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CHAPTER 1
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Nevaeh (n/a pronounced Nevea) Belmont, the tabloid’s favorite socialite, ex-party girl, stood quietly in the foyer of her condo building, dressed conservatively and trying not to be nervous. It was silly really. She’d charmed heads of state and celebrities. She’d made the world her oyster. But one man still had the power to reduce her to a nervous wreck. Still…
Her father’s chauffeur-driven car arrived promptly at 7:35 p.m. Nevaeh normally would have driven herself to the ‘Take A Stand’ Children’s Foundation Gala dinner and silent auction but her father had wanted to speak with her in person before heading for the event. And, this was the only time he had in his extremely busy schedule. Not that she was surprised.
So here she was, trying to smile and pretend that this wasn’t a big deal. And when her father didn’t get out of the car to greet her, Nevaeh had her first inkling that it really wasn’t a big deal to him.
“Good evening, Ms. Belmont.”
“Good evening, Marcus.”
The elderly chauffeur had been with her father for almost thirty years. He gave her a quick smile.
“You look absolutely radiant tonight, Neve,” Marcus whispered.
“Thank you, Marcus,” she said, smiling back at him, her nerves melting away at the compliment.
This was her night. She’d just handled a rather messy PR problem for Nevaeh’s Dresser. Her father had even e-mailed her a note that said ‘good job.’ The only note he’d ever sent her. The only nice words he’d ever told her.
She slid into the car as the chauffeur held the door open for her. Her father was on the phone and didn’t glance up as the car door closed behind her. She tried to relax against the plush leather seat of her father’s Mercedes.
The driver sat in the front, facing forward, all but invisible to them. She wasn’t nervous. Well, maybe just a little. It had been so long since she’d allowed herself to want her father’s approval. At twenty-eight she was well on her own.
Skyler Belmont, the CEO of Nevaeh’s Dresser, was an imposing man. Well over six feet tall he’d always seemed bigger than life to her when she’d been a little girl. He’d revolutionized the way Americans thought about and purchased clothing with his line of high-end retail Nevaeh’s Dresser stores that he had started back in the 70s and named for her after her birth.
He finished his phone conversation and made a note in his day planner before looking over at her. The silence grew between them as Skyler studied her face. Nevaeh wondered what he saw when he looked at her.
Some people said she looked like her mother but Nevaeh had never really believed that. Her mother had been one of the most beautiful women she had ever seen. And what she saw reflected back in the mirror was never… beautiful.
“Thank you for meeting with me, Nevaeh,” Skyler said.
“No problem, Father. What did you want to see me about?”
“I’m promoting Julian Devereaux.”
Bahm! A quick, hard blow! No small talk or chitchat from him. Just the blunt news that she…well, she hadn’t expected.
“Julian Devereaux?! You’ve got to be kidding me!”
Dammit, she’d meant to be calm and cool. But, once again, her father pushed her aside, not acknowledging her work for the company.
“He’s the right man for the job.”
She gave her father a hard look… one that she’d picked up from him.
“Please, Father, tell me you didn’t promote him over me because I’m a woman.”
“Nevaeh, I’m not a sexist.”
Yeah… She knew that. Nevaeh was grasping at straws trying to find a reason.
“I’m not so sure, Father. I have more experience than Julian and I am better qualified.”
Skyler sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. He stared at the car window watching the Lake Shore Drive scenery pass. Nevaeh loved Chicago. Sometimes she wished she didn’t because then she could simply leave her father and Nevaeh’s Dresser far behind.
Her father seemed so unapproachable, so alone. Even though only a few inches of space separated them, Skyler Belmont was still a million miles far away from her. And she felt the distance between them widen.
No matter what Nevaeh tried, she could never get his approval. His respect. A few crazy stunts when she was in her late teens and early twenties and he was going to hold that against her for the rest of her life.
“I haven’t done anything to draw attention to myself lately,” she said, quietly.
This job had become the driving force in her life. She was no longer a party girl. Nevaeh had become a businesswoman. Something she was sure her father would notice.
“There was an article in the US Weekly not a week ago about you and Elijah Stone with pictures of you in your love nest.”
“Father, please. You know very well there’s nothing between Eli and me. He’s recovering from a serious addiction. He needs support from his friends.”
Skyler glanced over at her.
“It doesn’t matter what I know. The world believes you’re a party girl… again.”
She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
“The board knows I’m not.”
He rubbed a hand over his heart before he put his hands in his lap, joining his fingers together.
“I’m more concerned with what the public thinks.”
Nevaeh couldn’t argue that point. She almost regretted it but she’d made herself a promise long ago not to apologize for her actions. Though they were most times misconstrued, she knew that she always only had the best of intentions where all of her escapades were concerned.
“I think we can overcome that. I’ve been working with ‘Take A Stand’, the Children’s Foundation, which is helping my image.”
“It’s not enough. ‘Nevaeh’s Dresser’ is facing some tough times.”
“What kind of tough times?” she asked.
Being in PR, her focus was more on image than on the company's bottom line. But she hadn’t heard any rumblings of trouble.
“Nothing you need to worry about.”
“I’m an employee, Father. Of course, I worry about the stability of the company. Tell me what’s going on.”
She worried more about her father. It had always been one of her biggest fears…losing him. No matter how the things stood between them, Skyler Belmont was still her father.
But for him, the company was the most important thing in his life. So, if anything happened to Nevaeh’s Dresser, he’d have nothing left to live for.
“It’s Cargill Investments.”
Again? Aiden Cargill had been gunning for Nevaeh’s Dresser since he’d come onto the investment scene some ten years earlier. He was always trying to man some kind of takeover.
“And you think that Julian will be a better VP to help you out?” she asked carefully.
“Yes. I need a public relations vice president who can get out there and give us some good spin.”
“I think the articles about me should prove I know something about spin,” Nevaeh muttered.
“That’s not the kind of spin we want.”
“Father, please.”
She’d spent her entire life trying to make sure that no one in the world pitied her. Poor little motherless rich girl, people used to say to her. Growing up, she’d made life her party and now she had the feeling she was paying for it.
She’d gone to Vassar and gotten her degree. Though she’d heard rumors that her affair with the dean of students was the only reason she’d passed, Nevaeh knew she’d done the work and Stan had no control over her grades.
She crossed her legs, feeling the smooth silk of her gown against her skin. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. Skyler sighed and she had her answer. Why she was surprised, she couldn’t understand. Nevaeh hated that she always wanted something from him that he could never deliver.
“You could apply for another top position but the VP position isn’t yours… I’m sorry, Nevaeh. My mind is made up.”
“Well… unmake it, Father,” she said, starting to lose her temper.
Though she desperately wanted to hang on to it. Desperately wanted to find the cool and calm front that her father always presented. Why hadn’t she inherited that?
“We’re done here.”
“Not yet, Father. I want you to tell me exactly why I wasn’t promoted. Why this position isn’t mine. Why, after all the work I’ve done, I wasn’t considered for the VP role.”
Skyler looked her square in the eye.
“You’re not responsible enough. I don’t trust you to do the job. I never will trust you again!”
The words hurt worse than she’d expected. And she felt the sting of tears in the back of her eyes but refused to cry in front of him. Nevaeh had, in fact, never cried in front of her father. She knew he considered it a cheap feminine ploy used to manipulate men.
“Since this is your opinion about me and my work in the company… I don’t think I’m going to be able to continue to work for you.”
“That’s your choice, Nevaeh.”
“No, Father, that’s yours.”
The car stopped and she practically ran out of it. She needed to be as far away as possible from the man who, once again, treated her like she was his own worst enemy. She wasn’t good enough? She wasn’t trustworthy enough? Well, Skyler Belmont was in for the surprise of his life.
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ADDICTED TO YOU CHAPTER 2
From across the crowded ballroom, Aiden Cargill caught a glimpse of Nevaeh Belmont. The socialite was surrounded by a group of people and didn’t look the way he’d expected her to. They’d never met, though they attended many of the same functions. To be honest, Aiden never really paid that close attention to her until tonight. Maybe it was the way she’d split from Skyler Belmont after he approached her near the entrance. He could sense there was some tension between Nevaeh and her father. In her photos, she appeared too thin and her mouth was always set in a pout. Her eyes usually held a vacuous expression. As he maneuvered around for a closer look, Aiden noticed that her wide-set blue eyes weren’t vacuous tonight. They seethed with something that was either passion or anger.
ADDICTED TO YOU CHAPTER 3
“Okay, Neve,” she said slowly, looking carefully around, trying not to pass for a crazy woman talking to herself, “this is it! If this is what you want, you need to play this one right!” Nevaeh had dressed for her interview with Aiden Cargill with care. Her black Chanel suit was a classic and she wore it like a security blanket. She loved the feeling of the lined summer-weight wool skirt against her legs. She paired it with a pair of ultra-thin sheer French hose and some Manolos that were understated and sophisticated. But even if she was dressed to impress, Nevaeh still, was extremely nervous. Her hands trembled as she took a sip of the coffee Aiden’s private assistant, Marilyn, had gotten for her. She hated being that betrayed by her own emotions and forced herself to rehearse in he
ADDICTED TO YOU CHAPTER 4
He glanced up at her then and realized he felt a grudging respect for the woman in front of him. She fought dirty… well she fought to win. And Aiden always respected winning except when Skyler Belmont won. And somehow this daughter of his had to be the key to bringing him down. No, Nevaeh was the key to twisting the pain of losing when Skyler fell. And the old man was going down. Right now, though, Aiden needed some answer from her. He should be treating this like an interview. Keeping his eyes off her legs and focusing on what she was doing here.“Why did you go into PR, Nevaeh?” She relaxed in her seat, crossing those long legs again.“It seemed like the right fit for me. I know a lot of people in the medi
ADDICTED TO YOU CHAPTER 5
Aiden had been surprised when he’d gotten the text from Nevaeh asking him to meet her at the High Tide Gallery on north Greystone Avenue. He’d worked later than he’d planned to and then made his way across town to the gallery opening for an artist that Aiden had never heard of before, Amedeo Bellini. He mentioned Nevaeh’s name at the door and was told to go right in. He got a glass of wine from the waiter and walked through the room stopping to study the art. He’d never taken time to appreciate this kind of thing. His brother, Landon, collected sculptures, and their mother had an affinity for photography. But Aiden wasn’t interested in anything unless it brought him closer to his goal of bringing down Skyler Belmont.
ADDICTED TO YOU CHAPTER 6
“Got a minute, Neve?”“Sure,” she replied, surprised to see Julian Devereaux at this event. Though he was a decent PR man, he didn’t move in the same circles she did.“Uh, first I want to say, I’m sorry you didn’t get the promotion.” Nevaeh genuinely liked Julian and with a few more years of experience, he was going to be exactly what her father needed. For now, he was smart and savvy but a little young and inexperienced.“As my father said, ‘the best man got the job’,” she said. Julian flushed.“I hope I can live up to that expectation.”“Of course, you will. So… what did you want?”“I was hoping you’d have some time in your sched
ADDICTED TO YOU CHAPTER 7
Nevaeh was tired, cranky, and out of sorts when she left her apartment the next morning for her meeting with Julian Devereaux. And she wasn’t very well prepared. She hadn’t gone back to the office after she’d decided to quit working for her father, so she had no notes other than the things she’d kept in her head. And this might not be the best morning for a meeting because all she could think about was Aiden… his kiss… his hands… his embrace… She hated the fact that they’d both agreed to part ways. She knew it was the most sensible thing to do but she ached for him. That kiss last night had made it impossible for her to do anything other than moon over the man, toss and turn in her bed thinking about him… naked… on top of her. And that
ADDICTED TO YOU CHAPTER 8
She chewed on her lower lip. Aiden lowered his head and brushed her mouth with his. He wanted to deepen the contact but restraint was needed now. Later when they were alone in his office…“I think I need to hide most of all from you, Aiden.”“Why is that?”“Because you see me in ways that no one else does.” The elevator doors opened before Aiden could respond and his brother stood there in the hallway waiting for them.“We’ll finish this conversation later.”“Oh… Will we?” Nevaeh asked in that sassy way of hers. She was getting herself back from the shock of seeing that photo. He was glad for it. He could deal with the ballsy woman better than the vulnerable one.“I just said we wo
ADDICTED TO YOU CHAPTER 9
She looked at her watch.“Damn it!” Nevaeh exclaimed slowly. Nevaeh was thirty minutes late for her meeting with Julian Devereaux. She wasn’t exactly sure of what she’d agreed to in Aiden’s office but she knew they’d discuss it further when he came to her house tonight for dinner. She called her housekeeper and informed her she’d have a guest for dinner. Then she stopped in front of the ‘Nevaeh’s Dresser’ corporate offices. Since their earlier meeting at Starbucks had been delayed, Julian had suggested they try for lunch. He was lounging against a low railing that lined the handicap ramp leading to the entrance, cigarette in one hand, cellphone in the other. The wind blew
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Their wedding day arrived. None of them wanted to wait too long, considering that 3 days were more than enough to organize a small, private wedding just for them and their families at her father’s estate. Her father’s chauffeur-driven Mercedes arrived promptly at 7 p.m. Nevaeh nervously smoothed her hands down the lines of her white satin wedding dress that belonged to her great-grandmother and was created by a famous French designer in 1955. Her mother wore that dress too and now it was her turn. When he saw his daughter, Skyler cleared his throat and climbed out of the back of the car while Marcus, his driver, stood holding the door open. Nevaeh stood at the top of the steps looking down at her father. Their relationship was still a little awkward but h
ADDICTED TO YOU CHAPTER 27
He brought his mouth down the mounds of her breasts and sucked in the tightened nipple. She arched her back as he continued to massage the aching nipple, reaching down to hold his head close to her body. Aiden nipped at the swollen bud and then licked over the spot, making another moan escape her body. He switched to the other side, giving her other breast equal attention, before continuing his journey down her body. How he’d missed her… He wanted to explore every single inch of her he’d missed out on over the last few days. He reached her stomach and ran his tongue over the satin skin. When Aiden got lower, towards her core, he stopped for a second and looked at her. Nevaeh was the most beautiful woman he’d ever made lov
ADDICTED TO YOU CHAPTER 26
Nevaeh heard an insistent pounding at her door. She was back in her old condo and the only people who knew she was there were her father and Blossom since she had come over the first night she came back there. ‘Well, whoever the disturber was maybe he will go away…’ she thought and continued writing on her computer. Still, the pounding increased.“For God’s sake…” she exclaimed while climbing out of her bed and went to open the door, not bothering to put on a robe to cover up an old t-shirt and a pair of shorts. If the person was rude enough to disturb her on a Saturday night, then whoever it was could deal with her bedtime apparel. She yanked open the door.“What do you want at this…?” she snapped before looking up.
ADDICTED TO YOU CHAPTER 25
After nearly a week at the Ritz, Nevaeh realized that her old habits were back. She was sleeping maybe two hours a night. No matter how she tried, she couldn’t get comfortable in her sleep and kept rolling over, searching for Aiden. She wished that she could calm the voices in her head. The ones that warned her that maybe she’d overreacted and that she should go back and try one more time to make Aiden see reason. Finally, she got up, wrapped herself in a robe, and went to the windows. While glancing down at the streets, everything came into the picture. She didn’t need to leave Chicago. She needed to find her place here. She realized no matter how hard she ran or how far she moved away, the past would always be with her. The pa
ADDICTED TO YOU CHAPTER 24
Aiden went inside the Aquarium, straight to the table he’d reserved for the event, and sat down. But he was scarcely aware of anything going on around him. He knew he should be making plans. Now that Skyler Belmont knew he had enough shares to force him out there was a chance the other man would try to manipulate the stock somehow. But he couldn’t focus on that just now. Where was Nevaeh going? Why had he let her leave like that? What happened was on her too. He just wasn’t willing to give into any kind of ultimatum. It didn’t help that she tried to make him change his mind. The moment she’d entered his life, Aiden knew in his heart he couldn’t have her and the company. But he also knew he wasn’t willing to put an end to his desire of punishing her father. No matter
ADDICTED TO YOU CHAPTER 23
How could she have been so wrong about Aiden? Nevaeh left the Shedd Aquarium and looked for a cab out front. There wasn’t any… And even if there was, she had no idea where to go now… She had no safe haven… no safety net… no man to go back to… no loving arms to hold her while crying her heart out. That afternoon when she and Aiden made love, Nevaeh could swear that there was something so overwhelming in his eyes, in his voice… something so unique… something that went over the usual love stories she read or knew about… And earlier, when Aiden said he loved her in front of her father, she felt her heart flying out of her chest. The emotion was so out of this world. No one said ‘I love you’ to her… n
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Aiden hated the way Nevaeh stood with her arm wrapped around her waist. His instincts had said letting her go off with her father had been a bad idea. He cared deeply for her but he wasn’t about to shelter her from the truth. “Tell me what exactly, Aiden?” she repeated, still waiting for his answer. “I’m not sure…” he replied. He didn’t know how much information Skyler Belmont already knew. “Let me help you, then… Something about your buying up shares in ‘Nevaeh’s Dresser’ and forcing the family out.” Oh, okay… Skyler’s information was complete. Aiden wondered if he had a leak in his own organization or if the boys at ‘Nevaeh’s Dresser’ had finally gotten smart. “Well, I didn’t buy up the shares. ‘Cargill Investments’ did on behalf of a consortium
ADDICTED TO YOU CHAPTER 21
Later, while preparing, images of them making love were still running around Nevaeh's mind. Her entire body was still tingling. What happened was so… unique, so wonderful… so new. Nevaeh had the impression that, for the first time since they were together, they really, absolutely made love. Sweet, passionate, pure love. The way he talked to her, the way he touched her, the way he played with her body… Aiden never did it before. He came close, but he never went over. Like he was being pulled back by some strange, invisible force. And, that day, he finally freed himself.“Baby, are you ready?” she heard Aiden’s voice coming from downstairs. Nevaeh checked the time. There was plenty of it. Didn’t guys understand that there was more to getting ready than just
ADDICTED TO YOU CHAPTER 20
The main door opened and closed quickly and she heard steps approaching the stairs. Finally! Her man was home! She had been waiting for him the entire day, eager to see him, to be with him. Standing in front of the window, Nevaeh tried to maintain her tranquility while waiting for him to enter the room. But she was anxious to see how he was. Aiden was working a lot lately… The last few days had been quite busy, since he and Landon were taking care of something pretty important. She would’ve loved to help him, but whatever it was, Aiden never brought it to their bedroom. This was their little slice of heaven. The outside world wasn’t allowed in here.“Baby?” Nevaeh heard his voice.“I’m up here, Aiden,” she replied and turned towards the door.&nb
