Chapter 1 MARIA McCAIN

BILLIONAIRE THIRST FOR LOVE

Chapter one

MARIA McCAIN POV

It's a cold morning in Santa-Dabia, it's always cold but today seems colder than usual, wrapped in my blanket, curled up sipping my coffee, I knew it was a matter of time till I would leave all the cold behind.

I was about 5′4 with brunette hair that was long and thick, blue eyes as blue as the sea with rosy lips and a noticeable cleft chin.

Curled up in a blanket I wore white sleeping pajamas paired with white socks.

I wasn't bothered by the cold that was breaking my skin that much after all I've lived all my life in cold Santa-Dabia, it was the cold in my heart that bothered me the most. It's been two years since Jackson, my college sweetheart, left me on the altar.

He just vanished into thin air and left me with wedding debts, shame, and a hole in my heart. A hole I had tried to fix with work and several failed attempts at love.

It's a new year, January the coldest time of the year in Santa-Dabia, and things were already heating up, there were rumors that I was going to get a promotion at work. It was going to be something I could look up to, so I had to catch an afternoon plane to Orano.

I had come to spend my Christmas break with my family and although I missed them, something about Santa-Dabia reminds me of a missing piece of my love life. This place reminded me of so many heartbreaks, tears, pain, depression, and long sleepless nights of asking myself where it all went wrong.

But I was living it all again, 485 miles back to Orano where my life was changed for the better and also looking up at my wristwatch, in nine hours I'll be back to my getaway and my routined lifestyle.

I got to Orano around sunset, took a cab from the airport to my apartment. Once I was in, I kicked my boots off my legs, left the luggage at the center of the room, and sunk into a leather couch.

I looked around my apartment scanning the walls and the exterior. I stood up with a sigh and headed for the fridge, took out a can of cold beer, and returned to my seat as I nursed my drink.

There was a vibration in my Jean pocket as I sat there, it was my cell phone and it was Linda calling.

Linda is my best friend and work colleague. It was Linda who helped me out of depression and frustration. She helped me secure a job, and is the only person outside my family I trust and love.

"Hello Maria," Linda said over the phone.

"Are you back from Santa-Dabia yet?" she added.

"Yeah, I am and Happy New Year to you Linda," I said with a smile as my throat gulped down on the cold beer.

Linda laughed and said, "Wanna go to a New year party? Big Billy Organised it and it is going to be massive."

I heaved a long sigh and replied with a strained voice."I don't want to go out, I'm tired and I need rest."

"What if Big Billy announces your promotion comes today at the party? Plus you haven't been laid in like forever today might be your lucky chance to fuck that guy who has been on your neck for a while now. What's his name again?" Linda asked.

I sank my head in frustration and replied. "William! William Parker."

"Yeah William the cute guy from the Public Relations Department. He is a hottie, I wonder why you don't give him a chance. Why Maria?" Linda pushed.

I bit on my bottom lip so hard a strange taste hit my tongue. I didn't need to be told I just burst my lip open thinking about giving love a chance again.

"If I promise to come, will you stop talking about this?" I shot back rolling my eyes.

"Aye Captain!" Linda retorted.

"And see you by 8!" Linda added before the phone line went blank and I went back to sipping my beer and started dozing off.

It felt like yesterday, the day I met Linda, two weeks after my fiance left me at the altar and didn't show up. I made the bar my new home and drank with every will to die, it was terrible that period for me. I was a walking wreck!

On a fateful night after drinking, I made my way through the streets walking and throwing up, and it was a very cold Santa-Dabia night.

After throwing up, brushing my hair back, and holding my head to the feeling of a bad headache. I heard footsteps approaching and whispering voices.

I was too drunk to see their faces. My eyes could only see blurry images. I drank six glasses of tequila, cocktails, and lots of other drinks mixed by the bartender in Cuban.

I've been so heartbroken I took my time looking for the hottest bar in town for a mixology anything to knock me out and send me over to my world.

A world of no regrets, no hurts, no betrayals, and a world of true love if there was any left in the world because I had given up!

I staggered on my feeble feet and fought my drunk state to look at who the emerging footsteps belonged to but from the voices, I deciphered that there were male voices.

As the voices approached me they started teasing and touching my body inappropriately.

"Leave me alone!" It came out as a slur as I belched on my vomit.

"She's drunk!"

"She looks pretty."

"Hahahaha...look at those huge titties."

"That ass will fit perfectly in my cock."

Things were getting pretty serious so I strained my eyes and saw they were three in number.

"Stop touching me!" I hate my voice right now. It came more like a whisper than a command.

"What are you going to do about it? Hahaha.." They replied in unison amidst laughter as they dragged me to an eerie corner.