Tracked Interest

Tracked Interest A SECOND CHANCE ROMANCE C.N. MARIE Contents 1. Del 2. Anise 3. Del 4. Anise 5. Del Epilogue Acknowledgments Also by C.N. Marie C.N. Marie writing as: Follow C.N. Marie Follow Sophia Nixs Copyright © 2022 C.N. Marie This book is a work of fiction. Names of characters, some places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual events, places, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, or stored in a database in any form, without the prior permission of the publisher except in the instance of a short quote being used to enhance a written, published review highlighting the book. This book shall not be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent. Formatted by Design Bunnies Cover Design by Design Bunnies All Rights Reserved CHAPTER 1 Del “Honey . . . Anise . . . damn . . . it’s not worth it. Money is never worth it. Trust me.” I scrubbed the palm of my hand over my eyes as the words from the past left my lips. It was the next part of my vision; the nightmare that woke me up in a puddle of sweat. I slammed my other hand across my mahogany desk in an attempt to find my cell and stop the continuous loop of the harsh alarm from brandishing in my ears. I was such a hypocritical fool. I now knew that the money I had wasn’t worth the crimes I had done; the jack-the-lad of his twenties though was a cocky fucker who’d have risked it all to have wiped his ass with a hundred-dollar bill to fit in with the crowd. He’d have risked the world to add that extra zero to his bank balance. Not now, though. Not, after I left my Honey. Never again, I vowed. I realized I must have dozed off in my chair in my office as my gaze came back into focus and I clocked a look at the time. Three am, early mornings damn things. I’d originally planned to work through the night, crash later and then go to work in the early afternoon. Well, I’d fucked that idea up. The minimalistic feel of this room with its floor to ceiling windows that looked out over the length of Central Park were covered by the light beech slatted movable blinds, with the duet of cream leather chairs and a thick sheepskin rug draped underneath made it seem like the obvious choice for it to become the office in my apartment. If you then added in the splash of grey undertone paintings with abstract lines that hung to the right of my desk, and the water coolant tower it was the perfect crash pad for any hardworking fool. After all, it was where I spent the majority of my time when I wasn’t at the hotel and reporting back to Dawson. It made me smile when thinking about the money I’d hauled into this long-term investment as I stretched my arms above my head. It may not have been to my exact taste, but it would do as a place to call home whilst I was here. I was glad I’d set my alarm to call that client in Berlin a good half hour earlier than I’d needed to. He’d been tough to nail down. There wasn’t much time in our busy schedules where we both had free time. In the end I’d realized the only way I wasn’t about to lose his business was to schedule an early call with him. The problem was it had also fallen on the day my mind was wrapped up elsewhere; my family and the goodbyes ahead of me. I knew at least it gave me time to make myself look presentable and try to comprehend why the woman of my past had somehow manifested into my head for the first time in years. It made sense; Ethan, my brother, got his girl Sophia with help from Jacob, Sophia’s brother and me. Whereas I walked away from mine, my Honey and bright star. I’d forced myself to leave the memories behind; everything I knew and loved about New York at the time and ended up in the UK when I left her behind. I just never thought I’d admit to missing the sights of London; those red double decker buses and the grimy underground system full of delays but I’d snap my fingers at a moment’s notice to be back there. To return home, to my old Victorian styled property and to the lifestyle I craved like the addiction of an adrenaline junkie high in search of their next adventure. It was like I’d morphed into an English loving tourist and decided that the ties that New York once held didn’t matter as much as they once did. I mean I could’ve jumped on a plane straight back from JFK to London Heathrow but then that would be like spitting in the face of the one man who had seen something in me all those years ago, Dawson Parker. I had left the temptation of Manhattan and the surrounding boroughs for a reason. I’d been brought up here and then destroyed myself with greed. Dawson thought he knew best though and if I had faced my fears head on then I’d realize there was no need to be concerned of my past resurfacing. He had much more confidence in me than I did. I will admit it hadn’t caused me any issues being lost in the world as Dawson’s financial advisor for the last few years. I had a challenge to make the best decisions for the company and therefore it kept my mind active away from the error of wrong doings. I wouldn’t let him down and I knew this year would soon be over. It just hit home having Ethan, my brother, around over