Chase: A Secret Millionaire Romance Novel

by Violette Paradis

  “I was wondering if I’d get any alone time with you today.” He sits on the bench next to me.

  “You’ve got a few minutes before Rita comes looking for us.”

  “A few minutes is all we need.” He puts his hand around my waist. I’m about to chastise him for being so foreward but I’m instantly distracted by his lips. They look soft and hard all at the same time.

  “You know, you’re very presumptious putting your paws all over me like that.”

  He squeezes my waist and smirks. “Am I?’

  “And you think because you’re cute you can get away with it.”

  “Is it working?” He asks.

  I bite my lip. Smiling, he leans in and kisses me. He tastes heavenly. My tongue finds his and sink like quicksand into the experience. When we come up for air, I look into his dark eyes.

  “You taste delicious, Phoenix.”

  I smirk. “Like lemonade.”

  He looks down at my phone. “What are you up to?”

  I look around at the garden and the bushes of roses behind us.

  “I want to film a video for my new song.”

  “A video? Cool.”

  “Yeah… I just don’t really know what I want to do. I mean, I’ve got these beautiful roses and the forest. I want to keep it simple, you know?”

  “Do you want my help?” He asks.

  I raise my eyebrows. “Is this something that would interest you?”

  He laughs. “Sure. I mean, if you haven’t noticed, my family is a bit theatrical.”

  I think about all the costumes and props around the house and laugh.

  “That’s true.” I sit back against the bench. “Tell me your ideas, Kubrick.”

  He smirks. “Let me see that.”

  I hand him my phone and he holds it up.

  “This is what you want to use?” He’s staring at the screen.

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, how about I hold it like this and film you in front of the roses.”

  “Like this?” I smile for the camera and give him a flirty look.

  “Exactly like that.” He smirks. “Where else would you want to go?”

  “Well…” I get up and start walking backwards toward the forest. “Are you filming me right now?”

  He laughs. “Maybe.”

  I playfully roll my eyes and turn around as he follows me. “Is this what you’re gonna do? Just film me?”

  “You said you wanted the beautiful roses and forest… but the most beautiful subject is you.”

  I laugh at how cheesy he is. Spinning around, I give him a quick smile before continuing to lead the way. When I reach the trees, I grab a small one and spin around it. I come face to face with Gabe.

  “Still filming?” I ask.

  He leans in, keeping the camera on me.

  “Hey, you wanted my help.”

  “Did I say that?” I ask.

  Smiling at the dumbstruck look on his face, I pull away and continue walking through the trees. He follows me with the camera. I can hear my song playing in my head. My cheeks heat up as I think about him hearing it for the first time. Biting back my smile, I turn around and look at him again. He’s holding the phone up as he smiles deviously.

  Turning around, I start running. I laugh to myself as I hear the leaves crunch behind me. Looking back, I see he’s running after me. Laughing harder, I continue running until I see the river.

  Slowing down enough for him to catch up, I pull off my dress and throw it aside. Smirking to myself, I look back at him before unhooking my bra and tossing it aside.

  “Phoenix!” He calls out. “What the hell are you doing?”

  Looking back at him to see the look of shock on his face, I pull off my underwear and jump into the river. The cool water feels amazing as I come up for air. I laugh to myself.

  Half a second later, Gabe appears over the edge as he jumps in after me. And he’s naked!

  “Gabe!”

  He splashes into the spot next to me. As I search the water for him, I feel his long arms around my legs.

  “Gabe!”

  He pops up from under the surface. We’re both laughing.

  “You’re crazy,” he says.

  “Not as crazy as you.”

  Wrapping my arms around him, I kiss his cold lips.

  ***

  Sitting on my bed with my laptop, I watch the video that Gabe filmed. At the very end, right after I jump into the river, he puts the phone down, undresses, and jumps in after me with no hesitation. I watch it over and over.

  The video is cute. Really cute. It’s a basically a one-shot view of how Gabe sees me. He makes me look free, beautiful, and fresh. I finally add the music and it’s fits perfectly. I watch it again and again. I watch the way my lips turn into a smile when I look at Gabe. I look at the way my eyes light up when I look off-camera into his eyes. I see the way I laugh and flirt with him. It’s a strange thing to watch, but it’s authentic and makes me smile. There’s only a split second where I can see Gabe’s face. It’s when we’re standing at the trees and I lean in to kiss him. I pause the video and look at the smile on his face.

  “Knock, knock.” Gabe is standing in the doorway. I can tell that he just had a shower.

  I sit up and instinctively lower the lid of my laptop.

  “I’m done for the day,” he says. “I have half an hour until I go help with dinner.”

  I smile. “Pasta again?”

  He laughs. “I can make more than just pasta.”

  “So… not pasta?”

  He pauses. “We’re having spaghetti.”

  I laugh. “It’s like I’m psychic or something.”

  He lifts his chin and looks at my laptop. “What are you up to?”

  “Oh, just trying to figure out if I can upload things to the internet without actually having the internet.”

  “Is it your video?”

  I nod. “I need the Rock Heart Festival people to see it somehow.”

  “Well, can I see it?” He walks across my room toward my bed.

  I push the laptop behind my back. “No.”

  “Why not?”

  I laugh. “Because you haven’t heard the song yet. And I’m not sure if I’m ready to let you hear it.”

  He raises his eyebrows. “I see.”

  There’s a silence in the room.

  “You know, I think have a solution. Grab your laptop and guitar, and follow me.”

  Grabbing my things, I follow him downstairs and down the hallway to the west wing.

  “Where are you going?” I ask.

  “You’ll see.”

  He pokes his head into Marigold’s office and looks around, making sure she’s not in there.

  I laugh. “Marigold’s office?”

  “Come on!”

  Stepping into her office, I put my laptop on her desk. With my guitar in hand, I watch him in confusion as he sits in Marigold’s chair.

  “You want me to play for you? Here?”

  He nods.

  “Well, okay…” I sit on the desk and ready my guitar. Just as I’m about to start the beat I created on my laptop, he stops me.

  “Hold on.” He grabs the phone. “There’s just one more thing I need to do before you start.”

  His lips curl into a mischievous smile as he places his fingers on the dial.

  “What’s the number for the Rock Heart Festival?” He asks.

  My mouth falls open. “Are you crazy? You’re gonna call them? Right now?”

  “Yeah, why not? You said they need to hear your song. We don’t have internet so it’s not like you can upload it. But if you play it live over the phone, they’ll hear it live. Isn’t that the next best thing?”

  “Damn. That’s actually a really good point.”

  “It’s the best plan we’ve got. Unless you have a better one?”

  I think for a moment before shaking my head. “It makes sense.”

  He taps the number pad. I give him the number.

/>   He holds the receiver to his ear. I can faintly make out the sound of a woman’s voice answering on the other end.

  “Yes, hello Sally,” Gabe answers. “My name is Gabriel— err—”

  He casts a wide-eyed glance in my direction.

  “Gabriel Lawrence.”

  I smirk. Finally, he’s more than ‘Just Gabe’.

  “I’m managing a client who would like to audition for the Rock Heart Festival,” he continues.

  I watch him carefully. He’s managing me? Yeah right. He’s going to get an earful after this is over.

  “She doesn’t have anything online… I was hoping she’d be able to audition over the phone right now… Yes, I know it’s unconventional but this song is extra secret and it sounds the best when it’s live…”

  Although I can feel doubt creeping in as to whether they’ll let me play my song over the phone, I can’t help but swell with pride listening to Gabe talking about my music.

  “Okay… I see… Uh-huh…”

  The excitement is slowly starting to fade. They won’t let me do it. I let out an exasperated sigh. But his eyes flash up at me and I see a spark in them. He lifts his hand and gestures for me to get ready. Yes!

  I adjust my guitar and place my hand on the laptop, ready to start the beat.

  He looks up at me. “Ready?”

  I nod. “Ready.”

  “K, go.” He holds the phone out so that the woman on the other end will be able to hear me better.

  Pressing play on the beat, I place my fingers on the strings of the guitar and begin to pluck. As I stare at Gabe, I sing. The sound is rich and sounds especially amazing in Marigold’s office where the small walls provide better acoustics than the parlor. The vibrations buzz through my chest as I sing.

  Gabe watches me with a light in his eyes. I get that magical feeling I normally get when I know someone’s listening to a song for the first time. My heart swells with pride.

  When I’m done, I strum the last few notes before putting the guitar down. My cheeks are hot and I feel adrenaline coursing through my veins. Gabe lifts the phone back up to his ear. I can hear the woman speaking on the other end.

  “Her name is Amber,” Gabe says as he looks into my eyes. “Amber Sweet… Yes, Sweet… No, that’s not a fake name…”

  Distracted by Gabe’s hypnotizing stare, I stare at him and smile. An excitement flutters in my belly. I’ve never felt this supported by any man in my life before. I’ve never felt this celebrated. I always though finding a supportive man was like finding a unicorn. But Gabe is special. I know I’d be stupid to ever let him go.

  He presses the phone tighter against his ear. I can’t hear anything on the other end.

  “What’s going on?” I whisper.

  Gabe covers the mouthpiece. “She said she has to go talk to someone.”

  “Is this good news? Did she sound excited?”

  “I’m not sure, I think that—Yes Sally, I’m still here… Mmhmm, I see… Well, that sounds great, thank you…” Gabe silently celebrates.

  I suppress a squeal as I lean in, trying to listen.

  “We really care about the quality of your show and Amber guarantees that she’ll bring magic to that stage,” Gabe says. I nod in agreement. “Alright, have a great day.”

  He hangs up and claps his hands. “You’re on the list.”

  “Yes! Thank you!” I jump up and throw my arms around him but something isn’t right. There’s something he’s not telling me. “What is it?”

  “They bumped you all the way up to the number five spot.”

  “What?” My voice is so loud that it echoes off the walls. I bring my hands up over my mouth. “But why so high? There were over seventy names on the list when I called the other day! Why am I so high?”

  “She loved you. They loved you. She put you on speaker phone so the rest of the staff could listen.”

  “That’s insane! Oh my god, oh my god.”

  He smiles as he watches me.

  “Thank you!” I say. “Thank you, thank you! I know it’s not a guaranteed spots but I can’t stop smiling.”

  He shakes his head. “I didn’t do anything. It was all you and that song of yours. Was that… is the dark horse about me?”

  “Maybe.”

  Getting up off the chair, he walks up to me and pulls me close. He kisses me on the nose.

  “Didn’t I say you’d play at the festival, Phoenix?”

  “And you’ll come watch me.”

  He nods. “And I’ll come watch you.”

  Wrapping my arms around him, I jump and wrap my legs around his waist. He laughs as he holds me.

  “I’m so attracted to you right now,” I say.

  He kisses my neck, biting gently. Hormones and endorphins push through my body.

  “I want you,” he breathes.

  I twist my head slightly to see if anyone else is around. We’re completely alone. Pressing my nose against his, I close my eyes and kiss him. He holds me tight against his body. I can feel a gentle rumble in his chest as he deepens the kiss. When I pull back for air, he buries his nose against my neck and inhales my scent.

  “Let’s go to your bedroom,” he says in a deep, primal voice.

  “Right now?”

  “Yes.”

  “And do what?”

  His hands slip around my waist. “Everything.”

  20

  SECRETS AND SURPRISES

  Gabriel

  As the weeks go on, the full moon fades into a new moon and slowly starts to grow again. Staring at the pale half-moon hanging in the morning sky, I realize that time is running out. The Rock Heart Festival is on the next full moon, and so is my fake wedding. The larger the moon grows, the less time I have to make a decision. If I leave with Amber, I can kiss my privacy and anonymity goodbye. The magazines, my father, and Sophie… they’ll all be angry with me. Amber will be on the cover of magazines with me… that’s if, she doesn’t leave me first. Why would a rebellious free spirit like Amber want to do with a famous and rich cover-boy like me?

  A ball of anxiety grows in my stomach. My original plan was to stay here until the magazines lost interest. I didn’t care if it took me months or years. But with Amber wanting to get to New York City on the same day as the wedding, interest in me will be a fever pitch. As soon as I set foot in the city, I’ll be instantly recognized. Paparazzi and journalists will find me and hound me about Sophie. And then Sophie’s people will find me, followed by Victor’s. They’ll be angry that I’m breaking the contract they imposed on me. The gossip magazines will go wild with speculation about the status of my relationship and alleged infidelity. And poor Amber will be caught in the middle of it all.

  What do I do? How do I prepare her for the paparazzi and the spectacle of it all? How do I tell her about who I actually am without her thinking I’m a total douche-bag? I can’t keep it a secret forever. Hell, as soon as we stop at a gas station, Amber will see me on the cover of a magazine. I’m sure that’ll raise a few questions—What? Oh yeah, by the way, I’m a super-rich and famous celebrity. I’d sound like an idiot.

  And what do I tell Victor? Do I call him first and explain that I’m going to appear in public with my girlfriend? Or do I wait for him to read about it on the front page of Celebstarz? He’ll be angry. Worse than that—he’ll be furious. But the cat will be out of the bag by then. There’ll be nothing Victor can do about it. I’ll be living my own life and writing my own narrative. The thought of it is equally exhilarating and terrifying.

  “Hey,” Amber says, poking me in the ribs.

  Standing at the kitchen window, I pull my gaze away from the pale moon and face her. She’s holding an almost empty glass of orange juice and her dark hair is up in a messy bun. She’s wearing a green form-fitting ‘50s style dress.

  “Oh, hey,” I say. “Wow, you look stunning.”

  She smiles. “Thanks. Just something I found in Marigold’s costume closet.”

  Standing behind me, she
slips her arms around my shoulders.

  “So, I was thinking… maybe we should leave early.” Her breath smells sweet as she speaks.

  “Early?” My heart starts to race. “How early?”

  “Well, maybe we give ourselves a few days. I’ve made enough money that I can get a hotel for a few nights and enjoy the city. We can stay at Déjà Vu.”

  “Déjà Vu?”

  “Yeah, it’s a small trendy hotel near Central Park. It’s a bit less expensive than the others. I’ve always wanted to stay there and I think I have enough money to stay there for three, four nights…”

  Déjà Vu is a part of the Chase chain of hotels. Victor didn’t put his name on them because he wanted a more affordable chain while still preserving the Chase name for the luxury resorts. I’ve been to that hotel numerous times. There’s no doubt that I’ll get recognized by the staff there.

  I clear my throat. “Oh, well, maybe… I mean, I thought leaving the day before would give us plenty of time.”

  She presses her cheek against mine. “I mean, it would… as long as there are no obstacles along the way. I mean, what if you get a flat tire or there’s construction on the highway?”

  “We’ll still have plenty of time even if those things happen.”

  “I know, it’s just…” She pulls back to look at me. “Why not give ourselves extra time? We can take it, can’t we?”

  I pause for one second, two seconds, three seconds… three seconds too long. My mind is racing as I figure out what to say.

  She furrows her brow. “Are you okay?”

  I nod. “Of course. It’s just… I don’t want to leave so quickly without giving Marigold some warning, you know? She’s been so nice to me all summer.”

  Amber’s brow is still furrowed but she nods as if she understands.

  “Okay, well… I have some stuff to do.” She puts the empty glass in the sink. “Talk to you later?”

  I nod.

  After watching her leave the kitchen, I let out a sigh. I could see the hesitancy and confusion on her face.

  “What’s wrong?” A voice asks. Rita is standing by the counter with a book in her hand.