Tainted

Chapter One

Author's Notes:

This book contains adult language and situations.  Continue at your own risk.  Also, this has not been professionally edited so you may notice some errors.  It happens to the best of us.  I'm totally open to feed back, but please remember, "I'm an artist and I'm sensitive about my ish!"

*This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events  and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or  used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living  or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

                                    ~

Eleven long hours. That's how long it took Alyssa to leave behind a life of hardships, struggles, and pain. In eleven hours she'd crossed four state lines - Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. She wasn't sure what the last two states were known for, but she was certain it had to do with overturned vehicles and landfills judging by the freeway signs and stench. In those long, dragging hours she'd called almost every friend in her phone book to keep her company, sang along to at least 100 songs, listened to a book on tape and taken three bathroom and food breaks. What she had not done in those hours was cry, which amazed her because typically all it took was a Kleenex commercial and the waterworks were in full effect. Yet, here she was nearly 700 miles away from the only home she'd ever known, her family and friends and her eyes were as dry as the Sahara Desert. She knew she should feel more anxious, nervous or just sad about making such a huge move, but right now all she could feel was the pain and stiffness in her right thigh from driving for so long. If she weren't so scared of the curvy unfamiliar roads, she would have used the cruise control.

"Finally," she said, spotting the blue lights over the Gothals Bridge. Adian told her when she saw them she had about ten more minutes left. She couldn't believe she was actually moving in with a man she used to "date."  She wasn't sure that was the right word to use since this was her first time doing the long distance thing and they weren't exclusive.  But either way she knew it would make her new living situation weird.Alyssa couldn't stop the smile from spreading across her face as she fondly remembered the cold January night that she met Adian. 

It was Charity Night for the Auto Show, one of the biggest events in Detroit and one of the most important to the automotive magazine where she worked as a publicist. It was her first time attending the prestigious event filled with the city's elite and all the power players in the automotive industry and Alyssa was a bundle of nerves trying to make sure everything went perfectly.  Just as she approached Tru TV's table with her CEO Gary, she saw him come from the back of the station's media table. Before she could turn away his eyes met hers. They were chestnut and perfectly complimented his golden completion. She didn't realize she had been holding her breath until she loudly exhaled to respond to the producer. It took every bit of maturity and professionalism in her not to giggle and blush like a school girl when she was introduced to Adian, the assistant editor, but she was certain her cheeks were flushed by the time he lead her boss to the back of the room to shoot his interview. She followed behind at a safe distance trying to regain her composure.

As soon as the interview ended, Alyssa spotted Gary and Adian immersed in conversation. Their hearty laughs and pats on the back let her know that it was not business related."Alyssa," Gary called, waving her over as the two broke their huddle. "It appears that you have a little admirer... Listen, we're all set for the night, so why don't you take our new friend Adian with you to the after party?" he asked, but it wasn't really a question.

"Wait now, what?  Is that what you two were talking about? Gary..." she wined like an unhappy child.

"No, we were discussing ways we can create more visibility on the station and he mentioned that he was in town all weekend and has no plans for the rest of the night. I saw the way that boy was looking at you. Take him to the club and have some fun for once. After you make sure everybody else is doing their jobs of course."  She felt like an unwilling participant of an arranged marriage and hated the fact that her boss was the one doing the arranging, especially since she knew there would be some sort of strings attached. But she loved the way Adian looked in his black Brook's Brothers suit and she knew her ex would be there, so it wouldn't hurt to have some eye candy on her arm.  She consented and timidly approached her date for the evening.