The Hideout

First Edition April 2023 Published by GPC Publishing Copyright © 2023 Melissa Tereze ISBN: 978-1-915242-23-5 Cover Design: Melissa Tereze Editor: Charlie Knight Find out more at: www.melissaterezeauthor.com Follow me on Twitter: @MelissaTereze Follow me on Instagram: @melissatereze_author All rights reserved. This book is for your personal enjoyment only. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner without the express permission of the author. This is a work of fiction. All characters & happenings in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons (living or dead), locales or events is purely coincidental. CONTENT GUIDANCE - THIS NOVEL DEALS WITH THE DISCUSSION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. Also by Melissa Tereze Another Love Series The Arrangement (Book One) The Call (Book Two) Before You Go (Book Three) Mrs Middleton Novels Mrs Middleton Teach Me (Co-write with Jourdyn Kelly) Vanessa The Ashforth Series Playing For Her Heart (Book One) Holding Her Heart (Book Two) Other Novels Discovery The Stepmother Behind Her Eyes At First Glance Always Allie Breaking Routine In Her Arms Forever Yours The Heat of Summer Forget Me Not More Than A Feeling Where We Belong: Love Returns Naked Titles under L.M Croft (Erotica) Pieces of Me You’re afraid of leaving because you don’t want to be alone. But baby, you’re ready. Contents Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Epilogue Helplines SIGN UP TO WIN! Did you enjoy it? About the Author SOCIAL MEDIA Also by Melissa Tereze Chapter 1 KEEP CLIMBING Well, this is a huge change. Juliet Saunders stepped out from behind the bar she’d recently purchased, stopping in the middle of the tiny room. What the hell had she been thinking when she’d turned her back on law…only to walk into this? The Hideout. And yes, that’s exactly what it was. A hideout. A place for people—members—to rest and reset after a hard day’s work. A space that provided a friendly atmosphere. After today, Juliet would look to introduce impressive signature cocktails. Although, she wasn’t sure she’d last the duration here. She’d never owned a bar before, but when her mother passed away six months ago—work continuing to do very little for her—she knew the choice she’d been thinking of making for a while was the right one. She’d made the decision to quit while she was ahead. The problem Juliet had was that the higher her profile, the more likely the criminals with the dirty money sought her out. They wanted the best to keep them on the outside, and Juliet’s name often came into play in order for that to happen. While she believed everyone was innocent until proven guilty, some of her cases had become too much. She’d left the profession with a mark on her back, almost accepting a bribe to keep her safe, so now here she was…as far away from the criminal justice system as she possibly could be. Of course, she’d miss aspects of her former life, but in the long run, she planned to fade into the background and live a quiet existence. Surely The Hideout was the place to do that? Juliet shoved her hands in the pockets of her suit pants, her heels echoing through the empty room as she turned and eyed the piano in the corner. With only seven tables dotted around, the bar in the opposite corner, this surely couldn’t be hard to maintain. All members had been given the information they required; they were aware that The Hideout had a new owner, and none of them had turned down the renewal of their memberships. Really, Juliet was lucky that the place had been set up from the get-go. It certainly made her life easier. Startled when the bell to the side of the staircase jingled, she placed a hand to her chest, exhaling a breath. Juliet approached the bar and checked the system, smiling when she saw her new mixologist standing outside. She was a few minutes late, but Juliet could forgive her. She pressed the switch under the counter, granting access, and waited patiently. Footsteps rushing down the stairs had Juliet quirking a brow, and then a beautiful blonde woman stopped just inside the doorway. She wore low-rise black jeans, a white shirt tucked into them with the sleeves rolled up her forearms. “Hi. Sorry I’m late. I know it’s called The Hideout, but telling me to look for the old Victorian oil lamp above the green door wasn’t much help.” Juliet offered a beaming smile, inspecting her mixologist as she stepped further into the room. If she’d known this woman was going to be coming in for an interview, she’d have contacted her days earlier. Wow, she was stunning. “Paige Harrison. Again, sorry I’m late.” Paige extended a hand that Juliet took. She allowed the reaction her body had, a reaction she didn’t often accept and waited for the next words to fall from such a perfect mouth. Her lips…her voice. Oh, dear. Paige lifted her eyes slowly up Juliet’s body, smiling when she reached her face. “You must be Juliet?” “Correct. That’s me.” Paige turned and walked slowly around the bar, whistling as she jammed her hands in her back pockets. “Gorgeous place. Very unusual.” “Thank you. I haven’t changed anything yet—just given it a lick of paint here and there.” “It’s definitely unique. But,” Paige said as she turned, those eyes just as intriguing as the first time. Greyish green, “how does this place make any money? Most of the city likely doesn’t know it exists.” “It’s members only.” Juliet rearranged a few glasses on the counter, trying to keep her hands busy while watching how Paige moved around