Surrender (Cunningham Security Book 7)

by A. K. Evans

  Surrender

  Copyright 2019 by A.K. Evans

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, distributer, or transmitted in any form or by any means including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations in a book review.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

  Cover Artist

  cover artwork © Sarah Hansen, Okay Creations

  www.okaycreations.com

  Editing & Proofreading

  Ellie McLove, My Brother’s Editor

  www.grayinkonline.com

  Formatting

  Stacey Blake at Champagne Book Design

  www.champagnebookdesign.com

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgements

  Connect with A.K. Evans

  Other Books by A.K. Evans

  About A.K. Evans

  “So, I’m just not sure what I should do. I mean, we had such a great time last weekend, and he said he’d call, but I haven’t heard from him. And now it’s Friday,” Toni rambled on. She continued fretting over the guy she’d apparently met and hooked up with last weekend who had yet to call her, but I couldn’t pay attention to much of what she was saying.

  The truth is, Toni and I weren’t exactly friends. We both simply worked at the same place and had become acquaintances. I had no problem with Toni’s outgoing nature. In fact, I actually enjoyed being around her most days.

  But today was not one of those days.

  Today, I was merely going through the motions hoping I’d make it out alright.

  Because today was the day I was going to be quitting my job.

  This job wasn’t just any job, though. It was the stepping stone for what was supposed to be my career. My career chosen by my parents. One that meant I was going to end up becoming the CEO of one of the world’s largest tech companies one day.

  To most, this might have been a dream come true. I guess, in a way, it had been for me, too. I was about a month away from graduating from college with my business degree. An education that had been paid for in full by my parents.

  When I first enrolled, I had taken the business classes because that was just the next step. I’d always done what I was told. I didn’t necessarily mind it. I mean, I had lived a life most people could only dream about.

  My parents were extremely wealthy, and I never wanted for anything. Or, I shouldn’t have.

  But I did.

  I just didn’t know what it was until just before I entered my freshman year at college. And by that point, there was no turning back. I was too afraid of how my parents would react to do anything about it.

  So, I’d done what was expected of me and worked hard in school. I got good grades, made a handful of friends, and had a paid internship at my parents’ company between each semester and over every summer.

  Once I entered the spring semester of my senior year, my parents began grooming me for the role they assumed I’d fill the minute I graduated. For the last several weeks I’d been working here as part of a program my school offered to students who were preparing to enter the workforce.

  I was fortunate to have a position lined up, which was why I had agonized over this decision for several weeks now. Part of me wondered if I was throwing away a golden opportunity.

  Maybe I was. Maybe I’d regret it down the road. But I had a feeling I’d regret not taking a chance on myself even more.

  So, today was going to be my last day. The timing would work out perfectly. The program for school was ending. I’d have another month to prepare for finals without the added pressure of work. And then I’d graduate.

  But I wouldn’t walk into a nice, cushy job.

  Nope.

  I was going to take a risk.

  I was going to go against everything I’d ever done in my life and dive into my true passion.

  Yoga.

  I’d found it not quite four years ago, and it became a crucial part of my life. It was something I’d needed for a long time that I hadn’t realized until I tried it.

  At the beginning of my senior year in high school, I started noticing myself grow more anxious. I couldn’t pinpoint what was causing my anxiety, and I didn’t want to burden my hard-working parents with something that seemed so ridiculous. As the year went on, I did my best to ignore the nerves I was constantly feeling, but it was hard.

  Over the summer following my graduation from high school—after I’d already been accepted to college—I discovered a way to cope with what I was feeling.

  Yoga had become a saving grace for me. Every day that went by, I found myself craving the movement and needing to practice. So, I did.

  And I grew stronger, happier, and calmer. I knew then that I’d found my calling; I just didn’t know turning it into a career was an option. And I struggled with disappointing my parents.

  But as time went on and I learned and practiced more, I realized I could make a career out of it. I could do something that would make me feel happy and fulfilled all while keeping a roof over my head. I also knew precisely how I’d accomplish it, too.

  So, every dollar I made each summer and semester break, I stashed away. In my spare time, I practiced and honed my craft. And I developed a large social media following.

  Now, I knew I had the means to make something of myself in a world I believed I belonged. I just hoped I’d be able to convince my parents of the same.

  “Leni?” Toni’s voice broke into my thoughts.

  I blinked my eyes and shook my head as if physically trying to rid myself of my worries.

  “Yeah?”

  “So, what do you think I should do?” she asked.

  My shoulders fell. I’d missed most of what she’d been talking about, but I had a pretty good idea what she was asking.

  I stood, walked toward her, and placed my hand on her shoulder. “Toni, if he doesn’t call, he’s not worth your time. Forget about him and move on.”

  “But I like him,” she said.

  “I understand that, but do you really want to be with someone who doesn’t like you back? If he doesn’t call you, he’s not someone who deserves your time.”

  “I guess you’re right,” she murmured.

  “Yeah,” I replied. “Listen, I’m sorry, but I’ve got to go. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you, but don’t pine over this guy. You deserve better.”

  “Thanks, Leni.”

  I smiled at her and gave her a nod. Then, I took in a deep breath and walked through the office down the long narrow hall to where my mother and father had their offices. No sooner did I step into the room outside their private offices when I heard, “Hey, Leni!”

  Turning to my left, I saw Connor. He was my father’s assistant and had been ever since my father’s former a
ssistant retired two years ago. Connor was only three years older than me. He’d graduated from college and started working at my parents’ company immediately afterward. Then, when the position was posted within the company for a replacement assistant for my father, Connor applied and got the job.

  “Hi, Connor,” I returned.

  “Excited this is your last day until you graduate?” he asked.

  He had no idea how much excitement I felt about not having to come and work here anymore. Of course, as much as I was excited, I was also terrified.

  “Yeah,” I confirmed. “I actually need to talk to my dad about something. Is he in his office?”

  “He was on a call earlier, but he should be free by now. Let me check,” Connor started, lifting the phone from the receiver and holding it to his ear. He pressed a button, waited, and finally said, “Hi, Mr. Ford. I’ve got Leni out here. She’s looking to speak with you.”

  There was silence a moment while my father answered. Connor smiled and ended, “I’ll send her in.”

  Connor hung up, jerked his head toward the door, and declared, “He’s all yours.”

  “Thanks.”

  With that, I opened the door and walked into my father’s office.

  The moment I was inside, he stood and rounded his desk to meet me. He gave me a kiss on the cheek. “Hi, princess,” he greeted me.

  “Hi, Daddy,” I returned.

  “Everything okay?” he wondered. “Or are you coming in to spend some time with me before you drown yourself in your books for the next month and nobody sees you? I can’t believe I almost have a college graduate on my hands. The time just flew by.”

  “Yeah, it did,” I agreed. I failed to make any additional conversation.

  As my father walked back around his desk to his chair, he urged, “Have a seat.”

  I didn’t know if it was wise to sit, but since it distracted me for a few seconds, I did.

  Once we were both seated across from each other, my father asked, “So, to what do I owe for the pleasure of a meeting from my daughter this afternoon?”

  I took in a deep breath, let it out slowly, and stated, “Today is my last day.”

  My father smiled. “I know. Like I said, I can’t believe how fast the time has gone. We’re only a month away from your graduation.”

  This was so incredibly nerve-wracking. “No, Dad. I mean today is my last day ever.”

  Confusion washed over my father’s face. “What are you talking about?”

  I nervously bit my lip, contemplating how to tell him. A few seconds later, I blurted, “I’ve decided I do not want a career at Ford Communications.”

  His eyes rounded in surprise. “Excuse me?”

  Before I had the chance to respond, the door to my father’s office opened and in walked my mother.

  “Colette, I’m so glad you’re here. Leni has some news she wants to share with us,” my father stated. I could tell from the tone in his voice he wasn’t happy.

  My mother didn’t miss his mood either, and her eyes shot to mine. “What’s going on?” she wondered.

  I swallowed hard and explained, “I just told Dad that I’ve made the choice to not work at Ford Communications following my graduation.”

  Mom stared at me in shock. “What? What do you mean?”

  “I’ve thought about it for a long time, and it’s just not for me,” I said.

  She took a few steps toward me, sat in the chair next to mine, and reasoned, “But we’ve got a whole new division set up to launch shortly after you graduate. It’ll be your baby, your project. You’ll be in charge of the entire platform.”

  “I know, I know,” I assured her. “I’m truly grateful for the opportunities you’ve both given me. I understand just how lucky I am to have the chance to oversee such a project. But I can’t do it. On the bright side, since Connor and I worked together on the project, I know he’ll be more than capable of overseeing it.”

  My father took the opportunity to chime in. “What do you plan to do for work, Leni? I really don’t understand where this is coming from,” he clipped.

  I’d always been a rule follower, so it was no surprise this was coming as a shock to them. I expected they’d have questions, but I hadn’t prepared myself for the anger I was currently seeing from my father. Disappointment? Yes. Anger? Not at all.

  Even still, I pushed forward. This was my time to stand up for myself and what I wanted to do with my life. If I showed the slightest bit of weakness now, I didn’t know what that would say about my ability to make it on my own. And right now, I had something to prove.

  “I’m in the process of becoming a certified yoga instructor, and I’m going to open my own studio,” I finally stated.

  “Oh, not this again,” my mother sighed.

  My eyes went to her. My parents knew about my love for yoga. When I’d be home on the semester or summer break, I’d practice. They’d see it. Sadly, they didn’t share the same joy and excitement over it as I did.

  “Leni, yoga is not going to provide you with the life you’re accustomed to. If you want to do yoga to stay in shape, that’s great. But to think you can have a lucrative career from it is crazy.”

  Yoga wasn’t just about staying in shape. It was so much more than that. Unfortunately, no matter how many times I tried to explain that to my parents, they never really cared to listen.

  Trying to explain that to them once again now would have been a foolish waste of time.

  “It’s not about the money,” I insisted.

  “Everything is,” my father scoffed. “I can’t believe you’re willing to throw away the opportunity of a lifetime for something so ridiculous.”

  “Doesn’t my happiness matter?” I asked, hoping I could get them to see it from my side.

  “Why can’t you be happy here?” my mother asked.

  “She can,” my father insisted. “She’ll be far happier here knowing she’s got the security of this job. Stretching on a piece of rubber isn’t going to make her happy. It’s going to make her broke.”

  I let out a sigh and felt my shoulders fall. I came into my father’s office worried that I’d be a disappointment to him. I had no doubt that he was currently seeing me as just that. But I never expected I find myself feeling this disappointed with him.

  “So, everything we’ve done to ensure you have a successful future here was for nothing?” my mother asked.

  “I am truly grateful for everything you’ve both done for me, but I can’t move forward in a place where I don’t feel fulfilled. I won’t be able to do this for the rest of my life. Like I said, I know it’s a great opportunity, and I’m thankful. But you’d both be doing yourselves a big disservice by putting me in a position that I don’t have the desire to fulfill. Connor does, and I know how hard he’ll work at it. That project has huge potential, especially if you have someone who’s as passionate about it as I am about yoga leading it.”

  “You’re not coming home to live on my couch after graduation,” my father stated. “If you want to change your mind and sign the official papers for the position here before your graduation, we’re happy to have you at home with us. But if you choose to pursue this yoga nonsense, you’ll need to find other living arrangements.”

  “Paul,” my mother gasped.

  “It’s not up for debate, Colette,” my father clipped.

  Wow.

  The fact that he put it like that was a bit funny. My parents lived in a mansion. There were more bedrooms in the place than they knew what to do with. Yet, my father acting like me living there, on the couch no less, would be such a huge inconvenience.

  Coming into today, I hadn’t expected he was going to take things to this level, but I was still prepared for the worst.

  Apparently, this situation was the worst thing I could do.

  “I understand,” I replied, keeping my voice firm. It was a struggle because inside I was dying. And because I knew I wasn’t going to last much longer without breaking down, I st
ood from the chair.

  “You have thirty days to change your mind, Leni,” my father warned. “Don’t make the wrong choice.”

  I turned and walked to the door. When I got there, I looked back at him and assured him, “I don’t need the thirty days. This isn’t the place for me.”

  “Leni—” my mother got out, but I cut her off.

  “I am who I am,” I told my parents. “You can either love me and accept me the way I am or not. I know this isn’t what you wanted, and I really do appreciate everything you’ve done, but I need to do what’s best for me. I hope you’ll find a way to accept my choice.”

  With that, I opened the door and stepped out. When I closed it behind me, I dropped my head and took a few settling breaths.

  “Leni?” Connor’s voice interrupted my attempts to calm myself.

  I looked at him with tears filling my eyes.

  He was instantly bewildered at the sight of my sad face. “Are you okay?” he asked.

  As one tear rolled down my cheek, I shook my head. But I didn’t answer with words. Instead, I propelled myself forward and out of the office.

  It was time for me to start my life.

  One month later

  “Lennox Ford.”

  I climbed the stairs at the sound of my name and walked over to the podium. I took my diploma in one hand and shook the college president’s hand with the other. When I stood at the middle of the platform just before the stairs, I looked out at the crowd.

  It was filled with hundreds of smiling, supportive families.

  Not one of those faces belonged to a member of mine.

  Even still, I was proud of myself for not surrendering to my parents’ threats. In the end, they would be the ones missing out.

  Deep breath in. Hold. Sigh it out.

  Repeat.

  I continued with my ujjayi pranayama, a breathing technique that when translated means to conquer. While it is considered one of the most basic breathing techniques in the yoga world, I almost always worked it into my daily practice. Perhaps it was my need to feel like I was victorious.

  An uncertain amount of time passed when I finally opened my eyes, ending my morning meditation.