Ruthless Billionaire (Billionaire Knights Book 2)

by Cheryl Phipps

  "Oh come on, you two. I'm just joking. Renee, Ben desperately needs a date for his sister’s wedding tomorrow, and I drew the short straw. We're going to buy a fancy dress so his family won't be embarrassed by me turning up in my worn out jeans, and you know I can't afford to buy anything suitable myself. Okay?"

  Renee rallied well, used to her sister's quirky sense of humor. "Well, if that's all it is, then be my guest. If you find something in my size, feel free to add it to the freebies."

  Jenna laughed, while Ben clearly didn't appreciate the humor. That rankled a little. Neither Jenna, nor her sister, would let a man pay for anything, as a rule. This was totally a business deal.

  Unimpressed, he looked at his watch. "If you two are done, could we please get going?"

  At his tone, Renee shared a look with Jenna, and winked. He might be saying please, but he expected obedience. He'd chosen the wrong date, for sure.

  All those years she’d tried to please and be the perfect girlfriend, gave her nothing but a broken heart when she found out he was cheating on her. Since then, Jenna had developed a reputation for being cool when it came to men in general, and especially those like Ben that thought she should be grateful for every crumb of attention.

  Jenna rescued her bag from under empty boxes. "Ready, sir."

  Ben frowned and led her to the garage—make that mini mansion. He pressed a button on the remote he'd pulled from his pocket. One of the six doors rolled up to reveal at least a dozen cars. Not just any cars. There were Porsches, BMWs and even a Ferrari.

  It was a spectacle Jenna never could have imagined. Ben pressed another button and a black Porsche beeped at them. If she’d been given a choice, this would have been the one. It was beautiful.

  Ben opened her door and waited until she'd slid into the low seat. Then he closed the door before getting in the driver’s side. This was a new experience. Ryan, her last boyfriend, had never done anything like that. It had irked her more than she’d ever shown when he’d arrive to pick her up, only to stay in his car impatiently tooting until she appeared.

  Jenna liked this approach far better.

  Chapter Three

  The drive down the winding hill to town was exhilarating as usual. Ben tried to pretend that he was alone. That's when he did his best thinking, and he had a lot to think about. Unfortunately, a certain redhead wasn't willing to be quiet.

  He’d answered her questions about the wedding with little enthusiasm, hoping she’d get the message. He didn’t want to put her off, but she was incredibly annoying. Was she doing it deliberately?

  “Can I put some music on?”

  He gritted his teeth. “If that will keep you quiet for the rest of the ride.”

  He had great peripheral vision, and he caught Jenna poking her tongue out at him. Doubts began to creep into his satisfaction about solving the date issue.

  She fiddled with the radio until she'd found a station that belted out words he could barely understand. He turned the volume down. She tutted and began to sing. He had to admit she had a good voice.

  Next, she pushed the seat back, stretched her legs and opened the window. Her hair flew about her head, and she laughed like it was the funniest thing ever.

  "Do you mind?"

  "Mind what?"

  "Can you please close the window? I have the air-conditioning on."

  "Why don't you turn it off? Fresh air is good for you."

  He gritted his teeth. As a rule, people didn't question his decisions, and he'd asked nicely. He used the master controls to put her window up, and, to make sure she got the message, he locked them.

  She stared at him in disbelief, and he pretended not to notice. It was his car. He squeezed the steering wheel. Why did she affect him like this? He felt childish and out of control. Two feelings that had been alien to him a few hours ago.

  Thankfully it wasn’t long before they arrived at the center of town. Ben parked on the main road. Both sides of the street were fashion houses, and he hoped there would be something for Jenna in one of them. Preferably the first one, since he didn’t want to be here, and he had a lot to do.

  Memories of Angela weren’t pleasant most of the time, and he was trying to shut them out, but this business reminded him of how she was about clothes. She’d demanded he comment on everything she wore and if he wasn’t ecstatic, she’d turn on the water works. He hated tears. Shuddering, he was thankful that the small chapter in his life was over, and Jenna didn’t look like the crying kind. Ben had the urge to cross his fingers.

  Jenna studied a couple of windows, before turning to him. "What are you wearing to the wedding?"

  "A suit."

  She frowned at his predictable answer. "Color?"

  "Black."

  “Hmm. Did you want me to match?"

  "Choose any color you like. We don’t need to match, and I don’t care."

  She tapped a small foot, encased in a very worn boot. “Really? Then how come you didn’t just give me the money?”

  He snorted. “A, I don’t know you. B, I want to make sure it’s classy.”

  “And I’m not?”

  “Don’t put words in my mouth.”

  Jenna gave his mouth a long look, then she bit her bottom lip, something he’d seen her do several times now, and that small thing made Ben want to kiss her. It had better be a one-date wonder, because he didn’t like the way she affected him. Her innocent looks and runaway mouth, added to her hot body, were making him think irrational thoughts.

  “Let’s try this shop.” Anything to break the spell she was casting, intentional or not.

  The first store they entered wasn't right. Everything seemed geared to teenagers. The second had things his mother would look down her nose at. No backs and very little fronts wouldn’t be popular with her or his sister at any wedding. Jenna touched a few things halfheartedly, until they reached the third store.

  "This is more like it." Ben willed her to see the quality of the dresses.

  "These are gorgeous,” she said, excitedly, then gasped. “Have you seen the prices?"

  She thrust one under his nose that read seven hundred dollars. Ben, amused by her horror, wasn't sure what to say. If she'd ever shopped around here, she’d know these were average prices. There were places that were far more expensive nearby, which begged the question—where would she usually go? A mall? He shuddered at the thought of mixing with the masses. That was one thing not on his bucket list, even if his sisters did rave about it.

  A petite sales assistant came over to them, eyeing Jenna’s outfit with distaste. "Can I help you?"

  "We'd like a dress suitable for a society wedding," Ben said.

  "Certainly." She smiled at him, before giving Jenna a critical look from top to toe. "You look like a 12. I'm afraid we don't carry as many options in that size."

  "Why’s that?"

  Ben watched the interplay with curiosity. Something was going on here. Something he didn't understand, and he'd never considered himself stupid. Jenna's eyes glittered dangerously, while the saleslady looked down her thin nose.

  "It's not our most popular size."

  "What is?" Jenna asked, her voice as cold as a popsicle.

  "Zero to two."

  "So, you mainly cater to the anorexic? Ben, we must be in the wrong store." Jenna walked to the door, throwing over her shoulder one last barb. "FYI, I'm a size 10."

  Ben was dumbfounded. The shop assistant scowled after Jenna, and then sent it his way for good measure. He got out of there. Fast.

  Jenna was outside, looking mad as hell, but so was he.

  "You didn't look properly."

  She glared at him. "Why waste our time? Mrs. Stuck-up clearly said I was too fat for her store. I wouldn't buy anything there on principle."

  "I didn’t hear her say that, and you're not buying, I am. Remember?"

  She spared that a few seconds' thought. "Here’s an idea. I'll take a seat in the cafe next door, while you search that store for my size. If you fi
nd anything suitable, I'll wear it."

  "Really?"

  "Sure."

  Ben didn't like the furious look on her face, which belied her offer. This should be a lot easier than it was. Didn't all women want an expensive dress? He wasn't a coward, but going back into that store did not imbue him with any positive thoughts.

  "Why don’t we try that one across the road?"

  Jenna followed his pointed finger. Eventually, she nodded.

  "That looks more like it."

  They crossed the road together, and as soon as they went in, Jenna peeled off and began to wander the aisles. "Are you picking, or am I?"

  "You pick a few, then I'll decide."

  She arched a delicate eyebrow. "I guess that's fair since you're paying. Do I get to keep it after you've used me?"

  Ben coughed as a salesperson came around a rack. Did Jenna know how this sounded? Yes, by the gleam in her eyes, she certainly did. Two could play that game.

  "You can keep anything we buy today. I'll make sure you earn it."

  Jenna’s blush rewarded him, and he shrugged. If she couldn't take it, she shouldn't dish it out.

  "Can I help?" the intrigued salesperson asked.

  Ben outlined the criteria, and the woman disappeared behind some racks. She returned with an armload of dresses and beckoned Jenna, who was browsing with far more interest.

  "Let's get you into a fitting room."

  Jenna followed her into the back of the store, and Ben found a seat outside the cubicles. "Come show me when you have one on."

  "Yes, Boss," she called over the top of the stall.

  Chapter Four

  Ben grinned at the closed door. Jenna might be a handful, but a part of him enjoyed the banter. On any other day, he might have made time to get to know her better because she was so different to other women.

  Today there were so many things he should be doing, and none of them included shopping. He pulled out his phone and dashed off an e-mail. Wedding or not, he had work to attend to.

  A few minutes later he heard the clack clack of shoes, and he finished the sentence before looking up. His mouth dropped open. Jenna looked stunning. "Wow."

  She blushed. "It's not bad, is it?" She twirled, making the skirt swish around her knees.

  The bodice had a deep V that allowed a tantalizing glimpse of tanned cleavage, and tiny sleeves fluttered about her upper arms. The color was a perfect match for her. The deep green emphasized the same coloring of her eyes, and created a foil for the abundance of rich red hair. Her legs were well toned, shapely and tanned. He had no idea where the high heels came from, but they added to the overall picture.

  He nodded. "Let's take it."

  "Just like that? Don't you want to see any of the others?"

  "Nothing could look better on you."

  "Oh."

  The double achievement of seeing Jenna blush so profusely, and the way the compliment had brought about silence, delighted Ben.

  "Please wrap that, here's my card." He handed it to the saleswoman, who gave him a knowing grin, which he wasn't even slightly bothered by. This wasn’t real. Well, he was her employer, but just for a day.

  Jenna went to change, and when she came back he had the dress sealed in a bag, and draped over one arm. "Shoes. You need shoes."

  Jenna barely hesitated. "I do. Mine are all old and worn. They wouldn’t do this dress justice. I think I saw a shop a couple of doors down."

  Ben nodded and followed her along the street. A young salesperson almost pounced on them as soon as they got through the door. It seemed like she wanted to sell them the store. Ben appreciated her enthusiasm, but he was over it, and he could see that Jenna wasn't happy with the slow progress either. He stopped the woman mid-flow.

  "Perhaps it would be best if you explain what you’re looking for, Jenna?"

  She pulled a bit of the dress out of the bag to show the girl. "We need something to match. Not too high, in a size six." When she'd gone, Jenna turned back to him. "You should know that I'm not good in heels. I'm a bit of a disaster really."

  "You looked fine in the ones back at the dress store. Are you warning me, or trying to back out of our agreement?"

  "Just warning you."

  "Good." The signals he was getting and the ones he was sending were becoming mixed-up. She was attractive, but not the sort of girl he was used to dating. He had his pick of socialites, because that's the crowd he hung out with. And look how that turned out? he thought.

  The saleswoman was still bringing out a pair at a time, and Jenna’s frustration won out. "Look, show me everything in my size that's suitable. Then I'll narrow it down on looks. I'm not about to try on something I hate."

  The young woman pouted, then realizing she’d been outmaneuvered, took Jenna to another part of the store. Six-foot shelves displayed shoes in each size range.

  "These are your all your size. Let me know if you see anything you want to try on."

  Jenna threw her hands in the air. "You have to be kidding me? You know how much time you'd save by letting people choose like this?"

  "That's not the way this store works." The woman looked around furtively as if her comment might get her into hot water.

  Jenna make a very rude noise, but selected a couple of pairs. Trying them on, she walked around the store. Finally, she looked in a mirror and seemed satisfied.

  “I imagine we'll be doing a bit of standing, so these will be fine."

  They didn't have a very high heel, but since Jenna was reasonably tall she still looked elegant, even wearing jeans. The color was a good match. If he'd had time he would have gotten some made for her, but that was out of the question.

  "Do you need anything else?" he asked, as he handed over his card. He looked her over from head to toe. If this were either of his sisters, they’d have a list a mile long of necessary purchases. What they’d be, he had no idea.

  She’d been frowning at his study of her, and then her eyes widened. "What about my hair?"

  "You want to see a hairdresser? Now?" He gritted his teeth. Wouldn't that take hours?

  "No. I'll book in for tomorrow, but I can't afford to pay for it."

  Ben was relieved. He opened his wallet and extracted three hundred dollars. "Is this enough?"

  Jenna took the money, counted out half and handed him back the rest. "This is plenty. The place I go is obviously a lot cheaper than yours, and I’ll probably have change for you."

  "I’m not worried about that, just tell me that they’ll do a good job.”

  "I've always been happy with them, and I’m sure they can do classy."

  She gave him an impish grin as she reminded him of their earlier conversation. He'd have to take her word for that. Since he needed to get back home, and tomorrow would be full-on, a trip to the hairdresser was definitely not on his list.

  "Can I drop you off somewhere?"

  "Would you mind taking me home? Renee would have left your place by now and she drove me there."

  "Of course."

  As they drove, Jenna gave him directions while sending a text to her sister. She lived on the other side of town where the streets got smaller, as did the houses.

  It was refreshing that she’d not taken all the money he offered. Any of the women he’d dated would have taken anything and everything he offered and it still wouldn’t have been enough. Considering Jenna was coming to the wedding for a fee, it made him look at her a little differently.

  At a block of shops, she pointed to a parking lot. He pulled in front of a blackened shop front.

  "You live here?"

  "Yes. Above what was my store."

  "That’s your store? The fire looks recent.”

  “Last week."

  “What did you sell?”

  "Flowers. I’m a florist."

  She looked depressed, and Ben felt bad for her. He hadn’t thought of her as a business-owner. "What happened?"

  "Faulty wiring. A legacy from the previous owners who'd done some sk
etchy repairs."

  "Can you sue them?"

  "They've long gone. I've been here for five years."

  "You own the shop?"

  " I do, along with the bank."

  "So, you have a mortgage, and no business? That sucks."

  "Tell me about it."

  “What about insurance?”

  “I have some, but they’re dragging their heels. No one's been out to assess the place yet, so I can’t do much.”

  They got out of the car and Ben opened the trunk. He took out her parcels, looking upward at the apartment above the store. "Isn't your place affected by the smoke?"

  "It was.” She wrinkled her nose at the memory. “To be honest, it's still not great, but it’s getting better."

  “Can’t you stay somewhere else? Maybe your sister’s?”

  “My sister’s got her own problems, and I can’t afford a hotel.”

  He didn't mean to say what he did. It just seemed an obvious solution. "Why don't you come back with me to my place?"

  She stiffened. "You're paying me to attend a wedding. That’s all."

  Ben laughed at her outrage. "It was an innocent offer. We have plenty of rooms, although we've got a lot of visitors at the moment. One more person would not be an issue. Besides, I don’t like the idea of you staying in a place with faulty wiring.”

  “As kind as that might be, I’ll be fine. The wiring up here is all kosher.”

  "I'd feel happier if I could see for myself."

  "Just go. I'll see you tomorrow."

  Ben stalked past her and pushed at the makeshift door someone had tacked over the old one. Bits of the surround broke off, making the place insecure. The reek of smoke and water was horrible.

  "It isn’t safe. Is this the only entrance?"

  She looked annoyed. "The one for my apartment is just around the corner."

  He followed her down a narrow alley to an untainted door, and she unlocked it. Jenna paused as if she wanted to say something. His protectiveness was undoubtedly unwanted, and odd for both of them. Jenna probably wanted to tell him to shove off. In the end, she went inside and they climbed a very narrow stairwell.