Free Bending All the Rules (Billionaire Romance) (The A List Series) by Savannah Rylan

Chapter One:
     
    Breccan
     
    My body ached from head to toe. Every muscle had been pushed to its limit for the last three hours, and I was utterly spent. My trainer, Andre, had worked me out extra hard tonight, as I prepared to tackle my next film project. Apparently, the character was a dirty cop with a heart of gold, and for reasons unbeknownst to me, he was shirtless throughout most of the movie. I’m pretty sure the EP did this on purpose just to draw a larger female audience to the action flick.
     
    All I wanted was a hot shower and a bourbon. And not a Jim Beam or Wild Turkey or that other swill people drink in college. I wanted a Black Maple Hill 16-year-old Small Batch, one of the finest in the world. Luckily for me, there was a case of the stuff waiting for me at my Malibu beach house.
     
    I pulled my Tesla into the driveway, anxious to strip down, and already anticipating the serenity that awaited as hot water cascaded over my body, when I noticed a light on inside.
     
    Cutting the engine, I stepped out, and glanced across the street. Sure enough, my assistant Valerie’s beat up Honda was parked in her designated spot. “What the fuck is she doing here at this hour?” She wasn’t due until morning, and considering she hadn’t called or texted about a problem. I had no idea why she was there.
     
    I turned the knob and entered my house, expecting to see her there in a frazzled panic. She was always freaking out about one thing or another. Stepping out of my shoes, and down into the sunken living room, I scanned the area. The room was dark, but there was a light coming from the west wing of the house.
     
    My hands balled into fists as anger flared. She had better not be where the fuck I think she is… I stormed down the hallway, blood boiling.  I turned the corner, idly praying I was wrong, that she wasn’t…
     
    “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” I screamed.
     
    Valerie spun around, jumping at the sound of my voice. “Oh, Mr. Laughry. I’m so sorry… I—”
     
    “Answer me! What the fuck are you doing in this room?”
     
    She backed away, trembling, without realizing she was heading even further into the room. “I… I dropped… and the papers fell under… I know I’m not supposed to…”
     
    She continued backing into the room, not paying a bit of attention and coming dangerously close to knocking over a small wooden box that sat on the side table. I charged at her, causing her to yelp, and caught the trinket before it crashed to the ground.
     
    Valerie spun around, running from the room. I’d wanted to stop and check every inch on the space, make sure nothing was out of place, but I needed to deal with her first. I shut the door behind me, locking it tight, and followed her back into the main living room. “I gave you three rules, Valerie. Three fucking rules. What are they?”
     
    “Mr. Laughry, I know I shouldn’t have—”
     
    “Answer me!” I bellowed, the words echoing off the high ceilings.
     
    “Never make me—”
     
    “Count.”
     
    She sniffed. “One, never make me repeat myself. Two, never speak to anyone about you, and three, never go in that room.” The last word was almost imperceptible as she sobbed, still clutching the wrinkled papers in front of her.
     
    “You have broken two of my three rules tonight, haven’t you?”
     
    She shook her head.
     
    “Answer me!”
     
    “Yes, Mr. Laughry. I’m so very sorry.”
     
    “Get. Out.” I seethed.
     
    “If you could just give me another chance. I really need this job, Mr.—”
     
    The image of her in the room replayed over and over through my mind, my chest growing tighter each time I pictured her grimy fingers running over the precious items. “Get the fuck out of this house right now. Get your shit and go! Now! You’re fired.”
     
    She didn’t reply as she dropped the papers, tears streaming down her face, as she reached for her purse and made a beeline for the door, sobbing