Page 3 of Bully Billionaire Dragon

“Aw, is fatty going to cry?”

I can’t even look at TJ as I run back to the beach house, sobs wracking my body. The boy I thought I loved was truly a monster. He not only threw me into the ocean but called me fat. There is no coming back from this.

The worst part of all of this is that I trusted TJ. I thought he would be impressed by my bikini, but it ended up being the opposite.

Back in my room, I stare at myself in the mirror.

There is sand in my long dark hair and my eyes are rimmed in red. I have never seen myself look so defeated.

At this moment it becomes clear to me. TJ Rubens is no god, but a devil. I know that this will be my last summer in New York with my family. There is no way I can tell my family about what TJ did to me. They either wouldn’t believe me or they’d make a big deal out of it.

I’m one to keep out of drama, and since our fathers work together, I don’t want to impact that relationship.

So, I keep my mouth shut the rest of the summer and endure countless cruel whispers and words from TJ. Every wordabout my weight cuts deep, but I know that this cannot last forever.

Summer will end, and I will not be back. I will pursue a career where I deal with bad people and put them away for life.

Chapter 1 - Taylor

There is nothing like the rush of winning a court case. I stand there as Marcus Dexter is found guilty of embezzling from my client, Helen Richards.

This has been an ongoing case, and it feels good to have it finally be over.

“Thank you, Ms. Montgomery.” Helen throws her arms around my shoulders, and I tense.

I am used to winning court cases and to thanks, but physical touch is something that I have struggled with since I was fifteen.

Having someone touch me reminds me of how someone I trusted took advantage of that trust and betrayed me. Thinking about that devil of a boy—or, well, I guess he's a man now—makes my blood pump faster.

It has made it hard for me to trust men or even let them get close to me. I am much more confident in myself now, but still, anyone touching me makes me stiffen.

“Is something wrong?”

“Of course not, Helen,” I tell my client as I shake out of her embrace. “Mr. Dexter will be going away for a long time. Remember to vet all your employees before hiring them. We don’t need a repeat of this.”

I wink at her, and she beams at me.

Helen hired a man named Felix four years ago, and he'd embezzled cash from her business since the day he started. It seemed like a straightforward case, but there ended up being complications when we found out Felix is actually MarcusDexter, a known criminal. It made the case easier to win but it was much bigger and took a bit longer.

Putting Mr. Dexter away and getting him off the streets is one of the biggest moves of my career here in Washington, D.C.

Helen’s daughter, Alanna, approaches and I take my leave.

I never like staying too long after a hearing is over—I don’t need thanks and publicity to be successful. Just knowing I put a criminal away is enough for me.

I return to the partners' office.

I have been working for Adams, Downer, & Yang for three years now, and a few months ago, I made partner. They will be adding my name to the business next year.

This has been a dream of mine for the past decade.

When I was a child, I wanted to be a nurse because I wanted to help people, but once I saw how evil some people could be, I changed my mind. I still wanted to help others, but was now determined to put the bad guys away for their crimes, which is why I became a lawyer.

I started off fighting for the little guys, but now I work for high-end clients at a well-known law firm here in Washington, D.C.

The office is my favorite place to be—it's like home. I do not talk to my family as much anymore, and I never return to New York. This place is my home now, and the partners are my family.

As I walk into the office, I am met with praise from Janet Miller, our secretary.

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