Kindle Edition
Amazon
Kelly Moore Author
Category:
Romance
Publisher: self
ISBN-10: 1537062700
Type: Fiction
Pages: 238
Copyright: Sept 6th 2016
ISBN-13: 9781537062709
Price: $2.99 (eBook)
New Romance suspense novel. Meet August and Nashville and enjoy the wild ride.
August Rylan has more money than he knows what to do with, and more secrets than anyone man can keep. He’s a public figure— a billionaire business genius and eligible bachelor—with no personal life, and he likes it that way. Tragedy has followed August throughout his life, and by the time he meets Nashville Jacoby, the secrets he’s harboring aren’t just sad, they’re dangerous.
Nashville is a nurse from the Deep South—the consummate country girl. She works hard, takes care of her family, and dreams of a simple life. She’s drawn to August, despite his refusal to open up to her, his intimidating fortune, and his controlling tendencies. He’s not only mesmerized by her physical beauty, he’s enthralled by her kind heart and sassy honesty. Their intense sexual chemistry surprises them both, and soon they’re locked in a passionate love affair. When August’s secrets finally catch up with him, however, their relationship isn’t the only thing that’s at stake. Someone from the past wants revenge on August and isn’t afraid to destroy the one thing August's money can’t buy—the woman he loves.
Excerpt
The view from my office always impresses me, and I’m not easily impressed. I watch the day end, another in a long line of similar workdays. Traces of orange in the sunset, balanced against the dark, metallic Seattle skyline. It’s always the same, yet always different. Predictable, but just interesting enough. Sometimes it seems like that’s my motto in life.
I’m on the fifteenth floor, so I can see the pedestrians scurrying out of their own offices, rushing to get home. Pike’s market is shutting down for the day, no more guys flinging fish. The Ferris wheel lights up, a giant, rotating streetlamp. It’s comforting to watch the city go through its routine, transitioning from day to night. I don’t get up here much anymore. It’s my company, but I have enough people I trust to keep an eye on things here, so I work remotely unless I have to be here. I love this city, but I don’t love the stress of being around other people. I’ve always kept a small circle. It’s easier that way.
My phone buzzes. It’s my secretary. I want to ignore it, but I know Margaret won’t be deterred. She’ll blast through the door if I don’t answer her. I swipe her name on my phone. "Yes, Margaret?"
"Mr. Rylan, did you complete the paperwork on the—"
"Yes. I just finished looking at the last scholarship recipients. Strong candidates this year."
"Yes, they are. You know this is one of my favorite projects every year. All those young nurses will do so much for so many people. It’s just so nice to work on something so positive! I really liked the application of this one girl, from Sacramento—"
"Yes, I agree," I said, cutting her off. I didn’t want to talk about it. While I happily provided scholarships for nursing students every year, I didn’t like to think about the reason I’d started the scholarship in the first place. It was too painful. "I’ll send their files over to you in the morning."
Margaret was used to my gruffness. It didn’t phase her, and she was all business again. "Yes, sir. Of course."
"Go home. It’s late."
"As soon as I double check all your conference calls for next week, I will." Margaret has been working for the company for twenty-five years. She worked for my father, long before I took over operations. She’s a workaholic, like me.
My phone beeps again. "I told you to go home, Margaret."
"Your last appointment has arrived, sir."
I swig down a shot of bourbon and loosen my tie. I fly to this office on Mondays for two reasons. First, the board meetings. I could easily tie in via my computer from my office in Utah, but the board insists that I actually show my face. Most of them are older guys. The same age as my father. Some of them even knew him. Not that anyone talks about him anymore. He’s become the family secret no one wants to talk about— even here, within his professional family. His former colleagues. So I show up, listen to the old guy's blab on and on for a couple hours, and then I do as I please anyway. No one complains. After all, I brought this company back from the brink of ruin. I’m only twenty-eight, but they trust my judgment.
The second reason is purely physical. I don’t have time for relationships. I don’t want the drama. And not just run of the mill drama, either. When you’re one of the youngest billionaires in the United States, your drama has big potential consequences. I can’t afford to have someone find out my secrets, and destroy what I’ve worked so hard to build. So I belong to a private club, one that connects me with women who want the same thing. No ties. Every member signs nondisclosures to protect our privacy. No commitments. Only sex.
I’ve been meeting Lisa every Monday night for the last three months. She’s a smart, beautiful businesswoman who has dealt with her share of men who use her for their personal gain. She’s been burnt one too many times, she doesn’t trust easily. At this point, she and I are friends, but there’s no emotional attachment between us. Sometimes we talk business, and help each other out pitching ideas, but tonight she’s here for one reason, and one reason only.
Her high heels click across the polished tile floor. I mix her a dirty martini. She takes it as she sweeps past me, on her way to the door at the back of my office. It leads to a studio apartment. She unties her trench coat. She’s wearing a black leather corset and nothing else, except for those sky high heels. I like the kink that she brings, but she’s also a great submissive in the bedroom.
Her trench coat drops to the floor as I stride toward her. We come together, and I trace her jawline.
"August Rylan," she whispers. "It’s been too long."
"It’s only been a week," I reply.
She looks up at me. "A week is too long."
My fingers trail down to the curve of her breast. She inhales deeply as I release the constricting eyelets of her corset. Then I take her hand and lead her into my bedroom.
☀
I stop at the coffee shop on the bottom floor of the building. It’s another rainy Friday morning, and the Seattle traffic will be brutal. I ended up having to spend the entire week in Seattle meeting with some potentially big clients. My limo is waiting for me out front, and the doorman escorts me with his umbrella. Fred, the driver who has carted me around for years and carted my father around before me, has the motor running.
I climb in the backseat. The leather crinkles under me. It’s a comforting smell. "Good morning, Fred. How’s traffic looking this morning? I want to get home."
"Brutal, as usual, sir," he says. Accident on the interstate. It’s completely shut down. We’ll have to take a detour, so we’ll be late."
"Damn," I say. "I really want to get home."
"Don’t worry, sir. I’ve already notified the pilot. All is well." He puts the car in drive and chuckles. "With what you pay him, he’s not going anywhere."
I smile ruefully and thank him. I close the window between us and fumble for my phone in my pants pocket. He is my number one person on speed dial.
"Hey Sam," I say, "Tell your mom I’m running late, but I will be there."
The voice on the other line is wildly enthusiastic. One thing I love about Sam—he’s twenty, but he has the exuberance of a kid sometimes. Given his circumstances, that’s particularly admirable. Not many people could retain such positivity after going through his trials.
"Hey! August! We’re looking forward to it, man."
"Me too, dude. I’ll order pizza when I get there, and Fred got us that new World at War game."
"Awesome," he says. "Since as usual, no hot date on a Friday night for me."
I cringe. "Sam—you can go on a date with anyone you want. Any girl would be—"
He laughs, and I’m reminded of the fact that even though I’ve taken over the big brother role for him, sometimes he seems more mature than I am. "It’s okay, man. All in good time. Tonight, let’s just play some World at War."
"You got it," I say, and hang up.
I push the remote that lowers the dividing window. "You have that game, right, Fred?"
He holds up a plastic case. "Just as you asked, sir. I had to go to several stores before I could find one. These kids are obsessed with video games."
I smile again. Sam and I aren’t exactly kids. We’re just both a little antisocial. Although most would say he has more reason than I do. There’s really no reason for me to seclude myself from the world.
The thought raises all kinds of uncomfortable feelings and memories that I just don’t want to deal with. I read work emails on my phone instead, while Fred weaves in and out of traffic, cursing at the drivers around us. Somehow, he always manages to get us safely to the airport.
When I board the plane, the pilot greets me as usual and updates me on the weather conditions. I sigh as I settle into my seat with a glass of bourbon. No one else is on the plane. I feel an unfamiliar stab of loneliness. Sometimes I feel like my life is a spinning record that always plays the same song.
The flight to Utah is smooth. It helps when you have your own plane and pilot on standby. I step off the plane and relax as I inhale the fresh Southern Utah air. The sky is blue as far as the mountains will let me see.
My silver Jaguar is waiting for me when I arrive. It’s next year’s model, the F-Type SVR. I design cars that drive themselves, but I love the feel of my hands on the wheel when I’m driving this beast. The private airport is only thirty miles from Moab, and I step on the gas. I turn on the soundtrack from Phantom of the Opera and relax for the first time in days.
Despite the music, my mind wonders. At twenty-eight, I have more money than I will ever be able to spend in ten lifetimes. After my mother died, when I was eight, my dad’s life spun out of control. So my Aunt Lauren took over raising me. She made sure the money from my mom’s life insurance policy was spent on the best education money could buy. I know I disappointed her when I dropped out of college my senior year to take over my dad’s failing business. But family is family, and I felt like it was the least I could do for my mother. She had taken a lot of pride in our family’s success.
In the end, everything I did, I did with my mom in the back of my mind. Even if it was too painful to think about how she died. The night my life changed forever.
Nothing was ever the same once she was gone. Dad lost control of the board of directors and left the company in financial ruin. The bastard hid money in offshore accounts and burdened what remained with outstanding attorney bills. But he didn’t care. He was a hollow angry shell of a man. Just existing to breathe, and drink.
I’m sure a psychologist could have a field day with my life. I’m the opposite of my father. Everything is ordered and structured. I cannot tolerate any chaos. It’s the only way I know. It keeps me focused, but it also keeps me from being close to anyone. I don’t really, care, however. I’ve never been close to anyone anyway since Mom died. Except for Sam and his mom, Claire. I like spending time with them. They make me feel somewhat normal. My time with them is the best part of my week.
☀
"Where’s the pizza?" Sam says as soon as I walk in the door.
"It will be here in five minutes." I walk over and put the new game in the PlayStation. I plop down next to Sam on the couch. "This should keep you busy for a while." I grab a remote. "Did you finish your last test today?"
"Yep, I aced it." He says. He doesn’t look away from the seventy-inch television.
"Good, you can start working for me soon."
"Ha, we’ll see about that." There is a knock at the door. "Pizza is here." He says.
"Whatever you do, don’t get up." I laugh.
"I doubt that will be a problem," he says and laughs with me. At first, I was afraid to mention Sam’s disability. But he’s so open and honest about it, I learned to treat it as lightly as he does.
He always kicks my ass at War Games. "One of these days I am going to beat you," I tell him.
"In your dreams. You suck at these games."
I throw the pizza box down on the coffee table and Sam digs in.
"You eat like an animal. How about a paper plate and napkin?" I retrieve them from the cabinet.
"Oh yeah…." He says through a mouth full of food. "Mom is going to be a little later than usual tonight. She’s on a date." He smiles.
"She knows I like to run a background check on anyone she dates. Did she leave his information for me?"
"Yea, it’s over by my computer. She said not to worry because she already used the program you showed her."
I check the print out myself. He’s a banker, about ten years older than her. Everything checks out fine on the surface. I jot down a quick note for her.
Good girl for doing your research, but next time you call me first. I want to know you’re safe.
August
We finish playing around midnight. "We have to get up early tomorrow," I say. "Do you have everything ready for our climb?"
"I packed all my gear just like you told me. You know mom isn’t happy about us going rock climbing, but I think she worries too much."
"She worries every time I take you on an adventure. But she knows you’re in good hands with me."
He says goodnight, and maneuvers his wheelchair from behind the table. I watch him roll down the hallway. The sight always makes my heart hurt. Even if I didn’t cause his accident, I can’t help but feel responsible.
I head to the spare bedroom. I usually come here on Friday evening, ever since I took over Rylan Designs, and I built this house for Sam and Claire, so I know my way around. Sam has all the best physical therapy equipment money can buy, and he has made a lot of progress. Guilt and shame brought me to them, but they gave me comfort and forgiveness. And some semblance of what it feels like to truly care about other people.
☀
Morning comes quickly. The smell of coffee lures me to the kitchen. Claire is cooking breakfast.
"How was your date?" I say with a grin.
She gives me a hug. "It was really fun. I’m glad you approved of my background check." She hands me a cup of coffee.
Claire is a little younger than my mother would have been, had mom lived. She has a great smile and her warmth radiates.
"You know… I’m not happy about your rock climbing expedition today." Her smile turns into a scowl.
"Don’t worry. I bought all new equipment for him, and I hired two professional climbers to help. He’s been bugging me to take him climbing." I put my arm around her shoulder.
"You know you don’t owe us anything, right?" She leans into my shoulder.
"We’ve been over this a million times." I kiss the top of her head.
"You’re such a good man, August. I just wish you had a life of your own." She smiles sadly.
"I have everything I need and want. More than enough. Speaking of needing, I ordered Sam one of my self-driving cars. Had it made to meet all his specific needs." I walk to the table and sit down.
"Thank you so much for everything you do for us." She sits with me.
"How’s your car holding up?" I ask her.
"August Tanner Rylan, you are not buying me another car. I have a good job now, thanks to you. I can take care of myself." She points her finger at me.
"Okay, okay." I raise my hands in surrender. I like it when she gets all flustered with me because she uses my full name, just like my mother did. It makes me smile. She’s one of the only people who can put me in my place.
"Are you coming to watch us today?" I ask her.
"Not everyone can take a day off to play."
"I could call your boss and insist."
"You will do no such thing, mister." She waves her finger at me again. "Just please promise me you two will be safe. Besides, I don’t think I could bear to watch my only son, and you, hanging off of a mountainside."
"I promise. We’ll be safe."
☀
Zion is one of my favorite places to rock climb. Normally, I climb by myself, but today there’s a team to help Sam. He’s all suited up; ready to go. I walk around him and check his gear and safety harness. I bend down and double check the braces on his legs.
"Are you sure you want to wear these for the climb today? You’re just now getting used to walking in them. Much less climbing a mountain."
"Yes. I’m fine. My physical therapist said it was a good idea. Can we just get going?" He looks up the side of the mountain with a huge smile on his face.
As always, I love his enthusiasm. "Are you not nervous about this at all?"
"I’ve wanted to do this for years, you know that. I’ve studied all your climbing videos. Read everything you have given me. Besides, I have you, and those climbing experts to help me. So no, I’m not afraid."
All the hooks, anchors, and ropes are in place. I start my climb first, but I don’t move too far ahead in case I need to help him. Sam follows me, flanked by two professional climbers. I see him turn on the Go camera I bought him. He wants to document everything and put it on Youtube.
I make it up the first leg without any issues. I sit on the ledge and watch Sam climb. His progression is slow, but he’s doing it. His braces scrape the rock as his climbs, and he fusses at one of the climbers for trying to help him too much. I am so proud of him. This is what a father must feel like, even if he is only eight years younger than me.
Sam reaches my ledge. "I made it."
I laugh. "You know we’re only halfway up the mountain."
"Thank you so much, August." He hugs me.
"Okay, enough of that. It’s going to take us until tomorrow to finish this climb if you don’t stop hugging me."
"Well, get your ass off this ledge and quit waiting for me. I may have to pass you."
I start climbing but look back to watch him scanning the majestic scenery with his camera. I’m glad that I could make this happen for him. He is pure joy to me.
☀
An hour later, I reach the top of the mountain. I take a long drink of water, and then pour some on my head. The heat is killer. As I squint into the glare off the mountains, I see two women a few feet away from me. Both are very fit looking. They must have just finished their own climb. One of them removes her helmet. She’s stunningly beautiful, with powder blue eyes. She smiles at me as she walks by, and my heart flutters— a wholly unusual feeling for me.
I keep watching her, but she doesn’t look at me again. She’s too busy watching the mountains. She makes me feel a little unsteady. Or maybe the heat is getting to me.
Sam is yelling at me. He’s almost to the top. I grasp his hand to help him with this last mighty effort. He wiggles over the edge and uses his powerful arms to prop himself in a sitting position. He sways as if he’s dancing while sitting down. "Whoop Whoop! I made it all the way to the top, man. Help me up. I want to walk around."
I help him stand on his braces and slowly, one step at a time he makes it to where we can get the best view. Fortunately, it's right beside that pretty blonde. She smiles up at me and congratulates Sam on his climb. She has the sexiest southern drawl. Sam starts flirting with her. I nudge him in the ribs and it doesn’t slow him down at all. She chats with him easily, as if she doesn’t have a care in the world, and I can do nothing but stare at those powder blue eyes. Woman don’t make me speechless, but this particular little blonde has me inarticulate.
She sticks her hand out and introduces herself to Sam. "I’m Nashville, and this is my friend Anna."
Instead of shaking her hand, Sam kisses it and bows to her. "It’s my pleasure to meet you, ladies. This is my tongue-tied friend August."
I want to push his ass off of this mountain, but I manage a "hello." She just smiles and continues paying attention to Sam. Finally, it seems like the small talk is all talked out, and they get ready to head back down the mountain.
"It was very nice to meet both of you,"Nashville says. She turns her back to us and focuses on her equipment.
"We need to get going too if we want to make it back down before dark."
He elbows me. "She was hot. You should have gotten her phone number, man."
"Who could ask anything with all that blabbering you were doing? Besides, what’s wrong with you, why didn’t you get her number for you? You seemed to like her?"
"I was just being nice. She’s not my type." He glances down at his legs.
"Sam, you can have any woman you want, don’t let anything get in your way." I pat his shoulder.
"I’m not man, I just think she would be perfect for you. I already have my eye on someone in my statistics class." He nudges me.
"I don’t have a type or time for a woman in my life."
"It might help get that stick out of your ass."
I laugh at him. "I’d rather spend time with you. Now let’s get the hell off this mountain before your mother sends out a search team."
"August." He grabs my arm.
"What?"
"Thank you for today."
"It was my pleasure," I say as I fasten his helmet.
☀
"Are you guys ready for him?" I call down to the climbing guides. They give me the thumbs up. As Sam maneuvers into position his brace gets caught on a rock.
"August, I’m stuck." He tugs at his leg with his hand.
"Hold on a minute. I’ll get it." I climb down to him and do my own tugging, but his leg is tightly wedged between two rocks. I tie myself off and tug harder. My hand somehow gets caught up in the metal workings of the brace, ripping a deep gash from just above my thumb downward to my wrist.
"Shit!I yell as blood rushes down my forearm.
Sam turns around to see what I’m yelling about. "I’m so sorry!"
"It’s not your fault," I say through gritted teeth. I grab a bandana from my bag and wrap it around my hand. Being left handed is going to make my climb down a little more difficult.
"You’re loose now, so try to move again."
"Are you going to be okay?"
"I’ll deal with it when our feet are on the ground."
☀
The climb down for Sam is much easier. The climbers built a pulley system for him. On the other hand, my hand is throbbing, and the bandana is soaked in blood. I leave bloody handprints in my wake. This time, Sam is waiting for me.
"How’s your hand?" He takes my hand at the wrist and turns it over.
"I don’t know. I haven’t looked at it since I wrapped it."
"Can I help?"
I hear that sweet southern drawl, and turn to stare into the big blue eyes of the pretty blonde woman from the precipice.
"I saw the blood path and thought I would see if I could help you," she says.
Once again, I’m dumbstruck.
She looks at me like she owes me an explanation. "I’m sorry…I forget to mention that I’m an ER nurse. I see a lot of trauma. Do you mind if I look at it?"
She asks sweetly through her pink lemonade colored lips.
I extend my hand and nod. She takes gloves from her backpack and gently unwraps my hand. She washes it out with water and I try not to wince.
"You’re going to need to have your hand scanned to make sure you didn’t sever any tendons. And you need a lot of stitches."
I hear nothing but the sound of my name on her lips. Everything after that was just noise. What the hell is wrong with me?
"August, did you hear what the pretty lady said?" asks Sam. "We need to take you to the hospital."
That jars me. I hate hospitals. Bad memories from long ago. Just the smell of a hospital is enough to remind me of the worst night of my life. I was only eight, but I can remember every detail. I shake my head to expel those old thoughts and feelings. "Nah," I say. "I’ll deal with it myself after we get you home."
Nashville raises her eyebrows. "I don’t think you can deal with this yourself. I wouldn’t wait too long. You need some antibiotics and if you wait, you won’t be able to get that sewn up."
"I’ll go as soon as I deliver him back home,"I say too firmly. Her eyes make me forget, just for a moment, why I hate hospitals. No one has ever had that effect on me.
"I actually volunteered to cover for someone for a couple hours tonight. Why don’t you meet me at Moab General after you get Sam home?"
"We’ll see," I say. I want to see her, but the idea is also terrifying. I feel confused, so I do what I always do when emotions start piling up. I get away from the source of them. "Sam, let’s get going. Your mom will be worried."
☀
I get Sam loaded into the car and get behind the wheel. "Why were you so rude to her, man?" He frowns. "She was just trying to help."
"I hate hospitals, besides, I have my own physician. He can assess what needs to be done." Once I’m away from her big blue eyes, the effect fades, and the old fear of hospitals creeps back.
"I’ve seen your doctor. He’s not near as pretty as that nurse."
"I don’t need a pretty little nurse. Just drop it." I glare at him.
"Suit yourself." He leans his head against the window and doesn’t utter another word until we make it home. Then he doesn’t shut up. He pulls his camera out as soon as we go through the door. He talks a mile a minute as he shows Claire the footage from his big day. Once he runs out of information about our climb, he starts in about my hand.
Claire walks over to look at it. She scowls. "Nasty. Wow. You need to go to the hospital."
"I’ll clean it up when I get home. It will be fine." I pull my hand away from her grasp.
"That’s not what Nashville said," Sam says with a smirk.
"Who’s Nashville?" Claire asks.
"Nobody," I say as I head for the door.
"Thank you for taking Sam today and for keeping him safe."
"You’re welcome. I’ll be back next week for his graduation." She follows me out.
"August?" She says from behind me.
I feel a lecture coming on. "What?"
"If that were Sam’s hand, what would you do?" She brushes my cheek.
Shit. Why did she have to play that card?" Okay, you win. After I change clothes I’ll get it looked at."
She kisses my cheek and walks toward the house. "I’ll check on you tomorrow."
Sam wheels into the doorway. The bastard flicks me off and laughs. I should have pushed him off the ledge when I had the chance.
CHAPTER TWO
August
My house has a gated entry and sits half a mile back onto my property. The view from every window: red mountains. Stella, my housekeeper, always has the place lit up like a landing strip. I’m not sure why, but I think she’s scared of intruders. I have a state of the art security system, designed by yours truly. I hit the garage door opener and slide my Jag into its pristine place. I head upstairs to check on the man who has made my life hell since I was eight years old. My father.
His aide stands as I enter the room. "Good evening, Mr. Rylan."
"How was he today?" I ask.
"The same as always. No problems."
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