The Xmas Conquest (The Wild West Billionaire Book 1)

by Harper Lauren

  “Here we are,” I said. I handed Hanna her wrap and I pulled my scarf close around my neck.

  “Wow, it’s really inside the museum?” Hanna stepped out of the car and blinked, shielding her eyes from the glaring bright lights with her hand. “I haven’t been here since I was in college.”

  I chuckled. “I gotta be honest with you – I don’t think I’ve ever been inside…except for Langdon’s dumb parties.”

  Hanna rolled her eyes. “You would say that,” she said. “We should go sometime,” she added. “I mean, assuming you like art. Do you?”

  I shrugged. “I never really had time to find out…but I’d like anything with you,” I said.

  Hanna looked pleased. “Good,” she said.

  I led Hanna carefully up the steep marble steps and into the museum. As always, Langdon’s planners had outdone themselves. Hanna was practically gasping at the giant Christmas trees, lit with real candles and draped with foil. I couldn’t help staring for a few seconds, myself. I wasn’t the most festive (or religious) man in the world, but something about Christmas had always seemed magical to me.

  “This is so beautiful,” Hanna said, leaning close and whispering in my ear. “I can’t believe it – it looks like something from a movie.”

  A waiter dressed in an elf costume passed with a tray of champagne flutes and I lifted two from the tray, handing one to Hanna.

  “To Christmas,” I said. “Pity it’s not in Jamaica again.”

  Hanna flushed. Just as she opened her mouth to speak, I felt a hand at my elbow.

  “You made it!”

  Turning around, I saw Harry standing there. He grinned.

  “Harry, this is Hanna,” I said, putting my hand in the small of Hanna’s back and guiding her forward. She smiled apprehensively.

  “I’ve heard so much about you,” Harry said. He raised an eyebrow and stepped closer. “And hey, some of it was even good!”

  “He’s kidding,” I said quickly. “Don’t worry.”

  Hanna flashed me a big smile. “It’s nice to meet you,” she said to Harry. “I’ve heard some things about you, too.”

  Harry smirked. “Just as lovely as you painted her, James,” he said. “Pity it took so long to meet.”

  Inwardly, I cringed. The evening was already making me uncomfortable, and we hadn’t even put our coats in the check room yet. I began to wonder if perhaps taking Hanna here hadn’t been the biggest mistake of my life.

  Hanna and Harry were making small talk as I frantically glanced around for the coat check room. By the time I turned back to them, they were both laughing, although Hanna looked slightly embarrassed.

  “Let me take your wrap,” I told Hanna. “And I’ll bring you another drink.”

  Hanna laughed nervously. “James, you’re not getting me drunk,” she said sternly, holding up her champagne flute. “Let me finish this one first.”

  “Yeah, buddy,” Harry said, giving me a look from behind Hanna’s back. “Don’t be a dick to the lady.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Enough,” I said, shaking my head. To Hanna, I said: “I’ll be right back. I’m just going to find the coat check.”

  Hanna nodded. I could tell she wasn’t thrilled about being alone with Harry, but she smiled. “Okay,” she said. “I’ll be here.”

  I pushed my way through the crowd until I found the coat check. There was a huge line, and I groaned as I stepped towards the back.

  “James!”

  My head snapped up and I saw Richard Langdon himself, making his way through the crowd.

  “Hey, Richard,” I said with a smile. I held out my hand to shake but Richard pushed it aside and pulled me into a hug. “How the hell are you?”

  Richard nodded. “Doing very well,” he said. “Glad to see you’re doing the same, eh? I heard you brought a girl here.”

  “I did,” I said. “Hanna. You can meet her after this line,” I said, stretching to my tiptoes and looking around the room. To my relief, Harry and Hanna were still standing right where I’d left them.

  “Good,” Richard said. He shook his head. “I need a little cheering up.”

  The line moved forward a few inches and I frowned. “What’s wrong?”

  Richard sighed. “Nothing worth concerning you over,” he said. “But James, you get it – hell, you spent an entire goddamned year in London, sorting out Magnate!”

  “I did,” I said. “And it was worth it.”

  “Well, perhaps for you,” Richard groused. He launched into a diatribe about his company, and how his employees were growing unhappy and restless. I could barely keep listening as we inched forward in the coat check line.

  By the time I’d handed over my coat and Hanna’s wrap, almost half an hour had passed.

  “Richard, I’m so sorry,” I said. “But I really need to find Hanna. You still have my card, right?”

  Richard nodded. “Yes,” he said. “Terribly sorry, James. We’ll catch up later. I can’t neglect my other guests.”

  I pushed my way through the crowd to the spot where Hanna and Harry had been standing. Harry was still there, talking to a pack of blondes. But Hanna was nowhere in sight.

  “Harry,” I said. “Where’s Hanna?”

  Harry turned to me and shrugged. “I don’t know,” he said. He smirked. “Maybe you should keep better tabs on your woman, West. She was pretty popular with some of the girls here.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “What happened?”

  “Nothing, nothing,” Harry said. He clapped a hand on my shoulder. “Come on, let’s get you another drink.”

  I glanced over my shoulder. “I should really find Hanna,” I said.

  Harry rolled his eyes. “Forget about her for a minute or two,” he said.

  I frowned. “Fine,” I said. “But just for a minute. Then I need to find her.”

  “James, she’s a big girl – what, you’re afraid she’s going to get lost in the little girl’s room?”

  “No,” I said, shaking my head. “That’s not what I’m afraid of at all.”

  Chapter Ten

  Hanna

  As soon as I watched James walk away, I felt my heart sink. His friend, Harry, leaned in and gave me what I could only describe as a lecherous smile.

  “James is practically obsessed with you,” Harry said. He narrowed his eyes and smirked. “And I wouldn’t say this to most women, but for once, I actually agree with him.”

  I frowned and stepped away. “Good for you,” I muttered under my breath. I knew it was a dangerous game to be playing – disagreeing with James’s best friend – but Harry was such an obvious creep that I couldn’t stand it.

  “What? You don’t like me or something?”

  “I need a drink,” I said. “Where’s the bar?”

  Harry chuckled. The sound alone was enough to grate on my nerves. “You’ve already got a drink, remember?”

  Tilting my head to the side, I stared him right in the eyes. “Yeah, I do, and I need another one after talking to you,” I said shortly.

  Harry held his hands up in the air and whistled. “Geez, okay, I get it – you’re not so friendly after all.”

  Turning on my heel, I stalked away from Harry and into the crowd. What was it with men – why did they always blame women when their advances weren’t welcome? And what kind of a person was Harry, anyway? Why was James friends with someone who was such a prick?

  Thankfully, I found the bar after just a moment or two of looking. Like everything else in the crowded museum lobby, it was packed, and I had to elbow my way through just to wave down the bartender.

  “What’ll you have?”

  I fumbled in my clutch for a wad of cash. When the bartender saw me, he waved his hand.

  “No need,” he said. “It’s all paid for.”

  “Oh,” I said, flushing hotly and shoving my cash away. “Thanks. Um, I’ll have a vodka tonic. With lime, please.”

  The bartender nodded. He darted off and in a matter of seconds, a fresh drink
was in my hand. I hopped onto a barstool and glanced around the room. There were three tables at the edge of the room, lining the museum lobby. Each one was piled high with the most delicious-looking food I could imagine. Lobster thermidor, oysters Rockefeller, tons of different cheeses and meats and exotic olives.

  “Impressed?”

  The sound of a female voice made me jump.

  “Sorry,” I said, whirling around. “What was that?”

  A blonde woman was standing in front of me – very close to me, in fact – and smiling in a stiff, frozen way. Her teeth were bright white and her blonde hair was practically silver.

  “You must be with James West,” she said.

  “I am,” I said. I swirled my drink in my hand and took a long sip. Then, remembering my manners, I added: “I’m Hanna, by the way. Hanna Parker.”

  The blonde’s smile didn’t budge. “Emily Welsch Harrington,” she said, offering her hand to me. When I reluctantly took her fingers in my own, I realized that her grip was surprisingly strong.

  “Nice to meet you,” I said, although I didn’t mean it. “I was just wondering where James had gone to, I should probably find him.”

  Emily clicked her tongue against her teeth and shook her head, laughing softly. “Don’t be rude,” she said. “Stay and chat with me for a bit.” She raised an eyebrow and cocked her head to the side. “I’ll bet you’re getting hungry with all that food over there.”

  “What?”

  Emily rolled her eyes. “I can tell you needed some grease and fishing line to get into that dress,” she said. “You may as well just eat. It’s good, or at least, it should be. Langdon always uses the best catering company in Boston.”

  “Excuse me,” I said slowly, stepping back and dashing the rest of my drink down my throat. “I don’t think you have a right to comment on my appearance.”

  Emily gave me a wide-eyed look. “Oh, don’t I?” She giggled again – an infuriating small sound, like the twinkling of tiny bells. “I used to date James, you know,” she said confidentially, leaning in close. “And personally, let me give you a little bit of advice, Hanna – he doesn’t like fat girls.”

  “I’m not worried about James liking me or not,” I said coolly. “And if you’ll excuse me, I need to go find him.”

  Before Emily could open her artificially-enhanced lips again, I pushed past her and stalked off. But I’d barely made it across the room when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

  “James?” I whirled around, hoping to see his handsome face and tousled, dark hair. But instead, it was Emily. She was flanked by two more women.

  “You can’t just run away from me,” Emily said crossly. She wasn’t smiling now – her face was twisted into an ugly grimace. “I have a right to know what James is doing…or should I say who he’s doing,” she added. The other two women laughed and I rolled my eyes.

  “I don’t have time for your bullshit,” I said.

  “No, I know,” Emily simpered. “You’re just after James’s money – honey, I understand. But you really should’ve worn something more…flattering. You look like an escort in that hideous dress.”

  I glanced down at the gold dress I’d borrowed from Danielle. Sure, it was a little tight – but it had zipped perfectly, and Danielle had said I’d looked great. Suddenly, I regretted ever accepting James’s invitation.

  “I think I look fine,” I said coldly, crossing my arms over my chest. “And for that matter, so does James.”

  Emily snorted. “I doubt it,” she said. “I bet he was just trying to get into your panties.” She heaved an enormous sigh, like she’d suddenly been tasked with the role of giving me a piece of advice. “Trust me. I know James.”

  As much as I wanted to doubt every word spilling out of Emily’s collagen lips, I couldn’t help but feel a shred of doubt. She and I were obviously nothing alike.

  What was James doing with someone like me?

  “Well, I’m getting to know him,” I said. “And I think you’re wrong. James likes me.”

  “Sure he does, honey,” Emily said sarcastically. “Just as much as you like his money.”

  The anger that had been building slowly inside of my chest snowballed into pure wrath. I glared at Emily, hating everything about her.

  “You know?” I asked, leaning in close.

  “What?” Emily giggled. So did her entourage. “What is it?”

  “Fuck you,” I said. Emily and her friends gasped, and I could tell she wanted to slap me. But I didn’t give her the chance. Turning on my heel, I ran out of the museum and into the cold Boston night.

  When I got home, Danielle was in the kitchen with a book and a bowl of pasta. Suddenly, the idea of eating noodles, red sauce, and parmesan sounded like the best thing in the world…even better than the caviar and filet mignon I’d left behind at the art museum.

  “What happened?” Danielle yawned and looked down at her watch. “Hanna, it’s like, eight o’clock. What the fuck are you doing back? Was the party really that lame?”

  I sighed.

  “And don’t lie,” Danielle said. “Want some pasta?”

  I nodded wordlessly.

  “Eat up,” Danielle said. She got to her feet and made me a bowl, adding extra parmesan just the way she knew I liked it. “And when you’re done eating, you spill. Okay?”

  I nodded again, feeling stupid. Without even changing out of Danielle’s cocktail dress, I flopped down on the couch and ate the whole bowl of pasta until my stomach was full and the hole in my heart was starting to feel just a little better.

  “So,” Danielle said when I was done as she took the empty bowl and put it in the sink. “What happened?”

  “Danielle, I don’t belong there,” I said, shaking my head. “Not with those people. And I don’t know what James is thinking…am I some kind of novelty to him? Or like, a fixer-upper project?”

  Danielle laughed. When she saw the look in my eyes, her giggles died and she bit her lip.

  “No, Hanna, you’re not a project,” she said firmly. “It couldn’t have been that bad. Probably just a bunch of rich, jealous bitches.”

  “I don’t know about that,” I said doubtfully. I sighed. “It was really bad, D…I almost cried, can you believe that?”

  Danielle blinked. “Jesus, what the fuck did they say to you?”

  I shrugged. “You know. The garden variety of socialite insults. Called me fat, poor, slutty. Said my dress – sorry, your dress – was much too tacky for an event like the party. Told me James didn’t want anything from me but sex.”

  Danielle laughed. “They’re jealous,” she said confidently. “You look amazing in that dress…and I have to give you props for not spilling any marinara sauce,” she added, raising an eyebrow.

  I flushed. “Sorry,” I mumbled. “I should’ve changed. I know that.”

  “Look, Hanna – Christmas brings out strange emotions in everyone,” Danielle said. She sighed. “And those bitches were just angry for no reason.”

  “But what if they’re right?” I asked morosely. The happy, warm comforting feeling from the massive amount of carbs I’d just ingested was starting to fade. “What if James only wants sex?”

  “Babe, he met you in another country…and then spent a year looking for you,” Danielle said gently. “You can’t seriously think he’s just interested in sex, can you?”

  “Well, I don’t want to think that,” I said stubbornly. “But what if it’s true? We have nothing in common.”

  Danielle frowned. “That’s not true.”

  “What, then?”

  “Well,” Danielle said, laughing a little. “You both work at Magnate Group.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Very helpful,” I said.

  “It’s true,” Danielle said.

  I bit my lip. “I just…I don’t know what I’m doing. Hell, I shouldn’t even be dating him at all! He was my boss until like, a week ago…and now, just because he’s not my boss still doesn’t mean this is right.”

&nb
sp; “I know you really like him,” Danielle said softly. “And I’m happy for you. But if you’re going to go all in for this, you need to go all in. You can’t always be standing with one foot out the door, waiting for him to fuck up.”

  I sighed. “Maybe I’ll take the weekend and think about it,” I said slowly.

  “You may as well,” Danielle replied. She yawned. “Besides, it’s Christmas.”

  I looked out the window. The weather had been sunny and clear earlier, but now that it was dark, it was starting to snow. I shivered.

  “It doesn’t feel like Christmas,” I said, shaking my head. “Not at all.”

  ***

  James called twenty-two times over the weekend. I didn’t leave the apartment – hell, I barely left my room. Danielle cajoled and pleaded – first for me to come with her to her parents for the holiday, then to go out with her friends when she decided to stay home.

  “You should at least call your family,” Danielle said. “I mean, I bet they miss you.”

  I frowned. “I don’t know. I think they’re probably all busy.”

  Danielle leaned against the doorway and shrugged. “Up to you,” she said. “At least come out and watch a movie with me – I got Chinese on the way.”