The Banovic Siblings (Family Portrait vol. 2)

By Gillian Felix

College boy Kevin Banovic’s casual affair with Savi DaCosta suited him perfectly. Things change when he finds out that Savi is his mom’s high school bestie. When Kevin tries to end their affair, Savi blackmails him. After Kevin rescues Savi’s stepdaughter, L’Wren, from her abusive boyfriend, he can’t stop thinking about her. He must find a way to handle Savi, protect L’Wren, and keep his sanity.

Bad girl Adriana Banovic is pleased with herself for getting her nemesis expelled from Westwood Academy. As feelings between her and her latest victim Haze Lyndon escalate, an unexpected rival discovers her secret and threatens to expose her. With emotions on the line, will her new rival beat her at her own game or end up another casualty of Adriana’s wrath?

Zax Banovic has it all. Tall and handsome, he’s an academic genius, with a killer smile and a heart of gold. When his best friend gets into trouble, he feels responsible and covers for him. But his best friend is not as honorable and has other plans for Zax.

The Banovic Siblings learn that blackmail is a gift that keeps on giving. This is the second book in the Family Portrait novel series.

If you like shows like the original Melrose Place, Beverly Hills 90210 and Nashville, where the guys and girls are hot and the schemes are hotter, you will like The Banovic Siblings.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gillian Felix
• Release date: Mar 3, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311536877

Gillian Felix

Gillian Felix has been writing since she was old enough to hold a pencil. She enjoys creating characters that could be your next-door neighbor, but would you want them as your neighbor is another story.Originally from the island republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Miss Felix moved to the United States in 1998. Since then she has been involved in the entertainment industry for over ten years. Her experience ranges from script supervisor to production manager on many independent features. She is trained in the Meisner and Stanislavski technique of acting, which she credits as an asset to her character development and writing.Miss Felix is also an entrepreneur and advocate for children's and women's rights.

Book preview

The Family Portrait (vol. 2)

The Banovic Siblings

Friends and Liars

By Gillian Felix

Published by GillianFx Publishing, LLC at Smashwords

Copyright Gillian Felix 2014

Cover illustration by Kendell Clarke

Edited by Pauline Nolet

Story Editor and cover concept by Sherrian Felix

Thank you for downloading this ebook. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book and would like to share it with another person please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Other titles by Gillian Felix:

Changes (Family Portrait vol. 1)

Bastard's Brew (Family Portrait vol. 3)

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Pretty Little Liar

Chapter 2: Perfect Strangers

Chapter 3: Life in Reverse

Chapter 4: It Must Be Faith

Chapter 5: All in the Family

Chapter 6: Wine Country

Chapter 7: Like Sisters

Chapter 8: The Lion's Den

Chapter 9: Paparazzi

Chapter 10: Up in Smoke

Chapter 11: Bitches Brew

Chapter 12: Banovic Boys and DaCosta Girls

Chapter 13: New Guy in Town

Chapter 14: Nothing Good Ever Happens After 3 AM

Chapter 15: The Banovic Siblings

Chapter 16: Only Monday

Chapter 17: Rebecca Foster

Chapter 18: Nobody Makes a Fool of Frankie Malone

Chapter 19: Cocktails and Dreams

Chapter 20: Pink's

Chapter 21: Cupid's Chokehold

Chapter 22: The Black Hoodie

Chapter 23: Grasshopper

Chapter 24: The Package

Excerpt from Changes (vol. 1)

Excerpt from Bastard's Brew (vol. 3)

Connect / About the Author

Chapter 1: Pretty Little Liar

Adriana found the dreaded pink slip on her locker. A pink slip at Westwood Academy meant that you were being watched by the faculty. The note read that she must be present during roll call at homeroom.

Since when do they have roll call during homeroom? she said to herself. It’s not even a real class!

Maybe if you’d show up to class once in a while, you’d know, Leighann answered. Her locker was next to Adriana’s. She closed her locker, leaving Adriana to ponder the note.

A group of girls who Adriana referred to as the ass hats appeared. One of the girls spoke.

We’ve decided that we want you to be our new leader.

They’ve decided, snorted Amy Wasserman. Adriana had given her a black eye on the first day of school, so understandably she didn’t support her fellow ass hats.

How’s the eye? Adriana asked, more as a taunt rather than from concern.

Amy looked away.

With Astrid gone, we need a new leader, so will you? the girl asked again.

Why don’t you guys just go find your mother ship and beam away? Adriana replied.

I told you she wouldn’t do it, another girl said as they walked away.

Wait … What do I have to do? Adriana asked, just out of curiosity.

We want somebody to look up to, tell us what to do and what to wear, you know … lead us.

You idiots like that? Adriana thought they were joking. Real live lemmings. They do exist. She looked at the pink slip in her hand.

They began to walk away.

Okay, first order of business, she called after them, you have homeroom when the bell rings. She pointed to the girl who had spoken first.

No, I don’t.

You’re gonna go to homeroom, and when the teacher calls my name, you will answer.

Everybody knows I’m not you.

Just answer here or yea or whatever the hell they say in homeroom.

I could get in trouble if I get caught. The girl was genuinely concerned.

Then don’t get caught. Adriana began to walk away.

Where do you sit? the girl called after her.

I dunno. Adriana headed out the door.

*********

Haze Christopher Lyndon sat on the sand at Huntington Beach and watched the surfers hang ten. It had always been his dream to learn to surf. He was born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin, and moved out to California to finish his final year of college at UCLA.

California had turned out quite different than he’d expected. For one, the cost of living was ten times higher than in Madison, and his savings had been on a steady decline. He refused to ask his parents back in Wisconsin for a loan and took modeling jobs, which paid well but were few and far between. He applied for the handyman position at Banovic Manor and convinced Mr. Banovic that he was the man for the job.

Today was his day off and his first surfing lesson with Adriana Banovic—Mr. Banovic’s daughter. The thought of her made him smile. Something about her was naughty and mysterious and drew him in.

The first time he’d met her she looked to be about twelve-years-old—she came to the door wearing painted overalls and didn’t speak for what seemed like an eternity. Once the ice was broken, they’d become fast friends. She’d told him that she was in her first year at Pepperdine University.

She’d surprised him when she took him thrift shopping, and showed him where to get the best deals. Even though she lived in a mansion, she was not the typical rich kid that he had expected. Her parents had recently inherited the mansion. They were middle-class people like his parents. Adriana was down to earth and street savvy. He respected the hell out of her for that.

A smile plastered his face as he spotted her walking towards him. She was beautiful: long raven hair cascading halfway down her back, light olive skin, and ever-so-blue eyes framed by thick, dark lashes. She stood at five foot nine inches, a respectable match to his six foot two.

He got to his feet and greeted her with a hug.

I would have come picked you up on campus, you know, he chided.

No, this is fine. Sorry to keep you waiting. She smiled, a little dimple impression forming on her cheek.

Adriana Banovic had a huge crush on Haze Lyndon the moment she laid eyes on him. He was in a photo shoot; she was auditioning down the hall. She had gotten up to stretch her legs when she spotted him—the handsomest man-boy she had ever seen: skin the color of caramel, high cheekbones, black short hair, brown eyes, and lips that drove her crazy with a desire to kiss them. He haunted her, consumed her every thought, and starred in thousands of her fantasies. It was worth it to cut homeroom to teach him to surf. It was worth it to tell him she attended college when she was still a junior in high school. It was worth it to lie to her family to see him.

Haze brought out the best in her. He was kind, caring, and had a heart of gold. There was no pretending with Haze. He was the kind of person that what you see is what you get—which made it harder for her to keep the truth about herself from him, yet she eased her conscience by telling herself she’d tell him the next time they saw each other. Part of her hoped he’d laugh it off and say it didn’t matter. But part of her was also scared. Scared that he’d feel deceived and end their friendship, which had grown to mean the world to her, and scared that he would think that she was a child.

She was falling in love with him and knew he was smitten with her. She could tell by the way he looked at her—that piercing look that stirred something deep in her stomach.

Almost two hours later, they tumbled to the sand, wave battered and exhausted. Haze couldn’t get his balance on the board. He must have fallen about a hundred times before they decided to call it quits for the day.

Where did you learn to surf like that? he asked, impressed with her skills.

My dad taught me as soon as I could walk. You’ll get it … it just takes practice.

Next time let’s go to a less crowded beach. I feel like a loser.

You got that macho competitive thing happening? she teased.

I got my ass handed to me by a girl.

Who’s been doing this her whole life. Let’s go get something to eat.

They returned the rented boards and changed out of their wet suits.

It was one of those perfect evenings when the setting sun casts orange and purple hues against the water. They sat next to each other in silence, taking it all in. She knew she’d have to deal with a shit storm when she got home, but none of that mattered. A light wind