Read On His Terms Online

Authors: Rachel Masters

On His Terms (7 page)

BOOK: On His Terms
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“Julie, what the hell! We planned this weeks ago- it’s my only day off in the next
couple of weeks,” Ally said.

“Sorry Ally. I promised Steve.”

Ally swallowed hard, as she always did whenever this came up. She knew she had no
control over this situation, and it didn’t help her knowing that Hale Westbrook’s
limo was waiting outside the apartment.

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
* * *

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The limo driver opened the rear door with his white-gloved hand.
Here I go
, she thought to herself.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“You look incredible,” said the billionaire. Ally flushed from head to toe.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
She stood speechless for a brief moment,
then
pulled herself together. “You look… handsome,” she said, embarrassing
herself
.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Thank you.” A tinted window rolled up that separated the backseat from the driver,
providing both Hale and Ally with their own private world. “Wine?” he said, handing
her a glass of white.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“What is it with you always offering me wine?” she said, reaching for her glass. “I
don’t know if I should let myself drink around you,” she said

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“I don’t know if you should either,” he said, and flashed a wicked grin.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ally leaned back against the black leather and took a sip from her wine glass. She
closed her eyes for a brief moment, bracing herself for whatever might come next.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“I have a stop to make before dinner,” he said, examining her attire. “
Djd
I mention that you look unbelievable in that dress?” His tone was romantic and sinful
all at once. And she knew it. She crossed her legs, causing her dress to rise up her
thigh.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“I guess you call the shots,” she said.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Good, I like being in charge. We’re off to a good start,” he smirked.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ally had no idea what was going on as the limo pulled up to an enormous crowd standing
outside of San Diego’s Hard Rock Café. “We have our work cut out for us tonight,”
he said. As he grasped Ally’s wrist, her jaw dropped from the terror of whatever world
she was about to get sucked into.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Us?” she gulped

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hale and his date rose from inside the limo. He squeezed her hand tightly and leaned
into her ear, “Welcome to
my
world, Ally.” She looked out into a sea of screaming supporters and cameras flashing.
The two of them were immediately engulfed by Hale’s armed entourage that sprang from
a fleet of black Cadillac Escalades
. She couldn’t believe that he didn’t tell her about any of this ahead of time, but
she was in way too much shock to feel any anger.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Mr. Westbrook, all systems are a go. The area has been secured. Whenever you’re ready,
sir.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Thank you, Charles,” Hale said. Then he looked at Ally, smiled, and whisked her through
the relentless crowd.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
There she stood, on top of a stage with the potential governor of California, for
thousands of mostly adoring fans. It was then that she began to realize what Hale
was asking her to consider- a starring role in the most important campaign for governor
in the country.

The crowd hushed as Hale Westbrook raised his hand into the air.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“California, the time for change is long overdue.” The crowd erupted into applause.
“Together, we’re going to take back this state and show the United States of America
how it’s done.” The crowd went berserk.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
He raised his hand once more to silence his fans. Ally stood just several feet away
from the podium, as her heart beat wildly amidst the crowd’s quiet hush. Hale lifted
his chin, and purposefully surveyed the entire crowd before he spoke again.

 
“Together!” he shouted, causing a tidal wave of thousands of screaming voices to ripple
through the San Diego evening sky.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
As the mass of people settled down, the media inched their way closer to the stage.
“Mr. Westbrook! Mr. Westbrook!” A local TV reporter fought for Hale’s attention.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hale nodded in the reporter’s direction.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Mr. Westbrook!” the reported shouted, “how do you intend to meet the needs of most
Californians when you yourself are not
most
Californians?”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hale turned away from the reporter and faced the crowd. Ally could see the annoyance
in his eyes; she might have been the only person there that night that could see it.

“California, I can assure you, I wasn’t born this way. I started off just like you,
hard-working men and women with little to nothing left to spare once the last bill
had been paid. And I will never,
ever
, forget where I cam from.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
She wished he had given the crowd more of an answer, more of himself.
Maybe he did start off like everyone else
, she thought,
but how can the people know that he still remembers what that feels like?

A local reporter chimed from just in front of the stage. “Hale! Hale! Who’s the lucky
lady to your right?” Ally’s heart sank to her feet.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hale looked over at her, then back to the reporter. “This is Ally, everyone!” He smiled
at her. She was absolutely mortified as a flurry of flashbulbs swirled around her
eyes.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Charles appeared suddenly, as he seemed to do best, blocking Ally’s view from the
crowd. She could feel the relief creep in as she sensed the show was almost over.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
A few more closing comments and one final rush of applause swept through the air,
after which Hale and Ally were whisked through a tunnel of security men and safely
into the black limo. As the limo pulled away from the Hard Rock Café, Ally collapsed
into her seat.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“You were great, kid,” he said, looking over at Ally.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Was I really? I didn’t feel great,” she said.

“For real, you were great,” he said.

“You didn’t tell me we were doing that,” she said.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“If I had, you never would have left your apartment.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Maybe you’re right, but at least it would have been my choice.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“You always have a choice,
Ally
. I didn’t force you up on that stage.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
He had a point, which she didn’t like to admit to herself
.
But still, she felt manipulated and wasn’t all too thrilled.
 
“I don’t know,” she muttered.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“What I need most from you right now, Ally, is a little faith.”

BOOK: On His Terms
9.11Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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