The Temp (#1 of 3)

By Ava Redman

THIS ISN'T A GAME.

"I KNOW ALL YOUR SECRETS, EVE. YOU WILL DO AS I SAY."

Eve is running from her past. She must play the dangerous game of blackmail and risk losing her heart.

Roman wasn't looking for love, until he met Eve. He'll lose more than his company if he isn't careful.

Trigger is Eve's handler and needs to keep her on track. He can't risk falling for the girl when she's supposed to be falling for someone else.

Book #2 The Tempted is out in June!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ava Redman
• Release date: Apr 4, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463088579

Ava Redman

Author of the Temp series...stay tuned for this little romance/thriller series.

Book preview

CONTENTS

Part One

First Encounters

Prologue

This all ends if you do what we tell you to, said the voice on the phone.

Eve nodded into the receiver, her heart jack hammering in her veins. She hadn’t said anything in the last few minutes. How could she? Until this moment she hadn’t known if this was a practical joke or if she was in real danger.

The phone call had changed all that. This was real.

The photos had been slipped under her door while she’d slept. She was none the wiser as she tore open the envelope with avid fingers. Eve lived the fairy-tale life away from her past, well as fairy-tale as she’d ever let herself dream. There wasn’t a man in her life or untold wealth; all the same, it was freedom. That’s all she’d ever wanted. That was the fairy-tale as the blood slicked cold and thick in her veins; as she realized, she’d been living the placebo version all along. Then there were the photos. Black, white and grey like old school spy pictures and so clear, so very clear.

Photos she’d never show the light of day. She, guilty of nothing. She, guilty by association. Her secret. She thought she’d been cautious, safe. The photos were followed by one singular line typed on the back.

We will contact you shortly.

Eve’s reaction had been imminent. Even if it was a joke, it meant her secret was no longer safe. It was a sick joke at best. She grabbed her bag and started packing. Thirty seconds in, the phone rang.

On its first ring, Eve blanched, her neck craning to it, as her hands trembled.

On its second ring, it might as well have been police sirens wailing for her.

It rang one more time.

Hello, she’d hesitated. Her hands shook to the point she’d had to press the receiver hard against her cheek, pinching her out of any hope that it was a dream. It was a sick nightmare and she was squat in the middle of it.

Eve, the voice purred like Hamlet’s ghost in the middle of the night. Don’t run Eve, we can see you. You cannot hide, the voice was lazy deep with a slight hiss. She had the gut churning image of a man eating Komodo dragon and she was its dinner.

Her gaze scattered to her bedroom unit, to the windows, to the building opposite. As if she could feel those eyes. As if she could confirm it; she was boxed in. It was a feeling, one she couldn’t trust, an instinct she’d long learnt to ignore. She’d lived most of her life with that feeling and when it didn’t go away she’d had to bury it and move on. It came back now tenfold and weighed like pebbles in her stomach.

We will find you again. We have the resources, no matter where you go.

No matter where you go. Eve froze.

These are your instructions, hissed the voice.

Her chest beat so hard she hardly heard what the voice said.

Is that clear, darling? said the voice. Darling? Eve stared at the receiver, her hand in a death grip, fist white. He’d called her darling.

Yes, she stuttered. She swallowed down and closed her eyes. The panic had flared overshadowing her thoughts. For the first time she had a second to process what was going on. How did you find me? her gaze skittered across the room again.

There was a piercing laugh on the other end. It was too easy. What you should know; is if we can find you, others can too. Help us and we’ll make sure you stay off the radar for good.

She steadied a breath, and once I do as you say, you’ll leave me alone?

Then we’ll see. There was an intake of breath on the other line as if the Komodo was about to widen its jaws and swallow her whole. You will wait for further instructions.

Why me? she stammered, I’m just a temp.

Oh Eve, you’re more than that.

Please, I didn’t do anything-Eve gripped the receiver hearing the dial tone.

The line was dead.

Chapter 1

The blackmailer put down the phone.

The girl was scared and completely on edge. Good. It meant she had no control over her situation, none whatsoever, which meant he had it all. His source had come through about her. She was a prime target who would be willing to do anything he wanted, they always were. It was merely a question of how far he could push her and where she would seek solace.

His fingers drummed along the bench. Indeed, there was something intriguing about her. All the others before her, had had real secrets worth keeping, incriminating sick secrets. Eve’s secrets made her a victim, made her different and he would use that against her. She was young and pliable; he’d create a monster out of her yet, in due course…fresh meat.

He pulled back his sleeve staring at his silver wristwatch. Years of planning were finally falling

Chapter 2

Eve stumbled into the shark infested lobby.

Oh, god. She caught herself in time as she came out of the rotating doors. Her heels clacked on the marble swirl tiles. Such shine. Such immaculate grey. She swallowed down the bile, unsteady in her heels. She was so out of her depth.

Her hands shook for what she was about to do. This wasn’t her forte, this wasn’t what she’d set out to do all those years ago. It was betrayal and she had no choice. Eve prayed above all else that no one would get hurt.

No one.

The call had come that very day, the same day her fate had begun freefalling on a noose. Eve had stared into oblivion from her couch as the phone rang for the second time. Her mind reeled over and over with the possibilities of her escape and each time there was hope, fleeting hope. The risk was too high. The calculations weren’t in her favor. She was a temp, a simple little temp.

The phone had rung again…she’d answered it wordlessly. This time it was Layden’s Recruiting Agency. She’d never been called out of the blue by a temp agency.

Hello, am I speaking to Eve Allure? said the perky voice.

Speaking, her lips numbed.

This is Patricia Sparks from Layden’s Recruiting, I’m pleased to tell you we have a job for you. I know its short notice- Eve switched the receiver to the other side, sighing as she screamed inside.

Normally I get my jobs through emails. It was the dumbest response she’d ever given, even if it was true. Eve didn’t know what to say, how to respond. She was the epitome of passive-aggressive and being an online-ad for temping was as passive as it got. She hardly ever had to sit for interviews and when she worked, she was tucked away in an office or behind a desk. She didn’t fraternize much with colleagues. She was temporary, so colleagues were temporary.

I understand the confusion. This company requested you. It’s a great company, great location and a higher salary than most jobs. It’s an unbelievable opportunity which every person would beg me for. There was a hint of disdain in the woman’s voice as if Eve should well be begging for it.

It was all too coincidental to be the unbelievable job offer of the century. Eve gripped the receiver. This was the job. It had to be. She’d been requested. No one ever ever requested. She’d be stupid not to realize it. The blackmailer had been unspecific about what she’d be doing; this was too much of a coincidence.

How long?

A few weeks, trilled the woman, as if she should be grateful even for a day.

A few weeks, Eve’s posture relaxed marginally. All the build-up and it was all for a few weeks? How bad

Reviews for The Temp (#1 of 3)

[timchit1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In the book “The Temp,” Ava really did a great job in the book. The book tells the story of Eve who is being blackmailed by some unknown people to follow rules and instructions against her will. This led her to Roman, who fell in love with her but nearly lost his company to someone who possibly used Eve as the culprit. I recommend that you read this book.

[Jayra Mae Rodriguez · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This novel hit me in a more personal level, and I cannot stress enough just how much I relate to Eve. Her thoughts and reactions so vividly capture my own and I cannot help but suffer where she does, rejoice in her accomplishments, and cheer her on when she peels away from her shell to do what she feels is right. I fell in love with her character, and honestly think no one is good enough for her! XD Though, it's always fun to see them try!!