Rising Up: Finding Me book 1 (2 page)

Mason

Four weeks earlier

Storming out of his apartment and into Lake’s, slamming his door hard behind me.  I can feel my rage racing through my body and clouding my mind.

“That’s it.  No more women!  That bitch, three fucking years wasted on her!  I’m mean shit, she doesn’t have a job, she drives a fucking Mercedes that I pay for, and she has my credit cards in her wallet,”

I’m pacing Lake’s floor and when I look at him he’s trying to hold back a laugh.  “It’s not funny Asshole.  Christ I’m so angry.”  My hands are over my face and then up through my hair as I’m trying to calm down.

“Okay Mase, I get that Lauren has done something, but what?  Did she forget your dry cleaning again or manage to burn water?”  Lake stands and walks to the kitchen and brings out two beers, and damn I need one.

“I’ll tell you.  She’s in my bed with her legs round some other fucker’s neck.  So she’s out, out of the apartment, out of my bank account and, most importantly, out of my life.  So I’ve had enough, no more fucking scheming cheating lazy-assed women.”

“Yeah, okay Mason, that isn’t gonna last long and you know it.”  He’s laughing again and chugs the last of his beer down.  “C’mon let’s got to the bar.”

Just as we leave the building, Lake nudges me and I look up and see my now very ex-girlfriend, struggling to get all her clothes into the trunk of the cab, and I feel empty. 

My life isn’t supposed to be like this, shit, Lake and I have worked our asses off getting a shit-hot team of attorneys together and proving ourselves in the courts, so why has my personal life become so shitty.

When I get back in, and see that before she left, Lauren had managed she’d wrecked my bedroom, there was aftershave and lotions all over the bed and the closets had been trashed and the bathroom was the worst with broken glass from the shower surround and smashed mirrors, the kitchen didn’t fair too well either. 

I’m stood in the middle of what was my life and shake my head, I’m a good guy, I deserve a woman who loves me and lets me love her back but that doesn’t seem to be happening, maybe they only exist in films or books, fucking fairy tales have a lot to answer for, so no more women for me.

After a sleepless night in the spare bedroom, I spend the morning calling bathroom fitters and then out shopping for a new bed, and new clothes, after she had managed to trample on and ruin everything I owned as well as myself.  When I eventually sit down with a beer I reflect back on the wasted years and reiterate to myself ‘No more women’.

“
If nothing changed there’d be no butterflies.” Unknown Author

Imogen

“Shit Ginny, we're here, we've actually done it.  Hell girl, this is going to the start of good things, I can feel it.”  Maddie looked across to her best friend and smiled. 

I love that Mel agreed to move with me, and was happy to change her identity too, she couldn't wait to get away from her crappy life, we have sworn to never using our old names again.  These last few months have been chaotic, the level of secrecy has been difficult to maintain, but I believe it has worked.  Vanessa worked tirelessly with me to ensure I was healthy, and had a safe exit, and I owe her so much. 

“I hope you're right Mads 'cause I sure burnt my bridges at home, when they realize I'm gone, my mother will go bat crap crazy, she'll never forgive me for leaving, and Dad will just go along with her bullying.”

“Yeah, but if you'd told them what was really going on between you and Jake then they would have been the first to shove you on an outbound plane.” 

Maddie is wandering around our new home opening cupboards and drawers, checking everything out.

“They thought the sun shone out of his arse, so trying to explain his violent streak as well as being a manipulative, controlling and cheating bastard, they just never listened and always took his side. You know the drill 'Oh but he's so handsome Heidi, you're lucky to have him' and 'He's got such a good job, he's a star Heidi.' Like I give a fuck if he's rich and famous, he's still a twat.”

We both got positions at a hot-shot law firm, Maddie is going to be working in the media department managing press releases, handling the press on high profile cases and stuff that I don’t really understand, but she loves it.  I have a Master’s in business and will be reshaping and restructuring the junior teams and the office staff, although it is going to be challenging, I am excited to start. 

We have a year’s contract, but an option to extend if we are successful in our positions. 

Four months ago when we first started to plan this move, we only wanted to stay the year, and then move on to something new again.  I never expected us to get such good positions.

I can't stop looking around our new apartment. It's owned by the company we will be working for, the kitchen is to die for with granite worktops, and every stainless steel appliance you could wish for, the coffee machine looks like you need a degree in applied science to work it.  Opening the huge fridge door I can see it's been stocked with all the essentials, even beer and wine, which is a really nice gesture. 

The main room has a rich warm cream paint throughout, and has a gorgeous tan colored leather sectional corner sofa, that's big enough for both of us to stretch out on, a large soft rug covers part of the hardwood floor, and the floor to ceiling windows look out onto the private parking area, beyond that is a municipal park with large trees shading seating and picnic tables, past that is the downtown area where we will be working. 

We both just stand there watching young families walking lazily as their kids ride their bicycles, and there's a group of young guys throwing a ball about, while a few girls sit on blankets watching them, and enjoying the sunshine.

But it's my bedroom that does it for me, I've got a large king sized bed in the middle of the room and it is facing another full length window, looking through the other doors I see a walk-in closet, and to the left, a bathroom with a huge shower plus a bath and a two sink vanity unit. 

I just can't believe my luck.  I am still reeling from the sneaky planning and escape, my parents are going to go ape-shit crazy when they realize just what I've done, and as for Jake, well he can go and rot in hell. 

I hope I never have to set eyes on him again.  I owe Vanessa and Maddie my eternal gratitude for the help and support as we secretly planned my new life.  Now I just have to prove it to them that I am worth the effort.  It may take me a hell of a lot longer to believe that in myself, but I am just taking baby steps in to a brand new me, and I can get excited to find out who I really am.

We'd spent all afternoon unpacking our bags, Maddie keeps squealing as she finds some other new thing or gadget.  The flat screen TV is enormous, and has about a million channels to surf.  But for now we've got my iPod in the top of the range Bose music system, and
Tinie Tempah
is rapping away loudly.

By seven o'clock we have finished unpacking, and ready to do something before jetlag creeps up on us.  “Shall we go out and get a drink?  There's a bar just down the street.”  Maddie is jumping up and down.

“Yep, let's go.” We grab our bags and phones and exit the apartment, and head for the elevator, giggling all the way.

The bar is exactly what we hoped for, it's a sports bar, and the waitresses are dressed in hot pants and tight sports shirts, and they all look like supermodels.

There are tables scattered around the large wall- mounted flat screen TV’s showing a baseball game on one screen, and a football match on a couple of others.  

It’s still early but there’s a lot of people talking and laughing over a beer after work.

As we stand and look around taking in our new surroundings Maddie points to an empty low table with four leather chairs around it, nodding back at her we make our way to sit down.

“Shit Ginny, these girls are gorgeous I'm feeling very lacking here!”  Maddie laughs because even though she is only 5' 2' she is beautiful, with long blonde hair and flawless skin and dark blue come-hither eyes, she has never had any trouble attracting men.

“Yeah, sure you are!  I'm the one that should feel self-conscious!”  I know I should have more confidence, but after having it literally beaten out of me it’s very hard to see what my friend sees.

“Fuck off Ginny, you're gorgeous, and you should have a bit more confidence.  This time you have re-invented yourself, no-one knows us so we can let our hair down and have fun.” 

Grabbing my hand to reassure me, and I nod squeezing her hand back appreciating her concern. It's really busy but the pretty server gets to us quickly, and I order us a couple of beers, I know we'll switch to our signature margaritas soon, but a beer is a good start.

After about half an hour I get a strange tingle down my spine, as if I'm being drawn to something, and my stomach is alive with fluttering, bustling butterflies, and goose-bumps erupt over my skin as the hairs on my arms and the back of my neck stand up. 

I've never felt anything like it before, it feels like a cross between nervous excitement and panic, and that there is something I’m missing. I feel myself being drawn towards something or someone, and I turn my head towards two guys looking in our direction, and I feel my heart rate increase and my skin flush as I stare at one of them in particular, as he scrutinizes my face and a slow lazy smile appears on his rugged handsome face.  What the hell is going on?

Maddie follows my eyes and sees them too.  “Hey Ginny, we're being checked out,” she turns her head to look back at me.

I pull myself away from his intense stare with a shiver running down my spine.  “Don’t stare Mads, they’ll think we want to be picked up.”

“Why not? They're well hot!  The blond one can pick me up any time he wants.”  She smiles sweetly, but turns away from them.

“Because we don't know them, they could be serial killers for all you know.”  But the pull is still there, so much so that I look around again at the dark haired stranger and see he is still scrutinizing me.

“Don't be stupid, they're just hot guys checking us out, and let's face it, we are gorgeous!”  Laughing and taking a slug of her beer.  “Anyway it looks like they're heading over our way,” Running her hands through her hair shaking it down her back she looks at me and winks. “Play it cool Ginny, you don't need to tell them anything, just have some fun.”  Giving me a wink.

“Yeah right, that's what I said to myself about Jake, and look where that got me.” I shrug my shoulders and pick up my drink.”

"Well he's nothing to do with you now, so whatever shit he drummed into you it's time to let it go.  Please believe me Imogen, I want my friend back to her old self, not this diluted version.  You're 27 years old and beautiful, and it's time to relax and start living."

"Well okay, as long as you know that when we're being kidnapped and about to be cut up into pieces, I'm going to blame you."  This causes her to laugh and snort her beer out of her nose, just as the said hot guys reach us.  "Classy move there girl!"  I can't help laughing too and that's how they found us.  Laughing our heads off!

Jake

"Heidi, Heidi?  Where the fuck are you?  I've been trying to call you all week and the office said you'd called in sick, what the fuck is going on?"  I’m shouting as I walk through the door, I haven’t been back here since the morning after what can probably be called the best night of my life so far. 

I’ve been watching the recording all week and getting harder and harder each time, the boys did such a complete job on Heidi, the next morning she was still unconscious but the marks all over her body made me want to do it all again, except it looked like she’s vomited in her sleep!

And now I can't believe this, I've been working away for near on three weeks, none of the stupid bitches on set would even give me a blow job, let alone a shag, and now the stupid cunt isn't even here and I’m shouting out to an empty apartment. 

As I start walking through the apartment it feels different, unlived in, cold and empty.  The mail hasn't been collected, and the bed is still the same as when I left, the sheets are still soiled with blood and cum and vomit. 

Where the hell is she? 

Shoving my case on the bed I strip off and head for a shower.  Crap, there's no hot water, striding out of the bathroom I grab my phone and dial her number again.  "Where the fucking hell are you Heidi?  The place looks like shit, and I've got the boys coming over tonight so do yourself a favour and get back here now!  We can make it very hard for you again and you know it." 

I call her parents place, her mother is way older than me, and has a crush on me, but she's nowhere near cougar material, but they've both been useful to me over the years, and it’s good to have them on my side, so with a bit of flirting and a casual touch, has her eating out of my hand, and she never believes anything Heidi says to her.

It's her that answers.

"Hi Elizabeth darling, It's Jake.  Have you got Heidi staying with you, the office said she was off sick."  I turn on the charm and can hear her silly giggle, not really listening to what she's waffling on about, but then I hear what she is saying.  "What do you mean she's missing?  Where has she gone?  How the fuck did you not know about this, when did this happen?"