by Jill Sanders
“I’m best friends with Zoey and Scarlett Rowlett,” Aubrey answered as she crossed her arms over her chest.
She watched the woman’s reaction and noticed the lack of surprise in her eyes.
“Oh, that’s wonderful.” Bridgett smiled, and Aubrey noticed that her lips matched the color of her nails. She must have known that her father had deemed pink as the only color a woman should ever wear. It was the reason she’d only had the color in her wardrobe growing up. The reason she hated it to this very day. No daughter of Harold Smith was going to be anything less than feminine.
“Harold, dear, those are my stepdaughters I was telling you about.” Bridgett turned to Aubrey’s father. “I miss them so. They were such wonderful young ladies.” Bridgett sighed and rested her hand over her heart. Her eyes returned to Aubrey’s and she noticed a glimmer of anger hidden them. Then her eyes turned to Aiden, and Aubrey saw interest flash behind the woman’s eyes briefly before she turned back to Harold. “But, sadly, after their father passed, they turned on me. They were hungry for their father’s wealth and stole every last dime he gave me.” She added with a pout, “They didn’t care about anything other than money.”
“Yes,” her father jumped in, “I know the feeling.” Her father’s eyes turned to her.
“Me?” she gasped, then laughed. “I don’t want a cent from you. I never have. I would have been content living with my mother.” Aubrey felt her heart kick in her chest and knew that if she continued there would be no going back. So, she clenched her jaw tight and tempered her anger.
“We shall see.” Her father stood up and wrapped his arm around the tall and much younger woman. “Dear, why don’t you go and see if everything is ready for the party?”
Bridgett smiled and then leaned in and placed a kiss on her father’s lips. Aubrey had to look away in disgust.
“Party?” Aubrey asked, following Bridgett out of the room with her gaze.
“Yes, I did call you and invite you. Remember? We’re hosting a party in a few hours.” Her father sat back down. “Now, if you don’t mind.” He motioned to the chairs again.
Aubrey glanced back at Aiden, who shrugged back at her.
Rolling her eyes, she sighed and moved over to sit down. Aiden sat in the chair next to her.
“And you are?” her father asked Aiden.
“Aiden is my boyfriend,” she supplied. “He stays,” she warned her father.
“Very well.” He dismissed Aiden completely. “The will I had Michael Livingston deliver to you is not my latest will,” her father said smoothly. “In less than a month, I plan on marrying Bridgett.”
“What?” Aubrey gasped and started to stand up. “She’s…”
Her father held up his hand to stop her. “I know exactly what she is. She’s put her wild days behind her.” He leaned slightly towards her and for the first time she could see something else behind his eyes. Was that pain? They were unfocused. In all the years she’d known him, he’d never been less than… well, perfect. Now as she looked at him, she noticed that his tie was slightly askew and one of the buttons on his shirt was twisted and loose. “Tonight is to be our engagement announcement party. I wanted you here.”
“And this is how you planned on bringing me here, by lying to me? Letting me think you’d died? Why?” She shook her head. “Have you no heart?”
Her father laughed, which turned into a cough. She watched him struggle to get his breathing back under control. Any other child would have raced to their father in hopes of easing his pain. Her entire body froze in place as she watched the man suffer for the first time in her life.
“I know your games,” he said after pouring a sip of bourbon from the small bar area behind his desk. For as long as she’d known him, he’d always drunk several glasses of bourbon each day. “You think you can fool me? You’re just like your mother. You’ve done everything you can in your life to go against me.” He slammed the glass down and then walked back over to lean against his desk. “You think I’ll give you anything? You demand everything and refuse to abide by my rules. You don’t deserve a dime of mine, Nora.” His eyes had turn distant and, if she had to be honest with herself, a little scary.
“Father?” She stood slowly and reached out for him.
He shook free of the moment and corrected himself.
“Aubrey.” He walked over and downed the entire glass of bourbon. “The party is in three hours. I’ll expect you to be changed into something appropriate and on time.” He glanced back at her. “Both of you.” He lifted his hand and waved as if to shoo them away.
“No.” She shook her head and moved closer to him. “I’m no longer yours to command. I rushed here because I was led to believe that you’d died. I didn’t give a fuck about your money. I never have.” She motioned towards the doorway. “Bridgett does. She’ll do anything she can to get every last dime of yours, which she will spend on frivolous things and, within a year, no doubt, go through the majority of it. If that’s even possible.” She touched her father’s shoulder. “You were never really a father to me, but I won’t stand by and let that woman ruin another man’s life.” She dropped her hand. “Whatever happens, I’ll do everything in my power to stop her from manipulating you.”
“What happens to my money is—”
“As I said,” she interrupted again, “I don’t give a damn about your money. Give it all to charity, throw it in the ocean, shred it.” She threw up her hands. “But I’ll be damned if I let you give that bitch one cent more.”
“Well!” Bridgett gasped from the door, then rushed over to hold onto Harold. “I told you this was a bad idea, inviting her. She’s just jealous.” Bridgett wrapped her arms around Harold and almost toppled him over. “You heard her. She’s going to try and break us apart.” Bridgett turned on her. “I love your father. Nothing and no one can stop us from getting married.”
Aubrey laughed. “Care to bet on it?” She turned and stormed from the room.
Aiden caught up with her as Martha held out her jacket for her.
“Are you okay?” he asked her as they stepped out into the cooler air. The clouds had covered the sun, and she could tell that the rest of the evening would be chilly.
“No.” She glanced over her shoulder. “I have to…” She stopped when he put his hands on her shoulder. Something close to a cry escaped her, then his strong arms were wrapping around her, holding her as she shook. She didn’t know if it was anger or fear, but just knowing Aiden was there for her helped.
“I have to call my sisters,” she said into his shoulder.
“We have three hours,” he reminded her. “I bet you have a fancy dress that you can wear for the party, but I didn’t pack a tux. Not that I have one, but if we’re going to play along with this new game…”
She nodded. “You’re right. Get us a car. We’ll head to the shops while I fill everyone in on what’s going on.”
She pulled her phone out of her purse and took a deep breath before punching Zoey’s number.
“Hey, how was your flight?” Zoey asked cheerfully.
“Good. Can you get everyone else together and put me on speaker phone? I need… to fill you all in.”
“Sure,” Zoey said. “Is everything okay?”
“I’ll let you know all at once.”
“Okay, hang on,” Zoey said. Aubrey listened as Zoey got on the walkie-talkie and called everyone to meet in Elle’s office. Then she heard Zoey making her way to the office herself.
“Did you see your father already?” she asked as she walked.
“Yes,” she sighed.
“Was it everything you’d hoped?” Zoey asked.
Aubrey chuckled sarcastically. “More.”
“We’re here,” Elle called out, and the phone was changed to speaker.
“Everyone?” she asked.
“Yes,” everyone answered one by one.
She had just climbed into the car and told the driver to head to the local shops she knew her father us
ed for his own suits and tuxes.
“You’re shopping?” Hannah asked.
“Yes, apparently my father is holding a party in a few hours.” She glanced over at Aiden, who nodded encouragement to her. “The party is his engagement party.”
“What?” Several voices rang out.
“What is he? Seventy-eight now?” Elle asked.
“Something like that,” Aubrey answered.
“Who the hell would marry him?” Zoey asked.
“A bitch,” Aubrey responded, “by the name of Bridgett Rowlett.”
The line was completely silent and for a split second she thought she’d lost the connection.
“What the hell!” several people shouted all at once.
“You’ve got to be kidding me?” Zoey picked up the phone and almost yelled in the speaker. Aubrey had to pull the phone away from her ear.
“No.” She rubbed her forehead and closed her eyes. “I’m afraid I’m not.”
“How the hell did she and your dad meet?” Elle asked.
“Good question. I was hoping you guys would have some time to do some digging. We’re busy buying a tux for Aiden and finding a dress for me.” She sighed. The dress she was currently wearing was the fanciest thing she’d packed.
If she knew her father, and from what she’d heard about Bridgett, what she was wearing just wouldn’t cut it.
“We’re on it,” Elle answered. “Keep us posted. We’ll let you know what we find.”
“Thanks,” she said to the group just as the car stopped in front of the tux shop. “Talk to you later.”
“Aubrey,” Hannah broke in. “Head over to Bella’s Boutique. It’s near your dad’s place. I’ll call in a favor and have a dress waiting for you there. I’m afraid you’re on your own with the tux.”
“Thanks,” she said before hanging up.
“It pays to have friends,” she added as they stepped out onto the sidewalk again.
“Too bad she couldn’t help with the tux.” He frowned up at the store.
“Come on.” She took his hand. “This won’t be so bad.”
He laughed as she pulled him through the doors.
A little over two and a half hours later, she frowned down at the limo parked out front of Isaac’s place. How had her father known they were staying there?
“I meant to tell you earlier. When we arrived, there was a man taking pictures of us,” Aiden said to her as he helped her on with her coat.
A light rain had started and the limo driver, who had rung the door to let them know he was there to take them to her father’s party, held up an umbrella for them.
She should have known that the moment she set foot back in the city, her father would find out about it. He probably had known all along that she was coming today.
“It’s okay.” She sighed and followed the driver to the limo. After climbing in and waiting for Aiden to get in behind her, she sat back as the driver shut them inside.
“Is this normal?” he asked.
“The limo?” she asked. When he nodded, she answered. “Yes, I wasn’t allowed to go anywhere without a driver.”
“It’s very…”
“Controlling?” she offered up.
“Yes.” He reached over and took her hand. “You look amazing.” He smiled over at her.
“I don’t know what Hannah was thinking.” She glanced down at the bright teal dress. “It’s teal. With red shoes.” She held up her heeled feet and frowned down at them.
He chuckled and pulled her closer. “She was thinking that you were going to outshine Bridgett, which will probably piss her off. And the red shoes match your hair perfectly.” He kissed her. “Your friend has amazing taste.”
The dress was perfectly comfortable and even the shoes fit her like a glove. It was true, Hannah had amazing taste.
She thought about the lapse in her father’s mental health. He’d never mistaken her for her mother before. Was he having issues? Was it something Bridgett was doing to him? Is this how she’d swindled her way into her father’s life?
The man that had raised her would have never allowed someone like Bridgett in his life. Hell, she doubted the woman would have been allowed to walk past his front door. Why now? Was it a ploy?
So many questions raced through her mind and, before she knew it, they were pulling into her father’s driveway.
Every light was on in the place. Cars were stopped out front to let guests out so they could walk through the gates towards the open front doors, where security guards made sure guests were on the invite list. Their limo didn’t stop in the street and instead pulled in through the opened gates.
“Red carpet treatment,” Aiden said under his breath. “That could be a good sign.”
“No.” She shook her head and felt her stomach twist. “It means he wants everyone to see me so he can use me.” She sighed. “Just like always.”
Chapter 16
Aiden had never in his twenty-five years of life felt more uncomfortable. The only thing holding him in place was standing directly beside him.
From the moment they walked through the front doors, they were the center of attention. When Aubrey’s name was called out through the rooms, every eye turned towards them. Then the whispers started as her father and Bridgett appeared to greet them.
He’d heard all about the woman from Zoey and Scarlett over the past few years. Zoey had told them how Bridgett had attacked her in the lawyer’s office in Vegas at the reading of her father’s will, so he was on guard around the woman. Even though he knew that Aubrey could take care of herself, he was determined not to give the woman an opening to harm a hair on Aubrey’s head.
There was a glint of something in Bridgett’s eye when they were introduced officially. It was funny, even though he’d been present earlier, the woman hadn’t paid any attention to him. He was pretty sure that it was because she’d been so focused on hurting Aubrey and making her point that she had her claws in Aubrey’s father.
However, this time, when Aubrey introduced him in front of all the watching eyes, Bridgett made a point to hug him and offer him her warmest welcome. He’d held very firm and still.
He noticed the attraction in her gaze as she ran her eyes over his tux, but it was the hint of crazy that he was watching out for.
He saw a flash of it when he helped Aubrey off with her coat. Bridgett ran her eyes over Hannah’s dress choice for Aubrey and anger flooded her eyes. Hannah had definitely known what she was doing when she picked the beautiful and expensive outfit for Aubrey. Bridgett obviously couldn’t stand competition, even when they weren’t competing for the same man, seeing as she was supposed to be in love with Aubrey’s father.
Earlier, when they’d been shopping for Aubrey’s outfit, Aiden had inwardly balked at the cost of the dress. Then the shop owner had waved away Aubrey’s attempt to pay for the outfit and mentioned that she owed Hannah a favor. The dress and shoes were free of charge.
He made a mental note to keep in Hannah’s good favor.
Not long after they’d been greeted at the door, a flock of guests surrounded them. Aubrey was asked so many questions that he lost track of some of her answers. It was only after they’d each been given a glass of champagne that he realized she wasn’t telling anyone the truth.
Whenever she was asked what she did for a living, she would make something up. Something ridiculous like helping starving children in Bali or working at a plastic surgeon’s office in LA.
“What are you doing?” he asked her when they were alone for a moment.
She sipped her drink and shrugged. “These people don’t listen or care,” she said as she glanced around the room. “If you watch, the moment after I answer their question, if I can’t benefit them, they tune me out.” She sighed. “I’ve always messed with them.” She chuckled and turned to him. “I’ve thought of some fun ones. One year at the Christmas party, I told everyone I was a stripper and almost everyone told me how wonderful what I was doing was.”
He chuckled. “And here I was telling these people the truth.”
She faked a little gasp. “Don’t you dare. These people may actually think highly of you.” She clicked her glass to his. “Then we’d be stuck here longer.”
He sighed. “Is this what your childhood was like?” He motioned to the wealthy people surrounding them. It was true, he’d picked up on the fact that people were only talking to them because Aubrey was Harold’s daughter. Most of them began the conversation by exclaiming that they didn’t know Harold had a daughter or how much she looked like the old man.
“Some of it, yes. He didn’t start inviting me to client dinners until after I hit puberty. My attendance was required. Most of the time he ignored me after he’d rattled off all my achievements. Then again, once I started failing him, he sort of just cut me off. I think it was the reason he kicked me out and dropped me after my eighteenth birthday. I didn’t live up to his standards.” She shrugged as she sipped her drink. Her eyes moved to where Bridgett was laughing loudly at something someone said to her. “She doesn’t fit in,” she said to him. “And everyone is making sure to let her know. It’s sort of fun watching the wolves surround her.”
He glanced across the room and noticed it as well. Her voice rang over everyone else’s in the room, and each time she laughed, eyes turned to her in disgust.
Bridgett was dressed in red from head to toe, which caused her to stand out amongst all the black tuxedoes.
Where Aubrey’s dress screamed class, Bridgett’s dress screamed tainted woman demanding attention.
Bridgett’s blond hair was styled so that everyone could admire the massive diamonds on her ears and around her neck. He turned back to Aubrey and smiled at the small heart-shaped diamond she wore over her own heart.
He ran a fingertip over it. “You can take the girl out of Vegas…”
Aubrey laughed and he lost his breath at seeing her cut loose for the first time in days.
“God, you’re beautiful when you do that,” he said a little breathlessly.
Her eyebrows shot up. “What? Laugh?”