Capricorn - Mr. Ambition: The 12 Signs of Love (The Zodiac Lovers Series) Read online

  CAPRICORN

  Mr. Ambition

  THE TWELVE SIGNS OF LOVE

  (The Zodiac Lovers Series)

  Written by Tiana Laveen

  Edited by Natalie Owens

  Cover by Travis Pennington

  BOOK 1: Capricorn – Mr. Ambition

  BOOK 2: Aquarius – Mr. Humanitarian

  BOOK 3: Pisces – Mr. Imagination

  BOOK 4: Aries – Mr. Adventure

  BOOK 5: Taurus – Mr. Persistent

  BOOK 6: Gemini – Mr. Versatile

  BOOK 7: Cancer – Mr. Intuitive

  BOOK 8: Leo – Mr. Boss

  BOOK 9: Virgo – Mr. Intelligent

  BOOK 10: Libra – Mr. Romantic

  BOOK 11: Scorpio – Mr. Magnetic

  BOOK 12: Sagittarius – Mr. Philosophical

  Welcome to the “Zodiac Lovers Series” –

  The 12 Signs of Love.

  This is a series which features a hunky hero for each zodiac sign of the year!

  All novels in this series are standalone, so you can purchase any or all of them as you wish, without missing a beat. Each Hero embodies typical characteristics of their zodiac sign, but please bear in mind, this is simply for fun and not intended to mean that men of any sign mentioned will act as described. Each unique tale chronicles the life of the hero and heroine’s quest for love and romance.

  Some of the heroes are serious and brooding, others capricious and fun-loving. Some of the tales will feel like a modern-day fairytale while others will take a more serious tone. Some of these stories may lie somewhere in between.

  This series is written from the heart.

  Enjoy!

  COPYRIGHT

  Copyright © 2018 by Tiana Laveen

  Kindle Edition

  All rights reserved.

  Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 (five) years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

  Names, characters and incidents depicted in this book are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or the publisher.

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. PIRACY IS AGAINST THE LAW.

  IN OTHER WORDS: If you do any of the above, the karma bus is waiting for you. If you steal this author’s work and illegally loan and/or share it, request illegal/free copies online and/or in printed version, you are no better than a burglar that breaks into someone’s house while you think they are away. You are a criminal. A thief. A cheat. You don’t work for free, so why should authors?!

  WE WORK HARD. SHOW SOME APPRECIATION.

  BLURB

  Chancellor Hartmann has no time for fun and games.

  He is the CEO of “Fountain Lite,” a successful company offering special lighting appliances for pools and irrigation systems. Chancellor wakes up at 4:05 a.m. every morning, goes out for his daybreak jog, then gets ready and drives to work with nothing but business on his mind. The employees fear his no-nonsense approach. His callous way of cutting to the chase, and his failure to mince words have given him quite the reputation. When he leaves his office, often in the wee hours of the morning, he returns to an empty house.

  Women are delightful creatures to regard from afar, and for short periods of time…

  Chancellor garners female attention wherever he goes with his distinguished looks and sex appeal. Yet, his aloofness keeps them at arm’s length, sending a message to any potential lover not to get attached for he has no qualms whatsoever about breaking hearts. Nothing steers him from this path tailored around a vigorous schedule. That is, nothing until Bailey Hawthorn moves into his neighborhood…

  Bailey is a hands-on type of woman with an infectious laugh and magnetic personality. Her interesting career gives her a touch of whimsy, but she also carries a wisdom about her that exceeds her age. After a chance meeting, Chancellor learns that Bailey is not only drop dead gorgeous, but also single. Though he hates to admit it, she is now on his radar, and his thoughts are consumed with her. For one, she has him truly pegged, down to the bare bones, and this fascinates him. The once most eligible bachelor of the block is now faced with a life test he’s never encountered before.

  The challenge? Living by the seat of his pants, facing the hard truth, experiencing fun and adventure.

  Chancellor has fallen head over heels for his polar opposite, but can he hold on to her, face unexpected crises, and pass the test of true love? Will he be able to release his stifling dogma and let go of the rules and regulations that have slowed him down once and for all?

  Read “Mr. Ambition – Capricorn” to find out!

  WARNING

  Please bear in mind that each book in this series is adult in nature and includes:

  Profanity – Sometimes gratuitous, depending on the characters/specific book in the series.

  Explicit intimate encounters – This is consistent in all 12 novels of this series.

  Adult topics and situations – This could be anything from drug abuse to mental illness, disease, etc.

  If you are offended or triggered by any of the abovementioned, please consider this before moving forward.

  Thank You.

  DEDICATION

  This book is dedicated to those who lack ambition, and those who’ve overdosed on it. It is for those who have worked hard to get where they are, people who show a wall of strength during adversity but still crave a shoulder to cry on in the dark.

  All work and no play makes for … well … you know the rest.

  So, relax and read a book.

  You’ve earned it.

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Title Page

  Copyright

  About this Book

  Warning

  Dedication

  Letter to the Reader

  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

  About the Author

  LETTER TO THE READER

  To my Laveen Queens and Kings, welcome. If you’ve been rocking with me for a while now, then there are no words to express my gratitude. To any new readers who happen upon this book—welcome, and thank you for going on this journey with me. All right, so as to the question that many will ask: why did you create this series, Tiana? Since a very early age, I have nurtured an interest in the field of astrology. It wasn’t something I relied upon necessarily, but I was intrigued by it, especially if a specific forecast rang true. Regardless of any one’s personal beliefs, astrology can at least be considered an interesting study. Some believe it to be total nonsense. Others believe there may be some credibility, but it is still rather farfetched. Yet others believe that the entire subject is evil while some tend to take it quite seriously and consider it no laughing matter. Whateve
r one’s beliefs, please suspend them for the reading of this romance series.

  None of the books in this series are about conjecturing, prophecy, predictions etc. They are merely avenues, or tools, if you will, to view the astrological sign as a gateway into a particular character. This is used to highlight a few key characteristics, be they good, bad, or indifferent, about all 12 zodiac signs from a male perspective.

  I am an author who writes lengthy books by default. You would be hard-pressed to find over 10% of my portfolio that does not hit the 100k+ word mark. With that being said, I wanted this series to be full-bodied, but not overwhelming. I wanted to write love stories that unfold in a timely manner, something a reader could knock out in a day or two, but not be explored so fleetingly that the reader misses my signature character and story development. I prefer to write extensive novels because I am practically addicted to the human mind – the psychology behind a character. Why did he say that? Why did she do that? How did this happen? Who were their parents? And so on and so forth.

  This kind of in-depth exploration takes time, which equals a longer page count. Longer does not always equate to better, however, and in my personal writing journey this series has been inside my mind for quite some time and needed to come out. I wanted the series to be standalone, meaning if a reader only wished to read Pisces, Cancer and Libra, they could do so without missing key components. In fact, my “Raven Maxim” series is similar – no book is contingent upon the other, though the stories take place in the same town. That series is ongoing and may never end, because I have given myself permission, as an author, to fully explore the characters, the city etc., and not worry about readers waiting a long time for a conclusion due to a succession of cliffhangers. Series are mostly either loved or hated, but standalone books in a series, to me, merge the best of both worlds. In the Zodiac series, the link that binds the books is that you, the reader, are looking at the hero’s astrological sign. But there is so much more to these men, these exciting heroes, than this.

  These guys are all different, from all walks of life. They tell their tale in the manner that they see fit. Some are entertaining, others inspiring.

  In this 12-part series, you will meet 12 men and their love interests.

  12 signs…

  12 different minds…

  12 lifetimes…

  You will sit back and watch the magic unfold.

  Please get comfortable, grab your favorite beverage, and enjoy the, “Zodiac Lover Series – The Twelve Signs of Love.”

  It is a gift from me to you…

  Tiana Laveen

  CHAPTER ONE

  Something Beautiful This Way Comes…

  Paul McCartney’s, “Maybe I’m Amazed” played through the speakers of Chancellor’s white Tesla Model S P100D. He leaned forward to see the time on his dashboard with tired eyes, allowing his sunglasses to slide down the bridge of his nose. Muttering under his breath, he leaned to the side, stretched his legs, and suffered through the bumper to bumper traffic along I-43 due to an overturned truck a few miles ahead.

  “Why do people always have to stop and stare? Rubbernecking… Come the hell on!” he yelled, banging on his steering wheel with a heavy fist. A series of car honks from nearby cars played an angry tune, melding with his own misery as others voiced their distress. Slowly moving along, inch by inch, things began to pick up. The traffic jam finally broke like a case of bad flu. He sighed with relief, albeit his elation was short-lived.

  “Damn it, I totally forgot about that!” The neighborhood HOA meeting had completely slipped his mind. He glanced at the time once again. 7:12 P.M.

  The meeting was scheduled for 7:30 P.M. and he’d promised the president, Earl Mendes, a retired fellow with a penchant for making even the most corrupt minds feel guilt, that he’d attend this one. Pulling into his quiet Fox Point suburb on N Club Circle, he made his way to his three-story Tudor style brick home. He’d had the sleek interior of the place renovated to fit his tastes, paying attention to details many would miss. He prided himself on having a traditional, lovely home on the outside, but the inside was a black granite, marble, and stainless steel modern paradise.

  After pulling into the large three-car garage, he slowly closed his eyes, his muscles tight and his brain moving a mile a second. On a long exhale, he mustered the strength to grab his briefcase and laptop, and enter his dwelling.

  He hung his coat in the mudroom, next to a bust statue of Abraham Lincoln that sat by a collection of rare political novels, then made his way into his vast kitchen, his dress shoes clicking on the hardwood flooring. The air smelled sweet with the scent of ripe oranges he’d placed in an antique bowl purchased during one of his trips to Bolivia. He picked up a small remote and was immediately met with the sounds of his refrigerator. The small television embedded inside of the stainless-steel appliance began to blink and then switched on to the evening news.

  He took pride in his place. Sterile it may be, but it reeked of quality and state-of-the-art sleekness. White, silver and black featured in every room. To him, it felt like a clean slate and cultivated his desire to accomplish many things in each twenty-four-hour period. He was an early riser, and was slow to return home, maybe one of the lucky few who honestly enjoyed their job and relished going to work every day. Chancellor pulled out a cold bottle of Heineken from the refrigerator and downed it as if money had been bet and a timer clicked.

  He made his way up the winding staircase to his bedroom to get out of his black suit, tangerine tie, black dress socks and white shirt. Placing the articles of clothing inside his dry-cleaning basket, he went to his enormous walk-in closet and picked out a pair of neatly folded dark denim Levi’s from a shelf. After pulling the jeans over his white boxers, he grabbed a burgundy sweater with the words ‘WISCONSIN’S BEST’ printed on the front and slid it over his neatly coifed, dark brown hair. Grabbing an old but resourceful pair of navy blue Nikes—which he credited for winning his first marathon years earlier—and a pair of thick white crew socks, he went to sit at the foot of the neatly made bed. He glanced at the clock in his bedroom while he put on his socks and running shoes, noting the time: 7:27 P.M.

  In the bathroom, he combed his hair, brushed his teeth, swished some mouthwash, and headed back downstairs. He pulled his jacket on and went outside, down his driveway and onto the sidewalk. Walking in the brisk air was rather invigorating, though he couldn’t help but think about business matters as he made the short trek to the neighbors’ home, that of Deloris Porte and her husband, who were hosting this particular meeting.

  The 15 AMP weatherproof outlet is being sold at Home Depot, but the sales went down. We need to introduce the new merchandise with the automatic shutoff valve…

  His brain raced until something struck him as he passed the vacant Berry residence. He noticed that the ‘For Sale’ sign, which had been up for over eight months, was gone.

  They sold it, huh? I wonder what was the final asking price. I wouldn’t have given more than 300k for that thing. It needs some serious work.

  Shoving the thought out of his mind, he went on down the way to the Portes’ family home. He rang the doorbell.

  “Hi, Chancellor!” Deloris stood there with her fuzzy salt and pepper hair, a face full of freckles, and her periwinkle blue smock on.

  “Hi, Deloris. Sorry I’m a little late.” He offered a forced smile, while in his mind he envisioned himself back in the comfort of his own home.

  Let’s just get this over and done with…

  “Ohhh, you’re not that late! Come right on in. We haven’t even gotten started actually. Oh, let me take your coat.”

  “Thank you.” Slipping off his coat, he made his way into the living room, immediately taking in the scent of fresh baked gingerbread and cinnamon. He loved the smell of cinnamon. His mother, a woman born and raised in Persia who’d moved to Wisconsin as a child, was partial to it and would sprinkle it in practically every dessert recipe she made. His German father didn’t have much u
se for it; he blamed it on his dislike of sweets.

  “Hello,” he greeted everybody as he took an empty seat by Mr. Miller, a widower known to be obsessed with the care of other peoples’ lawns.

  “All right, everyone,” Deloris stated in her typical cheery voice. “Earl is running late, so I’m going to start the meeting. We need to discuss budget, volunteer crossing guards, the neighborhood watch, dues, and the recent coyote sightings.” Chancellor hid a yawn by burying his face into the crook of his elbow. As people chattered away around him, he zoned out, drowning in thoughts about the video conferences scheduled at work tomorrow, how grateful he was that the last snow had finally melted, and curious about whether his Amazon Prime account covered 1-day shipping for his mother’s birthday gift. The latter had slipped his mind until he’d inhaled the cinnamon.

  I’ll send her a necklace. Perhaps pearls… No, she hates pearls. She likes gold. I’m sure they have a nice gold number available. Is it even appropriate to send real jewels from Amazon? Is that tacky? Maybe I should call my sister and ask her opinion…

  “Mr. Hartmann might know,” he heard someone say. “Chancellor!”

  He turned his attention to Roy, a guy originally from California who’d moved to Wisconsin after his company went belly up. “Do you know if the Winburn Company still sells those cheap replacement dryer hoses? I remember they were a good price.”

  “Uh, yes, I’m sure they still do.” He shifted in his seat, determined to play the role of attentive neighbor, despite the fact he could barely focus.

  “Thank you. I don’t know if it got damaged after the move, but my dryer hose was all banged up and doesn’t work now, and I would rather get a replacement for a cheaper price then overpay, especially since I have some repairs to the ceiling and master bathroom to take care of.”