In the Night

By LJ Perry

Set in the pretty city of Perth, this romantic modern story is one of redemption, hope, care and trust. Night time hides the good, the deceit and the unexpected, and temptation is there at every turn when you work after dark. Fraser and Cass must find a fine balance between friendship and teenage infatuation, complicated by a growing affection for each other which one day may change their lives.

Fraser is life-weary and tired, despite being adored by any woman he meets. He works security at a night club and takes on the extra task of being a driver for the teenage daughter of a rich business man. The young girl develops a crush on him and he has to find a way to distance himself from her without losing his job and abandoning the child.
Cassandra is cool, calm and collected ... on the outside.
On the rebound from a disastrous love affair in another country, she finds solace in taking care of a young girl, using her skills as a school teacher to build trust and rapport.
She is drawn to Fraser, an unlikely match who has the reputation of being a playboy and a tough guy. Cass is slowly seduced by this man’s care and compassion for her protégéé.

• Language: English
• Publisher: ReadIt Publishing
• Release date: Nov 6, 2023
• ISBN: 9780980818178

Book preview

In the Night

Copyright 2023 LJ Perry

Published by ReadIt Publishing at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favourite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Other books by LJ Perry

CHAPTER ONE

Fraser Greyburn woke up, lying on his side, fully clothed, apart from his boots, with a hard on!

He sat up on the edge of the bed, rubbed his eyes with the heel of his hand and sighed inwardly, then glanced over his shoulder at the blonde hair spread across his pillow.

After making his way silently to the toilet to take a leak, then to the bathroom to wash his hands and face, he walked to the kitchen and plugged in the electric kettle to make a mug of coffee.

He was just pouring hot water on the instant granules when there was a pounding on his front door and a male voice yelling, Greyburn, Greyburn!

Fraser went to the front door, pulled it open and a well-dressed, middle-aged man pushed intrusively into the entry of his house.

Keep it down, instructed Fraser, frowning. I’ve got neighbours.

Where is she, is she here? The man’s voice was still raised in distress as he followed Fraser in to the kitchen.

Yes, she’s here, she’s fine. I picked her up last night, probably have an almighty hangover this morning, she’s still asleep.

As he spoke the blonde appeared in her bra and knickers in the kitchen.

For God’s sake Krystal, put some clothes on! Have a bit of decorum, have you no decency?

Fraser turned his head away, picked up his coffee mug and took a sip, looking elsewhere.

Fraser doesn’t mind me being undressed, she taunted, then made a swift exit from the kitchen and both men heard her throwing up in the toilet.

The man was angry and frustrated, his face turning red as he uttered, Silly little bitch, she could have ended up anywhere, if it wasn’t for you.

Fraser gazed at his employer and said, I’ll take care of her and get her to school, and pick her up this afternoon.

Thank you, Joel Kennedy acknowledged, checking his left wrist for the time on his gold Rolex. I’d best get going, I’ve got a meeting.

He strode from the kitchen, out the front door, without saying goodbye to either Fraser or Krystal.

Fraser made the girl a mug of tea and went into the bedroom. She was back in bed, huddled under the covers with just her head showing.

Here, drink this and then have a shower, I’ll go and get your clothes and a towel and stick them in the bathroom. He put the tea on the bedside table and went to the laundry and pulled her clean, dry clothes out of the dryer and chose a clean towel from the cupboard and hung them all on the bathroom rail.

He returned to the kitchen to finish his now lukewarm coffee and wait for her, pulling on his Blundstone boots while he sat at the table. He heard the water running and after ten minutes it shut off and another ten later she was in front of him dressed, smelling of his shower gel.

I can’t go to school in these clothes, she complained.

I’ll take you home first so you can change, Fraser offered.

Krystal wore the steam punk style clothes she had chosen to go nightclubbing the previous evening. The private school she attended would never let her in the door in the outfit.

Why did you take my clothes off? she asked Fraser, Did you want to see what I had to offer? she blatantly suggested.

Or maybe it was because you had spewed all over yourself and I didn’t want vomit in my bed, he answered, not even slightly interested in her pubescent body.

She went all sulky and tried her best to look sultry and seductive. Fraser attempted not to laugh.

But you do like me, don’t you Fraser, I could be your girlfriend couldn’t I? she wheedled.

You’re fourteen, Krystal, still at school, I’m way too old for you. He tried to let her down gently. Besides I’d get the sack from your Dad and I would be arrested for having relations with a minor. That would mean you would never see me again. He looked at her childish features, her perfect teeth and her messy hair. C’mon, I’ll get you home so you can change and not be late for school.

Krystal moved reluctantly towards the front door then asked, Where’s my bag?

I think it’s still in the car, Fraser replied, Why don’t you look while I lock up the house?

Fraser found his keys, phone and wallet before heading to the car. Krystal stood by the passenger door and he pressed the remote to unlock the car. She climbed aboard and found her bag and her shoes on the floor.

What happened to Amber? she asked as Fraser slid behind the wheel.

I sent her home in a taxi and phoned her parents to let them know she was on her way.

Both girls had been drunk when Fraser had found them, he didn’t know if they had taken drugs but thought it was possible. Neither girls’ parents would have wanted the police implicated so he did what he always did, and cleaned up the mess before the law became involved.

They arrived at the mansion Krystal called home, and after remotely opening the high, black wrought-iron gates, Fraser drove his black Holden Cruze up the drive to the front door. He sat in the car and waited while Krystal went inside to change clothes and tidy herself up.

This is not what he had signed up for. He had been offered the job of driving Krystal to and from school Monday to Friday by her father. Kennedy had seen him working the front door of The Knight Club as a bouncer and asked Fraser’s boss to testify to his character. Having nothing else much to do during the day and working the club at night Fraser thought it would be a doddle, easy money, a milk run. It was not working out that way, Fraser was becoming the girl’s baby sitter, not something he had an interest in doing.

She was a nice enough kid, he supposed, precocious, selfish, spoilt and needy, but still a child with no one seeming to care what she did as long as she stayed out of the limelight and didn’t get into trouble with the law. Last night had been the worse he’d had to deal with so far, but he was sure it wouldn’t be the last; she went out of her way to get into scrapes, to get her father’s attention, he suspected.

At last Krystal appeared in her school uniform, her hair tied in a ponytail, with her school bag slung over one shoulder, her mobile phone in her hand.

She slipped in to the front seat next to him after shoving her bag on the floor. Krystal threw him a glance as she clipped up the seat belt and said, Would you be my boyfriend if I was eighteen?

You’re fourteen, not eighteen. Is that how you got into the club, pretending to be eighteen? he asked.

She shrugged and looked out the window.

Fraser knew it went on all the time, kids having fake IDs, or having mates amongst the bouncers who would allow under age patrons in their clubs, even though they knew it was illegal and the owners would be liable if anything happened to the kids. In this day and age it was easy to whip up something on a computer, make it look genuine enough to fool some of the security goons on the door, in the half light.

I don’t feel very well, she suddenly claimed.

Fraser slowed down, ready to stop if she showed signs of being sick.

Perhaps I should skip school and go home to bed, she suggested.

You have a first aid room at school, I think you should go there if you start to feel worse, but try to at least get through the first class. Fraser knew there was no one at her house to look after her and he certainly didn’t want the job of child minder all day.

He pulled up outside the posh school and Krystal flounced out and slammed the door without a backward glance. She wasn’t feeling that bad then.

He returned home, stripped his bed and put on clean sheets, had a shower and went to bed to catch up on a few hours of missed sleep.

Awake at midday, he got up, went to the toilet, got dressed and made a ham and cheese sandwich which he ate sat at the kitchen table while searching on his phone for an address. When he had finished eating, Fraser jumped in his car and headed to the inner city suburb of Burswood.

When he arrived at the address he parked outside, got out of his vehicle and pushed in through the office door. There was an attractive dark-haired woman sat at one of the two desks and she looked up as he entered the office.

Hello, he greeted. Is Paul about?

She smiled at him and asked, Is he expecting you?

Fraser shook his head, No.

I’ll find out how far away he is, grab a seat, she gestured to the padded chair against the wall and picked up her mobile phone.

Fraser noticed the wedding and engagement rings she wore, shame, she was a looker.

She spoke briefly to Paul then took the phone away from her ear, He’ll be fifteen, maybe twenty minutes, do you want to wait or come back later? she asked Fraser.

I’ll wait, thanks, he replied sitting down.

She passed on the message, ended the call and then asked, Would you like a coffee while you’re waiting for Paul.

Thanks, that would be great; milk, no sugar.

She got up from her desk and went behind a screen and Fraser heard the rattle of china, the shush of the coffee machine and the opening and closing of a door, presumably a fridge. She walked from behind the screen over to him and handed him the mug.

Thank you, he gave her a smile and admired the back view as she returned to her desk and continued with the task on the laptop.

Are you Paul’s assistant? Fraser asked angling for a name.

Uh-uh. She looked at him briefly with her answer.

Worked here long? he asked, again trying to engage her in conversation.

Couple of years, she replied, this time not even looking at him, concentrating on the screen in front of her.

Fraser decided he wouldn’t annoy her further and sat and drank his coffee in silence.

Fifteen minutes later Paul strode through the door and said, Bluey, g’day mate, haven’t seen you in a while, how’ve you been?

Fraser grinned and stood up, he hadn’t heard that nickname in a very long time. He had dark auburn hair and at high school and beyond had been gifted with the usual names for redheads – Bluey, Red, Ranga, Ginger, Rusty even Carrots, although he wasn’t that orange. Good, mate, he answered, You? This is a bit of a change from the press room isn’t it? He shook Paul’s outstretched hand.

I’m going now you are here, Paul, the woman announced. I’ll see you later.

Yeah, okay, Paul answered. I’ll give you a call.

She said goodbye to Paul and gave Fraser a smile as she walked out the door, her laptop under her arm.

Fraser followed her with his eyes until she had gone, then looked back at Paul who was watching him, a smirk on his face.

Don’t even think about it, she’s out of your league, besides she’s happily married.

Fraser shrugged. You could always put in a good word for me, he suggested.

I can’t think of any good words when it comes to you and women, Bluey, Paul responded.

Now that’s a bit harsh, Fraser replied, not offended in the slightest.

So, Paul said, did you come to see me for a reason or just to chat up my colleague?

Your colleague? I thought she was your PA, that’s what she told me.

Paul gave a short barking laugh, That’s what she told you? What did she say exactly?

I asked if she was your assistant, and she said uh-uh.

Paul shook his head and laughed, heartily this time. We share this office, she’s a photographic journalist, and married to Adam Walker.

She lied to me, Fraser said surprised and mildly amused, Why did she do that?

Paul ignored the rhetorical question and went and sat behind his desk, Pull up a chair and tell me the purpose of your visit, I don’t suppose you were just passing by.

Have you still got a finger on the pulse of this town? Fraser asked, sitting on the chair he had brought over from against the wall.

I like to think so, who are you chasing? Paul pushed his specs up on to his head.

I’m still working security at The Knight Club, but Joel Kennedy has employed me to ferry his kid back and forth to school during the week. I thought I could manage it with my night work, but I seem to have become the daughter’s minder, not just her driver. I rescued her last night, her and her girl friend were drinking at Shananigans, just up the road from where I was, and were thrown out when one of the staff realised they were under age. Anyway, a mate who works security at the place gave me a call so I went to collect them, they were well and truly drunk, possibly been taking drugs, I don’t know. So I put the other girl in a taxi home and phoned her parents, she was coherent enough to give me the address and phone number. They thought their daughter was at the Kennedy house, Krystal told her father she was spending the night with this friend, as Joel was away for the night on business. Fraser stopped to take a breath. Paul was listening, waiting for him to continue. Krystal had vomited so I took her home to my place, chucked her gear in the washing machine and then the dryer and put her to bed, in my bed. Her father came looking for her this morning as I had left him a message, and when he saw she was okay, disappeared back to his office.

Fraser looked at Paul, undecided whether to tell him about how he had also slept on the bed, because he thought Krystal may vomit again and choke, and he wasn’t prepared to take that risk.

The thing is, she and I have been alone together too much and she has taken a liking to me, if you get my drift. She needs a female looking after her, someone who cares about her. Do you know anything about her mother or her whereabouts?

Paul sat back in his chair. You could get in to a lot of trouble mate, are you fooling around with this girl?

Christ no Paul, she’s fourteen, just a kid. I would chuck the job in tomorrow, but I feel sorry for her, she’s a rich, spoilt brat, but she deserves to be looked after. And she’s an attention seeker and I am concerned that if I leave, she will make accusations, her word against mine, knowing who her father is, I’d never work in this town again.

Well, that is not a great situation to be in, but Kennedy must trust you. Who looks after her when you drop her off after school?

I don’t think anybody does. There’s a housekeeper who cooks and cleans, but apparently that’s all she does, Fraser told him.

Plenty of time for mischief, Paul concluded. I don’t know much about the former Mrs Kennedy, just heard she upped sticks and left him with the daughter, and moved overseas. I’ll see what I can find out about both sides of the family, see if there is an aunt or a grandmother or a female relative who could help. Have you asked Kennedy himself to get the girl a female minder?

I’ve mentioned it a couple of times, but you can tell he really isn’t that interested. I’m not even sure why he offered me the job to tell you the truth.

I’d say he dug deep into your background and your reliability before he offered you the position, probably the reason he’s not bothered about his daughter when he’s got you to look after her.

Yeah, well, you’re probably right, I know he did talk to my boss at the club, Fraser admitted.

Paul scribbled a note on a pad and said, I’ll talk to a few people see what I can find out and let you know. Good to see you, maybe we can have a drink next time, he said, standing up.

Fraser passed Paul his business card, which was really just his name and his mobile phone number, plus Security written on it. Thanks, that would be helpful Paul. A drink sounds good.

He left saying goodbye and hopped in his car. He felt better having enlisted Paul’s help to find out the truth behind Joel Kennedy’s wife. Paul Connors was a highly regarded journalist, had many contacts and was someone Fraser could rely on to be discreet.

Fraser had searched the limited information online about Joel Kennedy and his ex-wife, but there was very little, what he wanted wasn’t in the public domain.

He sat in his car for a few minutes, undecided, then headed off to the school to pick up Krystal. He would be early, but there wasn’t much point in going home, just to backtrack to the school.

As he was early there was a good parking spot right outside the gates, he parked his car and turned off the engine.

Pulling his phone out of his pocket, Fraser recalled Paul’s comment that the delectable woman sharing his office was the wife of Adam Walker. He knew who Walker was, he was a racehorse owner who had been involved in a scandal about poisoning his horse. Fraser googled Adam Walker and his search showed a photo of Walker with his wife, yep that was her. He found her name – Eve Bayley, then clicked on the link that led to her website. He scrolled through some of the photos, the underwater stuff was impressive.

Fraser closed down his search and put his phone away, turned the radio up in his car and listened to music while he waited for the home-time siren to sound.

Krystal was in the company of Amber when she finally appeared outside the gates. They stood talking for a bit longer before Fraser heard a car horn toot and saw Amber make a face and head towards a car parked a few behind him.

Krystal strolled over to his car and got in. Can we get McDonald’s? I’m starving, she asked.

I take it you are feeling better, commented Fraser, starting the car, checking for approaching cars from behind before pulling out in to the traffic.

Krystal didn’t bother to answer as she was busy texting on her phone. The school had a no-mobile-phone policy but that didn’t prevent students taking them to school, putting them on silent and stashing them in their backpacks.

Fraser drove to the McDonald’s closest to the Kennedy house and using the drive through ordered Krystal’s request – probably her dinner he guessed, and then drove her home.

He pulled up near the house and she sat there for a few seconds then asked, What are you doing over the weekend?

It’s Friday, I’ve got work tonight and Saturday night, so I will see you Monday morning, ready for school.

But you must do something during the day, she insisted.

Yes, I sleep, so I can go to work at night, he replied.

Oh, okay, she said, like it hadn’t occurred to her that when you work nights it was necessary to sleep during the day. Thanks for the Macca’s. She slipped out of the car, closed the door sedately and walked off to the house.

Fraser waited until she unlocked the front door, and he heard the bleeps stop on the security alarm to indicate it was disarmed, before driving away and securing the gates electronically before he left the property.

CHAPTER TWO

Fraser worked the weekend, and on Monday morning, after getting home at five and managing a couple of hours of sleep, dragged himself out of bed at seven thirty to get ready to pick up Krystal for school.

He had a shower, got dressed and yawned his way through a mug of instant