BillionaireIn The Making-

This book was given to JOANNA Rączkowska on Instafreebie. www.instafreebie.com



Billionaire In The Making A C O M PAN Y IN K N O VE L L A THE PREQUEL

Kira Blakely

Billionaire In The Making Copyright © 2016 by Kira Blakely. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. First Edition: September 2016

Table of Contents Billionaire In The Making Sample of the Billionaire Bad Boys Series About the Author

Personal Note I want to thank you so much for taking the time to read my book. I am so honored. My goal is to provide you the best entertainment I possibly can and convert you into a raving KIRALITE. I want you to put your worries about this stressful world aside and let’s enjoy the next few hours together.

Words that Dawson James lives by… “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, your right.” Henry Ford

Dawson’s Story

Chapter 1

As he watched the woman get dressed, Dawson couldn’t believe he’d actually done it. He’d gone and lost his virginity to the class bike - so nicknamed because every other male kid in high school had probably ridden her. He’d thought that he would feel good about finally getting laid, but in all honesty it made him feel a little repulsed. Maybe it’s because it didn’t actually mean anything other than a means to an end, he thought to himself despondently. Yeah, and it could also have something to do with the fact that it was the promise of you getting her a joint to smoke after Friday night’s game that had her opening her legs for you. “Don’t forget to get me my weed in time for Friday.” Her nasally voice almost made him wince, but he hid it well and just nodded at her as she left the locker room. He should have been feeling pleased with himself. Shit, he should have been elated that his cherry had gotten popped by someone with obviously more experience than he had. But all the act had made him feel was vindicated in the thought that there was no such thing as a good woman. All there seemed to be were women who would do anything to get what they wanted. He knew that he wasn’t being fair in his assumptions that all women were the same. He also knew that his deep-rooted distrust for the so-called fairer sex was a direct result of his own mother’s abandonment because

of her heroin addiction. He didn’t even know her name or anything about her other than the fact that she’d had a habit that had caused his birth to be premature and his life afterwards to be one filled with hardships and devoid of love. He didn’t hate women. Far from it. He had a small handful of women whom he adored as friends. But he’d yet to find one that he actually wanted to be in any kind of long-term relationship with. It could be because almost all of the women who’d fostered him had never shown him any kind of compassion or any semblance of love. It could be because he’d listened as foster moms and dads had argued over whether they should take in another child because ‘it would give them more money each month’. Or it could simply be that he’d never met the ‘right one,’ and he didn’t think he’d ever be convinced that she actually existed. So far, life hadn’t shown him that it could offer him anything good, but he was determined to make something of himself – he just didn’t know what or how yet. He was seventeen and had just a few months to go in school, and he was determined to graduate, no matter how hard he had to work. He’d been lucky to actually find a high school that would take him, considering how many times he’d been expelled for fighting and vandalism. He knew that most of it was his own fault. This was his last chance, and he couldn’t afford to get thrown out of this one.

Chapter 2 The one thing he hated more than school was when the school bell rang to announce the end of the day. Going ‘home’ to the children’s home he now lived in was nothing to look forward to. He could honestly say that he had no good memories of the place. If anything, it was the complete opposite, with his earliest memory being literally locked in the bedroom at nights without a light on. Hell, there wasn’t even a bulb in the light fixture, and the older boys had either comforted the smaller ones who were afraid of the dark, or in some cases laughed at them and called them babies. Dawson had gotten into fights on more than one occasion when he’d stood up for the younger kids. With the ‘care-givers’ yelling, and the kids crying and whining, it was nothing short of miraculous that he hadn’t run away. Fuck, it would probably be more peaceful living on the streets than in this hell hole, he’d thought on more than one occasion. He’d even had to fight the urge to run away and actually live on the streets rather than go home every night to the hell that ensued at the home, and if it hadn’t been for his best friend, Ashton, who he had more or less grown up with at the home, that’s probably exactly what he would have done. But he had less than a year to go at school and at the home, and Ashton needed him just as much as he needed Ashton – especially if they were actually going to do what they were so determined to do and graduate. Besides, the gym he’d joined gave him some semblance of normality; it was a place where he could do

his homework in relative peace and take out his frustrations and anger at the world in the boxing ring. Ralph, the guy who owned and ran the place, had broad shoulders and a willingness to listen to the kids who frequented his gym, and he always seemed to know when something was troubling them. His place was more than just somewhere where kids could work out. It was a sanctuary of sorts. Ralph had been watching him pummel the crap out of the punching bag for the past twenty minutes, and a blind man would have been able to see the anger that spewed out of the young man. Ah, son, what have you gotten yourself into now, he thought as he made his way across the floor to take hold of the punching bag that Dawson was busy torturing. “You wanna talk about it?” “Talk about what?” Dawson’s words ended on a whoosh as he threw another punch at the bag. The older man winced at the power behind the punch, but he kept hold of it. “About whatever it is that has you knocking the sawdust outta my poor bag here.” Dawson shook his head and wiped the sweat away from his eyes with his forearm. “Nothing to tell.” The old man just grunted in response, and Dawson knew that he wasn’t fooled for a minute. “I hate my life, Ralph. I hate everything about it.” He threw another punch that made the bag swing on its chain. “Everyone has a cross to bear, son, and this one is yours. But are you gonna let it stop you from making things better, or are you gonna overcome it and become stronger as a person?” Ralph had been running the gym for long enough to know that there were some kids you could help and some who simply didn’t want helping, and he’d known Dawson long enough to know that the

kid could go places if he really tried. Dawson finally stopped punching the bag and grabbed at the towel that was slung across his shoulders. “I’m just tired of it, Ralph. I thought things would get easier, and I’ve been doing good at school and getting my grades up, but I never feels like it’s enough.” He threw a smile at the man that held more cynicism than any seventeen-year-old should ever have. “I got laid today for the first time, and even that felt wrong. Probably because she was nothing more than a slut and it was in the boy’s locker room at school.” The flicker of disappointment and admonishment in Ralph’s eyes made Dawson feel a little ashamed at his words. “Now that’s no way to talk about a lady, son. No way at all. Even if she doesn’t act very ladylike.” He handed a bottle of water to the teenager. “Remember, everyone has a story, and you don’t know why she acts the way she does any more than she knows why you act the way you do. Always try to put yourself in other people’s shoes before you judge them too harshly, boy.” “Yes, sir.” Ralph was one of the few people in the world who Dawson respected, and the tone of his voice reflected it. The following morning, he and Ashton walked to school together as they usually did. Dawson had just finished telling his friend about the events in the locker room the day before, and Ashton was slapping him on the back in congratulations. “Yeah, bro! You finally got your dick wet, huh?” “Fuck you, asshole.” He playfully pushed his friend away, pretending to throw a punch in his direction. “Aw look. The un-loveable duo is in love – with each other.” Dawson felt his heart sink as he heard the unmistakable sound of the senior class bully jeering as

his cohorts laughed along with him. “I’m surprised you didn’t fall right into that whore. I bet it was like throwing a hotdog down a hallway.” The kid was trouble with a capital T, and he liked nothing better than to make ‘the losers’ as he called them, feel even worse than they already did. He was built like a brick shithouse, but his IQ was so low that only his reputation as the star football player allowed him to get away with treating people the way he did. “How the fuck you can stand to be near each other is a mystery. Fucking losers. Your own fucking parents didn’t even want you,” he said. Dawson could feel Ashton tensing up beside him and his senses went on high alert. He was under no false illusions as to just how dangerous his friend could be when riled, and these guys were doing a damn good job of riling him right now. “Come on. Let’s just get to class, Ashton.” He put his hand on his friend’s arm to try and steer him away, but Ashton just shrugged him off. “What did you say to me, asshole?” His tone was quiet, but you couldn’t miss the menace behind it. “You heard me, loser. I don’t even know why they let your kind come to this school. All you do is stink the place up with your smell.” The kid was walking towards them, and Dawson felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. SHIT, this was not good, he thought as he looked around them almost desperately to see if there were any teaching staff nearby who could help them. Ashton was strong enough to fight his own battles, but he’d been in so many fights that the next one would probably land him in jail. Dawson took his hand off his friend and stepped

back. There wasn’t much he could do unless he wanted to end up expelled, and he had too much riding on these last couple of months before graduation to join in the fight that his best friend seemed determined to take part in. That is, until he saw a knife in the other kid’s hand, and everything changed in the blink of an eye. All rational thoughts regarding school and graduating flew out of his mind as he saw the glint of the knife’s blade as it reflected in the sunlight. “Ashton! Knife!” His shouted warning came just as the boy lunged forward, and Ashton jumped backward just far enough that the knife grazed his chest rather than plunge into it, but the stain of red as it spread across his best friend’s tshirt was enough to motivate Dawson into action. Moving as quickly as he could, he managed to grab hold of the kid’s arm before he could swing again, twisting it backwards with one hand while the other landed a punch to his gut. Hearing the knife hit the ground and the other boys run off, Dawson took the time to breathe a sigh of relief until Ashton started pummeling the kid in earnest. He didn’t stop until Dawson pulled him away. “He’s done. Come on, man. Let’s get out of here.” They made their way to the bathroom so that Ashton could check out the knife wound on his chest and the two of them could clean themselves up. Dawson’s adrenaline was finally starting to slow down, and he’d stopped shaking enough to actually talk. “What the fuck, Ash? You couldn’t just walk away, could you?” “What was I supposed to do, bro? I couldn’t let that douchebag get away with saying all that shit to us.” He

shot a grin in Dawson’s direction. “He won’t try that shit again, will he? I beat the living fuck outta him. Did you see his nose spread across his face?” Dawson gave a wry smile back in return. “Thanks for having my back, dude.” “Always, brother. You know that. We’re family.” There weren’t many people that Dawson could say that about, but he and Ashton had been through a lot together, and he was the only person he knew that felt like family. He knew without a doubt that if he ever needed anything, Ashton would always be there and vice versa.

Chapter 3 Ashton took off for the rest of the day – which was nothing unusual considering the fact that he skipped school far more than he actually attended it. Dawson made his way to his first class, knowing that he was going to be late, but not prepared to lose a day or give his teacher something to ream him out over. It was hard to concentrate though, because thoughts of what could have happened to his friend that morning if he’d been alone kept running through his mind. Dawson didn’t have many people in his life that he gave a damn about, but if anything bad had happened to Ashton, he didn’t think that he would have been able to handle it. He couldn’t wait to get back to the children’s home once school was over to make sure that his friend was okay. “You here, bro?” He called out as he walked into the small bedroom that housed four kids, breathing a sigh of relief as Ashton’s head popped up from under the covers of his bed. “How you doing?” “I had to have six fucking stitches. You wanna look?” It didn’t matter whether Dawson did or didn’t, because Ash was already peeling off his t-shirt to show him his battle scar. “Cool, huh?” “No, it’s not fucking cool, Ash. You could have been killed.” Dawson was still pissed at what had happened, but he was more relieved than anything, and he pulled Ash in for a brotherly bear hug. “I might not always be around to save you, so try walking away next time, dumb

ass.” He didn’t know just how prophetic his words were, but he found out at school the following morning when the principal called him to his office. “Sit down, James.” He knew he was in some kind of trouble, because the principal only ever called kids by their last names when he was pissed at something. Feeling nervous, Dawson sat down in the seat opposite the principal’s desk. “It’s come to my attention that you and another boy were in a fight against some other boys yesterday. Is that true?” Dawson felt his heart sink. He knew that there was no point in lying. “Yes, sir.” The principal frowned over the top of his glasses. “One of the other boys was injured quite severely, and his parents are ready to press charges.” And did the parents tell you that their precious fucking son pulled a damn knife? Dawson was willing to bet his ass that they hadn’t. “Your name was mentioned, but I want to know who the other boy was.” “I’m sorry, sir, but I can’t tell you that.” There was no way in hell that he was going to drop Ashton in the shit. His friend was already on his last warning as it was, and Dawson wasn’t going to be the one to get him kicked out of school – even if Ashton did hate the place. The principal looked at Dawson with an expression that could almost be called glee on his face. He’d never tried to hide the fact that having kids from poor backgrounds at his school left him with a bad taste in his mouth, but Dawson had never realized just how much the man detested kids like him. “Are you sure about that?” he asked. “Let me make it

perfectly clear that the consequences for you will not be good if you don’t tell me.” Dawson had a feeling that he already knew what the outcome was going to be, but he still wasn’t going to throw his best friend under the bus. “I’m sure.” “Then you leave me with no other option, James. Please collect your belongings from your locker, and go and see the guidance counselor. I’ll make sure that your transcript and official letter of expulsion are ready for you.” He could have argued, but he knew he would have been wasting his breath. As he collected his books from his locker, he felt as though he was going to throw up. The one thing he’d been determined to do was graduate, but that was never going to happen now. He’d always tried to stay positive no matter how tough things seemed to be, but right now he couldn’t see any positivity in his future.

Chapter 4 Rather than go to the home – the one place he hated above all others – Dawson headed to the gym and took out his anger and disappointment sparing in the ring. Ralph watched him with a heavy heart. It was obvious that the kid was going through some serious shit right now, judging by the way he was knocking the crap out of his sparring partner, and Ralph wasn’t sure if asking him about it would be a good idea or not. He waited until Dawson got out of the ring and was toweling himself off before saying something to him. “What’s up, kid? You have a face like a bulldog chewing a wasp. Who is it that you’re wanting to kill?” “No one. Everyone. Asshole kids with rich folks in general and Ashton in particular.” Dawson knew that he sounded angry and bitter, but he couldn’t help it and he really didn’t give a fuck anyway. “Two months, Ralph. That’s all I had left. Two fucking months, and I would have been able to graduate.” “And that’s changed now?” Ralph sounded as confused as he felt. He knew that Dawson had been working hard to keep his grades up and to keep his nose clean, so what had happened? “Come and talk to me in the office.” He didn’t wait to see if the boy followed him – he knew instinctively that he would. Thirty minutes later, he was staring at the almost eighteen-year-old with a look of pity on his face. “I just don’t know what I’m going to do, Ralph. As soon as I turn eighteen, I’m going to be kicked out of the

home, and if I haven’t graduated and don’t have any qualifications behind me, how the hell am I supposed to get a job to support myself?” Dawson was trying hard to fight back the tears, but his emotions were clearly evident. “I could kill Ashton right now.” Ralph shook his head. “You don’t need me to tell you that Ashton is gonna have plenty more fights on his hands before he finds his way in the world, son, and he’s gonna need you just as much as you need him.” He looked at Dawson thoughtfully as an idea started to form in his mind. “I tell you what, why don’t you come and work here at the gym? The pay will be lousy, but there’s a large store room upstairs that we can turn into an apartment of sorts for you when you turn eighteen, so the upkeep will be minimum.” Dawson looked at him with an incredulous expression on his face. “I don’t know what to say. Are you serious? You would do that for me? I can really live and work here for you?” If he hadn’t been close to tears before, he was now. He wanted to throw his arms around the older man’s neck and hug the life out of him. “Don’t go getting too excited now. It’s gonna be tough, and I’m gonna work your ass off, but it will be a solution to your immediate problem, huh?” Ralph hadn’t been kidding when he said that the wages were crap and the work was hard, as Dawson found out in the months and years that followed. But nobody ever heard him complain, and he took on as many side jobs as he could find, saving every cent possible and doing anything and everything that Ralph asked of him. In his down time, he carried on working out at the gym, and Ralph continued as his mentor. He taught him discipline and self-control as well and encouraged him to never give up on his dreams. Dawson

knew that he would forever be indebted to the older man who had become like a father figure to him.

Chapter 5 The following years were spent doing much of the same, with the only differences being that he found bigger and better paying jobs to supplement his one at the gym. They were all menial jobs though, and even though he was still saving every penny he could, sometimes it felt as though he was slogging his guts out for nothing. “Tell me it gets better than this, Ralph.” The two men were relaxing with a beer after a particularly grueling day. Dawson had been up since five that morning doing some yard work for a small company that couldn’t pay much, but the work was steady, especially during the summer months. He’d been back at the gym by lunchtime, helping Ralph train a few kids in the boxing ring. It was now past nine, and he was exhausted. Ralph took a chug of his beer before answering. “Life is what you make it, son. Look at me. I could have closed this gym down and retired years ago, but I didn’t. Why? Because I get more satisfaction in helping these kids out than I ever would lounging on some beach doing nothing with my time.” He looked at Dawson thoughtfully. “If I’d retired, where would you be now?” Dawson looked across the room at the older man. He didn’t even want to think about where he’d be now. The truth was that he’d probably either be in jail or in the ground – something that he’d been told time and again by different people as he grew up. He’d done quite a few things that he wasn’t proud of, and if he was honest with himself, he knew that he still had the capacity to do bad

shit even now; he probably would if he felt like he had no other option. But Ralph had literally been his savior on more than one occasion, and he knew that if he hadn’t had him to talk some sense into him, then his life could and would be very different to what it was now. “You’ve helped more kids that I think you know, Ralph. I just know that I, for one, will never be able to repay you.” “Just watching you grow into a man with values and a determination to succeed in life is all the thanks I need, son.” He gave a wry chuckle. “Although having you around to plunge the toilets helps too.” Dawson laughed and raised his beer to cheers his mentor. “Never a truer word has been spoken, old man.” Calling Ralph an old man was a term of endearment, and it was as close as Dawson would ever come to calling any man ‘dad.’ “I know that I sound like an ungrateful bastard at times, Ralph, but one of these years, I’m going to make it big. Just you wait and see.” “I have no doubt, son. No doubt at all.” He took another swig of his drink. “Just don’t be too impatient, okay? If it’s worth having, then it’s worth waiting for and working hard for, so don’t be into much of a hurry.” Don’t be in too much of a hurry? Hell, it’s been years already since I left school. How much fucking longer do I have to wait? He didn’t say the words out loud because he knew that Ralph would probably give him a clip around the ear if he heard him swear like that, but it was hard to be patient when there was a whole world out there just waiting for him to explore. He was sick and tired of working his ass off for a pittance and scrimping and saving every penny that wasn’t needed for food and bills. Hell, he didn’t even own a car for Christ’s sake, preferring to use the money he would’ve spent on gas for

something more important – such as saving enough to own his own business one day. Putting away the equipment in the gym the following day, Dawson noticed that a man who had been coming in a couple of times a week was still using the weights. He sighed as he checked the time. He had just over an hour to go before he had to be at his next job, pouring drinks at the local bar, and the last thing he needed was to be held up by a straggler. He walked across to the man and gave him a friendly smile. “I don’t want to rush you, dude, but we’ll be closing in ten minutes.” “No problem at all, man. I was just about done anyway.” He grabbed a towel and dried his neck off. “Can I ask you something?” Dawson shrugged his shoulders. “Sure.” “How long have you been training here? I know that you work here, but I’ve seen you working out as well, and I couldn’t help but be a little curious at how much time you spend here.” Is he trying to come on to me? It wasn’t unusual for men to try picking up other like-minded men at places like gyms, but in all the years he’d been here it had never happened to him, so Dawson discarded the notion as soon as it hit his mind. He couldn’t help wondering why the guy seemed to be taking such an interest in him though. “Do you mind me asking why you’re so interested?” The man laughed ruefully. “I suppose I did sound like a bit of a weirdo, didn’t I?” “I’m not going to argue with you on that one.” Dawson laughed back, but his curiosity was still piqued. “The reason I asked is that I’ve been coming here a couple of months now, and I couldn’t help noticing how

busy you always keep yourself. I know that a place like this must take a lot of upkeep, but you always seem to be looking for things to do even when you could be resting in between jobs.” And your point is? Dawson was really starting to think that the guy had some kind of hidden agenda, and being under scrutiny by a stranger wasn’t sitting comfortably with him. “I’d rather be busy than be sitting on my ass doing nothing.” He sounded curter than he’d meant to be, but the guy was really starting to freak him out. “I was just wondering what drives you? I’m pretty damn sure that a job like this doesn’t pay much, but I know that you always work your ass off for every cent, and I’ve heard you interact with the kids who come in here, so I know that you’re an intelligent young man. Why are you in a dead-end job like this?” Dawson couldn’t help but take offence at that. “Whoa. Who said this is a dead-end job? It might not seem like much to you, but this is more than just a gym. There are a lot of kids who rely on this place more than they rely on their families, and they can feel safe when they’re here.” He was pissed, and it showed in his words and his tone of voice. “I might not make as much money as you do, but you can bet your ass that I get a lot more rewards from this job compared to most places out there.” The man held his hands up in a placating way. “I’m sorry, man. I didn’t mean any offence by what I said. I was genuinely interested.” “Well it may seem like a dead-end job to you, but this job literally saved my life. In fact, it’s not so much the job but the man who owns the gym that I owe my loyalty to, and I’d work for nothing if he needed me to.” Dawson knew that he had no need to defend his choice of job or workplace to this stranger, but it was something he was

passionate about. The man raised an eyebrow questioningly, and Dawson could see that he was thinking how to word his next question. Deciding to beat him to it and save them both a little embarrassment, he volunteered the information that he was sure the guy was curious about. “Let’s just say that my background isn’t the cleanest. I was raised in the foster system, and to say that I was always in and out of trouble is an understatement. When I was kicked out of high school just a few months’ shy of graduating, Ralph gave me a job and a place to live. If it wasn’t for him, I probably would have ended up on the streets or in jail, so I owe him everything.” “Have you cleaned your act up now?” The guy seemed genuinely curious, but Dawson still had the feeling that there was more to this conversation than there seemed. He hesitated before answering and then man finally seemed to realize just how uncomfortable he was. “I do have a good reason for asking.” Better than just being nosey or fishing for answers to questions I’m not even sure you have any right to be asking me? Dawson’s curiosity was almost overwhelming though, and if he wanted to find out exactly what this guy’s angle was he figured the best way would be to give him an answer – even if it was a short one. “Well, I don’t get in as many fights anymore, and I’m happy to report that my shoplifting days are over, if that’s what you mean.” “That’s exactly what I mean. So does that mean that the only place you’ll consider working is here?” “No offense, man, but I don’t even know your name, so why do you want to know so much about me?” Dawson had just about had enough with the third degree.

“Introducing myself first probably would have been the best way to go about things, huh? I didn’t even think about. I’m sorry.” The man put down the towel he’d been holding and extended his arm towards Dawson. “My name’s Josh Chandler and I manage an underwriting company that you may or may not have heard of.” Dawson shook Josh’s hand – his shake perhaps just a little on the firm side as he tried to sum the man up. “Dawson James.” He didn’t say any more than his name because the guy obviously already knew where he worked. “So if you’ve been coming here for a few months, why the sudden interest in me, Josh?” “My company is always looking for people who are committed and reliable to work for them, and there’s an opening for a courier that I thought might interest you. But, if you’re happy working here then there’s no point really in me telling you anything more about it, is there?” Dawson had a smile on his face as he shook his head. “There’s always a point, and I’m always open to different options. I have a few other jobs besides this one, but they all pay shit – which is probably why I have so many of them.” The two men laughed in mutual agreement. “I can totally understand that. Having to work sucks, but if you can find the right job, at least the pay makes up for it, I suppose.” The man paused momentarily. Can I give you my business card? I think you might be perfect for the courier job. The pay isn’t fantastic, but I’m pretty sure that it’s better than the other smaller jobs you do besides this one, and it does come with benefits such as health care. You’ll also get a company vehicle, a motorcycle or scooter is best for couriers in the city, and a fuel card, which you can use to commute back and forth to work.”

Taking the card from him, Dawson felt a flicker of interest. The address on the card was in an affluent part of the city. With a job like this he’d be able to save even more money. “Thanks, Josh. I’ll definitely give you a call.” Josh started to gather his things together to leave. “Make it sooner rather than later, because we really need to get someone to fill the position as soon as possible.” The following morning, Dawson made the call to Josh and was surprised when instead of asking him to go in for an interview, Josh told him that the job was his and asked him if he could start the next week. After hearing how much he would be earning per hour, Dawson jumped at the chance. When they spoke the day before, Josh said the pay wasn’t great, but it was a lot more than Dawson was making with all his other jobs combined, so he eagerly accepted the position. “It’s great, Ash. I get to earn more money, and I’ve got more free time because I’m not running from one place to another all the damn time.” He and Ashton were having a drink at a local bar a few weeks after Dawson started his new job – something they both tried to make time to do at least once a month. The two young men had kept in touch, even when Ash had spent a short stint in the local jail for disorderly conduct after he’d been caught fighting again. Besides Ralph, Ashton was the closest thing he had to family, and in his book you stuck by your family, no matter what. Ashton was genuinely pleased for his friend. “So what do you do, exactly?” “It’s just courier work, delivering confidential papers and packages to different offices all over the city, but there are some great perks.” He grinned at Ash. “Like the women at some of the buildings I have to deliver stuff to.

Holy shit, Ash, you should see some of those girls. They have legs for days, and most of them wear short skirts and high heels. It makes for some great viewing, and they all seem pleased to see me when I make deliveries. I’m pretty sure that some of them will be down to fuck.” Dawson knew that he always sounded like a complete jerk when he talked down about women, but the truth was he didn’t really know how else to talk about them, and it wasn’t something that made him feel particularly good about himself. He would love to be proven wrong, but somehow he didn’t think it was going to happen. Not any time soon, anyway. He’d never felt an emotion close to love towards a female, and he was starting to wonder if the problem lay with him rather than with the women he met. He wasn’t convinced that real love actually existed, and if it did, it was only in fairy tales and sappy movies. Ashton, on the other hand, didn’t care whether love was real or not. He preferred to believe in the idea of lust over love, and always had at least two women on the go at any given time, which had caused many a disagreement between the two friends over the years. One thing they did agree on, however, was the fact that finding ‘Miss Right’ was never going to happen for either of them – but finding ‘Miss Right Now’ was never a problem. They’d talked about it on numerous occasions, and had come to the conclusion that they probably felt the way they did because of their upbringing. Being raised in the foster system – and more specifically the children’s home they’d spent most of their formative years, hadn’t exactly shown them that love was a tangible and real emotion – and they were both fine with that.

Chapter 6 After Dawson started working at the office building, he saw firsthand how the other half lived. The way that people carried themselves in the corporate world was eye opening. For the first time ever, he got a vision of what his life could be like. He would watch as company bigwigs came and went about their business, dressed in their designer business suits and driving their expensive cars. While the majority of them didn’t even notice his existence in their corporate world, occasionally one of them would acknowledge him with a smile or a few words in passing. And as he went about his work and observed how more people respected the ‘higher-ups’ who treated people beneath them like human beings and not the scum of the business world, he made the decision that he would treat his employees – when he actually had some – with respect and compassion. With renewed vigor, he was now more determined than ever to make something of his life, but he knew that the fact that he hadn’t graduated high school would hold him back. He knew obtaining the corporate lifestyle he craved he would have to get a degree, which meant first resolving the drop-out status he now held. Luckily, getting a high school equivalency, or GED, was no big deal these days, so he decided he would simply go and take the test. He had always been exceptionally book-smart so taking the test couldn’t be that bad, but he couldn’t deny

how nervous the thought of actually doing it made him. You can do this, so stop being such a pussy, he thought to himself on more than one occasion as he trawled through the text books, making notes and trying to memorize what he needed to. “I can’t believe you’re actually going to waste your time and do that shit.” Ashton had always hated the schooling system, so to say he was cynical about Dawson taking the test was an understatement. “We could be at the bar right now picking up a couple of chicks, but here you are with your nose stuck in those damn books.” “These damn books, as you so eloquently call them, are my way out of the rat race, Ash. I’m going to make something of myself, but I need an education and qualifications to do that.” He was really starting to get pissed off at his friend for not being a bit more supportive, although he knew that Ashton would be the first person to congratulate him when he’d succeeded in achieving his goals. “Besides, since when have you ever needed me to hold your hand at a bar? You’re more than capable of picking up a woman without my help, you man-slut.” Ashton laughed and agreed with him, and then left shortly afterwards, leaving Dawson to his studies. It was early hours of the morning before he got to bed, and he was back up at the crack of dawn to help Ralph get the gym ready for the day before he headed off to work. He had to admit that having a motorcycle to use made his life a lot easier, and it saved him a lot of time as well as money by not having to use public transportation all the time. The day of his exams Dawson woke up feeling physically sick. The feeling still hadn’t worn off by the

time he sat down to take them, and he second guessed himself the whole way through. He’d needed to get a 70% to pass and he actually ended up attaining 85%, which he was more than happy with. Not bad for a high school drop-out, he thought, triumphantly. He took a few months off after graduating to recharge his batteries, during which time he and Ashton not only painted the town red, but they painted it every color of the spectrum. Dawson was celebrating, and Ashton was making sure that he took full advantage of the fact. They both met a few women who were more than happy to help them, and even though they all partied hard, they all knew that nothing was going to come of it and that no ‘real’ relationships were being formed. Despite all of the late nights, Dawson made sure that he arrived at work each morning bright-eyed and ready to work his ass off, and his hard work paid off when he was promoted from courier to courier coordinator within six months. It meant a rise in pay which he made sure to put in his savings account each pay day, and as his savings accumulated he started to feel even more hopeful about his plans for the future. His next task was to enroll in a local community college and take a course that involved taking classes both online and on campus . He knew that if he wanted to own his own business he was going to need more than a high school diploma under his belt. After talking it over with a few people, he decided to major in business management. There weren’t enough hours in the days anymore. Dawson got up at 4.30 each morning to help Ralph open the gym, then he was off to his full-time job downtown, and then back to the gym to close and clean up for the following day. His evenings were spent in class and his

days off consisted of studying, completing assignments, and finishing projects. He had great grades, was known to be an active and bright student among his peers, and his professors thought highly of him. His schedule was exhausting but his success pushed him to stay on top of things. “How are things going?” Josh made it a point to check in on him every week or two, and he seemed to be taking a genuine interest in Dawson’s progress, both at work and with his studies. “Not too bad, Josh.” He’d been told numerous times not to call the man by his last name, and eventually he’d felt comfortable enough to be on first name terms with him. “I’m getting there slowly.” Josh nodded and gave him an understanding smile. “Sometimes that’s the best way to take things. At least that way you’ll appreciate it all the more when it’s all said and done.” “I’ll have to take your word for that, because right now it doesn’t feel like it’s ever going to be done.” Dawson was beat, but he wasn’t going to give up now – not when he’d worked so hard to achieve what he’d already done. After working as a courier for two years and half-way through earning his degree he received another promotion. Hewent from being the courier coordinator to now a the shift supervisor – and once again it meant a pay raise. His savings were growing – and so were his dreams for the future. He and Josh had become friends during the time he’d been working there, and occasionally they would go out for a drink after work. Josh gave him some tips and pointers that Dawson felt sure would come in handy when he eventually owned his own business, and he even got to meet Josh’s wife of five years, Rebecca.

He’d been working there for just over four yearsand after working full time, helping Ralph at the gym, and taking classes full-time, he finally graduated with honors and earned his bachelor’s degree in business management. This was just the beginning of good things for Dawson and he could feel it. By the time he turned twenty-four, Dawson was a manager with a team of thirty people working under him. Josh encouraged him at every turn, and at home Ralph gave him the fatherly advice and support that he needed. He’d lost touch with most of the kids he’d grown up with, which was probably a good thing considering that the majority of them seemed to have either ended up in jail or addicted to some substance or another. Ashton was the one exception to the rule – despite his rough lifestyle and the trouble he seemed to attract like a magnet. It didn’t seem to matter how old they got, Ashton was always in some sort of troubleusually involving drunken brawls over women and the majority being his own fault. But to Dawson, he was like a brother, and apart from Ralph he was the one constant person in Dawson’s life. The two men argued like brothers, and even though Dawson didn’t always agree with Ashton’s life-choices, he knew that they would always be there for each other through thick and thin. Ashton was constantly nagging Dawson to go out more, and even though Dawson couldn’t remember the last time he’d been out and let loose, he was too engrossed with work and planning his future to have any energy left for socializing. “You’re turning into an old man before your time.” He heard it so many times from Ash that he was starting to believe it. There will be plenty of time to party when I’ve got my life where I want it, he thought to himself as he lay in bed

one night. He had to admit that he was lonely at times and that it would be nice to go out, get drunk, and take a woman home with him for the night. But, he didn’t need the distractions that all of that would entail, and he’d never met a woman who was worth putting his dreams on hold for. He was at work one day when he received a call from someone at the gym, letting him know that Ralph had been rushed into hospital. With a sick feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach, he made his excuses and left the office. After hailing a cab he arrived at thehospital just in time to say goodbye to the man who had raised and nurtured him better than any biological father he could have wished for. The heart attack that took Ralph from him was almost Dawson’s undoing and he felt his own heart shatter into a million pieces as he openly wept at his mentor’s bedside. Dawson had always known that Ralph had been an inspiration to many of the kids who’d gone to his gym over the years, but even he was amazed at how many people turned up at his funeral service. He stood by the casket, shaking the hand of every person who came to pay their last respects, and as he received hugs and words of condolences from seemingly hundreds of people, he felt proud and privileged to have known the man they were laying to rest. People lined up in droves to talk about Ralph, telling stories of how he’d helped them to get their lives in order, how he’d guided them to make good choices instead of bad, and how much of an influence he had been to them. They talked about how Ralph had helped them to become better people. In instances where the person was now grown and had a family of their own, they talked about how he had helped them to become better

parents, to be more accepting, supportive of their family, and all around better people. There was literally not a dry eye in the place by the time the service ended, but everyone felt much closer to each other because of it; it was all thanks to the love of a man who had never had a family of his own. Dawson felt both amazingly humbled and incredibly alone as he made his way back to the gym afterwards. Ashton went with him to make sure he was okay, but in all honesty, Dawson just wanted to be alone. “I’ll be fine, Ash. I just need some time to myself.” His words fell on deaf ears though, just as he’d known they would, and as Ashton cracked open a couple of bottles of beer and handed him one, he had to admit to being just a little grateful for the company. After more than a few beers, Dawson was starting to feel a little tipsy, and he almost jumped out of his skin when his cell phone rang, much to the amusement of his friend who collapsed in gales of laughter. “Fuck you, Ash.” He didn’t slur too much, so he threw a middle finger up in victory. “Hello.” He didn’t recognize the voice of the caller or the name when the man identified himself. “Yes, this is Dawson James. Can I help you?” He shrugged his shoulders in bemusement at Ashton’s curious expression, and then his attention was dragged back to the conversation with the mysterious man on the other end of the line. “I’m sorry? Could you say that again please?” He listened intently once more. “Tomorrow at 10 o’clock? I can do that. If you could text me the address, I’d appreciate it.” Dawson sank back into the couch as the call ended, shaking his head in drunken confusion. “Do me a favor, Ash. Get me another beer, would you?”

“Is everything okay?” Ashton sounded as concerned as he looked as he took in Dawson’s suddenly pale face. Dawson was still shaking his head. “I’m not really sure, to be honest, Ash. That was Ralph’s lawyer, Mr. David Wright, and he wants to see me tomorrow morning. I didn’t even know he had a fucking lawyer, but what the hell does he want to see me for?” “That’s not good, man.” Ashton was also frowning now. “Lawyers are never a good thing in my experience. Maybe he needs to give you a notice of eviction from this place.” Dawson hadn’t even thought about that, but it would make sense. As far as he knew, Ralph had just been renting the gym, so the owners probably wanted to get somebody else in the building as quickly as possible before they lost too much money. Just let the blows keep on coming, he thought to himself, miserably. Ashton went home soon after, and Dawson headed to bed to spend a sleepless night tossing and turning as he thought about his options. Where was he going to live? Money wasn’t an issue, but he had come to love the above-gym apartment and really felt at home here. Who was going to take over the gym and help the kids like Ralph had? For that matter, was the place even going to be a gym anymore? A multitude of questions spun around in his head until he finally fell into a fitful sleep just a couple of hours before his alarm went off to wake him up again.

Chapter Seven He dressed in his work attire for his meeting with the lawyer the following morning, and was more grateful than ever for the fact that he now worked in a corporate building and had a proper suit to wear. He was a few minutes early, which, considering how much he hated being late for anything, was a good thing. As a secretary showed him into the lawyer’s office, he felt his nerves kick in with a vengeance, leaving him feeling sick to his stomach. He’d been mulling over things all night long, trying to figure out why the hell a lawyer would want to see him, but he couldn’t come up with anything good. If I’ve broken some kind of law that I don’t even know about, I’m going to be pissed, he thought to himself as he sat down opposite the regal-looking gentleman in the tailored suit. “It’s good to meet you, Mr. James. Thank you for coming in today.” The man half stood and reached across the top of the desk to shake Dawson’s hand. “I’m sure you must be wondering what this is all about and why I needed to see you relatively urgently?” Dawson shook his hand and smiled nervously. “Yes, I am, Mr. Wright.” He decided to be honest with the man. “I’m also wondering if I’ve done something wrong and if I need to be thinking about hiring a lawyer of my own.” Mr. Wright laughed. “Not at all, Mr. James. If you’d done something wrong, then you would have heard from the police before hearing from me.” Dawson sank back in

the chair in relief. “No, I’ve called you in here today for the reading of Ralph Wilson’s last will and testament. I’m pleased to inform you that you are the sole beneficiary, Mr. James, and as such you are bequeathed the following –” “I’m sorry. What does that exactly mean?” Dawson interrupted the man before he could continue. He wasn’t sure that he’d heard right, but it sounded as though Ralph had left him something in his will. Don’t go getting excited. It’s probably just the old punching bag we both used to love so much, he thought to himself amusingly. The lawyer gave another chuckle. He was obviously used to reactions like Dawson’s. “You heard me correctly. The total of Mr. Wilson’s estate equals the gym and all utilities paid for in full for the next five years. You are instructed to do what you wish with the gym – whether it be keep it or sell it. The remainder of Mr. Wilson’s finances come to approximately $63,000, and this will be transferred into the bank account of your choosing forthwith.” Dawson wouldn’t have been able to answer even if he’d wanted to. He was dumbstruck and close to tears by the lawyer’s words. Ralph really thought that much of me? His mind was officially blown. He cleared his throat when he realized that Mr. Wilson sat looking at him with a soft smile on his face. “I really don’t know what to say. This is the last thing I expected.” “There’s also a letter that I was instructed to give you.” Dawson reached out and took the extended envelope as well as the keys that were being handed to him. “If I can be of any help, or if you need any advice regarding

business matters and such, please feel free to contact me at any time.” He decided to wait until he was home before reading the letter, which turned out to be a good thing because the tears that had threatened him all day flowed freely as he read his old friend’s words. “My dear friend, Dawson. It’s pretty obvious that if you’re reading this, then I finally threw in the towel. There are so many things that I wish I’d said to you while I was still alive, but either the time never seemed right, or I figured you’d be better off working things out for yourself. But I’m gone now, so I can bitch at you all I want, and there’s nothing you can do about it. You’re probably wondering why I’ve left the gym in your hands. There’s an easy answer to that question. I can’t think of anybody else who would take better care of it, or of the kids who come here. I remember the first time that you walked through the door as though it was only yesterday. You had a chip on your shoulder a mile wide, and you were so angry at the world for so many reasons. Do you remember me telling you that your life is what you make it, and not what anybody else tells you it should be? Those are words that I always believed in, and as I watched you grow up, they became words that you proved right. Over the years, you’ve thanked me numerous times for the help I’ve given you. But the truth of the matter is, Dawson, that you helped me just as much. Nothing has ever been too much trouble for you, and I only ever had to ask you to do something one time and it would be done. Before you moved into this place, I was a lonely old man. You took that loneliness away and became one of my greatest friends. I was never lucky enough to have children of my own, but you became like a son to me, and

I was always so proud of everything you overcame and accomplished. The gym is just bricks and mortar, son, and if you need to sell it in order to achieve your goal of owning your own business then I want you to do it without feeling guilty about it. It’s yours now, Dawson, and you do what you need to. Always be true to yourself, even if the truth hurts. Always try to be kind to others, even when it would be easier to pummel the shit out of them. And when you reach the top, as I know you will, always remember the people who helped you get there – even the bad ones. You already know that this life can be a harsh one and that it’s not always fair, so always try to walk a mile in another person’s shoes before you judge them. Thank you for being part of my life, son. You made my world a brighter place just by being in it.” By the time Dawson had finished reading the letter, he was a sobbing, snotty wreck. He didn’t think that he’d cried this much since he was a child, but the grief he felt at losing his friend coupled with the words he’d just read unleashed all the emotions he had tried to hold back. He cried as though his heart was breaking, letting the tears roll unchecked down his cheeks as he read and reread the letter time and again before falling asleep on the couch – mentally exhausted, but filled with a new hope for his future.

Chapter Eight He didn’t sell the gym, deciding that it was Ralph’s legacy to keep it running so that more children would benefit from having somewhere safe to go to. He made himself another goal for the future – to open more gyms and places of safety so that he could carry on Ralph’s work in the hope of changing someone’s life for the better. After college, Dawson took a few computer programming courses. He had an instinct for business and knew the computer industry was on the rise. He had always been fascinated by the tech industry. With the money Ralph left him, plus his own savings, he started a computer networking business. It was a small affair, but he had a steady stream of customers because he offered them the best prices in the city. The following three years saw him go from strength to strength as his business expanded, and if he had to undercut his competitors to do it, then so be it. “It’s not like they can’t afford to share the wealth, right?” He asked Ash one night as they drank a few beers. “I mean, they all started off in the same place, probably doing the same thing, so fair’s fair.” Ash wasn’t going to argue with him. Hell, if anything, he would have been even more ruthless if he’d been in Dawson’s shoes. Either that or he would already be bankrupt. “Besides, it’s not like I’m breaking any laws, am I?” The question was rhetorical, and Ash just raised his bottle of beer in agreement. “And, I’m employing people

now, so that’s good for the local community too, right?” He had a grand total of twenty people working for him, and he was getting ready to move into a larger building and expand further. On his 27th birthday, he had a meeting with his financial advisor to see where he was going to go from here. “So, how are the books looking, Trev?” He could have done them himself, and he did keep meticulous financial records. But for tax purposes, he made sure that he had an accountant go over everything again – just to make sure that he hadn’t made any mistakes that could potentially come back and bite him in the ass. Besides, he could afford to pay someone to do his books for him now, and Ralph always taught him that sometimes it was better to hire a professional for a job you want done right. Dawson was serious about money, saving, and investing wisely and this way he was held accountable to stick with his financial plans. “See this piece of paper here?” He held it up, and as Dawson nodded, he tore the paper in two. “That was your school and business loan bills. Don’t worry, I have the original on file.” “Why did you tear it up?” Dawson was confused and he had no idea what the point was. At the end of the last financial quarter, he’d known that he was close to paying them off, and he’d been working extra hard to make it happen, but he hadn’t been expecting it for at least another year. With a grin on his face, his financial advisor explained. “Because it’s paid off, Dawson.” No fucking way, Dawson thought in stunned disbelief. “Not only are you loan free, with the investments you made two months ago, the balance of your personal net worth has reached the one-million-dollar mark. You are

officially a millionaire.” Dawson was in shock. He knew that he’d been saving as much as was humanly possible, but he’d never in a million years thought that he’d actually saved that much. “Are you serious?” “Hey, I get paid a lot of money to do what I do. This is not something I would joke about or make a mistake on, my friend.” He watched the color that had left Dawson’s face start to return. “Are you okay? How does it feel?” “Like I’m in a dream that I never want to wake up from.” It was sinking in, albeit slowly, and he never wanted to forget this feeling. I’ve done it. I’ve actually fucking done it. He couldn’t wait to tell Ashton. “So what do I do now?” He was still in a daze, and he couldn’t seem to shake himself out of it, so asking the question seemed like the only logical thing he could do right now. His advisor laughed. “You do whatever you want to, my man. The world is literally your oyster now, but I have a feeling that you’re not done yet.” Dawson made his way home, still in disbelief about what he’d just heard. A millionaire. I’m a fucking real life millionaire. The words kept repeating themselves in his head, and as soon as he reached the gym that he still called home, he called Ashton. “Um, dude, you wanna come over to my place?” He listened for a second. “No, there’s nothing wrong. Nothing at all. But I have some news that I wanna share with you.” Ashton was there within the hour, during which time Dawson had made a quick dash to the local liquor store and bought a bottle of champagne, deciding that today of all days he could afford to splurge a little. When his friend arrived, he cracked open the chilled bottle and poured them both a glass – although it was in beer

glasses because he didn’t own any champagne flutes. “So what are we celebrating?” Ashton was more than a little curious, especially when he saw the goofy grin plastered on Dawson’s face. “Oh, nothing major, bud. Just the fact that I am debt free. Ashton gave him a high five and was just about to say something when Dawson interrupted him. “Oh, and I’m a millionaire.” He laughed out loud at the expression of disbelief that came across his best friend’s face. Ash shook his head and smacked both of his ears with the palms of his hand. “Say what now? I don’t think I heard you right.” “If you heard me say that I’ve finally paid off my business and student loans and that I have a million dollars to my name, then you did hear right.” He picked up the glasses off the table and handed one to Ashton. “You’d better enjoy the champagne while it lasts, because I’m not buying another bottle until I make my second million.” He didn’t think that he had ever felt this good in his entire life, and he never wanted the feeling to end. They say nothing ever lasts forever, but Dawson was determined to disprove this, and by the time Dawson reached his 34th birthday, he’d turned his first million into a very comfortable multi-million. But he still wanted more – always under the probably misguided notion that more meant better. He wasn’t necessarily happy though, despite the fact that he was now able to hire whomever he wanted to work in his huge office building, and took great delight in the fact that some of his employees were people who had once told him that he would amount to nothing. He hadn’t hired them because he could rub it in their faces at just how wrong they’d been. He’d hired them for

a few different reasons. He’d heard that his old school had closed down and that a few of the teaching staff had lost their incomes because of it. He knew that those people had children to care for, so for their families’ sakes, he’d reached out and offered them jobs. He never wanted kids to go without, simply because their parents couldn’t find work, and he already knew first hand that even though they were people that he didn’t necessarily like, they were hard working. Women fell over themselves to get to him – some with the idea that they were going to become the one he fell in love with and spent happily ever after with, and other’s just happy to spread their legs and enjoy some great sex with him, so long as he plied them with jewels and designer clothes. To their dismay Dawson didn’t operate like that. He wasn’t one to settle for a woman that wanted him for his money. He wanted more, but didn’t have high hopes of finding her nor did he have time. Work was his life. So Dawson was still single, despite Ashton continually trying to hook him up with every single female he knew. “Just give up, bud. It’s never going to happen because the perfect woman for me just doesn’t exist, okay?” It was something that he said a lot, even though it was never with the same conviction he’d had when he was younger. “It doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy women. I do. A lot. I just don’t think I’m the sort to ever settle down.” And then he met Alexa, and she made him rethink everything he’d thought he’d known about the opposite sex as she turned his thoughts upside down and inside out. Was she the woman who was going to prove him wrong and give him his impossible happily-ever-after?

Alexa’s Story

Chapter One Alexa loved helping her parents on the farm. She was just six years old, and her favorite thing in the whole world was seeing how many eggs she could collect from the chicken barn for her mom to make breakfast with. Her daddy always stayed close by just in case one of the big roosters tried to chase her away, and he would carry her on his shoulders back to the house to show off her collection. She didn’t really know what heroes were, but if she did, she would have said that her parents were hers. Her young life had always been filled with love, and it wasn’t just at home either. The school she attended housed every school-age child in the small town where she lived – from kindergarten to seniors. Almost every child in the school knew each other and looked out for one another, but at six years old, little Alexa didn’t know that some of the friends she made at her school would be friendships that lasted a lifetime. By the time she was nine, she was helping out with a lot more chores around the farm before school. She never complained, because chores were something that most kids where she lived had to do, both before and after school. Everyone pitched in and did what they needed to do, and nobody minded too much, even when they didn’t really feel like doing something. After school she would do her homework and then help her Mom around the house before either going to her room to read – she’d been an avid reader ever since she’d learned the alphabet - or going outside to ride her pony, Biscuit.

Unfortunately, when she was thirteen she also learned that it didn’t matter how nice you were or how many friends you thought you had, there was always going to be someone around to spoil it. She wasn’t sure how or why, but she’d caught the eye of the school bully and her small entourage of followers – and it was making Alexa’s school life miserable. She wasn’t being beaten up or anything that vicious, but the verbal taunts and teasing had her in tears at least once a day. Alexa’s favorite time of the year was summertime. Summer meant no school and no school meant that after she’d done her morning chores, she could go and play with her friends for the rest of the day. Exploring the woods and fields and going for swims in the creek was her young idea of perfection, and none of the grown-ups worried because everyone hung out together. It also meant that she didn’t have to see the bullies who had made her last few months’ hell at school. The summer holidays never lasted long enough though, and before everyone could turn around a new year had started. As the first day back drew closer, Alexa started to get more and more worried that the bullying would start back up again. And it did – with a vengeance. “Can’t I learn from home, Momma?” She would ask, in tears after yet another day of unmerciful teasing. “Babygirl, you need to learn to stand up for yourself, and you’ll never do that if you’re stuck at home all day, will you?” She knew her Mom was right, but it didn’t stop her from wishing that she wasn’t. Alexa hated confrontation of any kind, so she didn’t think that there was ever going to be a chance that she’d actually be brave enough to stick up for herself against Melanie. And so the bullying continued, despite her Mom saying that she was going to

go and have a word with the principal. “No, Momma! Please don’t! It will just make things worse.” The last thing she wanted was for everyone to think she was a trouble-maker, or even worse, a snitch. Alexa was what her momma affectionately called a ‘late bloomer,’ and although she was tall, she didn’t start to bloom until she was almost fifteen, much to her embarrassment and the amusement of some of the other kids at school. ‘Giraffe,’ ‘He-she,’ and ‘Pancake’ were just some of the names she was called by the small handful of mean girls who’d continued to make her life hell at school. Even though Alexa knew she was a flat-chested Plain Jane, it still hurt and she became very self-conscious of her looks and her body, which made her dread going to school every day even more. “What’s wrong?” One of the other girls, Laura, found her crying in the school bathroom one day. “Why are you crying?” “I’m not crying.” Alexa didn’t really know Laura, and for all she knew the girl could be friends with bullies who were making her so miserable. “I’ve just got something in my eye is all.” She wiped the tears away with the back of her hand as she turned her face away from the other girl. Laura didn’t believe her excuse for a single second. “And I’m the Queen of Sheba.” She handed Alexa some toilet paper for her to blow her nose, not saying anything else until she’d finished crying and cleaned herself up. “Have Melanie and her brainless bitches been picking on you again?” “How do you know they pick on me?” Alexa had never shared a single word with Laura until now, so she was genuinely puzzled. “Everyone knows. Besides, if anyone’s been picking

on you then it stands to reason that it’s that bunch of circus clowns.” Alexa couldn’t help smiling at Laura’s description. “You’re Alexa, right?” Alexa nodded, shyly. “Stay here, okay, Lexi? I’ll be back in a few.” Laura left the bathroom, leaving Alexa staring after her in confusion. Where is she going, and why do I have to wait here, she wondered. Unbeknownst to her, Laura had gone to have a few words with the kids in question, and she became Alexa’s best friend and protector that day, with nobody ever picking on her again. “If you have any more trouble from anyone, you just let me know, okay?” She’d said when she’d gone back to the bathroom to tell Alexa to stop worrying because it was ‘all sorted out’. Alexa had nodded her head and dried her tears, and then threw her arms around Laura’s neck in a hug that threatened to cut off Laura’s circulation. “Thank you so much. You didn’t have to do that, but I’m really glad that you did.” School became much easier after that, and Alexa actually found that now, instead of dreading going there, she actually looked forward to it. At break and lunch times, she and Laura would hang out together and put the world to rights – not always agreeing with everything the other said, but always agreeing to disagree in the friendliest of ways. Of course, as in every school, there was always that one child who was more of a handful than others, and it just so happened to be Laura. Laura was the school’s wild-child, and if there was trouble to be found, then she was the one to find it, although she had an innate sense of fairness and always stuck up for the underdog in any given situation. The two girls were an unlikely duo, but they were inseparable – and heaven help anyone who

tried to come between them, as other kids quickly found out. They’d never even so much as shared a word in all the years they’d been going to the same school up until the day that Laura had found Alexa crying, and their friendship might have started out by the sheer coincidence of the two girls being in the same bathroom at the same time, but Alexa quickly learned that Laura wasn’t afraid of anyone or anything. And if she was then she was really good at hiding it. Because of her friendship with Laura, Alexa’s confidence grew tenfold, and as a result she started to feel a lot more positive about the future. Like most girls, she’d always dreamed of leaving school, getting a great job, finding the man of her dreams to marry and having at least two children. And she planned to achieve all of that by the time she was thirty. “I don’t want to settle down too young, Lau, but I don’t want to be left on the shelf until I’m past my sell-by date either.” “Shit, Lexi, why do you need such a detailed life plan? Can’t you just go with the flow and enjoy life as it comes?” That was one of Laura’s rules; have fun while you were still young enough to have it – and screw the consequences. But, Alexa was determined that she was going to have the perfect future with the perfect man, and they were going to live happily-ever-after, just like her Mom and Dad had. Her family didn’t have much money, but they were rich in love, and Alexa never felt as though she went without or missed out on some of the things the other kids had. She knew that if you wanted something badly enough then you had to work for it. And if there was something that she really, really wanted, her parents

would match her dollar for dollar with every dollar she managed to earn for herself by doing little jobs. When she graduated high school at the age of eighteen, Alexa was excited to see what the future had in store for her. “I’ve always been a Straight-A student, so I’m going to get a great job and make loads of money. Right, Lau?” She’d always been an eternal optimist, but her friend was the complete opposite. “Lexi, you’ll be lucky to get any job at all in this Godforsaken dump.” From the age of fifteen, Laura had insisted that as soon as she was old enough, she was getting the hell out of dodge. “You need to move to the city with me. We can get an apartment together and both get great jobs and make loads of money. And just think of the clubs and parties we could go to.” It was something that Laura said to her on a regular basis, but Alexa couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. “I’d rather get a job and live here, Laura. I know everyone and everyone knows me, so how hard can it be to find something?”

Chapter Two She was starting to doubt her own words when her nineteenth birthday came and went and she still hadn’t found a job despite putting in dozens of applications. “You’re over-qualified” or “We need someone with experience” were phrases that she heard on a regular basis as she received rejection after rejection. There was a silver lining of sorts though, and he came in the shape of her new boyfriend, Mike. “He’s so handsome, Laura.” She was gloating to her best friend one night, feeling on top of the world at having her first ever boyfriend. “I can’t believe that he actually wants to date me, of all people.” Laura gave her a fierce frown. “Why wouldn’t he want to date you? Have you looked in the mirror lately, Lexi? You’re gorgeous, and he should be proud of the fact that you’re his girlfriend.” Alexa doubted that Laura could ever remember a time when she hadn’t had a boyfriend, so the fact that she seemed unimpressed by her news wasn’t that much of a surprise really. Alexa shrugged off her friend’s back-handed compliment. Gorgeous? Me? Yeah, whatever, she thought to herself. She’d never been vain or thought that she was even pretty, so to be called gorgeous was utter crap, as far as she was concerned, but she was grateful for the fact that her friend always seemed to try and boost her selfconfidence. “Yeah, but he could literally have his pick of girls,

Laura. Shit, he was a star high school football player and all the girls wanted to date him, remember?” She’d even had a crush on him herself, but had been way too much of a mouse for him to look at her once, never mind twice, back then. “Just because he was good at football doesn’t mean that he’s a good guy, Lexi. I know you’re excited to be in a relationship and dating him, but just be careful, okay? I’ve heard that he can be a bastard sometimes, and I don’t want to have to kill him if he hurts you – but I will.” It was obvious that Laura was being deadly serious, but Alexa just laughed it off as her friend being protective of her – just like she’d always been. But, as the weeks went on and she got to know Mike better, she couldn’t help but recall her friend’s words. She started to hate the way that he would parade her around as though she was some kind of trophy, which she found more than just a little ridiculous considering that she thought her looks were average at best and embarrassing at worst. They’d also started to have petty arguments, mainly regarding her refusal to have sex with him early in the relationship. ‘I’m just not ready for that yet, Mike’ became an almost daily occurrence, and she was really starting to get fed up at the way he was pressuring her. Her virginity was something that she was proud of and there was no way she was going to let her first ever boyfriend take it from her unless she was one hundred percent ready. Besides, they lived in such a small town that it was almost a guarantee that it would get back to her parents, and she didn’t think they could handle that kind of embarrassment. The so-called relationship ended when he invited her to a party one Friday night. Alexa was a little nervous because there was going to be a lot of people there that

she’d never really hung out with before, but he pleaded with her and reassured her until she finally gave in and agreed to go. A few hours later, she was starting to wish that she’d listened to her own intuition as she watched him down drink after drink with his football buddies. They were all starting to get a little out of hand, and Alexa was getting pretty nervous as the tension in the air became palpable. Mike had more or less ignored her the whole night, and when she’d finally had enough, she took a deep breath to settle her nerves and walked across to where he was in the middle of an argument with one of the other guys. “Mike.” She tapped on his arm to try to get his attention, but he totally ignored her and carried on with whatever the argument was about. “Mike!” She tugged his sleeve and raised her voice a notch, and she finally got through to him. “What?” He looked at her with a frown on his face, and Alexa was struck by just how ugly he looked at that moment. What the heck am I even doing with this guy, she thought in a sudden moment of clarity. It had become blatantly obvious that they didn’t have a single thing in common, and now he was treating her more like a nuisance than a girlfriend. “I’d like to go home, please.” She’d just about had enough for one night, and she was more than ready to leave. Mike’s expression darkened even more. “What the fuck do you mean, you want to go home? The party’s just getting started, right guys?” There was a raucous rumble of agreement, even from the guy he’s been arguing with just a minute before, and Alexa felt her heart start to race nervously. “It’s almost midnight, and I’m ready to leave.” Alexa

hated confrontation, and she hated it even more when it was in public, but she wasn’t going to back down on this. She wanted to go home and not have to deal with a bunch of drunken idiots. “Now, Mike.” It seemed to take forever to finally convince him that she meant what she was saying, but eventually he gave in and said goodbye to his friends. “It looks like Miss Prissy here is going to be a party pooper, but, if I don’t get something in return, I’ll be back soon.” Alexa cringed at the chorus of jeers, laughter, and crude comments that followed them out of the house, but she did her best to ignore it all. She was just glad to get away from the rowdy bunch and go home. She soon found out that it wasn’t going to be that easy though, as Mike started to get in the driver’s seat of his car. “You can’t drive, Mike. You’ve had way too much to drink tonight.” There was no way she was getting in the car with him behind the wheel. “What the hell are you talking about? I’m perfectly okay to drive, so just get in the fucking car, will you?” The fact that he was slurring his words was all the proof Alexa needed. There was no way on God’s earth she was going to get in a car with him driving in the state he was in. She reached out to try and take his keys from him, but he was having none of it. “Please, Mike. I can drive you home and you can pick your car up from my place tomorrow, or I can bring it to you, if you’d prefer.” He just tightened his grip on his keys, drunkenly refusing to give in. “I’m not getting in the car with you driving, so you may as well just give them to me, Mike.” “It’s my fucking car, so why would I let you drive it? You’re not my mother, for fuck’s sake, although you may as well be, considering how frigid you are.” His tone of voice was as mean as his expression was, and for the

first time, Alexa started to feel a little afraid of him. She’d just about had enough. “You know what, Mike? Screw your car, screw this party and your drunken friends, and screw you. I’m done.” She gave up trying to wrestle the keys from him and slammed his door, taking a grim sort of satisfaction as he yelped in pain when it hit his arm. She hadn’t even realized that it had started to rain, but as she turned and started the long walk home, she realized just how cold and wet she was. Five miles and almost two hours later, she finally collapsed into her own bed with a grateful sigh, and was asleep in minutes.

Chapter Three “You said what to him?” She’d just finished recounting the previous night’s events to Laura, and her friend was staring at her with a perfect example of a goldfish expression. “You actually told him to screw himself? That’s almost swearing, Alexa, and it came from your mouth.” Laura dissolved into peals of laughter. “Oh my God. I would have loved to have seen the look on his face. That’s absolutely priceless.” Alexa playfully punched her friend on the arm. “Oh, shut up. I’m not that much of a prude.” “You actually are, but you’re adorable because of it.” Laura finally stopped laughing and her expression turned more somber. “Seriously though, Lexi. I’m proud of you for sticking to your guns and standing up for what you believed was right. And, for the record, I would have killed you if you had gotten in the car with him, and I would have killed him if anything had happened to you.” She never heard from Josh again, but it was no great loss as far as she was concerned. Laura managed to refrain from saying, ‘I told you so,’ and being the great friend she was, she made sure that everyone knew what an asshole Josh had been – especially when he started spreading rumors around town that he was the one who had broken up with her. Things started to look up when a new restaurant opened in town and Alexa managed to get a job waiting tables. The pay was lousy, but the tips weren’t too bad, and she finally managed to start saving some money.

She was still living at home with her parents, so what she didn’t save she gave to them. It actually felt really good to be able to help out, even if it was in a small way. Her mom and dad argued with her the first time she gave them some money, telling her that it was her money and she should go and do something she wanted with it. “I am. I’m giving some of it to you. That’s what I want, so quit arguing and just take it.” They finally learned that their daughter could be stubborn when she wanted, and every two weeks, Alexa made sure to give them a percentage of everything she’d earned. “It’s just my way of helping out and saying thank you for everything the two of you have done for me.” Her Mom cried when she said that; they were tears of pride and love, and she knew that. Her Dad just coughed and cleared his throat before wrapping her in a bear hug, but she knew that he was just as emotionally grateful as her mother was. Alexa was just happy that she could help them in some small way, so she calmed her parents down and just left an envelope with some money in it on the kitchen counter every pay day rather than go through them getting emotional and trying to stop her each time. Laura was still talking about moving away, and she never gave up on trying to persuade Alexa to move with her. “Come on, Lexi. Let’s go and make it in the real world and not vegetate in this hick town. I think I’m going to shrivel up and die if I stay here much longer.” It was something that Laura said at least once a month, but she was determined not to move away from home unless she absolutely had to. “Not yet, Lau. I’ve got a few things up my sleeve to try first.” She actually didn’t have anything up her sleeve, but she wasn’t about to move away from everything and everyone she loved without at least trying to make

something of her life here. She just had to try harder, that was all. Something has to come up soon. Just have patience, she reminded herself on an almost daily basis. She eventually gave up her job working in the restaurant to take one doing housekeeping in a small hotel. The wages were a little better, and the tips, when she got them, were generally higher than those she received at the restaurant. The job only lasted six months though, because the hotel went out of business. “That’s the price you pay for living in a small town.” Laura was taking every opportunity she could to try and get through to Alexa. “You wouldn’t have that problem if we lived in the city.” “Give it a rest, Laura. You’re starting to sound like a stuck record.” She wasn’t out of work for long, but her next job as a grocery cashier bored her to death. The hours weren’t too bad, but doing the same thing day in and day out was monotonous, to say the least. When she started hearing scanners beeping in her dreams, she knew that she had to do something to try and make things better. She decided to enroll in a few online courses, thinking that typing and bookkeeping would prepare her for a better job, but, if she was completely honest with herself, it was starting to feel as though it was all for nothing.

Chapter Four On her twenty-sixth birthday, Alexa finally came to the assumption that if she didn’t do something drastic, she was going to end up spending the rest of her life doing one menial job after another, despite passing the online courses that she’d taken with flying colors. She decided to give herself another six months at home, just in case something miraculous happened to persuade her to stay. She didn’t mention her plan to Laura though – the girl was unbearable enough as it was, trying to convince her to move away with her. She could just imagine how bad she would be if she even thought that there was a remote possibility of Alexa finally agreeing with her. She was grateful that she’d had the foresight not to say anything when she got called into the office at work a few weeks later to be told that she’d been promoted to a supervisory position. She’d apparently impressed the right people at the right time, because there had been a few complimentary things said about her in feedback from customers. “Hey, Lau. Guess what?” She finally had some good news of sorts to share with her friend, and she’d rushed home from work to call her. “We’re moving to the city?” Laura’s voice was hopeful, but Alexa laughed her comment off. “Okay, so we’re not moving to the city. You’ve finally got yourself a decent boyfriend?” Her second guess was even more hysterical than the first, and Alexa laughed until her sides ached.

“No, Lau. I’m still single.” She heard Laura give a dramatic sigh. “Okay then, I give up.” “I’ve been promoted. I’m not a cashier anymore – I’m a supervisor.” Laura tried to sound happy for her friend, but she couldn’t quite pull it off. “So, you’re making an extra fifty cents an hour, but your responsibilities have doubled. Oh joy!” Well, when you put it like that, maybe the promotion isn’t such a good thing after all, Alexa thought. “It means I’ll be able to save some more and help out my folks more. They’re not getting any younger, Lau, and I know that working the farm is physically taxing them as well as financially draining them.” It was something that she worried about constantly, but other than helping out on her days off and giving them as much money as possible to try and ease their money worries, there didn’t seem to be much else she could do. Just one more reason to move with Laura to the city and get a better paying job, she reasoned with herself. Alexa saved up as much money as possible during the following months, because she knew that she would need enough to pay her way until she found a job if she did decide to move to the city with Laura. She still carried on looking for a better job and helped out her parents as much as possible whenever she could, but she couldn’t help thinking that in just a few years she would be turning thirty. Is this really what you want to do for the rest of your life? It was something that was on her mind with increasing frequency as she watched people she’d grown up and gone to school with get married or move away. Even though she was happy, she couldn’t help becoming

more than a little restless, and the thought of staying and stagnating as opposed to moving and improving was starting to play on her mind a lot.

Chapter Five It wasn’t quite six months before she finally gave in and told Laura that she would move to the city with her. She’d decided to arrange a girls’ night out for the two of them and surprise her friend while they were enjoying themselves so that they’d really have something to celebrate. “So, how long do you think it would take you, Laura?” They were standing at the bar waiting to get served when Alexa asked the cryptic question. Her friend looked at her as though she’d grown another nose. “How long will it take me to do what?” She turned to the bartender and paid him for the drinks that had just been placed in front of them. Alexa wasn’t sure how she managed to keep a straight face, but she valiantly stopped herself from grinning. “How long do you think it would take for you to find us an apartment?” “Find us an apartment?” Laura looked puzzled for a split second longer, and then what her friend was saying finally dawned on her. “Find us an apartment in the city? Are you freaking serious? You’d better be serious, because if you’re not, I swear to God I’m going to dump this drink over your head.” Alexa burst out laughing at Laura’s expression. “I mean it, Lexi! Tell me you’re being serious.” Holding her hands up in mock surrender, Alexa nodded her head. “Yes, I am being serious. That’s if you still want to move?”

“If? If? That is the most stupid fucking question you have ever asked me in your entire fucking life.” Laura actually started jumping up and down on the spot, her drink sloshing over the side of her glass in her excitement. “How soon do you want to do this? Because, you know, I can be ready by next weekend.” “I think my parents would kill me if I didn’t give them at least a month’s notice so that they could throw a farewell party or something.” Now that Alexa had actually agreed to do it, she could feel the excitement building inside her own stomach. “Besides, I need to work out my notice so that I don’t lose any money. I’m going to need every dollar so that I have something to tide me over until I can find a job in the city.” Laura still had a grin a mile wide, splitting her face in two. “Oh my God, Lexi! I can’t believe that we’re actually going to do this at last. It’s only taken like fucking forever for you to finally come around to my way of thinking.” “Don’t go getting too excited yet, Lau. We still have to find somewhere to live that’s affordable, and then we both have to get jobs really quickly or we’re screwed before we start.” And I still have to tell my parents that I’m not only moving out, but I’m moving away, she thought as the excited feeling gave way to one of nervous trepidation. That was not something she was looking forward to doing, even though she knew that they’d be supportive of her decision. Her mom and dad actually took the news a lot better than she’d been expecting, although her mom did shed a few tears and her dad gave her a hug that threatened to break a few ribs. “We’ve been lucky to have you with us as long as we have, and to be honest, we’re surprised that you haven’t made this move a lot sooner.”

Her mother nodded in agreement with her dad’s statement. “Just promise us one thing, honey. Promise us that if you get homesick or it gets too difficult that you won’t be too proud to come back home.” Her mom was still wiping away the tears as she spoke. “You know that the door will always be open and that there will always be a place for you here with us.” “I know, mom. And I promise. I love you both so much.” Alexa made her escape to her bedroom before she started to cry as well, and a short time later, she could hear her mother on the phone. Well, at least I won’t have to worry about letting anybody else know, she thought. Mom’s going to have every man and his dog told by the morning. With so much to do and so many arrangements to make, the month passed by quickly. Alexa wasn’t sure if she was happy about it or not, because even though she was excited to see what the next chapter of her life was going to bring, she was going to be sad when it came to leaving her parents, her friends, and everything she’d known so far behind. “It’s not like were moving to the other side of the world, Lexi. We’re only going to be a day’s drive away.” She clung on to Laura’s words as though they were a lifeline, and they definitely made her feel better about what she was doing. Just as she’d thought, her parents threw her and Laura a going-away party, and both of the girls were amazed and touched by just how many people came to it. Alexa had been concerned that it was going to be a sad affair, but she’d worried for nothing as everybody seemed genuinely happy for her. The party went on into the early hours, and after everyone had gone home, her parents called her into the living room and sat her down

on the couch before handing her a stack of envelopes. “People have been asking us what they can buy you as a going away gift, but we figured that you’d need money more than anything, so that’s what everyone’s done.” Alexa started opening envelope after envelope, and in every one of them there was either a check or cash. By the time she got to the last envelope, the tears were falling unchecked down her face. She couldn’t believe just how kind and generous everyone had been and just how loved they’d all made her feel. She felt blessed to have such wonderful family and friends, and it didn’t matter how grateful she was for their gifts – the gift of their friendship and their well-wishes meant more to her than anything. In between packing and getting ready for moving day, Alexa made sure to visit as many people as possible to thank them, and she wrote letters of gratitude to the ones she wasn’t able to get to. She wanted to make sure that everybody knew just how much what they had done meant to her, and exactly how much they’d helped her.

Chapter Six The day of the move arrived and the girls loaded everything that they were taking with them into Laura’s car. After a fresh round of hugs and tears, they finally managed to say goodbye to the people who were there to wave them off, and then they were on their way to start their new lives. “I can’t believe that we’re finally doing this.” Laura was more excited than Alexa could ever remember seeing her – and it was infectious. They cranked the music up, rolled the windows down and sang song after song at the top of their lungs as they travelled. They’d initially decided that they were going to stop off at a small motel overnight to break the journey up a little, but after they stopped for some lunch and to fill the car back up with gas, they made the mutual decision to carry on driving straight through until they reached their new home. Laura had managed to find them a furnished apartment, and considering its location, the rent was extremely reasonable. They finally arrived at their destination in the early hours of the following morning and groaned as they finally got out of the car and stretched their legs and backs. They decided to leave most of their stuff in the car, just taking up the most valuable and personal things and locking the vehicle in the hope that everything would still be there in the morning. “If we wake up and everything’s gone, we’re going to regret not unloading everything now.”

Ever practical, Alexa just had to point out the fact that they were in a strange place and they didn’t know how safe their belongings were going to be. “It will be fine, Lexi. I made sure that I checked out the crime rate in this area when I looked at the apartment. Everything’s going to be okay for a few hours.” Laura had already been to see the apartment two weeks before, and after viewing it, she’d called Alexa to let her know that she thought it was perfect for them. Alexa had told her that if she thought that the place would work for them to go ahead and sign the lease, and Laura had been handed the keys that same day. As Alexa looked around the place for the first time, she knew that Laura had chosen well. The apartment was just the right size for the two of them, with its two bedrooms and large, open-concept living room and kitchen. “This is great, Lau!” The furniture was old, but it was clean and well looked after, and they would make it look like home in no time. “I know, right?” The two girls were in the bedroom that Laura had chosen as hers, and Alexa flopped down onto the queen-sized bed, feeling much more confident that she’d made the right decision. “And did you see that the kitchen even has a dishwasher? No more having to scrub pots and pans for us, girl.” Not having to worry about doing dishes was just the tip of the luxury iceberg as far as Alexa was concerned. Because of where they now lived, she had access to public transportation, so she didn’t have to buy a new bike or walk for miles. And there seemed to be a bakery on almost every corner which did absolutely nothing for her waistline, especially now that she wasn’t so physically busy helping out on the farm.

During the coming weeks, she also discovered that there were plenty of temp agencies around the area that she made sure to visit and submit her resumet. She walked into to any and all businesses in their area and left her resume, hoping against hope that something would turn up soon. She didn’t really care what type of job she managed to get, so long as she got one, but when the first month rolled around and she still hadn’t received an offer or get an interview, she was starting to feel a little dejected. “It’s as though all they see is a country bumpkin that has no talents or anything to offer.” She and Laura were sharing a bottle of wine one evening, and Alexa was telling her how useless she was starting to feel. “I’ve got to find something soon, Lau. My savings won’t last forever, and I’m bored stupid stuck at home when I’m not out job hunting.” Laura was quick to reassure her. “Something will come along, Lexi. And it will probably be the job of your dreams. Just you wait and see.” It’s easy for you to say, you’ve already found a job, Alexa thought, and then she mentally scolded herself for being such a bitch. Laura was working her ass off at her job, and just because she’d been lucky enough to land one relatively quickly, that didn’t mean that she had it any easier. Try being a bit more grateful that you have a friend who isn’t pressuring you, for God’s sake, she thought as she gave herself a mental kick up the ass. Laura had found a job working in a bar almost right away, and the fact that it meant that she was meeting plenty of guys was an added bonus as far as she was concerned. On the nights she wasn’t working, she was out partying, and it was not unusual for her not to come home at all – much to Alexa’s concern.

She knew that Laura had always been a man-magnet, but she’d never realized just how much her friend thrived on being the center of attention for any and all men in her general vicinity. The fact that she obviously wasn’t worried about how many guys she had sex with also worried her, but her morals were not something that Alexa felt that she had the right to judge. Just because you’re a prude doesn’t mean that everyone should be, she’d reminded herself on numerous occasions. “Please be careful, Lau. I don’t know what I’d do if anything bad happened to you.” “Nothing’s going to happen to me, silly.” Laura always laughed off Alexa’s concerns. “Besides, I never go back to a guy’s house unless I’ve asked people who know him all the right questions.” “All the right questions? What on earth are the right questions?” “Oh, you know. Things like ‘Has he ever been convicted of a serious crime, such as kidnapping or mass murder; has there ever been an instance when an exgirlfriend of his went missing and was never found; does he still live at home with his parents.’ The usual stuff.” Laura erupted into laughter at Alexa’s horrified expression. “I’m joking, Lexi. Of course I wouldn’t hold it against him if he still lived at home.” In the following weeks, Alexa travelled further out from their side of the city, putting in application after application in person as well as online. She checked back with all of the offices where she applied and the temp agencies so many times that she was starting to know the staff by their first names, and she bought so many newspapers and magazines to check for jobs that she could have wallpapered the apartment with them. On the plus side, she was starting to lose some of the

weight from all the local bakery visitsand her nowsedentary life had given her. She was starting to really tone up and add some muscle definition to her tall frame because of all the walking she was doing. Turning around to look at her butt in the mirror, she was actually impressed with what she saw. She was using public transportation to get to the places that were too far away to walk, but there were some lovely parks in the area, so she was taking full advantage of enjoying them while she could. She’d also treated herself to a camera and loved taking photographs of the beautiful city and it’s urban architecture to send to her parents back home when she sent them a weekly email. But there was still no sign of a job coming her way, no matter how much she tried or how many applications she put in. The fact that Laura was still out partying like a wild woman most nights wasn’t doing much for her selfesteem either. She was always invited to go with her, but she’d never really liked alcohol all that much, and if her friend decided that she was going to go off with a guy, then Alexa didn’t want to be left on her own or feel like the odd-man-out. And, be honest with yourself, Lexi. You’re starting to resent the fact that she’s managed to fall into city life as though she was born to it. She’d been feeling that way for a few weeks now, and she was starting to get on her own nerves. Laura had put everything on hold for her back home until she’d made up her mind to move, so why shouldn’t she be living it up now? “I hate to say it, Laura, but I think I’m just about ready to go home.” The two girls were spending a rare evening home together, and Alexa had decided to be honest with her friend and let her know just how homesick she was starting to feel. “I just don’t think that I belong here, and

me not being able to find a job just makes it even harder.” She felt close to tears just saying the words out loud. Laura was shaking her head as she put her arm around her friend’s shoulder in a comforting hug. “Don’t give up yet, Lexi. Give it just a little bit longer. Something’s going to come up, just you wait and see.” After a lot of persuasion, Alexa finally agreed that she would give it two more months. “But if I still don’t have a job by then, I’m going back home, Laura. I can’t just sit on my ass and not have anything to do day in and day out. And with my savings dwindling, I’m not going to be able to pay my share for longer than two months.” “That’s fair enough, and I promise that I won’t pressure you if you still haven’t found a job in a couple of months’ time. Just hang in there for now, okay? I have a feeling that things are going to work out.” Laura was an eternal optimist, and right now, it was exactly what Alexa needed. It was just a week later when she received a call from one of the temp agencies that she’d registered with, and as she hung up the phone she was shaking like a leaf. It looks like Laura had been right to be so positive about things, she thought. “Woohoo!! I’ve got an interview, Laura!” Her friend was in the kitchen cooking dinner, and Alexa filled her in about the job and when her interview was. “It’s just a temporary job at the Dawson James office as a receptionist while their current employee is on maternity leave. Nothing to get too excited about, but it’s better than what I have right now, right?” It was definitely better than what she had right now, as she found out when she got the job. Actually getting to meet people and interact with them made her feel

human again, and even though she knew that she was only going to be there for a few months, it gave her hope that she wouldn’t have to wait too long before finding her next job. Hopefully I’ll get a good reference if I do well, she thought. And then she met her boss, Dawson James, and her world and everything she thought she’d known before was turned upside down and changed forever.

The End

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Billionaire Bad Boys The Company Ink Series

KIRA BLAKELY

Description WARNING: The Billionaire Bad Boys Box Set is so steamy it might melt your panties off. Please have a glass of water handy to douse your reading devise when it ignites! This box set contains all three Billionaire Bad Boys novels. All stand alones with HEA’s DAWSON I run my business like I fight and like I f*ck; deep. Savage. Made my first billion before I was 30. I want for nothing now. There’s nothing that walks through the doors of my building which I cannot possess—until Lexie. Sweet, shy Lexie. So innocent. She doesn’t want an office romance… but giving over her soft body right now is an order. ASHTON I’ve always had to fight. I fought my way into this wild life. I fought for every shingle on my roof, and I’ll never back down from my goddamn dreams. I met Laura in a bar fight, and I’ve shown her body love many times—but she has no idea how real and how deep that fire burns. JACKSON I know what people think about me. I don’t belong. Not to this world of glamour and riches… I just found a back door that wasn’t locked. But they’re wrong. I work hard and I work alone. That’s how I got here; talent and heart.

I finally want to show that to the beautiful Hope, but she won’t have anything to do with me. She doesn’t see it yet. I belong right here.

“The thinking that guides your intelligence is much more important than the intelligence that you actually have.” David J Schwartz

1 AS HE WATCHED the woman get dressed, Dawson held back a sigh of frustration. He’d enjoyed the previous night; he’d have to be dead not to have enjoyed having sex with a beautiful woman, even if he couldn’t remember what her damn name was. But as he watched her getting ready to leave the warmth of his bed, he felt cold inside. She turned to face him as she started to put on her bra and flashed a smile that was all perfectly straight, white teeth and false eyelashes, and he knew what she was going to say even before she uttered a word. “So, gorgeous, when will I see you again?” Her voice was as fake as her tits were, and the coldness he felt inside quickly turned to a feeling of disgust. “And could you possibly give me some money to pay for a cab home? I seem to have misplaced my purse.” And there we have it, he thought. Another fucking gold digger out for what she could get off him. He was so sick and tired of being treated as a meal ticket by almost everyone he knew, especially women, that he was at the point where he could quite easily throw in the towel and move to a secluded island. There were just two flaws to his getaway plan: he loved money and the power it gave him over people, and he loved sex with beautiful women, even if it meant he had to use his money in order to get it. Miss fake-sexy, whatever-her-name-was seemed oblivious to the fact that his expression had grown cold as he swung his legs off the bed and reached for his wallet on the nightstand. He

withdrew a hundred-dollar bill and walked over to where she stood, ogling his muscular nakedness, before thrusting the money into her hand. “You won’t see me again, but thanks for a good night,” he said. The woman’s expression turned petulant, and he was reminded of a sulky child who had been told she couldn’t have any more candy, which, considering the things they’d done the night before, made him cringe. Thankfully, she took the not-so-subtle hint though, and a short time later he was alone in his penthouse apartment mulling over his life and where the hell it was taking him. He supposed that he had no one to blame for the way people treated him but himself, but knowing that didn’t make it any easier to swallow. He knew that he’d been dealt a rough hand from the minute he’d been born, but he’d managed to make something of himself despite that – or maybe it was because of that – so why couldn’t he find someone decent to share his life with? Because you can be an asshole. Your mother was an asshole. Your father was probably an asshole, and you can definitely treat people like assholes, which is probably why you get treated like an asshole in return. What else can you expect? He knew that he wasn’t really an asshole – not in the grand scheme of things. Too many people had told him otherwise for it to be true. But sometimes it was hard to ignore the demons of his youth that reared their ugly head during times of self-doubt, and during his formative years, he’d been told so many times that he was a good-for-nothing waste of space. He shoved at the mental voice that had decided to answer his rhetorical question, pushing it resolutely back down into the recesses of his mind where it belonged. He refused to think about his parents or their effect on his

life any more than he wanted to think about the ‘system’ he’d been raised in as a result of their non-parenting skills. That was a dark road that he really didn’t want to travel down – not if he could help it. At least he had one thing to thank them for; they’d made him determined not to turn out like them. Unfortunately, once he started to think about it, the thoughts were hard to shut off, no matter how hard he tried. As he took his shower and got ready for work, he couldn’t help but dwell on his past. He hadn’t been born with a silver spoon in his mouth, despite what a lot of people thought when they found out that he was filthy rich. Hell, he hadn’t even been born with a plastic one either. If truth be told, he had no idea if his birth mother had known anything about spoons, other than to use them to do whatever drug users did with them to get the filth into their wasted bodies. He’d been born premature – tiny and suffering from the effects of his mother’s heroin addiction, and despite not being given much hope of surviving, he had recovered and thrived, thanks to the care he received from the neo-natal nurses. Of course, he couldn’t remember any of that. His earliest memory was probably when he was about three years old, and it was the memory of children crying in their cribs or playpens at the children’s home he’d been taken to when he’d been well enough to leave the hospital. Most of his memories since then were carefully tucked away in some dark recess of his mind where they couldn’t escape to haunt him. Occasionally, especially during adolescence, he hadn’t quite managed to keep them held back, and they would resurface when he least expected it, resulting in him being expelled from numerous schools and being

labelled as a rebellious thug who would never amount to anything. Rather than adhere to everyone’s low expectations of him, he doggedly worked his way up the food chain until, eventually, he owned his own business. It felt good to actually employ those same people who’d said he’d never get anywhere in life except jail. As he thought about that, he smiled for the first time that day.

2 ALEXA HUNG UP THE PHONE with shaking hands and then gave a whoop of glee. “Woohoo!! I’ve got an interview, Laura!” She tried not to get too excited about it as she shouted through to the kitchen, but it was hard not to be, especially after the conversation she’d had with her best friend and roommate, Laura, earlier that day. Feeling disillusioned with city life in general and being unable to find a job in particular, she’d told Laura that she was just about ready to call it a day and move back home with her parents. It wasn’t what she wanted to do, but if she couldn’t find a job before her meagre savings ran out, then she wouldn’t really have an option. Laura had told her that she needed to at least give it a couple more months, but she wasn’t sure that she could wait that long. Running in from the kitchen, Laura gave a cheer of her own and high-fived her friend. “See? I told you something would come along, didn’t I?” She ran around the room shaking imaginary pompoms and wiggling her hips, and Alexa couldn’t help laughing. “I don’t have the job yet, Laura. It’s just an interview, and there’s nothing to say I’ll get it.” But she hoped against hope that she would. She loved her parents, and they’d given her an amazing life, but she really didn’t want to move back to the small town she’d spent her whole life dreaming about escaping from. Working on the small family farm had kept her physically fit, but it wasn’t what she classified as a real job, and there sure as hell

wasn’t any chance of her improving herself or her future there. “So where is it, and what will you be doing there?” Laura was acting as though the job was already hers, and Alexa had to admit that her excitement was more than a little infectious. “It’s just a temporary job at the Dawson James offices as a receptionist while their regular girl is on maternity leave. Nothing to get too excited about, but it’s better than what I have right now, right?” You don’t have anything right now, so of course it’s better, you dweeb, she thought to herself. Laura stopped jumping around and stared at her. “Dawson James? The Dawson James?” She sounded more than a little envious, and when Alexa shrugged her shoulders and looked at her as though she was speaking a foreign language, she also looked incredulous. “Alexa, please tell me that you’ve heard of Dawson James? I mean, how can you not have heard of him? He’s only the most eligible bachelor this side of the equator!” “I have absolutely no idea who or what you’re talking about.” And she really didn’t. “All I know is that the job is at the Dawson James offices.” What the hell is so special about the guy, she thought, unable to push away the curiosity that ran through her head. The next hour was spent with Laura, enthusing over the wonderful Dawson James and how he’d built his empire from nothing and was now one of the richest men the planet had ever seen, which Alexa was pretty sure was a complete and utter exaggeration. “So how did he build it up? What kind of business background does he have?” She would admit to being more than just a little curious, especially considering the way her friend was rambling on about him.

Laura shook her head. “Nobody knows. In fact, nobody seems to know much of anything about him or his past. He stays out of the limelight as much as possible, it seems, so it kind of makes him even more mysterious, doesn’t it?” She threw a grin in Alexa’s direction. “I have heard that he’s incredibly handsome though, so that certainly adds to his allure.” It was Alexa’s turn to shake her head. Laura was an incorrigible flirt, and even though Alexa loved her dearly, she was under no false illusions as to her friend’s downfall, which happened to be men. She loved to party, and if the partying involved members of the opposite sex – and even better, sex itself – she was in her element. The two girls were almost total opposites, with Laura being outgoing and extroverted and usually having a string of men at her beck and call. Alexa was quieter, shy, and had only had two boyfriends in her life – neither of which were serious, even though she had indulged in sex a time or two. If she was totally honest with herself, she thought she may be frigid, because she’d never really enjoyed the carnal part of either of her relationships, and the act itself had left her feeling rather cold. She really wasn’t sure what all the fuss was about, and sometimes she even wondered how she and Laura were so close, considering the differences between them. But close they were, and their friendship had lasted through thick and thin. They’d always had each other’s backs even during their school years, and Laura had done everything in her power to persuade Alexa to move to the city with her and for them to get a place together. Things had worked out well, apart from Alexa not being able to find a job. She was starting to feel as though she was sponging off her friend, regardless of how many times Laura reassured her otherwise.

“So, what are you going to wear for the interview?” She was brought out of her reverie and back to the situation at hand by the question. Shit! What am I going to wear? The next hour was spent in her bedroom while the two women went through the contents of her wardrobe, with one item after another being discarded in disgust by Laura. “Alexa, do you really want to come across as a country bumpkin, or would you rather look professional and at least stand a glimmer of a chance at getting the job?” She didn’t wait for an answer as she got up from the bed where she’d been sitting and walked out of the room. Alexa heard her rummaging around in her own room, and a short while later, Laura returned, carrying a couple of outfits and throwing them on the bed decisively. “Choose one of these.” Alexa looked at the clothes in horror. There was no way she could wear a skirt that short or a blouse that didn’t button all the way up. Could she? Considering the only other option she had would be to wear her stuff, it didn’t look like she had much choice. So with Laura making her try the clothes on and persuading her that she looked perfectly acceptable for an interview, the decision was made. She spent a restless night; she tossed and turned as she worried about the interview the following day. She got up three times to write down a few things that had popped into her head at random times – questions to ask whomever was interviewing her as well as possible answers to some of the questions she might be asked. It felt like she’d only been asleep for an hour when the alarm went off, and she dragged herself out of bed with a groan. She got showered and dressed, applying

just enough make-up to cover the bags under her eyes without making her look like she was ready for a night on the town. After she got dressed in Laura’s clothes, she took one last, final look in the full-length mirror and gave a sigh of relief. Not half bad, Lexi. You’ll do, she thought to herself.

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About the Author

For years, all Kira ever wanted to do is write her own books. After ghost writing a few best sellers for other authors, she realized it was time to start taking credit for her own work. Her personal struggles in relationships and finances had driven her to start doing what she loves, which is writing full time. She first took to writing when she was a teenager. She fell in love with a boy who didn’t love her quite as much as she loved him. She admits this was partly due to her being slightly overweight and seriously insecure. This painful experience drove her to start practicing her craft. If she couldn’t have the love of her life, she would create Mr. Right in her romance novels, and maybe give him a few embellishments, lol. Through the experience of dieting, somewhat, and doing what she love’s full time she has gained back some confidence and found companionship, half man half kitty, and has found her calling. We hope you enjoy her books and wish you the best in this crazy thing called life. Follow me on Facebook to get updates on new releases and see cool memes with hot guys. https://www.facebook.com/kirablakelyromance/