the ceo who loves me

curious, and when my newspaper editor, Ronnie, gave me a story that would make headlines, I jumped at the idea. This wasn't just any story; This was the kind of story that could make a career. The one that would make the big dogs finally know my name, and with that would come the kind of money that could pay off all kinds of debts. I used to feel comfortable with what I was doing. It was more than enough for me, myself and myself, but things had changed.

The number one reason I left Sunny Pines was because my father humiliated my mother, and as soon as I graduated, she was more than ready to move away. I was grateful she delayed it so I could finish my studies in the only place that had ever been home. Reason number two was my sister, which was why I needed a lot more money than I had planned. One day, my sister decided she wasn't fit to be a mother and simply left my nephew at home and never picked him up again. I called her and she ignored me for a few days. When she finally answered, she said she couldn't do it. That was it, nothing more about why she couldn't. It must have been nice to leave her responsibilities on someone else's shoulders. The world was unfair. Some women would have killed to have a baby in their womb, and then there were people like my sister who had a baby, decided it wasn't for them and left the child aside. Not that I judged her for not wanting to be a mother. It wasn't that. She had options that she had ignored because, at the time, things were great with her baby's father. It was the fact that she was just a mother based on a man's happiness. To say he hated her was an understatement. Don't get me wrong. I adored my nephew; he was incredible. The best little two year old that ever lived. But I had no idea how to be a mother. My only consolation was that I was better at it than my stupid sister. The only reason Mom didn't take him in was that she was old and one baby was too much for her. She had done her work with us. She stood her ground when my father separated all our worlds, and she was tired. When I arrived at the location, I hurriedly parked my car. I looked down at myself and frowned at my exaggerated state. I wore black jeans that reached my ankles, black oxfords, and a black blouse with a white Peter Pan collar and mesh sleeves. I hated wearing contact lenses because my eyes were always so dry. My frames used to be considered granny glasses, but now they were funky. It was safe to say I stuck out like a sore thumb in this place. Everyone else looked like they were ready for a Victoria's Secret fashion show. Heavenly, the strip club outside Sunny Pines, was the last place I thought I'd be seen. But now it was my first stop since setting foot in the county. My job was simple: find evidence that the mayor of Northern Willow was a shady bastard and get my career-breaking story. Sounds easy, right? It was said that he was stealing money from charity events held around the city, but nothing could be proven. Rumors also had it that he liked them on the younger side. Here I was, on the younger side and ready to play sugar baby if it paid my bills. And by that, I meant my career break, not because I was your real sugar baby, because yuck. Heavenly was packed. As the towns around here were smaller, with Sunny Pines being the largest, the club was on the outskirts and in the middle of them all. The club was nothing like I thought it would be. Damn, I've never done it like that before. I had no reason to before. The building wasn't very big, with white bricks that looked dull, pink neon lights around them that said "women" and silhouettes of naked women – tacky. The person at the door looked me up and down when I handed him my ID. "Amateur night is on Tuesdays, sweetheart," he said in a voice that cracked from all the cigarettes he probably smoked. Yessssss, I wasn't going to undress. I didn't know that my outfit alluded to striptease. - I came for a Jack and boobs. - I said as I pulled my ID from his grip. Bold of him to assume I was here looking for a job. Idiot. He raised a confused eyebrow, but stepped aside to let me enter. Squaring my shoulders, I walked into the club as if I was comfortable being around naked women showing off their tits and asses. Not that I had a problem with strippers or sex workers. But power to them for being comfortable enough to let it all out. Men were stupid and props to these women for milking them dry. I admired that. My problem was the fact that I had never been to a strip bar - or a bar for that matter. Being a smartass was a lonely life. I was too smart for my classmates so I moved up a grade and then I was too young for my classmates to hang out with. As I got older, this also made dating complicated. Not that I dated a lot because I met my "soulmate," so high school was a bust. I shook my head thinking about that disaster. Smart, my ass. After that, I was just focused on myself and my career. Boys and dating seemed like a waste of time. The light inside was dim and the club was cloudy with smoke. I wrinkled my nose in disgust. I hated the smell of tobacco, mainly because it reminded me of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. I loved the Dark Lord. My father? Not a lot. I sat at the bar so I could watch people coming and going. It was the perfect place to keep an eye on the mayor. After what seemed like an eternity – even though it had only been fifteen minutes – my golden ticket to a better life finally appeared. I recognized him instantly. There was something about a man with a huge ego that made him stand out. He was taller than he looked in the photos. His skin was aged and his hair was gray. I didn't know which was shinier: the fake teeth or his fancy watch. He went straight to the other side of the club, sat down and started talking to another man. The red light illuminated the other man. Wow, he was han

arm. Um, what the hell? - Face! - I screamed, because I wasn't a fan of being mistreated. - You look lost, young lady. - The guy smiled. There was old as in 'daddy' was hot, but he was old as in disgusting old. - I am fine. Let me go. - I tried to be polite and aggressive, but he didn't understand. He tried to pull me towards him, and that's when I pushed him, making him fall on his butt. What happened next I would never have predicted. - What the hell? - a man behind us shouted. He was doing a lap dance and security came to get the stripper, I assumed for security reasons.

He was now shouting that he had not received his money's worth. Drinks flew, people were pushing each other, and in my mood I tried to get to Mayor Skeevy. If he saved me from this mess, he could be a damsel in distress, and he would still put me in there. I tried to walk the short distance, but was grabbed by the elbow. I didn't think. I acted. Frantically searching for the first item I could find, I picked it up and pointed it at the person's face. - Cum! - the guy roared. My heart raced as the actions of the night began to catch up with me. Screw that. Abort the mission. I ran out, because it was a mess and I didn't know how I hadn't noticed it before. I got to the front door and as soon as I opened it, I saw police officers. Oh boy. This was not good. That's when I realized I didn't have my bag. Filth. Filth. Filth. I ran back inside, trying to find her. The place was a disaster, and the lights were still off, making the viewing hell. - The police are here! someone shouted, and suddenly I felt like Mufasa when all the wildebeests came at him. People started pushing me, trying to get out. As I tried to get out of the way, I fell to the ground. More screaming and yelling. Where are my glasses? I couldn't see anything. Motherfucker! As I lay on the ground, I couldn't help but compare myself to Velma from Scooby-Doo. I was kneeling on the floor, trying to feel around, trying to feel my structure, when I touched something hard. My hands ran through it and quickly realized it was some kind of boot when I got to the laces. Fingers scratched my back. Again, I didn't think; I just reacted. My hand flew up and my fist made contact with someone's chin. "Shit," the man above me cursed. You know what? Screw my glasses and my purse. I could discover something else. "Ma'am, I'm going to need you to come with me," the guy above me said. "Yeah, I guess not, buddy," I scoffed, crawling away, praying my glasses were on their way so I could get the hell out of Dodge. - I wasn't asking. Look, I don't swear often, but I was so tired tonight that when I felt my glasses, I put them on, jumped up and told the guy off. - Screw this! I'm not going to come near you... - The words died on my lips when I saw that I was shouting obscenities at a police officer. Damn. Awkwardly, I stopped cursing him and waved. "I'm going to need to see your ID," demanded the officer I hit. "I don't have that with me," I blurted out, and he looked irritated. -But it's here somewhere. He sighed. - Let's go outside. With slumped shoulders, I followed him. I was already in enough trouble and knew it wasn't in my best interest to argue. As soon as we left, someone was pointing at me. - It's her! She's the bitch who started the fight. My mouth dropped open at the audacity on the old fool's face. It was his fault. If he hadn't touched me, we wouldn't be in this situation. "You touched me," I spat back. I pointed my finger at him and took a step towards him, but the officer gently pulled me back. - Ma'am, I'll need to see your ID, or we can continue this conversation at the police station. Chapter Two I couldn't say that riding in the back of a squad car had ever been on my bucket list, but now I could check it off. - I swear I'm not a bad person, - I told the police officer. "Said every criminal ever," he replied. I snorted. Whoever stole my wallet was going to pay! How, I didn't know yet, but I would be creative. Sugar in the gas tank seemed like a good idea. I would really be doing karma work with that one. - Who casually goes to a strip bar? - I asked while nodding to myself. He looked at me in the rearview mirror and shrugged as if I was right, which I was. It wasn't a fancy strip club where you found old Connecticut money. This was a Levis and a plaid shirt kind of establishment. And I was afraid it was me being too generous. I was quiet after that because he turned onto Main Street and my heart sank. A nostalgic feeling came over me. It had been a long time since I walked these streets. Going to Franny's house on my birthday for a special meal and ice cream while I ran in circles around the kiosk. I was so busy reminiscing that I almost forgot where I was. The police officer parked next to the police station and opened my door. At least I wasn't handcuffed. "Not much has changed," I muttered too quietly for the officer to hear. I followed him into the police station, and the only reason I knew it had been renovated was that it looked different from my elementary school trip. The police officer took me to a room and pointed to the table. "Wait here, and one of the detectives will come," he ordered, then left. I was angry, but mostly embarrassed. If I needed more reasons to hate this place, this had just become a big one. Maybe if I had stayed here longer, the officer could have given me some leeway. I had never been in trouble before, not even a detention, and now I was being detained for questioning. I've always been a "go big or go home" kind of girl. My life sucked. My big break exploded in that commotion. No, I couldn't think like that. It wasn't just my ass on the line anymore. My head hit the table when I heard the door creak open and someone enter. I didn't bother looking up. My life is over. I heard the metal chair in front of me scrape against the floor as whoever was there with me pulled it out. - Are you well? - the policeman asked with a gentle tone that surprised me. I expected more aggression. "I swear I didn't do anything wrong," I murmured. "If I had a dime to-" "I'm different," I barked, still not looking up. - So you were at the club trying to score or get some clientele? My head finally snapped up, and the first thing I noticed was how handsome the detective was. I knew this wasn't the time for these things, but this was coming from a girl who found her soulmate the day she almost got hit by a car. He had brown hair with beautiful chocolate eyes that looked warm. I didn't remember seeing him in Sunny Pines. Then again, I was probably too "in love" to have noticed him. I shook my head at my ridiculous thoughts before responding. -Did you just call me a whore? The detective blinked as if my question had caught him off guard. Before he could respond, the door opened and both the detective and I turned around. There was a man standing on the threshold. He was thin but tall, and wore burgundy long sleeves that reached his forearms, a pair of dark jeans, and black combat boots.

broke my young heart. Oh Lord. My sharp intake of breath was loud enough that I could feel both men looking at me. I turned my head back to the detective. I'd like to think he noticed the change because of his work and not because I made it obvious. The detective tilted his head as he watched me. This wasn't happening. The police station really needed to invest in good ventilation because the air quality in this room was terrible. I couldn't breathe. Oh my God. Was I having a heart attack? I was going to die here and everyone would think I was a prostitute.

"Ma'am," the detective said, but I couldn't concentrate enough to respond. I don't know when I started gasping for air, but I did. - She is fine? - Clark – the love of my life – Carson asked. Judging by the tone of his voice, he abandoned his post on the threshold and approached. I spent years of my life observing – not stalking – this man, so I knew he enjoyed spending time at the police station. How the hell did I forget that? I must have buried this and all the information about Clark deep in the abyss of my mind. The sound of the door closing proved my theory right. This wasn't happening. I couldn't be here. Was there some kind of magic that could make me disappear? Was Wisconsin prone to earthquakes? And if so, could someone come and make the earth swallow me? "I'm not a whore," I gasped, because it had to be stated. "Okay," Clark said. Inhale. Exhale. "What the hell is going on, Dex? Clark asked. I didn't dare look up, but I could see her profile heading towards the detective. Detective Dex looked funny, and this wasn't the time to find something like that funny, but I snorted. I could feel his eyes on me, and I felt my cheeks heat up. Yes, I was having some kind of stroke. Well, if I was dying, it was "do or die" time, and it was established that I was a "go big or go home" kind of girl. I dared to take a peek and, damn, it was him. His hair was cut a little shorter on the bottom and a little longer on top, and maybe it had been combed before, but now it looked like he had run his hands through his hair a little too much. His eyebrows were thick, but not overly bushy, and his face was no longer clean-shaven. A trimmed beard adorned him – and oh, my God, it did wonders for his face. His nose was a little crooked, but that didn't take away from the fact that Clark Carson had grown into his appearance. Alongside his brother, Jake, Clark was often overlooked, but to me, he always stood out. It was safe to say he didn't remember me, and for some reason that hurt. "Ma'am, the sooner you start cooperating, the sooner we can resolve this," the detective said, bringing my attention back to him. "I'm not a whore," I squeaked. I could feel the detective's eyes on me, but I didn't dare look up. We were discussing this for the last five minutes. "I think you've made that pretty clear," he told me with an amused tone. - Let's continue. "Okay," I whispered. - What is your name? - The detective asked, and my heart skipped a beat. There was a significant pause, and before he could understand, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I raised my hand and tried to smile at Clark, but it looked more like a grimace. God, I was the stupid girl chasing him. - Hey, Clark. - My voice sounded weak even to my own ears. I was waving like an idiot, and the two men just stared at me. The detective was looking at Clark now with a raised eyebrow, and Clark tilted his head as he looked at me. Yes, he doesn't remember me. I sighed. Before he could figure it out, the door opened once more. The handsome man who was with Mayor Skeevy came in and his nose didn't look good. My damn bad. Since I wasn't handcuffed, I stood up and turned to the handsome man who was scowling at me. "I'm sorry, it was an accident," I told him when I saw the red drops of blood on his crisp white shirt. He looked at me. - You threw a bottle at my nose. - Sorry! I panicked," I whined. - Who throws a bottle at a man who is trying to help them? This took me by surprise. - Were you trying to help me? - I played. He gave me an exasperated look. - How should I know that? I thought you were trying to kidnap me! - Kidnap you? - he mocked. - Yes, why else would you try to pick up a woman in a strip club? -Strip club? - Clark no longer-love-of-my-life asked. The Man with the Broken Nose looked like he was going to say more, but his upper lip trembled as if he was fighting a smile. He then looked past me to Detective Dex and Clark as he pointed his finger at me. - I don't know her, but I don't think I could handle her and Freya together. The detective laughed. That name sounded familiar, but I didn't know where. - Freya has been good. Now that she's dealt with Bethany, there's nothing left for her to do," the detective stated. Without thinking, I looked back at Clark and the detective. - Bethany Vails? The detectives immediately became impassive, and I didn't dare look at Clark. - Why? Detective Dex's eyes narrowed. I pointed the finger at myself and sighed. - Oriana Va... As soon as the words left my mouth, I saw it clicking for Clark, just who I was. He looked at me and blinked slowly. It would have been comical under other circumstances. - Shit. Oreos? he asked as he took a step closer. My nose wrinkled. I hated that nickname. It was childish and reminded me of when he rejected me. I mean, I understand. He was in his early twenties and I was a teenager. There was no other option. - Why is she here? he asked the detective, and then his head turned toward me. "What do you mean you're not a prostitute?" I opened my mouth to finally try to explain this whole mess of a situation. - Why were you talking about my sister? It wasn't me explaining the situation, but I wanted to know exactly how it was "handled". I know I said I hated her, but wishing her brother dead was frighteningly dark. Broken Nose Guy started laughing. I was going to get whiplash the way I kept going back and forth between them all. "You're Bethany's little sister," he teased, but his eyes were on Clark. Son of a bitch, he knew. If there was ever a time to curse, it was now. My face felt hot. Better than eating a bag of hot Cheetos with zero water. I looked at the detective, who seemed clueless. - You have my consent to shoot me... in the head, preferably. Do it quickly. The detective's lips twitched, but he didn't seem shocked by my talent for drama. "I feel like I'm missing something," he expressed as he looked at Clark and Broken Nose Guy. "Your gun between my eyes," I murmured. "Oreo," Clark said as he started to approach me. Instinctively, I took a step back. - Can you tell us what happened tonight? That question was enough to remind me of the situation I found myself in. I breathed heavily, trying to think how this would work. What would my work say? And Lucas? He was two years old, but it was a critical little thing. The other day he complained because my Mickey ear pancakes were uneven. Would my job fire me for tonight? Had I blown my cover with Mayor Skeevy? Would