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  PROVOKED

  S. DONAHUE

  Booktrope Editions

  Seattle, WA 2015

  COPYRIGHT 2015 SHANNON DONAHUE

  This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.

  Attribution — You must attribute the work in the manner specified by the author or licensor (but not in any way that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the work).

  Noncommercial — You may not use this work for commercial purposes.

  No Derivative Works — You may not alter, transform, or build upon this work.

  Inquiries about additional permissions

  should be directed to: [email protected]

  Cover Design by Robin Harper

  Edited by Kathryn Galan

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to similarly named places or to persons living or deceased is unintentional.

  PRINT ISBN 978-1-5137-0479-1

  EPUB ISBN 978-1-5137-0529-3

  Library of Congress Control Number: 2015916264

  Contents

  COVER

  AUTHOR TITLE PAGE

  TITLE PAGE

  COPYRIGHT

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  DEDICATION

  PROLOGUE October 2005

  Hailey

  CHAPTER 1 Present Day

  Hailey

  CHAPTER 2 Chase

  CHAPTER 3 Chase

  CHAPTER 4 Hailey

  CHAPTER 5 Chase

  CHAPTER 6 Hailey

  CHAPTER 7 Chase

  CHAPTER 8 Hailey

  CHAPTER 9 Chase

  CHAPTER 10 Hailey

  CHAPTER 11 Chase

  CHAPTER 12 Hailey

  CHAPTER 13 Chase

  CHAPTER 14 Hailey

  CHAPTER 15 Chase

  CHAPTER 16 Hailey

  CHAPTER 17 Chase

  CHAPTER 18 Hailey

  CHAPTER 19 Chase

  CHAPTER 20 Parker

  CHAPTER 21 Chase

  CHAPTER 22 Hailey

  CHAPTER 23 Parker

  CHAPTER 24 Hailey

  CHAPTER 25 Parker

  CHAPTER 26 Chase

  CHAPTER 27 Hailey

  CHAPTER 28 Parker

  CHAPTER 29 Chase

  CHAPTER 30 Hailey

  CHAPTER 31 Chase

  CHAPTER 32 Hailey

  CHAPTER 33 Chase

  CHAPTER 34 Hailey

  CHAPTER 35 Chase

  CHAPTER 36 Hailey

  CHAPTER 37 Chase

  CHAPTER 38 Hailey

  CHAPTER 39 Chase

  CHAPTER 40 Hailey

  CHAPTER 41 Chase

  CHAPTER 42 Hailey

  CHAPTER 43 Chase

  EPILOGUE: 3 MONTHS LATER Parker

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  MORE GREAT READS

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  I have so many wonderful people that I need to thank.

  First, I want to thank my husband and son for putting up with me. You have been so wonderful and are my biggest supporters. Thanks for allowing me to follow my dreams. You love me unconditionally, and I love you both with all my heart.

  I want to thank my mother for always having faith in me and for being such a great role model for me to look up to. When the going gets tough, the tough get going! Love you. Thanks to my grandparents for teaching me what being Italian in South Philly is all about. They have always seen the best in me and nothing else; for that I am grateful. I know they are and will always be proud of me. I want to thank my brothers, Tony and Shawn, for always standing by me and sticking up for me. We have a special bond that can never be broken. Special thanks to my entire family: the Paganos, Iannacones, Donahues, Seravallis, and Giordanos (there are so many of you) for standing by me through thick and thin. You always have faith in me and push me to do my best. I love every single one of you.

  Thanks to all my friends for always being by my side forever more—that’s what friends are for. To my work peeps, you are all the best and such great supporters.

  My street team members are the best. Thanks for always pimping me out and spreading the love.

  To my beta readers: You guys are the best. You stick by me no matter what.

  Kelly Sloane, Mayas Sanders, Samantha Wiley, Cecily Bonney, Beth Santucci, Angela Cruz, Jennifer Cassell, Kelly Kline, Stephanie Christensen, Tabitha Charisse, Brianna Jacot, Autumn Oertel, Karen Fischer, Jessica Anhalt.

  To my PA and Book Manager… Oh! my photographer, too—Jessica Anhalt: Thanks for all you do. You have helped me out so much, and I truly appreciate all your hard work. You’re the best!! I am so happy that we have become lifelong friends!!

  I want to thank the Booktrope Staff for accepting me into their family and believing in my book. They are a great bunch of people to work with, and I couldn’t be any happier than I am.

  To my awesome Booktrope Team: It has been such a pleasure working with you. I have picked such an amazing crew. Jessica Anhalt (Book Manager and Project Manager) Robin Harper (Designer), Kathryn Galan (Editor), Lisa Gilliam (Proofreader). Without this team, Provoked would not be possible.

  To the Facebook Community—Authors and Bloggers: Thank you for all your support and for spreading the word.

  Thank you to all my readers. You make my job possible. Without you, I wouldn’t be.

  I dedicate this book to every person who has struggled with a weight issue, whether in your past or present, and to all the children who have to endure bullying and torment because they may be different than others. Never let anyone bring you down. You are beautiful inside and out, and no person should ever get a say in that. You make your own dreams and destiny. Weight doesn’t make a person. Your character does.

  PROLOGUE

  October 2005

  Hailey

  I’VE FELT THE STARES. I’ve heard the whispers. No one can describe how it feels inside unless they’ve lived through it. I’ve battled my weight all my life. When I look in the mirror, I’m disgusted with myself. How could it have gotten to this point? I can’t dress the way the other girls at school do. They have all the trendy clothes, while I have to walk around in anything that fits me. I normally look grungy or unkempt.

  I walk right past my locker because I don’t want to stop at it until the popular clique has moved away. I can’t deal with the torment that they put me through.

  “Oh look, here comes Hailey the Heifer,” Carrie yells from the locker, holding her hand over her mouth and laughing. Paulina and Laney chime in with her. They are my enemies, put on this earth to make my life a living hell. I go through this every day with them. I want to just go up to Carrie, grab her hair, throw her on the ground and beat the shit out of her, but I am a better person. I try to ignore the ridicule, but it hurts inside. I know what I look like. I know what people see, and I know how I feel.

  Carrie is the ringleader. She is your typical skinny cheerleader who has the perfect everything, including her boyfriend. She is dating the most popular guy at school, Chase O’Brien. He is the captain of the lacrosse team. They have been together for a while now. He is very nice, so I’m not sure what he sees in her besides looks.

  As I walk by, I hear him ask, “Why don’t you just leave her alone?” I’m actually shocked at the sudden outburst.

  “Why are you sticking up for the cow?” Carrie responds.

  “She didn’t do anything to you,” Chase argues.

  “Go with her then,” she yells.

  “Car, sometimes you can be such a bitch,” Chase says, slamming his locker and walking away.

  I’m honored he stuck up for me, but, as far as I’m concerned, they are a clique that
sticks together. You are the company you keep, especially when that person is your girlfriend.

  One day I will overcome these barriers and be better than they are. I may never be a supermodel, but I, Hailey McCormick, will show all of them. I will no longer be a skinny girl living in a fat girl’s body. I will no longer be bullied because of my differences. I will succeed.

  CHAPTER 1

  Present Day

  Hailey

  I PUSH SALAD AROUND my plate as I sit with my latest potential client. I decided to take her to lunch to hear her reasons as to why she thinks I should sign her to my publishing company. I already know that I want to bring her on, but I want to get to know her a little better. I feel it’s best to meet with a writer in person, just to see their actions and reactions.

  As I listen to her talk, I am tormented by the sight of her cheeseburger and French fries. They look so good, but I can’t allow myself to eat that way any longer. I changed my eating habits a long time ago.

  After questioning her for an hour, I reach out my hand to her.

  “Welcome to McCormick Publishing. I’m delighted to have you sign on with us.” I can see the excitement on her face. This is a big deal for most authors. I have so many writers trying to get into my company that I can be very selective when it comes to my decision.

  “This is an honor, Mrs. McCormick.”

  “It’s ‘Miss,’ but thank you. I will assign someone to start working with you right away.”

  “Oh wow, thank you,” the new client shrieks. I love seeing people’s happy faces. I started this company because of my love of reading and writing. I have a few romance novels that I published last year¸ so to see other people live out their dreams is the sole purpose of my business.

  I pay the bill when the waiter brings it over, and we go our separate ways. I head back to my office where I have a lot of paperwork to tend to. The temperature has dropped tremendously. January is very cold in New York. I’m just happy that the snow hasn’t hit us yet. I’m still able to get around on foot.

  My business is located in a high-rise in the city. I jump on the elevator along with all the other business gurus who are also just finishing up their lunches. I try not to pay attention to the conversations that occur in elevators, but sometimes it’s just too funny not to listen in. I’m still laughing to myself as I exit on the seventeenth floor. My secretary, Melanie, has my messages all ready for me; I stop by to chat with her before entering my office.

  “Did the guy come to fix the sign yet?” I ask as I flip through the call-back notes.

  “No. Maintenance said they’re behind.”

  “Ugh, they are useless. Okay, let me know what they say. If they’re not here by tomorrow, then we need to stalk them.”

  “Here’s your mail, too,” Melanie says, handing me a huge pile. “They dropped it off late today.”

  “Damn, I know what I’ll be doing today. Manuscripts out the ass are in this pile. Hold my calls and take messages.”

  “Will do,” she says.

  I have the best secretary around. She is like my right-hand woman. She gets me through a lot of crap that I have to deal with running my own business. I have a team of people who have different responsibilities, but she is just on-point with everything. She keeps me organized.

  The refrigerator in my office is stocked with Diet Pepsi and water. If I feel like something sweet, I grab a soda… no calories. I toss the mail on my desk and open my blinds. I love overlooking Central Park.

  Can I get any more pathetic than I am? I am lonely and act like it doesn’t bother me. I think I just probably need to get laid, like my best friend Erica tells me repeatedly. I look down out of the window. Could “the one” be out there for me? I doubt it. The problem is that none of these so-called hot bachelors who act like little boys do anything for me. I need a man… Someone who is going to rock my world but give me everything else that I need, as well. That may happen when pigs fly. Until then, I will sit down at my desk, review my manuscripts, and open my mail.

  I start tossing into the junk pile. Oh, here’s a good one! Ten percent off of lingerie at Victoria’s Secret. Junk… Oooo, an invitation. I just love them. If I have to go to another wedding solo, though, I may just scream at the top of my lungs.

  Who the hell is this Marcy Cunningham on the return address? I open the envelope and pull out the invitation.

  You are cordially invited to the St. Cecilia High School Ten Year Reunion.

  Oohhh, I get to bring a spouse, assuming that I have one… Freaks. Why did they send it here? My parents still live at the same house I grew up in. Anyway, I’ll probably be declining this invite… Junk.

  I toss it. I hated high school so much. It was a breeding ground for assholes. I wonder what the hell all those bitches are up to who made my life a living hell. They probably all have perfect rah-rah-cheerleading-type happy lives.

  I’m not complaining actually. I made the life that I wanted for myself. I ended up losing eighty-five pounds, which was a very big accomplishment for me. I have my own business. What more can I ask for?

  That’s when Chase O’Brien pops into my head. I shake it off and grab a Diet Pepsi… Moving on.

  CHAPTER 2

  Chase

  MY FRUSTRATION LEVEL is extremely high right now. I had to come to the gym and work it out. I have my iPhone on blast to Jay Z’s “99 Problems” blaring through my earphones. That’s the kind of mood I’m in. I deserve this, because I put myself in these situations by dating bitches. One after another, I end up with another bitch who wants to play games then act controlling.

  I thought Megan was different than the rest. We have been together for two years. That’s usually a good sign… right? Not in my life. I was going to ask her to move in with me. That’s a big step for me and would have probably been the biggest mistake of my life. She was practically at my house every day anyway, so it seemed like the normal thing to do, the next step in our relationship.

  The past few weeks she has been acting weird. I asked her what was wrong, but she would just say, “Nothing.” I wasn’t going to force her to tell me. I let it go.

  This morning, I got a call from my sister Tara who was screaming that she was going to kick Megan’s ass. She is a few years younger, but she knows all the same people I do. I was taken aback, obviously, because she was talking about my girlfriend. I calmly asked her what was wrong. My sister never liked Megan to begin with, so I wasn’t surprised by the madness.

  “Tar, what’s going on?” I asked again.

  “You’ll never believe what Heather called and told me,” she yelled into the phone. She continued without waiting for me to respond. “She went to the bar with Jimmy last night, and Megan was in there with some guy. They are obviously a fucking couple or really close. He had his hand on her thigh, and they were shoving their tongues down each other’s throat every chance they got. Heather said she couldn’t watch any longer, so she left. She was debating on whether or not to tell me. She’s my best friend, though, so she felt she had to let me know.”

  “Are you fucking joking? You better be, because Megan told me she had a migraine last night and was staying in bed,” I yelled back.

  “Chase, why would I lie? She’s a fucking pig, and yeah, she was in bed all night, but it was with that guy.”

  “Tar, I gotta go.” I slammed my phone on the kitchen counter, not caring if I cracked it on the granite top. I paced the kitchen. I didn’t want to accuse her, but I needed her to confess.

  Fuck it, I don’t care. I’m confronting her.

  I dialed her number. She picked up groggily. It was ten a.m. Why is she still sleeping? That’s definitely not like her.

  “Still have a headache?” I asked with an attitude. “You must, if you’re still sleeping.”

  “What’s your problem?” she asked, probably rolling her eyes. I was picturing it in my head.

  “Listen, I’m gonna get to the point. I know about your boyfriend. You might as well just come ou
t with it,” I said, throwing it out there.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she replied, denying it.

  I could definitely hear a guy whispering in the background. I sat there, not saying anything.

  “Obviously you’re upset. We can talk about this later,” she said, acting very strangely.

  “Megan, we’re through. I’m fucking done with you. Let me know when you’re getting your shit out of my house. Have fun with your new man. I hope he treats you as good as I did,” I yelled into the phone. I felt like I needed anger management. I’m normally calm, but this mess just caught me by surprise.

  I hung up on her as she was yelling for me to wait. I left the house and here I am… at the gym.

  Normally I bench press 110 pounds; today I’m pushing it to 130, and I’m blocking out all the guys I normally hang out with in here. My best friend Parker is across the room on another weight bench. He starts walking toward me so I stop my reps, sit up and grab my water bottle. I pull my earphones out.

  “Dude, what’s up?” he says, looking me up and down. “I called you an hour ago. You look crazy.”