Mindset

www.lazydaypub.com

Mindset

Digital ISBN-
9781612580128

Print ISBN-
1612580122

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Copyright © 2011 Elaine Dyer

Cover art by Bret Poinier

This book is a work of fiction.  Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, any events or locales is purely coincidental.  The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination and are not to be construed as real.

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission from the publisher LazyDay, with the exception of quotes used in reviews and critical articles.

Dedication

To the real John Scanlan; we miss you, Daddy

And

To Bobby, the inspiration behind all my love stories and heroes

MINDSET

BY

ELAINE DYER

Chapter One

“Just trust me on this, and sign right here.  Don’t worry your pretty little head about the details.  That’s what husbands are for.  Don’t argue, just sign, Callie.  Trust me to know what’s best for you, sweetheart.”

“’Don’t worry my pretty little head?  Don’t argue, just sign?’Who the hell do you think you are?  I don’t know when you started thinking you could make my decisions for me, but you’re sadly mistaken if you think I’m going to sign these papers and turn over control of my finances to you.  I’ve been taking care of my own finances for years, and I have no need for a guardian at this point.  You’re not even my husband yet!  As a matter of fact, you know what?  This has all been a mistake.  Ever since I agreed to marry you last week, you’ve done nothing but try to bulldoze me.  First you suggested I change my clothes, my hair, my makeup.  Then you insisted that I cancel my trip home, because you couldn’t stand the thought of me being out of your sight.  What’s more surprising is I actually allowed it.”  Callie proceeded to remove the three karat blue marquis diamond engagement ring from her finger and held it out to the handsome man she briefly thought to make a future with.  “I’m done, Richard.  We’re done.”

“I really don’t know why you’re so upset, but you’re obviously not thinking clearly, Callie.  In time, you’ll see that I know what’s best for you, including overseeing your finances.  I am, after all, a financial investor, sweetheart.  Think carefully.  Wesley Financial is a much safer place for your money, Callie, and I must insist that you sign off on the transfer of your funds to our institution, and we’ll open up a joint account together, like married people are supposed to do.    I’ll just leave the paperwork here for you to sign when you’ve had time to reevaluate.  I know you’ll make the prudent choice.”

“You’re not hearing me, Richard.  I said we’re finished.  This is done; we are over.  I was swept away initially in a moment of weakness, make that insanity.  You have the whole wining and dining thing down pat, I’ll give you that.  But we are not well suited.  You want someone you can control, and that someone is not me, I assure you.  I make my own choices, my own decisions.  This decision is final.  I promise you, I will not change my mind.”

Callie opened her mouth to give him another piece of her mind when the quiet woman next to her interrupted her tirade.  “Callie, why don’t we go get something to eat?  I’m starving.”

Callie glanced at her friend Eva’s pale, worried face quickly and continued.  “Alright, Eva.  Just as soon as Richard takes back this ring, my business here will be completed, and we’ll go out just the two of us.  For a change.  Here you go, Richard.”

Eva could feel the rage rising in her friend’s fiancé, and although she’d never seen him so angry before, she had seen his expression, his demeanor mirrored many times in the more than two years that she’d been married to his brother, and she suddenly knew without a doubt what was coming if she didn’t get her friend away from here.  “Callie, let’s just go, and you and Richard can talk later.”

“I have nothing else to say to Richard, Eva,” Callie said, as she continued to hold out the ring to the livid stranger in front of her.  His normally fair skin was literally red now.  “Tell you what, Rich.  I’ll just put this rock on the table for you and be on my way.”  As she turned to do just that, out of the corner of her eye, she caught the movement of his closed fist moving towards her. 
What the hell
?  She was as much shocked as anything else when it made contact with her torso, and she doubled over in pain, falling to her knees, the breath knocked out of her. 

Richard straightened his collar and adjusted his sleeves.  “I’ve told you before, Callie.  My name is Richard.  Not Rich, Rick, or Ricky.  Maybe next time you address me, you’ll remember that now.  It’s such a shame you have to learn the hard way.  I’d thought you were smarter than that, smarter than Eve here, but apparently, I was mistaken.  Don’t worry though, I will teach you, just like my father taught my mother, and my brother taught his wife, right Eve?”

Dragging in a ragged breath, Callie managed to gather enough breath to respond.  “You son of a bitch, there won’t be a next time!”  As she struggled to straighten up and push past the pain he’d inflicted, she was met by a hard slap to the left side of her face that split open her lip at the corner.  This time she fell to the floor, her friend rushing to help her.

“Richard, that’s enough!  Leave her alone!”  Richard grabbed Eva and tossed her to the side.  Knowing all too well that she was no match for a man’s strength, she had no idea what she could do to help her friend. 
Oh my God, oh my God!  I have to do something.  It’s not too late for her.  Not yet.  I can’t let her end up like me!
 

“Oh, I don’t think so.  I don’t think it’s nearly enough.”  He looked down at Callie, who was struggling to rise.  “Name calling, my dear?  Rather crass, don’t you think?  From now on, Callie, things will be different.  You’ll do things my way.  My patience is at an end.  I’ve tried and tried to explain things to you, but you simply refuse to listen.  Consider this a lesson to be learned.  Let me make this perfectly clear.  I. Am. In. Charge.  In fact, you don’t have to worry about making any choices anymore.  You will marry me.  You will move your money to my family’s bank.  And you will learn to do what I say, when I say it.  Do you get it now, Callie?  I own you.  All Wesley’s run their households, and that includes their women.  You could say it’s a family tradition.”

He bent down and grabbed her by the long, straight, black hair that was her trademark in the modeling world where she was so well known, and held her face in front of his own, sneering. “Understand, Callie? Are
you
hearing
me
?”