by D. F. Jones
Chapter 11
Damien
Damien couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so nervous. He watched as she placed the model on the table and some of the pieces nearly toppled over from her small movements. He couldn’t bear to see the disappointment on her face should the model be destroyed. He’d already seen it once when she was in school, and it upset him so much to see her so defeated. She was usually so headstrong, but she never did well under failure.
He could hear the footsteps of the board members as they neared the door. The knob turned and they entered, taking their usual seats. There were five of them in total. His hands were shaking as they sat down with their notebooks and tablets in front of them. They would confirm the grant being spent on this project.
Damien brought his eyes to rest on Audrey, who was clearly nervous. He wanted to hold her hand and tell her he’d prepared everything. They would be okay. She’d hate that, though. Even convincing her dad to let her present with him was enough to make her question his intentions. She needed to do this on her own, with only a little help from him. He’d prepared everything he could so they would succeed.
It would be groundbreaking if they did.
Chapter 12
Audrey
“We did it!” she exclaimed after the last board member left. “I can’t believe they agreed to it. This is amazing. My dad is going to be so happy.”
She grabbed her phone from her pocket and started texting him. Her body was racing with adrenaline. She’d never had such success. She hoped that this would prove to her father once and for all that she was ready to take on the company.
“I’m really glad it went through. They can be a tough crowd.”
“I bet,” she said, beaming. “They don’t seem all that friendly.”
“They’re not.”
She sent the text and leaned towards the model. “Well, I guess that’s it, then. It was a pleasure working with you, Damien.”
She watched as his expression fell. It had never happened before. She had never seen such an expression form on his face, and it caused her stomach to sink. He appeared sad. His eyes had lost their gleam, and she could see his teeth clenching beneath his closely trimmed beard. She narrowed her eyes and took a step back, unsure of what to make of it.
He was obviously upset.
Chapter 13
Damien
“What do you mean, that’s it?”
“The model’s done, right? There’s no reason for us to work together from here on out. Any other business you have is with my father.”
He watched as she started lifting the model off the boardroom table. It was time. He had no other choice but to divulge it now. They’d gotten the contract, and she was right. There was no other reason for them to work together anymore. At least, not in the proximity he needed.
Damien took a step closer to her, stopping her from lifting the model from the table’s surface. “I have to tell you something.”
She stood up straight and turned to him. “What now?”
It was now or never.
“I still care about you.”
He could see the expression of disbelief shadowing her face as soon as the words left his lips. He knew he had to keep trying.
“You have to believe me. I didn’t want to leave.”
“You didn’t want to leave?” she asked, a grin forming on her lips. “Yet, from what I remember, you left anyway.”
He moved closer to her. “Seriously. I didn’t want to leave. I was forced to.”
“And by who, exactly? It definitely wasn’t me.”
“It was my dad.”
Her eyebrows furrowed. “Your dad?”
“Yeah,” he said, his voice growing lower. “My dad didn’t approve of you at the time because of your...family.”
“My family? Why don’t you just say the truth?” she asked, her words sharp. “You mean to say my family’s wealth wasn’t enough for your father. Is that it?”
“That’s why. He found out, and he didn’t like it. So he made me leave.”
“And, tell me, what did he use against you to make you leave?”
“I didn’t have a choice. He transferred my enrollment to another school before I even knew. That’s why I didn’t get back to you after summer break. He said he’d ruin your father’s business if I kept seeing you.”
He watched Audrey fall silent. She knew what kind of connections his father had, and his mother was always too afraid to say anything. He had been trapped until he started forging his own path. His life wasn’t in his father’s hands anymore.
“I moved out and did all of this for you.”
“It’s too late,” she whispered, her chin quivering. “You’re way too late.”
Chapter 14
Audrey
The intensity in his eyes caused her to take a step back. She couldn’t believe what he was saying. He’d left her for that reason? It was ridiculous. She held back the tears forming in her eyes and bit her lip.
“You have to believe me. I didn’t want to do it.”
“It doesn’t matter now,” she said, her voice wavering. “It’s too late, Damien. It was too late when you left without saying a word.”
“Can’t you see that I did all of this for you?”
She scoffed. “Did what for me? Come back? It doesn’t make up for everything else you did,” she could barely form words as her voice cracked. It felt as though they were trapped at the back of her throat. “You broke my heart.”
“And in the process, I broke mine too,” he admitted, stepping closer to her. “Working for The Natural History Museum was the only way I could think of seeing you again. Telling them to come up with the project — all of it. It was me.”
“So, what? I’m just supposed to owe you now?”
“No. That’s not what I meant.”
She was silent as she crossed her arms. He took another step closer, which caused her heart to ache. Everything hurt, and she couldn’t pinpoint where the pain was stemming from.
“I never stopped loving you, Audrey.”
She’d wanted to hear those words for so long. It just felt too late now. She wanted to believe him, and she wanted to go back to how it was when they’d first met in the library all those years ago. How perfect they’d been together. How wonderful he’d been.
“I don’t know. It’s way too —”
She felt his hands on her elbows and smelled the nostalgic scent of his cologne. He was warm as he pulled her close and slowly lowered his lips to hers. It was a natural sensation and she didn’t stop him as he moved. She accepted it. All of it.
She didn’t know where it would go from there, but for the first time in years she felt her heart race. Just as it did when he’d first kissed her.
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Spencer: Bad Boy Cage Fighter by P.T. Macias
Chapter 1
Spencer
“Spencer, keep your arms up! Get Ash on the floor. You need to practice the submissions,” Xavier yelled, standing at the side of the octagon ring, the cage.
The sweat ran into Spencer’s face, stinging his eyes, making them water. He was at the point of exhaustion but pushed through the pain.
He blinked and didn’t see Ash’s punch connect with his face.
He panted, burning through his energy, inhaled through his nose, and exhaled harshly. “Motherfucker, you’re going down.” He tried to control his breathing, to keep focus, but it was a futile effort. He kept his arms up, his biceps flexed with each move as he blocked the punches. He looked for an opening to bring Ash down.
“Yeah, you and who’s army?”
Ashton, Xavier, and Spencer were best buds. Ash was about Spencer’s height and a little broader across the shoulders. Both fo
ught in the Light Heavyweight class, so sparring with him was excellent training. Ash had several professional fights under his belt with all wins and was currently ranked number 149 in the Light Heavyweight class. Spencer was thankful to train with them because he needed all the help he could get.
His mentor, Xavier, was an MMA heavyweight champion that made some serious bank, like millions, with Pay-Per-View offers.
X’s career was something he aspired to.
Spencer didn’t even make the list these days, but he knew he’d catch up. I won’t stop until I’m number one.
Apollo’s Gym was one of the country’s best with Coach Rock Jones. Spencer wrestled on the high school team and took Ju Jitsu classes for years. Of course, he had other special skills. He had also been a sniper who received exceptional training in the Marines. Yeah, he was the guy if you needed any specialized jobs done.
Spencer fought in the cutthroat underworld with no rules, and the fights frequently became a free for all, but he made a few hundred dollars. Nothing like the fighting with the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts in the UFC fights.
The Apollo team checked potential recruits in the underworld fights, and that’s when they spotted Spencer. They immediately recruited him. It had been one of the luckiest days of his life. He counted his lucky stars to have the opportunity handed to him, not that he hadn’t worked for it, paying his dues over the years.
Spencer was training for his first UFC, Ultimate Fighting Championship match. He stood to win one hundred grand if he lost, oh, but if he won, it meant a cool five hundred grand. His life was finally changing for the better; he could feel it. He just knew he’d win his first professional fight because of the extensive training—harder than ever, and he made damn sure of it.
Spencer took a swing at Ash, and he countered. He took that moment to do a round kick with his thick muscular thighs, knocking Ash’s legs right out from under him, then used his brawny arms to do a rear-naked choke, locking Ash into submission.
“You gonna tap?” Spencer asked while gasping for air. His muscles contracted as he tightened the hold.
“Yeah.” Ash hit the mat, allowing his body to relax.
Spencer released Ash and rolled onto his back, then closed his eyes and concentrated on his breathing to calm his heartbeat. His abdominal muscles flexed with each breath.
“Ok, let’s wrap it up,” Rock yelled and clapped his hands. He looked at the clock.
Spencer walked out of the cage and he made his way towards the lockers. X and Ash followed.
“I’m so done.” Spencer rotated his shoulders.
“Hey, let’s go to the club.” Ash grabbed his towel and wiped the sweat off his face.
“Yeah, ok, let’s go.” Spencer drank from his water bottle then poured the refreshing H20 over his face to cool off before entering the showers.
“Let’s hurry up. I want to grab something to eat before we go.”
“Right, me too.” Spencer nodded.
Chapter 2
Dior
“Oh god, I’m running late. That’s all I need. Father will make a stink about my tardiness. No offense, Alfred, but I hate this with a passion. I want to drive my car. I want the freedom like most people on the planet without bodyguards lurking everywhere I go.”
Alfred smirked without replying.
“I know, I know, it’s for my safety. But I feel like I’m living in a gilded cage, and I hate it. So, please drive fast.”
He inhaled and exhaled deeply.
“I’m sorry, but I’m at my limit, my patience is running thin. Father is suffocating me.” She closed her eyes and leaned back in the backseat. “Every meeting I have with him gets me worked up.”
“Yes, Ms. Dior,” he replied with professionalism.
She wondered what he thought about her and her dad.
Alfred glanced at Peter, the other bodyguard in the front passenger seat. He raised his right brow but remained quiet.
Fifteen minutes later, the SUV stopped in the reserved parking space. Dior pushed back her hair, grabbed her red leather Gucci purse, and the rear door opened. Peter waited for her to exit.
“Ms. Dior,” Peter said, stepping back and extending his hand to assist her as she exited. “Mr. Ford is waiting.”
Dior adjusted her dark red scuba crepe dress with cute ruffle cap sleeves and a V-neck, which she paired with her favorite black knee-high suede boots with five-inch heels. Alfred and Peter walked beside her into the massive high-rise building.
“I hate drama. Every time he requests, I meet with him, it’s always about something I’ve done. So, will either of you tell me what Father wants to talk about? No. I didn’t think so.”
Yeah, yeah, poor little rich girl. Spoiled? Definitely.
Father had a strict, rigid schedule for her.
Did he ever once ask about her dreams? Her ambitions?
She wanted to help sick children. She graduated from nursing school, and she had a way with kids. But no. He wouldn’t have his daughter work. It was archaic.
Father intended for her to marry Roger to strengthen his organization, but she had refused. Roger had tons of women and made it perfectly clear he wouldn’t change his philandering ways. Sure, he’s a Capo. She had given him ample chances.
She wanted love. She wanted to fall in love, not be a profitable asset. She, like most women, deserved happiness. She dreamed of falling in love and having children someday. She couldn’t imagine living a lie.
Dior entered the building. She waited at the elevator and glanced at her perfect manicured fingernails then at her reflection in the gleaming doors as they silently slid open. She stepped inside, leaving the guards behind.
She sighed. Thank god it’s empty—no forced small talk. She pushed the button, crossing her arms, watching the numbers scale to the top floor. The door pinged, and she stepped into the vast foyer, taking off her dark glasses.
The receptionist smiled.
“Hey, Nancy, how are you? I believe Father is expecting me.” Dior placed her right hand on the countertop.
“Oh, hi, Ms. Dior. I’m doing great, thanks for asking. That’s correct, Mr. Ford is expecting you. Go right ahead.”
“Awesome, thanks, Nancy.” Dior walked through the main office, ignoring the employees curious looks. She’d learned the hard way, that most of them only used her for advancement. So, she didn’t fraternize with the help.
Stopping in front of Father’s corner office, she stared at the closed door. She tamped down her nerves, straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin then knocked on the door.
“Enter, Dior.” He pushed back from his desk and greeted her with a brief hug.
Her tummy fluttered. Something seemed off with him. “Father,” she said with a small smile.
With a scowl, he said, “Dior, you’re late. Take a seat.”
“I prefer to stand. What’s up?” she asked. He was up to something. He was not going to continue to run her life. She could get a job as a nurse. She was a grown-ass woman. But realistically, the paper trail would catch up with her.
No way out.
Dior narrowed her turquoise eyes surrounded by thick black eyelashes. She met his gaze head-on then looked at his mouth to see if he was in a good or bad mood.
“Dior, I learned from your brother, William, that a bastard tried to get smart with you at the club. I asked you to stop attending the Excalibur. The club is not an appropriate place. I’ve asked you several times to behave like the high society young lady you are, but no, you fight me at every turn. You keep testing my patience.” Father pursed his lips and tapped his fat fingers on the side table. A slow smile crossed his face. “I’ve made a decision.”
“William is blowing the situation out of proportion, and I can take care of myself. I did take self-defense classes. Candance and Jillian are always with me, so please don’t exaggerate.” She cocked her head to the side and said, “What do you mean you’ve decided? Decided what?”
“Do not raise yo
ur voice at me, young lady. I don’t give a damn what you think. I’ve decided to have a guard at your side, in addition to Alfred and Peter, every second of every day, especially when you’re out in public. Don’t you understand? There are people out there that would use you to get to me. I cannot, nor will, I risk it.” He crossed his massive arms over his chest.
“Father, it’s not necessary!” She stomped her foot. “I can take care of myself. I don’t need a babysitter. I can’t believe this. I already have guards 24/7.” She narrowed her eyes and said, “Tell me the truth. You’ve been acting strange of late. What’s happened? And don’t say it’s nothing for me to worry about.”
“Not your decision, and you must trust me. I’ve already hired your detail guard. He starts tomorrow, so I’m requesting you go straight home after our meeting, and do not to leave the house. Are we clear?”
“Why won’t you tell me? Did you ever think that maybe I could help shoulder whatever is burdening you?”
“I will not burden you. I will protect you. I made a vow, and by god, I intend to keep it.”
She intended to find out— if it was the last thing she’d ever do.
Chapter 3
Spencer
The next day, Spencer rolled out of bed, cracked his neck, and looked at the time.
Damn, Sunday.
He’d love to stay in bed, but he couldn’t. He needed to squeeze in a training session at the gym. He grabbed his workout clothes from the chair, pulling on sweatpants and a black T-shirt, then a hoodie with Apollo bold silver letters across the chest.