by Anna Edwards
"You're scaring me a little." She let go of him and searched the room for her underwear. He grabbed his jeans and pulled them on.
"I don't mean to. I just have resolve at the moment, and I really need to go for it while I do."
"Ok, now you're really scaring me." He saw her shiver as she put her bra and knickers on. The painted-on jeans skimmed her thighs, covering up the pussy he would rather just sink back inside. He was suddenly very nervous. Jesus, he was a big bad Dom who could intimidate mischievous little subs or erstwhile employees that wouldn't meet his exacting specifications, but this woman in front of him was nearly bringing him to his knees with worry.
"Let's go. We'll grab a coffee and danish on the way."
"Callum." She reached out and touched his arm. It was a tentative, timid touch. So different from the passionate interaction between then previously. "It's not drugs or gangs is it?"
"What?" He turned and pressed a searching urgent kiss to her lips. He needed to reassure her. "I promise you it isn't."
They picked up the remainder of their belongings and checked out. He held Marie's hand the entire time, squeezing it reassuringly as much as he could.
The morning was overcast when they emerged from the hotel. It wasn't raining, just dull, the nip of the frost still lingering in the air.
"It's about a ten-minute walk. Are you alright with that, or would you rather a taxi?"
"I'm good to walk." She let go of him to pull her gloves and hat out of her bag. Slid them on and resumed their hand holding. "Which way?"
"This way, towards The Mall and Horse Guards."
Before they walked anywhere, though, he leant in and gave her another kiss, a lingering one that allowed him to savour her taste.
"Well, well, well. Mr Ashworth. It's been a long time since I've caught you sneaking out of a hotel." A flash went off. Shit. He’d know that voice anywhere. It had plagued him for most of his early twenties.
"Miss Bridgewater." He shielded Marie from the nosey reporter. "I would say it is a pleasure, but then I'm sure you know I would be lying."
"Of course. Who's the young lady? A conquest?"
"Nothing of the sort. She's my girlfriend. Now if you excuse me, I have to be somewhere."
He held Marie's hand; she frowned at him.
"Has she met your father? Should I ask him for a statement?"
He was trying to placate the temper that was boiling inside of him. It got the better of him, though. This woman had made his life hell. She was responsible for every news feed that had come out about him when he was just trying to grow up. She was there when he stumbled, drunk, out of clubs with women on his arms. He wasn't a fucking celebrity; he was an accountant for fuck's sake. He just happened to be the son of the Prime Minister. Nobody needed to know what he was up to, unless it was illegal. And drugs had never been his thing.
"Leave my father out of this." He was in her face now. Marie kept her hand in his.
"Callum, let's go. I don't know who this is, but we need to walk away. Please."
"All you need to know, Miss Bridgewater, is that Marie is my girlfriend. Nothing more, nothing less. There is no story to be found here so go stick that filthy nose of yours elsewhere, or I will have a harassment order out on you."
With that he pulled Marie out across the road, a stunned cyclist swerving to miss them.
"Can I have a second name, Mr Ashworth? It will make this so much easier?"
He rose his middle finger in the air behind them.
At a pace which was akin to almost running, he sped into horse guards via the royal society building. His other fist was clenched. He wanted to punch something, anything, and a nearby wall seemed a great victim. He let go of Marie's hand and struck out. The wall won, though, and he was left with nothing but bleeding knuckles. Marie screamed and stepped well back from him.
"Fuck" He called. It wasn't supposed to all come out like this. Damn he was losing it.
"Callum." Her voice was laced thickly with alarm.
"I'm sorry."
"Who...who was she?"
"A journalist."
"Journalist." He took a step towards her, but she took another two quick ones back. "Stay there."
"I was a bit wild in my youth. I was often caught stumbling out of clubs. Normally by her. She was a junior reporter then. Looking to get a story wherever she could. I provided her with them."
"I don't understand." A young couple jogged past them with a dog in tow. They both stepped back to give them space. The dog barked as if to say thank you. When they'd gone, he took steps closer to her and held his hand out again, the left one this time, not the grazed right. She refused it.
"Come with me, and I'll show you. It's just at the end of Horse-guards."
"But there's nothing there except Downing Street." Her mouth fell open. "Callum Ashworth. You're the Prime Minister’s son."
He took her hand, and thankfully she let him. He suspected it was more as a result of the daze she was in than willingness, though.
"Let's get inside."
She followed him. One foot going slowly in front of the other.
They got to the gate and the guard recognised him. "Morning, Mr Ashworth."
"Morning. This is my girlfriend, Marie."
"I need to have her searched before she goes in."
"Of course." He turned to Marie. She still hadn't spoken. "Marie. Do you consent to an officer searching you and your bag?"
She nodded.
"She alright?"
"We had a run in with Sally Bridgewater on the way over. I suspect she'll turn up at the gates asking for a statement before long."
"Piece of trash, that reporter. She'll get nothing from us."
"I know."
A female guard searched Marie's bag and person.
"I'll put her on the clearance list, so she doesn't have to be searched again."
"I should have done it earlier."
"No worries. We've been told your dad is off to Parliament soon."
He took Marie's hand again, but she dug her heels in.
"I can't go in there." The guards gave them some space.
"Why not?"
"I'm a nobody from the worst part of town. Oh God, does your father know everything? The gangs? My sister?" She started to take steps backwards. "This can't be happening. You lied to me. You told me you were nobody. You're the son of the fucking Prime Minster."
He tried to bring her into his arms, but she pushed him away. It was at that moment his mother and father appeared at the famous door.
"Callum." His mother called and waved, and they both started over to him.
"Marie, please listen to me. I want to take you inside so I can explain everything. You said you needed a billionaire to save you. I was scared. I've been used that way many times in the past. I needed to know that it was love for the right reasons."
"You think I'm a money-grubbing whore like everyone else." Tears welled in her eyes.
"No. Not at all. Please come inside let me explain."
"Callum, is everything alright? Who's your friend?" His father patted him on the back while his mother walked over to Marie.
"Is everything alright dear?" She placed her arm around Marie's shoulders. "Come inside. I've just put the kettle on."
Marie started to shake.
"I can't. I'm sorry. I shouldn't be here."
And with that, she fled out the gate leaving him rueing his stupidity.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Marie
It had been a week since the incident outside Callum's home. Well, no it came with his father’s job, so it was the British public's house. She'd cried for hours. Her mum tried to comfort her, but nothing worked. He hadn't told her who he was because he thought she would only want him for his money and fame. When he'd said that he loved her, her heart had leapt. She loved him too. It had happened so suddenly, but she never wanted to be apart from him. Well until she found out the truth.
She'd taken a few days o
ff work. Mr North had been worried and had sent Matthew round to check on her. It had taken a bit of reassurance, but eventually he had realised she just needed a few days to recover. Callum had consistently phoned at first. He'd banged endlessly on her door the first night, but she never wavered and let him in. At work on the first day, he'd tried to talk to her, but she disappeared into the ladies’ toilets and stayed there till Matthew had told Callum to return to his office. Matthew had offered her a sympathetic look when she returned and that had her breaking down in tears.
The next day there had been a file on her desk; it was all the articles about Callum from his youth. That night she read it all. None of it mattered to her. It wasn't his past or even who his parents were that upset her. She was more confused and disappointed in herself. She had allowed herself to become the parody of a gold digging bimbo. No wonder he didn't want her. Nobody would ever want her.
She hadn't had much of an appetite the last few days but as time went on her body called out for food. It was a cold day. She didn't fancy the sandwiches she'd brought with her so grabbed her bag and headed out for soup. It was only mid-November, but Christmas was already in full swing. Band Aid blared out in the coffee shop while she ordered butternut squash soup with ginger and chilli croutons. That would knock the cold away. She took a seat in the corner of the room facing away from the door. She just wanted peace and quiet. While the steam cleared from her soup, she pulled out her new Kindle and it opened to the page of her latest mummy porn novel. It was a particular juicy passage, not that she felt in the mood for it.
"I wouldn't think you'd have a need for that dating Callum Ashworth, Miss Easton."
She looked up. Miss Bridgewater stood peering at the Kindle over her shoulder.
"I've nothing to say to you."
"Come on; I just want to eat my soup like you, and there is nowhere else to sit." She looked around, at least the journalist was telling the truth about that. "May I?"
"If you must."
The woman took a seat opposite.
"So what is the book about? I don't think it's one I've read. She's a good author, though. I met her at a convention once. Really shy, didn't really talk much."
"Do many people talk to you?"
"You've got me there. No not many people do. I can't think why."
"Maybe because it will be in the paper the next day."
"Like your story will be?"
Marie dropped her spoon.
"What do you mean?"
"Where do I start? Junior in North Enterprises, raises up the rank, possibly by giving Mr North sexual favours. Gangbanged pregnant sister gunned down in a drive-by after it was found out she'd stolen from a local dealer. Revenge, suffering--all until you found the Prime Minister's son and now miraculously all your family debts are paid, and you live in Kensington. Do you want to add anything else?"
"How do you know all that?"
"I have my sources. I shall not be revealing them, though." The reporter reached into her bag and pulled out a piece of paper she threw it at Marie, nearly landing it in the soup. "That will be in my magazine tomorrow. If you have anything to add to it, my details are on the card attached. This soup is disgusting. I think I'll eat elsewhere." She stood up. "Have a nice day Miss Easton."
The tabloid reporter left Marie sitting alone at her table.
Gold-digger from London slums ensnares Prime Minister's son.
Is this the type of trash we want living in Downing Street? Marie Easton has no qualifications but managed to work her way up North Enterprises to become PA to the leading man, James North himself, in less than eight years. Was it sexual favours that did it? Judging by her sister's experience, it wouldn't surprise me. She was passed around between lovers and pregnant at the age of sixteen before dying in a drive-by shooting. Will the great British public allow this type of woman behind the sacred doors of Number 10? Callum Ashworth seems to think so."
What could she do about this? This would drag everything back up. She yanked her bag off the side of the chair, shoved the paper into it and sped out of the café. Her heels clicked rapidly as she fled back to North Enterprises. Stumbling, she swiped her ID card through the turnstile and jumped into the lift. Frantically she pressed the button for the top floor.
"Come on, Come on." She bashed the button again and the doors finally closed. It was the longest ride to the top floor. Only pretentious men that liked to mess up people's lives would have the high level. Make everyone else feel beneath them. When the doors finally opened she ran out towards the accounting department. Sam was at his desk.
"Hello, you look spaced. What's wrong?"
She ignored him and thundered into Callum's office. He wasn't there.
"Where is he?" She screamed at Sam when he appeared in the doorway.
"Ok girl you need to calm down."
"Like fuck! Where is he?"
"He's in the boardroom with the directors
She stomped down the corridor, pulling the bit of paper from her bag while she moved. Without knocking, she kicked open the door to the board room. All the directors of North Enterprise, including James, Callum, and Matthew turned to look at her.
"This is your fault." She stopped in front of Callum and thrust the bit of paper at him. "Well I hope you had your two minutes of fun, ‘cause now I have to deal with the consequences."
Callum looked down at the paper, scanning it quickly. "You think I did this?"
"Well, you seemed to know each other well and even said that you gave her stories. What. Did she pay you to find a 'sap' to get a good story for her? Well, you certainly found one in me didn't you."
"Marie." James stood up. She just glared at him, but in a few steps, he and Matthew were in front of her. Matthew took the paper from Callum. He scanned it and nodded an uncommunicable message to James. "If you'll all excuse us, we'll adjourn the meeting for an hour." There was no mistaking the tone of her boss' voice.
What had she done?
"I'll go pack my belongings up. I'm sorry."
"Sit," Matthew spoke this time. She froze.
Callum took her hand. "Do as he says."
She sat. The three men continue to stand around her. She felt severally intimidated.
"Where did you get this?" Matthew asked
"Miss Bridgewater."
"She actually gave it to you? Did you meet with her?" Callum came down on his haunches before her.
"I was in the coffee shop. She came in and gave it to me." Marie turned away. She couldn't bear to look at his traitorous face.
"You think I gave her this story?"
"Well, there are only three people in this room that know everything. Two of them I trust not to lie to me." She spat out.
"Damn it. I didn't lie to you. I gave you a chance to fall in love with me, without the preconceptions of what you thought you had to do." He stood back up.
"You didn't tell me who you were."
"And why should it matter? It doesn't matter to James that I'm the Prime Minister's son. As far as he's concerned, I'm his accountant."
Both their voices were raised. James and Matthew made no attempt to give them privacy.
"Because you should have told me. How can we have a relationship when you lie to me?"
"I didn't lie."
"You didn't tell me the truth either."
"What would you have done? Would the pound-signs have flashed?"
"See you do think I'm a gold-digger."
"No, I don't. Damn it Marie. You needed to find yourself before you found me. By not saying anything I allowed you to do that. As soon as I realised how much I loved you, I told you."
"You didn't tell me. Miss Bridgewater finding us made you say. I don't think we were even going to go to your home that day."
"Don't bullshit me Marie. You know full well I was about you tell you before she met us."
"I don't want you to be his son. I want you to be my Callum. Everyone will always hate and question me. Nobody will ever believe that I fel
l in love with you just for who you are. For the way you make me feel, make me laugh, make me feel worshipped and protected. They'll all think I want the fame and fortune because of who I am and where I come from." She could barely get the words out she was crying so much. "I'm just a bimbo. I couldn't even save my sister."
He came back down in front of her, his hands reaching out and bringing her down on his lap. She struggled, but her strength was no match for his.
"Nobody could've saved your sister. She was too far gone. But Owen is a precious blessing that you protect and care for. As for people hating you, my mother and father were so worried about you. Mum was nagging me to take her to your house to make sure you were alright. She's been nagging me every day since. Honestly. If I don't go home and tell her soon that we're back together, she will be knocking on your door. They know everything, and they adore you. I've told them so much about you. The good stuff and the bad. Dad is so impressed at how brave you are. He thinks you will make me a good wife one day."
"Wife?"
"Yes. When we're ready."
“What about the public? Especially when they read this?"
"Miss Bridgewater smells a good story and takes it to the extreme. She did the same with Amy when we first got together." James interrupted. "Matthew, what do you think?"
"It's written in an entirely scandalous manner and revealing that they've moved to Kensington is dangerous to the family, but the bulk of it is based on facts. And ones she shouldn't have access to. That is what worries me the most at the moment. Sorry, Marie. I’m going to review all our security protocols. If I were you, I’d get onto our press office and see what they can get them to change.” Matthew left the room. James took the paper.
“I’ll deal with this. Callum, do you want to take Marie back to your office and wait there? I'll message as soon as I hear something. I think as you two have started talking you should probably do some more."
"What do you say?" Callum moved her off his lap to stand and held his hand out to her."
"I would like that very much."
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Callum
"Sam, can you bring Marie and I a coffee please? Then I want you to hold all my calls unless they’re from Mr North or Mr Carter. We are not to be disturbed."