Secrets (Lords of the City)

by Alice Ward

  “What was I supposed to do?” she hissed back at him with a Scandinavian accent. “You weren’t replying to my texts.”

  “You were supposed to leave it alone, like I told you Thursday night. There’s nothing you can do about this,” he warned.

  Thursday night? The call he got when we were on the water… it was from her. He left me to be with her.

  The only thing more powerful than my urge to vomit was my determination to keep listening. I held my breath and braced myself for the worst.

  “You’re the one who can’t do anything about this,” she countered. “We had an agreement. You were free to screw around with whoever you want. But you aren’t free to get married. You and I both know that. And deep down, you know you wouldn’t have it any different.”

  What the hell is she talking about?

  I waited for Drake to argue, but he remained silent.

  “On a totally different subject, what in the hell were you thinking when you bought this dump?” Alex continued, her tone full of mock and disgust.

  “It came with a significant amount of air rights,” he explained blandly. “Next month, it’s getting dozed down to make way for new construction.”

  What? He failed to mention that.

  “Alex, you’ve got to go,” Drake insisted again. “You can try to fight me on this, but you won’t win. Just sign the papers.”

  What papers?

  “I’ll leave,” she purred. “But deep down, you know I’m the only woman for you. I’ll talk to you soon, love.”

  I stood motionless, praying that neither of them would step around the pole. Someone upstairs must have heard me, because Alex took off for the exit while Drake headed back to the bar. I rushed to the table, where Rebecca sat with a smug smile on her face.

  “Everything okay, Chelsea?” she asked sweetly.

  “Perfect,” I said, forcing my lips into a smile. I glanced back and forth between Piper and Stacey. “Can I borrow you two for a second?”

  “Of course,” Piper replied as they both rose. They followed me out of the ballroom and up a flight of stairs to the first floor landing. I sank down onto the dusty carpet and burst into tears.

  “What’s wrong?” Stacey gasped. She and Piper settled down next to me, each taking one of my hands. Through my sobs, I repeated everything Rebecca said in the bathroom and the conversation I’d just overheard.

  “I don’t know who she is, or what she’s holding over Drake. He said something about paperwork, but didn’t mention what kind. I do know that he went to her after he left me on the harbor.”

  “Take a deep breath,” Stacey insisted, rubbing my shoulder. “I know exactly what you’re going through right now,” she reminded me. “And it turned out I was upset over nothing. I watched Drake with that woman earlier, when he stopped her from joining our table. It didn’t seem like he was happy to see her. I don’t think he’s cheating.”

  “Well, he’s obviously doing something,” Piper argued. “I say that we go down there right now and demand to know what’s going on.”

  “This isn’t the place, Pipes,” I told her, my voice firm and resolved. “I asked Drake about her after I finished my welcome speech. He said she was no one to worry about and he’d explain everything later.”

  “I’ll tell you what we’re going to do,” Stacey said, taking charge of the conversation. “When you and Drake get home, bring her up again. But don’t let him know that you overheard them together. See how much of his story lines up with what you heard.”

  “And if Drake comes up with some innocent explanation for everything, we’re just supposed to trust him?” Piper asked, her eyes narrowed.

  “Of course not,” Stacey replied with a mischievous smile. “We’re going to do a little ‘independent research’ and get to the bottom of things on our own.”

  “I’m in,” Piper quickly agreed.

  “I don’t know what I’d do without you two,” I told them, wiping my eyes. Piper and I stood and helped Stacey to her feet.

  “Thanks,” she said, smoothing the skirt of her gown. “Now, let’s go. We have work to do.”

  End of Part 2

  To Be Continued in Part 3…

  TAMING THE BILLIONAIRE

  ALICE WARD

  PART 3

  BOOK DESCRIPTION

  This is Part 3 of “Taming the Billionaire” – a five part Hot Alpha Billionaire Romance Series by Alice Ward.

  The moment I laid eyes on Drake’s mystery woman, I sensed she had the power to tear my world apart. Drake promised that she was just an old family friend, someone from his past, someone he no longer cared for.

  I didn’t believe him, but I wanted to.

  As more information about Drake’s past came to light, his explanations made less and less sense. I tried to trust him, but I had to follow my gut. So I dug into his past and was relieved to learn he was telling the truth.

  Feeling foolish, I let go of my doubts and started planning our fantasy life together. Travel, a beautiful home and family. But to my horror, I quickly learned that some fantasies are filled with lies and fairy tales don’t always have a happy ending.

  This book is intended for a mature audience, 18+ only.

  CHAPTER 1

  e

  “Chelsea, are you okay?” Drake asked, his eyes laden with nervous concern. He stood and pulled out my chair as the girls and I approached the table.

  “I’m fine,” I assured him. “I have a slight headache, that’s all.”

  “I was about to head over to the bar,” Oliver piped in, rising to his feet as I settled in my chair. “Do you want me to get you a cup of coffee?”

  “That would be great, Oliver. Thanks.”

  Drake slid a hand across my shoulder and started massaging my neck. “Your muscles are tight. It’s no wonder as stressed as you’ve been about the gala. I’ll have my massage therapist meet us at the penthouse once we’ve wrapped up here.”

  “Wow, you have a massage therapist on call?” Stacy asked, obviously impressed. “Can you send her to my place when she’s done with you?”

  “Him,” Drake corrected her. “And of course.”

  Drake and Stacey launched into a lengthy discussion about massage techniques. Stacey kept her tone light and friendly and did a great job of pretending that our conversation on the landing had never happened. Piper wasn’t quite so skilled at hiding her frustration at Drake. She scowled across the table, her arms folded across her chest. But the look on her face was nothing compared to the glare Drake’s mother was giving me.

  Rebecca sat across from me, her lips curled up in satisfaction. As I stared back at her, I knew without a doubt that she’d caught me eavesdropping on Drake and Alex.

  She knows exactly what’s going on between them. And she’s never going to tell me. Drake promised to explain everything when we get home. I can’t start jumping to conclusions before I hear what he has to say.

  Every instinct I had was telling me that Drake’s secret was a big one. My brain told me to run, but the thought of living without Drake broke my heart. We’d only known each other a short time, but he’d already become my sanctuary, the place where I was loved for my mind instead of shunned for it. He was intelligent, generous, and wanted to give me the kind of life most women only fantasize about. I wasn’t ready to walk away from that, not over a gut feeling.

  I looped my arm through Drake’s and laid my head on his shoulder. “I’d love a massage, baby. But let’s put it off until tomorrow.”

  “Whatever you want, sweetheart,” he agreed as Oliver returned to the table. He passed me a mug of hot, black coffee before taking his seat.

  “The bartender asked me to tell you that it’s about time to announce last call,” he told me as I took a long, scalding sip.

  “All ready? Wow, the night’s flown by,” I replied, setting the mug on the table.

  “You’ve done a hell of a job,” Pete announced as I rose to my feet. “I hate to lose you.”

 
; “Thanks, Pete,” I said with a grin. “Maybe you can hire me back once I’ve finished grad school.”

  As Brandon and his band played the final chords of a song, I returned to the stage and stepped up to the microphone.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, the band will play a bit longer, but this is last call for the bar. There are taxi services available outside for those of you who have over indulged, compliments of Waters Development. I’d like to take the opportunity to thank you once again for your continued support of the Manhattan Historical Society. It is because of you and your generous donations that we’re able to preserve this city’s rich and fascinating history for future generations. On behalf of everyone at the society, we hope you’ve enjoyed yourselves this evening and have safe travels home.”

  The guests rose to their feet. Many of them, including Piper, took off for the bar as they applauded. I took a quick bow and returned to the table.

  “Fantastic job, Chelsea,” Frank said, shaking my hand. “I’m sorry we didn’t do a big farewell for you this evening but…”

  “I know,” I interrupted with a casual wave of my hand. “We just announced my appointment to the job a few weeks ago. We don’t want the donors to think that there’s any instability in the office.”

  “Thanks for understanding,” he replied with a relieved grin. “And thanks for everything you’ve done over the years. I think that the missus and I are going to head home. Feel free to do the same, there’s a crew waiting to oversee the clean-up.”

  I shook my head. “I want to stay until all of the guests are gone. You know how some of them can be.”

  Pete nodded. “They’ll want to linger and get some one-on-one time.”

  “Exactly. And for the next few days at least, keeping them happy is my job. I’ll schmooze them tonight. And I’ve drafted an email introducing Robert as my replacement. Our engagement announcement will be printed next Sunday. The email will go out early that afternoon.”

  “As usual, you’re on top of things,” Pete replied. “It was nice to see you all. See you on Monday, girls.”

  We nodded our goodbyes to Pete and his wife and then Rebecca turned to Drake with a look of concern.

  “You’re already publishing an engagement announcement?” she hissed. “Isn’t that a bit soon? Earlier, you said you weren’t planning on getting married for at least a year.”

  “We’re not,” he growled through a tight jaw. “But we wanted to go ahead and make an official announcement. It’s important to me that everyone knows how I feel about Chelsea. And I want to make sure that she’s treated with the respect she deserves, as a future member of our family.”

  Rebecca cringed but recovered quickly. “Well, of course, sweetheart. I’m just surprised, that’s all. When the Times profiled my engagement, the reporter hounded my friends and family for a month. I’m just surprised I haven’t gotten a phone call from the paper, that’s all.”

  “We’re not doing a huge profile, Mother. Our announcement will be small, tasteful, and printed alongside everyone else’s.”

  “A common announcement for a common girl,” Rebecca said under her breath.

  “What was that, Mother?” Drake snapped.

  “Nothing, dear,” she quickly replied, fingering one of her giant diamond earrings. She gripped her bag and rose to her feet.

  “Chelsea dear, I know you have work to do. I’m going to get out of your hair. Drake, would you mind escorting me to the car?”

  He leaned over and kissed the top of my head. “I’ll be right back,” he whispered. Drake joined Rebecca and offered her a stiff arm. She looped hers through it and they glided away from the table.

  Oliver finished off his Crown and Coke and pointed towards Rebecca as she moved through the ballroom. “I’d watch out for that one, sis,” he advised. “She seems like the kind of woman who could turn on you really fast.”

  “Yeah, I don’t see a lot of mother in-law daughter in-law bonding in my future,” I said, my voice full of dry sarcasm.

  Oliver turned to me with a raised eyebrow just as Piper returned to the table with a gin and tonic in each hand.

  “Here, I thought you might want one last drink,” she explained, passing me a glass. She glanced from me to my brother, her eyes alert with curiosity. “Did I miss something?”

  “Just Rebecca being her usual charming self.” I took a long drink of the gin. “Her hackles came out when I mentioned our engagement announcement. She tried to cover her reaction, but it was pretty obvious she wasn’t happy.”

  “She called Chelsea ‘common’,” Oliver quoted.

  “Believe me, it could have been worse,” I assured him. I took another long sip of my stiff drink and sat the glass on the table. I wanted to make my escape before Drake returned.

  “I’m going to start mingling and edging people towards the door. You guys don’t have to stay on my account. I know it’s getting late.”

  “I’m not leaving until you do,” Piper insisted. Martin sat beside her, nodding in agreement.

  “I think we’re going to head home,” Oliver told me as he helped Stacey to her feet. I took turns hugging them.

  Before I released Stacey, she whispered in my ear. “Talk to Drake tonight, Chelsea. Don’t stew on it like I did. I’m sure there’s a reasonable explanation for what happened with Alex.”

  “Thanks,” I whispered back. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  “Talk to you soon,” Oliver called, leading a worried looking Stacey to the door.

  Piper turned to Martin. “Feel like making the rounds with me?”

  “Of course,” he replied with a grin.

  She turned back to me. “We’ll start on this side of the room, you take the other. With any luck, we’ll have everyone cleared out of here by midnight.”

  ***

  “It’s so good to be home,” Drake sighed as the elevator doors opened into the penthouse. He stepped across the marble floor and emptied his pockets onto an ornate cherry table. I kicked off my shoes and settled down on the white leather sofa.

  “Would you like a nightcap?” Drake asked as he poured himself a double shot of scotch.

  “Sure,” I agreed, my nerves dancing in my stomach. During the limo ride home, I tried to summon the courage to confront Drake about Alex. I hoped the alcohol would make it easier for me to ask the questions I so desperately wanted answered.

  Drake snuggled up next to me and handed me my drink. “You were amazing tonight, Chelsea. The way you moved through the room… I don’t think you realize how many people had their eyes on you. And I have to admit, knowing I was the one who’d be taking you home was quite a boost to my ego.”

  As Drake spoke, he wove his arms around me and placed our glasses on the coffee table. His lips brushed against my neck and electrified tingles coursed through my body. I pulled away abruptly, while I was still able to control myself.

  “Drake, we need to talk,” I reminded him. “You promised to explain what happened with that blonde.”

  Drake sighed and reached for his glass again. He emptied it with one gulp and crossed the room for a refill. He returned to the couch with the bottle in hand.

  “I really wish you hadn’t seen that,” he said, topping off my glass.

  “Well, I did. And I’d like to know who she is. It was pretty obvious that you used to be involved with each other.” I waited until he looked me directly in the eye. “Who is she, Drake? And what was she doing at the gala tonight?”

  He drew in a deep breath, then let it slowly before taking my hand. “Her name is Alexandra Svendsen. And we’ve never been involved, Chelsea, not really. She comes from one of the wealthiest families in Denmark. Our parents are friends and a long time ago, our mothers tried to push us together. Or rather, they tried to push me to her. Alex had no problem with the idea of marrying me.”

  “They tried to make you get married?” I gasped. “Like some sort of archaic arranged situation?”

  “Exactly like that,” he agreed. He to
ok another long sip of his scotch and stared out onto the patio. “I’m still not sure whose idea it was. Our mothers’ idea, or if Alex started the campaign herself. She and I spent a lot of time together when we were kids, when we were home from our boarding schools. Alex wasn’t the sharpest crayon in the box, so to speak, but she was always kind and easy to get along with… until we reached puberty.”

  Drake took another long drink. I followed his lead, the scotch burning my throat as it went down. Between the alcohol and Drake’s reassurances, I was already feeling better than I had all night.

  “Around the time we became teenagers, Alex completely changed,” Drake continued, folding his hands in his lap. “She went from a gawky, awkward kid to a blossoming woman. You saw her, she’s gorgeous. But the more significant changes happened on the inside. She knew she was attractive and thought that beauty, combined with her wealth, gave her a free pass to be a bitch. Alex became demanding. And once she got it in her head that she wanted something, heaven help whoever tried to stop her.”

  “And you were one of the things she wanted?”

  “Big time,” he agreed with a grimace and a nod. “She was subtle about it, at first. When I didn’t respond, she got more and more aggressive. By the time we were sixteen, I avoided being alone with her at all. The few times she did catch me on my own, she damn near forced herself on me. We were in our early twenties when our mothers sat us down and suggested that the two of us marrying would be good for both of our families. Alex swore that she hadn’t put them up to it and accused me of being the only one who couldn’t see that we belonged together. The situation got a bit… nasty. Alex and I haven’t seen each other for years, Chelsea… not until tonight.”

  “Which begs my second question, Drake. What was she doing at the gala?”

  Drake shrugged. “I didn’t give her a chance to say. If I had to guess, I’d say that she heard about us and came here to cause problems. That’s why I intercepted her before she reached our table. I knew she couldn’t have good intentions and I didn’t want her to ruin your big night.”