Presley Brookmore was bullied by her older half-brother Odin and his two best friends Cruz and Anderson, all of her life. They made it their life mission to humiliate her at every turn. Was it her fault her father carried on an affair with her mother who got pregnant with her and wrecked Odin’s idyllic life? She didn’t think so but apparently, Odin and his cronies did, and so they bullied her at every turn. When an opportunity to get back at Odin’s best friend Cruz Hawley presents itself in a serendipitous moment, she doesn’t let it slip away. Taking full advantage of the fact as a billionaire, an attractive one at that, all eyes are on him and people are snapping photos and videos of the celebrity in the restaurant, she makes a scene straight out a daytime soap opera. Cruz Hawley returned to Vancouver with the intent to take his billion-dollar medical equipment company to the next level. When his childhood best friend’s younger sister pops out of the woodwork and not only destroys his chance at a connection with a client, but makes him a social media sensation, his businesses take the hit. Cruz is going to teach the troublemaker a lesson but it’s his heart on the line when he finds himself looking forward to every challenge she is presenting. It’s win, lose, or draw and as a former Olympian, there is no way he can lose. Let the game of hearts begin. Winner takes all.
Lihat lebih banyakPresley Brookmore wasn’t one to let an opportunity pass her by. All of her life her older brother Odin and his two best friends Cruz Hawley and Anderson Oak did everything they could to terrorize her. Everything from jumping on her sandcastles when she was a little girl to making fun of her when she got her braces at ten to interrupting her first kiss when was thirteen.
It was the first kiss which was on her mind now. While Odin and Anderson were always just on the right side of going too far, it was Cruz who didn’t just straddle the line, he hopped over it with vengeance. Cruz always took their games too far and if she wasn’t crying, he wasn’t laughing, and man did that boy love to laugh.
She cocked her head to the side as she and her two friends, Sloane, Anderson’s little sister, and Halima were sitting in a restaurant. One might argue it purely happenstance which put them in the same restaurant as Cruz Hawley, but Presley was certain it was fate.
“I haven’t seen him in like five, six years since he moved away. Anderson said he was back in Vancouver now. He moved back home about two months ago but I haven’t seen him even once,” Sloane nodded her head. “I swear to God he’s even bigger now than he was back then.”
“He’s like a silverback gorilla.” Halima grunted.
“He drags his knuckles like one too,” Presley nodded. She looked at Sloane, “did you get into your brother’s chat yet or not? I want to know if this date of his is important.”
“Does it matter?” Halima shot an annoyed glance at the couple who were clearly on a date across the room. “You can tell from his body language and hers, they’re fucking tonight.”
“Remember when they interrupted my first kiss?” Presley thought back to Jason Whitman in eighth grade at the school dance and how when they pressed their lips together, Cruz who was helping her brother DJ the event, put the spotlight right on the swaying couple on the dance floor, grabbed a mic and gave the school her nickname which stuck straight through to college.
Sloane used her fork to pretend she was speaking into it and mimicked Cruz’s voice, “aw look little red Ladybird is locking lips with the nerd. Shouldn’t there be teachers making sure their braces don’t get locked together?”
“Then he let out the piercing whistle to get the teacher’s attention. Asshole.” Halima muttered.
“Still not as bad as your graduation ceremony when the three of them were wearing bright red wigs screaming from the stands how they didn’t think you would do it.”
“I thought your mother was going to kill them.” Halima echoed Sloane’s grunt. “They were twenty-five-year-old men still acting like frat boys.”
“Jokes on them. They’re now all thirty-two and they couldn’t have a meaningful relationship if their life depended on it.” Presley was glaring at the man aware every other person in the restaurant was also ogling him because it was a sight to see the billionaire out on a date. He may as well be a movie star the way people were staring. More than one person focused their phone’s cameras at him.
“Ooh,” Sloane giggled, “I’m in. I figured out the loser’s password. It’s eight inches all one word. I’ve seen my brother naked more than once from all the girls he used to sneak into skinny dip in my parents’ pool. In his dreams is it eight inches.”
“He’s probably taking eight inches from Cruz,” Presley snorted. “The man has big dick energy, and we know he’s packing. Too bad it’s wasted on him.”
“Apparently this is his third date with this girl. He said her father is one of his clients and he’s really hoping to seal the deal tonight, in more ways than one.” Sloane revealed.
“Douche canoe.” Presley licked the back of her spoon, enjoying the last taste of the chocolate mousse they’d shared for dessert. “I know what I’m doing but can you settle the bill, call the uber and be ready to leave with me?”
“Oh god. Yes. What are you doing?”
“I’m going to fuck up this date so bad he’s going to regret ever toying with me growing up.”
“What was his deal anyway?” Halima asked angrily.
“He’s Odin’s ride or die. The minute Odin was pissed off his father got my mom pregnant before he was even divorced from his wife, he hated me and wanted to make my life a living hell. They have tortured and tormented me my entire life because Odin’s mom cried or something. Was my mom smart to fuck around with a married man? No. Are they still together, going strong and the absolute picture of true love, absolutely. Even Odin’s mom is friends with them again. She and Mom go to yoga and book club together and I had lunch with them a few weekends ago at the mall. She got over it, but Odin never did. Cruz has his buddy’s back.”
“We know all this but it’s not like you did anything personal to him.”
“Well, aside from the itching powder in their jockstraps before the rugby game when I was six.”
“Which was because they ripped up all the paintings your mom put on the fridge.”
“Or the time I poured sugar in Cruz’s gas tank of his dirt bike when I was eight and his glorified moped literally seized in my dad’s driveway.”
“Yes, but you did it because the three of them burned your dollhouse in the firepit.”
“Dad bought me a bigger and better one, so fuck you Odin,” she whispered under her breath.
“Oh, what about the time they came home from college second year because your dad was letting them borrow the cabin and they were leaving from your place, and you added the ghost pepper sauce to all three of their shampoo bottles and it got in their eyes.”
“I was fifteen and it was a stroke of genius. It ruined their entire weekend up at the cabin. Their poor girlfriends probably didn’t get laid once since they were in so much pain.” She reveled in the memory.
Halima was using her phone to scan the QR code on the table to virtually pay their tab. “Paid!”
“Sweet. Let’s do this.” She stood up lifted her chin and then, feeling the rush of power, her friends were sending her through their giggling cheers as they raced to the front of the restaurant to watch from a safe distance, she hiked her boobs up in her little black dress and marched towards Cruz Hawley.
He was so caught up in the conversation with the woman he didn’t even notice her. His fingers lightly tracing the back of the blonde woman’s hand on the tabletop, his lips in a hint of a smile as he listened to her. Drawing closer she heard the woman’s voice, and it was babyish and whiny. She almost retreated from the way it pierced her eardrums, but she carried on.
Grabbing his glass of red wine off the table she flung it in his face, “Cruz Henry Hawley you are a lying sack of shit. This,” she raised her voice loudly as he pushed back from his chair in horror as red wine dripped off his face onto his pale blue shirt, “bimbo is why you left me this morning?”
“The fuck? Ladybird?” Recognition coated his features. “What the hell are you doing?”
“This, this woman is why you left me in the abortion clinic all alone with no support? Thanks for paying the bill by the way, but to make me take a taxi home, all alone?” she sniffed dramatically as his mouth dropped open in stunned disbelief at her accusation. “How dare you? You said you didn’t want to have a baby, but I thought in general. I didn’t think you meant mine specifically. I did the procedure just this morning and my girlfriends brought me out because you ghosted me in an abortion clinic after six years together and I stumble across this little scene?”
“I swear to god,” he gritted through his teeth as he glared at her, “I’m going to wring your neck.”
“Fuck you. Wring my neck?” she said it loudly. “You’ll never be able to physically abuse me again. All the steroids you took to play rugby makes you a mean son of bitch but you’re no longer my problem anymore. I hope you choke on a dick and die!”
“What is going on? You made her get an abortion?” the blonde was wide eyed as her eyes darted between Presley and Cruz.
“Be careful of big buff billionaires who lie and cheat to get what they want. Let me guess, your dad is one of his clients? I’ve put up with this shit so many times where you tell me, it’s only for work,” she mocked his voice. “Lies!” she grabbed the other wine glass on the table and flung it too. She was struggling not to laugh at his face. “I hate you Cruz Hawley, may all the abuse you ever inflicted on me come back and bite you ten-fold on the ass. Oh,” she looked back to the girl, “and if you’re all excited about the sex, don’t be. I know you heard me mention the steroids, it didn’t affect his size, but he needs to chew little blue pills like smarties just to get it up.” She stepped back and lifted her chin, happy she’d delivered the equivalent of a sucker punch with her impromptu spiel, “if you ever come near me again, I’m calling the police. You know what they said last time when my arm got broken!”
“Your arm getting broken was an accident,” she knew he was remembering the time he was sixteen and she was nine and he backed up his new car and hit her while she was driving her bicycle in the driveway. She’d spent an entire summer in a cast.
“Whatever you tell yourself,” she huffed, “I never want to see you again.”
She spun on her heel and made a beeline for the girls who were waving her frantically towards them.
“The ride share is here but holy fuck that was impressive.” Halima was snort-laughing as she dragged Presley across the street into the waiting car with Sloane hot on their heels.
“Remind me never to get on your bad side” Sloane chortled.
They watched through the back window of the car while the car pulled away from the curb and the man came racing out of the restaurant stained with red wine and furious expression on his face.
“Take that Cruz Hawley. Take that,” she dusted her hands together and smiled brightly. She might have waited a lifetime for it, but revenge was never so sweet.
“Do you Cruz Henry Hawley take Presley Marie Brookmore to be your lawfully wedded wife?”The preachers words droned on as Presley sobbed through the vows playing on the screen in front of her. It had been eighteen months since she and Cruz married in a huge ceremony with nearly two hundred people in attendance. Cruz swore he didn’t know ninety percent of their guests, but she didn’t care. She wore the big princess gown, a tiara encrusted with real diamonds and felt like queen for the day.She looked to the eight-month-old baby in her arms staring at her while she nursed, and the blue eyes were fixed on her face. She cuddled the baby, sniffing, “do you see, little Genevieve how much Daddy loved Mommy on our wedding day? He was even crying. Look, there are tears on his face as he promises to love me forever. Liar.”The sound of Cruz’s footsteps coming up behind her on the sofa as he put a glass of special tea on the side table made Presley’s chin lift up proudly.“Ladybird, you’re being
Curled up on the sofa with the kitten in her hand, Presley knew today was probably the hardest day she’d ever spent in her life. Giving her parents ultimatums hurt almost as much as realizing she actually needed to do it.Cruz set a cup of tea on the side table next to her and sat down beside her. “Are you okay?” Pushing a strand of hair off her cheek to tuck behind her ear, he stared sadly at her. “I know today was hard.”“It really sucked, Cruz.”“I know.” He watched her stroking the kitten on her lap who was purring loudly. “She loves you.”“She is such a cuddle bug.”“She is.” He agreed.“Why couldn’t I have been born in a normal family where people actually cared for me? What was wrong with me they couldn’t simply do what parents do, or brothers do and just love me?”The words fell from her lips before she could stop them, and they were quickly followed by a choking sob as she stuffed her fist against her lips and squeezed her eyes shut.“Hey,” he pulled her and the kitten straig
Entering her parents’ home, with Cruz holding her hand, Presley felt incredibly nervous. She’d asked them, along with Marsha to meet here to talk. Marsha’s car was in the yard, already arriving ahead of her and she knew it was because the woman wanted to know if there was an update on Odin.She followed the quiet sounds of chatter into the living room, Cruz’s presence a wordless support for the confrontation she knew was about to happen. The only way she could move forward with her life, and having her parents in it, especially her father, was for them to understand she wasn’t letting them give Odin a clear berth any longer to do the shit he’d been doing since her birth.“There she is,” Scarlett was up on her feet the minute she caught movement in the doorway and moved to hug Presley. She squeezed her tight. “I missed you. I used to see you several times a week and it feels like I’ve only seen you a couple of times in the last month or so.” She cupped Presley’s cheeks, “you look tired,
Cruz left the room with Presley and Anderson, unsure who he was feeling more concerned about. Both of the people he loved most in the world were hurting and he wasn’t sure who needed his help more.Presley slipped her hand into his and leaned her head against his shoulder and twisted her lips sideways. He recognized the expression as one she made when she was struggling with what to say and was thinking about her next words.Anderson though, walking on the other side of him was unusually stoic, nothing to say and pensive. His features were schooled into a mask Cruz never saw on his friend before and it was causing Cruz to be very worried for whatever thoughts were going on in his head.“Did I make a mistake?” Presley suddenly blurted out.“You think he should have been set free?” Anderson finally spoke with a raised eyebrow.“No.”The impact of her words made Anderson stumble and Cruz’s feet come to a grinding halt.“Presley! He’s your brother. He said he was sorry.”“I don’t know if
Presley stood outside the room where Odin was being detained for a long time simply staring at the door. Cruz, Anderson and Belkin stood with her, saying nothing but supporting her quietly with their presence.“I don’t know if I can do this.”“You’ve confronted him many times over the years, Ladybird,” Cruz said quietly as he rested his hand on her shoulder. “Hell, you confronted him twice in France. There isn’t much more he can tell you today he’s not already told you.”“Did he say anything when you picked him up?”“Nothing. He’s been silent. Not a word.” Belkin shook his head. “We made sure his medical treatment continued until he was brought here. There was a physician and two nurses and a physiatrist who worked with him in the ship’s medical bay. He’s still got a long way to go after the damage Liborio caused to him however he’s in pretty damn good physical condition compared to when you last saw him. He’s breathing on his own now.”“How can I hate and love someone so much at the
Entering the holding cell where Estrella was being detained was meant to prepare Presley for being strong when she entered Odin’s space. It was Rami and Belkin’s idea. She wasn’t prepared though to see Belkin in the room as well and the difference in the man in front of her compared to the one she knew very well was causing her footsteps to falter.He was what the movies portrayed the evil villain in a psychological thriller would look like. In her opinion this man, this version of Belkin in front of her, if she’d met him before the one who rescued her, she would have been pissing in her boots. He was scarier than Liborio ever was to her. It was clear Estrella was feeling the same way, despite her earlier introduction to him on the ship. The playful yet angry man from the day Presley was rescued was nothing like the one here.“Good morning,” Presley nodded at him. “Belkin, I see you and the Mechanic have made yourselves comfortable and my guest quite uncomfortable.” Presley pulled a c
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