Husky Amber

By Janice Bridges

William Stanton was in the United States, about to head for a meeting with the board of Directors of Husky Steak Houses. To save his family's Station from being sold, he tendered to sell their beef to the Australian arm of Husky Steak Houses. That was until he discovered a dishevelled woman on the floor of his lift.

Dusty Husk couldn’t forget the man who had helped her that morning, or the kindness he’d shown her. So when the chance came to pay him back in kind, she grabbed it with both hands.

Trouble was; with millions slowly being illegally drained from one of her companies, she decides to take refuse at Raintree Station. With one of her greatest fans living right next-door, can the famous pop singer, Husky Amber keep her identity a secret!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Janice Bridges
• Release date: Apr 25, 2019
• ISBN: 9780648520610

Book preview

HUSKY AMBER

Written by

Janice Bridges

Copyright © 2019 Janice Bridges

All rights reserved.

Published by Daisychain Publishing

Distributed by Smashwords

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this ebook with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Ebook formatting by ebooklaunch.com

Contents

Chapter one

Chapter two

Chapter three

Chapter four

Chapter five

Chapter six

Chapter seven

Chapter eight

Chapter nine

Chapter ten

Chapter eleven

Chapter twelve

Chapter thirteen

Chapter fourteen

Chapter fifteen

Epilogue

Dedication

Chapter one

WILLIAM’S thoughts were still deeply entrenched with the offer he had been given less than an hour beforehand. A meeting had been scheduled for later that afternoon, which meant he had to fly out within the next two hours, if he wanted to reach Washington before nightfall that was. Flying was his only option, as it would give him time to peruse his proposal making doubly sure all bases were covered in his negotiations, should they decide to purchase his grain fed beef. Years of groundwork and persistence were beginning to pay off, as he closed the door to his sister’s unit on the park side of downtown Manhattan, and headed for the elevator.

Deep in thought, he pressed the button on the wall pad and waited for the lift to arrive. The handle of the briefcase in his left hand felt unusually stiff and heavy in his fingers. He knew Husky’s Steakhouses were the fastest growing food outlet in the Northern Hemisphere, including America, England, Europe and China. So, when he had heard whispers of their pursuit in expanding their franchise business to Australia and New Zealand, his interest had been captured. On a whim, bordering on desperation, he had emailed his proposal to their Head Office.

He had not received an outright letter of refusal on his proposal, but instead, had been invited to supply all logistics costs involved in the supply of his produce, fully dressed, to an address stipulated. Months of hard work, long hours and frustrating phone calls followed. Then last week he had been summoned, along with a few other competitors, including two American Beef Suppliers to attend an interview / meeting with the CEO of Husky’s.

Taking a deep steadying breath, he shook his head slightly to clear his thoughts, And tomorrow was the big day. He conceded softly, knowing full well this first and only meeting could go either way.

Within moments, he heard the elevator hiss into position and the doors silently slid open. With his mind absorbed in his latest facts and figures, he stepped into the empty elevator and pushed the keypad for the ground floor. Immediately, the doors slid closed and the elevator began its descent. He heard the slight sound of a whimper and saw the dark figure of a young woman huddled in a ball on the floor in the opposite corner.

At first glance, the girl looked a mess. She was dressed completely in black, from the tip of her head to her shiny knee high stiletto boots. Her clothes were crumpled and in disarray as she tried to curl into a tighter ball, in an attempt to hide from prying eyes. She wore a shoulder length black wig, which had slid slightly off centre and added a strange dimension to her oval face. Her dark, heavily highlighted makeup had run trails over her cheeks and left her eye sockets dark and sooty. Streaks of black also ran along her temple to her hairline where she had wiped away the tears with the back of her hands. Her nose was also shaded in the same dark hue, as she had tried to stem the flow with angry, impatient swipes. The large knitted jumper hung boldly off one bare shoulder giving him a goodly view of her slender neck and shoulder. Whether the wearer had deliberately worn it in this outrageous fashion was questionable, but then again, what did he know of the latest trend in fashion. Her leather skirt had bunched its way up her legs to show a large expanse of her upper thigh, while the lower portion of her legs were encased in the tightness of knee high, highly glossed, black boots.

Bloody hell, he whispered aloud. His eyes searched their surrounds for the slightest sign of a struggle. Bending to one knee, he rested a hand on her arm. Are you all right Miss?

She jumped at his touch and pulled away from him, lifting her head to stare at him, bewildered. Her eyes were bloodshot and red rimmed from the sea of tears she had shed and continued to shed, as they spilled freely from her eyes.

Have they hurt you? he enquired, as he dropped his briefcase and reached for his mobile phone. While his fingers worked to pin in the emergency helpline, he watched her closely for any sign of injury. Do you need an Ambulance or just the Police? His eyes searched her body for any outward sign of injury from top to toe, as he swiftly pressed the phone to his ear.

The woman sniffed loudly and wiped the lower part of her face with the back of her wrist. When she saw what William was about to do, she quickly placed her hand over his mobile phone and looked up at him with pleading eyes. Please don’t. I am okay. Really, I’m okay. Her lips quivered, her eyes deep pools of liquid amber. Please don’t call the Police, her husky voice begged, as she sniffed again quite loudly. I just need to get out of here!

Well, you don’t look all right to me. You look like you have been run through the mill, and then some.

She stared at him, hearing his words. Her mouth opened to reply, but no words came forth. Her large amber eyes filled with tears once again and quickly began to fall in a torrent, down her already ravaged cheeks

‘Oh my God? What sort of a bastard could do this?’ he thought, seeing the look of pain and devastation in her eyes. Instead, his questions took on a soothing quality. Look, you are going to have to help me here. Are you hurt in any way?

She shook her head, as she tried to wipe the tears away with angry swipes.

Okay. Did he hurt you in any other way? The mobile phone was still poised in his hands, ready for action.

She knew what he meant and she shook her head. No.

Did he take anything which did not belong to him? He felt her body rake with a sob. Teardrops trickled slowly from her thickly mascaraed eyelashes and her hand lifted to wipe her nose. Again she shook her head, but it was at that moment William noticed the credit card in the palm of her hand. He watched her closely, as he asked the next few questions. His voice lowered. "Have you taken anything?"

His words were like a cooling bath of sanity, as she stiffened and slowly came to her senses.

If you are referring to the card, no, it is mine! Here, check for yourself! She opened her palm for him to see. And if you ask if I am a user or I am high on any other kind of stuff, the answer is also no. I have no time to waste on that kind of garbage. She turned her head away from his view and tried to stand up. I’ve got to get out of here!

Here let me help you. He held out his hand.

She brushed his hand aside and stood to her feet. At that same moment, the elevator began to move upwards again. Neither of them had noticed the lift had even stopped, let alone what floor they had been on.

In a flash, the woman moved over to the control panel and began pressing the keys furiously. No! No! Stop, stop you blasted machine. In desperation, she began to scream and hammer her fists on the emergency stop button. Her voice, although cultured, held a low, husky quality, which was most unusual in a woman, especially one so young.

William reached out to calm her, but when she turned her fear-filled eyes towards him and begged, Please don’t let them see me. Please! Please! He was lost when her voice finally broke, and she pleaded, in pure desperation. Please!

Without thought he quickly asked, What floor are they on?

Top floor! Her voice was raspy and broke often.

The Penthouse? He saw her slight nod as they both watched the lights flash quickly skywards.

With little time to think, William ripped at his tie and opened the three top buttons of his shirt, before reaching around to partially reef his shirt out of his trousers.

What are you doing? she looked at him, confused.

He had barely enough time to muss his hair as the elevator came to a standstill. Thankfully, the jacket of his suit was already unbuttoned, as he swung the woman around and jammed her hard against the wall. His actions pinned her against the stainless steel panelling with his body, as the door silently slid open.

If you want my help, wrap your arms around me and hang on! he whispered against her lips, as his mouth covered hers.

She opened her mouth slightly in protest at being thrust against the wall, but when she felt his mouth cover hers, she was totally astounded. It wasn’t just a friendly kiss as he forced her face upwards; it was a full blow kiss of heated lust. As his lips slanted against hers in a wildly erotic motion, she felt his body move even closer to shield her within his opened coat and his thick, strong arms. She felt one of his large hands guide her arms around his upper body and around his midsection, effectively hiding her from any prying eyes. When she felt his other arm lower to one of her thighs and deftly lift her leg to entwine it with his own, she was incredulous.

She opened her mouth to protest, but this action only allowed him to deepen the unwanted kiss. There was no gentleness in his mouth, as he ravaged hers, like a man deep in the throes of passion. And then he shocked her even further, as he roughly lifted the same booted leg to wrap it higher around his hip. She could feel the strength in his hands and fingers as he held her leg motionless, hard against his hip. She felt his fingers splay wide as he moulded the contours of her knee, before slowly, deliberately sliding his way up her bare, exposed thigh. The loud click of the opening door, resonated in her ears.

At that same moment, William felt her stop fighting and her slender body forged into his, her arms slid further up onto his back and she pulled him even closer still. He could feel the slight tremors of fear slide through her body, as the doors clicked into the open position and silence filled the small, encased space.

In the next few seconds of time, everything changed. William felt his body’s chemical reaction to this strange woman explode within him; unexpected heat coursed through his veins and heated his blood. Fire flew to the pit of his stomach forcing his lower body to grow hard and rigid. The woman’s feminine essence filled his nose and stirred his blood. She smelt like the softness of summer rain, while her mouth acted like water to a thirsty man; he had to drink his fill. He felt her body slowly unwind as she moulded herself into him. His hand boldly stroked her bared thigh and slipped beneath her rounded buttocks, to pull her firmly into him. He felt her small gasp of shock as he swallowed the sound with his mouth. Then the unexpected happened, he felt her begin to return some pressure against his mouth and he realised she was actually kissing him back with equal vigour.

Of its own volition, the lower half of his body ground wildly into hers, his large hand slid higher up her thigh, boldly rounding her hip, to openly force her more firmly into him. Her skin felt warm to his touch, soft and yielding beneath his fingers, while the tightness of her buttocks felt well-honed as if she worked out and regularly. He felt the rounded edge of her hips and knew her waist to be small. His fingertips traced the outline of her G-string as it disappeared into the cleft of her backside. Add all this into one slender little package and William began to burn up like he was on fire.

• • •

The first thing Dusty Husk registered was that the man tasted undeniably delicious and he smelt like no other man she had ever known; clean, fresh, like cool mountain air. His back felt wide beneath her fingertips and she could feel the ripples of honed muscles along his spine. She knew him to be tall, as her face tilted slightly upwards when he had begun to expertly ravish her mouth. The hand, which wickedly slid along the skin of her thigh, felt strong and work roughened. The hard calloused fingers sent a strange tingle of delight everywhere he touched and thrilled her beyond belief. Oh, For God’s sake, he was a total stranger! She mentally berated herself, but his touch was absolutely astonishing!

True, she had to admit, he was very nice looking and smelt incredibly delicious. If things had been the opposite, there was no way in hell she would have even considered participating in any of this. But, then again, as the warmth of his mouth covered hers, her eyelids closed of their own volition. Everything about this strange man affected her senses, so much so, she started to go weak at the knees. She could feel the muscles beneath her fingers tighten and flex, as he lifted her leg and wrapped it around his hip a little higher. The rest of his rock hard torso forced her firmly back into the corner of the elevator, effectively hiding her from view. The man knew exactly what he was about. The way his fingers splayed wide to massage her tender skin, deliberating evoking feelings she had never felt before, except in her dreams.

Then there was heat; unbelievable, undeniable, heat!

What she had not expected was the warmth that assailed her body the moment his lips met hers. Never had she responded so wildly, so wantonly, so amazingly completely to a total stranger. She was left with little else she could do, other than to relax, hang on, and enjoy the ride.

Then, the time shell between them was shattered.

Oh. Good heavens above. How disgusting! Get a room, the pair of you! Sian’s disgust dripped from every word. I thought you said this apartment block was on the upmarket side of town. Obviously you haven’t done your homework properly, if displays of this kind are a commonplace. Why, the woman even looks the part of a street walker!

The all too familiar sarcastic, acid toned voice of her stepsister, Sian, chilled Dusty’s veins.

Give the man a break. Dusty heard the amusement in Jonathon’s voice; as he took Sian’s elbow and tried to guide her gently back out of the elevator. Have you forgotten how easily a man can get stirred by the closeness of such a confined space, especially with a scantily clad woman? She could hear the sexual tension in his voice. My, you do have a short memory. His laugh was pure male compatriotism.

Did you see the way that woman was dressed. Sian’s voice sounded brittle and coated with contempt.

So! Jonathon chuckled.

"She reminds me of Her!" Her lips curled with dislike and disgust.

Dusty’s eyes flew open, panic began to set in and her body tensed. Only then did she register the man’s other hand at her back was pressing furiously at the buttons on the keypad.

Don’t be stupid, Sian. She is still in Australia. She has another two concerts before she returns, so we have plenty of time. Besides, when I spoke to Louisa this morning …

The slight hissing sound of the door successfully closed off the rest of his sentence. The next instant, she was released, as the elevator began its descent to the ground floor once again. The man still remained close, one arm around her, holding her firmly, while the other made certain, they were safely on their way.

Are you all right? He enquired gently.

Dusty felt him release her leg, but his body remained far too close for comfort to her own. She grimaced and nodded her head. As right as I am ever going to be.

Boyfriend?

Not anymore. It was at that moment, she knew there would be no more tears.

Did you know the girlfriend?

"Yes, worse luck. Sian is my sister, or should I say, Stepsister!

William swore crudely and took a step backwards, his features flooding with understanding and sympathy.

Could not have said it better myself.

What are you going to do now? He enquired gently.

She took a deep breath and turned her head to the side. Get the hell out of here!

Need a lift? A smile lifted the corners of his mouth.

She looked at him strangely. You are not from around here, are you?

No. I am just visiting. I’m on my way to the Airport! He noticed her handbag on the floor and bent down to retrieve it.

Which Airport? She held his gaze, liking the hazel flecks in his soft grey eyes.

J F K.

Her head tilted forward slightly, with acknowledgement. Thanks. The offer is appreciated. Lifting one hand, she began to set the black wig back into position, but as she turned to view her reflection in the metal plating of the door, she sucked in her breath. I can’t go into the lobby looking like this. She dragged at the hem of her miniskirt, which had crept up, to show an inordinate amount of her thighs. God, I look bloody awful!

From what I have seen of this Country so far, what you are wearing would not turn too many heads. The makeup may be a different matter. Then again, you could be going to one of those Punk Rock Shows. Who knows? Reaching into his pocket, he withdrew his handkerchief and placed it into her fingers. His eyes watched her with interest as he set to right his own clothes, just as the elevator doors finally slid quietly open. My car is parked on the next level down.

William watched, as she took a deep breath and stood to her full height and straightened her shoulders. With a gentle whoosh of air from her pouted lips, she stepped forward and out of the lift well. The girl had guts, with her face still ravaged by hideous black makeup; she held her head high and headed for the lower level parking facilities. He was surprised to find himself impressed. Extremely impressed!

Neither said a word as they made their way along to where he had parked his car, or even as he quickly pulled out of the parking station and into the early evening traffic. It wasn’t until they were on the freeway and out of the main City, before she finally spoke.

Thank you for your help tonight. She had been fumbling with the contents of her bag, searching for something in particular. Finding it, she undid the lid and placed a dab of its contents onto one corner of his handkerchief. Without the aid of a mirror she began to clean away the mess on her face. I am sorry, I don’t even know your name!

My name is William Stanton. You know, you are very good at doing that, especially without a mirror.

She smiled, the lights of the oncoming traffic glistening on her even white teeth. I have had a lot of practice. Suddenly, she realised what she had said, and the smile faded from view. Just like me, the world is an ugly place, isn’t it?

You are just in a bad space at the moment! Give yourself a few days, and the pain will ease. I promise you.

Her wide amber eyes sparkled in the ebbing streetlights. Can I hold you to that promise? She whispered quietly.

Give yourself a break. I know you are not going to believe anything I say right now, but the first two days are going to be the worst. After that, your anger will begin to step up a notch and your blood will fill with fire. You will start to feel that real, pissed off anger, right alongside that self-loathing at your own gullibility; that’s when you will really start to cruise.

You speak like you have been here before.

He nodded, A long time ago.

I hope you are right Mr William Stanton from Australia.

You appear to know a lot more about me than I realised. he grinned sheepishly. Exactly what was it that gave me away?

I recognised the accent.

Know a few Aussies, do you?

I have had a few dealings with some. I had intentions of visiting your Country after my Tour, but things haven’t gone quite as I had planned. The last of her sentence, spoken a tad softer than the rest, as she turned her head and stared out into the night.

Tour? he enquired, picking up on what she had said. Do you mean ‘Tour of Duty’, or tourist?

Grimacing, she turned back towards him. No, nothing so honorary I am afraid. I sing for my supper. She added wryly.

Ah! Hence the costume! Kind of figured it was something like that. Your voice has a husky quality too, it should have been a dead give-away.

How did you get over the pain? She asked sombrely.

Time. That is all you need! He whispered in return.

Right at this moment, my chest feels as if it has been ripped open. I really believed he was someone I could truly trust.

You are not the first woman to place your trust in the wrong person, believe me. So don’t go beating yourself up too badly. Instead, why don’t you count it as a lucky escape and give yourself a pat on the back. You discovered their duplicity, before the situation got any worse.

I trusted him. How wrong could I have been? She gave a coarse, brittle laugh. He turned out to be just like all the rest. The last said on a breath that was almost undiscernible.

William’s heart twisted, as he heard the bitterness in her words. Knowing there was nothing anyone could do, he encouraged her to talk … even if it was, only to a stranger. Did you know he was seeing your Stepsister?

She shook her head. No! Her voice was weak, as she added, Not until tonight.

He saw the fingers of her left hand flex and tighten around the credit card she held tightly in her palm. The card acted like a talisman against her turmoil, the pad of her thumb rubbed angrily over the raised names on the cards. He knew it had to be a significant part of what had taken place in the penthouse. Look, I’m not sure I am the right person to be giving you advice …

Before he could finish, she spoke aloud, the pain in her voice so heartfelt; he slowed the vehicle and searched for an avenue to an outer lane.

What do you do, when they have robbed you of everything you have worked hard to gain? Lied to you from the very beginning and ripped your heart out without a seconds thought.

He pulled the car over to the edge of the road and came to a standstill. You cannot go on tormenting yourself like this. You have to think positive, take matters back into your own hands, one step at a time!

How? How do I stop what has already taken place? I have been such a fool!

I gather that card is yours, but in his name? It is also attached to your bank account, that is now well and truly empty?

His name! When you say it like that, it does sound rather naïve!

It is one of the oldest scams in the world, but it can be easily rectified.

How?

"Easy. Freeze all of your assets, pending an investigation. Speak to your Accountant or Lawyer and have all your accounts frozen. It means even you won’t be able to access your own money, so I would make pretty damn sure I had some cash on hand for your own needs. Open another Account, in another Country, under an assumed name. A good Lawyer can fill