by Leslie North
The nursing staff informed Brianna that they had not told her mother of her accident, not wanting to upset her and that Mr. Coldwell had assured them she was going to be fine. Trent had shooed her away to go visit her mother, while he was given a tour of the facility by the night nurse who was clearly attracted to him.
Brianna’s mother was happy to see her, and even though she had trouble communicating, she noticed Brianna’s injuries and she had no choice but to tell her mother what had happened. She left out the part about not having a place to go when she left here, but on the drive over, Brianna had come up with a plan and was going to ask Jack if her old room was still available. While she didn’t think she could stomach his leering at her, and the way he always tried to brush up against her, she would at least have a place to sleep until she could figure something else out.
As her mother tired, Brianna went in search of the facility administrator. After the intimacy she had shared with Trent, there was no way she could continue working with him, nor would he appreciate having to see her every day. There was a small chance that Janet could help her find another position within the company, but Brianna felt she owed it to the facility administrator to discuss her options in the event she was unable to meet her mother’s fees.
As Brianna rounded the corner, she saw Trent shaking hands with the administrator and wondered how the man was able to charm everyone around him so easily. The facility administrator had never smiled at her, let alone shaken her hand. Rather, she always felt slightly dirty after dealing with him, and more often than not, his gaze was fixed on her chest, rather than her face.
As she neared the men, Trent turned and held his arm out, indicating he wanted her by his side. Deciding to ignore his gesture, she walked towards the administrator, inquiring if he had a few minutes to discuss her mother’s care. When he brushed her off and asked her to contact his office about scheduling an appointment Brianna couldn’t believe it. She watched in shock as the man turned and disappeared around the corner.
Trent tried to turn Brianna towards the exit only to have her pull her arm away from his touch and wrap her arms around herself. Something was definitely wrong and he intended to figure it out now. “What’s wrong?”
Brianna shook her head before looking at him, “Everything? Nothing? Life? Pick one.”
Not liking the sarcasm in her voice, he inquired, “Is there something wrong with your mother’s care that you needed to discuss with Mr. Abrams? I’m sure he’d be happy to meet with you now if I went and got him.”
Brianna shook her head again, “Don’t bother. It won’t make any difference anyhow.” Looking up at him she said, “I’m going to go spend some more time with my mom. Thanks for dropping me off. I’ll come by tomorrow and get my things if it’s okay to leave them there tonight?”
“What are you talking about?” Trent growled, taking her by the arm and pulling her into the nearest vacant room.
“Well, uhm, you took my things to your house last night. You said you…”
“They are at my house. And what did you mean about me having dropped you off? I brought you to visit your mother, and when you are finished, you will be returning to my house, with me.”
“But…listen, I appreciate you coming for me yesterday at the hospital, and this morning…I need to find another place to stay, and don’t worry about work, I’ll speak with Janet on Monday, maybe she can find…”
Trent had heard enough, “Shut. Up. And. Listen. You,” he emphasized the word by pointing his finger at her chest, “are returning to my house, where you will reside until suitable living accommodations can be found. If there is a problem with the care your mother is receiving in this establishment, you will tell me and it will be taken care of. As far as speaking with Janet on Monday, that will not be occurring. You will be taking Monday off, along with myself, and recovering from last night’s attack.”
“Now wait a…” Brianna began, only to find Trent’s fingers against her lips, stopping her speech.
“I have arranged a property manager to show you some available properties on Monday morning, and I assure you they will not be located in Federal Heights.”
Brianna shook her head, “No. I’ll find my own place to stay. I…”
“Brianna, stop arguing with me. If you think for one minute I’m going to let you stay in another fire trap motel, you don’t know me at all.”
“That’s the problem. I don’t know you at all. I’ve worked for you the last week, and you’ve criticized everything about me. That’s…”
“..not true. You have done excellent work as my assistant and I will not be looking for another one on Monday. There’s no reason you shouldn’t continue in that capacity.”
Brianna watched him and when she remained silent he continued, “I know that what happened between us this morning was fast. I suggest we take a step back and spend some time together outside of work, getting to know one another.” When she didn’t offer another suggestion or complaint, he continued, “Now, if there is nothing more you need to handle here, I suggest we say goodbye to your mother and then head home. The bandage on your head needs to be changed and you must be hungry by now.”
Brianna was speechless. Trent had neatly taken over her life and arranged everything. She was so unused to anyone lifting a finger to assist her, she wasn’t quite sure what her response should be so she kept silent and simply nodded.
Chapter 14
True to his word, a realtor showed Brianna several apartments that were within her budget and met Trent’s requirement for being safe. Brianna finally settled on one, which was a sublet and came completely furnished. The paperwork was quickly taken care of and Brianna was able to retrieve her belongings from Trent’s house and move in that very night.
Trent had spent the last several weeks taking Brianna to dinner, the zoo, and movies, trying to help her feel better about their relationship. Several nights a week, Trent worked late into the evening and on those nights he would call her on his drive home and she would drift off to sleep with the sound of his voice echoing in her ears.
On other nights, they would end up back at his house and together they would expand their knowledge of each other – in bed and out of it. Brianna was pleased with the way things were going, and had begun to open up about her feelings. Trent was still arrogant, and unnecessarily rude at times, but she was learning to adjust and deal with it.
Working for Trent remained an exercise in frustration and there were days when she relished the thought of tearing him apart, piece by piece. This was one of those days.
Trent was on the board of directors for several charity foundations and one of the biggest fundraisers of the year was taking place tonight. Trent was required to attend and give a short speech. He had decided that Brianna would be accompanying him as his date. The problem - it was black tie and even though Trent had convinced Janet to go shopping with Brianna and she had purchased a few inexpensive wardrobe items, she didn’t have the resources to purchase a formal gown.
Trent, in his autocratic way, had taken it upon himself to pick out her gown for the evening and had just finished handing her the bag. Inside the bag, she found a lovely sapphire blue evening gown, matching shoes, and the appropriate undergarments. Trent had also informed her that a beautician would be arriving in thirty minutes to see about styling her hair and makeup.
Brianna thought about refusing to attend, but Trent had been working such long hours, they hadn’t seen each other outside of work all week. Swallowing down her refusal, she calmly went back to her desk and finished the projection she was working on.
After having her hair and makeup professionally styled, she tried on the dress, unsurprised when it fit her perfectly. The color of the dress brought out the red highlights in her hair. The crowning piece was a small jewelry box he presented her with a few minutes before they needed to meet the car downstairs.
Brianna looked at the sparkling necklace lying on the velvet inside the box. She had never
seen anything so beautiful. “Trent, it’s gorgeous.”
“Turn around.” Trent secured the necklace before turning her around and giving her appearance a seal of approval. She was stunning! The moment he had seen the dress, he had envisioned seeing Brianna wearing it. When he had seen the matching undergarments the designer had chosen, he had envisioned helping her out of it. The best of both worlds in his opinion.
Brianna blushed at the approval she saw in Trent’s eyes. She felt beautiful when he looked at her like that.
“Let’s go.”
Brianna smiled and for the first time in several weeks felt the weight of responsibility lift and true happiness fill her soul. Part of that was due to the amazing man currently escorting her to the elevator. Her remaining happiness came from the knowledge that she was not pregnant.
She had always been irregular in her monthly cycle, and had begun to feel the stress of not knowing when she had started spotting yesterday afternoon. She had been so relieved, and was looking forward to telling Trent later this evening.
Since that first night at his place, they had used protection religiously, but had refrained from speaking of the possibility that repercussions were forthcoming. Iit was like a huge elephant trying to hide in the room. Trent had been watching her like a hawk lately; what she ate, how tired she was feeling, all of the things that one might look for in a pregnant woman. She was happy to report that her pregnancy was a non-issue. She had been planning on taking a pregnancy test this weekend, but now she would not have the need.
*****
Brianna was thankful that Trent had taken her to eat at some of the upscale restaurants before thrusting her right in the middle of the muckity-muck Denver social scene. Everywhere she looked she saw beautifully dressed people, sipping champagne and eating small appetizers she couldn’t begin to pronounce.
Trent had kept her by his side for most of the evening, introducing her freely to everyone he spoke with and Brianna was pleased to see that he really did have manners when he needed them.
As it drew near the time for Trent to give his speech, Brianna found herself standing next to a tall column, slowly sipping a glass of ginger ale. She had never been much of a drinker, and found the taste of most alcoholic beverages downright disgusting. Trent had laughed and promised to corrupt her. She had responded by telling him that was willing to try; she looked forward to seeing how he reacted to failure.
Thinking about that repartee put a smile on her face, which was still there when the handsome older gentleman stopped next to her. “Mademoiselle, may I say that you look absolutely stunning this evening.”
Brianna smiled at the good-looking man and replied, “Thank you.” Her confidence in her appearance had been slowly growing, and with Trent’s insistence, she had begun to see herself as he saw her.
“So, what brings you to this meeting of the rich and famous?” the man inquired.
Brianna looked at him and gave him another smile, “I’m here with Mr. Coldwell.” Brianna was intent on looking for Trent so she could point him out to her companion and therefore missed the look of hatred which consumed the man’s face.
Marco Bresi couldn’t believe his luck. His sources had told him that Trent had a new female interest and that he was taking a different approach with this woman than normal. She had been seen at his residence on numerous occasions, and appeared to work for him in some capacity. Running into her at this charity function was like a gift, which had fallen into his lap.
“Shame on him for leaving such a beautiful lady to fend for herself. May I get you another drink?” Marco offered.
Brianna couldn’t find Trent amidst the crowd of people, but turned her attention back to her companion, “Oh, no, I’m fine. But thank you.”
Marco held his hand out in introduction, “My name is Diamante,” using his middle name and intentionally not providing her with his surname. He wasn’t sure how this young woman would play a role in his revenge against Trent, but he would protect his options in the meantime.
Brianna took the outstretched hand and replied, “Brianna. You have a very unique accent.”
Marco gave her a smile one might give a small child, “I’m originally from Italy. I’ve come over to the states to conduct some business and meet with some investors.”
Brianna shook his hand and then blushed when he raised her hand to his lips and brushed the back of it with his lips in an old-world gesture. “It is my pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
“So, what does a beautiful young lady like yourself do with her time?”
“I’m a personal assistant to Mr. Coldwell.”
“And what business is Mr. Coldwell in? Maybe I should make his acquaintance?”
Brianna nodded her head, “I’d be happy to introduce you. Trent’s the CEO of Coldwell Enterprises and they are involved in all sorts of industries.”
“I would love an introduction. Tell me, is it a normal custom in your country for personal assistants to attend social functions with their employers?” Marco had been told that there was a personal relationship between Trent and this young woman, but would love to have firsthand confirmation of that fact.
Brianna blushed, “Well, not exactly. Trent and I are also dating, and…”
“Oh, I see. Well, Trent is a very lucky man.”
Brianna’s blush intensified and she looked around for Trent again. Spying him heading her direction, she was taken aback at the look on his face. He looked furious and was staring right at her.
Trent had been searching for Brianna for several minutes when he spied her leaning up against a pillar at the back of the large room. Smiling, he wondered how she was enjoying her first foray into the high society of Denver. Personally, he was bored and ready to leave.
As he headed in her direction, she turned as if looking for him, and he saw who her companion was and his blood ran cold. The rage that consumed him as he realized that Marco Bresi currently had hold of her hand and was kissing the back of her hand was instant and uncontrollable.
Trent ignored those wishing to speak with him as he made a direct path towards Brianna. Whatever Marco had up his sleeve, Brianna didn’t deserve to be caught in the middle of it.
As he reached the pair, Brianna was watching him with a look of uncertainty on her face and Trent tried to school his features and reassure Brianna that he was not angry with her. Turning to face his nemesis, he stated, “Marco. What are you doing here?”
Marco let go of Brianna’s hand as Trent pulled her against his body, shielding her from Marco’s touch. “Good evening, Trent. You have a lovely young woman here.”
Trent merely growled and pulled Brianna tighter against himself, “What do you want Marco?”
Marco waved a hand, “What do any of us want? Happiness? To see our children grow up and become successful? Grandchildren to bounce upon our knees?”
Trent kept his face from revealing to Marco how close his statements hit. Marco was still blaming him for Serena’s death and the loss of his grandchild. “Well, that’s quite a list. Good luck.”
Marco watched Trent and felt his rage swell, “Luck has nothing to do with it. I understand you completed the Global Tech acquisition. Congratulations.”
Trent nodded his head, “Say whatever it is you came here to say.”
Marco sneered at him, “Don’t brush me off. Unlike Serena, I will not be put aside so easily. You owe me and I will collect. Count on it.” Marco gave Trent another hard stare, and then turned and gave Brianna a smile before saying, “My dear, you should really look into the company you keep. I would hate to see you become another casualty. Good evening.”
Brianna stared in confusion as Marco, or Diamante – whatever his real name was, turned and walked out of the event. Next to her, she could feel the anger that vibrated through Trent and turned to find him watching the man leave as well.
“Trent, I…” she began only to be rudely cut off.
“Save it. This isn’t the time or the place.”
Seeing the look of hurt on Brianna’s face, he softened his tone and continued, “I promise I’ll explain everything once we leave. Let me get this speech out of the way and then I’ll take you home, okay?”
Brianna relaxed as Trent smiled at her, and then dropped his head to nuzzle her ear and whisper words about how beautiful he thought she was in her ear. Relaxing against him, she turned her head and kissed him on the cheek, “Go make your speech. I find I’m tired of playing dress up tonight.”
Trent gave her another lingering kiss and then did just that, making sure that Brianna was safely tucked away next to the stage where he could see her the entire time.
Chapter 15
After giving his speech, Trent had taken Brianna to his home and carefully explained his relationship with Serena, her defection, and suicide. Brianna had been very sympathetic and felt saddened that Marco was unable to move forward with his life.
Trent had been grateful for Brianna’s unwavering acceptance of the facts as he related them to her and afterwards, he had taken her to bed and shown her exactly how much.
The next week flew by and Trent left for a three week trip to Frankfurt to finalize the acquisition of Global Tech. While he was gone, Pam returned to work and Brianna found herself being moved into an assistant position working under Janet.
She was happy working in HR, and as Janet’s assistant, her salary had remained the same. Janet had quickly become a friend and since they both seemed to care for Trent, she felt like she finally had someone she could talk to about life.
Marco Bresi had contacted her several times while at work, trying to lure her away from Coldwell Enterprises by offering her a job as his personal assistant in his Rome office. The salary he had offered her was staggering, but Brianna had no interest in working for him.
He had invited her to lunch several times and she had finally met him at the deli in the lower part of the building, thinking she might be instrumental in helping him see the truth about his daughter’s tragic death. Unfortunately, he was firmly convinced that Trent had lied to her, and increased his attempts at luring her away from her current employment.