Chrysalis: The Box Set (A Steamy Romance): The Complete Story of Brie's Journey in One Volume! Read online

  CHRYSALIS: THE BOX SET

  (A Steamy Romance)

  The Complete Story of Brie’s Journey

  In A Single Volume

  By

  Mia Moore

  About This Book

  A young woman with nothing to lose escapes her dreary marriage and her dead end life for New York City.

  By a stroke of lucks she is taken in by a Fairy Godfather. Chris doesn’t think Brie’s fat; he finds her voluptuous. Chris doesn’t think Brie’s stupid; he sees a hungry student. Chris doesn’t think Brie’s a loser; he sees a diamond in the rough.

  Too damn bad he’s so much older than her… too damn bad he’s gay.

  But all is far from lost! His cousin, Claire Bader, just might have a position for Brie. She and her bawdy husband Alex know a lot of positions! Brie just might fit in. Petite and polished Claire is enchanted with Brie’s luscious curves and wide eyed lack of pretension. Brie’s a wholesome blank slate, the perfect protégé for the older and sophisticated Claire.

  In so many delicious ways!

  Bewildered and grateful for her good fortune, Brie blossoms under Claire’s tutelage. She enrolls in Columbia University and has a dream! She also experiences fleshly pleasures she never imagined!

  Except… things don’t go according to plan. A series of devastating events leave her in worse shape than ever. She never should have left Mumsford. Who is she kidding? She’s a fat, disgusting, ignorant loser after all.

  Or is she?

  A Note From The Author:

  In this novel, my characters don’t always indulge in safe sex. Please, in your real life playing, play often and play safe!

  Love,

  Mia Moore

  Published by Mia Moore

  Copyright 2015, Mia Moore

  ISBN: 978-1-927984-68-0

  License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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  Table of Contents

  About This Book and Author’s Note

  Chrysalis Book 1: Escaping Brie

  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

  Chrysalis Book 2 Becoming Brie

  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

  Chrysalis Book 3: Redeeming Brie

  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

  Mia’s Readers Club!

  Chrysalis Book 1: Escaping Brie

  Chapter 1

  Like a heroin addict needs a fix, Brie Morely craved anonymity at any cost. She’d have been comfortable blending into the background, a wallflower, at her high school’s dances, if she’d dared to go at all. If there was a safer camouflage than living a life of conventionality, she would have dove headfirst into its shroud.

  On March 23rd, a day like any other in Munsford Ohio, Brie’s carapace is about to be shattered—not crushed under a heavy boot but totally eradicated, leaving her naked and vulnerable.

  A journey begins with the first step.

  ****

  Brie glanced at the gray canopy of cloud overhead and clutched the collar of her coat tight to her chin. Her sensible winter boots flapped the sidewalk faster when the first icy pellets of sleet hit her face. Two more blocks and she’d be at the apartment. She jumped back from the curb at the angry blare of a horn. The driver of the jeep, eyes narrow and mouth working overtime, spewing soundless curses, wheeled the vehicle by her, flinging up slush onto her wool coat.

  She gulped and with a quick dart of her eyes, right and left, scurried across the street. The strap of the canvas shopping bag slipped from her shoulder and the contents, a can of refried beans, hamburger and taco shells, banged against her knee. Darn. The shells were now probably broken and Rob was sure to have something to say about THAT.

  For the past six months, ever since he’d lost all that weight, that was all he ever did--a non-stop barrage of sarcasm. Well, even if the taco shells were broken, at least it was a low calorie meal. He should like that. Her breath plumed through flared nostrils, heart thumping fast as she finished the last stretch of the race home. That was another thing…His insistence that she walk instead of taking the bus to work. She’d been doing it since New Year’s and had only lost three pounds. It’d take more than walking ten blocks a day to lose weight.

  Maybe if they’d had the money, SHE could have joined the fancy gym where he worked. But the money wasn’t it, not really. For some reason, he didn’t want her there. She pulled the heavy glass door of the apartment building open and fished in her pocket for the key. The bag slipped off her shoulder, landing on the dirty, tiled floor with a bang.

  When she was inside she glanced at the elevator and sighed. Still not fixed. Four floors to lug the groceries after doing a six hour shift. She sniffed, and her hand flew to her throat wincing at the raw pain when she swallowed. She trudged up the stairs, pausing after the second set to catch her breath. Thank goodness the store hadn’t been busy and they’d let her leave a couple hours early.

  Despite the heat of the building and her warm coat, she was freezing. A hot bath and some aspirin would probably make her feel better. She still had a few hours till Rob’d be home. Plenty of time to fix dinner, although tacos were the last thing she needed tonight.

  At the door to their apartment, she heel toed her heavy wet boots off and left them on the rubber mat. She paused before slipping the key into the lock when she heard the noise from inside. What the heck? Was it a radiator pipe that had got loose somehow and was banging against the wall? That’d be great all right. The landlord would take forever to fix it.

  She stepped inside and her eyes gaped wide. In the
hallway a pair of women’s boots leaned against the wall--knee high, with four inch spiked heels. Further down the hallway Rob’s boots were spread as if he’d kicked them off.

  Holding her breath, she eased into the living room only to find a plum colored leather jacket draped over the arm of the sofa. The knocking sound started up again, and now soft voices could be heard from the bedroom.

  She froze, her body numb, barely breathing. Oh my God. He was in their bedroom with some woman. Tears formed behind her eyes, hot as any acid bath as she sucked her lower lip between her teeth. She had to get out of there! It might not be too late. If he didn’t know she knew, they could pretend this hadn’t happened. Oh so stupid….She wasn’t supposed to BE here.

  Her stockinged foot, soft on the carpet behind her, sunk down when she stepped back. The pounding of the headboard on the wall became faster and the moans louder. Another step. Oh God! How could he! Tears rolled down her cheeks and she sniffed. At the cry of lust, a woman’s voice, Brie stumbled and her elbow slammed into the wall.

  “Oh fuck.” Rob’s voice and the rustle of bed covers.

  She swirled and her foot nudged the sexy high boots, knocking them over. Her hand gripped the doorknob…

  “What are YOU doing here? You’re supposed to be at work!”

  She gulped, unaware of the rawness in her throat, unaware of anything in her body. She was empty. When she turned to face him, his dark eyes were slits under the coma of hair that had fallen against his forehead. The corner of his mouth was pulled tight in that sneer she’d come to dread.

  He didn’t even bother to cover his nakedness, leaning his beefy shoulder on the doorframe of their bedroom. Her lower lip trembled and a drool of snot threatened to leave her nostril.

  “Well?” His voice was accusing, as if this was her fault.

  “Are you shitting me? She’s here? I finally get to meet Old Cheddar?” The woman’s voice was followed by her face, the sculpted cheekbone nuzzled against Rob’s bicep.

  Brie’s face flushed scarlet and she swiped the tears from her eyes. From the looks of the woman’s lean body, it was probably someone he’d met at the gym. Suddenly, her body felt heavy and foolishly fat.

  “Yup, that’s her.” He turned his head and smiled down. The casual familiarity of his hand cupping her waist and pulling her tight spoke volumes.

  She grinned up at him and tweaked his cheek. “No wonder you hit on me. She doesn’t deserve you.” She turned and walked back into the bedroom. “I’m going to split and let you deal with Cheddar.”

  Brie’s chest was tight and her heart pounded inside like a hammer drill. Oh my God. Was this it? Was she going to have a heart attack?

  Rob rolled his eyes. “Janice wait.” He turned to his wife and snarled. “What the fuck you lookin’ at, bitch? Make yourself useful and put the groceries away. You can start dinner while you’re at it.” He stepped through the bedroom doorway and slammed the door.

  Muted voices from the bedroom wafted in the air as she stood there, her face now blanched of color. Dinner? He expected her to cook dinner while he carried on with some woman in their bedroom. It was the ultimate degradation—no guilt or acknowledgement of her feelings. She was a non-person, deserving no more consideration than an insect.

  Her feet moved of their own accord through the apartment, and her hands trembled as she set the groceries on the counter, and slipped the porcelain figurine her Granny had given her, in her pocket. She looked around at the life she and Rob had built in the three years they’d been married—the second hand over stuffed sofa, the TV, an old monstrosity but reliable, and the pine coffee table. She felt nothing.

  She grabbed her wallet from the shopping bag, checked it to make sure her bank and credit card were there, and slipped silently out the apartment door. As she closed it, a high pitched squeal and laughter from the bedroom was her only goodbye.

  The tears stopped when she stepped out of the building and plodded down the sidewalk. Her eyes never left the cold pavement as she aimlessly wandered the familiar streets. Still, she felt nothing, an empty husk that had never been much to start with.

  She sighed. Was this what it all boiled down to? She’d never expected much from life, and had never asked for anything beyond food in her belly, a warm place to live and a guy who cared about her. When the factory shut down and moved to Mexico, they’d both found other jobs…not as well paid but still steady work. His job at the gym had been the beginning of the end for them.

  Was that why she felt so empty, so nothing? Any sort of love she’d ever felt for him had eroded under the constant abrasion of his words. It had taken only six months. Could there have been much love to start with?

  She paused in the middle of the trestle bridge. White knuckles showed in her hands gripping the rusty railing as she watched the swollen grey water flowing below. If she climbed over and jumped, who would even care? Certainly not her parents. They’d been only too happy to see her married off and out of their house. Her brother had the good sense to escape when he turned sixteen and hadn’t been heard from since. She snorted, “Small wonder.”

  And Rob? He’d probably jump for joy to free of her. Oh God. It’d been two years since they bought the insurance policy. If she jumped, even if they could prove suicide, he’d be able to collect the money. Her chin lifted and she watched the dark clouds scuttle across the drab sky. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of cashing in on her death. No way.

  A flutter of movement to her left broke the trance of her thoughts. A white pigeon landed on the railing about five feet away and turned to watch her. The movements of its head were quick as first one dark eye and then the other, seemed to watch her with puzzlement.

  For a moment, her breath hitched in her throat gazing at the snowy bird. Was this a sign? The fact that it was white and had landed so close…Oh my God, it was walking towards her, stopping about two feet away. Still, it watched her with its ebony eyes. It flapped its wings, spreading them wide while its feet adjusted their foothold, beak splitting sideways to reveal the pale pink of its tongue.

  It became airborne, caught in the winter wind. She watched until it became a speck in the air and then turned away. A white feather lay on her brown, leather boot. She bent and plucked it up, holding it before her eyes for a moment before tucking it into her pocket.

  Her feet moved with more purpose as she walked across the bridge. In the distance, the yellow light of the bus terminal flashed like a beacon, beckoning her to its door— a lighthouse on a stormy sea.

  Chapter 2

  There were plenty of empty seats on the bus and she scrambled into one about half way back that was fully unoccupied. With fingers shaking just a little, she unbuttoned her coat and stared out the window. Her heart beat faster and a small smile dared to play in the corners of her lips. New York City! The first time she’d ever been out of the small town and it had to be The Big Apple. Brie, you’re either a fool or you’re still in a state of shock.

  The whoosh of the bus’s air breaks sounded and with a small lurch pushed her back into the seat. She was on her way. Her eyes widened and she bent at the waist to push her boots off. She held them up, leaning over the aisle and with a three thuds knocked the heels against each other.

  She whispered, “Good riddance.” It wasn’t dust or dirt that fell from the worn leather, just droplets of water. It’d have to do.

  She slipped her feet back into the boots and her hand slipped into the deep coat pocket. There, under the glass figurine and feather was all the cash that she and Rob had saved, plus a bit of advance on the credit card. It wasn’t much, only six hundred and ten dollars, after buying the bus ticket. Still, it would do for a while if she was careful.

  Her fingers closed around the android phone and she held it in her before her. It’d be really late by the time she got there. Her eyebrows knitted as she recalled what a fellow co-worker had mentioned at one of the lunch breaks together. She’d been bragging how much money she’d saved when she vis
ited Chicago and stayed at some people’s home, renting a room for a few nights. There had to be something similar in New York.

  She booted up the wifi app and typed in a few search terms for this kind of rental. After a few moments a few sites popped up. She clicked on the first one and breathed a sigh of relief. A few homes with pictures of their rooms available filled the screen. They looked decent enough and the price was right.

  Reading through the listings she found one that looked good. The owner specified they were looking for female university students—no men. That sounded safe enough. She wouldn’t have to worry about being raped by a fellow traveler or anything. She read a few glowing reviews and then hit the contact link, finishing with a query about availability for that night.

  She leaned her head back on the worn headrest of the seat and closed her eyes. The motion of the bus and the head cold were making her dizzy. Was this really happening? It was almost as if another person had bought the ticket and used the cell phone. Everything had a surreal quality about it.

  When the phone buzzed, she opened her eyes and stared at the small screen. So soon! She read the email, and her breath caught in her chest. Slowly she exhaled. Yes! She had a place to stay for the night and maybe for a few nights if it was decent and close to places she could apply for work.

  The last line of the email caused her eyes to dart to the window and back again. Credit card? Of course it made sense they’d want a credit card but she really didn’t want to use it. But Rob probably didn’t know she was gone, hadn’t checked the bank account yet. For sure he’d cancel the card and be ripping mad when he saw what she’d done.

  She took a deep breath and composed a reply, fishing the card out of her pocket and typing the numbers in. Please. She crossed her fingers and then typed in the request to pay in cash.

  It seemed like a long time before the phone buzzed with a reply. Her hands shook as she held the screen before her eyes. Thank God.

  She coughed and her hand flew up to her throat at the piercing pain there. She winced, swallowing hard and her eyes closed, laying her head back once more on the back of the seat. If she could only sleep, maybe when she got there she’d feel better.