All or nothing (Love in chaos #1) - Missy Johnson Page 0,9

a business from my grandfather, that I just sat around all day, watching the money roll in. I never wanted to devalue what my grandfather had done by telling anyone that while he was a visionary, there were some aspects of business he didn’t fully understand, like basic cash flow management.

The only one who really knew how hard I worked was Mom. She saw me studying half the night and then get up early the next morning to go to the office. I did night classes, weekend classes, whatever I needed to do. She saw my drive and determination every single damn day. I’m not sure I can handle the disappointment in her eyes if… when she finds out about this.

“Ok, you’ve proved your point.” My voice is gruff, the tension I’m feeling showing more than I want it to. “What do you need me to say to get you to shred the agreement, for the sake of our friendship?”

“You think I’m going to back down, Tyler?” Jake’s laugh chills me to the bone. “Not a fucking chance. And for the record, we’re not friends. We haven’t been for years. But thanks for letting me know how little confidence you have in yourself.”

“You're an asshole.” I spit the words through my teeth. “And you're going to lose. Make sure you don't have any plans Sunday night, because I want you to be the best man at my wedding.”

“You're having a wedding now, and not just finding someone to marry? Wow, thinking big. Good luck with that,” Jake chuckles. “You better get going, Benny boy, or you'll run out of time before you know it.”

I toss my phone onto the seat next to me so hard it bounces off and onto the floorboard. Slamming my fists against the steering wheel, I curse loudly. I feel so betrayed. Not by Jake, but by the other two guys I’ve known since we were five. Jax I can sort of understand. He loves games like this, but Mason has always had my back. I’ve never given him a reason to fuck me over, so why would he help Jake? I look through my contacts until I find Mason’s number, determined to find out.

“Yeah?”

“What the fuck, Mase? I thought we were friends.”

“Shit,” he mutters, like I was the last person he expected to hear from. “We are friends. I didn’t want to do it, but Jake threatened me.”

“With what?” I laugh.

He’s quiet for a second. “I can’t tell you.” His voice cracks, and I know that it’s big. “Look, I am sorry. For what it’s worth, I’m on your side. Jake’s a cunt. I wouldn’t be upset if I never had to see him again.”

“Yeah, you and me both.”

I end the call without saying goodbye. I’m still angry at Mason, but I know how Jake can be when he wants something. And right now, what he wants is my business.

What the fuck am I going to do?

Chapter 4

LIV

“Livvie!”

I can hear Tara's voice chanting my name as I make my way through Customs and into the international arrivals section. I laugh when I see her because she's made one of those signs you see chauffeurs use in movies when they're picking up a client.

“Put that down, you idiot,” I say with a giggle.

I drop my backpack and hug her, any stress I had about coming back home quickly evaporating. Tara's been my best friend since we were kids. Although, we kept in contact, I had no idea if our friendship was going to be as strong when I came back. One look at her wide, friendly smile and it feels like I never left.

“I can’t believe you’re back,” she gushes. “Look at how long your hair is, and it’s so blonde. Jesus, I almost didn’t recognize you, you sexy little minx.”

My cheeks flush, because Tara is anything but quiet.

“I can’t believe I’m back either,” I say, unable to wipe the sappy grin off my face.

“I’ll never get used to that wonky accent you’ve got going on.” Tara laughs and slaps her arm around my shoulder. “It’s like someone morphed Liam Hemsworth into Taylor Swift.”

“I sound that manly?” I joke.

For the last five years, I’ve been living in Bondi, Australia, with my dad and his wife, Elena, after a little white lie backfired and blew up in my face. I told someone something I shouldn’t have and the next day, it was all over school that I was in a secret relationship with my brother’s best friend,