she wished she didn’t know – things which she had no choice but to tell her friend about, even if they were sure to hurt Anneke.
But before Fredericka could say another word, her phone rang, and she had to excuse herself when she realized who was calling.
Standing up, Fredericka walked away from the two women, needing to make sure that her conversation wouldn’t be accidentally overheard. It wasn’t that she had anything to hide, but she really hated it when Alyx and Anneke ribbed her about Sergei Grachyov. Yes, sure, he was possibly the hottest looking guy on her phone book, but still.
He was twenty-five.
And she was...not.
Answering the call, she greeted him cheerfully, saying, “What’s up?”
“Hello, Erie.” Although Sergei Grachyov was six years younger than her, he was in many ways more mature and formal than she could ever be, and the difference in their phone etiquette was the least of it.
“I’m sorry I missed your call,” Sergei murmured in that sexy Russian accented voice of his.
“It’s okay.” Fredericka’s voice was gruff. “It wasn’t anything important anyway.”
“You are my friend,” Sergei countered. “That makes everything you say important.” He checked his watch. “Shall we have dinner and discuss it?”
“Umm—-” Even after all these years, Fredericka still wasn’t used at the way distance seemed to have different definitions for her and Sergei. He lived in Los Angeles, and she lived in Miami. And yet here he was, suggesting they have dinner.
“Time’s up. I shall fly to you then.”
“Sergei! I was—-”
“Worrying over nothing,” he finished dismissively for her. “It’s only dinner, pchelka. It’s not as if I expect you to share my bed in exchange.”
Fredericka turned beet red. “I hate you, Sergei.” She knew he had only said the words knowing it would make her blush.
The young Russian billionaire said lazily, “Ooveedeemsya.” See you.
The call ended, with Sergei ensuring he had the last word.
Fredericka stared at her phone.
Younger men were so...
So...
The End
Author's Note
29 June 2020
Manila, Philippines
And just like that, the first half of 2020 has come to an end.
I hope you're all doing well and fine, wherever you may be, while reading this. Thank you for spending some of your precious time with me, and I really hope that this book - despite its darkness - has also helped drive the point home that lightness - in the end - always, always wins.
Please take care everyone. Challenging times are still ahead of us, but we must never lose hope, and we must never stop being kind.
Until our next journey,
Marian Tee
P.S. For those interested, many of the characters you've seen here already have their own stories. Fredericka Spears (Reid's lawyer) for instance already has her own book, and so do all her other friends. For that matter, all of Reid's friends already have their stories told as well. Please check my website for my character database. My Amazon author page also has an updated reading order of my books.
P.P.S. If you enjoyed this book, please consider writing a review - even something short and simple would do. It would truly, truly mean so much!
P.P.P.S. Please subscribe to my newsletter to enjoy sneak peeks of my latest works. :)
Continue reading for samples of other books I have available on Kindle Unlimited.
My Billionaire Captor
(steamy retelling of Beauty and the Beast)
I had no choice. If I want to save my father, I must forget my old life...and allow a mysterious French billionaire to become my whole world.
Note: This book was previously published as Savage, Broken, Beautiful.
****
So this was Arabella Blume.
The beast stared at her through the two-way mirror, finally seeing her for the first time. She was sleeping peacefully on the bed, her long dark hair fanned wide against the silk pillows, the covers falling just below her full breasts.
She was smaller than it had expected and far lovelier, too. The latter fact might have pleased other men, but that was the problem.
The beast was not like other men, and no other men could be like the beast.
Swinging away from the sight of her, the beast paced broodingly, its mood made edgier by the claustrophobic narrowness of the secret passageway, which wound behind the walls of every room in the mansion.
Could it really be possible?
Could she be the woman the beast had been waiting for?
The beast wanted to believe it was so, but the cynical part of it scoffed at this.
What the beast wanted was a dream, an illusion.
And it would never come true.
A growl of frustration escaped the beast at the thought. The sound caused