Beneath Him Read online

  Beneath Him

  Komal Kant

  Beneath Him

  Copyright © 2014 Komal Kant

  First Edition

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the author, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes only. It cannot otherwise be circulated in any form of binding or cover than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to any person, living or dead, or any events or occurrences, is purely coincidental. The characters and story lines are created from the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  The author acknowledges the copyrighted or trademarked status and trademark owners of the following words mentioned in this work of fiction: The Walking Dead, SpongeBob Squarepants, Persuasion, Elvis, Frozen, Walmart

  Cover Design by Eden Crane at www.edencranedesign.com

  DEDICATION

  To my friends who hold me together.

  Prologue

  Someone once told me that we are only as good as we believe ourselves to be.

  I’ve let myself forget for too long.

  Chapter One

  Sky

  The guy standing in front of me was about to get smacked across the back of the head.

  Yes, I knew I was only 5’2”—barely.

  Yes, I knew I slapped like a girl—obviously, because I had the girl parts to back that up.

  Yes, he looked like he was built like a brick wall and could probably knock me down with a single finger if I started any trouble. But he was seriously pissing me off.

  The rude tone of voice he was using to speak to the young girl behind the counter, like she was beneath him, was rubbing me the wrong way.

  Anyone with half a brain knew you didn’t give attitude to the person who served you. Not unless you wanted to find something in your drink that didn’t belong there. So, either this guy had half a brain or he was just a huge snob.

  I was going to go with the latter, considering he was dressed in an expensive, navy suit that could probably pay my rent for a month. The Rolex that I spied around his wrist could easily pay my rent for a year. High roller. Jack ass.

  “I specifically asked for my coffee black, so why is there milk in it?” His tone was scathing, and a complete overreaction to the situation. We were talking about milk. Get the hell over it.

  “I’m very sorry about that, Sir,” the girl apologized with a forced smile. Her name tag said ‘Aria’. “Let me get you a new coffee.”

  He snorted, and I pictured him rolling his eyes. “I don’t understand why it’s so hard for you people to do your job properly. It’s not very difficult to master.”

  You people? Wow. What a complete and utter douchebag. What was this guy’s deal?

  “Sir, once again, I apologize.” The girl was gritting her teeth like he was really testing her patience. “If you could take a seat, I’ll serve these customers and have your order out to you as soon as it’s ready.”

  Naturally, The Java Bean was crowded this early in the morning, and this guy was holding up the line over something that didn’t really matter. I’d just spent eight hours on the road—with an overnight pit stop—driving from Carson City, Nevada to Beverly Hills, California, and I needed a coffee fix before I started my new job.

  Glancing over my shoulder, I noticed ten people standing in line who appeared just as irritated as I felt. Honestly, I did not have time for this. No one did this early in the morning.

  “Hey, pal.” I tapped him on the shoulder.

  He jerked away from me as though a leper had touched him. My mouth fell open a little as I was confronted with his face.

  The guy was attractive. Really attractive. He had a chiseled jaw with a cleft on his chin, dark hair that fell into azure blue eyes, and a deep tan that was accentuated by his dark suit.

  “What?” He narrowed his eyes at me in a “Who the hell are you, and why are you talking to me?” way.

  The look on his face was enough to slap some sense into me. Hot or not, this guy was a jerk. Focus, Sky, focus.

  “The nice girl has apologized twice already. I think it’s completely unnecessary for you to continue complaining to her about milk.” I pointed a thumb over my shoulder. “You’re not the only one in line. I’m sure these other people have better things to do with their time. I know I do.”

  My words didn’t seem to have any effect on him at all because all he did was sneer at me, like I was an ugly duckling who had dared to speak to a beautiful swan.

  All of a sudden, I felt naked.

  It was like one of those bad dreams where you got up in front of the entire school to give a speech and then for some irrational reason you were naked.

  This was one of those moments—one of those cringe-worthy moments—where I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me whole. Because that was how he was staring at me; like I was naked. Exposed. Vulnerable. Which wasn’t how I wanted to feel when I was trying to fight for equal rights for early morning coffee drinkers in The Java Bean.

  “Zero,” he said.

  “What?” I blinked, completely confused.

  Was this guy deranged, too?

  “That’s how many shits I give about your opinion.”

  With a widening sneer, he started to turn, but I reached out and grabbed his arm. I felt like an over boiling kettle right now, ready to blow. I was about to kick this guy in the baby maker.

  “Listen here, you’re the one being obnoxious and holding everyone up. Just get your damn coffee with no milk, and leave.” No one was going to miss him.

  He pulled his arm away from me as his eyes flicked over me, like he was appraising a garbage dump. “When you can afford to dress the way I do, then your opinion matters to me. Until then, be on your way, baby.”

  Baby? BABY? Who the hell was he to call me baby?

  I couldn’t believe the level Jerkface had taken this too. I’d been trying to keep it classy, but clearly he liked to play dirty. I knew I wasn’t dressed anything like him, but there was nothing wrong with what I was wearing—jeans, a white tee, and a pair of black Converse.

  Yet, somehow he really did make me feel like an ugly duckling the way he was staring me down with his piercing, blue eyes—like I really wasn’t good enough to address him.

  I maintained my composure as I spoke, though from the unimpressed look on his face, I knew he could care less about what I had to say.

  “I am not your baby!” I fumed. “You go around acting like you’re better than everyone else, but really you get a kick out of making everyone feel like shit so you can feel better about your own inadequacies.”

  Harsh? Maybe. But that “baby” comment had pushed me over the edge.

  “I don’t have any inadequacies, but I can see that you certainly do.” His expression darkened, and if looks could kill then this was lethal. “Plenty of them.”

  My face flamed immediately, but before my jumbled mind could think of a biting comeback, he pushed past me and strode out of The Java Bean.

  The encounter with him had definitely been unnerving. The way he’d stared at me with those blue eyes was hard to forget. It was too bad that someone so attractive had such a horrible personality. I didn’t like getting into pointless fights, but I wasn’t a pushover.

  “Thanks for stepping in. I was trying not to lose it,” the server, Aria, said, shooting me a grateful smile as she tightened her ponytail. “Now, what can I get you today?”

  Still feeling rattled, I managed a faint smile in return as I stepped up to the counter. �
��A coconut mocha, please.” Then I added, “With an extra shot of espresso.”

  I would not let Jerkface ruin my day, and that extra shot was a great way to start.

  Nick

  I was gripping my car keys so tightly in my hand that they were starting to cut into the flesh of my palm.

  No one ever talked to me like that before, and even though I’d kept a cool demeanor, the mouthy girl had definitely shaken up my morning.

  Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to relax as I put distance between myself and The Java Bean.

  That girl had sass. She didn’t seem affected by me like most women were.

  I didn’t like her. But I liked a challenge.

  Girls like her didn’t fall into my life very often.

  Maybe it was a good thing I’d never see her again.

  Sky

  Here I was, trying not to be nervous.

  Here I was, failing miserably.

  I couldn’t help it though. I’d never felt this out of place before. I was pretty sure I’d never looked this out of place before.

  I was standing in the most expensive foyer I’d ever set foot in and quickly coming to the realization that there was no way I would fit in here.

  The gold and red velvet rug I stood on probably cost twice as much as everything I owned put together. There was a cream colored chaise lounge placed against the wall, exotic looking potted plants in every corner, and expensive oil paintings of scenery hanging on the walls.

  I definitely wasn’t a materialistic person—I liked to think that I was pretty down-to-earth—but standing here, I felt pretty inadequate. Jerkface’s words from earlier were haunting me. Maybe I did need to dress better.

  For a split second, I almost considered turning around and walking back out of the large, oak double doors, but that was just me being ridiculous. There was a reason why out of so many applicants, I had been chosen to work here at the Ruggarson mansion. Sure, my mom’s best friend, Tori, knew the Ruggarson’s and had put in a good word, but they still could’ve turned me down.

  Just to be straight, it wasn’t some amazing position; I’d been hired as the live-in nanny for Oscar Ruggarson’s niece, Madeline Stanley, but it was still overwhelming considering the Ruggarsons’ status

  The Ruggarsons were one of the many wealthy families that lived in Beverly Hills. Their wealth came from Oscar, who was a successful entertainment lawyer with numerous high-profile clients. His wife, Chloe, was what you would call a “socialite”. I wasn’t too sure what she did exactly, but Tori said she liked to throw extravagant parties and spend her husband’s money.

  Tori had also told me that Oscar and Chloe had two children—Nick and Emily. Emily was eighteen and had just started college, while Nick worked with his father. Apparently, Nick was also somewhat of a womanizer who had a new woman in his bed every night. He didn’t sound like my kind of person.

  When I’d first told my best friend, Erin Campbell, about my new job, she’d shrieked for an entire five minutes about what a big deal this was. She was easily excitable and a drama queen.

  Since this was my first proper job in the childcare field after recently graduating from college, I just had to focus on doing my very best and not letting the Ruggarsons’ wealth and glamorous life overwhelm me.

  “Sky Hudson?” a sharp voice inquired.

  Snapping out of my thoughts, I glanced around to find a middle-aged woman approaching me. Dressed in chic, royal blue, tailored pants and a loose, white blouse—not to mention the gold jewelry that adorned her—it was easy to assume this was Chloe.

  This was my first time meeting her—I’d previously met Oscar and their current nanny, Mrs. Potts, who was soon to retire, for my interview, but Chloe hadn’t been present.

  Crap. Maybe I was underdressed after all. In all honesty, I’d been way too broke to buy anything dressier than my usual attire. Having student loans and credit card payments could do that to a girl.

  I needed to chill out. It wasn’t like I was here to do anything fancy. I was here to take care of a four-year-old, for God’s sake. My job description didn’t require me to dress up. Four-year-olds were messy. Everyone knew that.

  “Y-yes?” I frowned at how shaky my voice was. I wanted to project myself as calm and confident, not as a nervous twenty-one-year-old who was incapable of speaking coherently.

  I took two deep breaths to compose myself.

  Chloe looked me up and down, disapproval clear across her face. “Obviously, you are aware of who I am, but I will introduce myself anyway. I am Chloe Ruggarson.”

  She said ‘Ruggarson’ like it was some sort of royal title that had been bequeathed to her. The introduction wasn’t necessary, so I nodded to show her that I was familiar with who she was.

  “Yes, I do know who you are.”

  What I didn’t add was that I knew her as an arrogant socialite who had never worked a day in her life.

  Chloe gave me a thoroughly unpleasant look, and it was obvious that she wasn’t impressed with me at all.

  “I’m glad that even the lower class has heard of my name,” she finally said, once she was done analyzing my appearance. “Now, come with me. Oscar is waiting for you in his office.”

  “Um, okay. What about my bags?” I glanced over at the worn out suitcase and duffel bag I’d brought along.

  Chloe followed my gaze, and her upper lip curled in a sneer. “We have a butler for that, silly thing, but I guess you’re not used to that kind of thing, are you?”

  All of a sudden I felt like I was one of those hideous insects that everyone was always trying to squish, like a roach. I didn’t want to be a roach; I wanted to be a butterfly.

  “Okay, then.” My voice sounded just as small as I felt.

  “Follow me.” Without another word, she spun around and began click-clacking across the tiled floor in her black heels.

  Quickening my pace, I followed after her and down a hallway, trying to take everything in as we walked. They definitely hadn’t been sparse about the paintings and plants--they were everywhere. Not that they weren’t nice to look at; it was just so lavish and over-the-top.

  Finally, Chloe stopped outside a door with a small, gold plate fixed which had ‘Oscar Ruggarson’ engraved on it in pretty cursive.

  “This is where Oscar usually works from if he doesn’t go into the office.” Chloe’s tone was curt as she pushed opened the door and stepped inside ahead of me. Rude alert.

  Trying not to let her coldness get to me, I entered the office after her, my jaw dropping when my eyes fell on the interior.

  The office was immaculate and even grander than I had expected. A mahogany desk was positioned in front of large, bay windows, letting the summer sunlight stream in through the glass and creating a warm glow throughout the room.

  There was a large shelf filled with books lined up against one side of the wall and an antique-style fireplace on the opposite wall. It was like they’d hired an interior decorator that had puked paintings and potted plants everywhere.

  It really was beautiful, though.

  A large painting hanging above the fireplace of a beautiful young woman with blonde hair and blue eyes caught my attention. I wondered if she was related to the Ruggarsons—their daughter, maybe?

  “Chloe, I see you’ve brought Miss Hudson.” An aging man sat in the large chair behind the desk. He had streaks of silver through his dark hair and wore wire-rimmed glasses. There was a pleasant smile on his face as he studied me.

  This was Oscar Ruggarson, self-made millionaire. From our previous meeting, I had decided that I liked him. There was a kindness and warmth about him that immediately made me relax around him.

  “Yes, here she is.” There was a sneer in Chloe’s tone as she shot me a sideways glance. This woman was very quickly starting to become one of my least favorite people. After Coffee Shop Jerk, of course.

  Oscar stood up and extended his hand across the desk, and I hurried forward to shake it. “It’s so nice to see you aga
in, Miss Hudson. I hope the drive down here went smoothly.” Unlike his wife, there was a smile in his voice as he spoke.

  “Yes, Sir, the drive was fine.” I didn’t bother mentioning that my piece of crap car had almost failed to start, because that was just embarrassing.

  “Please take a seat.” His tone was pleasant as he gestured to the seat across from him.

  As Oscar and I sat down, Chloe walked around the desk and pulled up a chair beside her husband. She folded her hands on top the table and stared at me as though she was trying to make her status clear.

  Yeah, I got it, lady. You were married to the boss man.

  Before Oscar could even speak, Chloe was already grilling me. “You signed a confidentiality contract when you accepted this position. I want to make sure you understand what that means.”

  Well, obviously. Unless this was a trick question.

  “That I have to keep details about my job confidential?” I said it like a question because I wasn’t sure if this woman was for real.

  There was a snicker, and I looked over at Oscar. Chloe shot him a glare and he covered the snicker with a cough. Clearly he thought his wife had asked a silly question, too.

  Chloe redirected her glare at me. “It’s more than that. Under no circumstances are you permitted to speak about our family, anyone associated with us, or what your duties.”

  I nodded. “Yes, I’m aware of that.” You know, because that was exactly what they’d told me in my interview and what the contract I’d signed had outlined.

  “I think she understands, Chloe.” There was a smile in Oscar’s voice. “Maybe we should let her get settled in.”

  Chloe seemed miffed that her husband wasn’t following her line of interrogation. “Well, I need to approve of her, Oscar. I can’t just have anyone working for us.”

  “I don’t think Sky is just anyone. She passed the interview process and I believe is more than capable of taking care of our darling niece. Mrs. Potts and I both approve of her.”