My dad only nods.
He knows what I could say, but don’t.
Now that Duke Geoffrey Whittaker has done us a favor, and even gone as far as to fly us to London on his private jet, he will eventually want something in return.
My father doesn’t trouble himself with this, however.
It’s too difficult to think about.
“Don’t worry, we are a family, we are all going to be fine. On that note, you’re engaged to Victoire?” he asks.
“We’re engaged,” I nod.
“Are you not happy about it?” My dad asks.
“No, she’s the love of my life. I just wish it were under better circumstances,” I make an excuse.
“That’s understandable. I’m glad you found the woman you love, she’s changed you for the better Evan,” My father says.
Only we aren’t engaged.
This is what I wanted for us eventually, but not like this.
Not with us broken up and so much tension between us.
Vic and I both agreed that we’ll be the happy couple for everyone else, and we’ll do whatever we want in private.
We can lie to them, because god forbid, someone finds out it’s a lie.
But we can’t lie to each other.
“I’m happy for you two,” Tinsley mumbles.
She begins to stir from her slumber and the way she smiles at my dad truly makes my heart ache.
“We’re all together,” Noah says.
He wraps an arm around Tinsley, and she cuddles against him.
“Are you going to have to go back to New York?” my dad asks Tinsley.
“No, I suppose I’ll just work from the London office,” Tinsley sighs.
“After the baby comes,” my father corrects her.
Tinsley giggles as my father places a hand on her swollen belly, and this tender moment suddenly makes me melancholy.
I have nothing, there isn’t a woman who would want to have my child.
Suddenly I am sure of something I wasn’t before: that I do want kids, and a wife, and future.
The woman I want all of that with wants none of it.
Damn it.
I want to move back to my seat with Vic, but I can’t face her now.
It’ll just end in an argument, and that’s the last thing that I need.
I stand, and I remember once last detail.
“Dad,” I tell him.
“What?” he asks.
“Mom killed Dominic Ventretti,” I just blurt it out.
My father’s eyes go wide, and his mouth opens, but so sound comes out.
Tinsley gasps.
“Are you sure?” he says.
“Lucius told me, on the roof this morning,” I explain.
“Your mother was involved with Ventretti?” My father’s voice is unnatural.
“I think there’s more to it than that,” I say.
“Bloody hell,” he says.
My father runs a hand through his hair and looks towards a concerned Tinsley.
“What the hell else could she possibly want with us?” he asks her.
Tinsley can only shrug.
“Don’t worry, we’ll get to the bottom of it,” I say.
My dad nods.
“Before this gets any worse,” he says.
Tinsley looks a little upset, and I know why.
They’re going to put the wedding on hold.
Goddamnit.
Part III
27
Victoire
January 7, 2018
“I can’t believe you and my brother are engaged! Evan engaged,” Ava tells me.
She shakes her head like she can’t believe it.
Then she hands Landon to Magda for feeding and holds Grayson in her arms.
Or is it the other way around?
She sits on the handsomely enameled platformed bed in the guest room that Evan has claimed as ours.
I wanted my own room, but that would’ve looked funny.
“We worked it out,” I manage.
When I look in the mirror I know, I should finish my make-up, but the emptiness is there.
Evan has so far not indicated that he wants me like he once did.
In public, we are pristine, the perfect image.
When it comes to private time, we just move around each other, we barely speak.
“What’s wrong?” Ava asks.
It’s like she can sense these things.
But I need someone to confide in, Evan be damned.
“If I tell you something, you need to swear on Grayson’s life you will not tell anyone else. If you do, I’ll end up right back in New York, in prison,” I tell Ava.
Ava just nods.
“Evan and I broke up. Our engagement is a farce,” I say, blurting the whole thing out.
Ava laughs for a moment, and I glare at her.
“I’m sorry, it’s just, well that’s what happened with Corban and me,” she continues to laugh.
“It’s not even close to the same thing,” I remind Ava.
“What happened? I thought you didn’t want anything serious?” Ava asks
“Well, that was before I knew I loved him,” I admit.
I start to sweep highlighter and bronzer across my cheeks.
“You do love him,” Ava says thoughtfully.
“It’s pretty obvious that my brother loves you, just the way you two look at each other,” Ava notes.
“That’s in public, where we pretend,” I say.
“Yeah but, my dad used to pretend he was with the person who makes him happy when he had to be all picture perfect in public. Is it possible you two are doing the same things?” Ava asks.
That’s a fair point.
“I know I am, I just don’t know what’s going on in that man’s mind,” I admit.
Ava mulls over this for a few moments.
“Have you spoken about it?” Ava asks.
“No,” I admit.
“I’m too afraid that he will just reject me again,” I say.
“But, the ring?” Ava notes.
I look at the gorgeous sparkling pink diamond on my finger.
He knew how much I loved it, and he bought it.
Was he planning to propose?
Did he think that was in our future?
Clearly, Evan thought we had some sort of future if he made this kind of purchase for me.
Ava is right.
I need to speak with Evan.
“And, wear the off the shoulder dress, the black one with the lace sleeves,” Ava tells me.
“You’re right, it’s modest but slightly sexy,” I agree.
Grayson starts to fuss, and she excuses herself to feed him.
I drop my silk robe and pull the dress on, however.
I’m only alone for a few moments as Evan enters the room.
He’s drop-dead handsome in a tuxedo.
Every part of my body just melts at the sight of him.
“Can you zip me up?” I ask.
I turn my back to him, to regain some composure as he slowly zips my dress.
“Thanks,” I turn around and smile at him.
All once the words burst from his mouth.
“We can’t keep going on like this, we’re like strangers in private, it’s killing me. You went from a woman who only wanted sex, to my submissive, and now we’re nothing. I can’t just be nothing with you,” Evan confesses.
“I can’t do this either. Maybe because we were never really friends?” I suggest.
Evan shakes his head.
“Vic, you were my best friend for a long time, whether you knew it or not, you were,” Evan says soundly.
“You were mine,” I admit.
“No one knows that you like your coffee black, but if you’re eating breakfast, you drink water with lemon instead. No one knows those little nuances like I do,” Evan tells me.
“You wear your heart on your sleeve sometimes, and then you shut people out. Don’t shut me out
. Let’s give our friendship a chance to survive,” he pleads with me.
“I can do that, I’d love to be friends, to feel like,” I pause because I can’t bring myself to say what I want to.
“I need to feel like you are still a part of my life,” I tell him truthfully.
“Good,” Evan says.
Then his dashing smile makes me silly all over again.
Tonight, we are attending a party at Duke Whittaker’s home, in London, one of several around the country in fact.
“Vic?” Evan’s voice is far away somehow.
“Mhmm?” I say.
Our eyes are focused on each other.
“Do friends kiss at all?” he asks.
“I’m sure occasionally,” I say quietly.
Evan crosses the distance between us.
Just as the door to our bedroom springs wide open and I am shocked to see Noah Stone there.
Even if I am in his opulent London Mansion.
“We’re late, if you two want to kiss all day, do it at the party,” Noah winks at the both of us.
“Sorry dad,” Evan apologizes.
Damn it.
We follow Noah out the door.
As the limo pulls up around the large, circular driveway, I am in awe of Whittaker House.
Whittaker House is far, far from a house.
The vast estate boasts multiple structures, but the main home is the most daunting.
Four imposing columns greet us as the limo pulls up and a uniformed man who wears the Whittaker crest, I assume, opens the door.
“42,000 square feet on over twenty acres,” Evan comments in my ear.
“Holy shit,” I say.
Tinsley is in total awe, but Noah looks bored by the whole dog and pony show.
We’re greeted at the door by various staff, and a flute of champagne is handed to me.
I’ve no intention of drinking it, not only because my stomach is in knots.
How I’ve managed to hide the morning sickness from everyone is a miracle.
“Good evening Mr. Stone, Ms. Whittaker, Mr. Stone and Ms. Bishop,” a maid greets us.
“Dinner will be served in one hour, there is a formal reception right this way,” she says.
She leads us into a large, opulent room with high walls, gilded with an ornate but subtle wallpaper.
Modern furniture is strewn around the room with beautiful antique touches and the dim glow of the crystal chandeliers overhead.
There is a low hum of chatter accompanied by two violinists in a corner.
Uniformed waiters in black and white pass around h’ors d’oeuvres on silver platters, as others circle the room with various drinks.
I can almost see my reflection in the polished hardwood of the floor, accented with carpets every now and then.
“Now this is a spread,” Evan says.
We all find seats, and I don’t quite know what to do with myself.
Tinsley is due in March, so she’s quite pregnant, but as a Whittaker, everyone would like a word with her.
How is she?
Is the baby doing well?
When is she due?
Is it nice to be home?
She’s graceful and knows exactly what to say without being prompted.
“You should’ve gone into public relations,” I whisper.
Finally, we have a moment of silence.
Noah and Evan have gone off to wander the room and make polite conversation.
Old friends and such, I suppose.
“Years of handling Whittaker Energy,” Tinsley giggles.
She pats her updo, even if not a hair is out of place.
“I suppose this is why my mother always maintained that I had to have a pristine image,” Tinsley sighs.
“You’re related I assume?” I ask.
“It’s a far-off relation, I don’t think it means anything. Though Evan was quite smart in what he did. I don’t think even Noah would’ve thought to call Jude. It was brilliant,” Tinsley says.
“I still think-” I begin.
Then I stop myself.
“He did the right thing,” I correct myself.
“Evan actually did the right thing for once,” Tinsley agrees with me.
I feel awful, instantly, for whatever I said to Evan, or even just for indulging that Evan couldn’t handle himself.
He more than helped, he saved us all.
Across the room, Evan catches my eye and waves me over, just as someone else descends upon Tinsley.
I find Evan and Noah with a man I’ve never met.
He introduces me as the future Mrs. Evan Stone, and my heart skips a beat so hard, that I must fully concentrate on breathing.
I barely remember the man’s name as we are called for dinner.
In the dining room long tables with elegant, comfortable chairs await, and a seven-course dinner I barely touch because my nerves are shattered at this point.
Dinner drags on forever until we are released into the ballroom for after dinner drinks, where a small band plays classical music.
“Dance with me,” Evan commands.
“Evan, we’ve never danced before,” I tell him.
“So? I know what I’m doing here, follow my lead,” His voice is authoritative.
I can’t help myself and let him guide me onto the empty dance floor, underneath the ornate chandelier.
The slow waltz is easy enough to follow, but the way Evan guides me around the room makes me feel like I’m on air.
We float around the dance floor together seamlessly.
Our eyes meet, and I know I’m in trouble.
“Friends, right?” Evan whispers in my ear.
I can’t help the smile that creeps onto my face.
“Friends?” I question.
Evan twirls me away from him and back into his arms.
Breathless from being so close, and so safe in his arms my thoughts are scattered.
Until our eyes meet again...
Neither of us notices that only a few couples have joined us on the dance floor, and I know that we outshine them easily.
We’re in the better-looking part of the crowd, and Evan is a Stone.
The Stones have finally returned to London.
When the next song is, I finally request water, even though I would rather dance with Evan all night, I’m a little dizzy.
“Water, right away, Mrs. Stone,” Evan says with a wink.
I can’t stop the laughter that escapes my lips, and I remember why I found him so captivating that first night.
We’ve always had undeniable chemistry that draws us together.
There’s a tiny shred of hope that maybe Evan does want more.
In bed, I scroll through e-mails on my tablet and read another from my sister.
She’s thrown herself back into work and refuses to date any more.
The disconcerting part is our fake engagement was all over Page Six and the London papers, as well as several tabloids before I could tell her.
Now, Grace only asks about the wedding, what we are about to plan, and when can she visit?
It’s easy to type out some vague ideas, tell her I love her, and hit send.
“Do you mind if I sleep in the bed tonight? The couch is uncomfortable,” Evan says.
He’s in the doorway of our suite, in nothing but a pair of boxer briefs.
“Yeah, of course,” I acquiesce to his request.
“Besides, I’ve been a little worried that a maid will walk in, see me on the couch, and ask questions,” he explains.
“That’s probably right,” I say.
My heart falls a little.
For a moment I thought he missed me.
“And for the record, I want to sleep next to you, Vic. I see that look on your face, we miss each other. We don’t need to push this too hard, too soon, but I do miss you,” Evan says.
Evan slides into the bed next to me and props his head up on hand, the soft sheets drape over part of his body on
ly, and reveal the rock hard definition of his abs, that low V-shape down to where his cock begins.
Dear God.
I think I’m wet at just the thought of him on top of me.
Must be the hormones.
“Put that thing away,” he urges.
“I only brought you the tablet so you could email Grace. Or are you having a love affair with Lucius?” he jokes.
I make a disgusted face.
That would be so wrong, on so many levels.
I put the tablet away.
“So, what exactly are we supposed to do now?” I ask him.
“Should I find a job?” I venture further.
“What do you need a job for? My father’s investments, his assets, his accounts here? Everything is protected. Political immunity,” Evan explains.
“But, the business is gone?” I confirm.
“I don’t think my dad will return to New York with the enemies he’s made, now that NLS has gone straight down the tubes thanks to my mother,” Evan yawns.
“So, what, I just pretend to be your fiancée until when?” I ask out of uncertainty.
“Vic, I’m not just going to throw you out into the street,” Evan says.
He scoots a little closer to me and wraps an arm around me before he roughly pulls me into his arms.
“I’ve got your back, just like you’ve had mine through all of this,” he whispers.
I swallow the guilt mentally.
The cell phone from Elizabeth sits in my purse, charged continuously, as I wait for it to ring.
I have not decided how far I am willing to go to protect my father.
As for all I know, he’s done nothing for me.
I pick him up when he falls, and then he just falls again, only he knows what he’s doing.
Maybe it’s time to let go of my father, let him fall on his ass and pick himself up for once.
“Did you hear me?” Evan asks.
“Just worried about my dad, sorry no,” I say.
When I turn to him, it’s a mistake because I’m in his arms, and his laser focus is on me.
One word from him and I’ll do whatever he wants.
A man has never had this power over me before, not ever.
“Evan, I’m afraid I’ll sleep with you, if you say anything,” I tell him slowly.
“Don’t you want me anymore?” he asks.
“Of course, I do,” I admit.
Heat_A Stone Billionaire Series Novel Page 19