Surreptitious (London)

Surreptitious

Danielle Breeze

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Published August 2013.

Please note:

‘Surreptitious’ is a work of fiction. Any and all names, characters, places and/or events described in this book are works of fiction. Any similarity between this and real persons, living or dead, events, establishments or location are purely coincidental and not intended by the author. Please do not take offense to the content included as it is fiction.

This book also identifies product/object names and services known to be registered trademarks or service marks of their respective holders. The author acknowledges the trademark status in this work of fiction but the publication of said trademarks is not authorised, associated with or sponsored by the trademark owners.

Copyright ©2013 Danielle Breeze.

“Cover design ©Arijana Karčić, Cover It! Designs”

All rights reserved.

For everyone who has supported

me throughout the process, it’s for

every single one of you!

Acknowledgements

There are a ridiculous amount of people I’d like t
o thank for help when writing this book. My apologies in advance for anyone I forget, but just know that I’m always thankful and I love you all!!

My mum, well, more like a sister than a mum!! For all the help you’ve given me over all. Not just when writing this, but for my whole life. You’ve always had faith in me and said I’d write a book one day and here it is!! Wouldn’t be anything without you, just hope I can give back half of what you’ve given me over the years. Love you mum!!

My NatNat!! My best friend to beat all best friends!! My cleaner, my babysitter, my chef, my confidante, my all-round go-to girl!! Not enough love in the world to give you, even if you are a total pain in my ass!! Thanks for cleaning my house and watching my kids while I wrote!!

My wonderful brother!! Yeah, you weren’t always so wonderful, but thanks for listening to me read little snippets to you and thanks for being my personal trainer so I didn’t turn into a couch potato who can’t stop typing on her computer!! Love you Curt!!

My Dad!! Wouldn’t say you were much help with the writing since all you did was make sarcastic comments and point out my spelling mistakes!! But I’m grateful that you paid the bond for my house and my first month’s rent, so I guess you deserve an acknowledgement!! Love ya Dad!!

My beautiful children. Ashton and Darcy. You’re too young to know yet, just
how
helpful it is that you’re capable of entertaining yourselves for a few hours! Ashton, I’ll forever be grateful that you are happy to take Darcy upstairs to play and keep her out the way whilst I’m writing...and Darcy, I love how, giving an apple or an orange buys me enough time to go and type up quick ideas!! Love you both forever!!

Arijana from Cover It! Designs for my beautiful book cover and the hints and tips you’ve given me during the process!! I’m soooo grateful!!

Laura and Jade for help coming up with my title! Wouldn’t have come up with it without you!!

Random internet friends who’ve suggested ideas, and anyone else who has supported me or answered my questions along the way, and the rest of you whom I’ve bored with talk of writing, characters, ideas and general book nonsense!!

And finally!! Thank to those of you were sent ARC’s, your feedback and comments we’re ace and the changes made were perfec
t
Thanks guys!!

Prologue

Taylor

Control.

It’s a pretty simple word you might think. I did. Always in control. I needed it. I
craved
it.

When you don’t have anybody, you have nothing to prove, no one’s opinion to care about, and no one to generally piss off. I don’t have anyone. Not really. I have my best friends, and I love them, but I don’t fully trust them...I don’t trust anyone. Every single person will let you down at some point. It could be little things, it could be monumentally huge things, but it’ll happen. So just don’t trust them. I don’t...it’s safer that way.

People always say that it is not possible to plan your life to the last detail, and I suppose they’re right in some ways. I had a plan. I had everything under control. It is just who I am; and who is anyone else to tell me that my plan won’t work? Hey? I would never let the vultures break me. I would l not. I couldn’t. They’re all there, circling overhead, waiting for their chance to feast on the scraps when I fall apart. But I wouldn’t fall apart. I couldn’t fall apart.

It’s almost a shame for them that they still think they can break me. I am completely as strong as I say I am, I’ve never given them a reason to doubt me. Yet they still do. They doubt that I am strong enough to hold my life together. They doubt that I can do everything I’ve said I will do. I can feel it.

Well, THEY have a thing or two to learn about Taylor Corsi. I never back down, I never give up, and I always win, just a fact of life really. Egotistical? Maybe, but hey, it is the truth!...
KIND OF.

I followed the rules. I was honest...to a fault sometimes and I didn’t let anybody change my mind...on
anything
.

My plan was in place, my heart was protected and my world was small, secure and
safe
. Exactly how I wanted it.

That was until I was hit by a fuckin’ hurricane personified. He blew into my life, tore it upside down and inside out, broke me, hurt me, fixed me,
loved me
. Jackson Brent is the king to my queen, the sunrise to my sunset and the Mr to my Mrs. He’s cocky, he’s arrogant, he’s beautiful, he’s hot, he’s my saviour, my hero, my everything...but most importantly...he is my
real.

And this is our story.

Chapter One

Taylor

Sitting in ‘Beans’ the local coffee shop listening to Harper and Jase rant on about some new man they’ve seen around campus, is well...boring. I really could not care less!! I like my life simple and I like solidarity.

Well…except for Harper and Jase (but I’d never tell them that!) because I don’t show weakness. Never have and never will. Why? Because once you’ve shown someone your weakness, they can get to you, and I’ve known since my parents died that I’m better off on my own anyway. Everyone leaves eventually. No one sticks around for the long haul. I’m conditioned not to trust people. People can’t
be
trusted, it’s a fact, it’s the truth.

“Hey Ice…are you even listening to me?!” Jase asked, snapping me out of my usual day-dream like state.

Jase is the quintessential example of someone born in the wrong skin! He’s more feminine than most girls I’ve seen, and definitely more camp. But he is, without a doubt, the most trustworthy and safe person I know. He always knows what to say and when to say it – and funnily enough, when to shut up. Which is seriously important me!! Oh…and he always calls me ‘Ice’ (his way of telling me I have a stone-cold heart and no emotions...nice right!?!) But I don’t care... and I don’t care because…well…he’s right!

“Oh Jase, she’s off in dream world again…seriously Tay, snap out of it!! I don’t know what’s wrong with you today!! I’m taking you to the new ‘Skank’ tonight and getting you laid!! Remember it’s the new opening tonight and I’m pretty sure the names changed but girl, you need to loosen up a bit, how many times do we need to tell you!?”

This is typical Harper, she’s constantly telling me I need to get a boyfriend, or just get laid. But I’m pretty sure I’ll NEVER do that! I don’t need that sort of complication in my life. Harper is well…overbearing? At the best of times but I know she means well. She’s a slut, she’ll tell you that. She sleeps around, like...
a lot
.

Personally I think it’s a defence mechanism after what happened to her when she was younger, but hey! I’m the queen of defence mechanisms, so who am I to judge? She really doesn’t care who knows it either. I asked her about it once and said ‘Fuck it, we’re only in University for three years and then we have to do all that boring shit like work, get married and have kids, so I’m going to make the most of getting decent dick while I can’…oh yeah…she doesn’t hold her tongue!!

She was right though, I didn’t know what was wrong with me that day either. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was missing something, like I was being watched, like something
huge
was about to happen. I tried to focus on the conversation going on in front of me, but it was a struggle. It was a struggle because Jase was talking a rate of knots, Harper wouldn’t stop sending my concerned glances, and my mind was just elsewhere. But they’re my best friends, and they know when to leave me to it!

It’s been the three of us for as long as I can remember, since before we came to university. All born in Birmingham, England, but we each had our own reasons for running away to London to come to university. Well…it’s not running away exactly, ok maybe it is on my part, slightly...or a little more than slightly...ok, ok I ran. I always run, literally and figuratively...

Did I say defence mechanisms?!

We always knew wherever we went, we’d go together. And we knew we’d go away from Birmingham because well…there was nothing there for us anymore. Jase wanted to come to London because he wants to be a fashion designer, so that’s how we all ended up here. It’s a known fact around campus however, that you can approach us, you can talk to us, but it’ll always just be the three of us in our group. We have a connection based on the fact that we all have a shit past. Well, mine wasn’t shit; mine was pretty damn perfect, until my parents died. Yeah...that was a pretty fucked up time. But hey, that was years ago, if it taught me anything it’s to make each day count and as far as I was concerned, protecting my heart, trusting no one and living safe, was damn well doing that.

“Harper, I’m pretty much only going to say this once
today
so listen up, I AM NOT GOING TO GET LAID JUST FOR SOMETHING TO DO!! Don’t get me wrong, I’m definitely coming to ‘Skank’ with you but will you just back off on the man thing, you should know by now that it just ain’t gonna happen okay?”

“Jeez Ice, calm it with the rant!! We know, we know, you don’t date… blah blah blah” oh god, with Jase doing his typical ‘talking with his hands’ bullshit, I know I’m in for it now!! “You know I’ve always got your back babe, but I actually happen to agree with slut-face on this!! You strung too tight! Need to let your hair properly!! Now listen up bitches, it’s half five already and we really need to be meeting at Tay’s for half eight for pre-drinks and then be in a cab by 10 to beat the ‘Skank’ rush ok? Are we in?”

“We’re in” Harper and I said at the same time – we know better than to disagree with Jase when it comes to plans for a night out!

“Right let’s get a move on then and we’ll see you by half 8 Tay.” He said.

“Oh yeah that’s fine you just go ahead, I wanna finish my coffee first anyway and you’ve got further to go than me! I’ll see you both at mine later, you’ve still got your keys right?”

“Of course we have – see ya later Ice” And with a kiss on both cheeks from Jase and a quick hug from Harper they literally ran out the door to get ready.

I don’t take half as much time to get ready as they do, mainly because I don’t care for short dresses, curled hair and 6 inch heels...usually. It’s just not me. Don’t get me wrong, I get more than enough attention from the opposite sex, but I think it’s probably because it’s common knowledge that I don’t and won’t give anyone else – especially not guys – the time of day. I know, I know, I have a typical bitches’ attitude but it’s not like I’m nasty to people, I’m not, I just don’t waste my time talking to them. I have my best friends and most the time they’re more than enough to deal with anyway!!

After sitting around for another 15 minutes or so I decided it was time to start making my way home before it got dark. Let’s face it even the bravest of people wouldn’t wanna be walking around London at night by themselves! Throwing my bag over my shoulder I stood and started to walk out the door when I was stopped in my tracks by what I assumed was some sort of brick wall - oh how wrong could one person be! Looking up, and up, and up some more I encountered the most beautiful set of sparkling grey eyes I have ever seen. And when I say sparkling, I mean LITERALLY sparkling. All the breath that I didn’t even realise I was holding whooshed out of me at once and, for what could possibly be the first time ever, I was struck completely speechless.

I couldn’t figure out why the corners of his perfect mouth had turned up into a slight perfect smile that lit up his perfect face. He was just stood there with this small grin looking down at me and I still couldn’t seem to get my brain and body functioning being as I was still stood with my mouth hanging slightly open and not breathing, with my hand on his rock-hard chest.
OH.. MY.. GOD... I’M STANDING INFRONT OF THIS GOD-LIKE GORGEOUS GUY WITH MY MOUTH OPEN AND MY HAND ON HIS CHEST!! PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER TAYLOR. NOW..NOW...NOWWW!!

And then he spoke...

“Didn’t mean to shock you miss, but I think you dropped your keys and I wouldn’t want you to walk all the way home without them.” In this rich, strong, sexy tone that shot straight through me like some sort of electric shock.

A
nd wasn’t that just the icing on the cake? Not only was I STILL not speaking, and STILL staring in his eyes with my hand STILL on his chest, but then I was the idiot who didn’t even realise she dropped her own keys. DUH.

TAYLOR SPEAK...SAY SOMETHING...SAY ANYTHING!!!!

“U-uh...”
YEAH GREAT START TAYLOR, SINCE WHEN DID YOU DEVELOP A GOD DAMN STUTTER!!!

“Keys?” Gorgeous guy said.

“Oh right...yeah...keys, uh, thanks?”
damn it, pull yourself together woman.

As soon as the words were out of my mouth his lips quirked up further in a crooked grin and he held out his hand holding my keys out. I
channeled my inner Ice, grabbed them, nodded and high-tailed it through the door as quickly as my legs would carry me.

Jackson

I had seen her sitting in the corner with another girl and a guy, who was just too damn pretty to be anywhere near straight, since I first entered this place.
Hmm maybe this shithole won’t be as bad as I thought it would be!
Long wavy dark brown hair, emerald green eyes and flawless skin grabbed my attention straight away. I studied her whilst I was sat down and couldn’t really see her figure since she was slumped down in her chair, but she looked
fit.

My gaze didn’t stray far from her the whole time I sat there sipping luke-warm coffee. I actually overheard her friends talking about a ‘hot, ripped, new guy they’d seen and heard about a lot around campus’...oh yeah, I knew they were talking about me, because I’d spent a lot of time around the campus over the last month doing promotions and frankly, I’ve heard it all before. I was already questioning my decision to move here because of the gossip...but no...London was where the big money was, so it was where where I needed to be. But damn if she wasn’t making that day look a whole better. Gorgeous, completely gorgeous –
Yeah, I’ve obviously found miss-Friday-night.

God awful high-pitched giggling brought me back to reality with a bang, and some skinny, fake tits, fake hair bitch walked over to my table fluttering her eyelashes so much she looked like she had a twitch.
Oh here we go again, listen up babe, the innocent eyes bullshit does not work when you dress like a whore. Time to work the charm anyway – can’t be losing my reputation now can I!!

“ ’Scuse me, by any chance are you Jackson Brent?”
Dear lord, even her voice is annoying.

“Now little lady, you didn’t really need to ask that did you? We all know there’s only one of me. What’s your name sweetheart?”

“Oh...hahahaha...it’s Cassie”
Arghhhh!! if she giggles like that again I’m gonna need to put my fist through a wall.

“Well I weren’t like, totally sure if it was you, but oh, my, god I’m sooo glad you’re here. Here’s the thing, me n the girls are goin’ out tonight and were just wonderin’...like if you’d be out as well? It’s the new opening of the old ‘Skank’ tonight yeah? You’re the owner right? Well here’s my number anyway.” She pulled a scrap of paper from her cleavage and handed it to me.
Classy!

The whole time she was screeching on at me I sat thinking of the quickest escape from her company, I did NOT wanna spend my Friday night with ‘Cassie’.

Urgh, fake tits, fake hair, annoying voice and she’s called Cassie?! Hmm...Cassie – 0... Emerald eyed stranger – 1.
I knew I had to get out of there...so with a quick glance at my watch I stood and pressed myself against ‘Cassie’.

If you can’t beat ‘em...join ‘em right?! She was practically quivering just from touching me? Yeah...definitely not my type.

“Sorry gorgeous, I gotta run. Like you said, my new place is opening tonight so I’ll be busy but I’ll be there. See ya around yeah?” I threw a wink over my shoulder at the table of her loyal followers just for good measure and anyone would have thought I’d just offered them a threesome with the fuss they made...Jeez, bitches ain’t got a clue.