Since she’d turned eighteen almost a year ago, there was no holding back anymore, and I indulged in the sweetest sin that was Autumn Troy. The little girl who used to follow me around with pigtails and her baby doll in her arms was long gone, and in her place stood an adult, a woman.
My feet moved of their own accord as I followed her out to the cove. We exchanged words that would eternally haunt me, only adding to the pile of endless secrets and betrayals I’d let happen to the family that raised me as if I was their own.
For a few seconds, I inhaled the sweet and enticing smell of Autumn. Remembering that the scent of her strawberry shampoo and coconut lotion still lingered on my pillow and sheets was the only comforting thing I had to go home to.
Stepping toward her, I swept the hair away from her face as a few tears slid down the sides of her cheeks. I wiped those away too. Her tears were the only thing I’d ever be worthy of. Our emotions were running wild, fighting a battle I knew I could never win.
The emotional turmoil ate away at me the closer I got to telling her this would be the last time she would see me. It would be the last time anyone in her family would see me. Including her brother.
I had to leave.
If I stayed, I’d make her mine, and I couldn’t do that to them. Not after everything they had done for me.
Gripping onto the back of her neck, I tugged her toward me, and she caught herself on my chest. Her lips were now mere inches away from my mouth.
Leaning in, I rasped, “I’m leaving town.”
Autumn’s doe eyes widened, and her breathing hitched. “Leaving?” She choked back a sob. “What do you mean leaving? Where are you going?”
“Away from you.”
She sucked in a breath. “Julian…” Softly, she pecked my lips, beckoning my mouth to open for her.
“But before I go…” I hesitated for a moment, wanting to remember the feel of her lips against mine. “I just need you to know.”
There was no coming back from this.
What I’d say next would break her heart. She’d hate me, but in the end, I did what I had to do.
Looking deep into her eyes, I viciously spewed, “You were nothing more than a fuck to me, kid.”
Those were the last words I’d ever said to her before I turned around and left her there.
With nothing but the man she once knew.
Chapter ONE
—Autumn—
Ten years later
“Welcome, Miss Troy. We can’t tell you how excited we are to finally have you here in Miami with us.”
I smiled, nodding at the women who’d just welcomed me. “Thank you. I’m excited to be here and working with everyone.”
She nervously chuckled, quickly playing it off. “Right… We’ve spoken on the phone several times in the last couple of weeks, and I’ve given you a brief overview, but I figured it would be best for us to discuss all the details in person and with everyone present.”
“Everyone except the most important person,” an older man sitting to the right of her informed.
She didn’t pay him any mind. “Now that you’ve signed your nondisclosure, it’s best if we begin with introductions before we proceed.” She touched her chest. “As you know, I’m Claire, the head of human resources, and I’ve been with Mr. Locke for the last four years. This is Mr. Locke’s assistant, Erin.” She gestured to the younger woman sitting beside her who appeared anxious and a bit shy.
“Erin will be citing our entire meeting, so please don’t be alarmed as she types away on her computer. Mr. Locke prefers all meetings to be noted for future reference and, of course, to avoid any indiscretions that may arise.”
“I understand.”
Claire nodded toward the older man who had just spoken. “This is Carl, and he is the Vice President here at Locke Enterprises. He’s been with Mr. Locke the longest out of everyone in this board meeting.”
“And because I’ve been with him the longest, I know we’re all wasting our time. He’s never going to go for this.”
“He doesn’t have a choice in the matter. We’re announcing and going public in ten days, Carl.”
“I understand the severity, Claire, but we both know he’s a private person.”
She ignored his statement, gesturing toward the man who sat in front of her at the rectangular mahogany table where we were all sitting at.
“That’s Robert. He’s our chief financial officer.” She pointed to the woman next to him. “This is Julia. She’s our senior marketing officer, and the man sitting to her right is Adam. He’s the head of our public relations department. The woman sitting beside him is Sylvia, and she’s one of our board members who is accompanied by James and Andrew, who are also board members. Last, but certainly not least is Marcus.” She nodded toward the man sitting parallel to her. “He’s one of our chief executives.”
I smiled at the room. “Nice to meet everyone.”
“Great, now that we have that out of the way, I can share some history on Locke Enterprises with you. I’m sure you Googled the company, but even the internet doesn’t know much about our CEO. As Carl stated, Mr. Locke is an extremely private man and is adamant about staying so. However, we’re in the process of transitioning from a private business to a public one as we discussed on the phone. We’ve all come to the mutual agreement that Mr. Locke must remain the face of the company, and with that, there are a few concerns.”
“There aren’t a few concerns,” Carl interrupted, only looking at me. “There’s only one, Miss Troy, and it’s why you’re here.”
She glared at him. “We’re not trying to scare her away, Carl. She’s the best at what she does. It’s why she’s here.”
“I am the best at what I do, and I’m fully aware of the reputation that precedes Mr. Locke. The whole world is, but trust me, if I can change Life of Debauchery’s (LOD) rock star image to golden boys, then I can handle your CEO.”
“I know.” Claire beamed, sitting up in her chair. “It took me months to get a phone call with you. You’re a very busy woman, and your resume speaks for itself.”
“Thank you.” I smiled, gazing around the table before I confidently added, “I’ve worked for High Society Public Relations for the last five years, and after my success with softening Life of Debauchery’s image about two years ago, my phone hasn’t stopped ringing with new clientele. LOD had endless stints in rehab and problems with authority, not to mention the law didn’t hold well with their record label. When news got out that I was the woman responsible for their rebranding, things most certainly took a turn in my career. By the time I was through with them, they landed the cover of The New York Times and went from bad boy rockers to misunderstood musicians. I was in charge of their interviews, live appearances, and everything in between. Most importantly, I established and maintained cooperative relationships with industry representatives across a broad spectrum of media outlets which we’re going to need now more than ever on our side.”
I could tell by the expression on their faces they were eating up every word of what I was sharing. I wasn’t exaggerating by any means. I’d graduated college early, top of my class in my master’s program of Marketing and Public Relations. I wasn’t just good at what I did—I was the best.