FRAUD: An Unfit Hero Novel Read online

  FRAUD

  An Unfit Hero Novel

  Hayley Faiman

  Hayley Faiman Books, LLC

  Contents

  Also by Hayley Faiman

  Stay Connected

  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

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Epilogue

  Stay Connected

  About the Author

  Special Thanks

  FRAUD

  Copyright © 2019 by Hayley Faiman

  All rights reserved.

  Cover Designer & Editor: My Brother’s Editor. Ellie McLove. http://www.mybrotherseditor.net

  Proofreading: iScream Proofreading Services. Rosa Sharon. http://www.iscreamproofreading.com

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Visit my website: http://hayleyfaiman.com

  Created with Vellum

  Also by Hayley Faiman

  Men of Baseball Series—

  Pitching for Amalie

  Catching Maggie

  Forced Play for Libby

  Sweet Spot for Victoria

  Russian Bratva Series—

  Owned by the Badman

  Seducing the Badman

  Dancing for the Badman

  Living for the Badman

  Tempting the Badman

  Protected by the Badman

  Forever my Badman

  Betrothed to the Badman

  Chosen by the Badman

  Bought by the Badman

  Collared by the Badman

  Notorious Devils MC—

  Rough & Rowdy

  Rough & Raw

  Rough & Rugged

  Rough & Ruthless

  Rough & Ready

  Rough & Rich

  Rough & Real

  Cash Bar Series—

  Laced with Fear

  Chased with Strength

  Flamed with Courage

  Blended with Pain

  Twisted with Chaos

  Mixed with Trouble

  Forbidden Love Series —

  Personal Foul

  Kinetic Energy

  SAVAGE BEAST MC –

  UnScrew Me

  UnBreak Me

  UnChain Me

  UnLeash Me - January 2020

  Unfit Hero Series –

  CONVICT

  HERO

  FRAUD

  Zanetti Famiglia Series -

  Becoming the Boss

  Becoming his Mistress

  Esquire Black Duet Series –

  DISCOVERY

  APPEAL

  Standalone Titles

  Royally Relinquished: A Modern Day Fairy Tale

  Stay Connected

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  Pretending that we live doesn’t make us alive.

  Serj Tankian

  Prologue

  TEN YEARS AGO

  HUTTON

  I bite the corner of my lip and dip my chin. God, if only I could see him without looking like I’m looking at him. I let out a frustrated breath, turning my attention back to my friend Laurie. She’s smirking at me, then shakes her head a couple of times before she lifts her drink to her lips, sucking on her straw for a moment.

  “What?” I ask when she doesn’t speak right away.

  “Nothin’, just wondering when you’re going to finally make yourself available to Beaumont Griffin. You know he’s been watching you all night and you’ve been trying to steal covert glances of him, but you both fucking suck,” she states.

  I snort, sucking my lips in and pressing them together as I inhale through my nose, then let the breath slowly out my mouth as I release my lips.

  This is the first time I’ve ever really gone anywhere like this. My first sip of true freedom. I’m an introvert by nature and have never really had a desire to go anywhere, not that I could have even if I’d wanted to.

  “No way would a man that fine want anything to do with me.”

  Her lips turn up into a smirk again and she laughs softly. “Well, he wants somethin’ because he’s coming this way.”

  Without another word, Laurie stands, turns around and I gape at her retreating form as she walks away from me. My muscles stiffen when I feel a warm palm rest against my lower back.

  Turning my head, I look up into the warmest dark brown eyes that I’ve ever seen. They’re so rich, almost the color of smooth milk chocolate, but if you look really close, you can see little flecks of black glitter in them.

  “Hey.” He smiles.

  God.

  That smile.

  His kissable lips turn up and show off his white, straight teeth. Men aren’t supposed to have teeth that pretty, that perfect, or that white. His gaze dips down to my chest, then back up to meet my eyes.

  “May I?” he asks.

  I sink my teeth into my bottom lip and nod my head once. His hand stays firmly pressed against my back as he straddles the bench next to me. I fight the urge to look at his crotch as he spreads his thighs, I fail.

  “You havin’ fun at the festival?” he asks.

  It’s the Bluebonnet Festival tonight. The carnival rides are just okay, but I’m really here for the live bands. There are going to be a couple tonight and I’m pretty excited to just have fun and possibly make myself get out and dance.

  I nod once, inhaling through my nose before I gather the courage to speak. “My friend and I are here to listen to music and dance.” I smile, feeling my face heat with every word that I breathily whisper.

  He grins, dipping his chin. “You like music?” he asks.

  My lips widen into a smile and I nod. “Love it. I love to dance more though,” I admit.

  Though I don’t tell him that I’ve never actually danced in public. I wasn’t the girl that was asked to the prom, or anything like that. I was always the wallflower, the shy girl, the assumed frigid girl. His hand on my back slowly inches around my wa
ist and I gasp as he tugs me closer to him, nestling my hips against his crotch.

  “I’m Beaumont,” he offers.

  That name.

  Oh my God.

  I knew what it was before he said it. But that name is the sexiest thing I’ve ever heard, especially the way he says it, with a touch of a twang. Not everyone here has one, but when a man is born and bred Texan, there’s just something about him.

  “Hutton,” I offer, giving him my name.

  “Hutton,” he murmurs.

  It’s then that I decide that the way he says my name is complete, pure, sin. I am in trouble. Those lips smile, his brown eyes twinkle and my heart leaps into my throat. Clearing my throat, I glance over to the tabletop as his fingers flex against my waist. Shifting my gaze back to him, he grins with a sexy smirk.

  “Am I gonna see you dance when I’m up there?”

  My eyes widen at his words as the meaning sinks in. “Wait,” I call. His smirk widens to a smile. “You’re going to be up there?” I ask.

  He dips his chin, his mouth hovering over mine and my breathing completely stops. I hold my breath, my eyes automatically fluttering closed.

  My. First. Kiss.

  It’s about to happen.

  “I’m the main attraction, darlin’.”

  He winks then leans over and brushes his mouth across mine, his tongue peeking out to taste my lips before he scoots back on the bench and stands to his feet. I watch his ass in his tight jeans walk away from me.

  “Good Lord, why’s he leaving?” Laurie asks.

  Turning my head to look over at her, I shake my head as I speak. “He’s the main attraction on the stage,” I breathe.

  “Oh, shit,” she drawls.

  “I know.”

  ONE YEAR LATER

  BEAUMONT

  Standing outside of the salon. I watch Hutton as she sweeps the floor from her last client. She’s only been working here for a couple of months, she says that it’s just a stepping stone to owning her own shop. She’s ambitious and I admire her a hell of a lot for that.

  Goddamn, I’m a fucking asshole.

  She has no clue what’s about to come her way. My heart almost aches, it would if I had one anymore. My ex-bitch ruined that for me. Chelle took my heart, ripped it into a million shreds and stomped on it eighteen months ago.

  Like the fool I was, I fell into Chelle almost instantly. I was young and dumb. She was hot and easy. It was a match made in heaven. I never loved her, never pretended to. But she put me through the wringer anyway.

  She ran off with some guy, made me believe that he had her against his will. When I finally tracked her down, she was living with him, happy as could fucking be. She’s psychotic and I’ve been a fucking mess since.

  Meeting Hutton a year ago was by happenstance. I’ve had a great time with her, but I don’t trust her, I don’t trust anyone. Before Chelle, there were my parents. My father left when I was a baby, don’t remember him much.

  When I turned ten, my mom took off, didn’t even leave me a note. I honestly don’t know if I’ll ever trust another woman again. I’ve been keeping Hutton at arm’s length, using her body for relief and giving her nothing of myself in return—not really.

  This morning everything changed. My phone rang with a call that I’ve been dreaming of since I was ten years old. A label wants me, wants my music and my voice. The only issue is that the label is in California and I’m going to have to move.

  I know without a doubt that I can’t leave and still be with Hutton. I’ll spend every waking hour convincing myself that she’s fucking around on me. Hell, I think that now. I try to keep ahold of my shit, but the hold that I have is only by a goddamn thread.

  “Beau,” she calls.

  Lifting my gaze, I flinch at the sight of her. She’s got the door open to the little beauty parlor she works at, her hand extended as she waves toward me. Pushing off of my pickup truck, I slowly make my way toward her.

  “Talk to you for a minute?” I ask.

  She frowns, looking up at me, her green eyes staring into mine in complete confusion. Normally, I would walk into the salon, hang out and watch as she closes up for the evening. Then I’d take her out for dinner, possibly a movie, or just back to my place to fall into one another’s arms and make love.

  Make love.

  Fuck.

  She’s made love to me. I, however, have spent my time getting lost inside of her body. Using her to pass the time until my big break, which is now.

  I’m such an asshole. I’m not even sorry. Being with Hutton is refreshing after the nightmare that was Chelle, even if I never planned on us ever going beyond fucking.

  “Leaving town tomorrow,” I state, my jaw clenching after saying the words.

  Her lips wobble, they tremble as she looks up at me before she gives me a small smile. “When will you be back? Do you have a gig?” she asks, trying to get information out of me.

  Shaking my head once, I dip my chin, looking into her eyes and fucking hating myself for what I’m about to say. I know I’m going to change her, break her heart and possibly fuck her up the way my mom and Chelle have fucked me up, but I can’t stop myself.

  “Forever, darlin’. I got picked up by a label in California and I don’t plan on coming back.”

  “What does that mean for us?” she asks.

  Lifting my hand, I run my fingers through my hair. I look down at my boots, wondering why she’s making this so damn hard. Raising my eyes, I catch her watery ones with my own. She isn’t asking because she doesn’t understand, she’s asking because she needs to hear it.

  “It means we’re done.”

  Hurt crosses her face almost immediately. “Beaumont?” she breathes.

  “It was fun, but this is what I’ve been working for my whole life. I’m going to get out of this town and I ain’t lookin’ back. I can’t have some hometown girl holding onto my shirttails.”

  She flinches as if I’ve slapped her. Direct hit. I’ve done what I’ve come here to do, no matter how shitty of a person that makes me. I take a step back, she doesn’t reach for me, I almost wish that she would.

  “You took my virginity,” she hisses. “You took my virginity. We’ve been together for a year and all you can tell me is that, it’s been fun?”

  Her face reddens with anger, I don’t blame her, not at all. I shrug as if it’s all meant nothing to me, when in reality she has meant more than she could possibly know. If I could love again, this is who I would choose. Hutton is sweet, soft, kind and so fucking beautiful that it makes my entire body ache.

  “See you around,” I call out in true asshole fashion.

  “Go fuck yourself, Beaumont Griffin,” she shouts, her lips trembling and the tears that have filled her pretty green eyes finally begin to fall.

  Turning my back, unable to see the pain that is clearly etched across her face, I walk away from her.

  No, I fucking run.

  Just like my mother and Chelle both did to me.

  How’s that for goddamn irony?

  Chapter One

  HUTTON

  I blink at the television screen, watching as a picture of Beaumont Griffin appears. How has it been nine years since I’ve seen him? Why does just his picture alone bring back a flood of memories and feelings? As if he was dumping me in the middle of the town square just yesterday?

  “Turn that shit off,” Laurie shouts.

  My body jerks, I look over to my best friend, giving her a small smile of appreciation. She knows just how badly Beaumont broke my heart. Hell, she knows that I’m still not completely over him, I doubt that I ever will be.

  It’s really hard to get over someone when they’re on the cover of magazines and tabloids, on television, and on the radio. When their picture or their voice shows up when you least expect it.

  He’s everywhere.

  “What are we doing today?” I ask the client in my chair.

  Her gaze meets mine in the mirror and she tilts her head
to the side, her eyes focusing on me in confusion.

  “Do you not like Beaumont Griffin?” she asks.

  Closing my eyes for a moment, I inhale a deep breath, then shake it off before opening my eyes and focusing my gaze on her reflection again.

  Giving her my fakest smile, I decide to deflect the conversation. “I don’t really know him.”

  It’s not a lie.

  It’s what I always say, because it’s the truth. I never really knew him. A year together and I would have never imagined he’d leave me the way that he did. That he would just break up with me that way and walk away, never looking back, not even once. Never to darken my door again, never explaining himself.

  “I mean, I thought I did once,” I admit.

  She nods, and something flashes in her eyes, but I don’t question her. Instead, I change the subject back to focus on her hair.

  “Are you looking for a drastic change? A cut, color? What do you want?” I ask.

  This is what I love. Hair. I can control colors, cuts, styles and I can be creative all at the same time. This is my passion in life. Some may say it’s a stupid dream, being a hairdresser, but it’s always been mine, stupid or not.