Powerful: A Driven World Novel (The Driven World)
Page 1
A Driven World Novel
KATHLEEN KELLY
Table of Contents
Introduction
Dedication
Prologue
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
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Also Written by K. Bromberg
Powerful
A Driven World Novel
Kathleen Kelly
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons living or dead are entirely coincidental.
© 2020 KB WORLDS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.
This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people.
Published by KB Worlds LLC.
Editing by: Swish Design & Editing
Proofreading by: Swish Design & Editing
Formatting by: Swish Design & Editing
Cover design by: Esther E. Schmidt
Published in the United States of America
Introduction
Dear Reader,
Welcome to the Driven World!
I’m so excited you’ve picked up this book! Powerful is a book based on the world I created in my New York Times bestselling Driven Series. While I may be finished writing this series (for now), various authors have signed on to keep them going. They will be bringing you all-new stories in the world you know while allowing you to revisit the characters you love.
This book is entirely the work of the author who wrote it. While I allowed them to use the world I created and may have assisted in some of the plotting, I took no part in the writing or editing of the story. All praise can be directed their way.
I truly hope you enjoy Powerful. If you’re interested in finding more authors who have written in the KB Worlds, you can visit www.kbworlds.com
Thank you for supporting the writers in this project and me.
Happy Reading,
K. Bromberg
Dedication
To my husband,
Infinity + 1
Prologue
I grew up in a small town.
Boothbay Harbor, Maine.
It even sounds small, doesn’t it? Population two thousand one hundred and thirty-one.
My father and his father before him were all fishermen, and that’s what I was supposed to do. Only I had bigger dreams.
Love has a way of disrupting the path to our dreams. I refused to let my heart rule my head. Athena nearly broke me, and I almost didn’t leave. She was my high school girlfriend, my best friend’s sister. They were like family, and everyone thought Athena and I would get married, and I’d become a fisherman.
Athena knew my heart. If it weren’t for her, I never would have pursued an acting career. If she’d been the same age as me, I probably would have taken her with me. But she wasn’t, Athena still had two years of high school to finish. I tried to make the long-distance thing work. Well, I tell myself I did.
It’s ancient history.
It was seven years ago.
Now, I’m standing in my home in the Los Angeles hills looking out over the city. In my hand is an invitation to Ares Boswell’s wedding. Ares is Athena’s brother and still my best friend. Their dad, Dean, is a huge Greek god fan. Ares goes by TB, a nickname I gave him in grade school. TB would never get into fights, so I started calling him Teddy Bear which eventually was shortened to TB, much more fitting than the God of War.
“Babe, where are you?”
Clad only in a bikini and looking every inch the Hollywood superstar is my current girlfriend, Sophia Thorne.
“Hey.”
“Hey, yourself, handsome.” Sophia kisses me and wraps an arm around my waist. “What do you have there?”
“It’s an invitation to TB’s wedding.”
“Oh, right, right… you’re best man?”
“Yeah.”
“When are we going?”
TB and his wife to be, Ashlea, don’t like Sophia. They think she’s a fake, all teeth, boobs, and zero personality. Sophia’s smart, she’s playing the game to get ahead. We are both cast in Andy Westin’s latest film, Powerful. It’s how we met.
I draw in a deep breath, wondering how I’m supposed to tell her she’s not welcome.
“I have to ring Clementine! There’s a dress she’s making which will make me look fabulous. I’ll ask her to make you a tie to match.”
“Sophia, I’ll be wearing whatever the bride tells me to wear.”
A small frown creases her picture-perfect face. She nods once, then a smile appears. “Ahh, yes. But for the photos of us, you could change ties.” Her hand goes to my chest, and she kisses me. “That’d be okay, wouldn’t it?”
Sophia’s hand travels down my body, and she strokes my cock through my trousers. Crushing my mouth to hers, I deepen the kiss, all thoughts of the wedding disappearing. With her constant stroking, I’m rock hard. I grab the flimsy material of her bikini bottoms and rip them from her body.
Sophia laughs and backs away from me. “You only get me if you agree to wear the tie, babe.”
With a growl, I advance on her, nodding. “I’ll wear the tie.”
Chapter One
Athena
“I look like a pink marshmallow in this dress.”
“No, you don’t,” admonishes my mother.
“We both know I do.”
Dad walks into the room, and tears instantly rim his eyes. “Oh, Athena, you look beautiful.”
“Told you,” replies my mom as she hugs Dad.
“You don’t think I look like a pink marshmallow?”
Dad shakes his head. “Nope.”
Turning around, I scrutinize myself in the mirror. “I don’t know…”
“Athena Boswell, you look beautiful, and there’s nothing to be done about it anyway. This is the dress Ashlea picked, and she picked it for your body shape. Don’t you think it shapes her bosoms perfectly, Dean?”
“Mom!”
“Your mother is right.” Dad kisses Mom on the top of her head and pats my arm. “You are a vision.”
I groan and do a half-turn to look at the back of this light pink, chiffon monstrosity. Mom’s right, I have no choice, an
d it was nice of Ashlea to consider my body shape. Mom says I have an hourglass figure. That’s code for big ass and big boobs. This dress does accentuate my boobs while giving my ass a slimmer look.
“Does the bow on the back have to be there?”
With a sigh, my mother pushes Dad out of the room and places her hands on my shoulders. “It’s not your day, it is Ashlea’s. And the bow is staying.”
My mom has always been the practical one. Dad is the caring, loving, over-the-top one. I nod and do a twirl.
“Okay, okay. I’ll tell Ash it’s divine.”
“We just need to hem it, and it’s done.”
Mom unzips the dress and helps me get out of it as I try not to impale myself on any of the pins she has in it. I’m pulling on my favorite t-shirt with my author logo on it and am about to pick up my shorts when she stops what she’s doing and levels a look at me.
“What?” I ask, instantly thinking I’ve done something wrong.
“I’ve been worried about you.”
“Why?”
“Kris.”
Kris fucking Livingston.
My one and only love.
The boy who broke my heart and went on to become a Hollywood superstar. The man I can never get away from—he’s in commercials, magazines, even on billboards. Kris’ handsome face is everywhere.
I pull on my shorts, avoiding my mom’s gaze. “I’m fine.”
“Athena.”
The softness in her voice has me looking into her pretty hazel eyes. I got Dad’s dark green eyes, but I always wished I’d gotten Mom’s.
“I’m okay.”
Mom reaches out and takes my hand in hers. “It’s okay not to be. I know Kris hurt you.”
“We were kids, Mom. It was a stupid high school thing. I’ve moved on.”
“So you say.”
Mom lets my hand drop and moves the dress to her sewing table. I want to tell her I’m not okay. I’m dreading seeing Kris. I made myself stop looking him up on social media sites years ago, but somehow, every now and again, I catch myself googling him. I know he’s seeing Sophia Thorne—blue eyes, blonde hair, perfect smile, and they look so good together as they walk down the red carpet, arm in arm.
“Athena?”
I’m still standing in her sewing room staring at the dress on the table. I glance up at her.
“Do you need anything else from me?” I ask.
“No, love. Are you sure you don’t need to talk?”
“Kris made his decision, Mom. Sure, it hurt, but he’s with someone else now.”
“Uh-huh. Yep. That’s true. I like Kris, always have. But honey, you are my daughter, and it’s written somewhere that I’m always going to be on your side. If you feel that you need to hit him over the head and dump him in the bay, I’ll help.”
I burst out laughing and throw my arms around her.
“Thanks, Mom.”
Chapter Two
Ares/TB
It’s early Friday morning and only a week until I get married to Ashlea Lynch. I still can’t believe I got so lucky. Boothbay Harbor is a picturesque town where fishing is the primary source of employment, but I was fortunate enough to be a wiz in the kitchen. So, after high school and then a brief stint at culinary college, I came home and opened Small Delights Café. I’m right near the dock where the boats come in, so my seafood is always fresh, and I only use local produce. It’s a way to give back to the community and keep others around me employed.
“Yo, boss!” yells Shannon, my best waitress.
Shannon is easily six feet tall with bright red hair, tattoos, and always dresses like a 1950s pin-up girl.
“What?” I yell back as I have orders to complete in the kitchen.
The door to the back bursts open, and Shannon looks more excited than I’ve seen her in a while.
“Guess who just pulled up in a bright red Audi Spyder?”
I groan. It has to be Kris, my best friend and superstar.
“Santa?”
“What? No! It’s Kris Livingston, and I think he has Sophia Thorne with him.”
Shannon is moving from foot to foot in excitement.
“Ahh, right. Don’t you have customers to serve?”
Shannon pokes her tongue at me. “He’s your best friend, right?”
“Yes, Shannon, we’ve been over this.”
“I know, I know… I just can’t believe that you know Kris Livingston.”
“Well, he wasn’t “Kris Livingston” when I knew him.” I make air quotes around his name. “He was just Kris, my best friend from grade school.”
“I still can’t believe he grew up here in this little town.” Shannon shakes her head as though being born here is a complete travesty.
Wiping my hands on my dishcloth, I walk out the front of my café and find Kris surrounded by people, signing autographs with Sophia Thorne, looking every inch the perfectly made-up celebrity doing the same.
Kris looks up at me and smiles. “Hey, TB!”
“Hey, Kris.” I give Sophia a nod and wish he hadn’t bought her. “You’re early.”
Kris nods as he poses for photographs. “Yeah, they’ve made some allowances in filming. I told Andy about your wedding, and he did some scouting around and found the Wiscasset Speedway, so they’re going to film some shots of me on the track there.”
“Andy?”
Kris smiles. “Andy Westin.”
The famous director, the one who gave Kris his big break in the movies.
I nod. “Cool. Well, when you’re done here, come on in. I’ve got a coffee and a sandwich with your name on it.”
“Gluten-free, I hope?” chirps Sophia.
“Sure, that, too,” I reply with fake happiness.
The woman rubs me the wrong way. Sophia Thorne is the original ice princess. She only smiles when there’s a camera pointed at her, and she uses Kris like her own personal trophy to flash at everyone. They do make a great-looking couple, both blonde with blue eyes and work in the same industry. I guess I hoped he’d find someone with more substance to them, someone like Athena. In high school, they were inseparable. I always hoped they’d find their way back to each other. Funny how things work out.
Chapter Three
Athena
I’m supposed to meet TB for coffee. It’s such a beautiful day that I’m walking from Mom and Dad’s house. I have my head down thinking about our conversation. Mom knew how much Kris hurt me. The first year he was gone, he came home every few months. It was always a surprise. The following year, in February, he was supposed to come home for my birthday, but he’d gotten his first big break in an Andy Westin film.
Kris never came home again.
Kris didn’t call.
If it weren’t for TB, I would have driven to Los Angeles to find him. But that’s what hurt the most, he told TB he wasn’t coming back, and he never bothered to tell me. TB kept telling me it wasn’t a serious relationship, that Kris and I were too young, that it was never going to work, and who knows maybe it wouldn’t have.
“Hey, pretty lady! Why so down?”
I look up to the happy, smiling face of Deputy Todd Roth.
“Hey, Todd, I’m not, just thinking about life, the universe, and everything.”
“Wow, that sounds super serious.” Todd is one of my closest friends. He’s tall, dark, and handsome with a body he works hard to keep in shape. The only problem is he’s gay. Not many people know, and it’s not my story to tell, but more than one girl in town has lusted after him.
“Nah. I’m going to Small Delights.”
Todd jumps in the air and claps his hands. “Oh, my God! You’re going to see Kris Livingston, too?”
“What? He’s here?”
Todd wraps an arm around my shoulders and begins walking me faster. “Yes, he’s in town, and he’s at your brother’s café. Just about the whole town is there. I’m on my way for crowd control.”
I lock my legs, Todd stumbles forward, turns, and looks at me.
“It’s been seven years, Athena. Time to see him. Personally, I can’t wait to see him,” says Todd with a waggle of his eyebrows.
“Fine, you go. Tell TB I’ll catch up with him later.”
Todd grabs my hand. “Don’t be a pussy.”
“Yep, that’s me. You go fawn all over him. I’m going home to wallow in self-pity and hope he’s grown a second head or warts or something.”
Todd grins. “Walk with me to the end of the street. If you don’t want to go any further, I promise I won’t make you.”
TB’s café is opposite the shoreline and a great spot for tourists. Mom and Dad live up the hill with an expansive view of the bay. My home is situated further up the road and around a bend. It’s tucked into the side of the largest outcrop in town. You can’t drive up to it, the garage is at the bottom of a path that leads up to the house. I love it. I rarely get visitors, apart from Todd and my family, and I have the best view of the bay,
“I have to go that way anyhow, but I’m not going in, okay?”
Todd holds out his arm, and I link mine through it.
“Chicken.”
“Todd,” I say with a warning in my voice.
“Okay, okay.”
We walk in silence. When we get to the end of the road, I look to my left. In the distance, I can make out Kris and what looks like the whole town surrounding him.
“Wow, he’s tall,” purrs Todd.
“Oh, stop it. You’re tall and good-looking.”
Todd kisses me on the cheek. “If only you were a guy.”
This makes me smile. “Sex change, I could do it.”
Todd bursts out laughing and kisses my cheek. “You’ve gotta be you, and I’ve gotta be me. Now, off with you while I go handle Kris Livingston.”