Page 35 of Arrogant Heir
I haven’t told her much about Damian other than he’s the heir I’m working with on the book, so she’s not as surprised as she might be at our day out. I left out the bit about him telling me to have all the shoes I want on his store account. Some stories are better told in person!
I feel like a little girl on her birthday and can’t wait to try on all my shoes again in the privacy of the cottage. Self-conscious beneath his scrutiny, I chose five pairs even though he kept encouraging me to take more. There were loads of fab shoes, but I didn’t want to be greedy. Five pairs of designer shoes in one sitting is more than I’ve ever bought. I save up and treat myself to one expensive pair occasionally, but this was something else entirely. I got a taste of what being truly wealthy is like when you don’t need to worry about price tags and budgets. It was a heady afternoon and I’m high as a kite.
There’s a text from Simon asking how my day is so far, but I don’t feel like replying now. I want this special day to go on forever and telling Simon seems like the fastest way to break the spell.
I’ve started to suspect Damian’s got feelings for me, but I don’t know what to do about it. I’m free to date who I want, and I think he is too. There’s a slight hiccup that he doesn’t know I’m free. As far as I’m aware, he’s not seen anyone else as long as I’ve been at Greystone, and there’ve been no calls with girlfriends among the many calls he takes when I’m in his office. In fact, I’ve all but forgotten about his playboy image, and have chalked it up to him sewing his wild oats when he was younger.
He’s lost his stern edge in his conversations with me and looks happy when I arrive to work with him. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he’s excited to see me. Perhaps he is. We work well together, but that doesn’t mean there’s anything more on his part, just because I like him. It’s easy to get carried away lusting after an utterly swoony billionaire, and I’m not sure it reflects well on my character. My professional ethics are in danger of overstepping and fudging the boundaries I’ve drawn throughout my career.
Maybe I should tell Simon to stop messaging me, as I’ve clearly got feelings for Damian, which, even if nothing ever comes of it, is not a positive sign for a future with Simon.
But he ended it. I don’t owe him anything, I remind myself. If it wasn’t for him, we’d already be married, and I’d never have met Damian. I wouldn’t have taken the assignment at Greystone if I was about to get married, so destiny has dealt me a fresh hand after disaster struck.
It’s not that I don’t still have feelings for Simon. I can’t turn them off in a second because I’m attracted to someone else. My fascination with Damian is an inconvenient development, and I’m more confused about love than ever.
Am I falling in love with him, or am I on the rebound because Simon crushed my dreams? I could do with talking to Shani about it, but it’s too difficult with her so far away. I don’t want to worry my mum, but if I was at home, I know we’d fall into discussing it because she can see right through me. I haven’t dared voice my feelings for Damian to anyone. It’s all getting out of control, and I want to keep things tidy and contained in my usual way. My life was ticking along nicely until Simon blew all our plans up.
I’m reeling in frantic thought and Damian is poring over his phone when he says, ‘Oh fuckkkk!’
‘What?’
His expression is grim as he scrolls.
‘What’s happening?’ I ask, panicking. It sounds serious.
The car is approaching the security barrier that leads to Greystone and I see crowds of people lining the road and loitering near the barrier. It’s usually deserted when I slip through in my Mini after a nod and a smile from the guard.
‘Shit, shit, shit,’ Damian says. I hear the despair in his voice and as I look at him, I see it reflected in his eyes.
‘What the hell is going on?’ I ask.
He shakes his head. ‘I can’t believe this is happening. I’m all over the papers again. It doesn’t look good, but a girl I was with recently at a London club has fed some exaggerated story to the media, making me out to be the devil.’
He shows me his phone and I see the headline. ‘Notorious playboy and heir to the Rochester empire, picks up girl at London club and then dumps her.’
There’s a photo of him with his usual tall, leggy model type. Several pictures show them at various angles, and he is holding her by the waist in what looks like a back alley. I recognise his car—thiscar. I recognise his tall muscular frame and know it’s real.
My heart tightens. What a sentimental, naïve fool I’ve been to let myself get carried away and charmed by him. He’s a billionaire playboy. How did I let that fact escape me and blur into some kind of fairy tale? I blame my novel—I’ve been getting lost in my romantic fantasy world.
Security guards swarm at the mob of reporters who are clambering around the car, snapping photos. ‘Get your head down if you don’t want your face all over the media,’ Damian shouts.
I can tell by his voice that this isn’t new to him. He’s automatically clicked into damage control mode.
We duck down as the security guards push the reporters back so we can edge through the barrier and slip into the safety of the estate.
‘This is private property, and we’ll sue you if you go beyond this barrier,’ a guard shouts.
The reporters are determined to get their pound of flesh and don’t back off easily. A few of them sneak under the barrier and trail along behind us. The car speeds up and shoots out of their range. As we slide away, I spot a few of the guards, grabbing the reporters and pushing them out of the estate.
Damian raises his head. ‘Sorry about that,’ he says, sheepishly. ‘Part of the job, I’m afraid.’
I don’t mind the Paparazzi attack. But the knot in my chest is a different type of attack. I feel jealous, but I know I have no right.
CHAPTER24
Jamie
We roll into the covered parking, and I turn to Damian to thank him for the day. I can’t meet his eyes and as John walks around to open the door for me, Damian extends his arm and touches my shoulder.