Xavier King:
"Mum. How many times do I have to tell you that I don't need you to set me up. I'm perfectly capable of finding a woman that I want to settle down with on my own." I rubbed my forehead in frustration, getting up and walking over to the floor to ceiling windows that overlooked the city, my city.
"I know that honey, but I'm tired of seeing you alone. Plus I would like to have grandchildren before I die." She said dramatically, causing me to roll my eyes.
"I know that mum, but I simply don't have the time." I sighed.
"Please Xavi? Just one date and I promise I will butt out of your love life." She begged.
"You're not supposed to be involved in my love life in the first place." I grumbled, before groaning.
"Fine. What's her name, age, and where is she from?" I asked.
My mother squealed in my ear in excitement, and I couldn't suppress the tiny smile that made its way onto my face.
I loved her dearly, and I would do anything to see her happy.
"Her name is Zelia Harrington, and she's 28 years old. She's the daughter of the owner of the country club." She said excitedly and I grimaced.
Great, another heiress that had a stick up her f*****g arse, that spends all of daddy's money.
"Fine. Set it up mum. But this is the last time. No more meddling." I warned.
"Yes yes." She said dismissively and I sighed.
I knew she wasn't going to listen to me.
"How's dad?" I asked.
"He's good. He's outside on that bloody horse. I'm tired of telling him that he needs to take it easy." She fussed, and I chuckled.
"Hang in there mum. You know retiring wasn't easy for him."
"Yes yes, I know." She sighed.
"Okay, well I have to go now. Send me the details of the date when you're done." I said.
"I will, and I better see you for dinner Sunday. Don't think I forgot that you skipped last week." I cringed, knowing that I would be in for it when her excitement wore off.
"Yes mum, I'll come by on Sunday. I'll talk to you later." She said her final goodbyes, and I hung up.
Jesus, that woman is a handful.
My assistant, Anabelle walked into the room, just as I sat behind my desk.
"Good morning sir. Your ten o'clock apppointment has been pushed back to eleven, because there an issue had come up on their end." She put the coffee down on my desk, and I narrowed my eyes.
"Did they communicate what the issue was?" I asked, leaning back into the chair.
One thing I hated was people who wasted my f*****g time. I didn't become as powerful and as rich as I am by rolling over and taking the scraps that people wanted to give. I fought hard for where I was.
Yes, I took over the company from my father, but that was after years of training and proving to him that I was ready.
"No sir." She looked at me from under her lashes, and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.
"Cancel the meeting. I don't appreciate having my time wasted. If there was a pressing issue, it should've been communicated at least an hour before, not twenty minutes before the meeting was supposed to start." I glanced down at my watch.
"Yes sir." She stood there watching me for a moment, her eyes trailing over me in lust.
"Now." I snapped my fingers in front of her face, and she snapped out of it, blushing profusely.
God I don't know why I kept her around. Sure she was decent at her job, but that was when she wasn't f*****g staring at me like she wanted to jump on me.
I opened my laptop, pulling up the files that I had to go through before my next meeting. I took a sip of my coffee, and grimaced.
Shit was already cold.
I picked up the office phone, paging Anabelle.
"Bring me another coffee. This one is cold." I said, before hanging up.
I opened the first file, and I rubbed my temples where I could feel the beginnings of a headache forming.
What a bloody great start to the morning.
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Olivia Grey:
I looked away from my best friend Amelia, who was pouting at me.
"Please Livy? Please come home with me." She begged, grabbing a hold of my hand.
"Mi Mi. I don't think I should." I said softly.
"Why not??" She whined.
"Because this is the only time that you're getting to spend with your family. I don't want to intrude on that. Plus, what if your family doesn't like me? I don't want to impose on them." I murmured, making her scoff.
"I know they'll love you Livy! You're the kindest, sweetest girl I know. And you're not imposing. I already asked mum if it was okay for me to bring someone home with me and she said yes! Plus school is out for the next two months. What are you going to do for the entire summer vacation?" Well.... She had a point there.
I had no family, being an Orphan that grew up in the system, in the United States no less. No one wanted me, so I stayed there until I was old enough to be out on my own.
School was my refuge, as some of the foster homes that I stayed in weren't the best. So, I focused on getting good grades, and I managed to get a full ride scholarship to the University College London.
I packed up and left The States without a second thought. It was hard at first. I had to find a job so that I would be able to buy food and keep a roof over my head, but I managed.
I met Amelia the first day of school, and she's been stuck to me like glue ever since.
Guess she took pity on the poor lonely American girl.
I know Amelia comes from a very high class, wealthy family. That's why it makes me so nervous to go home with her.
I'm just average. I work a job as a bartender/server on the days that I don't have school, I have a small one bedroom apartment that's not too far away from campus. I don't rub elbows with the rich and wealthy.
Don't get me wrong, I'm proud of my accomplishments thus far. I've been surviving pretty well for someone that didn't have the best start in life. I'm only 22 and I've accomplished more than the average 22 year old without anyone's help.
"Livy, please! I want to spend the summer with you. Plus I don't want to leave you out here in this big city alone." She sighed dramatically, making me roll my eyes.
"Mi Mi, I've been on my own for my entire life. I think I'll be fine for two months without you." I snorted.
She frowned at me, making me sigh.
"I'm sorry you didn't have anyone to look out for you Livy, but you have me now. Please come home with me. It wouldn't feel right if I left you here all alone." She pleaded.
I could see how much it meant to my friend, and I couldn't say no to her.
"Okay Mi Mi, I'll go with you." I said softly.
She squealed in delight, jumping on top of me and knocking all the air out of me as she squeezed me tightly.
"Yay! I'm so happy you agreed! We're gonna have so much fun together this summer!" She said excitedly, before she began to talk to my ear off.
"Woah. Slow down there princess. When are we leaving?" I asked, making her blush and smiled sheepishly.
"Sorry, I just got so excited. We're leaving Saturday. My parents are sending their chauffeur to pick us up." She said.
I shifted uncomfortably. Of course they had a chauffeur.
"So I have to come by your place for what time?" I asked.
"Can you make it for 11?"
"Yeah, sure." I sighed.
"Great! I can't wait for you to meet the family. You'll love them." She beamed, making me crack a smile.
"I still have to work though. I can't just up and leave. I won't have a job by the end of the two months." I said.
She frowned at me, giving me a a disapproving look.
"You know I don't like you working there, Livy. It's dangerous. People get really rowdy in there." She folded her arms across her chest, letting me know that she's ready for battle once again.
"Yes, I know Mi Mi, but I need that job to keep a roof over my head. Not everyone is fortunate enough to be a spoilt princess like you." I poked her in the ribs.
"I'm not a spoilt princess!" She whined, pouting.
I rose a brow, giving her a look that told her she had just proved my point.
She rolled her eyes, sighing.
"I don't know why you won't let me take care of your rent for you. I can pay it off for the next six months, and you won't have to go back to that god awful job. It'll give you time to find a new one." She said.
"No Mi Mi. I'm not going to take advantage of you like that. Besides it's not all that bad. I get some pretty nice tips when the place is packed."
She rolled her eyes once again, and glared at me.
"Yes, that's because there's a bunch of pigs who are always leering at you, looking at your t**s and arse. Hell a few of them have even groped you a couple times. I don't like you working there, it's not safe!" She said stubbornly.
Fuck.
"Mi Mi. I know it's not ideal, but I really have no choice but to work there if I want to keep a roof over my head, and food on my table. I'm not taking any money from you. That will make me feel like a charity case. It'll only be for a little while, until I graduate anyways. Then I'll look for a proper job." I said.
"You're not a Charity case Livy, and what kind of friend would I be if I have the resources to help you but I don't? Okay, how about this. Why don't you move in with me. You know I have the entire penthouse to myself, and there's three bedrooms there. That way you don't have to worry about rent, or food."
I groaned, wishing she would drop it already.
"Amelia. Drop it, please. I'm not quitting and that's that. I've been on my own for a long time. I know how to take care of myself." I said.
She huffed and pouted, looking like the spoilt princess she truly is. She wasn't used to anyone telling her no. Anything she asked for, she got, so I know me denying her was pissing her off.
"Fine. But just so I can have a piece of mind. Brent, our chauffeur is going to be driving you from the estate and back. That's non negotiable." She said sternly and I rolled my eyes.
"Fine." I agreed so she would get off my back.
I knew however, that this would not be the end of the conversation.
"Great, now let's go get some tacos. I'm starving." She said, pulling me up from the couch.
I shook my head at her, suppressing a smile.
My best friend is crazy