INKED LOVE
An Enemies to Lovers Romance
By Cassidy London
Copyright © 2018 Cassidy London
All Rights Reserved.
This work is one of fiction. Any resemblance of the characters to persons living or deceased is purely coincidental. Names, places, and characters are figments of the author’s imagination. All trademarked items included in this novel have been recognized as so by the author. The author holds exclusive rights to this work. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.
Other Titles by Cassidy London
Suburban Secrets series
Couples Night Out
Weekend Getaway
Island Resort
Christmas Magic: A Billionaire, Single Dad Romance
Freefall
Coming March 2019
Cassidy London Books
Inspired by steamy truths more outrageous than fiction
Because some of our best stories are the ones we can never tell anyone. Until now.
Every Cassidy London book has been inspired by a steamy truth that comes directly from the pages of Cassidy’s Confessional.
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Share yours at Cassidy’s Confessional and you may end up inspiring the next steamy Cassidy London book!
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French Glossary
*Please note that the French language that is used in this book is French Canadian and not the same as the language of France. The characters speak in an informal conversational style and use many colloquial expressions. It is also very common in Montreal for locals to intersperse French and English together within in the same sentence.
French curse words (no direct translation available)
Câlisse
Tabernak
Esti d’tabernak
Objects, Locations (no direct translation available)
Poutine: Traditional Quebec dish of French fries, gravy and cheese curds
Lycée Français: French high school in Toronto
Dépanneur: Corner Store/7Eleven
Local Expressions (approximate translation)
Mais franchement : But frankly
Dans la lune : Head in the clouds
Enweille: Let’s go
Ben non: No of course not
Check ça: Look at this
Bon matin : Good morning
Je m’en fiche: I don’t give a rat’s ass/I don’t care
Words
Laissez-faire: Easy-going
Quoi: What
Hein: huh
Merci: Thank you
Salut : Hey
Eh?: Huh?
Écoute : Listen
Arrête : Stop
Cul de sac : Dead End
La gang : The gang
Mes amis : My friends
Québécois: People native to Quebec
Les Montréalais: People native to Montreal/Montrealers
Other
La langue française: The french language
Un été chaud à Montréal: A hot summer in Montreal
T’es folle ou quoi: Are you crazy
T’as failli de me faire tuer là-bas: You nearly got me killed back there.
Tu m’entends: Can you hear me
Bienvenue au Québec : Welcome to Quebec
Je me souviens: I will remember (this is the quote on Quebec license plates)
A Montréal mon amie : In Montreal, my friend
Bienvenue au style des Montréalais : A Montreal style welcome
Ce n’est pas Toronto ici, hein?: This is not Toronto, is it ?
Enchanté ma belle : Delighted beautiful
C’est chaud : It’s hot
Oui, ma chérie : Yes, sweetheart
Je ne suis pas ta chérie : I’m not your sweetheart
Elle parle français: She speaks French
Qu'est-qu'il t'est arrivé: What happened to you?
C’est beau: It’s good/It’s okay
Oui, ma petite genie: Yes, my little genius
En general: Generally speaking
Qu’est que… tu… veux : What…do…you…want
Jamais ma chérie, jamais je te laisserai partir : Never sweetheart, I will never let you go
J’peux pas m'arrêter : I can’t stop myself
Parce que ma belle, j’veux tellement te gouter : Beacause beautiful, I can’t wait to taste you
Alors, c’est oui ? : So it’s yes ?
C’est parfait: That’s perfect
Belle fille : Beautiful girl
J’comprends pas? I don’t understand?
De quoi tu parle?: What are you talking about ?
En plus: And what’s more
Ouvre la porte: Open the door
Je monte : I’m coming up
Je répète: I repeat
Tu m’rend fou: You drive me crazy
Je t’adore: I adore you
Je sais: I know
Je peux te toucher : Can I touch you
Tu m’comprends : Do you understand me ?
Une vraie petite salope, hein ? : A real little slut eh ?
Tu penses que t’es prête : So you think you’re ready ?
Merci princesse : Thank you princess
SVP (s’il vous plait): If you please
Tu me comprends : Do you understand me ?
J’comprends : I understand
Très bien, ma chérie : Very good my dear
J’peux pas : I can’t
T’as un beau sourire aujourd’hui : You have a pretty smile today
Alors, tu veux parler en français fillette ? : So, you want to speak French little girl ?
Ok les filles qu’est ce qui ce passe ici ? : Okay girls, what’s happening here ?
T’as fini?: Are you finished ?
Ferme ton cell : Close your cell phone
Je t’ai dit de fermer ton cell quand on dort : I told you to close your cell phone when we’re sleeping
Non mais, com’on: No but come on
Je t’adore princesse : I adore you princess
Quoi? T’es pas serieuse!?: What? You can’t be serious!?
Et voilà!: And there you go
C’est vrai : It’s true
Merci mon amour: Thank you my love
Il n’y a presque personne maintenant. There’s no one left
Cette femme est insupportable: That woman is unbearable
On y va d’abord : Let’s go then
Je t’ai mon amour, laisse-toi aller, je t’ai. : Let yourself go my love, let yourself go, I have you.
Mais tu es tellement sexy quand tu tombes dans mes bras: But you’re so sexy when you’re falling into my arms
C’est prêt : It’s ready
Toujours mon amour. Je suis dans ton coin pour toujours : Always my love. I’ll always be in your corner.
Ca t’e prends pas beaucoup de temps pour m’oublier ein ?: It doesn’t take you long to forget me eh ?
J’ai tout fait pour toi et c'était pas assez, ein?: I did everything for you but it wasn’t enough eh ?
De quoi tu parles?: What are you talking about ?
Garde qu’est-ce que tu m’a fait faire!: Look at what you made me do
Je m’excuse, mille fois je m’excuse, mon amour: I’m sorry, a millione times, I’m sorry my love
Ouvre tes yeux: Open your eyes
Je veux t’embrasser chaque jour, pour toujours: I want to kiss you every day, forever and ever.
Et maintenant pour toute éternité : And now for all eternity.
Quote
Aimer, ce n’est pas se regarder l’un l’autre, c’est regarder ensemble dans la même direction – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Love doesn’t mean gazing at each other, but looking, together, in the same direction. – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Table of Contents
French Glossary
Prologue
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
Chapter 31
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Prologue
A delicious aroma came flooding through my nostrils and registered hard into my brain. My mind and palate reeled with anticipation, hoping to catch a glimpse of what was producing such a mouthwatering scent. However, it seemed that I would not be given the opportunity…
She kept urging me on, faster and faster, until my legs were barely able to keep up and the burn was cramping my calves. We finally turned the corner onto yet another narrow cobblestone street, when the sound of laughter and dishes breaking, filled my ears. Despite this, my focus remained steadfast as I continued skipping over the stones, each more uneven than the next.
Inhaling deeply for the second time that evening, I took in the most enticing scent. Unmistakably, I recognized it as poutine; that infamous gravy and fries dish renowned here in the Province of Québec. It was greasy, gooey and bad for you in all the best ways. Or so, I assumed anyway from what my friends had told me.
Closing my eyes for a moment, I focused on another forbidden scent. Cigarette smoke and beer. I loved the way it seemed to blanket the city’s thick summer heat.
There was something sublimely perfect about that moment. And despite it lasting only a few seconds, it would remain etched in my mind, forever.
My mother rushed along even faster than before, her heels clicking repeatedly along the uneven stones. She tugged at my hand impatiently as I slowed down to gaze at the hordes of loud, boisterous patrons on a nearby terrace. From the corner of my eye, I caught my mother’s nose wrinkle in disgust at the sight of cheese curds sprinkled atop of their food. People were laughing and calling out “bon appétit!”, as they dug into these seductive dishes. They seemed happy and relaxed in a way that I had never experienced or seen in my immediate surroundings. It was amazing that we were only six hours from home, and yet the people of Montreal, seemed to be living in a different universe.
“Alexis stop ogling; it’s such a classless behavior.” My mother scolded loudly as if her judgmental behavior was perfectly acceptable.
As usual, my father was strides ahead, pretending he wasn’t even with us. Talking on the phone as always; he was immersed in a world of cases, depositions and problems that seemed far more important than us. My older brother Logan was trailing even further behind, but no one seemed to notice or care about him. Just me. How typical.
I tried to keep up with my mother’s pace but it was next to impossible. She was on a strict schedule, as always. Aiming to be exactly down to the minute, and if possible-- even the second. I, on the other hand, would have been content to wander the streets leisurely and take in all the fascinating sights and sounds.
Looking up at her, I smiled. Despite my annoyance at her constant lecturing, her beauty captivated me. I had always been told that I was a carbon copy of her. And I couldn’t deny that we both had the same thick, bouncy white blonde hair and crystal blue eyes. Our skin was a light caramel color from the summer sun. But our differences ended there. Where she sported a hard-stern stare, I offered a distant dreamy innocence.
That look was not for anything. I had learned long ago, how to keep her happy. Agree, placate, smile, and repeat. It was a cycle that was so familiar to me it was almost natural. Except that it wasn’t. And somewhere, somewhere far off and deep within in my being, I knew it.
We continued around that last corner and ran straight into a mass of people dancing, singing and clapping in tune to a street band. Needless to say, my mother’s mood went from bad to worse. What she perceived as such low-class behavior, nearly gave her a coronary. She just kept muttering under her breath about the loud music and the scandalously clad young women, dancing in the streets. Like oil to her water, I was mesmerized. Hypnotized, by the freedom that they joyously displayed. They seemed to dance without a care in the world, and in that moment, I wanted to be one of them.
Glancing behind me, I saw that Logan was looking equally entranced, but perhaps for a different reason. We caught each other’s eyes and he smirked as I rolled my eyes back at him. We weren’t really all that
close, Logan and I. However, in times of allegiance against the uptight, rigid, rules of the roost-- we were always in each other’s corner.
Finally, we had reached our destination and caught up to my father. We slipped dutifully in the lineup behind the other guests. It seemed that everyone had arrived at the same time which forced us to halt and wait for our turn to enter. My mother brushed the creases in my dress and fussed with my hair aggressively. Her attempt to fix the errant strands of hair that had been messed up during our speed walking, only made it worse. She made my fifteen-year-old self, feel like I was five in an instant.
Standing there and trying to ignore her while she fussed, I shifted my focus to a nearby door. A door that was dark, sinister and yet so very intriguing. It had an aura that made shivers go up my spine as I silently wondered what was happening on the other side. No signs or markings had given me a clue.
As if the universe was answering my thoughts, the mysterious door opened, and a man appeared. He leaned against the arched door frame and lit up a cigarette. It was impossible not to stare at him despite knowing that every second that I did, would get me into more trouble than it was worth.
His jeans hugged his lower body in a way that made me stare at places that I hadn’t before. His t-shirt clung to the rippled form beneath the thin white cotton. His arms and neck were lined in an array of tattoos that left almost no natural skin showing at all. He had a five o’clock shadow and a black tuque that hung off the back of his head, despite the summer heat.
My erratic, heavy breathing soon caught my mother’s attention. She leaned in to my ear tactfully, and whispered, “Stop staring Alexis. Despite him being an unsavory character, it’s still rude.” Her voice stung me with a sickly sweetness.
Unfortunately, my mother hadn’t been subtle enough though. In fact, she may have even caused him to notice me. Or... maybe not. In any case, we locked eyes as he flicked his cigarette in our direction and lifted his chin towards me like he approved of what he saw. He held my gaze long enough that my heart began to pump faster in my chest and my breathing faltered in rhythm. I could feel the prickly heat of embarrassment and curiosity dancing its way across my chest. Looking away was impossible. He held me, captive and entranced. He was definitely way older than I was, but he looked at me not as the little girl my parents saw, but as the woman I desperately wanted to be. It couldn’t have been more than a few seconds but it felt like an eternity before he threw his cigarette on the ground and winked at me as he ground it out with his foot.
Logan brushed past me and whispered in a sing-song voice, purposely loud enough for my mother to hear, “Ooohh… looks like Lexi’s got a thing for older bad- boys, eh?”
Appalled, my mother grabbed my face below my chin and yanked it to get my attention. “Don’t you even think of it young lady!” She scolded. Shaken out of that most blissful moment, I sighed turning to her. This was the story of my life. Being reprimanded for something before I’d had the chance to even consider it.
“If you ever come home with tattoos-- or with a boy who looks like that, you’d better just not come home at all!” She continued on, rambling about how respectable young women should behave. Once again, I plastered a zombie-like smile on my face and zoned out.
Chapter 1
It was right smack in the middle of my twenty-fifth birthday party in front of all our friends and family, when Jason my boyfriend of four years, surprisingly professed his undying love for me.
“Alexis Reynolds, I love you and want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you…you and your beautiful family.” Jason eyes pulled away from mine and looked out into the crowd.
My gaze followed his as I watched him lock in on my father. They both nodded a seemingly silent agreement between them. Turning back to me; those blue eyes once again sparkling in my direction, he pressed on.
“So…will you marry me Alexis?” he asked.
Looking down into those clear blue pools, I smiled nervously. The man that had swept me off my feet in college and had been an overnight hit with my insanely hard to please family, was now down on one knee, asking for my hand in marriage. I had waited for this moment forever. It seemed we all had.
I buried the emotions that were simmering under the surface and tried to focus on what was being presented before me. Unfortunately for me, this was not the private, romantic moment that I had envisioned. No, this was actually the complete opposite. We were standing in the middle of a lavish room, in one of Toronto’s best restaurants; with everyone we knew staring eagerly, anticipating the only acceptable answer.