Right Now (The Seduced Series)

Right Now

Book One of the Seduced Series

By Jackie McMahon

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, duplicated, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior written consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

©Text Copyright 2013 Jackie McMahon

This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in this novel are fictitious and are products of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual events, or locales or persons, living or dead are entirely coincidental.

The material contained inside this book contains sexually explicit situations and is intended for mature audiences only.

All persons created and portrayed in this book are 18 years of age or older.

Published by Hot Ink Press

And Imprint of Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing

www.hotinkbooks.com

Cover by
Rue Volley

This story follows two individuals from two comple
tely different backgrounds. One is a small time girl looking for a fresh start to life and finding her true inner self. The other is a man that has it all and then some but is not happy where life has taken him. Right now, something is going to change their lives forever. Some might call it lust or some might even say it was fate, but in all actuality it was destiny.

Chapter One

Strolling through the streets of a big city like N
ew York City surprisingly had a calming effect on me. The streets were buzzing, the cars honking and random people chatting away as I walk past them. It was almost spring but I couldn’t bring myself to care about the weather changing, but then again I thought to myself that I never really did care about the changing of the seasons. I smiled to myself as I thought about it more often, moving to New York was the riskiest and probably the best decision that I ever made. It’s been over five years since I left my small hometown of Staunton, Virginia. I will never forget the look on my mother and sister faces when I told them that I wanted to move out of this boring depressing town and move to a city as big as New York City. My older sister Jenifer wanted to come with me but I couldn’t let her, her whole life revolved around Staunton, besides this was something I had to do by myself. I needed some separation and a new start. My sister and I have never been separated, so for me moving was tough on the both of us.

The horns of
the cabs on the road snapped me back to reality; I was just around the corner to my apartment. I enjoyed walking, it gave me a chance to let my mind relax for a while and not worry about anything else. Once I made it to my apartment building and up the stairs to the third floor, I turned the key and opened the door.

“Home at last
,” I muttered to myself.

My apartment was not bad
for a twenty-seven year old single woman who lives in New York by herself nonetheless. It has a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, small but spacious living room and a small dining area, it wasn’t much but it was my sanctuary. Over the last few months I’ve really tried to put some effort into redecorating it but then again I had no one to impress. Choosing the apartment was an easy decision, it was open, modern and cozy all at the same time, it was just the way I like it. In a weird way it kind of reminded me of my home back in Staunton.

After a nice long hot bath I grabbed my
towel, wrap it around myself and made my way to my recliner that’s by the large window in the living room. The view of the cities lights and buildings was not bad from where I was sitting. I closed my eyes and let my mind wander again.

“I’m so proud of you,” said Rick my boyfriend at the time,
pulling me into a tight hug after the rain of graduation caps was over.

“Aren’t we all? Well done little sis
,” my older sister Jenifer chimed in.

“Thanks Jenifer,” I said giving her a hug too. “Where’s mom?” I could swear that she was around here a minute ago.

“She ran back home, she wanted to make sure everything was perfect for your party
,” Jenifer chuckled, knowing very well that the thought of a party annoyed the shit out of me.

“Someone
please kill me now!” I said hanging my head low, even though that was a request leaning towards a lost cause.

“Oh don’t be so dra
matic, it will be fun,” Rick flashed me an encouraging smile.

“
Okay fine,” I sighed. “But you owe me something fun later tonight,” I teased while batting my eyelashes.

“Yes ma’am
,” he says trying not to laugh at my failed plan of trying to seduce him.

“Come on love birds
! We don’t want to be late,” Jenifer says while patting her foot impatiently against the ground.

“Yeah right, heaven forbid that we should be late for our own party,” I said with a sarcastic tone in my voice. We all laughed as we made our way out of the school and down the school’s front entrance.

My eyes flashed open at the sudden pain of heartache in my chest. It’s been awhile since I’ve felt pain like this since I moved here. Sometimes it felt like it was gone completely but it would just creep its little ugly head back in and stun me when I least expected it too. When I didn’t feel pain, I didn’t necessary feel any happier either. My high school graduation was one of the best memories I’ve had, a time when life was so much less complex and harsh, a time when I was a happy teenager so eager to start conquering the world and then some. Everything started to change a few months later. We just finished high school when my boyfriend Rick was diagnosed with cancer. It shocked me and my family, but I for one was completely devastated. I couldn’t believe this could happen to one of the sweetest and loving men on the planet, he was my heart and soul since I was sixteen but then again when is life ever fair?

Rick
went on with life as if nothing happened, he didn’t want me to worry about him or treat him any differently. But I could see that he was putting on a show for me…When he grew too weak to the point where he couldn’t get out of bed anymore, I felt absolutely helpless. Rick was dying right in front of my eyes and there was nothing I could do to stop it from happening. Somewhere in the back of my head I kept hoping an angel would fall from the sky and cure him, or for him to jump up and say ‘Just kidding babe!’ When he died it felt like a part of me had died along with him, his death was hard but I took it even harder. He was not just my boyfriend; he was my friend, he was my everything and more. I mourned him but in time everyone that knew him started to accept and move on, but not me I was stuck, stuck in the past. Even now, watching the bright lights of the city flashing I come to wonder if I’m capable of ever moving on. I felt the tears start to sting my eyes, but this time I made no effort to try and prevent them from streaming down my face.

“I miss you Rick,” I whispered as I started to wipe my tear stained face and headed up to my bedroom to try to get a good nights worth of sleep before work tomorrow.

Chapter Two

I woke up to the sun hitting my face. I rolled over with a bad feeling in my stomach, like something big was going to happen,
a change was coming and I wasn’t going to like it. I groaned to the thought of it but decided that it could be nothing. I rolled out of bed then sat at the edge scratching my head. I let out a heavy sigh and headed into the bathroom for a nice hot shower to start the day right. Looking at myself in the mirror, feeling fresh and looking sharp, I grabbed my watch, threw it on and headed downstairs and out the door.  As I started my silver BMW, there was an immediate beeping sound that came from my touch screen monitor.

“Dennis my boy,” of course Colin Winters appears on my screen unexpectedly.

“Mr. Winters, to what do I owe the pleasure of your early morning call?” I asked smiling.

“Stop by at headquarters later today, we have important things we need to discuss,” he said.

“Is there a mission in the works?”

“Ah you see, this is why I like you Dennis,” he laughed. “You’re so perceptive and I like that about you.”

“I’ll take that as a yes then,” It wasn’t a question, I knew Colin a little too well.

“Come over and we’ll talk,” he added.

I
nodded in agreement then screen went blank. Colin is my CIA director, in charge of the undercover agents in my division. I’ve been serving the agency for quite a while now. When I was recruited as a young teenager, he was my trainer and mentor. He taught me everything that I know. So I guess that gives him the right to call a thirty-two year old man a boy, I guess to him it’s all that I’ll ever be in his eyes. I had to make a stop at work first; I didn’t need to check in everyday, I had a very capable team whom only would call me when it was absolutely necessary to come in. As I made my way through the main entrance of the Evers & Evers Communications, it was the one place that I lived closest to because we had branches all over the world I was required to travel to different branches on occasion. Once inside the building I was greeted with forced smiles and phony hellos, someone must’ve tipped them off that I was coming in today. Way to go and ruin my fun I thought bitterly to myself, I love seeing everyone’s faces when I make an unexpected visit. As I entered my office my assistant Stephanie Stevenson was waiting for me with my usual large Starbucks coffee.

“Good morning Mr. Evers,” she beamed while handing me my coffee.

“Morning to you too Stephanie, how are you?” I asked sipping the coffee and settling in my comfy leather chair.

“I’m good, thank you for asking. You’ve got a board meeting at 8 am,” she said, laying some files down on my desk.

“Thank you,” I said and started to go through the files.

S
he walked out after flashing me a brilliant smile. Stephanie is a sweet and ambitious young girl. I hired her because she was intelligent and had a great work ethic. She is able to keep up with me. It was a little awkward at first; she let me know about her feelings toward me very clear. I tried to let her down as easily as I could. I do not do the girlfriend thing, the life that I led wouldn’t allow me to have any emotional ties to anyone. Not that I ever wanted too, I guess she finally got the point that it wasn’t going to work out between us. I hope she knows that she was better off without me, she deserves to be loved by someone who would treat her right. I turned my chair and faced the big view my office had of the city, I wondered if being ‘Dennis Evers’ was a blessing or a curse. This lifestyle and the success meant nothing to me. I turned my chair and faced the big view my office had of the city, sometimes it was much easier being the billionaire playboy who owns their own company than being a badass CIA agent. There both nothing compared to what I really wanted… someone to share my hopes and dreams with.

“It’s time,” Stephanie says through the intercom as she pulled me out of my daydream.

“Thank you,” I got up and strolled through the door not before closing the door behind me.

After my meeting I decided to go see Colin at Headquarters. I drove across the city
through Monday afternoon traffic. I park into the parking lot then headed toward one of the older buildings where Colin’s office is located. I walked to the far end of the building complex. As I entered through the double doors of the building I flashed my identification card at the two agents standing on the inside of the room.

“Welcome Agent Evers,” one of the men said as I entered into the room. I walked through as a young man started to approach me looking like he’s just seen a ghost

“H-hello Agent Evers,” he mumbled. “I can’t believe I’m finally meeting you, you’re a fucking legend and I’m a huge fan of your work you’ve done here at the agency.” I narrowed my eyes and looked closely at him. I’ve never met him before he’s probably new, a rookie even.

“Um thanks….” I said as his eyes bulged as he realized he didn’t introduce himself to me.

“Payne, William Payne sir,” he said as he offered me his hand.

“Well thank you Agent Payne, it’s nice to meet you too,” I say while shaking his hand not really knowing what else to say to him.

I walked awa
y quickly trying to avoid any other odd greetings from other Agents. Colin usual assigned me missions anytime and anywhere, so I didn’t understand why I had to be here. It couldn’t be serious, being an Agent as long as I have I’ve seen just about everything and anything. I knocked on Colin’s glass door that’s on the far side of the east wing, to try and catch his attention.

“Go Away! I’m busy,” he yelled with his head down through the closed door. When he lifted his head to see who was knocking his whole body language changed from annoyed to ecstatic in seconds. “Dennis!” He said enthusiastically as he waved me in. “I’m glad you made it down here today,” he said as he got up out of his chair and gave me a pat on my shoulder. “Looking sharp as always,” he chuckled taking his seat again. “Close the door and take a seat…we’ve got a problem.”

Colin started to e
xplain to me that Benny Nolans, a criminal mastermind had escaped from a federal penitentiary facility and is now after red mercury. Red mercury is described as a ‘ballotechnic,’ a substance that produces immense pressure when ignited and therefore seems to combine with several different substances to make a powerful bomb. The CIA has to capture him at all costs and keep what he wants out of his reach.

“I don’t unders
tand how I fit into this puzzle?” I asked while trying to make some sense out of this situation. “And where is this red mercury? Do you have it?”

Colin
turned on his computer monitor and a picture of a girl popped up on the screen along with some information about her.

“This is Angelina Marie Moore, she’s originally from Virginia but recently moved to the New York area,” Colin said. “And that,” he pointed to a red stone on her ring she wore on her right hand. “This is what he is looking for.”

“You’re kidding me right?”
I say with a slight amused tone to my voice.

“I wish I was Dennis,” he said slumping back into his chair.

“Why don’t you get the girl and retrieve the stone from the ring while I go after Benny,” I said.

“I wish it was that simple,” he let out a loud exasperated sigh
. “This ring cannot be retrieved without hurting or killing her. It’s known as an old accent relic ring dating back who knows when and as history says who ever has possession of this relic it will mend with the owner’s DNA. It’s just as important as her heart or brain in a logical kind of way.” I stood there frozen in place. I could hear Colin but I couldn’t begin to comprehend what he was telling me.

“How?” That was all I could spit out at the moment.

“Right now we don’t know for certain. All we know is that her grandfather gave it to her when she was younger and told her to never take it off and that it will one day protect her.”

“Do you think her grandfather knew of its potential power it holds?” I asked, feeling a little crazy for thinking about what kind of power a ring could hold.

“I don’t know, we’re still investigating that matter. All we know is that Benny is convinced that it’s real and that it’s worth to fight for,” he says as his eyes narrowed in concentration of the thought that this just might be something big, bigger than anyone has ever seen. “He will stop at nothing to get it, even killing her in the process.”

“This is crazy!” I yelled as my fist came down on the desk. “Are you even hearing yourself right now? Even if it is true how could a tiny stone contain so much power into one little ring? Let alone have it mend to this poor girl’s life! Excuse me for talking out of line but this is supernatural shit right here,” Colin waited for me to come down before he began again.

“Be as it may sound, we have to take action and that’s where you come in,” he said. “You must get the girl and keep her safe while we hunt down Benny.”

“No,” I shook my head. “I already did a protection service gig once before; I’m not going back there again. Get someone else to do it because I’m not.”

“I know Dennis, but there’s no one else that we can trust with this. All of the other Elite Agents are busy with their own current missions,” he looked at me straight into my eyes like he was trying to plead to me. I groaned and shook my head. “Look,” he said putting his hands up in defense. “Protect her just for a couple of weeks that’s all I’m asking. Just until we get Benny, then we can erase both of their memories. They will both never know she was with you or about the ring that way she’ll be safe. With that no one will know about that ring except you and me.” I had to admit that it sounded like a good plan but it was a good plan just for the moment.

“Fine,” I grumbled to him. “I’ll do it, but you owe me big time, babysitting a young girl who looks not much older than a teenager.”

“Oh no, she’s not a teenager
,” he said pushing down a button on the computer keyboard. A picture of a woman appeared on the screen. “She’s twenty-seven, I’ll email you the information on where she lives and works as well.”

I zoned out the sound of Colin’s voice
, all my attention was on the beautiful woman in the picture that was on the computer monitor. She had short dark brown hair with some red highlights in it, big gorgeous brown eyes, fair skin, sexy full lips and a petite but curvy figure that was irresistible to look at. Beautiful doesn’t compare to what she looked…she was absolutely stunning. Colin must’ve seen something in my change of expression because he had to cough to get my attention.

“She’s quite something, isn’t she?”

“Yes she is,” I choked out as I tore my eyes from the screen to look back at him.

“I don’t need to worry about you getting distracted?” He asked.

“No,” I said firmly to him.

I’ve dealt with women like Angelina my whole life and as far as I could remember she wasn’t any different from the others. Except for what was going to happen to her if I failed on protecting her. Colin thanked me and promised to email the information as soon as he receives it. This is going to be a long next few weeks I thought to myself as I turned to leave Colin’s office.
The only question now is how the hell am I going to convince her to come and stay with me without blowing my cover?