Once Upon A Time Read online

  “Door open,” he said from behind me, clearly understanding my need to leave.

  The door opened and I turned, a grin present on my lips.

  “Welcome to Blue Stone PR, Mr. Black.”

  MY BODY HUMMED as I rode the elevator down, making my way out of the building of Black Enterprises. It knocked me off axis for a moment. I walked with my head down, keeping my gaze locked on my shoes. The moment the midday heat hit me as I stepped outside, I dived into my purse, pulling out my cell.

  Opening up my contacts, my finger instantly went to Kylie’s cell number. I should’ve been calling Kate first, but right then, I needed my best friend.

  “Gah! How did it go?!” Kylie screamed, her enthusiasm coming off in waves.

  “We've got a huge motherfucking problem,” I stated, my voice never wavering as the weight of what I was about to tell her pounded hard against my temples. “Mr. TDD is now a client of Blue Stone PR.”

  I’m met with silence as I spotted a cab. Flagging it down, I got in the back and gave the cabbie my address while waiting on Kylie.

  “Have I killed you?” I asked after a few more beats.

  “I’m calling Quinn. Get your ass back here, I'll get the supplies. This is a problem, Pay.” She sighed, her voice more serious than I’d ever heard in all the years I've known her.

  “Understatement of the century, Kylie. What the hell am I going to do?”

  “Calm down. Get back here and we'll work it out. It'll be fine.”

  “I'll be twenty minutes,” I said, ending the call as I held on for dear life as yet another cabbie tried to kill me with his ridiculous driving.

  An hour later and I’m drowning in ice cream, wine, chocolate and my best friends. Both Quinn and Kylie greeted me at the apartment and the moment Kylie saw my horror-stricken face, she ran to my bedroom. Seconds passed before she emerged with my secret stash of Nutella from under the bed. I could've kissed her.

  “What in the hell happened?” Kylie screeched as she opened the jar and placed it into my waiting hands.

  I noticed three wine glasses sitting on the coffee table, alongside a large tub of chocolate chip ice cream with three spoons, and a bottle of red. My friends knew me well.

  Dumping my purse on the ground, I pulled out the contract and took a seat on the sofa. Kylie and Quinn followed suit, sitting next to me. I threw the contract on the coffee table, narrowly missing the ice cream tub, which earned me a glare from Quinn.

  “That’s what happened.” I groaned, bringing my hands to my face as I leaned back. “He’s what happened.”

  I peeked through my hands as I watched Kylie grab the contract, flicking to the back page where Gabriel Black’s signature graced the page.

  “You need to explain this to me,” Kylie said, confusion written all over her face as she stared down at the contract.

  Quinn still hadn't said anything; well, he couldn't considering he was diving into the ice cream like an excited child.

  I sighed, pouring a glass of red.

  “I had sex with Gabriel Black in Omega. I slapped him in the face afterwards and left the bar. I woke up this morning and shrugged it off. Another one bites the dust… only to find Mr. Black is the potential client Kate wanted me to sign.”

  God damn, it was a mess.

  “Did you know his name when he screwed you?” she asked, still flicking through the paperwork. The question was seemingly for Quinn’s clarification than hers.

  “No, he said he valued his privacy and like an idiot I am, I let it go.” I sighed, taking a large gulp of wine before turning to Quinn. “Will you stop stuffing your face with ice cream, I’m having a major crisis here!”

  “Bput its spoooo gooood,” he said, his voice muffled from all the chocolate chip ice cream he’d shoved in his mouth.

  “Look.” Kylie threw the contract back on the table, turning to me. “You didn't know his name when you had sex; as far as you were concerned, he was just a one night stand in New York. The odds of seeing not each other again were on your side. You just got unlucky. But you have to tell Kate.” She said, raising her brow.

  “I can’t. He’s a client now, I could compromise the entire business relationship. I could lose my job, Kylie.”

  My last statement made Kylie pause; she knew what my job represented. Having an income that let me pay my bills and have a little extra to indulge on nice things was something I took pride in, not to mention the money I sent home to my parents each month. I had what my parents couldn't give me: a comfortable lifestyle that didn't mean mac and cheese every night, living paycheck to paycheck. I was risking my job. I could lose my job if I told Kate.

  “Okay,” she finally said. “Kate’s the point of contact for him, right?”

  I nodded.

  “Then you have nothing to worry about. Most of Kate’s clients meet her for lunch at that restaurant she’s always eating at or she goes to their offices. You won’t even see him or her, for that matter; she’s never in the office anyway.”

  She had a point. Kate didn't agree with having clients in her office at Blue Stone; she liked being in control of the situation, always giving the clients the location.

  “So I don’t tell her, but what happens if she finds out?” I groaned, taking another large gulp of wine.

  “There’s no reason she would unless he opens his mouth.”

  Just the mention of his mouth had me choking on my wine. Coughing and spluttering, I threw Quinn an evil glare as he laughed so hard ice cream flew out his mouth and landed on my face.

  “This is such a mess.” I placed my glass on the table, wiping away the errant ice cream from my cheek.

  Quinn gulped hard, wiping his mouth with his hand before finally opening his mouth.

  “So how big is his dick?” He smiled, clearly intrigued.

  “Are you serious?” I laughed. Turning to Quinn, I noticed his serious expression. Oh god, he was. “I’m not telling you that!”

  “Come on, Pay!” Kylie squealed, pouring more wine in our glasses.

  “You said so yourself, you’re not going to run in to him again, so spill.” Quinn wiggled his eyebrows as he grabbed his wine.

  “Ugh.”

  “Judging by your reaction, I’m assuming he is hung like a horse.” Kylie chuckled..

  “Oh my god.” I laughed, hiding behind my hands as my best friends carried on the conversation.

  “What does being the king of Black Enterprises entail anyway?” Quinn asked, his question intended for me but Kylie got in there before I could even think about answering him.

  “Well, I looked up the business when we found out Ms. Prude over here had been given her first meeting.” She drained her glass of wine before pouring another. “Black Enterprises consists of three sectors. He owns most of the nightclubs in New York, thus explaining Omega. Then there’s the hotel chains he owns, not to mention the exclusive buildings. He’s worth… millions.”

  “Jesus. You had sex with a millionaire!” Quinn shrieked, his voice high enough to give me an instant headache. “Please tell me he has the biggest dick you've ever seen!”

  My cheeks instantly pinked.

  “The answer to your question is written all over her face!” Kylie laughed, throwing her head back. “Well, you know what they say, once you go black you never—“

  “For the love of all things holy, finish that sentence and I'll punch you in the throat.”

  “I was just sayin’.” She rolled her eyes, her gaze landing on my purse. “Er, Pay? Your cell’s ringing.”

  “Oh shit! Kate!” I screamed, jumping from the sofa, diving into my purse. Pulling out my cell, I cringed as Kate’s name lit up my screen. Hitting answer, I placed it against my ear.

  “Hello?”

  “Payton.” She spat my name off her tongue like venom. “You were supposed to call me the minute you stepped out of the meeting.”

  I inwardly groaned; deciding I didn't want my best friends to hear Kate yell at me through the phone and pos
sibly fire me, I walked into my bedroom and shut the door behind me.

  “I’m sorry, Kate,” I apologized, taking a seat on my bed. “Everything happened so quickly.”

  “Yes,” She paused, talking to someone in the background. “Next time you call me when you've signed a client.”

  I paused in shock. How in the hell did she find out I’d signed Black Enterprises?

  As if she could read my mind, she answered the question for me.

  “Mr. Black called me himself, informing me of the meeting. I want you in my office at 9am tomorrow morning. Do not be late, Payton.”

  My phone stayed exactly where it was, even after the call ended, attached to my ear as I sat in utter shock. He didn't tell her about how I referred to Blue Stone or Black Enterprises, did he? Oh my god. What if he told her we’d slept together and it could be a conflict of interest? What if he was just fucking with me and decided to opt out of the contract?

  My heart dropped at the thoughts running around my mind. This is why men were nothing but fleeting moments in my life, why I chose to stay single. Life isn't a fairy tale; shit like this happens day in, day out. But, of course, fairy tales still give us this false sense of hope that everything will work out. But like everything else, those hopes are dashed because reality always trumps fantasy.

  Fairy tales are for morons.

  “Payton?” A knocking came from my door and the inquisitive voice of my best friend, Kylie.

  “Ky, I need a minute. Can you guys, can you clear up the wine for me?” I sighed, defeated and utterly deflated.

  “Okay, babe. I'll call you tomorrow, my lunch break's nearly over. Most of the office will be on the second day of the bonding session and Phil wants me there.”

  “’Kay,” I answered, removing the phone from my ear.

  “I love you,” Kylie whispered through the door.

  “You too.”

  I love you. Three tiny words that I could never say. For a person to say them, they’d have to believe in love, romance and happily ever after. I believed in working your ass off to get where you dreamed of being, enjoying life and understanding that life was tough, not like Cinder-fucking-ella with her fancy glass slippers and fairy godmother.

  Anger coursed through my veins and my cell took the brunt of the anger as I threw it against the wall in frustration. Looking down at my lap, I fought back the tears threatening to escape. Growling loudly, I jumped from the bed and all but tore off the clothes Kylie had given me this morning, but I toed the heels off my feet gently. I found myself standing in front of my mirror clad in just my bra and panties. Shaking my head, I dove into my closet and pulled out an oversized hoodie and sweats before sitting in the middle of my bed.

  Leaning forward, I reached beneath the bed, pulling out something I swore I’d never look at again. In the palms of my hands sat something I’d kept since high school. It was a gift from Cam, he’d given it to me the day I let slip that I thought he was my Prince Charming. Bound in brown leather sat the one thing that could instantly make my blood boil.

  The book of fairy tales.

  I don’t know what made me think of pulling it out, I don’t know why I gulped back tears while I ran my palm over the embossed text on the cover. I still don’t know why I opened it up to the first fairy tale that was read to me as a child.

  “Once Upon A Time…” I read.

  The jolt of pain that shocked right through my chest caught me off guard. I slammed the book closed, throwing it across the room and watching it land near my cell. Curling up into a ball on the center of my bed, I closed my eyes, hoping I’d wake up with my job intact and my thick skin very much in place, guarding my thorn-encased heart.

  The moment I closed my eyes, my cell rang for a second time. Curious who would be calling, I stood from the bed and retrieved my cell from the floor. Thankfully intact, I almost jumped for joy the moment I saw my mom’s name flash on the screen. Sliding my finger across my cell, I answered the call.

  “Hey momma.” I smiled.

  My Southern accent came out in abundance the moment I knew I’d be talking to my parents. I had no control over it.

  “Payton Alessandra Miller, why haven’t you called me, young lady? You've had me here worried sick!” Her Southern sing-song voice rang through my ear and I instantly missed her. “A call to your mother once a week surely isn't too much to ask, right?”

  “No, ma’am. I’m sorry.” I chuckled softly. “I've missed you. Work has been a little bit crazy.”

  “I've missed you too, honey. Now, fill me in on work. You know how much I love hearing how well you're doing.”

  I cringed at her words. When I took the job straight out of college, I told her it was a high paying, demanding account manager's job. I didn't inform her I was actually my boss’s coffee maker. I wanted her to be proud of me, I wanted her to know I could do this and not disappoint her.

  I cleared my throat. “I just signed a new client today.” I cringed for a second time. “I just don’t want to screw it up.”

  “Oh, honey. You won’t screw it up. You’re one of the most passionate people I know, just remember that when you’re second guessing everything.”

  I moved to my bed and sat down crossed legged.

  “Thanks, Momma.” I smiled warmly, trying to suppress the warm tears that had gathered in my eyes.

  I heard some shuffling in the background and I could hear my father's voice. I wondered for a moment why he was home so early from work.

  “Is that Dad?”

  She sighed hard into the receiver. “It is. The garage isn't doing as well as it used to since the new garage opened just outside of town. It seems everyone wants to go to a larger garage rather than a family owned one these days.”

  “Momma, you’re okay for money, right?”

  She paused for a moment. A moment a little too long for my liking.

  “Of course, sweetie. Everything’s fine. Y’all go and have fun now and try not to forget to call your momma once in a while. I miss you.”

  “I miss you too,” I whispered.

  The call ended and I lay my head down on my pillow. The call left me with an uneasy feeling in my stomach. Closing my eyes, I tried to get some sleep and hoped I could deal with what tomorrow would bring me.

  THE SEARING HOT COFFEE in my hands finally registered a mere ten minutes after being placed in them. I was numb. I ran over the possible scenarios in my head over and over again as I sat in my chair opposite my boss, whose poker face was very much in place.

  I didn't sleep for shit last night; the moment I closed my eyes visions of working in Starbucks plagued my mind. If I wasn't working in Starbucks, I was watching myself back in Omega with Gabriel, remembering the skill he showed in negotiating my body. I tossed and turned every hour, finally deciding to get up at 5am to get myself ready for the day that I might lose my livelihood.

  “Congratulations, Payton.” Kate’s voice cut through my thoughts, leaving me completely and utterly frozen in place.

  “I’m… I’m not following,” I stuttered, trying to find my voice as Kate smiled deviously at me.

  “You managed to sign a client and not screw it up,” she said, taking a sip from her china teacup. “But there’s a slight problem that I’m still trying to wrap my head around.” Pulling out the contract I’d given her the moment I stepped into her office, she flipped to the back page where Gabriel’s signature sat. Eyeing me suspiciously, she closed the contract. “I told you to call me the moment you stepped out of that meeting. You didn't. Instead, I got a phone call from Mr. Black himself.”

  Oh shit, this is where I’d lose my job.

  Sucking in a breath, I waited for my life to pretty much end. It was an over-exaggeration on my part, but when you’re trying to give yourself a life your parents never could, moving from my decently paid job to never being able to work in PR again, it’s a big deal. Kate was vindictive, the Queen of PR, she could make or break your career. If she broke mine, I had no qualificatio
ns or experience in anything else, Starbucks would be my best bet.

  “He told me that he wants you to personally handle the account or he'll opt out of the contract.”

  I… What? I didn't understand. I thought I was sitting in her office to be fired. This had to be a whole other level of fucked up. I stared at my boss completely stunned, wondering what the hell was going on. What’s going to happen to the account? Surely she wasn't going to give it to me. Right?

  “Usually, I would've told him to stick his contract up his ass for thinking he could demand one of my staff; one of my under-qualified staff, for that matter. But this is Gabriel Black. This relationship could have the potential to grow Blue Stone PR financially. So the account's yours.”

  “Thank you, Kate.” I smiled softly, wondering what the angle was; there was always an angle where Kate McKenna’s concerned.

  “On one condition.” She smirked.

  There it was.

  “Okay,” I replied nervously.

  “I want daily reports on what’s going on with the account. Find out exactly what he has planned for every business he owns. Every business, Payton.”

  “Of course.”

  I said of course, but what I really wanted to say was hell no! My mind was in a battle: one side telling me to take the account, this was my step up and this could turn me from PA to account manager, while the other side was screaming not to touch it, it was too risky.

  “Good. I suggest you get in contact with Mr. Black and set up a meeting to get a rundown on his businesses.” Her eyes finally left mine and she shooed me away with a flick of her wrist. That was my cue to leave. Standing from my chair, I turned to leave. “Oh, and Payton?”

  I stopped mid-step, my hand resting on the handle of her office door.

  Turning, I noticed the contract in her outstretched hand. Stepping forward, I took it from her before leaving the room in a rush. I made it back to my office within seconds, slamming my door shut behind me.