1: Moving In
“In other news, Knights Publishing House’s newest author, and daughter of Alfred Knight himself, is facing tons of backlash for publishing under her father's company,” the reporter spoke about the same topic for a year now. “While the book was successful, many claim it’s only due to nepotism. Julissa has yet to comment on the matter, but maybe because there’s some truth behind these accusations.”
Julissa scoffed, turning off the stupid tabloids as she watched for her bags at the airport. She touched ground 15 minutes ago after uprooting her seemingly perfect life in LA. After publishing her novel that made headways, positive and negative; it was time for Julissa to make a name for herself. A name that didn’t involve her father.
Living in New York was the last thing she wanted to do, but her friend promised she had the perfect living arrangement waiting for her. She can write her next hit novel and get published under a pen name to avoid nepotism claims. Despite ignoring the hate, Julissa couldn’t deny how much the public outrage got to her. It was demeaning to the hard work she put into her craft, and it only aided her father’s horrible words that still haunted her.
“Stop it, Julissa,” she muttered to herself. “What’s in L.A has no bearing on you any longer.”
She kept reminding herself that her life back home was long gone. New York was her home now, and she needed to focus. If she kept dwelling on her past troubles, she’d never be able to write her new novel—not how she thought she could.
Luckily, her bags came around the conveyor belt, and soon after, her phone rang with a call from Ava, her best friend. They haven’t seen each other in years, being on the opposite side of the country. It would be refreshing to hang out with an old friend and possibly get accustomed to the life Ava had built for herself.
“Hello! Earth to Julissa! Where are you?” Ava screamed into the phone.
Julissa held the phone at a distance so her eardrums wouldn’t shatter. “I’m coming out the door in a moment,” she assured her friend. “No need to yell.”
“Aren’t you excited? There’s no enthusiasm in your voice,” Ava pestered.
Julissa sighed. “I am; I just saw another video of me getting bashed for simply having a last name.” Her eyes rolled. “It’s not my fault my father wanted to publish me despite having little faith in my talent.”
Ava groaned, uninterested in talking about the past. “Lissa, forget about the press, your dad, and anything else back in California,” she demanded. “You’re in the city, baby, and your new home is awaiting.”
Julissa chuckled, knowing Ava was right. She just gave herself a pep talk and was already slipping into old habits. Everything her father said would be true if she didn’t get out of her funk fast.
As soon as Julissa reached the pickup spot, her eyes fell on her gorgeous friend Ava. Her blond locks were pulled up in that iconic Arianna Grande ponytail swoop. Pink was always her favorite color, and she wasn’t surprised that her outfit had that bright tone.
Julissa thought it was adorable, clutching Ava in her arms. No matter how much time passed, nothing between them had changed.
“Omg!” Ava squeaked, jumping up and down. “My best friend is finally in my city. How dope is that?”
They laughed, and Julissa put her bag in the trunk of Ava’s top-down BMW Roadster. She got it colored pink and drove around like the queen of the roads. The butterfly door design was a bonus.
”Not as dope as this kick-ass car!” Julissa squealed. “Where the hell did you get the money for this?”
Ava laughed, shutting her trunk. “My job is the best,” she gushed. “I do all the social media and brand marketing. Plus, I run my own socials, which got me the job in the first place.”
“That live stream with Derrick Roy left me jealous and a bit horny.” Derrick was a very famous streamer, but despite his hotness, his personality was lacking.
Ava slipped on her sunglasses, pursing her lips. “He’s pretty decent in bed, too.”
Julissa’s mouth fell open, not expecting her to say that. Ava was good at getting guys to sleep with her whenever she wanted. It helped that she was pretty, talented, and could have intellectual conversations nobody expected from her. Don’t be fooled, though. If Ava wanted to sleep with you, consider yourself lucky. She didn’t give it up to just anyone.
“You gotta teach me your ways, you seductress,” Julissa teased.
“Buckle up, baby,” Ava smirked. “I’ll teach you everything you want and more.”
After getting through the traffic, Ava sped her way down the highway with music roaring. Julissa felt alive again in a new place with her best friend. The city smell was something to get used to, but the tall buildings and endless places within walking distance made up for it.
While she couldn’t call it home yet, Julissa knew her time spent in New York wouldn’t be for nothing. The only thing eluding her was the lack of information on her roommate.
Pulling to a red light, Julissa didn’t hesitate to ask. “So, who is this person that’s generous enough to let me crash in their apartment?”
“Hmm, well, let’s just say they’re filthy rich.” Ava avoided any personal details.
It seemed strange to Julissa. If this person knew about her, didn’t she have the right to know about them? “Okay, but I mean personality-wise, or how does this person live? Are they messy or never home, and that’s why they’re okay with this?”
“Well, there’s that,” Ava shifted. “But I think you should wait to see them in person.”
“Now you’re scaring me.”
Ava laughed. “Don’t be scared; he’s a cool guy and my boss.”
“Excuse me, he?”
Julissa was flabbergasted to know her new roommate was a guy—let alone Ava’s boss. It explained why she could pull this off but it put a lot of pressure on Julissa. She didn’t want to risk doing anything obscene that may cost Ava her job. That was easier said than done, considering she had no idea who this man was.
Ava rolled her head. “It’s fine. Everything will be fine,” she assured her. “And if not, you can just come stay with me.”
“And why couldn’t I do that in the first place?” None of this made sense to Julissa.
“Because my place is being renovated, but his place is so much better.” Ava started to drive again. “Trust me, you won’t want to leave once you see it.”
Julissa sighed, the once glamorous city turning bleak. She wanted to have faith that her friend was right. If he lived in one of those skyscraper buildings at every turn, she might love it just as much as Ava is saying. It’s not like she had room to complain. She wasn’t getting charged much for anything. The only thing expected of her was to buy herself food. It was simple enough that even Julissa couldn’t find any reason to argue.
So, pulling up to the building, she saw it was as tall as she had expected. The windows were tinted so you couldn’t see inside, but judging by the bellhop and other front desk workers, it seemed very ritzy. A life Julissa was very much used to. She was a Knight, after all.
“Is this a residence or an office building?” Julissa wondered, staring to see how far up it went.
Ava helped with her bags, leading the way inside. Everyone knew her, waving casually like she’d been here multiple times. “Erm, it’s a mix of both,” she says, her freshly pressed manicure pushing the elevator button. “Your roommate works and lives here.”
Julissa’s brows furrowed. “Huh, I didn’t see a company name out front.”
“That’s because you didn’t look close enough,” Ava laughed. “But never mind, we’re getting to the fun part.”
Ava typed in a few numbers on the keypad of the elevator that went up 14 stories. Once she was done, she didn’t push any numbers, and the elevator proceeded up.
With fainted breath, Julissa ran through every scenario about who this guy could be. It was Ava’s boss, so she knew it had to be somebody important. Why Ava felt the need not to tell her was a mystery, but Julissa was keeping an open mind.
The elevator doors opened, and Julissa’s eyes were in shock. The penthouse was very sleek with its modern decor and simplicity. It was an open concept with beautiful hardwood floors and gigantic windows. Julissa was mesmerized by the view overlooking the entire city.
Ava was right; she didn’t want to leave.
“This is stunning!” She gushed. “Of course, it’s owned by some rich jerk.”
“Hey, my boss is no jerk,” Ava defended him. “He’s very nice and pleasing to the eye.”
Julissa rolled her eyes, flopping down on the couch. “Either way, I could get used to this. Though, it could use some better decor—something a bit more classic.”
Ava sat next to her, flicking on the TV. “It’s a wonder you didn’t become an interior designer.”
“I like decorating my spaces, not other people’s,” Julissa clarified. “Besides, I’ve always been a writer at heart.”
Then, across the TV screen, the new face of The King Publisher, Angel King. He was the newly appointed CEO and a giant amongst publishers here in New York. Essentially, these guys were competition to Julissa’s family, and if her father got a hint of her trying to publish under them, he’d be livid.
She laughed, hearing the spokesperson talk so highly of Angel King. “He’s only 25 years old and already the head of his company. I mean, talk about the sheer talent of this kid if his old man felt he was ready to pass the torch.”
“It’s a feat, but where will he take the company from here? I mean, like you said, he’s young and newly appointed. It’s gotta be a ton of pressure on the kid.”
Julissa groaned. “I can’t believe this guy, the embodiment of nepotism, is getting praised like he’s worked his way up the ladder,” she scoffed. “Meanwhile, I worked hard and got shit for it. It’s so unfair.”
“Complaining about it won’t change anything,” Ava laughed. “And let’s be real, no one’s gonna bring it up because he’s a young, attractive white man.”
Julissa crossed her arms, highlighting her point. “Exactly. Bullshit,” she emphasized. “God, just looking at him pisses me off. I don’t know what I would do if he were my roommate.”
Ava looked to the ground, knowing much more than Julissa. “Well, that’s the thing, Lissa,” Ava cleared her throat. “You see, my boss is actually—“
“Angel King himself.”
Their heads snapped at the sound of that voice, and Julissa nearly fainted.
Angel King stood tall at a distance in his navy blue suit and tie. His hair was dark and wavy, and his eyes were as green as the sea. While Julissa found him extremely attractive, her insides squirming with a foreign heat she hadn’t felt in a while, the idea of sleeping in the same space with a man of his caliber was worrisome. Not only because he was a constant reminder of what she was criticized for but also because if her dad found out, she wouldn’t hear the end of it.
That didn’t stop their eyes from locking, the tension between them growing hotter and hotter.
