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  Copyright © 2014 Max Henry

  Published by Max Henry

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, including electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. Max Henry is in no way affiliated with any brands, songs, musicians or artists mentioned in this book.

  This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return it to the seller and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.

  Published: May 2014, by Max Henry [email protected]

  Edited by: Max Henry

  Cover Design: Rebecca Berto of Berto Designs

  Formatting by: Max Effect Author Services

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Acknowledgements

  About The Author

  Stephanie Drake pushed the ever growing pile of paper that cascaded from her in-tray back in line. Her boss, Greg, fed from the look his employee’s gave him when he dumped their final workload on them at four o-clock on a Friday. She watched as he swaggered from desk to desk, through the maze of sterile cubicles that made up the offices of Shank and Leamer. Every detail about the smug prick irritated her beyond reason. Possibly due to the fact he had tried a lame pass at her the first week of her employment.

  Three rows up, Cassidy poked her head around the mid-height, grey partition, and checked the coast was clear before she snuck out, and bolted to Steph’s hidey-hole. Steph giggled as the curly blonde stepped in, and crouched beside the chair to obscure herself from view.

  “What an ass.” Cassidy swept her loose locks aside as she spoke, and absently pinned them back.

  “I wonder some days how he manages to stay married.”

  Cass rolled her eyes. “Yeah, well. None of us have met ‘Mrs Greg’, so who knows, she might be just as up herself as he is?”

  Steph snorted at the assumption. “You’re probably right.”

  “So?” Cass shuffled about until her back leant against the desk drawers. “What are your plans for tonight?”

  Steph shrugged. “Not sure.”

  “Come on. Davey boy must have something organised? He always does.”

  “Dave broke up with me last night,” Steph replied flatly.

  “Aw, babe.” Cass tipped her head to the side, and pouted. “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be. He was an ass about it, so I guess it was better now than later.”

  “What’d he say?”

  Steph’s eyes roamed over the memos and notes stuck to her cubicle wall. “He said he didn’t feel that way about me anymore; that he felt like he had to force sex with me.”

  Cass drew a sharp breath, and stood. “You’re kidding?”

  She shook her head. “Apparently I’m ‘not long-term material’.”

  “What a bastard.”

  A smirk pulled at the corner of Steph’s lips as she nodded to her friend. “I threw his x-box out the door as he left.” She stifled a laugh at the memory.

  Humour twinkled in Cass’s eyes, and she leant in for the rest of the gossip.

  “It left a dent in the hood of his car.” Steph’s smirk grew to a grin.

  “Good girl.” Cass clapped. “That monkey loved his damn BMW more than you.”

  Her grin faded, and she looked away again. “He loved a lot of things more than me.”

  “Well,” Cass started indignantly. “I think you need a pick-me-up.”

  “Ahem.” Both girls whipped to face Greg as he leant over the top of the partition. “Busy girls?”

  “I’m on my way back to my desk, Mr Daniels.” Cass stopped short of batting her lashes at the man.

  “Good to hear, Miss Pratt.”

  Steph eyeballed him as he swaggered back to his office at the end of the walkway. She turned back to Cass who wore a devilish grin. “What?”

  “Dress, heels, and hair. All done by eight. I’ll pick you up.” Cassidy circled Steph’s chair, and paused in the walkway to waggle a finger in her direction. “No excuses.”

  Steph’s back straightened as she drew taller, and slapped the side of a stiff hand to her brow. “Yes, Ma’am.”

  With a glance in Greg’s direction, Cass chuckled and headed back to her cubicle. Steph pushed the office chair out from the desk, and propped her heeled feet against the edge. Her shirt bunched as she slouched in her seat to hide behind her knees.

  Cassidy meant well, and as much as Steph knew guys like Dave were better off somebody else’s problem, it didn’t stop the heartache at ending a two year relationship. Sure, the guy was a complete tool, but he had been her tool. Massive ego aside, he had been a great provider, and cared for her when he was home. It was the times he was out—without her—that was the issue. Dave was a looker: six-four, built, sandy blonde hair, and deathly handsome in a suit. So no wonder every time he went out—with or without her—the guy would turn every female head in the room.

  He said he’d never cheated on her—and he was right, as far as she knew—but his self-awareness was the killer. He knew he was a catch, and he knew he was wanted. He just didn’t want Steph as much as he wanted to be chased. Two days before New Year was no coincidence when it came to timing for his break up. She held no illusion as to the fact he would be out on the prowl for his next conquest tonight. And he wouldn’t be short of offers.

  Steph dropped her feet to the floor with a dull thud, and picked up the stack of forms Greg had given her. All she could hope was that wherever Cass planned on taking her tonight, they went somewhere new. Because like hell she wanted front row seats to the public maul of some new woman by Dave.

  Steph’s eyes rolled back in her head as she threw the bobby pins onto the bathroom counter. Anyone would think that the amount of times a woman had to do her hair in her lifetime would automatically qualify for some sort of skill by this stage. But no, not Steph. Countless times she had done this exact style, but every time her hands fumbled like a ten year old girl with her first training bra.

  Pent up frustration bubbled dangerously close to the surface, so she decided against a gazzilionth attempt, and headed for the kitchen. A cursory glance at the clock said she had twenty minutes until Cass arrived. She pulled a stemmed glass from the cupboard, and poured herself a cold wine from the fridge. What was she doing? Her heart lay in tatters somewhere next to the couch where she had argued with Dave the night before, and yet she was about to hit the clubs with her closest friend. You’ve finally go
ne insane.

  Steph sipped at the refreshing drink, and quelled the doubt in her head. It’s time I looked after number one, you know. She placed the glass down on the bench-top and stared at it. Had she drunk all that already? A sure sign she was seriously distracted. With a chuckle, and a shake of her head, she wandered back through her one bedroom unit to the bathroom, ready for battle. A tired, and disinterested face stared back at her from the mirror as she sighed, and grabbed the tail comb once more.

  By the time her locks had been wrestled into some semblance of the style she tried to achieve, a knock at the door echoed through the sparsely furnished place.

  “Coming,” she called out.

  Cass’s voice carried back to where she stuck in the final bobby pin. “It’s okay, I let myself in.”

  “Pervert. You wanted to catch me in the nude.” She laughed, and then glanced to the reflection of Cass as she joined her in the room.

  “Busted. You know my perversion too well. I may have to silence you.”

  “Try, wench.” Steph grinned. “I have a million pins in here, and I only need one to take you out.”

  Cass laughed, and rested a hip on the shower door. “Seriously though, I love how you do your hair. I wish I could do victory curls.”

  “Dedication, babe. You’ve got to be happy to spend hours before the mirror, and end up with numb arms from them being over your head for so long.”

  Cass smiled, and reached out to tuck Steph’s tag in. “If only you were as good at dressing yourself.”

  “Hey.” She laughed. “I’ve gotta let you have something, right?”

  “You’re too kind,” Cass drolled.

  “Where are we going tonight, anyway?” Steph flicked her gaze to Cass briefly, and caught the sneaky grin.

  “Nowhere Dave will be. I thought we could go over the south-side for a change.”

  “And get ourselves mugged?” Steph’s eyes shot wide. “Are you serious?”

  Cass dropped her shoulders, and shook her head. “We’ll be fine, hon. As long as we stick to the well-lit, public areas, what could go wrong?”

  She raised an eyebrow at the phrase which could tempt fate. Great, now we’re jinxed.

  “Anyway,” Cass slapped her on the shoulder. “Have you got your shit together, or what? ‘Coz I’ve got the taxi still outside for us.”

  Steph took a last look at her reflection, and drew her face into a mask of confidence. Her heart wanted to curl up on the couch with a snuggly blanket, and trashy late-night TV. But this would be good for her, right? Get back on the horse and all that?

  She whipped through the unit to collect her bank card, and ID, then stuffed them into the side of her bra. She took hold of the doorway for balance as she shoved her feet into her trusty pumps. If she was about to do a marathon effort on her feet, then damn it all if she wouldn’t do it in comfort. Besides, who the hell at a club paid that much attention to other people’s shoes?

  Cass waited in the back seat of the taxi as Steph shut the front door, and double-checked it. She shoved the key in her hidey-hole—behind a loose brick that literally came right out of the wall—and hustled down the stairs to slip in beside her buddy.

  “Orchid Ave, thanks.”

  Steph looked across at Cass as the woman casually ordered the driver to take them to ‘the’ place to be. By far, the two of them weren’t country pub-crawlers by any account, but this was way over what they normally got up to.

  “Are you insane?” she hissed.

  Cass shrugged and mouthed ‘What?’

  “You know how much they charge for a drink along there?”

  Cass pursed her lips to stifle her smile. “Over-compensated by the quality of male you get in such clubs.”

  Steph rolled her eyes, and buckled her seat belt. “I think I had my fair share of Mr Handsome with Dave, thanks.”

  “Girl, you’re a stunner. Why not use what you were born with to your advantage?”

  “And what?” Steph asked. “Nab another douche who spends more time at the beautician than I do?”

  Cass frowned, and huffed out her nose. “Admit it—he was a stallion in the sack.”

  “There’s more to a relationship than sex.” She ducked her chin as the driver made eye contact in the rear-view. “Maybe I want somebody who I can talk to for hours at night. Somebody who wants to buy me flowers. A guy who thinks I’m the most beautiful girl in the world?”

  “Sweetheart.” Cass dropped a hand on Steph’s arm. “Do you still believe that Disney crap?”

  She laughed idly at her friends tease, but truthfully she did believe it. Looks weren’t the whole package. She wanted intellect as well. A man who could match her curious mind blow for blow, and give her deep and insightful discussions about life. You’re a nerd. Maybe she was, but hey, looks didn’t help her when Dave sat across the table, and spent an entire dinner with a phone in hand, browsing social media sites. Granted, the guy had her lust-fuelled for him in the bedroom. But it wasn’t because Dave was Dave; it was purely because Dave was hot.

  Steph needed more. She wanted to feel the buzz as she looked over her man, and admired him for who he was to her, not who he was to the world. She wanted a connection. She wanted Disney.

  Suburbs stretched on as they travelled in silence, the scenery a blur of familiar imagery the two of them had seen a million times before. They reached the start of Orchid Ave, and Cass broke the tension. She elbowed Steph in the arm, and pointed at a group of guys who milled in a queue.

  “See? I told you it was high-end stuff round here.”

  Steph offered a wan smile, and looked back out her window at a couple of drunk girls who wobbled along, much to the amusement of such ‘high-class’ fellas. She died a little inside at the thought of what was to come: ogling, grabbing, leering, and lame come-ons.

  The driver double-parked alongside a flashy, black Range Rover, and turned to address them both. “Will this do you?”

  “Perfect, thank you,” replied Cass, and handed over a few twenties.

  The driver sorted Cass’s change as Steph reached for the handle, and opened the door. A rush of chatter, and thumping bass assaulted her ears. She swung her legs out and rose to full height, before she tugged the hem of her blouse down. Cass emerged from the far side of the taxi, and beckoned her with a grand sweep of her arm.

  “Come on, hon. It’s not far this way.”

  Steph stepped onto the sidewalk, and twisted to avoid a shoulder barge from a tall guy who didn’t watch where he stumbled. The girls wove through the packed pavement, then stopped outside a large, crimson door. The finely carved entrance looked to be at least eight foot high, and was guarded by a bouncer who looked the same from her vantage point several steps down.

  Cass ignored the queue and ascended the narrow flight, before she came to an abrupt halt in front of the huge man. He glanced down at her with a fiercely stoic face.

  “Hey, Gary,” she chirruped, and pushed up on her toes to give the man a peck on the cheek.

  His stone expression broke as it gave way to a huge, dimpled grin. Gary leant down and pulled her into a brief hug. “Cassie. It’s been too long girl.”

  “Where the heck did you disappear to?”

  “Oh, you know.” The bouncer shrugged. “Ran with the wrong crowd. Needed to lay low for a while.”

  Cass patted his elbow. “Well, it’s good to see you back.”

  Gary turned to the side, and reached over to push the giant door open. “Enjoy your night, Miss Cassie.”

  Steph hurried up the steps to follow her friend into the dim corridor beyond the massive door. “Where do you know him from?” she asked, as Cass walked down the tiled passage like she had been to the place before.

  “Don’t ask me, and you won’t have to wish you hadn’t.”

  Steph paused to stare after the girl who transformed into a mystery, right before her eyes. Granted, neither of them had ever shared a heart-to-heart about their pasts, but what else hadn’t Cass told her?
The metal tips of Steph’s heels clicked as she hurried to catch up before she lost sight of Cass. The woman pushed through a glass-beaded curtain, and the beat that echoed in the entrance hall grew into a deafening roar as they crossed the threshold. Mainstream, on-trend people mingled with unique, eclectic types. Each of the various tables appeared to represent a different thread of society. Selective profiling seemed to not apply in this joint.

  “Drink?” Cass shouted over the music.

  Steph nodded, and pointed to herself to indicate it was her shout. She edged through a throng of people to get as close to the bar as possible, and then planted a hand firmly on the marble top to secure her spot for service. Cass pushed in behind, and stood with her chest pressed to the back of Steph’s shoulder to stop them from being separated.

  The serving side of the bar appeared empty. A man to Steph’s right moved away; frustrated at the wait by the look on his face. She took up his spot to lean over the counter and look either direction for a bartender. To her left, at the far end, a guy in a black shirt with the sleeves rolled up, body-blocked a shorter woman who stood with her back to the crowd. Steph watched as the woman swiped at her eyes with the back of her hands, and the man continued to lean over top of her and jab a finger angrily toward the back of the bar. The woman bolted through a ‘staff only’ door and disappeared. The man dipped his head, and pinched his nose.

  “What’s going on?” Cass called out from behind her.

  Steph dropped back from the counter, and leant over to speak in her ear. “Looks like the bar staff had an argument. Who knows how long we’ll have to wait now that one of them has stormed off.”

  A rough hand touched her wrist, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood to attention. Steph turned, and connected with the striking blue eyes of the sole bartender.

  “What ya after?” he asked.

  She marvelled at the way he managed to throw his voice to her over the bass-heavy music, without the need to shout. He had an accent, but the background chatter made it difficult to pick. “Two vodka martinis,” she shouted back.

  He nodded, and tattoos peeked out from under his crisp collar. Steph glanced over her shoulder at Cass as the guy prepared their drinks. Her friend blatantly wore the expression she hoped she didn’t – lust. As she suspected, people stood impatiently either side of her post. Some eyeballed her with contempt as the bartender added the final touches to their martinis.