“Yeah, it’s easier. Don’t worry, I’ll get the place cleaned up before Michael’s gets back.” He smirked with a wink.
My eyebrows shot up as I sat my book bag down on one end of the brown leather sofa. “You better.”
“Yeah. He’d kill me, but I’ve been working so much I just haven’t made the time.” Luke shrugged, rummaging around looking for something. “Where did I put that box?” he muttered to himself, still looking around the room moving trash and items around. “I’ve got a FedEx box addressed and ready to go, I just have to find it.” He picked up an old pizza box and flung it over a chair to continue his search, and in doing so, knocked over one of the half-full cans on the desk. The contents spilled over onto the expensive desk and the fresh package Gloria had sent.
“Luke! Be careful!” I cautioned, rushing over to catch it. I scrambled, looking for something to wipe up the liquid, but I could only find one or two half-used napkins. “Oh, God! Hurry! Whatever is in this package is going to be ruined!” Not to mention the antique desk that was getting a bath as well.
“Oh, hell!” he exclaimed, trying to use the sleeve of his shirt to mop up some of the mess. “Fuck!”
“Yeah, he’s going to be livid,” I added, knowingly. I picked up the package and carried it to the wastebasket, quickly brushing off the puddle of liquid sitting on top into the waiting bin. The address and Jax’s name written in black sharpie was smeared, and the lightweight paper wrapping was saturated.
Luke pulled off his shirt and then his T-shirt, using the second to mop up the desk’s surface. We were left with two or three sticky and soggy piles; I was holding the ruined package in my hands.
I stood staring down at it, unknowing what to do, but the wet wrapping was only going to damage it more, so I pulled it free, thinking I could do my best to dry off the cover pages and rewrap it before mailing. I pulled the wet layer free, but the manuscript underneath was damaged, the ink running together. It was a pile of generic copy paper, with a note on top, scrawled in messy cursive Sharpy that was starting to bleed across the yellow Post-it.
This is super! So glad you’ve got it done! We’ll make the production schedule after all! I’ll have creative email next week with cover ideas. Here is the first round of edits. Bravo!
~Marcia
Jax didn’t say anything about being finished with his manuscript… why wouldn’t he say anything? And why, if he was done, would he need to go to the cabin to write? My brow furrowed as I tried to work through it. He wasn’t working on it when he was with me. We always worked on my book, so when did he work on it, if not at the cabin, these past weeks?
“What is it?” Luke demanded harshly. “I am so screwed. Gloria Sussex is never going to take me seriously now. Is it a book from some famous author I’ve destroyed?”
My eyes glanced down sadly at the stack of wet paper in my hand. My heart felt as if it would burst from my chest, and I couldn’t breathe. The title and author name screamed up at me in three-D cartoon fashion.
UNCONTROLLABLE
By
Jaxon Michaels
I gasped, unbelieving, and sank down on one of the chairs in front of the desk, disbelieving. My heart stopped as the title resonated. I lifted the limp cover page and then another until I saw the start of the novel. My novel. The title had been modified slightly by dropping the word “love” which gave it a more masculine tenor, but there was no mistaking my words. Would he really submit my book as his own? The room shrunk and I felt like I was drowning and clawing for the surface, and that lifesaving first breath.
The earth had opened up and swallowed me whole, blood rushing in my ears drowned out the sound of Luke’s startled voice.
He wouldn’t do this to me, would he?
“Addy, what is it?” Luke asked, rushing toward me. “What is it, for God’s sake?”
I glanced up, holding the soggy source of my misery upon my bent knees. My mouth moved, but no words came out. My chest heaved and my eyes flooded. I was speechless. Stunned. Was this real? It was the ultimate betrayal. My heart wanted to give Jax the benefit of the doubt.
Gloria’s words rang in my head; “He’s always got some little hottie on the hook; promising her the moon…”
I felt sick.
“What is it?” Luke asked again. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“It’s my…” I sucked in as much breath as my traitorous lungs would allow. “Mine.” I shook my head incredulously, beginning to wring my hands desperately. “This is my book.”
I glanced up at Luke again.
“What?” he asked incredulously. “Then, why is the professor’s name on it? Do you think the publisher made a mistake?”
Tears rolled down my face and I shook my head. I didn’t want to doubt Jax’s intentions, but how could he let this happen? If Gloria was sending it to him after first round editing, he had to know about it, but she didn’t.
I shrugged. I was so hurt that I couldn’t wrap my heart around it. No, it was no mistake. My heart was breaking, and it felt as if my skin was literally melting off of my body. “I don’t think so,” I said brokenly. I wanted to ask Luke if Jax hooked up with students in the past, but I couldn’t get the words out. The last thing he needed was to be shoved into the middle of this mess.
“Well, I’m a witness!” Luke seemed keen to place the blame on Jaxon. Too keen, for my bruised emotions.
“To what?” I asked incredulously. “You’ve only read one chapter. That first assignment. You can’t say this is my book, not for sure.”
“Well, we won’t let him do this, Addy.”
I squared my shoulders and stood up, still holding the messy pile of wet copy paper. “What are you gonna do? You can’t ruin your career. You have to graduate!” I was drowning, not sure where to turn or what to do, but I knew I had to get the fuck out of that office. Now.
“But…!” Luke began. “This is wrong.”
“It’s my problem. I shouldn’t have been so stupid.” I sucked in a gasping breath as my world exploded, and I burst out the office door with a bang. “Consider this a lesson in publishing 101. For both of us.”
“It’s not published yet. Maybe there is something you can do,” Luke called, hovering in the half-open doorway to Jax’s office.
I was still stuck in a stunned vacuum. Could I go against someone as huge as Jaxon Michaels and S and S publishing? In that second, I didn’t have the money or the constitution, but I’d damn well from this.
The book I’d been writing for years was lost… but the worst thing was that someone I had believed in, trusted with my book, my body, and most of all… my heart, seemed to be so much less than I thought he was… and that was what broke my heart.
Note from the author:
Don’t hate me! I know it’s a cliffy, but I’m writing furiously on part four and hope to have it out within a few weeks, barring any major health issues with my mother.
MORE SMUT U Coming SOON!
If you can’t wait for MORE Smut University, please sign up for the release alert for the final novella; Part FOUR! I’m working hard to get it out in a few weeks. (I have issues with my sick mother so pending any unforeseen problems watch for it soon! To make sure you DON’T MISS it; sign up for the RELEASE ALERT HERE: http://bit.ly/2LadvMF
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If you enjoyed the “assignment” written by Addy, it’s from my most beloved romance: The Remembrance Series. (Read more about it in the ALSO BY THIS AUTHOR section!)
About the Author
Kahlen Aymes is a USA Today bestselling author who writes steamy romance novels that cross genre lines between New Adult, Adult Contemporary, and Erotica.
Kahlen has been on several bestseller lists including Ba
rnes & Noble, Amazon, Smashwords, Publisher's Weekly, iBooks and USA Today!
She began her writing career without ever planning on publishing a single word and won multiple awards in the world’s second largest fan fiction community, including BEST Author, BEST RealPersonFiction, Best All-Human that Knocks You Off Your Feet, and several others! Encouragement and support from her readers prompted her to publish.
Her interests include reading, as well as writing, movies, theater arts, cooking, roller skating, and going for long walks. She is the proud mom to one teenage daughter and two golden retrievers, who basically rule her world.
Kahlen has a strong love of writing and romance! Count on her to deliver strong, relatable characters, deep and detailed plots, sexy love scenes, and emotion overflow in every book! Her last in series is as good, or better than the first book!”
The Remembrance Series - Kahlen’s most BELOVED series!
The Remembrance Series - A best friends to lovers, soulmate romance.
1. Before Ryan Was Mine: https://amzn.to/2Xsyst2
2. The Future of Our Past: https://amzn.to/2XqUpZr
3. Don’t Forget to Remember Me:
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4. A Love Like This: https://amzn.to/2Nlpo5t
“Kahlen’s MOST BELOVED SERIES, The Remembrance Trilogy is now available in a BOX SET!! This complete edition includes the PREQUEL and the EXTRA SCENES at the end!
Hurry and get Ryan and Julia’s complete story on KINDLE UNLIMITED!!: https://amzn.to/2IX4hAQ
BEST of 2017! TRADING YESTERDAY!
TOUTED BY bloggers and readers as Top Romance of 2017!
1. Trading Yesterday (Sexy second chance, secret baby, sports romance.) : https://amzn.to/2FrjCZu
2. Finding Tomorrow (Hot, single dad, sports romance): https://amzn.to/2WXEt1k
3. Embracing Today (Firefighter, alpha hero, protector romance) Coming 2020.
4. Always & Forever (Best friends, sports romance, medical romance) Coming winter 2020.
“Trading Yesterday is a roller coaster of emotion; ultimate loss, longing, betrayal, and forgiveness that will restore your faith in unconditional love and leave you gasping for more.
Start reading, now! You'll love Teagan, Chase, and Remi will steal your heart! You won't be disappointed!”
One Step Closer - 2nd Chance Stepbrother Romance!
Caleb always took care of Wren, especially after he learned her carefully guarded secret. He protected her from everything, except when jealousy and pent-up desire led them both to give in to what they’d been wanting for years. Ashamed and guilt-ridden Caleb leaves Wren and their fragile relationship in shambles.
AmazonUniversal: readerlinks.com/l/690159
Your NEXT BILLIONAIRE OBSESSION! After Dark!
Sexy, hilarious, snarky throw down between a beautiful and sassy psychologist and an alpha CFO!Contemporary, romantic suspense series!
It’s a FIGHT TO THE MATTRESS!
1. Angel After Dark: https://amzn.to/2N8zLcF
2. Confessions After Dark: https://amzn.to/2N8zLcF
3. Promises After Dark: https://amzn.to/2x8aDbb
AFTER DARK, ALEX AND ANGEL’S SMOKIN HOT LOVE STORY is NOW AVAILABLE IN A BOX SET!
If you love Christian and Gideon… You will FLIP over Alexander Avery! After Dark is Kahlen’s HIGHEST RATED SERIES!
Get in BED with Alexander Avery!
He WILL OWN YOU!
LINK TO BOX (KindleUnlimited!) : https://amzn.to/2N8lE73
***AFTER DARK ANNOUNCEMENT!***
Readers are asking for Cole & Becca’s Story and I’ve going to write it. Also, one for Kyle!
Check the Upcoming Title List!
Series reading order:
1. Angel After Dark
2. Confessions After Dark
3. Promises After Dark
Also Available in Audiobook, and French & Italian Translation!
FAMOUS - Hollywood Romance Series
A HOLLYWOOD ROMANCE SERIES ABOUT REAL LOVE!
1. FAMOUS: https://amzn.to/2Y7OGEW
2. More than FAMOUS: https://amzn.to/2J02YkL
3. Beyond FAMOUS: https://amzn.to/2Fsyk2q
The FAMOUS Novels are now available in a BOX SET with EXTRA CONTENT at the end! If you want to read a very sexy and angsty story about love in the chaos of Hollywood.
Get it now on Amazon and FREE to read on Kindle Unlimited! https://amzn.to/2Fsyk2q
CONNECT with Kahlen on Social Media
KAHLEN WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU! Readers! Bloggers! Bookstagrammers! Reviewers!
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Rights information: Sarah Hershman; Hershman Rights Management
Upcoming Titles
Smut University Volumes 4
Embracing Today ~ Trading Yesterday #3
Forever and Always ~ Trading Yesterday #4
Written On My Soul
Daddy After Dark (Cole & Becca)
LICK After Dark (Kyle & Camile)
Man Candy
Unfinished Business
Marriage Material
Covered in Rain
Love Notes
You and You Alone
The Other Half of the Sky
SMUT UNIVERSITY: A sexy novella serial, Part Three Page 8