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  Radiance

  A lightness of spirit often draws the darkness.

  The Barter System – Book 6

  Shayne McClendon

  Radiance by Shayne McClendon

  (The Barter System - Book 6)

  Radiance Copyright © 2015 Shayne McClendon

  December 18th 2015

  Published by Always the Good Girl LLC

  www.alwaysthegoodgirl.com

  All rights reserved.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Also by Shayne McClendon

  The Barter System – Book 1

  Hudson – Book 2

  Pushing the Envelope – Book 3

  Backstage – Book 4

  Liberation – Book 5

  Yes to Everything

  Love of the Game – The Complete Collection

  Completely Wrecked

  The Hermit

  Break Down Here

  Roadside Assistance

  With Alexandra Andersen

  Just a Little Kilted

  Just a Little Crazy

  Just a Little Extra

  Note from the Author

  I talked through initial ideas for this book with my friend Jordana. She hated the title (it stuck) but loved Brie’s story. I hope she likes where things ended up.

  This is the sixth book in “The Barter System” series. It is the last one that will be labeled as such. However. There are two additional series already in the work that I think you’re going to love. You’ll have a chance to visit with characters you’ve grown to love and meet some wonderful new ones that just might blow you away.

  This book was written in pieces. I kept getting pulled away from it by life and my other responsibilities as a health content writer. I’m proud of where it ended up (characters do what they want).

  Brie is special to me. Since her appearance in “Hudson,” I’ve been unable to shake her from my brain. She showed up in “Liberation” and “Backstage” but it still wasn’t time to tell her story.

  Her time is now. I hope you love her journey as much as I do. I’ve always had a soft spot for the ones who glow.

  Shayne

  Dedication

  After a long period of feeling trapped in a life that wasn’t healthy for me, I find myself on the cusp of a fresh start. Starting from scratch, building every single thing one day at a time, is terrifying to those of you who’ve experienced it.

  To the group of incredible women (Jana, Carrie, Yvonne, Angela, Mo, and Brittany) who do everything possible to keep me from losing my mind.

  Thank you for filling in when my entire world flipped upside down, drifted on a turbulent sea for a long while, and finally floated up on a deserted island where I can focus on getting all the words out.

  I am so grateful to you, for you.

  To my readers, thank you for being patient as you waited for this one. It broke me (many times) but it also fills me with hope. I’d love to hear what you think when you finish.

  Much love,

  Shayne

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  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

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Chapter Forty

  Chapter Forty-One

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  Chapter Forty-Eight

  Chapter Forty-Nine

  Chapter Fifty

  Epilogue

  Excerpt – Hollow’s World

  The Barter System

  Hudson

  Pushing the Envelope

  Backstage

  Liberation

  About Shayne Mcclendon

  Prologue

  September 2014

  As much as Gabriella Hernandez loved each and every one of her friends, she was grateful to return to her silent apartment in the hour before dawn.

  Natalia Roman, her best friend’s fiancée, insisted on helping her out of the formal gown she’d worn to the Bishop Foundation benefit and into something comfortable. She gently brushed her hair and loosely braided it down her back. Then Hudson Winters and his ladylove kissed her goodnight and she locked up behind them.

  Racing thoughts made it impossible for her to sleep. She sat staring out at the skyline, watching the sun come up over the city.

  When the apartment phone rang at eight in the morning, she picked it up in surprise.

  “Brie, this is Carlo. You have a delivery. Is it alright for the men to bring it up?”

  “Of course.”

  “They’re on the way.”

  Disconnecting, she used her walker to make her way to the front door as the freight elevator beeped. She watched as the enormous whale fashioned from scrap metal she’d fallen in love with the night before was carefully wheeled out of the interior and across the hall.

  Barely able to speak, she directed the men to set it up in the corner of her living room. It was even more spectacular sitting majestically in her apartment. The tip of the whale’s nose was barely a foot from her ceiling.

  When they finished, she told the men, “Wait just a moment and I’ll grab my bag…”

  “No, ma’am. We’ve been taken care of already. Have a good day.” The last man handed her a heavy linen envelope with her first name written in masculine scrawl. He nodded as he closed the door.

  The sculpture stole her breath. Lowering slowly to the edge of her sofa, she opened the envelope and felt her heart hit a hard gallop.

  Gabriella,

  You are captivating.

  My brother was thrilled to learn you were so taken with his work. I could not risk it falling into less-appreciative hands.

  May it continue to bring you pleasure.

  Harper

  She re-read the words several times. Then she picked up the phone and called Natalia.

  “Darling…why are you awake?”

  “I haven’t been to sleep.”

  “Is everything alright?”

  “Harper bought me the whale from the auction. They just set it up in my living room. Is this…I mean, if I keep it am I committed to something?”

  “You mean is it similar to my collar?”

  “Something like that.”

  “No, darling. It’s simply a gift. An extravagant one but no
thing more than a gift.” There was a long pause. “Do you want it to be more?”

  “I have no idea.”

  “Brie, give it some thought. You will be pursued more openly going forward. I’ve known them for two decades. He won’t stop until you either tell him no or agree to belong to him…and his oldest friend.”

  “I’m not sure what belonging would actually mean…not with him.”

  “Let’s have lunch.” There was the sound of rustling in the background and Brie heard Natalia sigh. “Make that dinner. We’ll answer any questions you have, darling.”

  “Thanks. Enjoy naked time and send my apologies for interrupting.”

  “No, Brie. I’m so glad you woke me up. I’ll call you later.”

  Her attention was drawn back to the note and she allowed herself to remember the way the two men, the lifelong friends, she’d met the night before had affected her.

  Harper Delkin was the eldest heir to the fortune accumulated by Delkin Acquisitions, a company started by his grandfather. Physically similar to Hudson, he was six feet tall with a muscular build. Their warm skin and black hair caused many to mistake them for brothers.

  It was their eyes that set them apart. Where Hudson’s were pools of black, Harper’s were an ethereal gray she’d struggled to match artistically.

  Elijah Eklund was his best friend, his bodyguard, and presumably his partner in the ménage lifestyle. Slightly taller than Harper, his build was lean and sculpted. Golden brown hair streaked with platinum blonde and pale green eyes made him a striking counterpart to the man with which he spent the majority of his time.

  Making her way into her studio, Brie unclipped the sketch she’d drawn of Harper and Elijah the night of the building commemoration from her easel.

  While she spent the evening sitting in the chair she was unable to leave on her own, Natalia unveiled Hudson’s gift from Gabriella. A large canvas of the building painted in oils. It was something she’d worked on before her accident. Her best friend had loved everything about it.

  Throughout the evening, the two men stood side by side and watched her. For the most part, they didn’t speak and they didn’t mingle. They simply watched her.

  Eventually, feeling self-conscious and more than a little off-balance, she’d removed her sketch supplies to capture the moment. When she returned home later that night, she took a long time to get the shade of the men’s eyes just right.

  It was a sketch her friends noticed but didn’t question.

  She’d gradually added to it over the past weeks, including splashes of color and giving it more substance.

  Much like the drawing of Hudson and Natalia that she’d given her friends recently, the level of detail announced it to be a project she returned to often.

  Brie hadn’t examined why she didn’t put it away too closely. Most of the sketches she did were stored or gifted to the subjects in them. Removing stationary from her desk, she set down the picture and quickly wrote a note.

  Harper,

  Thank you for the sculpture and the compliment.

  I didn’t make the connection that Harrison was your younger brother. I last saw him when he was barely a teenager. His work is truly remarkable.

  Please accept a far simpler gift from me in thanks.

  Brie

  Before she could second-guess her decision, she sealed the envelope and placed both items in the pouch that hung on the side of her walker.

  Stepping into her sneakers, she made her way to the first floor business center. She could see the concern on Carlo’s face when he realized she was alone.

  “Good morning, Carlo. I’ll be right back. Well, as right back as I can be.”

  He smiled and she cursed the amount of time it took her to traverse forty feet. Selecting a large padded envelope that would fit the sketch without bending, she printed Harper Delkin’s name on the outside. Then she returned to the front desk to speak to the concierge.

  “Can you help me find a mailing address?”

  Taking the package, the young man’s expression was confused as he read the name. “You don’t need to mail this, Brie.”

  “I don’t…what do you mean?”

  “Mr. Delkin owns an apartment on the floor below Mr. Winters. He rarely uses it but as it happens…ah, here he is now.”

  Chapter One

  Brie was acutely aware of two things as she faced Harper and Elijah. The first was that she was wearing yoga clothes that showed every inch of her body. The second was that the two men looked even better in daylight.

  Elijah pushed his shades on top of his head, capturing the blonde strands. She registered that they were dressed semi-casually in jeans and button-down shirts with light jackets but she couldn’t have described the details if pressed.

  Struck speechless at their appearance coupled with the news that Harper owned an apartment in her building, she gripped the rails of her walker with white-knuckled hands.

  They stopped within inches of her and neither hid the way their eyes tracked down her figure.

  “Gabriella.” Harper’s eyes flicked to his name printed in neat, bold letters before finding hers again. “May I?”

  Somehow, she managed to nod.

  He reached past her and accepted the package from Carlo without a word. Tearing the tab, he shook the note into his hand first and read. His mouth lifted in a half smile before he removed her sketch.

  When she looked back on the moment, she would never forget the way he inhaled sharply before fixing her with an expression of pure hunger.

  Elijah’s eyes glanced at the sketch quickly and then returned for a longer examination with his lips slightly parted. His eyes landed on her and she was fascinated by the expression on his face.

  Harper’s voice drew her attention. “You drew this.” It wasn’t a question but she nodded. “I appear angry.”

  Breathing deeply, she replied, “I thought you were. I don’t really fit in at such functions. I lack the…ability to blend in that most people in your sphere possess. I thought you were annoyed by my presence.” She lifted one shoulder slightly. “I draw what I see.”

  He didn’t blink. “You thought I felt you didn’t belong at the event?”

  “I wasn’t sure what else it could be.”

  “Not that, I can fucking guarantee.” He took a step closer and she looked up into his face. “You clearly belong wherever you decide to be.” His focus was incredible and she wasn’t able to look away. “I wasn’t angry.” There was a pause. “You exist in the same sphere as I, Gabriella.”

  The way he said her name reminded her of Hudson.

  “We could not be more different.”

  “Perhaps we are alike in ways you have not yet discovered.”

  Elijah took the drawing from Harper’s hand and let his eyes roam the details. “It’s perfectly executed. This is outstanding.”

  “Thank you.”

  His gaze captured hers and, though he seemed the gentler of the two by nature, she felt a shiver of response climb her spine. “Is this what you were drawing the night of the party?”

  “Yes. I often get distracted in such ways.”

  He didn’t blink. “Are you so thorough with all of your work?”

  “Not usually. No.” Her legs were weakening and she did not want to show vulnerability to the friends. Gripping the walker tighter, she confessed through gritted teeth, “I can’t…I need to sit down. I can only use the walker for short periods.”

  Carlo came around the counter. “Brie, can I call one of the girls to go up with you?”

  “I’m fine. Thank you so much. Do not call the penthouse.” She smiled at his guilty expression. Returning her attention to the two men, she asked, “Would you like coffee?”

  Placing the sketch and note in the envelope, Harper handed it to Elijah. “Yes.”

  Then he stepped around the walker and gently lifted her into his arms. Startled, her arm went around his shoulders.

  “You can’t carry me.”

&
nbsp; “On the contrary.” He said nothing else as he headed for the bank of elevators.

  Elijah was a step behind him with her walker in hand. They selected her floor and made the trip in silence. She stared at the curve of Harper’s hand beneath her knees and found herself enthralled by the strength apparent in it.

  The bodyguard preceded them into the apartment. He leaned her walker against the wall and checked each room quickly as Harper placed her gently on her living room sofa.

  She murmured, “Coffee…”

  “Unnecessary. Rest a moment.” He sat beside her, his gaze focused on her face. “What is the extent of your injuries, Gabriella?”

  Elijah lowered himself to the coffee table in front of her.

  “I was immobile for…quite some time. I’m building my strength back. I get better every day. Some…injuries will take longer to heal completely but I’ll get there.” She met Harper’s eyes. “I think you know everything about me already.”

  “I do,” he admitted. “I was curious if you’d exaggerate your condition. Clearly, you downplay it.”

  “I don’t focus on the negative.”

  “Does it bother you that I had you checked out?”

  After a long pause, she shook her head. “Hudson did the same. It’s a necessary precaution I imagine all powerful men are required to exercise.” Letting her mind return to their conversation downstairs, she thought about the night of Hudson’s building commemoration. “At the party…you thought I was a paid mistress or something similar.”

  “Your position confused me. Your painting as well.” It was a lot for a man such as him to admit.

  Elijah leaned forward. “There was obvious emotion in the painting you did for Winters.”

  Her smile was slow. “You’re dancing around the question you really want to ask.” Carefully adjusting herself on the couch, she cleared her throat.

  “I had a brief sexual relationship with Hudson and Natalia. I don’t regret it. When I was released from the hospital, I learned he’d deeded this apartment to me. He’s my best friend and I love him. I’m not in love with him and feel intense happiness now that Natalia holds her true role in his life.”

  Harper’s frown made her shake her head.