by Bec Botefuhr
Red, White and Beautiful
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Copyright © 2013 Bec Botefuhr
Published by Bec Botefuhr, July 2013
Red, White and Beautiful is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places and events portrayed in this book either are from the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, establishments, events, or location is purely coincidental and not intended by the author. Please do not take offence to the content, as it is FICTION.
**THIS STORY IN NO WAY REPRESENTS WHAT SHOULD, COULD, WOULD OR DOES HAPPEN IN REGARDS TO THIS STORYLINE. IT IS MERELY A FICTIONAL STORY AND NONE OF THE CONTENT SHOULD BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. I DON’T REALLY BELIEVE THESE THINGS ACTUALLY HAPPEN NOR AM I TRYING TO STATE THAT THEY DO. IT IS NOTHING MORE THAN FICTION AND SHOULD BE TAKEN AS EXACTLY THAT. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. THANK YOU FOR READING. **
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Coming Soon
Dark Lust – Book Four in the Dark Brother Series (Ace’s Story)
Dark Pain – Book Five in the Dark Brother Series (Bull’s Story)
Dark Destiny - After massive request, I have decided to do one more book for Jagger, this will be released on the 24th July so keep an eye out!!
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I have a lot of people to thank, but that would just take up my entire page. So I’m going to thank those who come to mind first.
Thank you to Wendy Bragg Yoder for taking the time out to do a final ready for me. When my eyes were burning and I couldn’t possibly read it once more time, you came forward and did a final run through for me. Thank you so very much.
To the girls at Triple M book club, for being the absolute best support. They have been my crazy, beautiful supporters and have read everything I’ve done, encouraging me even when I wanted to stop. You girls are my back bone.
To Melody Mestric for being my crazy, soul crushing other half that knows exactly what to say all the time. Errr Nerr, you’re the twin I never had, I’m sure they tore us apart at birth because you’re the same kinda weird I am and in weirdness, we love.
To Holly Carter for always offering to read what I write, even though you’ve got enough on. For listening to my phone calls for hours and hours and talking to me about everything and anything (Yeah you know what I mean). Kindred spirits is what we are.
To Dawn Martens for always helping me edit, even though you’re writing your own books. For being crazy, honest and true no matter what. You’re the kind of person that will remain with me forever, because you’re real.
To Melissa Diamond for reading and re-reading all my work. For texting me with OMG and HOLY SHIT just to let me know you’re feelin’ what I’m writing. You’re amazing and you know I love you.
So to all the above, one day I’ll pash all of you!!
PROLOGUE
MARCUS
God dammit. God dammit. How could I let this happen? How the fuck could I let her find out about all this, and in that way? She didn’t deserve that. She didn’t deserve to hear about me hiring her after knowing she had been abused. She didn’t deserve to hear me saying I wanted to protect a fiancé I don’t even like right now. What the fuck is wrong with me? Why the fuck didn’t I just tell Chayne to get out and keep Sierra with me, safe, in my arms? She worked her ass off trying to help me and I threw it back in her face. God dammit. I slam my fist down onto the hard wooden desk, cursing loudly as I pace the room. Fuck Chayne and her bullshit games, fuck the whole situation. Only I could get myself tangled up in this mess, I don’t fucking think, I just do. That’s my god damned problem.
“Sir, are you ok?”
I turn to see Rose standing at the door looking weary, as if she doesn’t want to step further in, just in case I snap at her. It’s probably smart really, because right now I probably would.
“I’m fine,” I bark, then close my eyes. Fuck it Marcus, this isn’t her fault. Stop being an ass. “Sorry Rose, I’m fine.”
“Chayne went storming out; I thought perhaps something was wrong.”
“Fuck Chayne.”
“Is something going on between the two of you? Where’s Sierra?”
“She quit,” I say gruffly, gripping the side of the desk with my hand and squeezing until it hurts.
“Oh. I’m sorry. What happened?”
Lie Marcus, don’t let her know what went on. This is your job. Your career. Not only that, it’s Sierra’s future that could go to shit, so make something up.
“She had family problems.”
“Oh, that’s terrible. Shall I find another assistant?”
Fuck. “Yeah, that would be good.”
“You have a meeting in ten minutes, would you like me to cancel it?”
“No,” I say, taking a deep breath and picking up my briefcase. “I have to attend this one.”
“Ok sir, if there’s anything you need, just call.”
“Thanks Rose.”
When she leaves, I stare at the door. I try hard to ignore the sharp, stabbing pain in my heart because I don’t want to think about what Sierra is doing right now. I don’t want to think about her hurt face, or the tears that might be staining her cheeks. I don’t want to think about any of it, and yet I can’t shake it from my head. I fucked up. Pure and simple. I don’t know how to fix it, all I know, is that right now I have to get on with my day. That’s the job I’m in, sadly. I don’t get to stop, no matter what life throws at me. Perhaps it’s a good thing, because if I stop…I might actually break. And breaking is not an option.
Not now.
Not ever.
CHAPTER 1
SIERRA
“Right, that’s it! Get your sorry ass out of this bed, before I put my foot up it.”
I grumble and slap my pillow at the sound of my best friend, Quinn’s, voice. He grips the cotton blankets I’ve so perfectly wrapped around me and yanks them back, exposing my skin to the cold, chilly air. I curse at him and roll from my stomach, to my back. Through bleary eyes, I glare up at him. He smiles, a truly dazzling feature to his face, and then leans down and grips my wrist. Don’t even think about it Quinn, do not…he does. He pulls me so hard I slide out of bed and land with a thump on the floor. Jesus Christ, he doesn’t do things in half measures, the man is a god damned machine. I make a loud growling sound and huff loudly. Dammit, that hurt.
“Quinn!” I cry, getting to my knees and rubbing my sore backside.
He throws his hands on his hips and glares down at me, his eyes narrowed with determination. Great. A determined Quinn is something you don’t challenge. “You are not spending another day in this bed, Sierra Walters, I won’t have it. So what, you got dumped…”
“I did not get dumped,” I say, cutting him off. I hate that word, I truly do. Dumped. It’s horrible. “I left.”
“Whatever. Either way, you’re getting out of this damned bed and getting on with your life. A piece of ass is really not enough to
have you moping in bed all day long. Get over it, move on, and get some damn sunshine, you look like a freakin’ zombie.”
I cross my arms and give him an amused expression. “A zombie, Quinn? Really?”
“Seriously, I can smell bits of your skin rotting off.” He says laughing.
“I showered!” I protest, getting to my feet with a groan. God dammit, on top of my sad, tired body, my ass is now sore.
“Well, for good measure, you’re going to shower again and then we’re going out for breakfast. And you are going to tell me what the hell happened between you and hot stuff.”
“Don’t call him that, he’s an ass,” I grumble, attempting to run my fingers through the mass of knots that used to be my hair.
“An ass that had you hauled up in bed for five days.”
I give him a sour look. “All right, genius, point taken. I’ll shower.”
“That’s my girl,” he coo’s, chucking me under the chin.
I give him another sour expression, then jerk my head when a thought comes to mind. This is good, considering I’ve blocked all thoughts for the past five days. It’s easier that way. Right? “Hey, did you talk to the professor about filling the position as Marcus’ PA?”
Quinn nods, his eyes soften just a touch. “Yeah, they put a temp in.”
My stomach clenches when I think of another woman working with Marcus. It clenches even more when I think about the affect this could have on my overall scores for the year. “Do you think I’ll get bad scores for this?”
He shakes his head. “No way, it was just a good opportunity, not an essential part of your study. Speaking of studying, you really need to get your ass back into it.”
“Yes, yes,” I say, waving my hand. “I know.”
“Well, first, you’re going to shower and we’re going out.”
“You already said that,” I point out, digging through my closet for some clothes.
“Well get crackin’, we’ve got lots to talk about,” he says, clapping his hands loudly.
“Aye, boss.” I murmur before walking into the shower.
This could be a long day.
~*~*~*~*~
SIERRA
Once I’m showered and dressed, Quinn drags me out to our local coffee shop. We take a seat and peer at our menus. I really haven’t been out in the last five days and it feels a little strange now, but I know Quinn is right, I have to move on from Marcus. I’m trying to. I’m trying to accept he never wanted me for more than a quest to get me to trust him and submit. I know this, but it doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt. It does hurt. Every day. Because I fell in love with him, and that’s not something I give easily. I feel betrayed in the worst possible way, and adding Chayne on top just makes it a whole lot worse. I don’t understand why he protects her, perhaps I never will, because maybe I’ll never find someone I care about, as much as he cared about her. Though I’m fairly sure I care about him that much, maybe he just can’t see it. Or maybe I just don’t know love, and I’m living in a fantasy. Yes, that works.
“So, he wouldn’t bust his fiancé for cheating to get rid of her?” Quinn says and I snap my head up, swallowing and then nodding.
“That’s about it.”
I didn’t bother telling Quinn that Marcus had found out about what Ben did to me and picked me because he felt like a new submissive. There are only so many things Quinn needs to know about me and that is not one of them. He wouldn’t understand anyway. Heck, I don’t even understand, so how can I expect anyone else to?
“Do you think he still loves her?”
I shrug, twirling a strand of hair around my finger. That’s a question I’ve refused to allow myself to think about. I don’t want to think that he protected her because part of him is still in love with her. If I think about that, I won’t come back from it. So, I just give Quinn a stock answer. “I don’t honestly know.”
“I think he’s scared about what will happen if he takes that final step, you know? You running out wouldn’t have helped make up his mind.”
I give Quinn a sour look. “Oh, so it’s my fault now?”
Quinn raises his brows. “Never said it was your fault, honey. I said you running wouldn’t have given him much reason to think you would stay.”
“I know that, ok?” I sigh, putting my head in my hands. I love how Quinn can make me feel bad about something that I didn’t do.
“Has he tried to call?”
“I don’t know, I haven’t checked my phone.”
“Do you want to see him again?”
I give Quinn the eye. “Why all the questions?”
“I’m trying to figure out what you can do.”
“I don’t know what to do, Quinn. I just have to leave it and let it go.”
“Is that what you want?”
I throw my hands up and snap, “Of course it’s not, Quinn, but what else can I do?”
“Talk to him?” he says, rolling his eyes as if that answer was so horribly obvious.
“I can’t talk to him,” I say, crossing my arms and rubbing my hands together anxiously.
Quinn sighs loudly. “Sometimes woman, I’m sure you’re more immature than a fifteen year old girl.”
“Good lord,” I say, then burst out into a fit of giggles.
Quinn follows, unable to contain his amusement. When the waiter stops by the table, I smother my giggles and turn to him. God it feels good to laugh. It feels good to do anything else but mope and cry.
“What can I get you both?” he asks, letting his eyes travel between the two of us with confusion and a little amusement.
“I’ll have the eggs benedict and a coffee please,” I smile, handing him the menu.
“Same here.”
The waiter smiles at us and then walks off. Quinn turns back to me, his face is a little more serious this time.
“I know where you can see him, to talk.”
I feel my eyes widen. “I have a phone if I feel the need to have my heart ripped out again.”
“That’s not the way to go about this, you need to see him.”
“What for Quinn? He doesn’t want me. He made that clear by choosing her.”
“He didn’t really choose her,” Quinn says softly, daring to meet my eyes with his.
“I know, but, I should have never gone there in the first place. This is for the best.”
“Do you love him, Sierra?”
I feel my eyes well with tears and I struggle to swallow the lump in my throat. “Yes, I do.”
“Then you owe it to yourself to either end it properly or work it out.”
I close my eyes a moment, I know he’s right. I know I need to talk with Marcus, at least to finish this for good, but the idea of seeing him again burns me. The idea of looking into those deep brown eyes and seeing the conflict in them, has me wound up inside. What if Marcus has already moved on with Chayne? Can I deal with that? Can I deal with knowing for sure that he chose her? Or what if he wants me back? Can I deal with going back and feeling like I always come second to a woman who doesn’t even care about him? The answers are blurry and the questions are harsh, I don’t know if I can deal with either of them, but I know I have to.
