Cruel Billionaire

by Luma Rose

  He draws back with a wry expression so he can look at me. “You mean you didn’t miss all this bullshitting?”

  My forehead falls to his shoulder and I bite my laugh down. “Hard to believe, isn’t it?”

  It feels good to laugh and smile—it does. But as soon as that thought hits my consciousness, my dad comes to mind, bedridden and fighting for his life, and guilt riddles me. What right do I have to be enjoying myself?

  Garrin stops us and looks down at me, his dark eyes assessing. “Hey, where’d you go?”

  “Sorry, I promised I wouldn’t be a drag tonight. How about we grab a glass of champagne? Do you mind?”

  “Of course not.” He holds his elbow out and I loop my arm through his.

  We head to the side of the dance floor and a server passes by with a tray. Garrin grabs a champagne flute off the tray, passing it to me.

  “Thank you.” I sip half the glass, enjoying the sensation of the bubbles hitting my tongue. “Are the rest of the Classholes going to be here tonight?”

  Garrin glances around the room. “Ford will be here, as I’m sure you know, and Lincoln generally makes an appearance. Pretty sure Ryker said he’d be attending. His mother is on the board.”

  I nod, thankful that he didn’t mention Asher. It’s not that he was unpleasant when I saw him, and I don’t have any hard feelings toward him per se. I don’t believe it was his fault someone taped us and leaked it. But seeing the two of us in public, together in a group, which I’m sure we would be given that I’m here as Garrin’s date tonight, might make people more likely to remember and talk about my past. And I cannot handle that possibility after everything I’ve learned about my father tonight.

  What I can handle is imbibing enough that I’m able to put my concerns about my father to the back of my head for the evening. I tilt my head back and take a large sip from my glass.

  “Do you want to step outside for some fresh air?” Garrin asks.

  “That would be great.” Maybe I can clear my head that way.

  He leads me to a set of large doors that lead out onto a balcony that overlooks the garden at the back of the museum. When I was eight, I stood up in my parents’ friends’ wedding as the flower girl here, which spurred my own dreams of having a wedding here since it was so beautiful. I used to dream about walking out on this balcony as all the guests sat down below, kissing my husband after we promised ourselves to each other.

  Due to the weather, though, there’s only a scattering of people, most tucked under the standing heaters. Garrin and I walk over to one that’s vacant and stand under its warm orange light.

  I open my mouth to apologize once more when Garrin slips his hand inside his jacket and pulls out a cigar. I can’t help but eye the rolled-up tube of leaves with disdain. He brings the cigar to his mouth and places it between his lips.

  I squeeze my eyes shut and toss back the rest of my champagne. When I hear the sound of a lighter flick, I open my eyes and watch as he brings the flame closer to the end of the cigar.

  My chest grows tight and I swear I’m having an out-of-body experience when I blurt out, “Wait! Don’t!”

  Garrin’s thumb slides off the lighter and he pulls the cigar out of his mouth. “Isla?”

  Suddenly I want to ramble everything out to him, confess to someone how frightened I am that I’m going to lose my father. But my mouth dries and my nerve dies. The last time I opened up to someone that wasn’t a therapist was when I told Asher I was a virgin.

  Garrin tucks the cigar in his jacket, and his hand runs along my bare arm. “You can trust me.”

  And I want to believe him. I really do. But I’m not sure I can.

  18

  Chapter Eighteen

  Garrin

  I need to figure out what the hell is going on with Isla. Whatever is wrong with her has to be directly correlated to why my dad has a sudden interest in her.

  “You can trust me,” I repeat.

  She opens her mouth and then closes it, her eyes lingering on my hand, which rests on her arm, and then on the ground. I’m showing more patience than my usual level, which resembles a Doberman with a steak a bite away. “I just don’t like cigars. They stink.”

  I could call her bullshit. The pain that’s filling her eyes isn’t because of the expensive Cuban in the interior pocket of my tuxedo.

  “I need to use the restroom,” she says.

  “All right—” I place my hand on the small of her back to lead her back inside.

  She takes a step and then stops. “No, you stay here. I’ll meet you back inside in a few minutes.”

  I’m not used to being in this situation. She looks almost panicked, yet she won’t confide in me. Usually I wouldn’t give a shit unless it had something to do with me. Which is the exact stance I should have right now. I need to bring back my don’t-give-a-fuck attitude.

  “I’ll see you inside, then.”

  She hurries toward the door, past two men, talking in hushed voices to one another. They watch with rapt attention as she walks past them. I can’t blame them, she’s so damn hot, especially tonight. Which is why I want to beat the shit out of them too.

  The quicker I learn what my dad wants from her, the sooner I can have control of my life again and push her away. She’s changing me and I don’t like it. Since when would I not light the cigar just because she has a problem? I’m falling under the same spell I did in high school, but the difference is that now I have a lot more to lose than my pride.

  Ryker steps out onto the patio, interrupting me rolling our conversation back over in my head.

  “Stone. How’s your date going?” he asks when he joins me near the heater.

  “Why?”

  He shrugs and puts his hands in the pockets of his tux pants. “Just curious. Do you think you’ll get a kiss goodnight?” His cocky smirk grates on the last of my nerves tonight.

  My jaw clenches. “Don’t worry about me. I’ve got this handled. Where’s Lincoln?”

  “Fuck if I know. We were gonna ride over together, but he texted me and said he was in the middle of something. You know what he gets like when he’s hacking something. Maybe he’s trying for the CIA this time.”

  I chuckle. Lincoln has a single-minded focus when he gets in the zone, working to crack his way in past a firewall. I’ve seen days pass where he barely leaves his laptop except to shit, piss, and maybe grab the occasional cup of coffee.

  “If it’s anything worth mentioning, I’m sure we’ll hear about it on the news. You bring anyone tonight?” I ask.

  He shakes his head while he pulls at the collar of his shirt.

  “Relax, it’s not actually choking you,” I say.

  “I don’t how you guys wear this kinda shit every day.”

  Ryker might be the head of a hugely successful PR firm, but he doesn’t dress the part, preferring designer denim over formal wear.

  “It’s called being an adult,” I deadpan.

  “Yeah, well, that’s overrated.”

  We shoot the shit for a few minutes and then I glance toward the doors.

  “I need to meet Isla back inside.”

  “Hmm… so quickly she turns you obedient.” He chuckles, rocking back on his heels.

  “Fuck off. I’m doing this for all of us.”

  He nods, but his smirk says he doesn’t believe me. “Yeah, I’d say fucking Isla Flores would really be taking one for the team.”

  My nostrils flare and I look around before leaning closer to him. “I never want to hear the words fuck and Isla come out of your mouth at the same time again.”

  He chuckles. We both know I don’t scare him. That’s the thing, though—I would have no respect for him if I did, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to heel and listen to the bullshit he’s teasing me with.

  “All right. Calm the fuck down. I’ll see you in there.”

  I walk past him and open the heavy door that leads me back into the party. I scan the room, but there’s no sign of Isla. I mome
ntarily wonder if she ditched me and left without saying goodbye. That thought shouldn’t make my stomach sour, but it does. Before I call Langley to drive me to her house, the crowd parts and she appears, talking to Ford and his date.

  Someone taps me on the shoulder, and I spin around.

  “Garrin, good to see you.” Joshua Narrows stands there with his wife, Alicia. They’re both shareholders in Stone Energy and I’ve met them a few times at different events over the years.

  I smile because I have to, but inside, I’m exhaling with impatience. His wife talks like no one I’ve ever met before and getting away from these two smoothly is going to be harder than stealing the Hope Diamond.

  “Joshua, Alicia, how are you both?” I shake Joshua’s hand and lean in for an air-kiss with Alicia.

  “Look at you, getting more and more handsome every day.” She pinches my cheek like I’m her toddler niece or nephew and I want to smack her hand away. Instead I keep my smile intact.

  “You’re the one who looks ravishing tonight,” I compliment her back to play along.

  “I was hoping I might see you tonight. I wanted to talk to you about that latest board report,” Joshua says.

  I inhale a deep breath and rock back on my heels. “Did you have some concerns?”

  “More questions than concerns, I’d say.” He starts in on a long diatribe over some of the decisions the board has made, and though I’m nodding along like I’m listening intently, I keep glancing out over his five-foot-nine frame to Isla. She’s still talking to Ford, but at one point she catches me watching and I shoot her what I hope is a “save me” look. She seems to catch my meaning, because a minute later she says her goodbyes to Ford and his date and starts across the room toward me.

  “Enough of business, Joshua. Garrin is here to enjoy his night just like we are. Did you bring anyone with you?” Alicia asks, looking around as if someone is going to magically appear.

  Which is exactly what I was hoping would happen. So, I glance behind them again and spot Isla weaving her way through the crowd, and then suddenly he’s standing in front of her.

  My father.

  She places her hand on her heart and backsteps at first. He holds out his hand and she stares at it for only a minute before she shakes his hand.

  Alarm bells go off in my head. I have to get her away from him. Now.

  “Garrin. Garrin?” Alicia says.

  I blink away from Isla and my father. “I’m sorry, what?”

  “I asked if you were here with anyone. Because we have a niece who would be per—”

  “Yes, I brought a date. Actually, if you’ll excuse me, I see her looking for me now.” I leave without preamble and push my way through the crowd.

  What is he saying to her? He’s going to blow everything I’ve done so far.

  As I cross the last few feet, I’m not sure whether I’m more worried about what he might say to her about me or more worried about whatever his interest in her is.

  “What do you want?” I say as I pass him and stand by Isla’s side.

  She appears startled, blinking a few times and looking between my father and me.

  My father doesn’t miss a beat or appear fazed by my appearance. “I was just asking Miss Flores here where you might be.” He smiles, and to most it would look genuine, but I know better. I know there’s a lethal snake inside his polished exterior, and he can shed it like snakeskin at will.

  “Your dad just came up to introduce himself because he knew I was your date tonight,” Isla says.

  I can’t help but wonder whether that’s because he has some inside track or because he saw us earlier.

  At least Isla doesn’t seem to be rattled. Perhaps my father behaved himself.

  “I’m sure he did,” I say, wrapping my arm around her waist and pulling her closer to me.

  “She was just catching me up on what she’s been up to since she left Cherry Creek. Such an unfortunate incident that was.” His penetrating gaze flicks up to me and I challenge it with my own.

  We’re locked in a battle of wills and Isla looks between us.

  Finally, my father steps back, reaching out for Isla’s hand, bending at the waist to kiss the top before straightening. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Miss Flores. I’m sure I’ll be seeing more of you.” His smug gaze meets mine, and my fingers dig into Isla’s hip before she squirms ever so slightly, and I realize what I’m doing and loosen my grip.

  “It was good to meet you as well,” she says.

  With one last glance at me, my father leaves and I immediately face Isla.

  “What did he say to you?”

  Her head rears back. “What? Nothing, just what he said. He introduced himself and asked what I’d been up to in Washington.” There’s a crease of annoyance between her brows. “He seems perfectly pleasant to me.”

  “Listen to me.” I grip her upper arm in my hand. “You need to stay away from him. I don’t care how pleasant he may seem—the man is a bastard.”

  She yanks her arm from my grip.

  “I’m sorry. I’m not trying to scare you. Just trust me on this one, all right? You do not want to be even the smallest dot on his radar.”

  Any more than you already are.

  “Okay, I’ll cross the street if I see him coming down the sidewalk, okay?”

  “Promise me.”

  She releases a breath. “I promise.”

  I hold her gaze for a few seconds and my shoulders relax.

  “I’m sure my warning seems dramatic, but I can assure you, it’s not.”

  “I said I’d avoid him and I will, Garrin. Now I’m going to the bar to get a drink. You cool off and I’ll meet you back here in a minute.”

  She spins as fast as her gown will allow and heads in the direction of the bar. I glance around and see my father on the far side of the ballroom, his eyes on us when he should be deep in conversation with Joshua and Alicia.

  My lips draw into a thin line and I hold his gaze, conveying, “You’ll never get whatever you’re looking for.”

  19

  Chapter Nineteen

  Isla

  I don’t know what’s going on between Garrin and his father but there’s clearly some big issues. His father seemed nice enough to me, but Garrin feels strongly about the subject, so I’ll do as he says and keep my distance. I don’t want to find myself in the middle of a family squabble. I have enough going on in my own family without dealing with someone else’s.

  Thoughts of my dad and the most recent news come to the forefront for what seems like the thousandth time tonight. I order two glasses of champagne from the bartender. I funnel the first one down my throat with only a few swallows and leave the empty glass on the bar, taking the second with me to go find Garrin and see if he’s relaxed any since I left him.

  I don’t want him to think I’m a lush—truth is I rarely drink—but I need something to get through tonight. Something to push all thoughts of cancer and sex tapes to the recesses of my mind so I can enjoy myself.

  When was the last time I enjoyed myself? Longer than I can remember. I’m here tonight with a handsome billionaire I used to crush hard on back in high school. If I can’t have fun tonight, maybe there really is no hope for me.

  I wish Everly was here tonight, but I already texted her after I agreed to come with Garrin, and true to form, she avoids these things whenever possible.

  I find Garrin where I left him, standing alone with an agitated expression on his face.

  “Still pissed off?” I ask, sipping my champagne.

  The crease in his forehead deepens. “You should know, I’m rarely happy.”

  I nod. “Good to know.”

  “But I’m not angry at you.”

  I rock my body and sip my champagne. “Well, that’s something, then.”

  He sighs and removes his hands from the pockets of his tuxedo pants. “I’m sorry if I was overbearing earlier. I—”

  I raise my hand to stop his apology. “Can we just enjo
y the rest of the evening? I really need to have fun tonight.”

  His broad shoulders relax a little. “Of course. Do you want to dance again?”

  I sip from my champagne flute and shake my head, knowing I’m too tipsy to dance right now. “Can we play a game?”

  He raises his eyebrows and his expression radiates arrogance and intrigue. “Are we back in high school?”

  “Not even you looked this good back in high school.”

  If he’s surprised by my boldness, he doesn’t show it. “What did you have in mind?”

  “When I was young and my parents used to drag me to these things, they were always so boring and so I’d make up stories about the people. What kind of people they were, what I thought they were talking about, what their private life was like.”

  He gives me a blank stare and I immediately regret the glass of champagne I downed at the bar.

  “Never mind, it’s stupid.”

  “See the woman in the purple dress with the large bow on the back?” He nods toward a woman speaking with another older woman about twenty feet away. The older woman is dabbing at the chest area on her dress. It looks like she’s dropped something on it that’s left a stain, perhaps one of the hors d’oeuvres.

  “Yes.” A smile grows on my face at his willingness to entertain my childish game.

  “She’s explaining to the other woman that she wears a bib when she eats now to avoid getting stains on her outfits because she has too much Botox in her face and she can’t chew properly anymore. She said it’s just like coming home numb after getting dental work done.”

  I laugh and hold my hand over my mouth as if someone would know why I’m laughing.

  “Your turn,” Garrin says with a grin.

  “Okay, let’s see.”

  I glance around the room, looking for someone interesting. I sip my champagne for a minute before I finally spot a short, stocky man in his sixties. He’s balding and has a prominent belly. He’s speaking with two women, one of whom probably has ten inches on him in her heels, while the other is closer to his height. The women are gorgeous and at least twenty years younger than he is, and the first thing that comes to mind seeing them all together is the Sesame Street song “One of These Things Is Not Like the Others.”