Love Unbound (A Steamy Billionaire Romance) Read online

  I call Victoria just because I want to hear her voice.

  “Are you missing me already?” She laughs.

  “Yes.” I don't see the point in lying.

  “I'm missing you too but someone left chocolate ice cream so I'm coping”

  “It's only ten o' clock in the morning.”

  “There's never a bad time for ice cream.”

  “I guess not. I'll see you later. Enjoy it!”

  I'll see her tonight. There's a celebrity party I have to attend so I can only be with her if she goes as my plus-one but what the heck. She'll have to get used to going to those things. It goes with movie star territory. I smile to myself, thinking of the things I can do for her career. I want to do everything I can to make her happy.

  CHAPTER 32

  Victoria

  I unpack my weekend bag and think about the role I need to study for my audition. Ash gave me a lot of guidelines and I practice my lines. I want to put something of myself into the teacher to make the role mine and so I try to imagine myself as her. I make my lunch as her, imagine her eating it among the chaos of a stage school staff room. I think how she might wear her hair and try out a few styles.

  And then I imagine her having her breasts bound. No, she would never do that. I don't know anyone who would do that except Jessie. I can imagine she would try it. Jessie is game for anything. Act first and think later.

  I must give her a call after her coffee shop shift.

  I look at my email—nothing but junk—and then I log into Facebook. Mom is posting selfies from Spain with her new husband. I click “Like” on a few. Somehow I feel happier for her after the weekend. That was so special. I'm pretty sure Ash felt it too. When I looked him up on the web at first, I didn't look much past his Ashton Lynch agency page and now curiosity gets the better of me. I stalk him online.

  He's not quite everywhere but there are a lot of pictures. He looks devilish, stunning and hot, attending one function after another and I want to gather all the images of him up and keep them for myself, except for one thing. My heart sinks because in most of them he's not alone.

  In almost every picture, he has his arm wrapped around some woman or other, mainly actresses, TV stars, and models. How can I compete with them? He called me beautiful but I'm ordinary, just like Jimmy said. No one ever looked at me except when I dance. What does Ash see in me? Maybe this is his way of making sure he keeps new signings sweet. Maybe he saw things in me he could manipulate and control. And me? I walked right into it with my eyes wide open. I let him control me.

  But then he calls me again and I say, “You just called me an hour ago.” and he says “I couldn't resist hearing your voice again. I thought I just dreamed you up.” He sounds sincere. I don't think I'm imagining how he feels. I have to stop looking at the web.

  CHAPTER 33

  Ash

  Victoria looks stunning tonight. She chose exactly the right thing to wear. Her dress is a deep blue not quite as dark as navy—stunning against her hair. I sent around a make-up artist and hairstylist to help her, not that she needs any help to look beautiful but they have surpassed themselves as usual and made her more gorgeous than ever—just right for tonight's event even if I love her natural look every day.

  I can tell she's excited to be going out to this party. That will soon wear off after she's been to a hundred but for once I’m looking forward to an event because I am going with her.

  It has been a great day. I finalized the deal with the Hollywood agency. And I signed up a football player turned actor—he will be a great asset for the agency but a bundle of trouble for Cameron to look after. I chuckle at the idea. Just as well Cameron loves his work

  “I saw you on the web,” Victoria says. “You are everywhere with everyone. Lots of pictures with women.”

  She reels off whole list of famous celebrities. A list to fill up six issues of Hello magazine.

  “You'll find out soon enough what it's like. You'll be rumored to be with every actor under sixty that comes within a hundred feet of you. Occupational hazard.”

  “It looked like you were very occupied to me.”

  “Were you jealous?”

  “No,” she protests but I can tell she was.

  “You were jealous. I think I like it.”

  She slaps my arm and nuzzles into me. It's going to be a good night.

  The ballroom is glittering, the stars out in force. It won't do Victoria any harm to be seen here before her audition. She doesn't know how beautiful she is. But I can see people wondering who she is, who I have “discovered” this time. The ones I know ask to be introduced. The others just look.

  “I can't believe I just had my picture taken with Gregor Price,” she says.

  “I told you what it's like—you'll be almost married to him by the time the picture turns up in the paper or online tomorrow.”

  “He's already married.”

  “I know—you'll be rumored to be in the wings as his third wife.”

  “Oh god,” she says.

  “Promise me you won't marry him no matter how many times he asks.”

  She laughs. “I promise but what will you promise me in return?”

  CHAPTER 34

  Victoria

  Ash is still full of banter with me. I think he's hoping I'll enjoy it so I'll be willing to go to future functions when it counts. I don't know what I think about that but I don't like the way women come up to him, women he knows and some he's meeting for the first time. They seem to feel like they own him. Whenever I'm not by his side and sometimes when I am, they are all over him. It's as if I'm invisible to them and they see only him.

  He is the most stunning guy at the venue and he's more accessible than the stars. He's rich, he's single and he's not surrounded by so many admirers I suspect they think he's open to their approaches. I don't like it. I understand it but I hate it.

  This is what his life was like before I met him and I can't see he'll want to change it for me. Does he expect me to share him with all these women? There's no way I could do that.

  He's charming to them the same way he is with me. Why did I not realize that? Is he humoring me, keeping me sweet because he wants to represent me? He likes my dancing but does he like me? I thought he did, now I'm not so sure. Could it all be an act?

  I'm being ridiculous expecting anything more. I know I am. I only met him a few days ago and he warned me off the first day I met him. I don't own him. He doesn't owe me anything but from our time in France I wanted to believe this was special. I should have known not to trust him. He's just like any guy—Jimmy, the guys in college who would tell you anything to get laid, my father, here one day, gone the next.

  But to be fair, Ash doesn't react in any kind of jerk way with those women. He doesn't leave me alone and go off with any of them. And when it's time to go home, long past when I've had enough and want nothing other than to sink into bed and forget the whole event, he is still with me.

  “Shit, isn't it?” he says in my ear as if whispering an endearment

  “What?”

  “The celebrity party. People think it's glamorous but it's fucking hard work. Let's get out of here.”

  He calls for the car.

  “You seemed to enjoy yourself enough.”

  “That's the trick. Plaster a smile on your face and try not to show you're gritting your teeth. They are all doing it.”

  “I don't believe that.”

  “Well, maybe not all but at least half of them.”

  It's after two by the time we get in. I want to sleep but then so does he. It's the first night he doesn't want me.

  ***

  I wake up with a headache. Too much champagne, too much tension from the party. I didn't sleep well. Ash is in the bathroom. I was still asleep when he woke. His phone buzzes and I don't mean to look but I see the call is from someone called Yvonne. I wonder which of those beauties from last night got a hold of his number. Maybe he slipped his number to her. Who knows? He co
mes out before the call switches to Voicemail and swipes it to answer. “Hello” he says and then he takes the phone and leaves the room, closing the door behind him.

  I don't know what to think. Why did he go into another room to answer the call? Who is Yvonne?

  When he comes back he doesn't mention the call or anyone called Yvonne. I feel sick.

  “Do you want some breakfast?” I ask. Maybe he will tell me then.

  “I'd better get going. Sofia has packed my schedule as usual. She thinks I'm a fucking automaton.”

  He kisses me tenderly and leaves. Is it tenderness or regret? I can't make up my mind. Does he mean it when he says he'll call me later? Does he mean he'll call me about work or something more personal? I hate feeling like this.

  I can't help myself and Google his name with Yvonne but there's no mention of anyone by that name. It's someone new then. It has to be. It could be anyone from last night.

  CHAPTER 35

  Ash

  Fucking hell. As if I need this shit right now. I could see Victoria was upset that I seemed so distracted this morning. It's true I have a busy day ahead. Every day is busy but I could have stayed and had breakfast with her or even coffee. I'll have to make it up to her tonight. I'd better see what that bitch Yvonne wants. She just said she had to see me but not what it was about. It's always something, usually money. She and Ray will have burned through the last lot I gave them.

  Cameron is on fine form. Good for him.

  “Yvonne has been in touch again,” I tell him.

  “Not again. I don't know why you don't just tell her to go to hell.”

  “Don't worry. I ask myself that every time I give in to her and Ray.”

  “It's not as if you owe them anything.”

  “Tell me about it.”

  “I'll tell her for you if you can't.”

  “No. It's okay. Fucking families! But I'll deal with it. Have you got Jerome coming in today? What are you going to do about him?”

  Cameron tells me his plan and I nod in approval. I should really get him onto Yvonne. He's great at making problems go away and she's a fucking big problem.

  I take a moment to ask Sofia to have flowers sent to Victoria. I want her to know my distraction is nothing to do with her. I hope I can make it up to her tonight when I've dealt with this shit amongst all the other day to day crap going on.

  But before I can deal with any of it, Yvonne turns up in person. She must be desperate this time, aware I'm wavering about saying No every time. It's not as if my money does any good. She used to be an attractive girl and I can see she's made an effort to get it together this time. She looks quite respectable in a navy pants suit and a silky looking white blouse.

  Sofia runs after Yvonne when she barges in. “Sorry I was on the phone to the florist. She wouldn't wait.”

  “It's okay, Sofia I'll deal with this,” I say. I often wonder what Sofia thinks this is about. Yvonne has shown up a few times and she doesn't always look as demure as she does today.

  “We're getting kicked out.” Yvonne sits down without an invitation from me. “We need a place to stay.”

  “What for this time? Did you drink the rent money?”

  “What do you take me for? The landlord's sister is moving to London. He wants the place for her.”

  “There are rules about kicking out tenants. I can have my lawyer look at it.”

  “No,” she says. “There's no need for that.”

  I know then there'll be some other reason, something they've done, maybe some hold the landlord has over them. I'm not surprised he wants them out.

  “What do you want then? Money?”

  “Yes and a place to stay for a couple of nights.”

  Not this again. “I can find you a hotel.”

  “You have those apartments going spare. Why not there? Better than a hotel and it won't cost you anything.”

  “They are all occupied.”

  If she gets in one of those I'll never get her out. The place will be trashed like last time. I learned my lesson there. I pause and then I get the check book out of my drawer and before I think better of it I'm writing her a check for ten thousand pounds.

  “Do you know what this is?” I ask

  “It's a check.”

  “It's a goodbye present. Spend it wisely because there's no more where that came from. Get a room, get a job and get your act together because this is the end of the road for me.”

  CHAPTER 36

  Victoria

  He sent me flowers! I look at the card

  “Sorry I had to rush off this morning. Can't wait to see you tonight Ash x”

  I feel a lot better then. I'm imagining things. I get back to rehearsing my lines, thinking about the part. How many flowers would a woman like that receive? Maybe not many. I smile to myself.

  When the doorbell goes again and it's more flowers being delivered. I can't believe he's sent me another bouquet—is he going to send them every hour? I smile at the delivery woman but then I see this bunch is not quite the same. It's tiny in comparison to the first one and I spot a supermarket sticker on the label. What? She pushes past me into the hall.

  “Hey, you can't come in here. Who are you?” I try to grab her jacket and stop her but it's as if she's on a mission.

  “I just wanted to see who he's getting Sofia to send flowers to now, his latest “signing” are you, the latest one to occupy this place?” The woman sneers at me and walks into the kitchen as if she owns the place, taking a good look around, her lip curling. She might have been pretty without that look on her face. Her blonde hair and blue eyes are striking but when I look more closely it's as if she hasn't looked after herself—her make-up is not quite hiding the coarse skin beneath and the red polish on her nails is chipped.

  “Who are you?” I repeat stupidly.

  “Just one in a long line, sweetie. You can join us when he's had enough of you. Oh he sets us up nicely in places like this. He did that for me too. He's very generous I'll give him that. His tastes are going downhill though.”

  “Get out!”

  “Oh I'm going. Make sure you get what you deserve when you go though. He's still paying me for all kinds of things, regularly. What do you think he made me do for this? But then if you know him, you'll have a good idea about that. His tastes are very singular.”

  She wafts the paper in front of me. Ten thousand pounds made out to Yvonne Dobson. I know he's rich but ten thousand pounds! What did she do for that? This woman hates me and I've never met her.

  “You brought me flowers.” It's the first thing that comes into my head. I'm reeling but not by the flowers she brought.

  “Yes, the fucking doorman is a nuisance. I thought he might remember me but old Jack must have left. The new one didn't bat an eyelid when I came with a delivery. Women delivering flowers are invisible, it seems.”

  I want her out of there but I feel sick when she leaves. As she goes she drops the flowers on the floor as if goading me to pick them up. I leave them where she dropped them. Everything she says rings true. He's never even pretended anything else. He puts up all his “signings” in places like this, his tastes are singular—maybe I've only scraped the surface of that (lucky escape there)—and I saw the check with my own eyes—he's paying this woman a lot of money.

  I have to get out of here. Jessie will take me back. Her shift at the coffee shop will be over soon, maybe by the time I get there. I start jamming my stuff into the bag I brought with me when I came.

  CHAPTER 37

  Ash

  Victoria hasn't said anything about the flowers. I get onto Sofia to check if they were delivered. She assures me the flower shop delivered them and the doorman confirms it. He told her there have been two bouquets delivered today.

  Two? Who is the other one from? Who was she talking to last night? And then I remind myself, I'm being unreasonably jealous. It's only flowers. Of course she's going to get flowers, people wanting to get to know her and please her. She is with
me and I'll see her tonight.

  Fuck it! I want to see her now. I push through a couple of things but I can't concentrate. At least Sofia has taken pity on me for once and there are no late meetings today. She's learning. And there's a gap in my schedule now. I need to see Victoria. Perhaps I can have a quick lunch with her and make it back to the office in time for my next meeting. Miller drops me at the apartment and I bound up the stairs because fuck waiting for the elevator.

  I knock but there's no answer, just noises coming from inside. Fuck, what's wrong? Who's there? I let myself in. There's a bunch of flowers on the kitchen floor, and my flowers are on the counter. There is the clatter of doors opening and closing in the bedroom.

  “What are you doing?” Victoria is grabbing things and shoving them into a bag. What on earth?

  She's not looking at me, not saying a word, pulling things out of the drawers and closet and heaping them on the bed, obviously distressed.

  “What is it Victoria? I'm sorry if I upset you but I don't know what I've done. Tell me. Speak to me please.”

  She looks at me. “You don't know what you've done?”

  “I have no clue. Help me on this!”

  “Someone came to see me.”

  “Someone came to see you here?”

  “Yes, someone called Yvonne. Do you get it now?”

  “Yvonne came here?”

  “Yes, she said you set her up here just like me, that you paid her just like me, that you discarded her just like you will me. Too right I'm fucking upset.”

  “But none of that is true.”

  “None of it? Don't you fucking lie to me. She showed me the check. Dated today. She knew where the apartment was. She said she used to live here when you set her up with it.”

  “But it's not like it seems. Sit down. Let me explain.”

  “You don't have the right to tell me what to do anymore. I'm out of here. Tie someone else up with your fucking contract terms and your rope.”