Bastard's Brew (Family Portrait Vol. 3)

By Gillian Felix

When L'Wren's ex-boyfriend Jeff suddenly disappears, she turns to Kevin to help her find him. With one phone call, Kevin makes sure that Jeff stays hidden and that L'Wren's heart is broken, leaving the door open for Kevin to pursue her. But Kevin is not as free as L'Wren thinks; she is in the dark about his affair with her stepmother, Savi. Savi constantly reminds Kevin of his devious ways and uses their secret to keep him as her toyfriend.

“You don’t deserve to be loved, and you don’t deserve to be happy. You and I are the same ... we’re broken inside. Everything we touch, we destroy. We don’t get happily ever after ... we don’t get to ride off into the sunset. You know who gets that? L’Wren ... she gets it, she gets the guy, and she deserves a decent guy.”- Savi

Kevin desires to be the man that L'Wren deserves, but before he can assume the role of white knight, he brews one last plan to get rid of Savi for good. Will L'Wren, the innocent victim in their twisted game, become a casualty?

Kevin may have sold his body to the devil in stilettos, but he'd be damned if he let her have his heart.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gillian Felix
• Release date: Apr 13, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310998560

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

Family Portrait (vol. 3)

Bastard's Brew

By Gillian Felix

Published by GillianFx Publishing, LLC at Smashwords

Copyright Gillian Felix 2014

Cover design/story edit by Sherrian Felix

Proofread by Pauline Nolet

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)

The Banovic Siblings (Family Portrait vol. 2)

Look for Family Portrait vol. 4 in the summer.

Table of Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1: The Secret Life of Kevin Banovic

Chapter 2: A Rose is Still a Rose

Chapter 3: Blue

Chapter 4: A Lesson in Love

Chapter 5: Adriana's Secret

Chapter 6: Close Call

Chapter 7: Saturday

Chapter 8: New to New York

Chapter 9: Meet Grace Lowden

Chapter 10: The Other DaCosta

Chapter 11: Korma and Macaroons

Chapter 12: The Bitch is Back

Chapter 13: The Monster Within

Chapter 14: Adrian's Closet

Chapter 15: That Gut Feeling

Chapter 16: Poker Face

Chapter 17: Zen

Chapter 18: What If

Chapter 19: Collateral Damage

Chapter 20: Shame

Chapter 21: Step Mommy Dearest

Chapter 22: Love Makes You Crazy

Chapter 23: Sleeping with the Enemy

Chapter 24: The Moment of Truth

Chapter 25: Bastard's Brew

Chapter 26: A New Beginning

Chapter 27: Beckham #7

Epilogue

Excerpt from Changes (vol. 1)

Excerpt from The Banovic Siblings (vol. 2)

About the Author

Prologue

Jeff Wentworth slowly opened his eyes as the smell of disinfectant tickled his nose. He heard his mother calling him somewhere in the distance. Her face was an outline, and as his eyes adjusted, she appeared as a blurry figure.

Jeff? She hovered over him; his hearing got clearer. Jeffrey? Can you hear me?

His eyes adjusted to the bright room. Mom, he answered, barely a whisper.

Can you hear me, Jeff?

He nodded, and his head throbbed. Jeff heard his mother breathe a sigh of relief. He looked around the room and realized that he was lying in a hospital bed. What's going on? he asked weakly.

Son, you were in an accident.

Jeff was now fully awake; he tried to move his legs and realized he couldn't feel them. He looked down in a panic. What happened to me? I can't feel my legs!

You broke them in the accident.

Did somebody hit me?

You had a fight with Victoria and left her house in a drunken stupor; that's when you wrapped your car around a tree. Jeff's mother hesitated, and he could hear the disappointment in her voice.

I don't remember that, and who is Victoria?

She's the girl you've been dating for the last year and a half.

My girlfriend's name is L'Wren … L'Wren DaCosta.

Jeff's mother thought he'd lost his mind. Victoria called me this morning. She's filed a restraining order against you. You are not to call her or enter the United States.

What do you mean enter the United States? Where am I? Jeff asked gruffly.

You're home, in Nova Scotia.

Chapter 1: The Secret Life of Kevin Banovic

Kevin Banovic led a very private life. He looked after his teenaged brother and sister in his parents' absence while attending UCLA and running a popular college pub called Bacchanal Jake’s in Westwood Village, Los Angeles.

He was never interested in girls his own age but preferred women a bit older. College girls liked too much drama, they talked too much and they demanded too much. The women he slept with were either married, bored with their lives, business types who had no time for commitment or all of the above, which suited him fine. There was never any shortage of women in Kevin’s life; he had his pick of the litter. Usually his conquests would roam into the pub looking for a casual hookup.

He’d learned to read them well; there were the stressed-out business types, who left their business suit blazers in the car, released the top two buttons of their blouse and had freshly tussled hair. They'd usually weed out their guys by ordering top-shelf stuff, since college guys never have any money, she’d leave with the one who was bold enough to match her drink.

Women who were trying to get over their failed relationship by getting under someone else drank IPA straight from the bottle and were usually not picky about the prospects.

The married types were usually coy, and the repressed were usually aggressive. They all wanted the same thing: to temporarily fill the void in their lives. Kevin appreciated that about them … and then he met Savi.

Months ago Savi walked into the pub, platinum blond hair piled high on top of her head, pencil-thin jeans, six-inch heels, tank top and biker jacket. She sat at the bar and ordered a vodka tonic. Her diamond-encrusted Michele watch and manicured nails revealed that she had money, but she was no pampered princess. She had an edge to her, an edge that attracted Kevin instantly. The first few weeks their affair was hot and heavy and suited them perfectly. Then through some strange twist of fate, Savi knew his parents; she was his mother’s best friend from high school.

Kevin desperately wanted to end his affair with Savi, but she wouldn't have it. Savi held secrets that could devastate his family. She wasn’t in love with him, but she had vices, one of them was sleeping with him. Normally Kevin wouldn’t mind, but he didn’t enjoy being blackmailed.

Then there was L’Wren, Savi’s stepdaughter. L’Wren dated college quarterback and girlfriend hitter Jeff Wentworth. Ever since the night Kevin rescued her from Jeff’s tirade, he hadn’t been able to put her out of his mind. He felt something in the pit of his stomach whenever she was around. Kevin knew the only way to protect L’Wren from Jeff was to get rid of him, so Kevin made him disappear.

Thanks to Foursquare, Kevin knew that L’Wren killed time at Joan’s on Third every evening after class before heading to Westwood Academy to pick up her sister Leighann.

He arrived just five minutes before her and sat at a table close to the door. He looked over the menu, mindful of her presence as she entered the restaurant.

L’Wren was pleasantly surprised to see him. Hey, Kevin. She half-smiled.

Oh, hey, L’Wren. Kevin acted casually surprise. Pull up a chair.

L’Wren sat opposite him, and the waitress brought her a menu and utensils.

I haven’t seen you in here before, L’Wren said.

I’ve been meaning to try this place. I always drive by here, Kevin replied as he looked over the menu for the tenth time. What’s good?

They have really good sandwiches and salads. L’Wren set the menu aside; she already knew what she wanted.

Kevin made eye contact, and suddenly she was nervous as his brilliant blue eyes pierced into her, making her feel naked. Thankfully the waitress came by to take their order. L’Wren ordered the tarragon chicken salad with roasted pecans and apples.

I’ll have what she’s having. He smiled at the waitress, who gave a flirty smile back.

L’Wren was slightly appalled—the nerve of some women—what if Kevin was her date? Would she have flirted with him in front of her?

I haven’t seen you at Jake’s in a while. He sat back, giving his full attention to L'Wren.

I’ve been busy with school and applying to fashion houses, hoping to get an internship when I graduate in June, but the competition is ridiculous. I don’t know if I have a chance.

You need to do something to set yourself ahead of the competition.

I was thinking about that, but I’m out of ideas.

You could have a fashion show.

That’s a great idea. She smiled.

I tend to get them once in a while; don’t spread it around. He winked.

The waitress brought their salads and tossed another appreciative look Kevin’s way.

Don’t forget to give her your number before you leave. L’Wren couldn’t help herself. Why was she bothered by the attention Kevin was getting? She was with Jeff, even though she hadn’t seen or heard from him in two weeks. Sadness kicked in as she thought about him.

Kevin said something to her, but she didn’t hear; her thoughts were on Jeff.

Are you okay? His tone was coated in tenderness.

Could you do me a favor?

Anything.

I haven’t heard from Jeff in two weeks, and nobody has seen him. It’s like he vanished into thin air. L’Wren swallowed hard; she knew Kevin and Jeff were not friends, but she had to ask. Can you help me find him?

Kevin put his fork down and studied her. This is the guy who hit you, he reminded her.

You make him sound like he’s a wife beater, she defended.

The guy is mental. He needs help.

Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.

Maybe he’s found someone else and rode off into the sunset.

L’Wren looked hurt. That’s mean. She began to gather her things. If you’re not going to help me, that’s fine.

L’Wren, stop. He grabbed her hand. I’m sorry. Please sit. I’ll help you.

I just want closure. I don't know what happened to him, and that's killing me. Her voice cracked. Maybe you could ask around campus?

Kevin felt a pang in his heart; he hated seeing her upset over an asshole like Jeff.

"Since I don’t go to school there,