31 Days of Summer (31 Days #2) (57 page)

Monday August 9th ~ Year Three

I touched down in Heathrow
and stretched my tired limbs. I hated long haul flights, especially now I
couldn’t afford to go first class. Once I’d claimed my suitcase and cleared
customs I headed for a much needed coffee, and to look at the headline again on
the newspaper I’d spotted and purchased yesterday. A headline that had prompted
this last minute flight to England. A picture of the billionaire former recluse,
Oliver Davenport with his new bride, Ellie Baxter and their fifteen month old
son. It was on every newspaper, probably all around the world. Reporting on his
disappearance, continued rise to fame, along with his reasons for going public
again, was a newspapers wet dream. I knew at some stage I’d catch a lucky break
and find them. It was the only reason I was back. My lips curled into a smile,
suddenly my shitty life seemed a little brighter. I downed my coffee and
carefully stowed the paper in my carry on, then caught the tube to Victoria.

I managed to find a private room in a hostel in
Tower Hamlets, barely larger than a prison cell. Private room made it sound
nicer than it actually was. It was fucking squalid. At least prisoners got a
toilet and sink, I didn’t even get that. There was mould on the windows, the
wall paper was damp and peeling and the brown stained carpet was threadbare. I
inspected the single bed expecting to find bed bugs, instead I uncovered a
ripped mattress with broken springs and even more stains than the damn floor.
The yellow duvet and pillows had me run to the communal shower room opposite to
be sick and the stench from the toilet made me heave even more. I’d sold most
of my designer suits and shoes for cash when I was really desperate, along with
my expensive watch and cufflink collections, so I had some money in my back
pocket, my carry on with my laptop and a small suitcase which contained the
rest of my life. Namely a couple of pairs of shoes, some jeans and all that
remained of the designer clothing I’d kept back to keep up appearances. I
unpacked it all and put in into the broken chest of drawers, carefully hanging
my last remaining suit in its protective clothes bag in the wobbly splintered
single wardrobe. I used to live in a fucking penthouse and stay in five star
hotels and this was what I’d been reduced to?

I headed out and found a cheap stationers where I
purchased a cork noticeboard and some pins, a pair of scissors, and a hammer
and hook. I then went searching and found a discount store and managed to get
some cheap bed linen and a new duvet and pillows, before heading back to my
dank new home. After stripping the bed and ditching the old supplies in a waste
container at the back of the building, where a rat as big as a bloody dog shot
past, I hung up the notice board and carefully extracted the newspaper from my
carry on, smoothing it out on my lap. I slowly cut around the picture of them
and pinned it to the centre of the board, then sat back on the bed and focussed
on it. I’d been so tempted after the last year to just give up, not able to see
a way out of this damn mess I was in. I’d lost my wealth, my apartment, my bloody
Porsche and my fiancé and there
they
were, all fucking loved up with
their billions. If Oliver Davenport thought he could take what was mine,
without retribution, he was in for shock.

I opened my suitcase again and carefully cut the
stitching of the lining in the corner and pulled out my last stash of coke. I
needed to get a damn job if I wanted another fix, and if I was going to come up
with a plan to dig myself out of this mess. I tipped it onto on the chest of
drawers and used my debit card to form two neat long lines, rolled a ten pound
note and snorted it up. I sat back on the bed and sniffed, waiting for it to
take effect. Pretty soon I was buzzing. I lurched over to the noticeboard,
reached up and traced my finger over her face.

‘So beautiful,’ I chuckled, then muttered ‘lucky
bastard,’ as I jabbed at his face with my fingertip. Taking her would probably
give me a pretty decent bloody payday, but to hit the fucking jackpot I needed
that kid. No one held back when a kid was taken, especially not when an
emotional mother was involved. I’d lay odds on him forking out a damn fortune
for his brat, especially if she was sobbing on his shoulder.

I chuckled again as I lay back on my bed with my
hands behind my head, ignoring the spring poking into my back. At last I had a
direction, something to focus on, a way to dig myself out of this depressing
fucking hovel and back to the lifestyle I’d become accustomed to. I didn’t care
how long it took me to find them, months or even years, I had nothing but time.
I’d find them eventually. I’d track them. I’d play it slowly and work out their
routines to find their weak points. Everyone had them, no matter how much
wealth they had. When they were least expecting it, BAM, I’d hit them right
where it hurt and laugh all the way to the bank. I looked back over at the kid
in the shot. He was my golden bloody ticket. And just for kicks, one last “screw
you” for what I’d lost, once I got my pay day I wouldn’t fucking give him back.

Thank you so much for reading
31 Days of
Summer

If you enjoyed it, please could you spare a
moment to leave a review on Amazon and Goodreads for me? They mean so much to
authors, they help new readers discover our work and make all the long hours
sat alone at our keyboards creating these stories so worthwhile!

I’ll be back with a follow up to Dan and
Ellie’s story sometime in the future and I hope you’ll join us then.

CJF x

A massive shout out to all
my loyal readers who have continued to support me from my debut
The Austin
Series
. Thank you and welcome to all my new readers as well. The support
and messages you send me are never taken for granted.

Thanks also to my four
Beta readers, Amy, Michelle, Pollie and Holly who give me invaluable advice and
encouragement after reading my first drafts, to Michelle who also does PA work
for me and Karen J, my new editor. I couldn’t have got this completed without
all of your input.

Also I owe a debt to my
Street Team, who are my most vocal supporters: Amy, Catherine, Chip, Holly,
Karen, Laurietta, Michelle, Pollie, Sandra, Shirley, Sonjia, Toni and Tracy and
also my author friends Georgia Le Carre and Lan LLP, love you all girls!

A final thanks to all the
bloggers who have supported me in my first year’s journey as an author. Without
you I wouldn’t have reached the audience that I have. It would be impossible
for me to list you all, but I’ve mentioned some of the key ladies that I’m in regular
contact with, who also blow me away with their amazing reviews:

A Bookish Escape ~ Ria

Author Groupies ~ Lorena

Brit Nanny Reads ~ Cara

Inside the Book Bistro ~ Becky

J&M’s Book Diaries ~ Jenny & Malisa

Love Between the Sheets ~ Christina

My Book Filled Life ~ Nicole

Obsessed by Books ~ Maria, Nadia, Emma & Wendy

Reading is a way of Life ~ Ella Marie

Reading the Sheets ~ Laura and Dawn

Two Ordinary Girls and their Books ~ Klaire, Lilly and Kaprii

Song Lyrics sourced by
www.metrolyrics.com

“You
must read this series. I have read all the books separately and this series
will not disappoint you. I have read a lot of series and this one is one of my
favourites and will never leave me. CJ writes in a way that connects you to the
characters and with this series you will guarantee, laugh out loud, cry and get
mad. These books take you on one hell of a journey and you will fall in love
with all the characters. Gabe and Mia are two lost and broken souls who cannot
deny their instant attraction to each other. Both have their demons and
commitment issues but what they grow to feel for each other cannot be denied.
Are they willing to put their hearts on the line and break down each other's
walls? The journey they embark on is passionate, fiery, loving, romantic full
of drama, hot passionate sex. But can they make it to their HEA? Not without
their ups and very low downs. Get the tissues box ready as you'll need them. If
you love sexy, dominant, controlling, sensual alpha males that adore the women
they love and would do anything for them you will also fall in love with Gabe
Austin. He's my new book boyfriend. Once you have finished this series you will
not forget it and like me you will want to re-read and not let go.” Toni, Amazon
Reviewer.

Available exclusively to Amazon, you can buy The
Austin Series Complete Box Set at a saving of over sixty percent compared to
purchasing the books individually.