Love Unbound (A Steamy Billionaire Romance) Page 5

  Mrs. Hanson brings in the plates. I can see her mind working overtime and wondering who Victoria is but introductions over, I don't say any more. She'll have to wonder. In any case, she has excelled herself again. I can tell Victoria is enjoying her food.

  “So how did you get into doing what you do?” she asks me as she spears another morsel of dauphinoise potato. “It can't be an easy thing to get into.”

  “No, it's not. You have to know the right people. I grew up with it though.”

  “With celebrities?

  “I had Mike Simoneon as my godfather. He took me and my brother in when I was fifteen, so I got to see what it was like producing movies and I got introduced to a lot of actors that way. I just had to get them to see me as something other than a kid Mike adopted once I got older.”

  “You were adopted?”

  “My father drove his car into a tree with my mother in the passenger seat. They were arguing as usual but they had my brother and me with them that night, which didn't happen very often. We were supposed to be celebrating Ray's birthday. He was thirteen. My father had been drinking, not a lot but enough to lose control when he was distracted by the raging argument on the way home. They were both killed. I escaped relatively unscathed with my brother. A few cuts and bruises but really nothing other than a lifelong fear of car crashes and arguments especially with trees.”

  “Oh my god. I'm so sorry. Your poor brother too.”

  “There were lots of reports at the time but you probably didn't see them. My mother was a backing singer and my father David Elphinston Lynch a hot shot actor at the time in British cinema. They looked the part of a glamorous couple but they should have never married and they were terrible parents. They left us with money at least. The accident meant I never had to hope they would ever turn into the kind of parents we needed. That was never going to happen. Toxic to each other, toxic to us. We had a lucky escape in that car and not just because we escaped with minor injuries. We got to live with Mike. I understood that but my brother never did.”

  “What does he do? Your brother, I mean?”

  “Nothing much. As soon as Ray was old enough to get the money from my parents he was off and the whole lot was gone within a few years with nothing much to show for it. I started the company with my share. What about your family? Do you have a worthless brother like mine?”

  “I'm an only child. I would have liked a brother.”

  “If you had a big brother, he might have warned you against me.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “I'm no good for anyone, no good at relationships. I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.”

  “You've never been married? No crazy wife in the attic?”

  “No but my role models for relationships are crap, even Mike never managed to stay married for longer than a handful of years. The longest relationship I've had...well, let's just say it didn't end well. I don't even go there anymore.”

  I hope I'm letting her down gently enough. I feel terrible even so. She's not saying much, but then she takes a sip of wine and smiles.

  “That makes two of us then. I've never seen my father since he and my mother split up. She's had a series of “relationships” though. She's on her honeymoon with the latest.”

  Victoria pulls a face.

  “Not good?”

  “I can't see it lasting any longer than the others but this one has more money so maybe.” She rolls her eyes.

  “There's nothing wrong with having money.”

  “I know but I don't think it's a good basis for everlasting love either. My mother has always been ambitious for me when I was younger and now for herself. It doesn't seem to matter who she hurts. She shakes her head. “Mind you, my record with men is not great either. I ended up with Jimmy...” She shrugs her shoulders. “You know I really don't think we have to bother with the locks. I'd like to go home tonight. Jessie will be there after the club closes. I'll be okay.”

  I know I've upset her now but she had to know. I'm not the man she needs or wants. She deserves more than a one night stand as much as I want her.

  “Who's Jessie?”

  “Jessie Perkins. I share her apartment. She was the dancer on after me at the show.”

  “I didn't see her.”

  “You know, I really need to keep my job at the coffee shop. I already owe her a bit of rent from last month and this month's is due in a week. I don't know if Jimmy is ever going to pay me.”

  “Don't worry about the rent. I'll give you an advance on your earnings. You really need your own place for when you make it. Somewhere the paparazzi can't poke around. I'll sort out somewhere nice for you.”

  “Somewhere nice is out of my price range.”

  “Not the place I have in mind. It belongs to me. Rent zero.”

  She frowns at me but she will need a place. I feel bad about letting her down and I hope this will help make up for it.

  “That definitely is too much,” she says. “The clothes were already a step too far. I'll get an apartment when I earn the money and pay for it.”

  Looking at her, the determined set of her chin, my heart melts again. Fuck! I don't just want to give Victoria an apartment for her benefit. I want to know where she is. I need to know she's safe. I may have tried to warn her off, but I haven't exactly given up on her entirely. I can't. There's something about her stopping me from drawing a line under this whole thing.

  “You'll be doing me a favor. I have a couple of apartments that are lying empty just now. I don't want you worrying about rent or work or anything before I take you for your audition next week.”

  Take her for her audition? Christ—why did I say that? I have so many appointments next week, there's no way I have time for that. Sofia is going to go spare when I tell her to clear my schedule on Thursday.

  “I appreciate the offer of a place to stay but I'm not some pawn you can just move around a chessboard. I get why you don't want me to perform at the club but maybe I want to stay with Jessie and carry on working at the coffee shop, thank you very much.”

  “It's not that. It's just that the fewer complications in your life, the easier it is for me to manage your career.” Will she buy that idea?

  “I'm not so sure. It feels like you're trying to take me over, control me.”

  She's right, I want to control her, but she has no idea how much and in how many ways. And with that I know my thoughts about not wanting to get involved were just empty words. I want her more than I've ever wanted anyone.

  “I'd like to go home now,” she says, her voice firm. She gets up and leaves her napkin on the table, giving me a jolt from imagining how good things could be with her pinned down under me. But I can't force her to stay. She's going to hate it if I even try to persuade her against going home now.

  “Miller will take you. I'll have him pick you up tomorrow to look at the apartment. Just think about it after you've seen it. I won't ask any more than that.”

  She nods and says, “Okay,” but she doesn't seem happy about it.

  CHAPTER 14

  Victoria

  What was I thinking signing a contract to work exclusively with Ashton Lynch? I didn't realize I'd have to give up my coffee shop job as well. Will he hold me to that? Just having a contract with him doesn't mean I'll get work. He reassured me it does right at that first meeting. He said I'll never go hungry once I signed with his agency but how much of that was all talk to get me to sign up, maybe to get me into bed, and how much was reality?

  I'm not even sure he meant it about the advance. I guess I'll have to pay that back if I don't get work. And how can I do that without a job?

  I leave all the clothes he bought me apart from the things I'm wearing—the last thing I want right now is to be in his debt—and just grab my coat and bag, shoving my underwear and torn uniform from the bathroom in there. When Miller drops me off back at the apartment, Jessie is just coming in from the show. Her eyes are like saucers as I get out of the car.
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  “Shoot Victoria, is that Lynch's car? Jimmy was livid. It looked like he'd been through the wars but he wouldn't say a thing about it. He just yelled at me when I asked. I had to kick off the show and do a finale to fill in.”

  “Sorry Jessie. Jimmy grabbed me and tried to make me do the show. He tore my uniform. Ashton Lynch had a fight with him and got me out of there.”

  “And that was his car?”

  “Yes, big car, big house.”

  “Big everything?”

  “No idea about that one.”

  “You're telling me he just wanted to sign you just like that.”

  “Well it's for a role as a dance teacher in a movie. Just an audition. But he thinks I'm perfect for the part.”

  “They always say that until you get there. I don't want to rain on your parade but there will be at least a hundred dancers auditioning for a role like that. A whole load of them will be perfect. If your face fits you might get the part. My face never fitted. Don't get your hopes up.”

  “That's what I'm worried about and now there's no way Jimmy will take me back after Ashton Lynch roughed him up.”

  “You better dance your fuckin' heart out at the audition then. I can't imagine Ashton Lynch has many burlesque stars on his books or openings on the club circuit.”

  “Shit, Jessie. What have I done?”

  “Just had your head turned by some big shot with a big car. Easily done. Something will come along. At least you’ve got the coffee shop work.” She looks at me. “Don't tell me he had you quit that too?”

  I nod. “At least he says I have to.”

  “He sounds like a control freak.”

  “That's why I came home. I couldn't think straight with him there.”

  “Just go and apologize to Jimmy. He'll have you back. The show is not the same without you. All the usual crowd were asking about you.”

  “Should I call him?”

  “Give him a day or so to cool down and see reason and then get your job back. You can be dancing again by tomorrow or the day after.”

  I'm not sure if I want to go back to dancing at the club. I'm not sure about anything at all. Everything has happened too fast. I need time to think but every time I do, I remember Ashton Lynch's lips all over me and get confused all over again.

  CHAPTER 15

  Ash

  Every other star in the making would be over the moon with the level of attention she has had from me and I'd be fending her off, protecting my space, but not Victoria. I should have held back with her, not scared her off.

  I call her early in the morning before she can think of going to the coffee shop. I didn't sleep well.

  “Ash, I don't know if I can leave my job.”

  “Call them or let me do it. When do you next go in?”

  “It's my day off but I'll need to go back to work tomorrow.”

  “I'll get my assistant to draft a letter for you. I'm sorry about yesterday. It won't happen again.” What am I saying? I want to be with her again. It's the only thing I want. “Now the apartment. I'll have Miller pick you up at home. He'll be there at one thirty.”

  “But...”

  I don't give her a chance to protest and end the call. Was I too short with her? Why am I worrying about that? Pussy footing around is not my thing.

  She has to take the apartment. I don't want her anywhere gorilla man can find her.

  I have a tight schedule as usual, but I have Sofia organize a welcome with champagne and flowers, and a large bottle of jasmine scented bath oil from Harrods. I get the clothes Cameron picked out sent over and then call Sam, an image consultant we use a lot for new signings. She's even better than Cameron.

  Another couple of calls to arrange things and I can do no more—no more than wait to see if Victoria goes with Miller to see the place. And get on with the thousand and one things I have to do. Mainly meetings. And more meetings. Fuck!

  But despite my schedule, when Miller tells me they are on their way to the apartment, I call a limo service and I'm there waiting when Victoria and Miller turn up. Victoria's eyes are wide with wonder as she looks around the place and I hope she's pleased with it and with me being there to greet her. She won't have a clue what had to be rearranged, who she displaced and I displeased for me to be there.

  “It's small but I hope you'll be comfortable here,” I say. Hell! What am I? A real estate agent now?

  What I want to say is I'd like to fuck you in every room and for that reason I wish it was even bigger.

  “If you decide to take it,” I add, seeing the annoyed look she gives me. I'm assuming too much again.

  But the more she looks, the more I can see she would love to live here.

  “You're not messing with me? It would be lying empty?” she asks.

  “Yes, you'd be doing me a favor, looking after the place.”

  Whether she knows that's complete crap or not she doesn't comment. There's a doorman and a whole security system making sure it's perfectly fine without a tenant.

  “In that case, I accept,” she says. “It's perfect. Too perfect, if anything. I might never want to go out. Why are you doing this for me?”

  “It's just the norm. I do this for many of the stars I take on before they get a foot in the door. Look, would it help to talk to someone I started to manage a year ago, to set your mind at ease.” Serena might help her accept there's nothing unusual about any of this, though I never had Serena take a bath in my guest bathroom or made her come by sucking on her nipples.

  She nods, and I get Serena on the line and set up a call for later that day.

  “I'll get Miller to bring your things over.”

  “I can get them myself,” Victoria says.

  “I'm sure you can but he'll help you.” I want her out of her old apartment as quickly as possible. I don't trust Jimmy. I can still imagine him turning up and causing problems no matter what she says.

  “And I'll organize that advance for your expenses. I don't want you worrying about anything. Frown lines are not a good look.”

  She frowns at that and we both laugh. She has seemed so serious all day as if I was trying to trap her, tie her down, and curtail her freedom. Or maybe that's my guilty conscience. Because pinning her down on the bed, on the desk and the floor—everywhere—is exactly what I'd like to do.

  “It's good to see you smile.” I can't help smiling back at her.

  “It has been a bit of a whirlwind over the past two days. I've hardly had a chance to catch my breath.”

  Oh I'd like to make her breathless.

  “I've got to get back to the office, but Miller will come back for you later this afternoon. And I'll pick you up at eight for dinner.”

  “What if I have other plans?”

  “Do you?”

  “No. But if I did?”

  “I might have to persuade you to cancel them.”

  “And how would you do that?”

  “By showing you what you would be missing.”

  CHAPTER 16

  Victoria

  He takes me in his arms and sweeps me off my feet. His kisses are all consuming, hard and deep, brushing all thoughts of other plans aside.

  “Until eight,” he says and he's off to whatever appointment he has. The apartment feels strangely empty without him though being alone gives me a chance to explore properly without him watching my every move and facial expression.

  It's weird. It's like I swapped my old life for this overnight—the crappy apartment, the two jobs—for this luxury. It makes me uneasy if not downright scared. Is this sensible? I'm pretty sure it's not. In two days I've pissed off two employers, my only two sources of income, crap though they were. And the only money I have coming now is an advance from Ash who I'm pretty sure is going to break my heart.

  Yet even with those doubts I can't totally regret my choice. I can't help laughing at the sheer luxury of everything—and the view? To die for! I can see Tower Bridge over the Thames and the London Eye. It's only after I've
stepped away from the window and seen the fridge is full of food from Fortnum and Mason and smoothed my hand over the beautiful fine linen on the bed, that I find the closet is full of clothes in my size. I recognize the things I left behind yesterday but there are so many others. I don't dare look at them too closely—so many beautiful colors and fabrics. If I touch them I will want them. And this is just too much. I can't accept all that. Why doesn't he get that?

  Miller comes back at three and takes me to the old apartment. Jessie is out. I'll have to arrange to see her soon, and I send her a text. She has been good to me and I'll miss her. I'd hate to lose touch. On the way back to the apartment I want to ask Miller about Ash but he hardly says anything and I don't like to pry. He's probably not supposed to say anything so it's probably better not to ask.

  When Ash turns up at eight he kisses me with a long lingering knee-weakening kiss and asks me if I'm settling in well and whether I like the new clothes.

  “I didn't dare look at them too much because I'd want to keep them.”

  “That's the idea.”

  “I can't accept all those things. You know it's too much.”

  “Wear them for me.” He laughs. “It will give me pleasure to see you wearing them. The image consultant sent me pictures of all the things she'd picked out for you. You look beautiful in your dress but I'd love to see you in the jade green gown Sam picked out.”

  I'm wearing the only dress I thought would do for a date with a guy like Ash. It's nice but it's nothing like the clothes in the closet.

  He opens the door and pulls out a dress in a beautiful blue-green color. “This is the one I'd like you to wear. Do you like it?”

  “Are you kidding? I love it!”

  “Wear it then. Please. For me.”

  It's truly exquisite long floaty material with beading around the neckline, cut low at the front and back, and with a deep slit up the side.

  But I can see a problem with his dress wearing plan. “I can't wear this. It will show my underwear.”