The Trials of Tiah...Simon

By Evelyn DeVere

Tiah is still working for the sleazy but gorgeous Tyler Brighton. Shame he is as crazy as his rich and insane clients are! The only good part of her new employment is the gorgeous mountain called Simon, who is more interested in Tiah than he should be. Will she fall for his rugged and sexy charm or will Dante come back to turn her life upside down? Then again there is her power struggle with the evil billionaire Vaun Dubois and his wicked plans backed up by his aloof but icy sister and their bigger than life aunt. Will Tiah mange to rescue her friends from the Dubois influence or will she had to run for her life to survive?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Breedles Publishing
• Release date: Aug 11, 2015
• ISBN: 9780994312334

Evelyn DeVere

I live in Sydney Australia and created a Young Adult romance series called the Trials of Tiah.

Book preview

I was getting ready for another day of work for the crazy Tyler Brighton while enjoying the rare silence when Delia called me in tears and it took a minute before I understood anything she said.

He-he’s gone, she sobbed into the phone.

Who’s gone? I had no idea what she meant.

Riley is gone.

Gone! Why, did you have a fight?

Delia sniffed. No, Riley and Dante are gone.

I felt a stabbing in my heart at the news. Where did they go?

They’ve gone on the circuit for exposure, she sounded annoyed at the thought of business entering her life. I wasn’t impressed.

Delia, people have to work!

You don’t understand, she snapped. He doesn’t know how long they’ll be gone.

Why didn’t you go with them?

Delia started sobbing again. He said I’d be bored and told me to look around for someplace to live when he gets back. Do you think he’s getting cold feet?

Even though Riley was a bit sloppy about taking care of his relationship, this was a bit weird, even for him. I didn’t understand why a newly engaged guy would leave his fiancé so soon. I wondered if he actually was getting cold feet. I didn’t say this to her because I didn’t have the energy to deal with the flood of tears this would cause. Everything was going from bad to worse, so instead I lied.

It was only an engagement announcement, not like you’re getting married tomorrow. He probably thinks you’re okay with him going as you are going to be his wife.

Delia returned to sniffing and I knew she was calming down. Didn’t Dante tell you about this?

I didn’t want her to hear how awful I felt. I don’t speak to Dante Rossi anymore. I’m tired of his boring tantrums.

She snorted this was becoming an annoying habit of hers. Yeah, and lie to someone else because I’m not buying it.

I changed the subject. What’s Chloe think about all of this?

Delia sighed. All Chloe can talk about is how Elle is trying to steal her father away.

Even though Chloe wouldn’t pay attention to her father even if she fell over him I could understand how she felt since Dante had pretty much thrown me away too. I was too shoved into my own misery and didn’t have the energy to call up Chloe. When Chloe didn’t get her own way, she would obsess over how unfair life was to her. If I had to listen to that, I would wind up telling her to make peace with her half-sister. This would make her sprackle until the roof fell in, so it was best I kept my distance. The problem was that Chloe was raised by Zara, a woman not about to allow anything that was hers be taken by anyone else, even if she didn’t want him.

Welcome to Ravenvale a town inhabited by the rich, insane and obsessed. We were all under the shadow of the billionaire Dubois family run by the menace Vaun, whose latest game was ruin my life. So far he’d made sure I’d either run or lost my jobs, broken up or thwarted my attempts at romance and now was interfering in the lives of my friends. While we might look like a bunch of spoiled rich brats to the outside world, you’d have to live under the pressures of family and social expectations to understand the madness we called life. I banished thoughts of Vaun from my mind, not that it made me suicidal, more like homicidal and I was busy trying to escape the fussing of Delia.

I’m really sorry he’s done this, but maybe he’s got a good reason. I can’t talk now I’ve got to go to work.

This wasn’t a lie as I was still tied to the bed-hopping utterly gorgeous and totally weird Tyler Brighton. My job was interesting, alarming and funny as I juggled his time between his romantic trysts and work. For once was glad I had a reason to leave the problems of others to others. I gave Mother a wave and slipped out the door before she or Liv could annoy me with breakfast, gossip, or demands.

Work turned out to be quiet with Tyler nowhere in sight. He probably didn’t want to face my anger over him leaving me to the clutches Vaun. The evil billionaire was trying to control me for weird reasons of his own and was making my life hell.

Simon decided to glue himself to me, which had Claudia stare as if he had gone mad and Tim frowned as if I stole his boyfriend. I was busy entering the details of a job into my computer when I looked up to see Simon looming over my desk like a big mountain.

What? I didn’t want to be rude but when the elusive Simon was suddenly everywhere, I was flustered. I don’t know if it was his sandy hair, hazel eyes or the fact he filled a room with his large frame. His rugged good looks made me feel shy and had me look everywhere but at him.

Simon tilted his head and gave me the smile that made my face burn. Just seeing if you needed something or help with anything.

Since my job was out front and his was out back there was nothing he could do for me, except maybe move a big box. I was confused by his attention but also sort of glad that someone cared enough to check that I was okay.

Don’t need anything. I told him and watched his broad back as he turned around. I wanted him to stay, chat or anything, but I felt shy around the big man. He was older and so sure of himself. He didn’t pose like Dante or was a bit hopeless like Riley. His confidence reminded me of Connor and even a bit of Vaun. I wondered what was the real story was behind Simon. Even though he worked out the back, he was well spoken. He drove a top of the line SUV and when I asked Claudia about him, the most she could say was that he had been to university with Connor and Tyler.

So what was the mystery of Simon Griffith? Why would someone who had a degree literally be muscle for a nasty sleaze like Tyler or even speak to the likes of Vaun. I wondered if Simon had been a businessperson who had been ruined by Vaun. Only that couldn’t be right, since I had seen the way he looked at Vaun and he wasn’t afraid of him. No way would he still be around if he’d ruined Simon as most people burned by Vaun slunk away never to be seen again.

Too shy to ask about him and not willing to navigate the bitchy of Tim I left the story of Simon for another time. Instead, I watched as the handsome mountain spent the day between sorting his own work and checking up on me. I pretended not to notice and wanted to enjoy the attention, but I was busy closing the door to the pain of Dante.

By the time I got home I was exhausted by everything in my life. I ran upstairs to my bedroom and lay down as I considered how to live the rest of my life alone. The Dante experience and the threats of Vaun left me feeling that alone was the safest place to be. After an hour, Mother wandered in with her inevitable gin in one hand.

Darling, she started and I knew she wanted to do her mother/daughter talk thingie. This was usually a failed attempt to tell me something I either already knew or really never wanted to know.

What? I was rude, but then sometimes you had to be to get mothers to leave you alone. It’s not that Mother didn’t care, it was that what she believed would make me happy was usually pointless. I wished she had done one thing in her life besides attending dinner parties. Maybe then, she could give life advice that meant something.

Mother fussed around for a few minutes then sat on the edge of my bed. Ava told me about Dante leaving for the circuit.

I wasn’t about to get into this conversation with her. What Dante does with his life means nothing to me. We are going to different places and I don’t care what he’s up to at all.

She gave me a sharp look that made me pay attention because I was always a crap liar. She traced the pattern on my bedspread with her fingertip.

I don’t know why you two are having problems, but if you talk to me maybe we could work something out.

I sat up in anger. Mother you have to get over your Rossi obsession. Dante and I are never going to make a happy ever after. If you and Ava made plans about her son marrying your daughter, it’s just not going to happen! Dante and I are really different and I don’t like who he is and how he treats people.

That bit was true, as for the rest well I had thought about happy ever after at least until Vaun Dubois forced me into giving up Dante. Mother’s face went sad and I was instantly sorry I shouted at her. She had no idea just how bad Vaun was and I wasn’t about to get her involved with him. He would destroy her for something to do.

Dante has a lot of growing up to do and I don’t want to put my life on hold while he does it. He might turn into a nice man, but right now he’s still just a spoiled kid.

She got back up with a smile. So you are fine with him leaving? It’s just that you two seemed to like each other.

I nodded back. Sometimes liking each other isn’t enough. This is best for both of us. For once I wasn’t lying. She seemed satisfied and left me alone to contemplate my future, odd thing was that I didn’t appear to have one.

Chapter 2—Another Day Another Angst

I got to work in time to see Tyler leaving with Piper. A few hours later, he returned to find Ruby waiting for him in his office and left once again with her. He returned an hour later alone and looking exhausted. I felt no pity for someone who seemed to be more gigolo than event planner. He consorted with friends, enemies, friends of enemies and enemies of enemies. Tyler was a man for all seasons and all reasons and once he closed his door I wasn’t about to go ask for work. If this was how he ran his business, I could do a Delia and stare into space for hours! Sometimes that girl made sense!

Simon walked in from the back, saw Tyler holed up in his office and shrugged. He seems done for the day.

I couldn’t resist. I could always call up a few clients to come visit him.

Simon grinned. Maybe a few hours with Kiara would sort him out.

I laughed until I realised that an afternoon with Kiara Dubois meant Vaun could be close by. Simon saw my frown and somehow read my mind. I’ll make sure he doesn’t bother you again.

Before I could tell him how wrong he was, it was this exact moment—like the ill wind the Dubois family was—that Lily Dubois breezed in looking immaculate with her frozen perfection. She gave me a sharp look, which I met with an insolent one since I couldn’t allow the Dubois to intimidate me anymore. My life had already been shot to hell, any hope of a romantic life was gone, my friends were obsessed with their own woes and I was expected to keep everyone’s secrets. Simon stared at her elegant back as she wandered into Tyler's office, unannounced, in true Dubois style.

Simon raised a brow. So what’s that about?

I pretended not to understand. What’s what about?

Simon nodded towards the office. You two exchanging blasts of ice at each other.

I pretended to be busy with my computer. You know how the Dubois are; they think everyone has to be whatever they decide.

Simon bent over my screen so I had to look at him. Sometimes it’s safer to pretend to be what they want to get rid of them.

I couldn’t help but throw his past words back at him. Not everyone is controlled by the Dubois.

He gave me a small smile before disappearing out the back again. Lily came floating out of the office with a pale Tyler shuffling behind her. I had no sympathy for him as he made his own bed, but I did enjoy telling the forty demanding boods who called later that he was out with Lily. This was part of my on-going revenge for his lack of action when Vaun had cornered me. As far as I was concerned, he could deal with the fallout when he got back.

Claudia came back from a setup in a foul mood. While I never liked her, I understood how difficult it was to get staff from another venue to follow your orders. The servers at Rossi’s were uncooperative when Piper tried organizing them and it took an awful lot of shouting from Ava to make them behave. Claudia decided to take out her anger on me and thought it might be fun to make sarcastic comments. Vaun not come to visit today? How can he bear to stay away?

I gave her a sour look because I knew she wanted me to react and start a fight. Except two could play that game. Not yet, I told her cheerfully, but if he does I’ll tell him you asked after him.

Claudia’s parchment skin went another shade whiter, if that was possible. I wasn’t the least bit worried about her complaining to Tyler because for me her reign of bitchy wasn’t important. The only person who had influence with Tyler was Vaun and since I was openly at war with Vaun other people didn’t worry me, they paled in comparison. If you are wrestling with the devil, a few demons mean nothing. What surprised me was the voice that came from behind me.

You could always call and tell him that she wants to know. It might make his day.

Tim couldn’t resist sticking the knife into anyone it seemed and Claudia glared at him before hustling back to her office without another word. I couldn’t stop the laugh that slipped out and Tim gave me a dirty look. I had no idea what his problem was and gave it right back to him.

Do I make you uncomfortable?

I shook my head, confused by the question. What you mean?

Tim looked defiant, like he was going to get me for something. You know, people from alternate lifestyles.

I stared at him while a cold anger crept up me. He was a complete idiot if he thought his sexuality was a barrier to friendship. It was strange and obsolete behavior and I wondered if he was looking to pick a fight over nothing.

Do you know who I am? My voice was cold and no, I wasn’t doing a Chloe Lytton, but my household was pretty well known in Ravenvale.

He shrugged. Some fluff Tyler hired.

I stood up and faced the strange assistant. Tim wasn’t much taller than me, buff with with dark blonde hair and honey eyes; he was a nice looking guy despite his dislike for me.

You know my family and where we live and who lives with us?

Tim dropped his eyes and I knew then that he was fully