Required of Me: Never Give Up Series, #1

By Roxie Odell

My life didn't give me what I wanted. It gave me what I worked for.

 

Amanda Taylor is one of the hardest working and motivated single mothers on the block. She worked herself from a teenager with a baby to the lead ads manager at a multi-billion-dollar ad firm. She had been there for years, running her division, making her systems, and then going home to take care of her little boy, Mikey, and her ill mother in the hospital. Life was a struggle, she never denied that, but she definitely was never going to give up on her dreams of a better life for her and her son.

 

Elon Truitt built his company from the ground up, loving every single second of it. After it his big time and the money rolled in, though, he started to move out of an active role and spent his time drinking and perusing the local bars. The board wasn't ignoring that fact, especially not the man that wanted to take his company. In a final vote Elon is given an ultimatum, true hard work or an absent seat at the table. His spirits aren't very high to the say the least.

 

Sparks fly and tempers flare as Elon and Amanda are paired on one of the biggest projects in the company's history. Will the sparks between the two ignite into passion or burn the whole place to the ground? Nothing is certain anymore for either of them, not even their own feelings.

 

Never Give Up Series

Book 1 – Required of Me

Book 2 – Immune to Me

Book 3 – Desired of Me

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dark Shadow Publishing
• Release date: May 4, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201862855

Roxie Odell

Steamy Romance author Roxie Odell brings you heat, steam and romance in her stories. Be ready to sweat! Find her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RoxieOdell/?ref=hl Follow her newsletter: http://eepurl.com/b9G7JX Twitter @roxieodellauthor

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Never Give Up Series

Book 1 – Required of Me

Book 2 – Immune to Me

Book 3 – Desired of Me

NOTE: COVERS BY BOOKCOVERBYDESIGN

Required of Me Blurb

MY LIFE DIDN’T GIVE me what I wanted. It gave me what I worked for.

Amanda Taylor is one of the hardest working and motivated single mothers on the block. She worked herself from a teenager with a baby to the lead ads manager at a multi-billion-dollar ad firm. She had been there for years, running her division, making her systems, and then going home to take care of her little boy, Mikey, and her ill mother in the hospital. Life was a struggle, she never denied that, but she definitely was never going to give up on her dreams of a better life for her and her son.

Elon Truitt built his company from the ground up, loving every single second of it. After it his big time and the money rolled in, though, he started to move out of an active role and spent his time drinking and perusing the local bars. The board wasn’t ignoring that fact, especially not the man that wanted to take his company. In a final vote Elon is given an ultimatum, true hard work or an absent seat at the table. His spirits aren’t very high to the say the least.

Sparks fly and tempers flare as Elon and Amanda are paired on one of the biggest projects in the company’s history. Will the sparks between the two ignite into passion or burn the whole place to the ground? Nothing is certain anymore for either of them, not even their own feelings.

Contents

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Never Give Up Series

Required of Me Blurb

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

Immune to Me Blurb

Never Give Up Series

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Chapter 1

Elon

Pleasure is the flavor of life. The thing that keeps us moving, going, striving for our next chance encounter with it.

I gripped the shaft of the golf club tightly, staring down at the ball on the tee. I felt like I was out of practice since most of my meetings were held in fancy restaurants these days and not on the golf course. Things had changed from when my father was in business, and I had to say I liked it a lot better out here in the fresh Illinois sunlight. I was out on the course with a potential client for the company, and I wanted to impress him. I made sure to tilt my wrist slightly in order to slice the ball, not wanting to show him up. He was the kind of guy who wanted to feel superior, important even. I pulled back and swung, following through with my eyes on the ball. It went exactly where I wanted, across the fairway, bouncing off one of the trees on the edge and landing deep in the rough.

Aw, man. My client patted me on the shoulder. That’s tough luck.

Hey, at least it stayed out of the sand trap this time. I laughed.

True. I was starting to think it was purposeful.

Maybe I really miss the beach, I joked.

You’re telling me. I just got back from seven days in the Bahamas.

Well, I can promise you, my company is a lot better at handling marketing than I ever will be on the golf course. I chuckled.

We loaded up in the golf cart, and I drove us to our balls, watching him take his second shot on to the green of the eighteenth hole. I clapped and nodded, showing I was impressed, trying to fight the urge to show him up a bit. He got back in and stuck out his hand.

I’m sure you’ll handle my business marketing with kid gloves, he said, shaking my hand.

You can count on it, I said with a smile.

We played out the last hole and went into the clubhouse to turn in the golf cart. I had him hooked like I’d wanted. I may not be good at many things, but when it came to handling clients, my charm and candor always hooked them. This guy was one of the biggest accounts in years for Truitt Marketing, and my success today was going to please the board. I had formed my company early on, and it had grown over the years with fervor. We specialized our marketing to luxury companies, ones that sold to the rich consumers things like jewelry, luxury vehicles, million dollars homes, and couture clothing lines. It was specialized, but that was good because our clients knew we had a handle on the life of the rich and famous. When I got into the business, I never thought it would explode like it had, but there were downfalls, too, which was why I was out there on a balmy day in Chicago, pulling in clients.

You’ve got quite a swing. I laughed, walking back to the cars. If you ever retire, you could join the tour.

Nah. He chuckled. I only like it when it’s for fun. Maybe after the contracts are signed, you can come back out and actually play the game.

I have no idea what you’re talking about. I smirked.

There’s nobody who could perfectly slice the ball like that without trying, but I appreciate the attention to my ego.

You are a smart man, sir. I smiled. And hopefully that means you’ve decided Truitt is your new home for marketing.

I think I have, young man, he said. You don’t find CEOs willing to get their hands dirty in the business anymore. I like that you’re still there, plugging away, taking clients out yourself. I like the work your company did for the new line of luxury Mercedes. You pulled them out of the dark ages, or at least you made it look that way. Besides, I don’t mind winning on the golf course every once in a while.

Maybe one day I’ll know how that feels. I laughed, shaking his hand.

I’m excited to work with you, Elon, he said opening his car door. I’ll have the lawyers get a contract drawn up and send it over for you to take a look at on Monday.

Sounds good, sir, I said, waving as the car pulled off out of the country club’s exit.

I turned around and smiled, feeling good about what just happened. It had been a while since I had brought a client like that back to the board, and they were definitely going to appreciate it. The number of large clients had been dwindling as of late, and I knew we needed a pick-me-up to get things back on track and keep the staff motivated and in place. I got in my car and tossed my golf glove in the back seat, taking off down the road. I liked to drive myself, especially since I had just purchased the newest Camaro. I tore through the back roads, not slowing down until I hit the city. I pulled up in front of my building and gave my keys to the valet, who nodded and rushed off when he realized who I was.

I took the elevator to the top floor where the boardroom and my office was located. When I exited the elevator, the girl at the front desk smiled at me and stood. I put my hand up to signal her to relax and smiled, walking by with an extra pep in my step. That quickly faded, though, as I walked slowly past the boardroom, seeing the board members sitting around the table discussing something.

Fuck, I thought to myself. I crept passed without catching their attention, not feeling like getting another talking to from them. I knew the company was low on numbers, and I knew they had been convening more than usual, but I was really hoping this time was for some other business between them. Sure, I’d started and built the company, but one of the things that came along with funding and growing a corporation was a board to represent investors, a board that ultimately took most of the power out of my hands when it came to choices of what to do. They also had the ability to remove me from control, and though they hadn’t threatened me yet, if things didn’t get better, that wasn’t far off the list of their to-dos. I took a deep breath and headed down the hallway, seeing my secretary was gone. I walked inside and stopped, staring at Clayton Hayward sitting in my chair.

Hayward had been on the board for a while, voted in by the other members for his financial knowledge and ability to pull companies out of tight spots if it were needed. He and I, let’s just say, didn’t see eye to eye on anything. I was starting to think that was on purpose. If I argued the sky was blue, he would argue back that it was purple and my ineptitude was the reason I couldn’t see it. I had tried to get along with him, to get him on board with my vision for the company, but he had his own thoughts about where Truitt Marketing should go, and I wasn’t in that picture of things. All I could do was try not to give him a reason to go to the board about me.

Nice of you to show up, he said, twirling a pen through his fingers.

I was in a client meeting this morning, I said. It took a while. I wasn’t aware I had to report my schedule to you or that I had to punch a time clock.

You may not punch a time clock, but you might want to be aware that you’re being watched by the board, he said.

By the board or by you? I asked, putting down my bag.

They seem to be one and the same these days, he replied. The board is waiting for you. Apparently heeding my warning before about picking the company up was something you put on the back burner behind golf games and women.

You would be mistaken, I said, smiling. My new client will prove that.

Your new client could be the pope for all I care He chuckled. But come on, we might as well get this over with. I was just thinking about how I would redecorate your office when you were gone.

Keep dreaming, I said, standing by the door. After you, of course.

I shook my head as he passed, looking in the office and shutting the door. I may have seemed cool and collected on the outside, but on the inside, I was a bit nervous. I walked in and greeted the other members who smiled and shook my hand. Most of the board liked me, saw what I was doing and where I had brought the company, but not Clayton. He hated me and only pointed out the negative.

Thank you for joining us today. This session has now begun, Clayton said. Mr. Truitt, you have been notified of all of this, but I will do a quick recap as a reminder. The company market shares have fallen twelve percent in the last two quarters. Financially, the company is sitting over a thousand dollars less per share than this time last year. There has been a steady decline in the amount and quality of clients that have been entering and exiting the company, and I attribute that directly to your refusal to be hands-on within this firm. As an owner, you must do more than just land a client every lunch or two. You have to see the work done from beginning to end, and you are not doing that.

With all due respect, you have never run your own company, I said. So, I find it difficult to take your judgment and refusal to see anyone else’s play for the future as backing for your blatant attempt to take the company.

I am not trying to take your company. He laughed, looking at the other board members. Just making sure it survives this year alone.

Well, we’re going to be fine, I said. I just landed Cartier as a client. That should be more than enough to start our rise in the company numbers. We have been courting Cartier for years, and even you yourself, Clayton, have had meetings with the owner. However, it only took me an afternoon of letting him win on the golf course and, of course, my superior wit to woo him over. The lawyers are drawing up the contracts as we speak and will be sending over the contracts by Monday. Try those numbers in your calculations of my epic failure.

That is a nice contract, Clayton said leaning back. But unfortunately, I believe it’s too little too late. The board is here to vote on your removal as CEO of the company. You will, of course, retain all financial ties and a golden parachute so big, your feet will never touch the ground, but you will be relieved of your duties at Truitt Marketing.

And replaced by whom?

Well, me. He smirked.

Now, hold on, one of the other board members said, standing up. "I think since Elon has shown us he’s more than capable of bringing