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  That was why I was here, and why I couldn’t run like hell if Mr. Mancini so chose to grab my ass.

  “You sure you’re okay?” Zelda asked, eyeing me with concern.

  “Yes, you can count on me. I’m a strong person.”

  “Alright, well here is the job specs with your duties. As discussed, your first task is to get Mr. Mancini to the ESPN show. We’ll deposit the twenty-grand bonus into your account then, and the rest will follow in a few months if you can get him ready for training.” The show was in a few days short of three weeks. I was sure I’d be fine. “For your sake, I hope you’ll last the week. These are the keys to his house. That is where you’ll work. We need you there nine to five, later for events as required. If you need anything call me. If he needs anything call me. Best of luck.”

  “Thank you. I appreciate it.”

  “Just remember what I said,” Zelda warned.

  I nodded and fixed my red beret back onto my head. It was very unlikely i would forget Zelda’s warning.

  Well, here’s to my first day of this job.

  I was sure I was in for a very interesting day.

  Chapter 2

  Amy

  * * *

  I pulled up in front of Mr. Mancini’s beach house in Malibu at eleven. Located on the oceanfront, it offered a panoramic view of the ocean and sandy beach.

  I got out of my car and took a moment to admire it.

  Now this was the ultimate definition of modern and creative, eye catching for anyone with a taste for design.

  The house was truly beautiful and impressive with its extraordinary geometric design and architecture. Fashionable shades of cream and burgundy adorned the concrete walls. It had a flat roof and a grand wooden door that fit perfectly with the glossy windows that were as tall as they were wide. Cedar beams ran over the front porch, adding more character and definition.

  Amidst the manicured lawn, cascade of fantail palms, and assortment of exotic plants, it looked like a cut out from a holiday brochure. I’d read that this area was a celeb haven. I could definitely see why.

  A bubble of excitement lifted within me and I couldn’t wait to see what was inside the house.

  I wondered what he was going to be like. From the look of the house I could tell he had great taste and an interest in style. People like that tended to be outgoing and friendly, so maybe Zelda was wrong.

  Maybe she was one of those women who were over dramatic and jumped to her own conclusions.

  I stepped out of the way to allow a couple jogging with their two retrievers to go by. I then grabbed my purse and proceeded up the steps to the house and opted for ringing the bell as opposed to using the keys Zelda gave me to let myself in. I just thought it was the correct thing to do, especially for someone like him. I may have lived in a trailer park for a rough chunk of my life, but I was as much of a southern belle as any of those upper-class girls raised in wealth, with impeccable manners and the correct ways of etiquette.

  Besides, if it were me, I didn’t think I’d be too happy if some stranger came into my house completely unannounced and uninvited. I wanted to start off on the right foot with him and didn’t plan to run off like the other PAs.

  I wasn’t going to allow anyone to push me out of this job, either. Those other PAs might not have needed to be here like I did, maybe they were weak.

  I waited patiently, straightened out my blazer, and rolled my beaded bracelets up my arms so they’d stop clinking every time I moved. After a few minutes I rang the bell again and continued to wait.

  Fifteen minutes later I was still outside. Maybe he wasn’t in. I moved over to the window but couldn’t see anything because the curtains blocked out any view of the house’s interior. I waited another five minutes before I decided to use the keys, hoping that it would be okay.

  As the door swung open the first thing that hit me was the strong, pungent stench of alcohol. The image of a cheap hangout came to mind as that damp, hadn’t-been-cleaned-ever beer smell filled my nostrils. Like the kind of place that would attract the likes of my father. The smell reminded me of him and discomfort filled my stomach at the recollection.

  “Hello?” I called out, brushing the memory aside.

  There was no answer. I ventured in farther and was greeted by a landmine of garbage in the living room. Pizza boxes, bottles of cider, and bottles of wine piled on top of each other. Packets of this and that, junk galore everywhere. The floor was covered and so were the sofas in the living room. What was worse was that there were dirty clothes mixed in with it. Men’s clothes and women’s underwear.

  The sight took away from the beauty and tasteful design of the room. I didn’t bother to look too much for fear of what else I might see.

  There was another stale smell that I suspected was rotten food. I was a clean person who was obsessed with organization and having my surroundings tidy. I also believed in clean eating and eating for optimum health. This room and everything around me were an abomination to me and everything I believed in.

  A series of female giggles pierced the silence. I looked upstairs to where the sound resonated and saw two women in barely-there bikinis running down the steps. Behind them was Joshua Mancini himself wearing a pair of shorts and a black t-shirt. He was chasing the women.

  I geared myself up to meet my new employer. Even if I was appalled at the state of the house, I had to make that first impression a good one.

  As he got closer I saw that he was truly handsome, indeed, with his sleek muscles and untamed pride. What I saw online was totally drool worthy, but those images had nothing on the real-life Joshua Mancini who was six feet six and extremely well built with a ridged wall of a chest that bulged against the soft fabric of his t-shirt. He was breathtaking to look at with his black, shiny, spiky hair, tanned skin, and piercing eyes with an unusual mix of blue and green.

  Turquoise. That was the color. It was turquoise, like the sea in somewhere like the Caribbean. Not that I’d ever been, but I’d seen enough pictures.

  He was the kind of man that made you want to stare, even against your will. I quickly adjusted myself and my focus. It would do me no good to go all girlie weak-kneed and turn into some babbling buffoon in front of him. I had to look professional.

  He looked me over with appreciation as he made his descent down the stairs and stopped a few paces away from me , making me feel like a dwarf even in my heels that added an extra two inches to my mere five feet and four inches. The women joined him and giggled as they tried to fix each other’s hair.

  “Good, the stripper’s here,” he said with a wide smile that revealed super-gorgeous dimples in his exotic high cheek bones. It took me a second or two to realize that he was referring to me.

  “No, no I’m from the agency,” I replied quickly.

  “Doll, you’re going to have to be more specific than that. What agency did you come from? There’s Kelly’s, Tina’s Angels, Bert’s Whore’s from Hell, but you don’t look like the girls he usually sends. And the list continues.” He was drunk. His words slurred and he smelled like wine and the beer that filled the house.

  The women ran into the other room and grabbed their jackets.

  “Come on, Josh, we don’t want to be late,” said the dark-haired one that looked like a Barbie doll. Actually, they both did.

  I decided to ignore the debacle.

  “I’m coming, baby, why don’t you start the car up for me,” he laughed. The women proceeded to go outside. He watched them, eyes focused on their exposed behinds in bikini thongs. He then turned back to me, giving me a lascivious look. “You coming, babe?”

  I felt completely violated as I watched him openly stare at my breasts and, to make matters worse, lick his lips. Quickly, I pulled my jacket closer and cleared my throat in an attempt to bring his attention back up to my face. It didn’t work.

  “I’m Amy, your new PA.” That was when he looked up at me and narrowed his eyes. “If you could just point me in the direction of the office, I’
ll get started.”

  There, that was professional.

  To my surprise, however, he started to laugh. It was the usual sort of off-balanced laughter you’d expect from someone who was truly wasted and didn’t know what they were even laughing at.

  “Those people are jokers.”

  “This is no joke. I’ll take care of all your paperwork and everything.” I offered a smile.

  “Ha, ha. Everything? Well you can start in there.” He set his square jaw in a firm line and pointed to the mess in the living room. “Clean that up, will you?”

  My mouth dropped. I attempted to protest but he just walked away, leaving me there to gawk at the crazy mess.

  When the door closed I looked around and felt my stomach shy away from the disgraceful site. I was beginning to see why Zelda had given me the heads up. I was also beginning to see why the other PAs left. I didn’t realize that this job would come with the extra duty of cleaning.

  If Mom wasn’t sick, there was no way in hell that I would still be standing here. In fact, if this was under normal circumstances, gorgeous as he was, I would have stormed off after that look he gave me, which explicitly told me what he was thinking.

  I was right about one thing, though. This was going to be very interesting indeed.

  And possibly disastrous.

  * * *

  Josh

  Unbelievable. Zelda was really working overtime to get me back. As if a pretty blonde could win me over. I had other things in mind for the blonde that didn’t involve any PA shit.

  Zelda could kiss my ass for all I cared. And that was just the thing, I didn’t care. I didn’t care about anything and I wasn’t going to spend my time worrying over football.

  I just wanted more beer.

  “Cindy, baby, get me another drink.” I pushed Cindy off my lap and smacked her ass, loving the feel of her smooth bronze skin on my hands. I pulled Allegra into my lap and buried my face into her voluptuous breasts as the music changed to something more upbeat.

  We’d been at Ty’s beach party now for a few hours and I was enjoying every minute of it. I was living like when I was back in college, when I didn’t care about anything because I was young and free and the world belonged to me.

  I loved the beach, loved everything about it. Loved the sand, the sea, and that salty smell that came with it.

  What kept me going was beautiful women and booze. That combination kept me from thinking; it always had and never failed. As soon as the effects started wearing off I’d just top up on both. Both were always at my fingertips and I would happily get by like this until I died.

  Death.

  It didn’t seem so bad if you weren’t on the other side of it. If you weren’t suffering from the loss that came with it then it would be okay. You’d just be no more. Nothing left of you, just memories held by those who loved you.

  I still had a father, who for some reason cared for me. He’d remember me when I died. No one else would though. Not even this beautiful woman in my lap who’d been with me for years. I knew she was only there because of who I was, and because I was rich. If something happened to me she would just move on to the next rich athlete. Cindy would too.

  It was fine, they meant nothing to me.

  I just loved their bodies and they knew what I liked. They were no better than a favorite drink that could never disappoint because it was always the same flavor.

  That was all they were to me. If I had the courage I would have taken my life the same day I found out my mother and sister had been killed. There were several reasons to want to end it all.

  Guilt and shame were in the lead. If they hadn’t been trying to get to my game then they’d still be alive. If I wasn’t the arrogant bastard that I was I wouldn’t have insisted that they travel after such a terrible storm. I would have understood that safety came first when you cared about the ones you loved. Nothing could fully describe the guilt and shame I felt, and it only intensified when I thought of my father. For that reason, I stayed away from him. I didn’t bother. Why should I? I was the reason that the best two people on this Earth no longer lived. I’d been the cause for taking away the love of his life and his precious daughter.

  So, the next reason for wanting to exit this world was simply that I couldn’t stand it anymore, I couldn’t stand the guilt and shame that only got worse with each passing day.

  I only hadn’t done it because for some reason, some crazy reason, I thought it would disappoint my mother. It was ironic and laughable because the way I lived now would be a sure disappointment to her, but if I took my life that would be the end.

  No more chances. No more anything.

  I dug my toes into the softness of the sand, still damp from the retreating tide. Gazing out to the horizon in the distance I found myself momentarily lost in the vibrant hues the sun cast against the sky and the striking blue waters. It reminded me of Italy and spending summers there as a child with my grandparents. I supposed they’d remember me too.

  I was thinking too much again, which meant I was beginning to sober up.

  “Josh, not in front of people,” Allegra giggled as I kissed the swells of her breasts and tried to pull the straps of her bikini top down.

  “Let’s go make use of one of Ty’s rooms.” Ty was one of the team’s wide receivers.

  I looked across to my teammates who were playing a mean game of volleyball. A round of laughter erupted as Scott tripped Ty up.

  “Don’t you want to wait for Cindy?” Allegra’s large brown eyes sparkled in the bright sun.

  “No, let’s go. She can join us later.” I ran my hands up her thighs and hooked my finger in the edge of her bikini thong.

  “That’s fine by me.” She hopped off my leg and took my hand to pull me up.

  Corey approached us as I stood. “Hey man, you aren’t going yet are you?” He asked.

  I smiled and tried to balance myself. “Not yet, bro.”

  “You joining us next week for the team meeting?” Corey asked, looking hopeful.

  The guys met up every week for one thing or another. Aside from being good teammates, we were all friends. I used to join them before my life went to hell. Now I’d go to parties where the setting was like this, with a lot of people. That way I could blend in and come and go. I could avoid questions and their looks of concern and worry.

  I’d never been able to avoid Corey, however, in any setting. I had known Corey for a long time; we went to high school together, played football there and in college. I guessed I could say that we played for the same team now, too, even though technically I didn’t really play anymore. I hadn’t since that terrible day when my mother and sister were taken from me.

  “Nah man. I’m just here.”

  “Why don’t you come for a little while?”

  I couldn’t think of anything worse than a team meeting. I couldn’t go. I couldn’t imagine sitting with the other Gladiators and Coach Simpson in their meeting room at the stadium talking about last season, which I didn’t take part in, and the upcoming season. I just couldn’t bear the thought of it. I only needed to touch a football and I’d remember all that my parents went through to make it possible for me to get to play pro ball for a leading national team. And by the same token, the same memory triggered how I put football above the lives of my family. It was a double-edged blade for me, and I didn’t know what to do about that.

  Allegra slipped her arms around me and rested her head on my chest. Corey cut her a sharp glance. He didn’t like her. Never had, and it didn’t look like he ever would.

  “How about I think about it,” I slurred.

  “You said that last time.”

  I didn’t remember that. My memory was very hazy these days. I liked it that way.

  “This time I will promise you, hand on heart, that I’ll think about it,” I chuckled, running my hand along Allegra’s waist.

  “Cool. We miss you, man.”

  My team needed me. I could tell. I’d helped them win th
e year before last and I understood that my absence was missed.

  I played for the Dolphins for four years before I got signed by the Gladiators. It was then that I actually felt like I was part of a team. They were my friends too, my real friends.

  I’d known a majority of them for just over five years and I had to admit that I missed them too. I missed playing with them, missed the crazy stunts they’d pull on the field. I glanced over at Gage Montgomery, the Gladiators’ quarterback, as he served the volleyball straight in Scott’s face and started to laugh. I would have laughed, too, if I was in a better mood.

  Gage turned and saw me watching the spectacle.

  “Hey old man, come play with us,” Gage beckoned.

  We had this running joke about our ages. I was only a month older than Gage but we’d had this stupid joke going from the day we met.

  I got along really well with him. We looked similar too and had the same personalities.

  “Next time, dude.” I waved back.

  Gage would have answered but Scott sent the ball right back at Gage, hitting him in his neck.

  “I have to go.” I focused my attention back to Corey. “I don’t want to keep my woman waiting.”

  Truthfully, I didn’t want to think about football, my friends, or anything to do with playing. I knew that an impending decision lay on the horizon for me. The team management had left me to grieve for most of the year. They’d left me to do whatever the hell I wanted, but I knew that they’d start exerting some form of control the closer it got to the upcoming season with all the events and trainings planned.

  It was understandable; they had a business to run and a team to prep.

  The problem was I wasn’t sure I could be part of any of it anymore. My body wanted it, and I longed to play. My mind was another story.

  Allegra giggled in that cute girlie way that I liked and pulled me away from Corey. She’d be able to give me just what I needed and wipe my mind clean of all worries, if only for a little while. I followed her happily into the house.