Raya marries her college fling in a hurry, disregarding warnings thrown her way by friends and family because of his financial status. News of him cheating on her four years into their marriage goes public and Raya Perot's ego is bruised. She divorces him, strips him of his position in her father's company and makes a public mockery of him. It is a messy situation and Hudson Colt is not going down without a fight. He crosses paths with criminal mastermind and mafia princess, Scarlett. She is the daughter of the head of the most powerful mafia clan in Texas and he knows he has found his ticket to restoring his pride and exerting revenge on the Perot family.
Chapter 1 Brutal Romance
Hudson's POV
You would think I had the perfect life. I sit here listening to the Chief of Police talk about how he thinks I have some sort of intel on the recent high grade robberies that had been ongoing for the past two years. He looks nervous, sweat forming clear beads on his forehead. He is afraid of me and he has every right to be. I had been humiliated by my ex wife, in revenge I had brought her entire family's enterprise toppling to the ground. This had given me some sort of fear and respect with the big sharks in the corporate industry. The Chief of Police was finally done speaking.
"So uhm, Mr...", I stared at his badge long enough for him to feel uncomfortable.
"Mr Crawford, I have no idea where your criminals might be neither do I know where to find them if I wanted to help you out with this. I have important buisness to get to, Is there any other reason why you're here?"
His double chin wobbled while I watched him decide on what next to say.
If he wanted to get information from me, he could do better than just waltzing into my office and asking me to tell him what I knew about some robbery gang. That would take a great deal of hypnosis.
"No sir. Thank you for your time", he tipped his hat towards me, walked towards the door then stopped. He looked in my direction.
"Have you been in communication with Ms. Perot lately?", he asked.
"No, I haven't, officer. The secretary will see you out."
The mention of her name brought a nostalgic flow of emotions. It felt like my life had different sections and my time with Raya Perot was one of those sections. It had come in a flurry of events and had gone just the same, but with a more dramatic flair. She would say I was her first love. That was the story she always went for when we were around friends. They were not really friends, they just shared the same spot on the status quo as Raya.
The rich hang with the rich. It was only fair. A poor boy from Arizona like me could only do so much to fit in.
There was me on a scholarship in Yale, trying to keep my CGPA at an impressive point and simultaneously trying to not worry too much over how I would pay the bills the scholarship couldn't cover. And there was Raya Perot, studying Film and media studies just because it sounded fun and Mrs. Perot, her mother, had a couple of friends she had brunch with on Fridays, who were also big names in Hollywood. So, Raya played around with the idea that she could one day become a Nepo baby Hollywood star. We had termed it Nepo-wood star.
Raya was free like a bird and I envied that. I had forgotten how to just breathe and I did not even know it. I walked around with this noose on my neck and the feeling that my every move was being watched. One day, my luck would chase me out of this ivy league school where I knew I had no place in.
She had spotted me first. She walked up to me, in her Chanel outfit and very overpowering perfume. It was hard to forget these things, she looked like a walking, breathing billboard that said, "Beware! Daddy's trust fund baby coming through".
"Hi, my name is Raya Perot. You look... hot. I just have to say", she had blurted.
I had almost let out a loud laugh. Her cheeks produced colour immediately she let it out. It was like she couldn't control what came out from her mouth. What you heard was what she thought. I found it cute at the time.
"Well, hello Raya. I'm Hudson Colt. I think it's cute you find me hot enough to walk over here and tell me that", I said, giving her a slight smile. We both laughed at this.
She tried to drag me up from my seat when a man started playing Lionel Richie's All Night Long. I wasn't much of a public dancer. I wasn't much of a dancer to begin with, in all honesty. She stopped dragging me and took two steps backwards. She placed both hands on her pleat chanel skirt then raised her right hand towards my direction, curving her index finger at me, signalling me to come. That display had drawn a few eyes towards us and I couldn't say No to her then. I stood slowly while she danced into my arms. It had felt like I was throwing a big middle finger at my father and his beloved Colt Curse. Here I was, Hudson Colt, dancing with a billionaire's daughter, in an ivy league school.
"Would I be seeing you again?"
She asked me with a twinkle in her eye. I thought it ended here.
If I was male Cinderella and she was the rich princess, she was supposed to end this dance abruptly and we would all be thrown back into a heart breaking, soul crushing reality.
"Do you want to see me again?"
I was honestly curious. Did she find me hot enough to want to see me again.
"I want to take you somewhere. Do you mind?"
I shrugged and walked with her. We left the park and got into her car. It was a far cry from my cost friendly bicycle, I'd tell you that. I wouldn't hate on it though, the bicycle was probably the reason for my alleged "hotness".
We got to a building complex and once we got into her apartment, everything screamed luxury. From the lights to the decor, the kitchen island, rooms and closet. This was the dream. I would have had to work quadruple work shifts to just own her living room. I was still looking around the apartment in awe when I felt lips pressed on mine, a tongue trying to pry my mouth apart. She kissed with a ferociousness of one in urgent need. I leaned into it. The more she asked for, the more I was willing to give.....