"Broken"

Written by VeGirl 2013 © All Rights Reserved

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Linda smiled wide as the salesgirl handed her the paper bag. "Have a nice day."

"Thanks', you too."

The sun was bright outside and Linda put her shades back on. It was a lovely day in what was generally known as a rainy part of the world, and this sunny day felt even better with those beautifully designed black high heels in the paper bag. Those would look so great with that grey dress I found yesterday, Linda thought, and was suddenly looking forward to the party on Friday. She walked down the street with a huge smile on her face, feeling content.

"Linn!"

Linda turned around at the voice of her best friend and colleague who was hurrying towards her. "Linn?" she asked with a snicker. "You keep shortening my name each time I see you," she teased her friend. "Soon it will be nothing but Li."

"Hmm, Miss Li, that doesn't sound so bad." Zoe said with a wicked smile and the two girls hugged. "Have you found anything?" Her eyes roamed the paper bags in Linda's hand.

"Yes!" Linda was beaming and took up one of the shoes to show her friend. "Look!"

Zoe's mouth fell open. "You've bought Louboutin's?" Her voice was shrill.

"No, silly, these are knock off's." Linda laughed. "Do you think I can buy designer shoes on my teacher salary?"

"I was definitely going to talk to the big boss to up my pay in that case."

"But they do look like the real deal, don't they?" Linda beamed and was silently asking herself what her friend would say if she knew that she had three pairs of the real deal in her closet at home and two Manolo Blahnik, from her shady past. "Do you want a cup of coffee?"

"Sure!" Zoe hooked her arm in under Linda's and they walked to their favourite coffee-place nearby. "Are you wearing those for the parent teacher conference?" Zoe had a cheeky smile on her face and Linda almost dropped her jaw from the surprise.

"What? Which parent would I want to impress?" She asked appalled.

"Doesn't Carl go in your class? His daddy is such a catch!" Zoe rolled her eyes in delight. "My God, he can tap me any day of the week." Linda just laughed. She and Zoe both taught in primary school lower classes and the kids' parents weren't that much older than them, but Linda still felt ill at ease.

"Isn't that unethical?"

"Never mind; live on the wild side for a change!" The friend sounded cocky and had a wicked grin. "Perhaps you planned to go clubbing in Liverpool; they got a new club, a BDSM one I've heard." Linda nearly choked on the coffee and started to cough like crazy.

Zoe laughed. "Okay, that seems a little too extreme for you, but you do need a good shag." She stated.

Oh, if you only knew me... Linda thought.

"I'd rather stay here in good old Blackpool, thank you very much." Her voice was a little on the tart side and Zoe chuckled.

Zoe was concerned of how uninterested her friend had been in getting a guy to notice her since they got to know each other, and was determined to fix her up with some hot bloke.

As if the girl could read minds she glared at Zoe. "And you will not set me up with anyone!"

Zoe held her hands in the air. "Sorry, you're gonna have to fix that yourself, I'll be busy getting myself laid this Friday." She chuckled and Linda seemed to ease down if only a little.

"I'm really looking forward to this party." Linda smiled wide.

"I know!" Zoe was fractions from doing a little happy-dance.

"Who do we know there?"

"Who cares?" Zoe snapped with a snicker. "As long as there are some hot guys to feast on."

"If you were a guy, I'd say you're a dog."

"Woof!"

The two friends laughed. Zoe was upbeat and that was her usual way, it was never a dull moment around her, Linda thought.

"So... can I have Carl's father then?" Zoe asked as soon as their laughter had subsided.

"What is it; are you in heat or something?" Linda snickered.

"No, just hot, that's all." Zoe had a smug expression and her blue eyes glistened.

Linda just laughed as Zoe told the story of her last conquest. "You are a dog." Linda laughed. "We will never find a man to get you on your toes, but I sure will try." Linda actually knew where to look.

"Please do, I don't mind try a few out." She wore a confident and cheeky face, and Linda was once again happy to have Zoe as a friend.

They parted ways after that and Linda walked towards her flat. She had moved up here from London about three years ago after a bad breakup and there was a good reason she didn't choose a big town like Liverpool as her residence.

She had stayed under the radar for three years now.

Here in Blackpool she had got herself a fantastic flat with a view over the seaside. Besides that, she had gotten just the job she wanted in the nearby school and she flourished in that job. Zoe had been her friend since she moved here and they were really close, but like Zoe gladly pointed out, she hadn't found a man to catch her interest more than casually. A smile formed on her face at the thought, even if it was a bit sad.

Still not ready to jump from the deep end just yet, she shrugged her friend's comment off as she got closer to her neighbourhood. With a delightful weather like this, she was definitely going to get a perry and relax on her small balcony with a good book; watching the ships float by, far out on the sea.

She crossed a corner and almost bumped into someone, but swiftly ducked out of the way and did her best to resume her walk, despite a disturbing feeling.

"Laurinda?"

She came to a halt abruptly and stiffened instantly as a chill ran down her spine and all hairs stood on end. Nobody called her by her full name, nobody from this town. Her name was all that needed to be uttered for her to know who said it, the surprised voice was familiar.

Her eyes were wide as saucers and it suddenly felt as if somebody was squeezing her tight around the chest, making it unable for her to breathe.

Slowly she turned around and during that turn, she mustered up every ounce of courage she had and managed to put her defensive shields up behind her shades, to hide the weariness in her eyes. "Jayden..." A feign smile on her face, perfected over the years lit up her features, but nothing could hide the stiff shoulders. "I didn't expect running into you in this town."

She missed the shock that reigned through his body and soul.

The breath she took was uneven and she backed away, as he took a few swift steps closer and that well known crooked smile of his sent sparkles in his pale teal-colour eyes. Her mind went blank for a moment, before it resumed the inner chaos and turmoil that the fear induced. His mere presence sent shivers down her spine, in both a good way and a bad. Her body was on fire.

"How could I ever stay away from you, pet?" Much taller, he towered over her, leaning in and gave her a lingering kiss on the cheek.

She had to stop herself from moaning out loud due to the way he instantly could turn her body into a quivering puddle. But that puddle had been quivering in fear for too long.

She knew she had to stay focused.

Don't show your weakness, don't let the fear take over. She had the same mantra she had for the last three years, fearing he would find her.

What was his question again? Oh yeah; how could he stay away from me? "Don't be stupid, we both know how easy that was, Jayden." She didn't intend to be rude, but she didn't seem to have control of her actions, and she needed to regain that control fast.

Those words of hers revoked exactly the aback reaction she aimed for, but after only a second of holding his breath, he had his expression in perfect control again.

"Precious; you're hurting my feelings." His eyes glittered teasingly.

All of her clenched in fear while she once again composed herself and sighed. "Oh well, tit for tat." The retort was less testy than she intended, but was all she could muster at this time.

He could see her neck fluster and her chest rise and sink in shallow heaves and he interpreted it as excitement. He used to be able to read her very well but that had been long ago.

The truth was that she was panicking.

"So what are you doing here in Blackpool?" He was curious since he hadn't seen the slightest trace of the girl for three years, and couldn't believe the lucky circumstance that brought her right under his nose.

She hesitated before she turned the question back at him. "How about you, are you here in business?"

He gave her an audatious smile. "You don't answer a question with another question, haven't I taught you better?" His voice was low and sounded ominous. "Do you need another lesson in obedience, love?" He couldn't help but to act the predator, watching her squirm.

A shiver ran through her entire body and she had to focus like crazy to not let it show. Her defences slammed up like the wall of China around her, taking back the control. "That is not your job anymore, remember?" Her confidence was adamant and showed no signs of weakness. He would not affect her again. "I'm here in business'l she lied and cast a glance at her watch. "I need to go now Jay, take care." She saw anger flicker in his eyes before she turned her back to him and walked out of there.

For her inner eye, she could see how he clenched his fists in annoyance due to the way she had addressed him. She wasn't supposed to call him by his name, and definitely not the shortened version. His eyes almost bore a hole in her back and she even needed to focus on keeping her balance straight.

She would not crumble in front of him, she would not crumble.

As soon as she passed the closest corner, she leaned back on the wall behind her and breathed heavy before she put her hands on her knees and leaned forward, panting. Her long red hair was hiding her face from view.

Why would he have to walk down the same street, where she had gone free for three whole years? Why would he have to come walking there just the same moment she did? Had he been in town for long?

Had he been here lurking about, to find her?

That he had found her now was quite obvious. Should she leave? Could she pack up everything and move?

It was hard to pull herself together after that encounter and walk the to flight of stairs up to her flat.

Her hand shook as she opened the cabinette for a bottle of scotch, poured the golden liquid in a tumbler and gulped it down.

How could she ever have fallen for the guy? She asked herself, but she knew exactly how it had been. She slumped down onto a chair and her thoughts of her past swept her away.

She had been a thriving university student in Cambridge, fighting to get perfect grades and the best positions in all the different clubs and societies. Despite her race for good grades, she was attending every party on campus and in one of those was where she had first met Jayden.

He was the most exquisitely gorgeous man she had seen in her life and to her uttermost surprise, he seemed intrigued by her.

On top of being short, redhaired and rather unpopular in secondary school, she had been a late bloomer and when she now in college was getting attention, she was thrilled. She was the kind of girl that always had a thousand things to do and yet she was eager to make sure that everybody was doing fine; everybody but herself. She constantly forgot herself.

Like a busy bee, she was always buzzing around, getting involved in absolutely everything.

It was at this particular party, where she took a moment to herself in the kitchen they had met. She was just about to get herself a cider or something to drink when somebody slowly walked in there.

"Hello, I haven't seen you here before."

Linda looked up into a pair of cool light green-blue eyes that were absolutely captivating and she was stunned for a moment. "I could say the same." She smiled and wondered why this gorgeous man was talking to her. "Linda."

"I'm Jayden Sanford and this night just got a whole lot more interesting." He flashed her a wayward smile and she almost forgot how to breathe. There was something enthralling about this darkhaired man and she couldn't look away. "Can I offer you a drink?"

She looked up at the tall man who towered over her. "Erm... Yes please."

"A polite girl? I like..." His dark voice felt like molten chocolate, covering her in a veil of silky desire. Something about this man made her turn into a stuttering puddle on the floor. "So, do you have a last name Linda?"

"Yes." She had to clear her throat. "It is actually Laurinda Payne."

There was something she couldn't read, shadowing his face for a fraction and his eyes glistened. "Laurinda Payne..." He tasted her name thoughtfully and all hairs on her neck stood in attention and her knees almost buckled as her name rolled over his tongue.

"It is delightful to meet you Miss Payne."

What an extraordinary appropriate name, he thought and was even more determined to get to know this mesmerizing girl. He had noticed her the moment she walked in through the door, the room had bounced alive and she seemed to have everybody dancing around just for her. He couldn't wait for her to dance around just for him.

Her long mahogany hair swayed along her back and he had to look the other way to not imagine that hair tickling her naked back. Nothing on but a pair of high heels on... and why not handcuffs?

"I take it you are a student here, Miss Payne?" Delighted he noticed her shivering and her cheeks got a lovely shade of pink.

"Yes, yes I am Mr Sanford." She was stuttering, her breathing was increasing and she looked up at him through her eyelashes.

Oh fuck!

He put a finger under her chin to look into a pair of nervously blinking bright green eyes. Is she totally unaware of what she does to anyone around her, he asked himself. That was the second he knew he just had to have her, no matter what the costs would be.

"I'm just here as a party crasher," he hissed, pretending for it to be a secret. "Don't tell anyone."

She blinked wide eyed. She felt like a moth to a flame, a deer caught in the headlights or whatever symbolic you could find in the textbooks. The next few hours she couldn't seem to look at anyone but the gorgeous blackhaired man with those mesmerizing glaucous eyes. Eyes that were like a magnet, pulling her eyes in like nothing she had experienced before. She could feel those eyes on her as she was dancing with somebody across the room and she was enthralled.

A few weeks went by and meeting the gorgeous man turned into a sweet memory. She had though he was too good to be true, and afterwards she asked herself if he was a mere fantasy, fabricated by her own mind.

Linda's mobile rang with an unknown number a few times and she just deleted the call, but when the same number had appeared on her display seven times, she needed to check out who wanted her attention so badly. She tapped the screen to pick up. "Linda speaking..."

"Miss Payne, finally I get to hear your voice again." A silky smooth voice that set her body on high alert spoke to her and she knew instantly who it was.

Her breath got caught in her throat. "Mr Sanford," she choked out, recognising his velvet voice instantly. "How did you get my number?" she asked and silently cursed herself for sounding so defensive and not editing what ran through her lips.

"I called in a favour from the MI5."

What?

"I'm joking Laurinda." He chuckled and she had a little problem with her hearing due to the pulse beating so hard in her ears. "I would like to see you again, are you free for lunch?"

She was so stunned that when she answered 'Yes', no sound came out.

She could hardly believe it when she sat opposite of him, watching every girl and woman in the facility swoon around the sublime man in front of her. He didn't seem to notice though; all those sparkling eyes with the unusual colour saw was her, and she couldn't fathom why.

"You seem like a very ambitious girl." There was an impressed tone colouring his words. "An extremely beautiful, ambitious girl," he added smiling and Linda blushed, smitten by his words as well as his looks. "But you look like you could use some help to learn how to live in the moment."

She was surprised to find his assessing abilities to be so accurate. "And you could help with that?" She took a sip of the white wine to moisten her dry mouth.

He was holding back just slightly, entranced by the possibility that she would accept. "That is just many of the services I offer." He tried to lighten up the tone, but it was true. Not in the form of meditation though, this was much more efficient. He could feel his groin come alive at the thought of her vision in front of him.

They observed each other as they took a bite of the food cooked to tease every tastebutton.

"I've tried mindful meditation before, but I don't seem to be a good student at all," she surprised him by saying.

"I can make you an excellent student." He chewed the piece of meat and had to focus on being in the moment himself, and not gloat, thinking of the different possibilities that was about to present themselves. This redhaired charismatic beauty before him was enthralling and he simply had to have her.

"And you're offering that kind of tutoring?"

She seemed to have this kind of innocent trust in people that he found intriguing and he couldn't wait to find out just how much trust she would put in him.

"I would be glad to." His body started to react in a way he didn't want her to see yet. "But you seem to have a busy life. Are you sure you have time for more extracurricular activities?" he added and one corner of his mouth tilted upwards, willing her to say yes.

Linda couldn't take her eyes off of the man in front of her. His blue or green eyes didn't seem to fit with that dark brown, almost black hair and those features just seemed to be too beautiful for any man in this world. Her mind started to wonder about what his body looked like, under that expensive looking suit and her breathing picked up.

There was a teasing question in his eyes when her eyes met his again and she could feel herself blushing after having roamed her eyes over his body like that.

"But tutoring like that seems expensive for a poor student like me."

"It wouldn't cost a penny."

Surprised she looked up at him. "Why would you take time from your obviously busy life to spend it with me?"

"Oh gorgeous, just to have you by my side would be worth it. Perhaps you would be kind enough to accompanying me at some boring business dinner, to regard the kindness?" He needed to assure her that there were ways for her to help him in return and he smiled wide, smelling victory ahead.

She inhaled an uneven breath and her guarded eyes seemed to get glossy.

He could imagine her face flustered and those green eyes glazed with arousal while that mahogany hair was draped over his Egyptian cotton bed sheets.

"Okay," she said and it was music to his ears.

In just a few weeks she found herself fraternising with the big shots in London, eyecandy on Jayden's arm, wearing designer clothes and five inch heels. She was pampered with facials and manicures, totally swept away.