Amelia, p.1
Amelia, page 1
part #1 of Legacy Series
Copyright © 2019 by Layla Powers
All Rights Reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form of by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Amelia
A Legacy Novel
Book 1
∞∞∞
By Layla Powers
Chapter One
Thick icy sheets of rain obscured Amelia’s view of the black runway ahead of them. The dark sky continued to rumble, bolts of lightning striking down without a moment’s notice. Even from within the confines of the private jet, she could feel the cold chilling her to the bone. Instinctively, she wrapped her coat tighter around her petite frame.
If we are forced to sit on this runway for one more second someone is going to lose their job!
The meeting, being a last minute decision, had only given her an hour’s notice before she had to make her way through rush hour traffic to the airport. She glanced down at her leather briefcase tucked neatly by her feet, grateful she’d at least managed to grab that on her way out.
The concierge can run out and grab me whatever I need. Heaven forbid we’re forced to stay over any longer.
Amelia closed her eyes and leaned her tired head against the cool glass window. The flight had been delayed two hours so far. They couldn’t afford to lose any more time sitting on the runway in the pouring rain.
The flight attendant, dressed impeccably in a pair of smart black slacks and satin beige blouse, walked briskly into the state-of-the-art cabin. Her makeup was flawlessly applied and not a blonde hair was out of place. “Apologies from the Captain.” Her kind and friendly blue eyes addressed the passengers around her. “We finally received word from the tower and will take off within the next few minutes.”
Thank God, finally we are getting this show on the road. Amelia sighed as the wind outside continued to howl. Heavy black raindrops thrashed against the outside of the plane. She always felt at home on aircrafts. She couldn’t count how many times she’d flown or how many nights she’d spent flying high in the sky. Normally she’d curl up on one of the reclined cream leather seats and fall asleep almost instantly, just as easily as she would on her King size bed back home. But tonight was different, not even the gentle thrum of the aircraft engines could rock her to sleep.
The last couple of months had taken its toll on her both mentally and physically. She was depleted and wanted nothing more than to be back home. She loved her grand, yet modest, apartment, a gift from her father two years ago for her eighteenth birthday.
Amelia’s property was a stone’s throw away from both the city center and her father’s home, a win for them both. She’d fallen head-over-heels in love with it the moment she turned the key in the wooden front door and swung it open. In the long days after her father’s death, she often found the most solace inside its four walls.
She’d recently pulled several all-nighters and having not seen much of the inside of her home, she now hung on by a thread. She knew her attitude should be better. She’d been trying her best to appear cheerful and upbeat to those around her. In the past she would have been able to warm every room with her bright blue eyes and charming smile. The air around her would draw people towards her, making them feel at ease. But not today, because deep down all she felt was deflated and lackluster.
Amelia wanted to close her eyes as the plane took off into the black sky, weaving its way through the turbulence that caused it to shake every so often. But her thoughts were focused solely on the meeting she was due to attend later that evening. Please, God, let’s get this sorted out quickly so I can get back home.
Legacy Towers had been her father’s baby. Several years ago the idea of a luxury apartment block unlike any other, had come to him one night in a dream. He dreamt it would be an architectural masterpiece that sat like a diamond on the city skyline. Its design was unrivaled, the luxury inside setting a statement that couldn’t be found anywhere else. Everyone who was anyone would be able to own one of the most exclusive addresses which came with a lifestyle beyond compare.
To date, nighty-five percent of the apartments were already sold out, owners eager to step foot into their homes. It was her father’s dream that he too would settle there one day when the time came for him to retire. But that day would never come for him.
Nine months earlier, on a night Amelia would never forget, her father had met his untimely demise. A drunk driver ran a red light and crashed into her father’s Town Car, killing him and his faithful driver instantly. In a split-second Amelia was left on her own with nothing more than her father’s vast corporate empire to keep her company.
As she was an only child, a product of a one-night stand with a blonde beauty named Delia Smith, she didn’t know she had any other choice but to take the reins and continue his work. Today the loss of her father, coupled with the demanding nature of the business, pushed her so close to the edge, she thought any moment she would topple off and lose herself.
The storm outside didn’t abate as the sleek white jet made its way onto the long tar landing strip. The weather delays now meant they were late for their meeting.
Just what I needed tonight. Amelia cautiously made her way down the metal staircase, holding tight onto the slippery railing beneath her hands. She’d definitely not dressed for this blizzard. The icy wind bit at her skin, making her feel as if she’d stepped off the cozy plane and into a walk-in freezer. She rushed to the waiting SUV and climbed in, welcoming the warmth that surrounded her.
Moments later she was joined by her Financial Director, Jerry Robertson. He was a burly man in his late sixties who enjoyed working with figures just as much as he enjoyed Sunday afternoons on the golf course sipping on a double whiskey. He was fiercely loyal to Amelia having worked for her father for close to forty years.
“You ready?” His clipped tones could barely be heard above the noise of the storm thrashing outside the car.
Amelia nodded, pushing a strand of her blonde hair from her innocent face, tucking it absentmindedly behind her ears. “Yes, let’s get this over and done with,” she said as the SUV set off towards Legacy Towers.
The atmosphere inside the grand entrance foyer was thick with tension and loathing. What was meant to be a civil meeting between the investors and the developers had come to a complete standstill, neither party willing to budge an inch.
On one end of the room Amelia stood impatiently tapping her foot. It had gone past eleven and she was desperate to get back to her hotel and get some much-needed sleep. Her gas tank was empty, all the fumes had evaporated hours ago. Someone would soon be on the receiving end of her last testy and irritable nerve.
That someone stood on the opposite end of the room. Sebastian Harris scowled as each second ticked by, his usual playful smile stripped from his now arrogant face.
Amelia had met him earlier in the evening. She’d been mesmerised by his green eyes, noticing the gold flecks that danced within them when he smiled. His thick brown hair was perfectly styled, not a hint of designer stubble could be seen on his chiseled jawline. She’d watched him walk in front of her, his muscular body dressed in an impeccably tailored suit.
They were now at a complete impasse. If neither of them came to the party and decided on the development’s future, the entire project would be in jeopardy of falling apart. The repercussions would lead to a walk-out by his teams and a sizeable loss on her side.
“I think you really need to reconsider your actions, Sebastian.” Amelia broke the silence in the room. She’d never liked Sebastian or the way he ran his business. Her father had contracted him long before his death to carry out the project from start to finish. If it hadn’t been for that, she would have fired him from the project long ago.
Amelia’s eyes caught Sebastian’s from across the room. His pursed lips were pale and thin, his annoyance etched onto his face. He didn’t look as if he were about to change anything.
“If you refuse to extend the deadline, but continue to add on work, it makes no sense for us to continue with this…” He waved his hand around the half empty space around them. “…It’s not us being unreasonable. It’d be less costly for us to walk out and suffer the consequences in court than it would to carry on and suffer these stupid imposed fines you appear to be so set on!”
Amelia knew he had a point, but she also had investors who were hot on her heels to get this project completed so they could get returns on their investments. After her father’s death a large group of stakeholders had pulled out of the project, taking their money with them. Money that was desperately needed. They’d felt as if their good standing relationship with her father no longer mattered, now that Amelia was CEO. The chances of his daughter running the company as a success didn’t feature in their minds. The sudden withdrawal of investors meant new ones had to be found. This turn of events had brought the project to a standstill, leaving it now running three months behind schedule. Three months we could barely afford.
The company her father had so painstakingly built couldn’t withstand any further delays, especially as most of their capital was now tied up in this project. Her absolute last hope was to get Sebastian back on site and his teams working hard to get it all completed. Unfortunately, that also meant enforcing a rather substantial fine for every day the programme ran over schedule.
Yes, the scope of work had changed and there’d been more variations than Amelia could count. But deep down she’d h
Come on Harris. Just get back on site and do your damn job. Stop being such an arrogant prick!
“If you’re unable to do the work, which you’re being paid handsomely for, then perhaps you should just pack up and leave. I’m sure we could get someone else to replace you.” Amelia bluffed, her hotheadedness on full display for all to see.
Sebastian’s stood across the room, his fists clenched tightly by his side.
Yes, that’s right, make your move. Amelia smirked.
“Okay! Okay!” Jerry called out, lifting his hands, motioning for a cease fire. “We’re all a little worked up, a little stressed. Why don’t we sleep on it? You know, relook this in the morning? We both have our concerns, but I’m sure we can work something out that makes everyone happy. Then hopefully we’ll be able to get this show back on the road. How does that sound?”
“Sure, whatever, Jerry.” Amelia sighed loudly, rubbing the temples of her forehead in frustration.
Sebastian nodded and walked out of the building, his team hurriedly following behind him. Her eyes couldn’t help but follow him as he left. She watched the way his entire body moved, from his strong neckline down to his masculine arms and chest.
“Is there even a point, Jerry?” Amelia asked when the room cleared out. She was sure everyone was happy to be out of the meeting and on their back to their homes or hotels. She wondered where Sebastian would be spending his evening. Would he be on his own or perhaps sharing his bed with someone else? They must be lining up for him. Amelia pitied the woman who would have to put up with all his nonsense.
∞∞∞
“Amelia…,” Jerry tried to reason softly.
He’d known her father well and considered Arthur Birkehart to be a great business partner and friend. He’d also had the privilege of being able to watch Amelia grow from a young curious toddler to an extravagantly beautiful lady. The last few months had taken its toll on her, anyone with eyes could see that, but she was a fighter. He often saw a blazing passion burning so deep in her eyes, that he knew her father had been right in leaving his entire corporation to her.
Jerry had spent many nights sitting in deep conversation with her father talking about the future and how he wanted the business to be run should anything ever happen to him. Jerry knew how important it’d been for him to have Amelia continue her father’s legacy. There was no way she could give up now, she just needed a lot more patience.
“No, Jerry. You know better than anyone here the fortune you and I lose every second that Dickhead stops work on this site. Not to mention that Hongjia’s will pull out and then what? We’ll never finish this damn project…” Amelia bit her lip and leaned back against a workbench, her words hanging thick and heavy in the air.
He knew she was frustrated and being here, in this building that Amelia’s father had so painstakingly loved and designed, didn’t help to ease the anxiety he knew she had.
“Let’s just call it a night and head back to the hotel. Obviously, we can’t do anything here tonight.” He picked up his briefcase, put a comforting arm around Amelia’s shoulders and led her outside to the waiting SUV.
Chapter Two
Harris Construction, a well-known and established company, was a leader in their industry. Once a family run business, it was now run with only Sebastian Harris at its helm.
Their offices, a mixture of steel and smoked glass, stood out proudly on the city landscape. Sebastian’s office was larger than the average studio apartment and was situated in the furthest corner of the top floor. He’d purposely positioned his workspace away from the busy hive that rushed around day and night to keep every project running smoothly. He’d been adamant his privacy was to be maintained at any costs. Even if it meant keeping himself apart from the four hundred staff that worked for him.
His name could often be heard slipping from the lips of his employees and the local paparazzi. He was a mystery which kept everyone guessing as to what he’d being doing next.
A knock on the door broke Sebastian from his thoughts. He didn’t bother turning his chair to see who it was. His personal assistant would still be working although it was past ten in the evening.
Julian walked swiftly across the long room, his eyes focused on the thick pile of the carpet below his feet. He hastily dropped a stack of papers and manila folders down onto the steel and glass desk with a thump.
“Thanks, Julian.” Sebastian waved him off.
He glanced at the pile of papers and sighed. He’d returned to the office with the intention of working. There were contracts and drawings that needed to be dealt with, but his mind wasn’t focused.
He was proud of the business he’d built alongside his father. They’d managed to adapt with the times and keep the work rolling in. I don’t know how we’d managed it, but we did.
There was no debate about it, Sebastian always planned to run the family business. As a young boy he’d watched his father wheel-and-deal, taking on projects people said would never work. But he always managed to pull them a confidence not many people possessed.
“Remember son, if you want something, take it. Nobody decides what you can and can’t have. You make your own choices!” His father’s words echoed through Sebastian’s ears. He father was right. You took what you wanted. No prisoners.
There’d been many occasions in the past where they’d not seen eye-to-eye. Sebastian knew the way he’d chosen to lead his life wasn't to his father’s liking.
But it’s my life to lead after all. I’m thirty-four, not some prepubescent teenager needing to be told what he should and shouldn’t do.
Their relationship hadn’t been a normal one. It was often strained and awkward, an element of complexity and distance shrouding it. He knew his father loved him, but there was always a lingering sense of disappointment that his father held strongly against him. Why? I guess I’ll never know really. He long stopped guessing what made his father tick.
Sebastian stood, taking in the view of the night sky outside his floor-to-ceiling glass windows. He loved the way they wrapped around the two sides of his sleek, modern office. It continued to pour outside. Heavy water droplets fell slow and steady, as if they didn’t have anything better to do with their time.
The meeting earlier that evening hadn’t gone accordingly to plan. In fact, he wasn’t entirely sure if there’d been a point in having one. He’d requested it hoping he could intimidate Amelia, make her realise who was the Alpha on this project. But all she’d done was rub him the wrong way, making him mad beyond belief. She’d stood there all opinionated with her big blue eyes and pouty lips telling me, ME, what to do! Who does she think she is? A woman like her needs to be taught where her place is and she needs to stay there!
Normally women would be quick to drop their wet panties for him. Ready to do whatever he wanted, no matter how obscene the request was. He could call up any one of the numbers stored on his phone and someone would be there within minutes, on their knees, ready to please him. But Amelia was different. She was obnoxious and self-absorbed. She was a little girl with her proud nose high up in the air, trying to fit in shoes she would never be able to fill. She needs to be taught a lesson.
He’d thought she’d see reason, that she’d listen to him, but instead she’d planted her hands firmly on her delicate hips and done the exact opposite. Only demands and threats had broken forth from her perfect pink lips. He knew she’d taken on a lot since the passing of her father, but the world was a cruel place. Definitely not a place for a woman like her. Given half the chance it would swallow her up and spit her out whole.The position of CEO should surely go to someone far more qualified than her. She didn’t know what she was doing. There was no time for teething around here.
He’d taken his time to look at her this evening He’d noticed she’d been struggling to hide her emotions behind that pretty face of hers. The anger and worry clearly evident in the creases of her well-shaped brows and the down-curve of her lips. His cock twitched from beneath his dark blue jeans. Amelia was one of the sexiest pieces of ass he’d seen in a long time. He couldn’t help but wonder what she’d look like on her knees, hands tied behind her back, sucking on him as if he were her last meal. I bet those pouty lips could work a cock into a frenzy.
