New romance, second chances, dire consequences
and a possessive billionaire that doesn't want to give up.
Follow Brinely Sutton through heartache and difficult decisions that could change her life for BETTER or WORSE.
Full blurb to follow soon...
"What a day from hell!" I moan out loud to a shiny empty lobby. After a month of working my ass off, finding out last minute that my entire career is in the hands of a rich boy with a God complex is not what I had in mind when I agreed to take over transitioning the company. I got the news from Mr. Barren exactly thirty days ago that he was going to be retiring early. Reason for that is because his wife wanted to move back to Italy to be with family and she didn't want to wait another three years. So, he decided to sell the company and all of his assets here in the states and retire in the country side to eat pasta and take long naps by the olive trees. It's not my idea of a riveting retirement, then again what do I know?
I've never been out of the country, or even the state for that matter. My first time out of the city I grew up in will be this weekend for my sister's wedding. I just have to get through this last meeting tomorrow and whichever way it turns out, I'll be glad that it's behind me by the time I get on the plane.
I slide my key into the deadbolt and unlock the door to my apartment then quickly dump all of my shopping bags on the kitchen floor. Quickly putting the perishable food in the fridge and deciding to bother with the rest later, I pour myself some left over wine that's been in there since the last time my sister visited a few months ago. After the last few days of chaos at the office, I wish I was already on my way to see her.
All I have to do is get through this one last meeting tomorrow, and then I can forget about work, the meeting, and any obligations that will be waiting for me when I get back. I'm so looking forward to these two weeks of vacation; that I somehow managed to get even with everything going on at work right now. But no matter what, I wasn't going to miss my sister's wedding.
My phone suddenly rings when I'm about to strip for a shower, so I walk over to the bedside table to see who it is. Speak of the devil.
"Hey Layla." I say when I answer.
"Brin! OH MYGOD! Why haven't you answered your phone? I've been texting you all day!" She screeches into the speaker and nearly deafens me, so I quickly jerk the phone away from my ear for a second until she stops her incessant rambling.
"Layla, I just walked in the door like thirty seconds ago, I haven't had time all day to sit down let alone answer the twenty- three texts you sent me." I explain and let out an exhausted breath. The line is quiet for a second until I hear Layla let out a heavy sigh.
"Brin, I'm sorry, I just wish you were here already. I'm up to my ears with everything and I just wanted my sister here with me for the most important day of my life." She whines. Like a little kid does when they don't get their way and are about to throw a temper tantrum. Layla isn't usually like this, but I can understand how she must feel given the fact that she's getting married in two days and I'm supposed to be there for her through all of it, as her sister and her Matron of Honor.
"I know, I'm sorry, but I promise I'll be there first thing Saturday morning. I'm taking the red eye tomorrow so I'll be there in plenty of time before the ceremony.
"Why couldn't your boss just give you the week off? I really don't like that old man." She pouts again, knowing full well why I couldn't leave any sooner. We have had this conversation three other times this month. I couldn't help that my boss suddenly decided to retire and fast track selling the company. I have to be at this meeting tomorrow, or I risk losing everything that I have worked towards for the last two years.
"Layla, can you do me a favor right now?" I plead. Before she can answer, I follow up with telling her what I want her to do. "Can you please just relax and trust me when I say I'm going to be there? I'm sorry I'm not able to get there until then, but you have Cami, and Shelly, not to mention Christian's sister Morgan. Who if I recall, you said was an Angel when it came to getting their mother to butt out of the wedding plans? So, I'm sure you will be just fine for another day without me." I calmly reassure her. Hoping she just chills out so I can get to sleep sometime tonight before I end up passing out in front of my new boss tomorrow.
"I know, you're right. I'm just freaking out." She agrees. Knowing full well when I say I'm going to do something, I follow through, so she doesn't need to worry.
"Also..." Oh no here it goes. I knew there was another reason why she was calling. I know when Layla starts any sentence off like that, she's going to tell me something that I either don't want to hear, or something she knows I'm not going to agree with.
"Layla, what did you do?" I ask, uneasily.
"Nothing, nothing." She says naively. "Just that I knew you weren't coming with a date since, well you know, you and Roman broke up, so I kind of told Morgan's friend that is by the way, also single that you would be more than happy to be paired with him for the ceremony." I could kill my sister right now. If I were next to her, I would wrap my hands around her neck and strangle the life right out of her. But I'm not, and I love my sister, so I grit my teeth and keep my words stuffed deep down inside of me for the sake of our relationship.
"Oh?" I say. Trying my best not to sound irritated with her for trying to set me up on yet another date after specifically telling her I wasn't going to be interested in dating anyone for a very long time. After the tediously long and messy breakup from Roman, I'm not willing to put myself through anything like that ever again. And definitely not five months after.
"Yeah so, just thought I'd let you know. He's a good friend of Christian's family, and he's a really nice guy. Maybe he can, I don't know, help you get over Rom..."
"Don't say his name please." I shortly plead. And quickly change the subject before she tries to marry me off to this guy that I know absolutely nothing about. I know she's only trying to help but Layla's dream would be for us to be married off at the same time, with our dream men, and then have millions of their babies. We already have a close relationship; I don't see why we need to do everything at exactly the same time.
If I'm being honest, I don't ever see myself getting married and having kids anyway. I never really thought about it. And it doesn't bother me. I have my career to worry about right now. I don't need or want to entertain any distractions. After Roman, I don't see myself ever trusting another guy like I trusted him anyway, so what's the point?
"Okay well, I have to go. You know, wedding stuff. We're setting up the last of the reception hall décor and I want to make sure everything is the way I paid for it to be."
"Alright sis, I'll see you Saturday. Give mom and dad my love." I tell her.
"Will do, love you Brinley." Layla says and draws out the last syllable of my name how she always does when she wants to make nice.
"Love you too Layla." I say, happy to end the call on a semi-lighter note.
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Hello lovelies. It's so nice to be updating again, and with a new book. I've been busy behind the scenes and then took a much needed break. Editing warped my brain so it's been more difficult than I anticipated to get back into actually writing a coherent thought after publishing. Anyway, this romance story is giving me a nice change in genre so I have some new ideas starting to slowly flow. I hope you enjoy this first chapter of DELIVER ME. Full blurb will follow soon, as I am terrible at summarization. :)
