Lost & Found Read online

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  TITLE PAGE

  COPYRIGHT PAGE

  PLAYLIST PAGE

  AUTHOR’S ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  PROLOGUE

  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

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  EPILOGUE

  LOST & FOUND

  BY

  D. A. YOUNG

  Copyright © November 2016 by D. A. Young

  Cover Art by Karen Kunz/ Lab Media © November 2016 created for D. A. Young

  Editing by Little Pear Editing Services/[email protected] Copyright © November 2016

  All rights reserved. This copy is intended for the purchaser of this e-book only. EBooks are not transferable. They cannot be sold, shared or given away. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this e-book is a crime punishable by law. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including printing, photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000 (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/).

  This book is a work of fiction and intended for mature audiences aged 18+ only. All names, characters, places, businesses, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination and have been used facetiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales or events is entirely coincidental.

  LOST & FOUND PLAYLIST

  BACK AT ONE – BRIAN MCKNIGHT

  THESE WORDS – NATASHA BEDINGFIELD

  GET ALONG WITH YOU – KELIS

  LOVE ON THE BRAIN- RIHANNA

  CHEERS TO THE FALL – ANDRA DAY

  HOLD BACK THE RIVER– JAMES BAY

  REAL THING – JILL SCOTT

  WHEN I SEE YOU – FANTASIA

  DIAMONDS AND PEARLS - PRINCE

  COSMIC LOVE – FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE

  SWEET LOVE – ANITA BAKER

  KNOCKS ME OFF MY FEET – STEVIE WONDER

  HANDS TO MYSELF – KINGS OF LEON (SELENA GOMEZ COVER)

  MAGIC – COLDPLAY

  ONE DANCE – DRAKE

  STILL FALLING FOR YOU – ELLIE GOULDING

  IF YOU LOVE ME – BROWNSTONE

  MARRY ME – BRUNO MARS

  I CAN DREAM ABOUT YOU – DAN HARTMAN

  CATER 2 U – DESTINY’S CHILD

  AGAIN – LENNY KRAVITZ

  HUNGRY EYES – ERIC CARMEN

  IMPOSSIBLE – RYAN STAR

  IF – JANET JACKSON

  UNSTEADY – X AMBASSADORS

  AUTHOR’S NOTES

  Thank you very much for taking the time to read my work. I’m a firm believer in God, doing my best, love, good times, family, friends, romance, HAWT (no that’s not a typo) sex, laughter, details, multiple characters/subplots and sentence enhancers. All of which I like to share in my writing. If you found that declaration to be offensive, you should probably pass on my books. If you didn’t, then enjoy and happy reading!

  I’d love to hear your thoughts and opinions. Please email me at [email protected]

  Karen Kunz-There are no words to truly express how incredibly thankful I am for all that you do for me. Thank you very much for sharing your wonderful talents, time and patience with me.

  Patrice Harrison -Thank you very much for understanding my vision and sharing your amazing talents with me! There are no words to express how truly thankful and grateful I am for your time, dedication and support of the adventures we go on!

  To my family, friends, and readers - Thank you so much for all of your love, support, and encouragement! And for always being there for me. I’m forever indebted and my love for you has no limits.

  Sincerely,

  D. A. Young

  Interested in what I’m doing next? Follow me on Facebook:

  https://www.facebook.com/D-A-Young-1695356880704195/

  BOOKS by D. A. YOUNG

  WHISKEY ROW SERIES

  SWEET OBSESSION

  NEW BEGINNINGS

  THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS

  PERFECTLY IMPERFECT

  BAYMOOR SERIES

  THE FARMER & THE BELLE

  LOST & FOUND

  CIRCLE OF FRIENDS NOVELLA SERIES

  SECOND CHANCES

  Prologue

  1994

  Las Vegas, Nevada

  “I like you, kid,” Bonnie Canton, the talent manager for Club Heaven, declared in her gravelly smoker’s voice as she looked the tall, slender young woman up and down. She was definitely a looker with her deep brown skin, long, red-brown curls, and luminescent hazel eyes, but her body wasn’t exactly the stuff that would drive their clientele wild. Clad in a pink leotard, all of her lacking assets were evident. She had small breasts, no hips, long, coltish legs, and a forgettable ass. Bonnie’s boss and club owner, David Rossini, was looking for tits, hips, and an ass on steroids. ‘The more the merrier’ was his motto.

  “Ya got a lotta moxie comin’ in here knowin’ good and well your ass ain’t twenty-one. She threateningly waved the driver’s license in her hand at the young woman. “I don’t give a damn what this piece of plastic says! I can smell the jailbait comin’ off you, Eliza Carlton. So, level with me about your age because you’re cute, but not cute enough to catch a case over, sweetie.”

  “I am twenty-one!” Eliza burst out desperately as she willed herself not to cry. She needed this job in the worst way, and Paula, her downstairs neighbor, told her that her job, the hot new strip joint called Club Heaven was when Eliza inquired if she knew of anyone that was hiring.

  “Listen, Eliza, I feel for your home situation,” Paula said with a pitying grimace that Eliza refused to acknowledge. Everyone in the apartment complex knew of the Carlton siblings in apartment 8-B and their “situation” otherwise known as Ingrid Carlton, their strung-out prostitute mother. The older girl handed her a slip of paper and forty dollars. Stubbornly, Eliza tried to refuse the money as Paula had done more than enough for her and her siblings, but her neighbor shook her head with an expression that said she was just as stubborn.

  “You can pay me back when you start making money, girl! Take that cash and go see my homie Slim Mike. He’ll hook you up with a fake I.D. Then come back and see me and I’ll hook your face up with a more mature look. Can you dance?”

  “Not really…” Eliza confessed with embarrassment, and at Paula’s disbelieving look, she grew defensive. “What? Because I’m black, I’m supposed to turn into Michael Jackson when I hear a beat? Despite the myth, not all black people can dance, Paula! But I promise you, I’m teachable.” She shrugged carelessly. “How ha
rd could it be?”

  Paula looked her up and down with a scornful expression. “Dancing is an art form, little girl! You have to be able to feel the music and relate to it. When I’m in front of an audience, I need to be able to draw them in with my talent. Why do you think I was hired at Club Heaven? Rossini doesn’t just hire any trick with a big ass, you know, and the money is really good. You keep your mouth shut and pay attention, and you might learn something.”

  So, Eliza did as she was told and now here she was standing in front of this woman who greatly resembled Ursula the Sea Witch begging for a chance to shake her underage ass. She wanted to die of mortification at the thought but couldn’t afford the luxury of having any self-respect right now. Now, all she could think about was having enough money to take her younger brother Graham and their baby sister Georgie away from their current lifestyle.

  “Oh yeah, honey?” Bonnie challenged with a raised eyebrow and Eliza met her gaze head on without flinching. The room was silent as they stared each other down. It was a skill she’d perfected at home when confronting one of Ingrid’s boyfriends. They wanted her to be scared of them and preyed on her fear, but they didn’t count on the razor blades she kept under her pillow or her lack of sleep. It was hard functioning with no sleep but it didn’t bother Eliza. She could sleep when they were safe and far away from the negligence and abuse of Ingrid.

  As Eliza expected, Bonnie blinked first and smiled at her admiringly as she shook her head at the young woman’s gall. She heaved herself out of her chair and ambled toward her office door.

  “Alright, kid. If that’s the story you’re sticking to, I’m gonna give you one shot to wow me with your skills. Let’s go.”

  Eliza kept her face neutral but inside, she was jumping for joy as she teetered after Bonnie, in the ridiculously high heels Paula had lent her, and down the hallway to the main floor of the club.

  Feet don’t fail me now, she pleaded silently and tried to keep up.

  ***

  David Rossini watched the girl from his office window as she sat dejectedly on the back steps of his club. She gingerly touched her forehead and as if it hurt too much, quickly yanked her hand away. Suddenly, she bent down and yanked off the stilettos that had almost ended her life and hurled them viciously at the brick wall in front of her. He winced as one bounced off the wall and came back to hit her in the face as if the universe was saying “right back atcha!”. She shrieked with pain and held her hands to her injured face as she cursed a blue streak. “Damn, that had to hurt!”

  Heavy breathing filled his office as Bonnie entered and came to stand next to him. “She still out there? I got her an ice pack for her head. Thank goodness she’s alive! That dumb-ass idiot could have broken her fucking neck! I don’t even want to think about what would happen to us if a minor was found paralyzed or dead in a strip club!”

  “Her driver’s license says she’s twenty-one,” David pointed out mildly. He grunted when Bonnie hit him on the arm with the ice pack and graced him with a scathing look.

  “Cut the bullshit, Davey! That kid’s as legal as I am Janet Jackson. Don’t you even THINK about it-”

  His tone was pure steel as he interrupted her, “Don’t give me orders, Bonnie. In case you’ve forgotten; I OWN THIS BITCH! You work for me, not the other way around. Now get an H.R. packet together for her. I’ll be bringing her back to see you shortly.”

  Bonnie looked from the girl sitting on the steps to her boss. She was years older than him and far more seasoned than these young girls who fluttered their lashes when he came around, but even she couldn’t deny having a soft spot for the tall, brooding Italian. Not in a lustful way, but more as a son. For fifteen volatile years, she’d been his late father’s, mob boss Angelo Rossini, mistress before he suddenly cast her and Forenzo, her son from a previous relationship, aside and put them out of his life with no warning like they were yesterday’s garbage. She was still dusting herself off the curb in shock as he moved her younger replacement in.

  His son David took her in, and for that, she would forever be grateful. She’d helped him with his homework and taken him to the movies and Circus Circus when his father had no time for him and he and Forenzo had become great friends. When he was sick, Bonnie made him her mother’s famous chicken tortellini soup and took him to the doctor. And now, it was his turn to take care of her at his insistence. He bought her a condo and paid all of her expenses. When he decided to open Club Heaven, he hired her to be the Talent Manager, and together, they made a formidable team.

  Now, as she watched him staring at Eliza Carlton, Bonnie was a little worried at the way he looked at young girl. It was almost as if he couldn’t stop, and she didn’t give a fuck if he took care of her or not; she was going to speak her mind.

  “I’ll get the damn paperwork together. But you better be careful, Davey! She’s not worth doing time for,” she warned as she held out the ice pack.

  He said nothing as he took the ice pack from her and left, leaving her to watch and pray that he wasn’t making a mistake.

  ***

  “Who the hell was I kidding, thinking I could do this?” Eliza muttered to herself as she tried to unsuccessfully wipe the dust and scratch marks from the death traps she’d attempted to walk in. Throwing them at the brick wall had done considerable damage to her friend’s favorite shoes, and she could only hope that Paula would forgive her. But dammit, they had almost killed her!

  As Prince’s “Diamonds and Pearls” played in the background, Eliza had taken a deep breath before attempting to walk seductively toward the stripper pole. Unfortunately, she tripped on her own feet and arms flailing, she flew forward and her face hit the pole, blinding her with pain as she fell to the floor. The music stopped, and as she sat there feeling like her head would explode, the room erupted with condescending laughter from other girls waiting to audition. Only when a man’s deep voice boomed “ENOUGH!” did the room go quiet again.

  Burning with humiliation and anger, Eliza got to her feet, grabbed the offending heels, and held her head high as she exited the stage without looking at anyone. She walked back to the same door that she’d used to enter the club and sat down on the stairs as failure seeped into her skin uncomfortably.

  She needed this job! Paula said the owner was a good man and treated all the dancers fairly. He didn’t take a cut of the girls’ money and even provided healthcare benefits. But she’d blown it and would now have to work a couple of jobs to put her plan in motion, which meant her stay in purgatory had just been extended. The thought made her shudder with dread. Ingrid’s latest boyfriend Arthur was a behemoth of a man who seemed unable to take his lecherous eyes off Eliza, causing Ingrid to fly into a rage whenever he complimented her. And to punish Eliza, she would withhold lunch and grocery money from her kids. Not once did it occur to the dumb bitch that he was being inappropriate and predatory toward her child. Thank God for Paula and her generosity.

  Eliza swiped the trickle of blood from her nose and slowly stood up. Her stomach rumbled loudly, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten since last night. She had two dollars in her pocket and that was enough to buy a bag of chips and a soda, but she couldn’t even do that because she had to pay for bus fare. Her life was full of ‘damned if you do’s or don’ts, and she really wished that for once, something good would happen to her.

  “Just once, could things not be so bad,” she whispered, because if she allowed her voice to go higher, it would turn into the never-ending, agonizing scream that unfortunately summed up her life.

  “Well, that depends on how you look at things, Eliza.”

  The voice came from behind her and instantly, she knew it was HIM. Her savior from the hecklers. The man with the beautiful black, wavy hair and expensive suit. His cologne exuded the same thing he did— money and power. As she nervously walked to the stage, he’d sat quietly and watched her like a hawk.

  He walked past her and came to stand tall in front of her, causing her to look up at him. His da
rk brown eyes gave away nothing and his stance was relaxed, but she could sense the war raging within him. This man was fighting an uphill personal battle but was determined not to lose. She knew the feeling, but unlike her, he seemed just a little more in control of his shit. He smiled and Eliza was deeply aware that he was a very attractive man. A fact that made her leery. Good-looking men had no conscience. They were complete sociopaths who relied on their looks and charm to get what they wanted. She knew and had seen it firsthand with her father Russell before he led his wife down the path of destruction and forever turned her into “Ingrid” to her children.

  “Forgive me; we haven’t been properly introduced. My name is David Rossini, and I’d like to make you a job offer you would be a fool to refuse.”

  Eliza looked down at the hand he held out to her. It was large and the nails were trimmed short and clean. No flashy rings adorned his hands nor did he have any fingernails that were longer than others that could be used to snort drugs. There was a very expensive-looking chrome watch on his wrist, but there were no diamonds anywhere.

  She took his hand and immediately pushed his charcoal gray suit sleeve up to expose his arm and flipped it up to examine the inside of it before doing the same to the other arm. He stood still and allowed her to inspect him. No track marks adorned either arm, and Eliza gave a sigh of relief before pushing both sleeves down and grasping his hand tightly.

  “It’s very nice to meet you, Mr. Rossini.” Eliza looked deeply into his eyes and instinctively knew she could trust him. “I would very much like to hear what you have to propose.”

  Up close, he could see that underneath her expertly applied makeup, she was a natural beauty. Her pretty hazel eyes burned with strength and determination. David had sensed Eliza’s revulsion for what she was auditioning for but was resilient in going through with it nonetheless. Not for herself, he guessed but because she’d been left with no other choice. Eliza Carlton was doing what she needed to do in order to accomplish her goal and that filled David Rossini with satisfaction. Loyalty was everything to him, and it seemed Eliza Carlton had it in spades…