by Krista Lakes
Tracy smiled, but it was half-hearted at best.
“What's wrong, Tracy?” Mr. Hayes asked. His voice held real concern and it sounded nice after the nastiness of the dream.
Tracy bit her lip before speaking. "I don't think Jenna is quite what she appears to be."
"What do you mean?" Mr. Hayes asked, his eyebrows coming together.
Tracy sighed. "I'm actually kind of suspicious about what Jenna has planned for you. I think she might try to hurt you."
“What?” Mr. Hayes frowned. “Why? And when? That makes no sense, Tracy.”
“I don't know why. But, if I had to guess, it would be at the charity ball.” Tracy looked at him, hoping he would take her seriously. “I don't think she's what she seems.”
“The charity ball? You're still upset about that?” Mr. Hayes looked over at her, his mouth agape. He stared at her as if she had grown a second head. "I can't believe you'd stoop to this level. I didn't think you'd be jealous, especially after how much fun you were last night, but apparently you are."
"I'm not jealous!" she practically screamed. It sounded untrue, even to her. "I’m actually concerned for your well-being. I just don't want you to go with her to the ball. I don't trust her," Jenna responded.
His patronizing tone grated on her. If only Mr. Hayes knew about Tracy's dream connections, he wouldn't dismiss her so lightly. Then again, he'd probably dump her immediately. There wasn't a good way to tell him how she knew. She wished he would just trust her on this.
"Tracy, I didn't want to bring this up until later, but I am going to the charity ball with Jenna. It's already been arranged," he said, having the decency to look at least slightly embarrassed.
"WHAT!? No! You can't go with her!" Tracy nearly screamed. It took all of her willpower not to completely lose her cool. There was no way that she could allow this. Jenna was going to kill him.
"I'm sorry, Tracy. Jenna's father insisted. I owe too much to that man not to do this," he said.
She decided to use the one phrase she knew had worked before. "Going to the ball with Jenna would displease me greatly and I know how much you want to please me," Tracy tried desperately to hold onto her composure. She hoped this tactic would work again.
"Tracy, this has already been arranged. I can't change it now. I am going to the ball with Jenna whether it pleases you or not. Please, don't let your jealousy ruin this for both of us," Mr. Hayes said, using his authoritarian billionaire voice. It made Tracy's blood boil.
"I don't want you to go with her. You can't. Bring anyone else. Anyone. I know you have a book full of beautiful bimbos who would do anything to be seen with you. Bring one of them. Anyone but her," Tracy pleaded.
"No, Tracy,” Mr. Hayes said coldly. “I am going with Jenna."
"She is going to kill you," Tracy enunciated every word as carefully as she could.
"Jenna is not going to kill me. You’re just jealous and had a bad dream. Don't make wild claims you can't support." Mr. Hayes took a quick look over at her, as if to make sure she was okay. "This isn't like you, Tracy," Mr. Hayes said, and Tracy couldn't tell if it was concern or anger starting to creep into his voice.
"You aren't listening to me at all. I just told you that I think Jenna is going to murder you, and you shrug it off and tell me you’re going to go to the social event of the year with her. You know what? You can just drop me off here," Tracy replied angrily. This wasn't how she had envisioned the day going.
"I am not dropping you off here. Your apartment’s only a few blocks from here." Mr. Hayes rolled his eyes. Tracy gave serious thought to hitting him.
"Fine. Just know that I am incredibly displeased," Tracy growled and slammed her body into the back of her seat. She refused to look at him or answer him after that, staring out the window until he pulled up at her apartment.
As soon as the car stopped, she unbuckled her seat belt and stepped out of the car.
"I'll have the paperwork for the restaurant drawn up. Do you want to talk about it over dinner?" he called out hopefully after her. She didn't say a word to him as she slammed the door shut and headed up to the front door.
Chapter 14
"Who does that!?" Tracy yelled at the empty apartment. She wasn't sure if she was referencing herself or Mr. Hayes. She flung her shoes on the floor near the door, feeling a perverse satisfaction at the way they banged the floor. He had paid for this apartment, not her. The scuff didn't bother her at all. She knew in the back of her mind that she would regret it later, but for the moment it felt like a small way to get back at him.
She pulled the dress over her head and threw it on the floor. She went in the bathroom and slammed the dials until hot water came out. She wanted to break everything she touched just to get the frustration out of her system. She stepped into the steaming water and let it wash over her.
Hot tears poured out, her frustration and pain finally releasing in the hot water. How could he do this to her? She screamed at the water, wanting to know why he would choose to hurt her like that. He knew that Jenna sparked a small jealousy in her, but to keep throwing it in her face was just mean. She had given him his greatest desire: a threesome, with a girl he had lusted after for a long time, and yet he refused to listen to her.
Slowly, the pain started to recede, leaving Tracy feeling hollow and worn out. I should just let him go with her. Won't he be surprised when he's dead, she thought to herself. The lack of warmth in the thought surprised her. Why do I have to do anything anyway? Her mind asked her coldly.
The question made her stop. Why did she care what happened to him? She had gotten everything she wanted out of him already. She had her bills paid, the apartment was in her name and completely paid for, the restaurant was days away from being transferred into her name, and she had enough extra funds to pay for everything she could possibly want. She didn't need him anymore.
Tracy ran a handful of shampoo through her hair. She didn't need him anymore, but she didn't want to lose him. The idea that he could choose someone else over her suddenly made her grow cold. Their relationship had started out as a business transaction, but she was feeling an odd amount of tension over losing him if that was all it was. It wasn't just the idea of Jenna poisoning him, it was the fact that Jenna was stealing him away from her. She leaned back and rinsed the soap out of her hair, trying to process her emotions.
Sudden understanding hit her hard and she nearly went to her knees. I think I love him, Tracy realized. She wiped the water out of her eyes. Maybe she did love him. Despite her best efforts to stay distant and aloof, she had finally fallen for him. The idea that he would chose Jenna over her cut deeper than she thought possible. He was supposed to trust her. He was supposed to want only her. Tracy had been taking his desire to please her for granted, and now that it was in danger of being taken away, she realized how much she needed him.
"I have to do something," she whispered into the water. A need to do something, to save him suddenly filled her. She was not going to let a pampered little rich girl steal her man, and she definitely wasn't going to let her kill him. Jenna turned off the shower and grabbed her towel. She picked up her phone and dialed Mr. Hayes' secretary.
"Hi, Ms. Wolf. What time is my dress fitting for the Ball?"
Tracy opened her car door. The valet waited while she put her high heels on, managing to look disinterested at the beautiful cherry red sports car Mr. Hayes had given her. She buckled the last strap and tucked the pair of flats she'd worn for driving under the seat. No way she would have driven her car up these windy mountain roads in heels – she might never have made it. She stood up and smoothed her off-white satin gown, then handed the keys to the valet.
She looked at the structure in front of her. At the top of a long and windy road, the mountain chalet was gorgeous. The view from the balcony would be spectacular, she knew. This far out of town, she might even be able to see stars tonight. It was the perfect fairy tale place to hold a ball.
She walked up the gray stone
stairs, feeling the wind whip her satin dress around her legs. The air was crisp and cool up here as she followed an important looking couple to the main door. There was a lot of security in here tonight. She hoped they would buy her story.
The head of Mr. Hayes' regular security detail, Greg, was at the door. He smiled as he saw her. "Ms. Collins, a pleasure to see you!"
Tracy spoke before he could ask any questions. "I'm Mr. Hayes' 'plus one'."
Greg looked at his list and frowned. "Mr. Hayes has already arrived with Jenna Tice," he said.
Tracy waved her hand dismissively. She wished she had a jacket as her bare arms were freezing in the mountain air, yet she kept a calm face. "That was for appearances. I'm his official date for tonight," she said, confidently.
He looked over his list again, his brows tightening. For a moment, Tracy was sure he was going to tell her to leave. She swallowed the panic in the pit of her stomach. If she couldn't get in, then Mr. Hayes would drink the poison...
"Well... Jenna is on the list anyway, so he's still got his 'plus one' available." He looked behind him, as if he were going to call for someone to check. Tracy started to sweat a little bit, thinking that her plan was about to come crashing down. However, Greg turned back to her with a smile, gesturing over his shoulder. "Go on ahead, Ms. Collins."
Tracy smiled at him. She knew she liked him for a reason. A woman in uniform guided her toward a metal detector. With as many wealthy patrons and political entities supposed to be at this fund raiser, Tracy could easily see the need for all the security. Tracy began to reach down to unlatch her shoes, expecting it to be like the airport. A thought hit her: They would surely see the spring loaded shoe on the x-ray machine. Maybe they'd already caught Jenna. Hope bubbled in her stomach.
“Miss, that's not necessary,” the security guard assured her, stopping her before she could remove anything. “This is just to make sure that no one is bringing in any weapons. The amount of metal in your shoes won't set it off. If it does, we can just use the wand. Your comfort and security are our top priorities.”
So, not like the airport at all, Tracy thought as she smiled sheepishly. She straightened and walked through the metal archway. No alarm. If she was able to make it through, then Jenna with her shoes most certainly did as well. So much for that hope.
Tracy gathered herself and stepped into the main ballroom. Not quite the hall of mirrors that it had been in Jenna's dream, but still a fancy-looking place. There were all sorts of important-looking people there, several of whom were members of the Board of Directors of Mr. Hayes' company. She was probably the only person here with a net worth of less than a million dollars.
She began to scan the crowd for Mr. Hayes, and she didn't have to look long. He was waiting next to the the main stage, confident and handsome in a dark gray suit that flattered his broad shoulders and muscular build. A hush came over the gathered crowd as the emcee began to announce the charity's functions and how each donation went to help cancer patients worldwide. Then the man called Mr. Hayes up to give a speech.
Tracy knew he had rehearsed this speech a thousand times, but she knew he would manage to deliver it as if it were off-the-cuff. That was his style.
"You know me, and you know I don't like to talk for long, so I'll keep this brief.
"My father died of cancer ten years ago. A self-made millionaire, he invested in my company early on, and I wouldn't be the man I am today if not for him. I owe it to his legacy to try and donate more and more of the fortune we accumulated together to try and beat his killer.
"I owe even more of my success to our biggest investor, and he's here tonight. When my father died, he took over, becoming like a father to me. John Tice, where are you? Let's give him a round of applause!"
He scanned the audience, looking for John Tice. His eyes briefly passed over Tracy, then snapped back to her. As he confirmed it was her, a brief scowl passed across his face, then a big smile. He thinks I'm here to apologize, she thought.
His eyes moved on, and finally found John Tice. He was standing with his daughter, Jenna, and accepting his round of applause. When Tracy laid eyes on Jenna, she knew that her dream had been true. She was in the same dress as she had been in the dream. The dress, the hair, even the sparkle of jewelry was all exactly the way Tracy had seen it in the dream. There was no way she'd imagined it, not at this detail.
Tracy couldn't see her shoes with all the people between them, but she didn't need to. While everyone was clapping and smiling, Jenna was staring up at Mr. Hayes, a cold determination in her eyes. It was the look of a woman about to commit murder.
Mr. Hayes continued with his speech. "That's all I've got for you tonight, so give what you can, and drink enough to make my dad proud!" A cheer rose up from the crowd, and Mr. Hayes walked off the stage.
Most people expected him to walk to John Tice, but instead, he made a beeline to Tracy. Just watching him stride toward her made her stomach tighten. She wasn't sure how he was going to respond to her being there.
"Tracy. Since you're already in, I won't have security escort you out." It was a serious thing to say, but Mr. Hayes said it like it was a joke, so Tracy let it slide. "Truthfully, I'm glad to see you. I'm sorry we fought."
It wasn't quite an apology, but it would do for now. "Thank you, Mr. Hayes."
He moved his hands to her shoulders. "I know we were both hungover, and I understand your jealousy. I totally get it. But you're the only woman for me. You have nothing to worry about," he said, looking into her eyes.
Tracy melted at his words, his voice, his look. She didn't mean to, but it was exactly what she needed to hear. She hadn't realized just how heavy the weight of their fight had been on her until that moment.
"Oh, Paul," she whispered, calling him by his first name for the very first time.
He looked as if he might melt too. His smile softened into something far more romantic and kind, making Tracy forget for a moment everything that was going on. For a moment, with him looking at her like that, everything was how it should be.
Tracy's mood, however, quickly hardened as she saw Jenna walking up with two wine glasses. The moment shattered.
"Oh. Hi, Tracy!" Jenna said, as bubbly as she was the night before. "That dress looks great on you!"
Tracy stared at the wine glasses, sure that the poison was lurking inside one of them. Jenna had no way of knowing that Tracy knew her plans as she handed Mr. Hayes a glass of champagne. Tracy didn't think, she just moved.
"Don't drink that!" Tracy cried out, pushing the glass away from him before he could take it and nearly spilling it down Jenna's dress.
Shock and disappointment filled Mr. Hayes' eyes. "I thought we were past this, Tracy."
"What's the matter?" Jenna asked, confusion painting her pretty face. Tracy wanted to smack the look right off her.
Mr. Hayes turned to Jenna. "Tracy thinks you're going to try to poison me tonight."
A momentary flash of anger and then horror that Tracy knew and that she would suggest something that was going to ruin her plans. Jenna quickly recovered before anyone but Tracy could notice.
"That's ridiculous! Here." Jenna took his glass of champagne and took a sip of it, then took a sip of her own champagne. She shrugged as nothing happened, looking rather pleased with herself.
Mr. Hayes turned back to Tracy, his arms crossed. "Are you satisfied?"
Tracy frowned at the glass and the smug look on Jenna's face. The poison wasn't in that glass. But, Jenna would be plying Mr. Hayes with drinks all night long. Thinking about it, It would be less suspicious if he didn't fall over dead right after his speech. But, falling over dead after drinking far too much... there would be no blame laid on anyone and it would simply be labeled a tragic death.
Tracy couldn't watch Mr. Hayes' drinks all night long. All it would take was one moment, one turned head or a trip to the bathroom for Jenna to slip her poison into his drink. The dark gleam in Jenna's eyes told Tracy the dream was real. Tracy wasn't
crazy. There was only one way for her to prove it, though.
"Please, Mr. Hayes, just look in her shoe,” Tracy begged. “Check to see if there's anything in the compartment."
The color drained from Jenna's face, but again she recovered quickly. "Look, Tracy, I'm sorry that you're jealous. I should have known that the other night was a mistake, but I can promise you that Paul's place is by your side. I'm not here to replace you."
Mr. Hayes' jaw tightened. Jenna's words were exactly what Mr. Hayes needed to hear to turn against Tracy. "Tracy, I'm going to have to ask you to leave. Jenna has done absolutely nothing wrong and your jealousy is out of control."
Tracy felt sick to her stomach. She could feel him slipping away, as much from distrust as the threat of poison. "Mr. Hayes, please! If you check her shoes, I promise I'll leave and give you as much space as you need. I can go quietly or I can make a scene."
She hated making the threat. She hated that it had come to this, but now that the words were spoken, she didn't really have a choice. Not if she wanted to save him.
Mr. Hayes' eyes flashed with fury. If Tracy weren't so frightened for him, she would have been terrified of that look. "You know what? Fine. I'm sorry to do this Jenna, but please take off your shoes."
Jenna turned completely pale. "N… no."
Mr. Hayes chuckled and put his hand on her arm in a comforting motion. "It's fine, I'll return them immediately. I'll even buy you new ones if Tracy damaged them."
Jenna looked towards the exit. She took a step backwards. "You can't see them."
Mr. Hayes turned to face her completely. His hand dropped from her arm."What?"
Jenna looked as if she had something else to say, then suddenly ran for the door, surprisingly fast for someone on high heels. Tracy knew there was no way for her to catch up, and Mr. Hayes was in shock. "Stop her!" Tracy cried out.
There was too much security at the door for her to just run out. One of the security guards caught her before she could escape. Jenna cried out hysterically, obviously terrified. Tears streamed down her face as she struggled to get free. Tracy pitied her. She pitied the girl for what was going to come next. Paul Hayes was not one to take this kind of thing lightly.