CHAPTER 1

I was a child again, feeling his dirty hands on me, groping at my clothes while forcing my legs apart. The image shifted and I was driving a knife into his body over and over and over again

I woke up gasping for breath, it’s really crazy how These nightmares started again a month ago, so I’ve been drowning myself in wine and men, it helps for the most part, but it is crazy. First thing I noticed after jerking awake was the killer headache I was sporting, second thing I noticed, was that there was a stranger in my bed. I stared long and hard at his face…. what was his name again? Jake? …..Zeke? Ugh dang it!

“Hey wake up!” I said while shaking him violently, “ Hey babe” came the reply, I was staring at brown eyes and the brown eyes were roaming my naked body. Le sigh, we’re doing this again.

“Call me babe one more time and I just might pluck out those eyes of yours, check the drawer on your side of the bed, get some cash and get the hell out of my building” I said, slowly and softly as I didn’t want to increase my headache.

“ I don’t need your money! What do you take me for? Sex for hire?” He was angry, that’s odd.

“Isn’t that what you are?” I stared at him with obvious confusion “look John…..” “it’s Kyle…..” “whatever, just get out” I added.

He was still there, why was he still here? I just told him to get out and I need to get coffee and get my day started. I sighed again and grabbed the gun on my bedside drawer and cocked it, he was out the door before I was done contemplating where his entry wound would be.

************

A long bath and three cups of coffee later, I was just sitting on my patio, doing absolutely nothing and just enjoying the breeze when my phone rang.

I picked it up and heard my mother’s silky voice on the other side of the line. “ Hello Devonne” “Hello mother” I replied with a silly grin on my face.

“It’s nice hearing from you again Devonne, considering you found it best in your interest to flee the house on the night I decide to introduce my fiancé to you and your siblings” She said, her voice was still soft but I could here her breaths becoming shorter with each word she uttered

“Mother darling, the last two times you tried to get me a stepdad I got raped and then I got sent to juvey after I drove a knife into one’s heart 15 times, yes mother, I counted, then I was shipped off to a mental hospital after I opened gunfire at your wedding with my beloved husband’s father whom I now hate by the way, I can’t quite trust your taste in men just yet, and you must understand that and forgive me” I paused “ and remember that I love you and wish you all the happiness in the world, but right now, I’m having fun in Hawaii, you should send Bri and Josh over sometime” I added before hanging up and putting my phone on DND.

Now I know why the nightmares came back, I scowled.

It’s been 10 years, I’m 26 now, or I will be in a couple of weeks anyway, but I’m still haunted by the nightmares of the 16 year old that I used to be.

I brought out my phone again and dialed a number,

“ You’re a hard woman to find Devonne” Nathan said, I could almost picture him scowling, I chuckled.

I walked through the halls of my new house and studied the painted portrait of myself that I’d had made just a few days back, the artist knew what he was doing for sure, He gave particular attention to my midnight dark hair and my green eyes, he got my pointed nose right, my heart shaped face too! I never really had time to look at it after I had it hung up. He had however made my lips really red. I looked More devilish than divine as I was named. I squinted and I noticed that he’d painted my tattoo as well. Guess he gave me more than my money’s worth.

My mother wouldn’t give up, “mom I’m not flying over two thousand miles to see your boyfriend. I’m on vacation!”

“The least you can do is support me, I’m your mother!”

“ and no one is denying that fact”

Just then my office phone started ringing on the other end of the house, it was like my head was on fire, why did I decide to involve any piece of technology on this vacation again?

“ Devonne here, who’s this?” “Boss you’re needed here in Cali, the magazines won’t stop coming, the investors are also loosing patience”

I pinched the bridge of my nose

“Why do I have all you workers there if you can’t handle stuff like this!”

“We would but, they’re asking to see you and would not negotiate with anyone else”

I groaned in annoyance,

“Tell Sansa to book my flight and email me the details” I said before hanging up, my headache magnifying to a solid times ten. Looks like we’re meeting the boyfriend after all.

*A week later*

The Devin Resort and Suites is crowded as, the CEO and multi-billionaire Devonne Marchetti walks in, ladies and gentlemen, this is the biggest aunction event in the city and history of California, and Devonne has been known to win it every year, hence her large chain of properties and businesses.

I have always hated these events, but they’re profitable eh? I wasn’t here to aunction for anything though, just here to meet with a potential investor and get all of this over with. I just don’t know why the idiot wouldn’t meet in an office like every other business person I know.

Annoying fact? I don’t even know what the dickwad looks like.

I smiled politely at everyone who greeted me at the event, even stopping for a few conversations and grabbing a glass of champagne in one hand and a much needed glass of wine in the other. It isn’t until another hour before the aunction starts so I decided to head to one of the numerous balconies in this place, that also happens to be mine, by partnership anyway or something like that, but I guess nobody needs to know that.

I set the glass of champagne down for a second and decided to drink the wine first, only to have it scooped up by a large hand.