by Maddie Wade
By Pavan Kaur & Maddie Wade
The Heartbreaker
Pavan Kaur
Maddie Wade
Copyright © April 2018
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as fact. Any resemblance to actual events, organisations, or persons—living or dead—is entirely coincidental.
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First edition, April © 2018 Pavan Kaur & Maddie Wade
Table of Contents
The Heartbreaker
Copyright
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Epilogue
Prologue
I lace up my trainers and straighten up to look at the man in the mirror. My blueish grey eyes stare back at me. They are filled with excitement with a soft look that makes me grin. Tonight, is the night.
It’s my seventeenth birthday and I plan to tell Jade how I feel about her. Just thinking about her makes my skin tingle. She’s the captain of the gymnastics team, and the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.
I know it isn’t cool for guys to be so mushy over a girl, but ever since I saw her in year ten of high school, I’ve been smitten. I never thought she would look twice at me. She’s everything I’m not, Jade is the cool girl, the flame that everyone is drawn too. I’m just—normal.
Brown hair, normal build, okay I’m tall, not ugly but, I’m not in her league either. We’ve been dating for a few months now and she told me she wants to wait until we get married before we have sex. I agreed mainly because I respect her and don’t want to ruin things.
We’re meeting at the park by the river. I have it all planned; a romantic picnic, and maybe I’ll get to second base. The thought of all that soft, pale flesh makes my body tighten.
Leaving the house, I shout goodbye to mum and my older brother Jake. Mum replies with her usual warning of being careful, and don’t do anything stupid. Jake just grunts at me. He’s busy ironing his clothes to go out with his girlfriend Sadie to care about what I’m doing.
Arriving at the river, I see Jade leaning against the tree. Her long tan legs are encased in short denim shorts, and her midriff is peeking out from under her white crop top. She smiles at me as I walk over to her and my heart flips.
Taking her hand in mine as I reach her, I bring it to my lips and kiss the soft palm. Jade giggles as she pulls her hand away. I see her cast her eyes around and wonder what she is looking for, but I don’t ask. I’m too engrossed by the sexy swing of her hips as she saunters away.
Laying the blanket down, I sit next to Jade and unpack the food I’ve brought. Mum packed it for me, not that I’ll tell Jade that. She picks at the fruit and we talk about our day. She has been practising hard for a competition while I’ve been studying for my exams.
I steel my nerves and pluck up the courage to tell her how I feel. Taking her hand and looking into her eyes, I utter the three words I have wanted to say for so long.
“I love you,” I say. I watch her for a moment as she doesn’t say anything. and I’m disappointed when she just smiles at me. I decide to leave it at that, I don’t want to ruin the mood for the night. I mean Jade is not like me, she can appear standoffish sometimes, but I know that’s not really her. She is a princess and sometimes acts like one, but that’s okay. I’ll treat her like one too.
I notice again how different we are in other ways too. My trainers are new, but they are cheap, hers are new and probably cost more than what I make in a month at the newsagents where I work. She doesn’t seem to care about that though, which is the main reason I like her so much, although I know her friends do.
Just the thought of the crowd she hangs out with makes me feel weird. They never say anything to me, but they have a way of making me feel as if I’m not good enough.
Once again, I notice Jade looking around us but am completely spell-bound as she stands and starts to strip down to her underwear. Her body is beautiful, all toned muscle, except for her small perky breasts.
I feel my dick harden and I adjust myself, so she doesn’t see.
“What… what are you doing?” I stammer.
“Come on, Jackson,” she says holding out her hand to me.
As I go to take it, I stop for a moment and think about what I’m about to do, then my inner voice speaks, ‘Don’t be a pussy.’ Shaking my head, I take her hand and she pulls me to my feet. I go easily, like a lamb to the slaughter.
“I want to go swimming,” Jade says before she turns and heads for the water.
“But I have no swim shorts,” I shout as she reaches the water.
A smile plays on her lips, it’s seductive, even sultry. “I don’t mind if you don’t,” she says.
Should I? But I have nothing on under my jeans except my now raging boner.
Her smile does it for me though. She walks into the cool river up to her knees. I strip at rapid speed, turning my back to her as I do. As I turn back around my stomach drops, the sound of laughter echoes around me, her friends are all standing by the tree. They are all pointing and laughing at me, but that’s not what guts me. What has my heart splitting open and bleeding is that Jade is the one laughing the hardest and the loudest and as she does her arm is draped over David Standfield.
I’m confused and don’t understand what is happening, I can’t stop looking at his arm around my girlfriend, then he speaks.
“You didn’t honestly think that a girl like Jade would be interested in you, did you?” he sneers, and I can feel my heart pounding in my chest. I keep my eyes on Jade, not wanting to believe what is happening.
I love her, this can’t be right! Her next words kill every ounce of love I’ve ever felt for her.
“I’m sorry, Jackson, but you just wouldn’t take the hint. It was fun for a while, but I need to be with my own kind now. Daddy says I shouldn’t be with a man who can’t afford to look after me.”
My heart shrivels, dying in my chest, leaving a gaping cold hole. I quickly grab my clothes shoving them on as the others laugh some more as I trip and hop around in my haste to be gone.
With one last look at the girl I thought would be my future, I turn and walk away. I know in my heart that I’m forever changed by what just happened. Never again will I let anyone, especially a woman, hurt me.
The laughter at my expense echoes in my mind as I walk ho
me. She thought I wasn’t good enough or rich enough. I’ll show that bitch and her friends if it is the last thing I do. I will have more money than them. Never again will someone look down on me.
Chapter 1
Jackson
The bathroom is full of steam. Taking the towel from around my neck, I wipe the mirror clean. Rubbing my hand over the stubble on my cheeks, I wonder if I can get away without shaving. The girl I’m meeting later tonight is a sweet, clean-cut girl, so I decide that yes, I probably should shave. Impressions are everything and I want my first one to be a good one. It’s the least she deserves.
Hitting play on my favourite playlist, as I need some tunes first, I smile as the sound of Journey comes out the Bluetooth speaker system in my bathroom and I immediately break into song. I’m tone deaf and small children would probably run screaming at the sound, but I don’t care. No, scratch that, my niece loves her Uncle Jackson singing to her. Our favourite song is ‘Shut Up and Dance’ by Walk the Moon.
I have a little dance around the bathroom as I rub shaving foam onto my face. Yes, I dad dance! I can’t dance unless it’s slow or embarrassing ‘dad dancing’. But as it’s only me that will ever see it, I don’t give a shit.
I smile at the thought of my niece Maisy and I going full gusto on the chorus, my invisible fans screaming for more. I once hoped to be a Rock Star but soon grew out of that silly notion. I shave, giving into some air guitar as the song ends. Laughing to myself I start wondering what my friends would say if they saw me now. I run my fingers through my hair, leaving it wet and messy looking.
Crossing to my bedroom, I shed the towel from my hips and quickly dress. I decide on the Slate grey Armani suit, with a white shirt and amethyst coloured tie. I dab my face with Chanel Bleu, the citrusy scent of grapefruit and jasmine with a note of sandalwood seems to be a winner with the ladies. I jog downstairs with a spring in my step.
Pouring a glass of sparkling water, I sit at the breakfast bar and check my messages. There are five new client enquiries in the last two hours. At this rate I’ll need to take someone else on, but I don’t want to as this company is my baby, and I want to look after it. I send a quick message to my secretary Lindy to schedule some appointments for next week. I like to talk to my clients first before I agree to work with them, and I have to say that I don’t take all of them on, for my own reasons.
Checking the time on the sleek black watch my mum gave me as my eighteenth birthday present I see that it is time to leave. Sauntering down the steps of my townhouse I lock up and flick the keypad on the alarm. This may be the nice part of London, but it still has crime, and my baby needs to be safe.
Unlocking the sleek white Mercedes C—class coupe that I bought last month, the smell of new car hits my nose and I instantly feel happy. That is the smell of success. The growl of the engine as she starts is like music to my ears. Peeling away from the kerb I accelerate towards the West End.
*~*~*
I pull into my space behind Myiako. This little gem of a Japanese restaurant is like my second home. I’ve been coming here for so long now that all the waiters know me, and they also know I like space when I meet someone. They are discreet, unobtrusive, efficient.
The main restaurant is decorated in cool crisp lines with a minimum of fuss. Tiny white orchid lights adorn the entire ceiling giving a feeling of being outside, along with an indoor water feature. The walls are bare except for some black and white prints of Samurai. Tables are sleek black with sharp white tablecloths. It’s quite an intimate setting and perfect for tonight.
I glance at Akihiko, the manager, and he gives me a nod letting me know that my usual table is ready. Looking over I see my guest is here. I feel the adrenalin spike when I see her. She’s a petite redhead, porcelain white skin and a body to die for, you can tell that she works out.
She turns her head as I approach, a smile graces her cupid’s bow mouth. She really is lovely; and young. I smile back at her while she stands. Her six-inch heels cause her to stumble so I reach out, grasping her elbow to steady her, the blush that stains her cheeks as she dips her head is so endearing. As she straightens, I take her hand and shake it.
“Nice to meet you, Cassy,” I murmur. Her eyes reach mine, and she smiles again. Sometimes I hate my job, when I get a nice girl standing in front of me, but at least this way she will leave with dignity.
“Nice to meet you too, Mr Byrne,” she says. I can hear the shakiness in her voice, she’s nervous.
“Please, call me Jackson,” I say as I pull out the chair opposite and we sit. I watch as Cassy fiddles with her bag in her lap. She looks like a small child playing dress-up in her mum’s clothes. The clothes are sexy and sophisticated, a floral black and coral pencil skirt with the black sleeveless blouse are perfect for tonight. It’s just she’s got this innocent face. Even with all the make-up, she still looks about fifteen years old.
God, when did I get so old? I return my attention to the task at hand. “Would you like anything to drink?” I ask.
“A white wine, please.”
Beckoning Akihiko over I order wine for her and sparkling water for me. We make small talk while we wait for our drinks. I hate that she thinks this is a job interview, but it is always the best way to get them to meet me, if I told them the truth from the start, I think I would get some abuse over the phone.
Finally, our drinks are served, and I look at Cassy. I have to start this otherwise I’ll be sitting here all day, having a fake interview with her. That happened once. I had to meet this girl and she was the sweetest person I think I’ve ever met, so there I was having this ‘interview’ with her. She was so happy at the end of it. Then I had to do my job and tell her the truth, I actually felt really bad.
“Cassy, I know you think this is a job interview, but it isn’t.” She looks at me in surprise, which I knew would happen. “Last week I had a phone call from a man named Jed.” I see the frown as she recognises the name. “I’m not going to lie. Jed, your boyfriend has hired me to dump you.” I wait a while for that to sink in.
Her bottom lip wobbles. I want to smack Jed the douchebag for hurting this sweet girl and she is a sweet girl. The file I have on her shows she works as a dog walker. She’s been supporting herself and her mum for the last three years. If that isn’t a sweet girl then I’ll eat liquorice and I hate that nasty tar tasting shit.
“But I don’t understand?” she stammers as tears fill her eyes. I sigh as I try to make this easier for her.
“Apparently you snore,” I say and watch as her wobbly lip firms up and anger crosses her face. That’s it girl, don’t cry over that dickhead.
“I what?” she asks on a snarl that reminds me of my Nanna’s old Rottweiler. Apparently, this little puppy bites.
“You snore. Like a train. Well, more like an old Steam Train that’s about to run out of coal and is limping towards the station,” I say, smiling, hoping that it will bring a smile to her lips, it does, a grin touching her lips like I hoped it would.
“I’m really sorry, Cassy. You seem like a sweet girl and don’t deserve this. Honestly, I think you’re well shot of him.”
“But I love him,” she says her grin fading.
“Listen honey, my Nanna always says ‘Love is like a fart; If you have to force it, it’s probably crap’.” I remember the first time I heard her say that, I laughed so hard that the water I was drinking came out my nose.
The laugh that explodes from her is infectious, drawing the attention of the nearby diners.
“She does not say that,” Cassy insists.
I hold my fingers up like a good boy scout. “Scout’s honour.”
Cassy looks me up and down and then grins again as she fiddles with her necklace. “It’s funny you know, I put up with lots from him too. He was always late for dates, making me pay all the time and he never held a door. I know it’s a modern world but sometimes it would be nice to feel special.”
I look at her and think she totally deserves that. She de
serves to be some man’s world and that is why I do this job. By dumping these girls for their inconsiderate boyfriends, I’m allowing them the freedom to go and be someone else’s everything.
“One day, Cassy, you will find a man that will love you at your worst and that will hold you at your weakest. That is love. It’s what you deserve,” I say. I don’t want her to think that she has done anything wrong because she hasn’t.
“That is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard,” she says, and tears fill her eyes, but not sad tears. These are tears of determination. This girl will be okay. She will find her happy ending.
“Well I can’t take all the credit, Google did some of it,” I say with a grin. “But seriously it still stands true.”
We talk a little more, I ask about her dog walking business, and if she had plans for the weekend. By the time we finish the small talk, we stand to leave, and she is laughing as if I haven’t just broken her heart. This is my gift to her. The fact that the douchebag ex paid for it is a bonus.
As we walk outside into the evening sun, I stop her. “Here, take my card, if you ever need anyone dumping give me a call,” I say with a smile.
“Thanks, Jackson. And thank you for making me realise what a lucky escape I had.”
I lean down and kiss her cheek. “Take care Cassy,” I say as I guide her into a Black cab, I tap the roof, letting it know it can go.
That was a good night’s work. I look at my watch and realise I can still meet up with my mates at Nitro if I hurry. Leaving the car parked at the restaurant I take a cab. I need a drink.
*~*~*
I arrive at Nitro and as usual the line is around the block. The cab pulls up and I hand the driver a twenty. “Cheers mate,” I say jumping out of the cab. Heading to the front of the line, I hear a few moans from people behind me, which I ignore. The perk of being very good friends with the owner of a club like this is not having to queue to get in. Tony, the extremely large, extremely tattooed doorman, lifts the rope as I slide through.
