Contents
Playlist
Introduction
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
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Epilogue 1
Epilogue 2
Author’s Note
Stripped Love
About the Author
Other Books by Chelsea McDonald
Be My Queen
Copyright © 2020 Chelsea McDonald
All Rights Reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form without written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in book review.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either products of the authors imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Cover Artwork by ©Vixen Designs
Formatting by Pink Elephant Designs
Editing by Amanda Williams
Disclaimer: The following story contains sexual situations and strong language, it is intended for adult readers only.
Playlist
Hard For Me (by Michele Morrone)
Antisocialist (by Asking Alexandria)
Here She Comes Again (by Röyksopp)
Boyfriend (by Selena Gomez)
Talking Body (by Tove Lo)
Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince (by Taylor Swift)
Like a Prayer (by Madonna)
Him & I (by G-Eazy & Halsey)
Bring Me To Life (by Evanescence)
Bloody Valentine (by Machine Gun Kelly)
Crowded Room (by Selena Gomez ft. 6LACK)
With You (by Jessica Simpson)
Anastasia Exley will not show weakness
She will stand tall
She will not show mercy…
But she can’t promise not to weep on the inside.
Nikolai King will not back down.
He will find her.
He will not lose his happily ever after…
But he can’t promise not to destroy everyone in the process.
To my valued associate,
I write to you with my utmost gratitude. The problem has been eliminated and the Verela’s will no longer stand in our way. We are free to move forward as planned. Thank you for the part you played. Please continue to monitor the situation, I’d hate for Anton to cause any complications.
Please feel confident that the favor will be returned, if and when it’s needed. Anything to protect our own. Enclosed is a check for valued services rendered. Send my love to Alessa and the boys.
Sincerely,
Bellucci
“Anastasia?”
An involuntary flinch of surprise jolted through me. I hadn’t expected her to answer the door, I figured it a rare occasion that she did anything for herself. Especially at this hour of the day — it was the middle of the morning, shouldn’t she be working on the family business? Whatever that was… Either way, I felt a sliver of ease at a vaguely familiar face. No matter what her motives were, I was certain that I was wanted here.
“Rachel.”
As I said her name, her face tightened slightly. If I didn’t know any better I would have thought that hearing her only daughter call her by her first name stung a little. But the truth was that I didn’t know her all that well. The woman who stood in front of me was family in name only, I supposed now was the perfect time for her to prove herself.
“What are you doing here? Not that I’m not happy to see you, dear.” A wide but tentative smile stretched across her face as she pulled the door open further. “Would you like to come in?”
Tears of fear, of exhaustion, prickled at the backs of my eyes. I had to get inside, I had to before I made a fool of myself on her doorstep.
“I had nowhere else to go,” I confessed, there was an edge of desperation to my voice that surprised even me. With a piteous look, she took my hand and led me into the living room, letting the door swing closed behind us. I dropped the bags from my shoulders and perched myself uneasily on the couch next to her. The room was immaculate, as it had been the last time I was here — with Nikolai when he had found my birth parents for me, at my request.
“Is something wrong?” Rachel asked, in a calm voice that told me she was used to dealing with crises. Though I’m not sure finding her estranged daughter with two bags of belongings on her doorstep was something she had experienced before.
“I don’t even know where to start.” I half-laughed as a shrug lifted my shoulders and I gestured vaguely around me. Everything felt wrong. I didn’t know where to turn or how to put any of it into words.
Rachel gave me a sympathetic smile. “Well then. How about instead, you tell me how I can help?”
“I know there are certain strings attached but I need somewhere to stay,” I said cautiously. I know that me staying here would make it difficult for Rachel and Kaleb in one way or another. Either Nikolai would find me and things would get heated or, more likely their other child, Ambrose, who already seemed to hate me, would resent my presence and make things unpleasant.
“Of course dear.” There was hesitation on her face. Obviously, I of all people, understood how much of a fucked up situation they’d put me in. But still, I wasn’t about to make it any easier on her. “So...does that mean you’ve thought about what we discussed?”
“Yeah,” I cleared my throat as I struggled to hold in a resigned sigh. Instead, I chewed my bottom lip into my mouth. I could already feel regret settling in. Coming here might’ve just been the most stupid decision I’d ever made.
I hated that I couldn’t see any other options, no other ways around this, no matter how wild. I’d thought through everything, this was the only way.
I didn’t have any other choice at that moment in time.
“Yes, Rachel, I have thought about what we discussed and I accept your terms.” I blinked at her as I tried to compose myself. I didn’t want to be here, I didn’t want to accept their stupid terms, but if this was my only way in… “I’m ready to come home.”
Rachel swept me up into a hug. I tried to reciprocate but my heart just wasn’t in it. For the first time all day, I felt as though the weight had lifted from my chest. But maybe it didn’t lift at all, maybe it just sank, anchoring my feet to the ground. I could finally breathe but at what cost?
Rachel continued talking, her mouth spewing so many words, and so much information at me. Exhausted I caught bits and pieces, nodding when it seemed appropriate. She mentioned something about a welcome home party, too tired to fight her she went into detail. It was going to be a long day and it was barely lunchtime.
As if on cue, Rachel called for the maid to start on lunch, alerting her to the fact that there would be a guest today, and for the foreseeable future. I’m sure I was given a name but I didn’t catch it.
One dangerous situation turne
d into another — I had leapt from the frying pan and into the fire. I just hoped this would all be worth it, in the end. I released a sigh as my heart broke just a little bit more.
She had to know that I wasn’t going to give up that easily. I’d never felt this way before, I’d never felt so compelled towards anything or anyone. In a way, I didn’t have a choice. She was a magnet, my magnet, holding my entire world in her hands. I was just a piece of metal stuck in her orbit. I would never be able to pull away but she wasn’t close enough for me to grasp either.
No matter the restraints, I wouldn’t stop fighting. I wouldn’t ever stop trying to be a part of her world.
“No sign of her. Sorry,” Zedd spoke gruffly, dragging my attention from my daydreams. It was a somber tone for him, one that I hadn’t heard for a while. My baby brother barely ever had the chance to be serious, let alone angry.
“We searched everywhere. Even knocking on doors. She’s not here Nik,” Drex said as he sat on the step next to me. I could feel the defeat he felt just by looking at him. It only made me more determined to find her. She had run away from me, hurt me, and hurt them. I was going to bring her back to me. To us.
I knew she wasn’t here. Of course, she would never stay so close to the house. Anastasia wasn’t stupid, if she took off on her own she would know better than to hide close by. And if someone managed to sneak past my security to kidnap her, or even to lure her outside, they were clearly smart enough to know my next move.
But we still had no clue as to what had happened, or what led to her disappearance.
I’d spent hours questioning every one of the security team, to no avail. They hadn’t been able to tell me anything and dammit, she had gotten away without even being seen! I needed to know how this could’ve happened, and who the fuck was slacking on their job, although Jeffery wouldn’t be back anytime soon.
“Where would she go?” Drex asked, but at the shrug of my shoulders, we all sunk into a thoughtful silence. I didn’t have an answer for him.
Where would Anastasia go? It was a question that I had run over again and again, never getting any closer to an answer.
I had no clue. At this point in time, it was a toss-up, she could’ve been anywhere - with anyone.
As far as I knew she didn’t know anyone in the area. She didn’t have many friends, no family - except her biological parents. Before I stole her away from her old life, all she did was work. Bingo! She must’ve had some friends at her old job. Now the question was which one to visit first.
Before I had a chance to get the guys on the move, Zedd spoke.“I know this is off-topic, but what the fuck happened last night?” My eyes dipped low at Zedd’s question. I wasn’t sorry about what happened with Finch, deep down I just prayed he didn’t have anything to do with Ana’s disappearance. “He called me. Said you two had a fight and that he was going out of town for a few days.”
What? My eyes narrowed in annoyance — why the fuck would he have called Zedd? “Wow. Running straight to our brothers for the deciding votes.” Real mature...
“It wasn’t like that Nik, and you know it,” Zedd huffed.
“Just tell us what happened, man,” Drex jumped in, as always, being the voice of reason amongst a sea of otherwise hot-headed men. That had been his role for as long as I could remember, the sensible one that diffused bombs left right and center.
“He was laying into Anastasia — telling her she was worthless — and then he hit her. That’s what happened.” I expected them to call me a pussy, call me whipped. I didn’t give a shit. I was ready for it because what could’ve been seen as me being pussy whipped was actually just my love for Anastasia showing itself. Before they could say anything else, I cut them a hard look. “No brother of mine will ever be a threat to Ana.”
“That fucker!” Zedd grunted as he kicked at the ground.
“My sentiments exactly. So, what’d you do?” Drex asked.
Zedd, impatient as ever, continued on. His face had pinched and started to flush with anger. “I would’ve gone off it! Torn him to shreds. I can’t believe he would disrespect Anastasia like that or you for that matter. Way to make it awkward at the office...”
“Well, I kicked him out. Told him he wasn’t welcome here. That no brother of mine would ever treat my woman that way and get away with it.”
I couldn’t help but feel relief at their agreement. I hadn’t expected them to understand the full extent of my disappointment and complete outrage, but they didn’t seem too far behind me. But then came the hard part…
“Look guys, I know you love Ana and I appreciate the support on this but...” As my eyes flickered back and forth between Drex and Zedd I struggled with my words, more than I thought I would’ve. We were brothers and I’d never met anyone that was as close to their brothers as I am with mine. We worked together, literally seeing each other nearly every day. At that moment, I couldn’t picture what it’d be like not being with them all the time.
“I’ll be branching out on my own from now on. I can’t have anything to do with Finch as long as he’s got issues with Anastasia.”
I never thought a woman would’ve come between me and my brothers but this was a situation of special circumstances. Never in a million years had I pictured myself finding someone, loving them as much as I do Ana and wanting to settle down with them. Hell, she’d had me questioning my involvement in the family business altogether. She was different, and luckily, we could all see it.
That was something we still had yet to discuss. Our future. I just prayed that we’d still have one. She had to know how much she meant to me, how much I would’ve given up just to make her happy. Her happiness was now my happiness.
“Well...I wasn’t expecting that. Fucking hell. The fam’s breaking up,” Zedd said, sighing dramatically.
“Idiot.” Drex rolled his eyes at Zedd’s antics. “Nik, I’m with you. Whichever way you wanna do this, leave or take over. I’m with you.”
“I don’t want to do that. I don’t want you guys choosing sides like kids going through a nasty divorce.” I shook my head at my brother’s undying loyalty but really, I’d not considered taking Finch’s chair.
“Being truthful, I always thought that Finch manipulated you into giving up your position. It’s not right, and I’d be proud to work under you.” His words made me think twice. Drex threw an expectant look at Zedd as if waiting for him to agree. I could’ve almost laughed at Zedd’s dramatic eye roll.
He was such a diva.
“If we’re getting all serious and shit I’m out of here. But fine, I’m with you too Nikolai. But don’t be letting this guy hog all the credit.” He threw a thumb at Drex before turning on him, “I was the one that told you Nikolai should’ve been in charge. We wouldn’t have gotten into half the amount of trouble if Finch’s gigantic ego hadn’t blocked out every drop of reason.”
Well... I supposed we had a lot to discuss when all this was cleared up. As soon as Ana was back, safe and sound, I’d have my fill ravishing her body and showering her with my affections. I’d then have to cuff her to the bed so that she’d never be able to leave me in the middle of the night again. Although, I had the odd feeling that she’d like me to break out the cuffs to use on her again. Definitely something to explore. But before I started to get ahead of myself, and too far down that line of thought, we had to find her...
Soon after, we’d have to have a talk about what she wanted, for us and our future. I wasn’t about to dive in head-first to something that she didn’t want.
But before any of that, we needed to find her.
My security team rushed in and out, busting their asses to continue the area search. I knew it’d be fruitless, but it made me feel better to know we had all of our bases covered. Just in case I was wrong about her plans.
I began devising a plan to split us up and check all the places that I thought would be on Ana’s radar. If nothing turned up then it was time to get serious and take a visit out of town. Either she co
uld be there - although I highly doubted it - or, we could gather their help and resources. Despite Rachel and Kaleb being absent her entire life, I’m sure they’d care about her whereabouts. Especially since she could be in danger.
And on that note, I called Jack to the side to talk privately about locating Finch. The longer I thought about the possibility of Anastasia being in danger, the more I thought that Finch may have had something to do with her disappearance. I sincerely hoped not, I’d hate to think of my own brother acting in such an extreme way.
Regardless, I wasn’t taking any chances. Not what it came to Ana’s safety.
In the early morning light, I tiptoed down the stairs. It had been a long night. After the tedious bus journey, I was exhausted, and I had thought I’d sleep like a log but I had no such luck. I tossed, turned and tossed some more but to no avail. For most of the night, I’d stared at the ceiling listening to the clock tick - echoing amongst the silence. I was waiting. The inevitable would happen, the only question was when. Every noise from the outside had me tense.
Every creak on the stairs filled me with a fresh wave of panic. Was that him? Had he found me?
My own mind had spent the night torturing me, racing for hours, making it impossible to close my eyes for some much-needed rest. Even if my mind had slowed down; my lungs felt like they were filled with rocks, my stomach eating away at itself and my heart... physically hurt.
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