The Bad Boy's Crush

#3- His Chloe?

"Holy hell!" Cooper hissed at the light hitting his eyes. The world was too bright. Too too bright. "Jenny!" He called for the maid who should have known never to draw his bedroom curtains until he was up and alive.

"I thought you would have outgrown your childishness by now."

What the hell? "Mom?" On a normal day he would have scrambled to cover up, but that just seemed too heavy a task for the pounding in his head. "What are you doing here?"

"Sometimes I wonder if you are indeed my son."

"Geez, I'm sorry for disappointing you." Cooper winced as eyes opened to face his mother.

Arms folded, lips pressed in a thin line, the woman who had birthed him stood towering over his large bed. “You should have been up hours ago.”

He should have done a lot of things. Like remember what the hell happened last night that left him feeling like crap. A sharp sting in his head reminded him not to venture into those waters. “I’m up.” He grumbled, feeling every bit dead. “Happy?”

His mother only scowled. “Did you forget how important today is?”

He had. And he was pretty sure it had everything to do with the reason he had drunk himself to oblivion. “I have a feeling you are about to remind me.” He sat up. Or tried to as he braced for his mother’s scolding, but it never came. Instead he was treated to her look of disappointment. Heavy and thick. He didn’t care. “I’m here, aren’t I?”

Probably noticing his demeanour, his mother only sighed. "It's a good thing Bruce was there to drag your drunk behind back home.”

"Ah Bruce…" A drunken smile graced Cooper's face at the thought of his loyal bodyguard. Probably the only good thing his parent's plan to watch his every move had done. “Well, thank God for Bruce, the Wright image still remains pristine.”

“I’ll pretend I did not hear that. Here, sober up.” His mom handed him a pill and water. Accepting her non negotiable offer, he almost asked her to pretend that he did not exist too. Their lives would be so much easier that way. At least his would. “The Hawkin's will be here any minute.”

“And what exactly are they coming for?” He asked through gritted teeth. Just the name was enough to get his insides in knots and the pain from his head intensifying.

“Sara is such a beautiful girl. And I'm told she has a business proposal for you.” There, was another name he despised, but if his mother knew it, she made no mention of it. Sticking to her mission, she kept talking. “So while the adults discuss our inevitable future between our families, you kids can do what you do best.”

“What? Get high?” He spat, but as always she refused to bite, leaving him feeling the familiar sparks of frustration.

“Now that school is done, maybe you can finally focus–”

“You mean now that you've ruined my life, you can finally run me as you please?” His parents had pulled him out of his senior year of high school and hired a tutor for the remainder of his classes. He’d hated every bit of it. “I’m not cattle that you can trade in whenever you feel like.”

“We had a deal.”

“No, you and Martin had a deal.” He’d only asked that he finish his senior year without their interference, but they’d still gone ahead and done what they do best. Ruin his life.

“Watch your mouth and respect your father!” Finally he got the reaction he’d been aiming for. His mother lost her cool. For Martin Wright, Geraldine Wright would jump to her death from mount Everest. If only that would keep the man who ran their world on that shiny pedestal.

“He's not my father.” Cooper sneered, hating the fact that he could say that about his own father and have no regrets.

She said nothing to that, but his mother’s nose flared. “Make sure you are ready when the Hawkin’s get here. Otherwise I won't blame your father for what he’ll do.”

“Of course, we never blame him for anything. God forbid you should start now.” He threw away the pill his mother had given him and poured himself a drink instead. Thanks to Bruce, who actually knew what he needed and had left him a bottle of the hard stuff on his bedside table. “The rest of the world can go to hell, as long as Martin Wright gets what he wants, right mother?” He toasted and poured the drink down his throat, regretting that the familiar burn in his throat was not enough to incinerate him.

“Cooper…” His mother sighed. “Come here.” She opened her arms to him and beckoned. If only he was still that naive little boy, she would have gotten what she wanted.

“I’m not five anymore, mom. Why don’t you waste that on your dear husband.” Hurt flashed in her eyes, but he refused to acknowledge it. He refused to let her guilt trip him into anything. “I’m going to shower.” He got up before she said anymore. The sound of a door closing only heightened his frustration. Just like his father, she didn't care.

"Why do you insist on pissing them off?"

"Because they insist on pissing me off." Cooper walked past Bruce who'd been standing casually by his bathroom door when he came out. Apparently, the shower had done nothing for his sour mood. Reaching for a Tee and sweat pants, he slipped in and got ready to walk out.

"I'm pretty sure it's a pure business meeting." Bruce arched a brow at his choice of clothes.

"Who cares?"

"I do." His body guard blocked his way out. "And unless you want more rounds than necessary at the gym, you can stick with those rugs."

"Fine." Because Bruce would definitely kick his butt after dragging it to the gym if he so much as protested, Cooper turned around. Exchanging his rugs for a dress shirt, smart pants and more appropriate footwear. He presented himself to one of the few people who really mattered to him and who’s protest about the clothes Cooper knew was for his sake. "Happy?"

"Definitely." Bruce flashed him his pearly whites before clearing the way. "Just so you know, last night was quite colourful and there are photos to prove it." In short, brace yourself for Martin’s wrath. His father had done that too many times before, the idea didn’t faze Cooper anymore.

“What is this?!” Cooper had barely entered their dinning hall before his father’s voice boomed. A couple of photos spilled out of an envelope after his furious father dumped them before him. Cooper knew what they were about, but he picked them up anyway and looked them over before turning to his father.

"It’s called getting a life.” Cooper looked between his parents. Disapproval was written all over his mother’s face, but he merely shrugged. “You should try it sometime. Damn sure you'll enjoy it." He sat down and waved one of the maids to pour him coffee.

"You think this is a joke?" His father roared, but before he could say anymore, Jenny, their maid appeared. Thankfully. Cooper wasn’t sure how much of his father’s loud voice his splitting headache could take.

“The Hawkin’s are here, sir.”

“Inform them that we are on our way.” Jenny nodded just as his parents stood up. “That means you too.” His father shot him a glare. One of those he didn’t dare argue with. Reluctantly, Cooper followed suit, maintaining enough distance to keep from being pulled into his parent’s conversation. Whatever it was they were talking about had left his father excited and that was a scary thing. It left Cooper dreading finding out the details about this deal Martin Wright was so eager to clinch with their sworn business enemies.

“Oliver, Alice, Welcome. I’m so glad you could make it.” Warmth dripped with his father’s words Cooper almost scoffed at the pretense. “Sarah, look what a fine young lady you turned out to be!”

“Thank you, Mr. Wright–”

“Oh don’t be so formal. Just call me Martin. And who might this beauty be? I don’t think we have met.” Cooper was about to tune out every voice as he’d done the figures in the room when someone spoke. A voice he’d longed to hear again, but had simply never gotten a chance.

“C-Chloe, sir.”

Chloe? His Chloe? The voice was softer than he remembered, but it was definitely her. “Chloe?” Tuning back to the world around him, his heart stopped at the sight of her. Her hand was still held by his father, but her eyes were on him. Beautiful and every bit alluring. Pulling him in just as they had when he’d stared into them right after sharing the most memorable kiss. The thought of it made his heart flutter.

“She’ll be working as my assistant on our project.” Sarah announced as she slipped her hand in Cooper’s, effectively breaking their eye contact. Chloe’s eyes landed on his and Sarah’s linked hands before looking back at his father. Crap!

"I'm sorry, but may I be excused?" She was running, just as she’d had six months ago. Cooper knew that and he wasn’t about to let her. Not when the girl who had haunted his dreams and escaped his reality was finally right in front of him.