Page 43 of Arrogant Heir

But now I’ve considered my criteria for the perfect woman, it strikes me she meets all of them. Except for one which is the most important of all. And the most dangerous. She could never be my fake girlfriend, even if she wasn’t engaged, because something deep within me knows I would fall for her if I let her get close.

She’s already way too close for my liking and because of working together, I can’t do anything about it. But the assignment will be over soon, and I will retreat into spending my days locked away in my London office, only appearing for meetings I can’t avoid.

I’ll fuck my fake girlfriend when it suits me, and these painful feelings that keep thrusting their way into my chest every time she’s around will subside and fade into a distant memory.

Who said everyone doesn’t get a happy ending?

CHAPTER28

Jamie

Simon called again when I was at the house. On the way back to the cottage, I hit the call button and wait for him to answer. I half hope it will go to voicemail and I won’t need to talk to him.

No such luck. He answers on the third ring.

‘JJ. There you are! I’ve been calling and calling. Where the hell were you?’

‘Lovely to speak to you and good morning to you, too,’ I say dryly, side-stepping his question. Part of me thinks it’s none of his business where I’ve been, and I’ve noticed his old proprietorial tone creeping back into our conversations.

‘Did you see the papers?’ His voice is uptight.

‘Yes. I take it you did too.’

‘Indeed,’ he says, like a schoolmaster about to dish out detentions.

‘It’ll all blow over in a day or two. Actually, I said I’d write a press release so I can’t talk long.’

I hear him sigh, and his disapproving silence triggers me.

‘How are you?’ I ask, reining myself in.

‘I’m worried about you. You should come home, JJ.’

My anger spins to the surface. ‘And where is my home, exactly? I take it you mean come home to my flat, because you made it clear I’ve no home with you. Thank God I didn’t take your advice, or I’d have no flat to go back to!’

There’s a heavy pause. I try to calm myself, so I don’t insult him and spiral off into an all-out argument. I need a clear head now and don’t have time for this.

‘I said I was sorry about what happened.’ His voice is subdued, but I detect a sullen edge to it as if it’s all my fault, somehow.

‘You did,’ I say. ‘But it doesn’t change the reality of our situation. We are no longer engaged, and you have no right whatsoever to ask me, or tell me, what I should do.’ I don’t hold back my fiery retort and let him have it, guns blazing.

‘JJ,’ he says again. His voice is softer this time. ‘You know I love you and how I can be sometimes. I’ve said I’m sorry. What more do you want from me? Are you hanging out with that billionaire twat to punish me?’

‘He’s not a billionaire twat. Well, he is a billionaire, but he’s not a twat. He’s my boss and I’m being paid to hang out with him, as you put it.’

‘I saw you together in his car. It didn’t look like work,’ he snipes.

Simon has always had a nasty side that comes out when someone disappoints him. I’ve seen him target others, but he’s not directed it at me before because I did my best never to disappoint him.

He wowed me with his investment banker status and big talk. And I thought he loved me, so I glossed over these negative traits and pretended they didn’t exist.

The most annoying thing is I still have feelings for him, and I’m confused. As they say, love truly is blind.

I’m independent, but that doesn’t mean I want to spend my life alone. I want a partner I can trust to take care of me and to take care of. But he blew it all to smithereens and the rage rising within me makes my hand tremble. I’ve swallowed it and just kept going as I had a job to do, but at some point, it was going to erupt, and today might just be that day.

Simon isn’t a great reader of women, and he blunders on, not realising I’m seething at him for bossing me about and judging Damian.

‘The best thing you can do is come home. If you want to come to my place, I’d love to have you. If you want me to come to your flat, I’ll do that. Whatever you want,’ he says. ‘Just come home. I miss you.’