brat?” I tried to maintain an even tone of voice as I said, “Dad- she wasn’t right for me, okay? That’s all that it was- I wasn’t happy.” Dad was almost shouting now as he said, “She wasn’t right for you? She wasn’t right? She was perfect, Lucas! Her family owns half of Nice and Paris! She was beautiful, she was rich, and she was willing to put up with someone like you!” I could feel my blood boiling with anger but I didn’t lash out- instead, I practiced breathing deeply to control my temper. “Couldn’t you have tried to work things out with her? You should be thinking about getting married, and starting a family- but no, all you want to do is party and sleep around.” I kept my tone steady as I said, “Monique and I were over a long time ago, we stayed together because we were fooling ourselves into believing we were right for each other. We know now that isn’t true.” He shook his head as he rubbed his temples, and said, “You know how much Sophia loved Monique- she’ll be devastated.” Like I cared what that vapid bitch thought about my love life- but I still didn’t let my anger show. Only the slight flare of my nostrils seemed to indicate how I felt, but otherwise, I managed to keep it together and present a cool, collected façade.

  “I’m sorry to have to spring this news on her a few days before her wedding, but this isn’t her first wedding, I’m sure she’ll manage.” I tried his best to keep the snarkiness out of my voice, but my father still threw me a sharp glance before he said, “Sophia’s daughter, Paige, is flying out from Los Angeles, and I want you to be very accommodating and hospitable. She’s a sweet, cultured girl of exquisite breeding- I was hoping Monique would keep her company, but now that you’ve ruined that plan, I suppose you will have to do the job yourself.” I almost snorted- but I managed to stop myself in time. I mean, how good could her breeding have been if she was raised by Sophia? I smiled coldly and said, “I’d be delighted to.” Dad nodded shortly and said, “Alright- now, tell me about the meeting with the Australian representatives; Ariadne’s report was good but I haven’t heard anything back from them. You didn’t mess up the presentation, did you?” I felt a twinge of annoyance- I had done an excellent at that presentation, and I’m sure Ariadne would have told him that. I shook my head and opened my mouth to reply, but he was already speaking again. That’s how it always was with Simon Garrett- he was never happy with anybody, and especially not his son. Ever since I was a little boy, my father never appreciated anything I did, and often, I was left to the care of the maid, Eliza. I grew up spoiled, but in the last few years, I had truly worked hard to shed that rich playboy persona and I had managed to emerge as a very successful businessman, having proven myself in the real estate market of France. But no matter what I did, my father would never approve of me, and I had accepted that and given up trying a long time ago.

  Dad was back on the topic of Monique, “Maybe this is good- a few days away from each other might actually help you see how good you two are together. She’s a lovely girl, and I was really hoping that you were going to propose to her soon- I mean, living together is fine for a little while, not that anyone respectable did it in my day, but after almost a year, don’t you think you should be looking to buy a ring?” I sighed and said, “Dad-” I was going to tell my father off, but decided that I just didn’t have the energy- fuck it, let him think what he wants for now.“Maybe you’re right- once the wedding is over, I’ll think about my situation with Monique.” I could see my father’s face relax significantly as I said those words, and then I said, trying hard to change the topic, “How about you? Are you okay? Do you need any help with the wedding preparations?” I couldn’t give less of a fuck about the wedding- I hated Sophia, the bride; I hated weddings, and I wasn’t very fond of my father either- but I knew that this was the time to prove that I could act like a fucking adult and make sure my father took me seriously. Dad smiled- not too warmly, but it was a start- and said, “No, thank you, but the wedding has pretty much been taken care of. Our wedding planner fell ill recently and Sophia had started to panic but the agency is very good, and they’re sending a replacement who’s supposed to be very competent.”

  I nodded absently, I had zoned out as soon as Dad had said he didn’t need my help, and while my father talked, I surreptitiously checked my watch, calculating how much longer I would have to stay and talk to him before I could leave without seeming rude. He went on talking for another ten minutes, about the wedding, and about Sophia, about her daughter, and about Monique’s influential French family. I had had enough- suddenly, I stood up and said, “The flight was pretty tiring, and I have some stuff to get to- so if you don’t mind, I’m going to head to the hotel now.” Dad, who had been in the middle of saying something, closed his mouth and nodded at me as I started to walk towards the door. “I’ll see you in the evening, Lucas- Sophia’s throwing a dinner party at the house.” I pursed my lips and shrugged noncommittally- I didn’t appreciate that he had told me to show up instead of asking me if I would be able to. Nobody told me what to do. “I’ll see if I can make it.” I walked out before my dad could protest, closing the door firmly shut behind me.

  I stormed away from my father’s office, and I could feel that all the anger I had bottled up was about to burst any moment.I had felt relief the moment I had broken up with Monique, but trust Simon Garrett to take something good and spin it into something that would cause me so much stress. I couldn’t wait for this wedding to be over so that I could get away
from all this once more. As much as I loved New York, I just couldn’t stand to be around my father, and even half an hour with him was enough to give me the unbearable urge to drink myself into oblivion. I walked in such blind fury that I slammed straight into a woman who was waiting outside Dad’s office to speak with him. It took me a few seconds to register what had happened, and by the time I turned around to hastily apologize, she had already walked away in a huff of chestnut colored ringlets. I continued walking away from the office as fast as I could, determined not to stop and talk to anyone. I couldn’t wait to get out of the claustrophobic atmosphere of Garrett Industries and out into the city where I would finally feel the pulse of New York running through my own veins.

  Chapter Four: Rachel

  What a dick! I couldn’t believe I had wasted even five minutes of my life staring at him in his limo this morning- how could I have ever pictured myself with someone like him? It didn’t matter how handsome he was, the guy was still an asshole. First, his car splashed me; then, he was too busy flirting with the receptionist when I had to see Simon Garrett; then, he stole my meeting time from me; and now, he had slammed straight into me and didn’t even bother apologizing? I was fuming, but I tried to calm myself down, remembering that I had to present myself as professional and sophisticated when I meet Mr. Garrett. I pushed away the anger I felt for Mr. Limousine and I plastered a wide smile on my face as the receptionist led me into Simon’s office. “Mr. Garrett, Rachel Benson is here to see you.” She left as I walked into the office and Simon stood up to greet me. “Ms. Benson, it’s nice to meet you. I’m sorry that your boss, Summer, fell ill, but she assured us that you were the best person to replace her.” I smiled widely, and said, “Sir, I can assure you that with me at the helm, the wedding will run perfectly.” He nodded and offered me a seat. As I sat down, he poured me a whiskey and I accepted it with a nod, as he began to say, “Now, just a few minor adjustments- my son, Lucas, and my fiancée’s daughter, Paige, have also joined the wedding party, so we’re going to need more room at the family table.”

  I opened the briefcase I was carrying, and pulled out the file on the Garrett wedding, flicking the sheets of paper to find the guest list and seating charts. “Hmm,” I said thoughtfully as I consulted the information before me, “Summer had already made room on the table for a Lucas and a Monique-” Simon shook his head sadly and said, “Well, just replace Monique then, she won’t be attending anymore.” He sounded crestfallen as he said that, and I looked up curiously, but I knew I shouldn’t pry. Simon, however, downed the whiskey he had poured for himself and said, “It’s my son, Lucas- he keeps doing these things that I know he’ll regret later on. He dropped out of college in his sophomore year, and now he broke up with Monique- and she was perfect for him. And I’ve been struggling with some decisions I was hoping he’d help me make, but now I’m wondering if he’s the right person to do that.” I nodded politely, not knowing how else to react. “Well, you seem to really care about your son, and I’m sure he feels the same way about you. Maybe I’ll get the pleasure of meeting him at the wedding.” Simon nodded and said, “Right, I’m sorry for telling you all of this, of course. Let’s get back to the wedding preparations.” We talked a little bit more about flower arrangements, musicians, and caterers until the receptionist knocked on the door and announced that he had a fitting to leave for in ten minutes, and we wrapped up the meeting quickly.

  “Ms. Benson, it’s truly a pleasure to have you on board- I love Sophia, and this wedding means a lot to her, and so it means a lot to me. I look forward to working with you over the next week, and I know it’s the last minute, but I know the wedding will go perfectly.” I thanked him and shook his hand. “Rachel, why don’t you stop by the house this evening? Sophia’s throwing a little dinner party and I know she would love to meet you.” I was pleasantly surprised by the offer, and I nodded as I said earnestly, “That would be an honor. I’d love to come by and meet your family- thank you.” He shook my hand again and said goodbye. I left the meeting, feeling warm and happy. It was nice to know that a man like Simon Garrett had faith in me and that he was a trusting me to take charge of the most important night of his life. Summer had told me that Mr. Garrett wasn’t easy to please and that I’d have a real challenge on my hands- she had described him as mean and bossy, but I really just saw him as a loving husband and a concerned father, and I was excited about going to his home later that evening to meet his family and see him as just Simon, and not Simon Garrett of Garrett Industries.

  I checked my watch- I was done a lot earlier than I had thought I would be, and I realized that I didn’t have any plans for the dinner that night, so I decided to just walk around and collect my thoughts. All the wedding preparations had been completed months in advance, and I just had to make sure everything was ready a day before the wedding, and on the wedding day itself, I had to oversee everything and make sure it was all running smoothly. I smiled to myself- I never had an easier job before; usually, I was running around to dress fittings and bakeries and florists, never having a moment of rest. This time would be different- I was already being invited to dinners, and I imagined the day of the big expensive wedding where I would wear a lovely gown and float around the room as I sipped champagne and mingled with beautiful, affluent guests. Maybe I would meet someone, and I imagined a tall, rich, handsome stranger asking me to dance. I held back a giggle as I giddily walked without really knowing where I was going.

  My phone rang, snapping me out of my daydream and I pulled it out of my briefcase making sure I didn’t drop anything as I carried out an elaborate balancing act. I managed to get my phone out just as it stopped ringing, and sighing, I checked to see who had called- it was my little sister, Sarah, and the moment I saw her name on my screen, all my annoyance with the ringing phone melted away. Sarah was four years younger than me and growing up, we hadn’t been very close, but after I had come back from college, I’d realized that she had grown up while I was gone, and we became very close after that. For the past few years, we had been each other’s best friends, confiding in each other and comforting each other. I called her back, and she answered on the first ring, squealing, “Rach!” I laughed and said, “Hey Sarah, how are you?” She spoke in her usual breathy voice, like Marilyn Monroe’s, and she said, “I’m so excited Rach, I got a part, in a proper film this time.” I squealed too, and said, “Oh my God, Sarah, that’s amazing-” Sarah laughed nervously and said, “Well, it’s not that big, I just have a few lines-” I cut her off before she could say anything else and I said, “Sarah, shut up. That sounds amazing. We have to celebrate!” She laughed again and said, “Okay- well, a few of my friends are heading to The Cortez Bar in for little while, do you want to join us?” I widened my eyes as I said, “Ooh, the fancy one on SoHo? Count me in!” We agreed to meet up at the bar in an hour and I hung up, feeling happy for my little sister, who deserved this big break. I realized I was ten minutes away from SoHo, and I decided I would just head to the bar early and have my own little celebration with a few drinks before Sarah and her friends arrived.

  Chapter Five: Lucas

  I tried to shake away all thoughts of my father and immerse myself in New York, but I couldn’t get his disapproving face out of my mind. I knew I had done a good job in Paris, and I also knew that the Australians wanted me on their team, but somehow my father always made all my achievements look like nothing. I needed a drink- being around my father always made me crave alcohol and I found myself walking over to one of my favorite New York haunts; The Cortez Bar. I walked in and immediately felt comforted by the deep green marble floor, and the stone walls full of niches cradling glinting bottles of the most expensive wines and spirits. I made my way through throngs of day-drinkers in fancy suits and designer dresses and headed straight to the bar, seating myself on a barstool next to three women. They were talking to each other animatedly, but the minute I sat down, their voices dropped low and they started conversing in excited whispers. I could feel
them staring at me, and normally, I may have responded but I just wanted to be alone. I ordered a scotch on the rocks and one of the three women detached herself from her girlfriends and climbed onto the stool on the other side of me as she said to the bartender, “Make that two.” I glanced at her- she was certainly beautiful, with long brown hair and a killer body that she showed off in a fitted electric blue dress- but I wasn’t interested.

  She tried to make small talk with me, sticking her chest out and playing with her hair, but I just responded in grunts and shoulder-shrugging. After a few minutes, she got tired of trying to coax replies out of me, and she returned to her friends. Thankfully, the three of them moved away from the bar and got themselves a table, leaving me alone to nurse my scotch. I ordered a second glass, and then a third. I had just downed the third one when from the corner of my eye, I saw a familiar face. I turned my face slowly, just to get a better look at the man walking into the bar. He wore an Armani suit and a Cartier watch. I recognized the slicked back blond hair and the boyish smile of Jackson Montgomery, and before he could see me, I slipped off my barstool and headed towards a table in the back where the lighting was dim. I could still see Jackson but I was sure he wouldn’t be able to see me- and that’s just how I wanted it. Wow, I hadn’t seen that bastard in years. We used to be best friends when we were little because his father worked with mine when Garrett Industries had been newly emerging as a real estate Mogul in the New York market. I remembered how both our dads would work late and Jackson and I would often be together either at his house or mine. We grew up as brothers and we went to Columbia together as roommates, and after that, we both started working at Garrett Industries. I remember how nervous we had both been on our first day of work, but excited because we were together.