Scandalous: Secret Desires: Scandalous, #1

By Julenia Speaks

Aikaterini Roberts is a foster child and overachieving college student when she meets Joseph Caswell, a college professor, attorney, and business owner. Although he has a friend with benefits situation with Mandy Maxwell, he seems more interested in the young college student.

 

A hot date with Caz unleashes secret desires in Kat. Will she lose her focus and determination to succeed as a college student, and is Caz willing to risk it all for a taste of her forbidden sweet treats? How will Mandy react when she learns that the friendship between Caz and Kat has reached a new level?

 

Scandalous: Secret Desires is Book 7 of the Scandalous series. It is a 69,000-word romantic suspense and is only intended for adult readers over the age of 18, due to strong language and steamy adult content. It features a sexy and adventurous collge professor, a naive young college student, and a long list of possible stalkers.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Julenia Speaks
• Release date: Sep 20, 2021
• ISBN: 9798223144861

Book preview

Prologue

T ry not to think about this school, Miss Toni stated dryly after seventeen-year-old Aikaterini Roberts proudly handed her the acceptance letter she received the day before. The case aide began reading the document, and the teenager observed that the woman was wearing a frown on her face. She then began shaking her head from left to right, as if the contents of the letter were bad news. This is not a good option for you at all, she added as she shook her head from left to right once again.

"She has to be kidding!

I really don’t understand, she said to her in confusion as she began furrowing her brow.

I don’t know if you realized it, but the address on this letter shows that the school is located in Canada. That’s too far away from home for you, she continued in a dismissive tone. She then began huffing and puffing as she reached down to open her bottom desk drawer. Kat noticed how hard she seemed to be struggling, and her face was all red. Looking at the woman’s chest, she could see how rapidly she was breathing. It was almost as if the oxygen was yanked from her body.

Of course I realized it was located in Canada. That was my whole purpose for applying to the school in the first place, duh! Too far away from home? Was that the best excuse this woman could pull out of her big fat behind?

Perhaps she might want to reconsider her decision to snack on those greasty fries and the triple cheeseburgers, such as the ones she’d just inhaled, Kat thought sarcastically to herself as she glanced at the waste paper basket a few feet away. She observed that it was filled with several empty cartons that were used for the fast food.

You also need to think about your choice of a major. Do you honestly see yourself working in the field of journalism? Miss Toni asked her as she snorted while laughing sarcastically. That is for people that work as news anchors on television or write for award-winning magazines. You’d just be wasting your time.

Of course she would think that, Kat thought to herself as she observed a jumbo-sized diet cola that sat on top of the woman’s desk. She just rapidly shook her head from left to right, and then she snorted out a silent laugh. She was thinking of how ridiculous the idea of a large diet soda was after she had ingested six thousand calories of the greasy fast food. A few minutes later, she observed Miss Toni looking at her as the teenager began twisting her lips to the right side of her face.

Is there a problem? the woman asked her in a confrontational manner, her voice lowering several octaves.

Yes there is, she responded boldly. She still felt angry over the fact that the case aide was laughing at her desire to attend college in Canada, and then began judging her for wanting to major in journalism. She felt that this was her life and her future, and no one had the right to step on her dreams. "You seem to think that my education and career goals are a big joke.

"I know that you and some of the other workers here have been laughing and making fun of me since my freshman year of high school, predicting that I will flunk out of school and end up becoming a deadbeat welfare mom with two or three illegitimate children and a boyfriend who won’t pay child support. Well, I’m here to tell you haters that it’s not going to happen to me. I will not become a statistic. Furthermore, I find it laughable that there are seven college dropouts working here as low-level employees.

You sit around here gossiping about the kids that live here while snacking on greasy junk food and drinking diet soda. It seems that you have convinced yourself that it will balance out the thousands of calories going into your body. I may be young, but I’m not stupid, deaf or blind. I can see what’s really going on here.

Miss Toni looked at the teenager with an expression of anger on her face, as if she couldn’t believe that she had the nerve to say what she did. She opened her mouth to respond to what Kat just said to her, but then she was interrupted by the sound of her office telephone ringing. She reached over to pick it up, not even bothering to apologize or to tell Kat that the call would just be a brief interruption. The teenager just sat and patiently waited for Miss Toni to complete the call, which she wrapped up five minutes later.

After hanging up the telephone, the case aide began staring at Kat with the look of anger and resentment on her face. Her lips pursed together and went into an angry, straight line. It was a clear indication that she didn’t like the comments made to her earlier.

Hmm. It appears to me that she can dish it out, but she certainly couldn’t take it.

Miss Toni was silent for a few minutes, and then she reached into her bottom desk drawer once again. Kat watched in confusion as the woman proceeded to pick up what appeared to be several college catalogs. Looking again, she saw that they were from some of the community colleges in the area. She was thinking to herself that Miss Toni was probably going to try talking her out of going to York University, and apply at some of the local community colleges instead.

The teenager decided to just humor the woman, rather than get into an argument with her. She realized that she might get into trouble because of the comments that she made to her earlier, but she was really getting sick and tired of being treated like a second class citizen. She didn’t want to be difficult, but her mind was already made up. She was going to attend York University, even if it meant that she had to get a part time job to help pay for it. As she suspected, Miss Toni told her that she would not be assisting her with obtaining financial assistance for any colleges out of the country.

You will attend a community college in the area and continue residing at The Academy, or you won’t go to college at all, she said as Kat stared at her with the look of shock and disbelief written on her face. Miss Toni had just confirmed her earlier suspicion that she might try to talk her into attending a local community college. What she said was worse than what Kat originally thought. She actually told her that she would not go to college at all if she didn’t agree to go to a local community college. It didn’t even make sense that she would try to force her hand, especially since she’d already been accepted into the school of her choice.

Everything at York University was taken care of. She just needed documented proof that she’d applied for financial aid to help pay for her tuition. She had to wonder who it was that Miss Toni was speaking to on the other end of that telephone conversation. Perhaps it was Miss Liz or one of the other house parents from the residence telling the case aid not to assist her.

I don’t understand, Miss Toni. I’ve already been accepted into York University, along with several other schools. They are expecting me to call them within the next few days to confirm that I will be attending the school in the fall. Why would you want me to go through the process of applying to a local school when I’ve already been accepted into the school of my choice?

Look, this is not up for discussion, she stated in a deep, angry voice. I really don’t care about any of that, she continued. "It really is not my problem. You will apply only to the local schools.

I will not assist you in applying to any schools in Canada. In fact, I won’t help you to apply to any schools that are not in the immediate area. You can apply to any school you’d like, just as long as it is within ten miles of The Academy.

It must be within ten miles of The Academy? Was she joking or something? There was only one school within ten miles from here, and I’d rather go walking on hot nails than attend that school. I know she had just eaten all that greasy junk food. Was she also in here smoking a big fat blunt before she snacked on the cheeseburgers and fries? She had to be wasted and completely out of her mind.

1

A Glimmer of Hope

KAT

I REALLY DON’T UNDERSTAND you people, Miss Toni said to me in a condescending manner, and then she began shaking her head from left to right with the look of disgust. You are the fourth girl that I’ve met with today that wants to go to school out of town. You are worse than all the others. At least they wanted to remain in their own country. You want to take things to a whole new level by going to college in someone else’s country! she added with a raise of her voice and a shake of her hands as they pointed toward the ceiling.

I’m the fourth girl that wants to go to college out of town, huh? Yeah, I wonder why.

I remained quiet as Miss Toni rambled on and on about how ridiculous it sounded to her that a teenager would choose to attend college out of the country. She then proceeded to assist me with the financial aid application, advising me to write down that both my parents were deceased. That way, I would receive the maximum award. I paid close attention to what she was doing and saying.

In the back of my mind, I was planning to obtain a separate application on my own, and it would be specifically for York University. In the middle of helping me fill out the forms, Miss Toni did the unthinkable when she said the one thing that I never would have expected.

You should forget about going to college and just look for a job.

Oh wow.

I thought that it was bad enough that this woman refused to help me apply for financial aid to pay for my education at the school of my choice, forcing me to apply for money to attend a local community college. She was now saying that I should abandon all hopes of going to college altogether.

She can’t be serious. Was this woman crazy or something?

You think that I should just get a job? I  asked in confusion, clearly not believing what she was suggesting.

Yeah, she said with a phony smile pasted on her ugly fat face. I hear they’re hiring at some of the fast food restaurants in the area. I think that would be a much better option for you anyway. Why would you want to spend four more years in school? With a job you can start saving money right away. Then you can move into your own apartment real soon.

Oh really? I thought sarcastically to myself. Now I know this woman must be on some pretty heavy duty drugs.

Fast food? I asked with a shocked look on my face, baffled by the suggestion that I  should forget about pursuing a future in journalism and begin a career flipping hamburgers at some greasy spot, and then offering to serve fries with the order. After all that time and energy that I had spent in high school as an English major, obsessing over term papers and exams, I just couldn’t believe that this would be the result of all that hard work.

Yeah, the case aide said with another phony smile. You could be living in your own apartment in no time at all.

Yeah right, I thought with sarcasm as I snorted silently. I was no fool.

I knew that fast food places didn’t pay a lot of money, and the managers often reduced the hours of their workers from full time to part time, all in an effort to save money on providing benefits to full time workers. I felt that as a minimum wage fast food restaurant employee, I would be lucky if I made enough money to pay for meals and transportation to get back and forth to work.

I wanted to tell this woman off and to curse her out for making such a stupid ass suggestion.  I really wanted to tell her to go straight to hell. It made a lot of sense that she would know all about the fast food restaurants in the area that were hiring. That was where she dined for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks!

Why else would she weigh four hundred pounds? I felt absolutely insulted. Not only did I spend four years totally focused on school, determined to maintain an impressive GPA, but I was accepted into eight excellent schools. At the top of that list was the prestigious York University, which was my first choice.

Okay, sure, I said to her with a tight smile. As soon as I leave here, I will apply at some of those restaurants and I will let you know when I get a job, I added as I continued to humor the woman.

I had no intention at all of working in a fast food restaurant. I was determined to go to college, with or without help from this bootleg joke of a case aide. I was thinking to myself that this woman should feel ashamed of herself. Would she have this same attitude if a family member or the relative of a close friend was seeking her assistance with these documents? I really didn’t think so!

Okay.

I left Miss Toni’s office in disgust and exited the facility, headed straight for the local library. I had seen some financial aid packets there before and felt pretty confident that I could fill them out on my own. After grabbing one and carefully reviewing the forms for a few minutes, I completed it and mailed it out on my way back to the facility. I knew that as a college student and foster youth, I was also entitled to additional funding and resources that were available to foster youth enrolled in college and/or training programs.

I planned on applying for everything that I was eligible for. In addition to that, I decided that I would try to market some of my homemade cosmetics and fragrances. I had blogged about my creations, and a decent amount of followers had contacted me and expressed their interest in purchasing them. I was thinking that perhaps I might have a little side hustle for myself.

I wasn’t quite sure yet about how my schedule would look, and I really didn’t feel very confident in taking an off-campus job. What I was quite certain of was that I couldn’t trust or depend on anyone but myself. I had learned a long time ago that trust should not be easily given. It was something that must be earned.

I would take advantage of every opportunity that came my way so that I could be successful as a college student. When I  contacted the admissions office at York University, the counselor that I spoke to said that a welcome packet would be sent out to me within the next few days. I was also told that I would be residing in one of the on-campus housing programs. In August, I was all set and prepared to leave for Canada. I could hardly contain my excitement as I began packing the suitcases that I borrowed from Mr. Jim, one of the house parents working at the facility at nights and on the weekends. I smiled to myself as I began imagining all the fun and wonderful times I would have while living it up on campus.

I KNOW YOU MUST BE real excited, Mr. Jim said to me one day after asking to speak with me privately in the staff office. He seemed to be in an exceptionally good mood, laughing, joking and full of smiles.

I really didn’t want to talk to him alone, but I went into the office anyway and sat down reluctantly, not really sure what it was that he wanted to talk to me about. I certainly hoped that he had the good sense to keep that thing inside his pants this time, and not whip it out again for The Academy’s creepy version of The Adventurous Cock Tales.

My cousin Tyrell applied to York University, he said with a goofy looking grin on his face. I told him how you got into the school, and then I encouraged him to apply. He is almost guaranteed to get accepted. Wouldn’t that be something if he got in, and then the two of you started hanging out together?

Oh yes. That would certainly be something. It would be a freaking nightmare!

Tyrell James was the twenty-year old underachieving son of one of Mr. Jim’s cousins. He was a high school graduate who resided at the nearby Greene Life Center for Boys, the male version of the Brown Training Academy for Girls. He had always come across as one of those boys that smiled politely in the company of grownups, and said what he thought they wanted to hear. Kids our age knew what he was really all about, though.

He was someone who was well known from his reputation of dating three or more girls at the same time. He also partied wildly, drank excessively, and engaged in other high-risk behaviors. He seemed to get off on the idea of girls fighting over him. He had barely graduated from high school last year, and he was currently attending one of the community colleges in the area.

It was the same one that Miss Toni thought she could force me to enroll in. I heard that Tyrell couldn’t get into any of the four-year schools that he’d applied to because his grades were so low. He hated school, but felt that he had no choice but to remain enrolled in an educational program, at least until he could figure out what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. In another year, he would be preparing to emancipate from the foster care system, and then he would have to learn how to take care of himself.

He would no longer be able to rely on the help he was getting from the service providers that were currently working with him. Mr. Jim went on to explain how he provided Tyrell with three excellent reference letters from business professionals in the area. They were guaranteed to knock the socks off of the suits at the university, according to Mr. Jim. He then advised his young cousin to focus more on his education, get better grades in school, stay away from the drama, and to be prepared to transfer to a good four-year school as a sophomore.

Wow. That must be nice having the ability to pull strings like that and to make things happen.

Yeah, the reference letters will get him into the school, but he’ll need to keep his grades up, he said with a smug smile on his face, much to my surprise and horror.

What didn’t sit too well with me was the fact that Mr. Jim was able to pull strings like that for Tyrell, while I worked my butt off in high school. I also didn’t like the fact that Mr. Jim mentioned my name, and then he told his cousin that I’d been accepted into York. Now all of a sudden, Tyrell wanted to attend the same college. I really liked the idea of being the only person at the facility that would be attending the university. What I didn’t want was to run into Tyrell at a campus party, or to be pursued by him on social media.

I didn’t think that I was being a snob, but I had no interest in what he was all about. I just wanted to focus on my own education and career goals. What I didn’t need was to have to interact with Mr. Jim’s loser of a relative and to be subjected to all the drama and bull that seemed to follow him. I listened as Mr. Jim talked on and on about