Heart of Ice Read online

  HEART OF ICE

  By Jalissa Pastorius

  BOOK ONE OF THE HEART SERIES

  In the mist of things, two characters barged into my mind and took up residency there. They demanded that I tell their story. Looking at the two through shrewd eyes—I debated if knock the girl out, surely I was fast enough to escape. Soon as the thought came, I discarded it. Looking up at the glacier of a man in front of me, I realized there was no hope. Alas, I began their story.

  Beseechingly, I urge you to read their story.

  HEART OF ICE

  Copyright 2014 by Jalissa Pastorius

  Published by Jalissa Pastorius at Smashwords

  Cover Design by Jalissa Pastorius

  Formatting by Jalissa Pastorius

  This novel is a work of fiction. Any names, characters, places, and events portrayed in this novel are products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is coincidental. All rights reserved; the right to reproduce this book or any portion thereof in any form whatsoever in any country whatsoever without the express permission of the author is forbidden.

  ***

  Smashwords Edition License Notes

  Thank you for downloading this eBook. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy from their favorite authorized retailer. Thank you for your support.

  Acknowledgements

  For those who dare to dream, embrace their nightmares and face adversity. Join the men and their counterparts for an adventure you’ll never forget.

  Jalissa Pastorius

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Acknowledgements

  Prologue

  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

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Other Books Heart of Darkness

  Other Books Born of Death

  Prologue

  He laughed as his associates patted him on the back with congratulations. It was a great occasion to be joyous; he had just secured a major contract. He supposed being a billionaire did help a little. Take that mother. He was never good enough for her. He’d proven to them all; he could run this company. Glasses of champagne were poured as everyone celebrated his success. He sipped his champagne appearing calm, cool, and collected. No one would ever suspect the bundle of nerves that took up residency in the pit of his stomach. The ring weighed heavily in his pocket. He’d been focused on work lately and securing the contract; he wanted to surpass the expectations of people who wanted him to fail. Show them that he earned the right to be here. Not because he was the owner’s son. Natalia talked about marriage and he wasn’t ready at the time with his busy schedule and latest projects, but she would see that it was worth the wait. When his father relinquished the company, it was only worth a couple of millions, with his innovative thinking and implementation; he was able to turn it into a billion dollar industry. He smiled at the thought. He’d finally proven himself. Wrapping up the celebration with his associates he was ready to get home to his soon to be wife.

  Getting out of the car, Matt made his way to his top floor penthouse. He had no issue with spending money, he worked hard to get where he was. Just because one was born from millions didn’t actually mean one had access to them. However, at the age of twenty five, he was one of the richest men in the world; not only in money but in life too. Entering into the penthouse he looked for Natalia. When he didn’t see her in her usual spot—the media room watching a chick flick, he decided to search the bedroom. His heart raced furiously in his chest and drummed in his ears. Now was the time, she had stuck by his side and he was ready to commit. There were those who speculated that settling down at the age of twenty-five was too soon, but he was happy. He didn’t have to worry about women dating him for his status or money. Natalia was all he needed. He wiped his sweating palms on his pants and pushed the door open.

  He was not prepared for the scene that greeted him. Natalia shamelessly rode the man beneath her as he gripped her hips firm in his hands and thrust into her. With her head thrown back and eyes closed, Matt watched as she cupped her breasts and met his thrust. He remained frozen, disbelief etched in his mind. When she opened her eyes and spotted him, rage coursed savagely through his veins.

  “Get out.” He did not yell or screamed. He simply told her in a calm manner to remove herself from the premises. The guy beneath her sensing something wrong bucked her off him. Taking one look at Matt’s furious expression he grabbed his belongings and ran.

  “Baby, I ca--” cutting her off he rang for security. When Natalia opened her mouth to try and reason with him once again, he snapped.

  “I said, GET THE FUCK OUT!” he roared at her. She was completely taken by surprise. Her back was against the wall as Matt stormed around. She never seen this side of him, he was so cordial, nice and a pleaser, she had no idea he could get this furious.

  “Mr. Dallas, we’re coming in!” There was a grim satisfaction knowing that Natalia had been escorted out of his home in the nude. Once the door closed, he was completely alone. Screaming, he shattered everything around him, photos, lamps, novelty items—anything he could get his hands on, he destroyed it. Completely exhausted, he backed into the wall. Sliding down, he cried for the first time.

  Chapter 1

  Four years later…

  He sat in his office, crunching numbers. Over the years he buried himself so far into his work that he had little time for anything else. The company was growing at an alarming rate. He now worked out of the New York location. He rubbed his eyes completely exhausted. It was practically time to call it a night. He probably was the last person in building working not including the housekeeping staff. He looked up as someone came barging into his office. He sunk further into his chair—only one person could approach him in such a manner.

  “C’mon, cut that computer off and let’s go out. You’ve been here long enough.”

  “There’s so much to do, I really need to wrap up these reports. You go ahead without me,” he said finally looking up. Collum Davenport was a heart breaker. Women flocked to him like a moth to a flame only to get burn. Somehow, they always managed to lick their wounds, coming back and begging for more. They never learned. Collum wasn’t a bad looking fellow, hazel eyes and sun-kissed skin; he was designed to lure women in.

  “Work that you create! Look at yourself Matt. You’re wasting away. They call you the man of ice. You’re a glacier, freezing everyone out.” He said placing him palms on the cherry oak desk and looking Matt in the eye. He was worried about his friend. His behavior was not normal—never smiling, eyes like ice; he was living an unhealthy life style. His friend worked so far to get where he was in life and not even able to enjoy it. His situation proved that riches didn’t bring a person happiness. Matt Dallas was one of the wealthiest men in the world and it meant little to him.<
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  Matt hated everything Collum said. He wasn’t wasting away. He simply hadn’t met anyone he was interested in. Was he as boring as Collum portrayed him to be. He would prove him wrong. Matt hoped he didn’t regret it.

  “Fine, I’ll accompany you tonight.” Collum blinked slowly at Matt. Did he hear him right? He could had sworn that he said he was going to out with him—meaning that he was going to hang out, which would entail adult like beverages, women and no work. Collum was going to try his best to get Matt to come out of his shell. He would take him to a nice lounge. It would have nice seating area where he could lounge around if he felt uncomfortable dancing. It was just the thing to get Matt back to his pre-Natalia life. He smiled at the implications that would follow. It was time to show his friend the better signs of life.

  ***

  Christina Moore gathered her belongings as she finished her lecture. A few of her students lingered around. She hoped they would hurry up. She still found it strange to be lecturing college level seniors, who were older than her. It was disconcerting when they approached her to ask her out. Student and teacher relations were strictly against policy. She didn’t plan on losing her job and nor was she interested in any of the students that pursued her. Threatening to fail them always worked for her. She didn’t make it this far in life with just her looks. She was pronounced a child genius at the age of eight. Her parents took advantage of her at a young age, exposing her to a cruel world at an early age, when she was supposed to believe in fairytales. Now, she was jilted as the rest. People always had a hidden agenda; deep down she still wished for her knight in shining armor to sweep her off her feet. She snorted at the thought. Turning off the lights in the lecture all she gave it one last look. Rolls of chairs ran across the room in a stadium fashion. She was exhausted. She would go straight home from here. There was a cup of tea with her name on it.

  She sighed as she placed her things in her car. The one thing that she did splurge on was her vehicle. It was her baby, an Audi A7 sedan. The interior was a mixture of brown and beiges. She sat on the leather seats, symphony music blasted from the speakers. She sped home. Pulling into the car garage, she exited her vehicle with all of her items and made her way to her little abode. She was lucky to snag the condo when it hit the market. It was in prime location, just five minutes away from Vanderbilt University where she worked. Entering into the building, reception greeted her as she made her way towards the elevator. When she opened her door, Sarah—her self-proclaimed best friend was already there raiding the fridge.

  “Sarah, what are you doing?”

  “Look tea!” she shouted pointing to the pot on the stove. Christina fought the smile that threaten to consume her face.

  “Shouldn’t you be studying? You know your exams are coming up.”

  “I know! You’re place is the place for studying. You’re the only one twenty-one year old I know with a badass condo and a freaking luxury car. Now all we need to do is find you a man. Like this one!” Christina watched as Sarah whipped the magazine out from behind her back. She didn’t understand why she spent so much time reading that junk. Christina looked at the guy, tall, dirty blonde hair, and light hazel eyes, he was gorgeous, and probably a player. Not her type.

  “Nice try.”

  “How can you not like this one? You’re incorrigible!”

  “Good, you’re using your brain.”

  “Chris! We all can’t be child prodigies like you.” Christina ignored Sarah as she continued to whine. She poured herself a cup of tea and grabbed her tablet. She was ready to escape into the world of fantasy. Who didn’t love a good werewolf novel? Having someone destined to be your partner and take care all of your needs. She couldn’t wait to sink into the story.

  “Hey!” she shouted as the iPad was snatched from her.

  “C’mon. Sarah give it back! I’m tired.”

  “Not until you promise to go out.”

  “I don’t want to.”

  “You’re still a virgin for crying out loud! You are going to end up like the old lady who lives in her shoe.”

  “Sarah, I’m not casual like that.”

  “I’m not asking you go out and get ravaged tonight! I simply want you to get out. It’s not healthy; you’re living in a fantasy world. It’s the only one you know. You shouldn’t be so detached from reality.” Christina rolled her eyes. If Sarah was going to go all psychoanalytical she would have to go out just to get her to shut up.

  “Fine.” Sarah squealed and pulled Christina towards the bedroom. Christina just hoped she wouldn’t regret it.

  ***

  Matt sat in the jet furious. Collum sat across from him with a smug smile on his face. Matt was ready to pummel him, it had been years since his friend made him this angry. He hadn’t been this upset since Collum stormed into his condo, beat him senseless and called him a coward. Letting Collum pummel him, had brought some type of feeling back. Matt had been numb. Wallowing in his pity, it still burned him that Natalia could simply cast him aside so easily only to run into the arms of another man. He hadn’t seen her since. He all but fled the city. He was glad for the company’s expansion.

  “Where are we going?” he inquired. He finally got past his anger and now curiosity was getting the best of him. Collum smiled, he knew Matt would come around. He always had a horrible temper. He was glad that this time Matt didn’t take to his fists. The beating Collum gave Matt was only because Matt allowed it. He smiled.

  “Nashville, Tennessee.” Matt didn’t get what was so special about Nashville.

  “What so special about Nashville?”

  “Everyone knows who you are. We need to go somewhere were the media isn’t hounding us. We’ll stay in a regular hotel, and go to a nice normal club. No one needs to know that one of the wealthiest men alive is in their neck of the woods. Plus, I want to test out that southern hospitality,” he said giving Matt a devious smirk. Matt groaned this trip was probably more about Collum than him. Matt chuckled, as Collum poured them both a glass of champagne.

  “To southern hospitality.”

  Collum had more that he wanted to talk to his friend about, but he didn’t want to push his luck. Maybe if Matt was drunk enough he wouldn’t be so mad.

  “Matt, you know I always have your best interest in mind.” Matt looked at his best friend, it looked like this wasn’t going to bode well for him.

  “Go on.”

  “I took the liberty of booking you a cabin in Colorado—all the bells and whistles. You used to love skiing. I want you to enjoy yourself, and if you happen to see a little lovely and wished to invite her too, then do it.” This was all said in a rush. Matt looked at his friend through shrewd eyes. What could Collum be up to?

  “The company?”

  “Will not go down in flames without you for two weeks.”

  “Two weeks?”

  “I want you to really take a break and just enjoy life again. C’mon Matt.” Matt rubbed his eyes. Collum did have a point. He hadn’t had a vacation in ages. One of his favorite hobbies was skiing. He loved the mountains and their breathtaking views. He should thank Collum; he would be able to enjoy his solitude.

  ***

  Christina looked at herself in the mirror. Her grey eyes had been accentuated with a light smoky eye to make them pop. She had a natural look going on; she stopped Sarah from putting any foundation on. She was twenty-one for crying out; what she would need with foundation? A little lip-colored gloss, her long black hair pinned up and she was good to go. She wore a nice little strapless dress. She looked stunning, but if she was stunning Sarah was gorgeous. Her thick wavy blonde hair hugged her shoulders. She opted for dark smoky eye with a loud deep red dress. It suited her personality. Both wore Lui Vuitton heels. Sarah smiled at their reflections. They were dressed to kill.

  Sarah had a good feeling about this. If she failed her exams, it was worth it. Christina was gorgeous and had was oblivious to the fact. She had a nice tight little body, was about 5’6 with curves. Sh
e smiled, her plan was finally working.

  Chapter 2

  Tension filled Christina as she got out of the car. She was so out of her element but she wanted to prove a point. Trepidation filled her as she followed Sarah. Upon entry into the building, she found herself pleasantly surprised. Instead of loud music making her head bang, she encountered a nice cozy mellow environment. It was an upscale bar but the lounge put her at ease. She just wasn’t prepared to grind all night long with some unknown stranger. The bar was softly lit and invited conversation. It was then that she noticed the two men at the bar. They sat side by side, and they were in casual wear. The darker haired one was a couple of inches taller, and seemed much more imposing. She realized, she stopped as her eyes latched onto him scaling him from head to toe. Receiving a tug from Sarah she knew she had paused too long. She hurried behind her friend, glancing back for one last look. Her breath caught as his green eyes pierced her. She felt the blood rushed to her face. Damn it, he caught her. Hearing Sarah’s snickers she now knew that she was aware of everything that transpired.