‘It will be better when I have a shower and can crawl into bed. How about you two?’
‘Wonderful,’ Helen replied. ‘We relaxed in front of the television.’
‘Helen convinced me to turn the football match off so we could watch the live telecast of the celebrity auction.’ Ryan raised an eyebrow at her. ‘Congratulations! The bid for you was the highest.’
‘The broadcasters mentioned how you’d organised the fashion show for the Extend Foundation this afternoon as well,’ Helen said. ‘It was another fantastic plug for Extend.’
‘At least that’s a positive.’ The negative was that the press would probably start staking out all her fashion shoots again and try to get her to comment about Nick Henderson’s bid. In the past her driver had been forced to evade the paparazzi more than once so they didn’t find out where Sarah lived.
‘How opportune that you scored a date with Henderson,’ Ryan commented.
‘Opportune?’
‘Not only is Nick Henderson an absolute hottie—’ Helen put in with a wink, ‘—but he’s the one who owns the property we’ve been trying to acquire.’
Sarah groaned as she leant back against the kitchen bench and covered her face with her hands. ‘Nick Henderson owns the country estate you want to purchase and turn into a respite facility?’
‘I told you that,’ Ryan said.
Shit. This really couldn’t be happening.
Sarah hadn’t seen a black cat cross her path in the last twelve hours, but obviously one had because this situation was going from bad to worse.
Although her role in the establishment of the Extend Foundation hadn’t been publicised, Sarah had used the bulk of her personal earnings years ago to create the organisation. Its original aim had been to assist those with disabilities to find employment and she’d provided anonymous scholarships to people with disabilities to complete their tertiary education.
Ryan had graduated with a business degree and she’d appointed him as manager of the organisation. Gradually, Extend had widened its goals under Ryan’s visions and the latest project he’d embarked on was to provide respite for families of children with disabilities.
‘You remember we told you that Hertherington Estate is sitting there fully staffed and Nick Henderson only stays there one or two weekends a year?’ Helen sounded excited.
‘I remember you mentioned it, but I don’t think you mentioned who owned it.’ Not that the name would’ve meant anything to her at that point. ‘You only said you hoped the guy would be happy to sell because it was used so infrequently.’ Then they’d tried to arrange a meeting and had been told the owner hadn’t been willing to consider a sale.
‘This dinner is the perfect opportunity for you to sweet talk Nick into selling to us,’ Helen said jubilantly. ‘Hertherington Park has every facility we need. All we’d want to do is equip it with a couple of ramps and lifts and install a few support bars in the washrooms and showers.’
Oh no.
Shaking her head at them Sarah vented, ‘Guys, if he wanted to sell it he would. You’ve offered him fair market value, haven’t you?’ Now she knew who it belonged to, Sarah wasn’t even sure she wanted the foundation to purchase the property. She’d rather not have any associations with the man.
‘Of course I offered him market value,’ Ryan dismissed.
‘How do we even know his solicitor has taken the offer to him for consideration? If you make the offer he might grab at it, Sarah. The place must be costing him a fortune in upkeep and staffing.’ Every one of Helen’s words was an impassioned plea, but Sarah had a feeling she knew why the property wasn’t for sale.
The place was probably a perfectly private country bolthole for him and his Russian billionaire friend to have weekend orgies.
‘Henderson has a wonderful reputation for supporting charities.’ Ryan swept one hand through his sandy-blond hair. ‘I don’t understand why he isn’t agreeing to the sale.’
Sarah barely managed to stifle words that would shoot down the billionaire’s wonderful reputation. Anger pulsed through her, throbbing at her wrists and in the veins at the base of her neck.
This guy really needed to have his true and very ugly colours exposed to the world.
It made her blood boil that a rich guy like Henderson could present the image of upstanding citizen and supporter of charities when he had no respect for women and thought he could take whatever he wanted from them.
‘You need to appeal to his sense of charity,’ Ryan instructed. ‘Convince him how good it would be for people to use his country house for a break—’
‘Stress how important respite is,’ Helen added.
‘—and get him to change his mind.’
Gritting her back teeth together Sarah railed again at Ryan giving the man an accolade for his ‘sense of charity’. Neither Ryan nor Helen had any idea of the man’s murky activities or the strength of his determination. Also, it was unrealistic to believe the solicitor hadn’t passed on the offer of the foundation in good faith. Obviously the guy didn’t want to sell the estate and these two were living in a dreamland if they thought she had enough sway over him to make him change his mind.
‘I’m sorry, guys.’ She wasn’t going to give them false hope. ‘Despite what you think about Nick Henderson and his supposed philanthropy, I’m the last person he’d listen to. We got off to a very bad start when we met at the fashion show this afternoon and I turned down an offer he made me to do some work for one of his projects.’
‘He was there?’ Helen asked.
Ryan cursed. ‘If I’d known he was there I would’ve tried to get him to one side.’
‘It can’t have been too bad an encounter if he bid so much money to have dinner with you,’ Helen reasoned.
‘It was bad and I have to tell you both that the guy has really rubbed me up the wrong way.’ It was an understatement but if she protested any more vehemently they’d both be asking her why she disliked him.
‘Well, you need to put aside your personal dislike for the good of the foundation,’ Ryan said firmly.
‘Please say you’ll try?’ Helen implored.
Sarah loved her brother and ordinarily she wouldn’t refuse anything he asked of her.
Their shared trauma through the tragedy that’d claimed the lives of their parents and left Ryan in a wheelchair had forged a deep, unbreakable bond. Their grandmother had stepped in to take care of them for several years. Then, they’d had to depend on each other emotionally again when Gran had died and they’d been shuffled between foster homes and then to a group home.
Through thick and thin, they’d always had each other and that was something that would never change.
Sarah rubbed at her eyes wearily then saw that Helen’s hopeful expression was mirrored on Ryan’s face.
They had no idea what they were asking.
They had no idea why any request from Sarah was doomed to fail.
Loving her brother too much to deny his request she felt herself caving. She was totally committed to doing whatever she could to support the foundation and she wanted to enable Ryan realise all his visions to help those with a disability.
‘You’ve got five hours to convince him,’ Ryan cajoled.
‘Don’t remind me!’ Although she supposed if she had to be trapped in Henderson’s company for five hours she may as well try for something good to come out of it.
‘It’ll probably only take you five seconds to have him wrapped around your little finger,’ Ryan said.
Helen added, ‘One beam of the thousand-watt winner should do it!’
With a sigh of resignation she asked, ‘Can you bring me up to speed about the estate and all the correspondence you’ve had to date with his solicitor? I’m too tired right now to absorb it but maybe tomorrow afternoon I can look through it before I have dinner with him?’
‘Absolutely, sis.’
Helen’s smile was enthusiastic. ‘I’ll get the folder out for you before I go to bed and
leave it on the kitchen bench for you to look through sometime tomorrow.’
‘No promises,’ Sarah cautioned, ‘but I’ll do my best.’
Sarah went to her brother and indulged in a longer than normal hug. The muscular arms that’d won him gold medals as a Paralympian in a thrilling wheelchair marathon race, and several other events, wrapped around her and she drew strength from him.
‘Hey, are you okay?’ he asked.
‘Just tired.’
‘Okay.’ He didn’t seem convinced but said nothing more as she bid them goodnight.
Sarah loved them both so much, she hated that they were probably going to end up disappointed when she told them she’d failed in her mission.
It wasn’t fair that everyone thought of Nick Henderson as such a wonderful philanthropist and he continued to swan around in high society throwing his money around when he belonged in a prison cell.
Even though she was tired, sleep eluded her.
She alternated between wanting to be cold and cutting to the man who’d bought her as a date, and pretending to be malleable so she could lull him into a false sense of security to find a way to let the world know about his sleazy activities.
Whichever direction her thoughts led her, her blood pounded heatedly around her veins knowing how neatly he’d trapped her into this dinner date.
While she tossed and turned, he was probably thinking that he could charm her into filming the documentary. Suddenly her spirits lifted. Ryan’s request meant she could surprise him and hit him with a business proposition of her own.
He’d insisted on sitting across a table from her for five hours?
Fine.
Hopefully by the end of the evening he’d have agreed to sell Hertherington in return for her filming the documentary. She had a bargaining chip and she intended to use it.
Chapter 6
Nick stood up as Sarah walked through the restaurant, escorted by one of the organisers and the maitre de.
Stunning was the first word that sprang to mind, but then he noticed her smile didn’t reach her eyes. They were as cool as ice chips and effectively doused his attraction. This supermodel might be beautiful on the outside but superficial beauty without accompanying warmth didn’t turn him on.
Jocelyn’s eagerness to sign Sarah up for an advertising campaign didn’t surprise him. His sister was after superficial beauty for her fashion campaigns.
What he couldn’t fathom was Jocelyn’s certainty that nobody in the fashion world ever had a bad word to say about Sarah and that people described her as warm and caring.
About as warm as a trip to the Antarctic.
His friends had been amused when he’d told them about the veiled hostility he’d received yesterday afternoon when he’d approached the model. Nick had insisted he wasn’t sold on her doing the documentary however Max and Luca had continued to cite the market research recommendations.
As far as Nick was concerned, not only would she be difficult to work with but there was too much that didn’t add up about the model.
‘Thank you again for being part of the auction, Miss Bryant, and for your generous bid, Mr Henderson,’ the guy from the charity said while the maitre de pulled the chair out for Sarah and waited for her to be seated. ‘Enjoy your evening.’
‘Thank you,’ Nick and Sarah replied simultaneously.
‘May I offer you a drink, Miss Bryant?’ the maitre de asked as the organiser went to greet another celebrity from the auction.
‘A sparkling mineral water please.’
Nick resumed his seat, noting that Sarah’s request was accompanied by a warm smile.
It seemed she had warmth for everyone but him.
He glanced around the room while the maitre de unfolded their serviettes. The whole restaurant had been booked out. It’d been a condition of bidding that the dinners would all take place this evening at this restaurant. No exceptions.
‘Congratulations,’ Nick said once the maitre de had gone to organise Sarah’s drink. ‘I believe you’re now the face of Henderson Haute Couture.’
‘Thank you.’
‘Jocelyn’s very excited about signing you.’
‘I’m happy to be able to model her designs.’
Evidently she was going to be polite this evening. Something perverse made him want to rile her out of her icy reserve and push her to the point where she’d drop the barriers and reveal whatever it was she held against him.
‘This contract with Jocelyn doesn’t represent a conflict for you with the House of Eduardo?’
If he hadn’t watched closely he wouldn’t have seen her stiffen.
‘My contract for Eduardo has never entailed any exclusivity.’ Her tone was defensive.
Nick sat back. Time to address the elephant in the room. ‘You’re not happy to be here tonight.’
‘No.’
‘Would you prefer to be dining with Lord Finmere?’
‘You asked me to have dinner with you and I said no. I don’t appreciate being manipulated, Mr Henderson.’
‘You said your schedule wouldn’t allow it. As it was seemingly impossible for you to alter your schedule, I chose to fit into it.’
The corners of her lips pulled down. ‘I was being polite rather than turning you down flat.’
‘Politeness is definitely an improvement on rudeness,’ he conceded. ‘But why would you—?’
‘Rudeness is a vast improvement on many other base behaviours,’ she bit out cryptically.
He felt his eyes narrow. ‘Are you suggesting I exhibit base behaviours?’
She leaned forward and now her eyes sparked her fury. ‘Damn you. If you were so determined to have dinner you might have at least bid a less outrageous amount. Pushing up the bidding from eighty to two hundred thousand pounds was a ridiculous and flagrant display of your wealth.’
‘I wasn’t the only one to donate that amount to the charity last night.’
‘Really? I didn’t read about any other donations that were anywhere close to being in that vicinity.’
‘Two of my friends also donated the same amount.’
‘Well they did it without public fanfare!’
Despite her frostiness he was pleased to learn she disapproved of overt displays of wealth. He did too. He’d acted without realising his gesture might’ve been interpreted that way.
That she appeared unenthusiastic by the amount of money he’d spent also impressed him. Many women of his acquaintance would gush at the size of his donation and be all the more determined to present a facade to attract him.
Clearly, Sarah Bryant had no such intentions.
‘After your extravagant bid, there was speculation in the papers today. One claimed you’re enamoured of me,’ she accused angrily.
It was another point in her favour that she wasn’t desperately seeking to be linked with him. While other women fawned over him, the world’s number one model was making it clear that she wasn’t happy even to be having dinner with him. But the question still loomed as to why she was so negative.
Lips twisting, Nick said, ‘I don’t particularly care what the gutter tabloids write and I bid for you because it was the only way I could get you to have dinner when your schedule was apparently booked out.’
‘You still want to talk me into doing this ocean conservation documentary. Is that the reason you attended last night’s auction?’
And this afternoon she’d accused him of having tickets on himself?
‘Your mineral water, Miss Bryant.’ A waiter placed the glass and two menus on the table. ‘I’ll be back shortly to take your orders.’
Did the waiter scurry away because he sensed the atmosphere at the table could be cut with a knife?
‘I attended last night’s auction because one of my closest friends has a niece who was diagnosed with childhood leukaemia.’ The world didn’t revolve around Sarah Bryant and he was happy to be able to let her know it. ‘Although Christiana seems to have made a complete recovery since she ha
d a bone marrow transplant, it’s a charity I’ve prioritised.’
She looked slightly chastened.
‘As for bidding an outrageous amount, even though I didn’t plan on making any bids for a date, I’d already decided to donate that amount.’
The chastened look didn’t last long. ‘You saw my name on the program and everything fell neatly into place?’ The words were laced with sarcasm.
‘Yes.’
‘Was your friend there last night?’
‘He was.’ He took a sip of his wine and enjoyed the smooth texture in the midst of what was proving to be a less than amiable dinner date. ‘It was Luca Borghetti’s niece who was diagnosed with leukaemia. Both he and Max Bennett—the other co-founders of NOCO—were there. We had tickets months ago—well before any of us knew you were one of the celebrities to be auctioned.’
‘Did your friends bid for dinner dates as well? Are they here tonight?’ Her tone remained sharp and accusing. Her entire demeanour made him think of a bristling cat.
Why the hell was she so confrontational?
‘Luca made a donation but his wonderful wife, Olivia, would’ve skinned him alive if he’d even contemplated bidding for a date. Thankfully, he’s very happily married so he wasn’t in any way tempted. He’ll keep his skin.’ Nick wasn’t sure he’d keep his if this woman kept flaying him with her enmity. ‘As for Max, he’s deeply devoted to his wife, Jenna. He also made a donation but, as the only single one of us, it was up to me to outbid all the competition and have the pleasure of dining with you.’ So far it had been anything but a pleasure.
‘You mean you wanted to be able to badger me for five hours and apply pressure to have me do the NOCO documentary.’
‘Pressure? No. Persuasion? Absolutely.’ However, the longer he spent in her company, the less he wanted to persuade her to cooperate with NOCO. He had to remind himself why they’d wanted her involved in the first place. ‘You said you’ve made a donation to NOCO. Is there any particular reason why you’re invested in the area of ocean conservation?’
Seduced by the Billionaire Page 6