Total Surrender

by Erika Wilde

  Gavin was undeniably good-looking, with sandy-blond hair and green eyes, but that outward appearance didn’t make up for his narcissistic tendencies, along with the fact that he already acted as though Arabella belonged to him. That in itself irritated her immensely because she was not his property. But for tonight, for the sake of being civil and enjoying her evening, she’d smile and pretend that she wasn’t coming to despise Gavin and his unpleasant personality, the too familiar way he touched her, and his overbearingly possessive ways.

  Still gazing out the window, she shook off those troublesome thoughts so they didn’t ruin her good mood, but she knew at some point she would need to address the situation with her dad and tell him exactly how she felt about Gavin. It wouldn’t be an easy conversation since her father considered Gavin very much like the son he’d never had and had high hopes of them being the perfect couple.

  In the limousine, her father and Gavin spoke in hushed tones, and for the most part, she’d shut out their conversation, as she normally did when she was in their presence, because it usually pertained to business she had no inkling about or interest in. But it was a comment that her father made beneath his breath that caught her attention. She listened a bit more intently while she continued to pretend as though she was riveted by the passing scenery.

  “After all these years, I still have no idea how I ended up on the invite list for tonight’s ball,” he muttered, sounding oddly uneasy, which wasn’t a word Arabella would ever use to describe her normally confident and direct father.

  “It doesn’t matter, Theo,” Gavin replied arrogantly from his seat beside her. “Someone probably dropped your name to whoever is coordinating the event, and nobody higher up noticed the . . . mistake,” he said, as if choosing his words carefully because Arabella was with them. “Consider it our good fortune, because there are connections to be made at the ball tonight that we wouldn’t otherwise have access to.”

  “It better be worth it,” her father grumbled. “It cost me a goddamn fortune to attend this asinine fairy-tale ball.”

  “Just keep your distance from Wilder, which should be easy enough to do, and everything will be fine,” Gavin assured him. “Besides, he’s not going to do anything that will make a scene in front of over three hundred people.”

  “Yes, you’re probably right,” her dad agreed with a sigh.

  Arabella couldn’t ignore that last part of the conversation considering Gavin had pretty much indicated something bad could happen to her father if he crossed Wilder, not to mention they’d possibly been invited to the affair by mistake. She finally turned her head and glanced across the back of the limo, to the long leather seat where her father sat opposite of her and Gavin.

  Her concern increased when she saw the dark frown on her dad’s face, and she finally spoke. “Is there a reason you shouldn’t have been invited to tonight’s event, Father?”

  Her dad’s startled gaze snapped to hers. “What?” Her question seemed to make him irritable, and she watched as he managed to shake off his initial agitation while waving a dismissive hand in the air. “No . . . no, of course not.”

  It wasn’t often that she didn’t believe something her father told her, but this was one of the few times she had doubts, which was why she persisted. “Then why are you worried about someone making a scene?”

  “It’s a business-related issue, Ari,” Gavin cut in, his tone as condescending as the way he patted her hand as if she were a child. “It’s nothing you need to worry your pretty little head about. You just enjoy the ball and let us men handle things that don’t concern you."

  Her jaw clenched in annoyance and she sent Gavin a cutting glare, even though she knew it wasn’t a flattering look for her. God, he was such a jerk, and she deliberately yanked her hand from under the heavy weight of his, hating the way he treated her as though she was stupid and had nothing but cotton candy for brains.

  While she’d started the evening with an abundance of excitement, she couldn’t deny that something suddenly felt off, despite her father’s reassurances. The fact that Gavin had just suggested that there were possible business concerns that might crop up tonight certainly didn’t relieve her worry.

  She couldn’t imagine what kind of contentious situation her father might be involved in. For as long as she’d been alive, he’d worked for Addingwell Financial as a partner, and he’d taken on Gavin as his associate about fourteen years ago, but other than those few details, he’d never shared the technicalities of his job. Her father always kept his business separate from the time he spent with her, and when she’d once asked him why he never talked about his work, he told her he liked to keep his focus on her and their relationship when he was home.

  It was an easy enough excuse to believe, even if his vague response did increase her curiosity of what, exactly, her father did in finance. Clearly, it was something that made him a lot of money, because they lived a very comfortable life and cash never seemed to be an issue for anything he wanted to purchase for himself or her.

  Her father glanced out his own window and grumbled beneath his breath again. The last two words she heard were Maddux Wilder, and the name was spoken with unmistakable disdain. This time, she kept her mouth shut and didn’t ask questions because she knew Gavin would jump in with another insulting reply, and she was honestly afraid that she’d do something incredibly impulsive and unladylike—like tell him to go screw himself.

  So she remained quiet, her hands clasped tightly in her lap on top of the gorgeous champagne-colored tulle and beading that made up her ball gown. She’d heard the name Maddux Wilder before tonight, usually in conjunction with the yearly ball, but there had been a few times when she’d overheard her father mention the other man’s name in conversation with Gavin, but she’d never given another thought about it.

  The limousine slowed behind a line of vehicles as they neared what looked to be an older warehouse, pulling Arabella from her thoughts. When they reached the surprisingly ordinary-looking building located in a low-income neighborhood, their driver was directed toward the underground parking structure by the security detail surrounding the place.

  “Jesus,” Gavin said, the one word dripping with disgust and ridicule. “Just look at this place.”

  His crass, obnoxious tone piqued Arabella’s irritation and she narrowed her gaze his way. She couldn’t deny that she’d conjured images of arriving at an opulent mansion outside the city limits for tonight’s festivities, but she wasn’t about to make any judgments until she arrived at the ball. From pictures she’d seen of past events, the interior of wherever the event was held was always lavish and extravagant.

  “No need to be rude,” she snapped at him, hating his sanctimonious attitude. “In case you didn’t notice, the nearby neighborhoods we drove by are clearly being rehabilitated and modernized to revitalize this district.”

  The corners of Gavin’s mouth curled into a patronizing smile. “You’ve always seen the world through rose-colored glasses, Ari. Trust me, no matter what renovations take place, this part of the city has been and always will be unworthy of the more elite people of the world.”

  “That’s enough, Gavin,” her father said in a surprisingly stern voice in an attempt to smooth things over between them. “How about the two of you put your differences aside and enjoy the evening?”

  She gave him a sweet smile. “I plan to, Father.” She wasn’t going to let Gavin taint anything about this special, magical night for her. Which meant ditching him as quickly as an opportunity presented itself.

  The limo finally came to a stop, and a valet dressed in a tuxedo opened her passenger door. He held out a hand to help Arabella and her huge, voluptuous dress out of the vehicle, followed by her father and Gavin. A few steps later, they had to verify their credentials with security before they were escorted along the long length of red carpet that led into the building.

  Inside, the transformation was immediate and spectacular, causing Arabella to gasp as she took in
the stunning, enchanting decor that had altered what was probably a normal and plain open common area when it wasn’t in use for the yearly charity event. She’d barely begun to appreciate her surroundings when Gavin grabbed her by the elbow, pinching just hard enough to make her wince.

  “Pay attention, Arabella,” he said impatiently as he led her toward a group of guests where her father was already conversing with a few of the men. “Your head is always in the clouds and I don’t want us to get separated or you getting lost in this huge crowd of people.”

  Was he for real? She rolled her eyes over his idiotic comment. Unfortunately, the mocking gesture was lost on him since he was looking straight ahead. “I’m a grown, twenty-five-year-old woman, Gavin,” she reminded him, twisting her arm just enough that he was forced to let her go, and judging by the clench of his jaw, he didn’t like that act of rebellion. “Not a three-year-old who needs a babysitter. Besides, do you not see the security in this place? Nothing is going to happen to me if I decide to take a look around on my own.”

  He gave her a dark stare that was just shy of threatening. “You’re my date,” he said in a tone that brooked no argument. “I want you by my side tonight.”

  It was an unmistakable order, and his possessive behavior made anger and resentment bubble inside her, which was not how she intended to spend this amazing, once-in-a-lifetime kind of night. Since they were surrounded by a dozen other guests, she tamped down her temper the best she could for now because it was not the time or place to make a scene and set Gavin straight on the fact that he did not dictate to her or the decisions she made.

  The men continued talking, clearly all very well acquainted. The women standing next to their husbands or dates were dressed in the most beautiful, extravagant gowns and dripping in glittering jewels. They looked stunning . . . and as bored as Arabella felt listening to business-related discussions.

  Not in the mood to stand around and strike up social niceties with the ladies, she made sure that Gavin was engrossed in the male conversation before gradually inching away from him and toward the freedom to explore and experience this evening on her own terms. Eventually, she turned around and blended right into the throng of other guests, a veritable sea of silk and satin and black tuxedos.

  Exhilaration swirled inside her as she accepted a glass of champagne from a waiter passing by with a silver tray of flutes. The first sip of the expensive bubbly wine was sweet on her tongue and tickled her throat on the way down. The second drink was just as smooth and decadent.

  Without Gavin controlling her every move, she strolled around the ballroom, taking in everything around her with wide-eyed awe. The color scheme was soft pink and cream—from the opulent floral arrangements on the dinner tables and displayed on dozens of pedestals, to the gossamer fabric draping columns and the walls, to the dramatic up-lighting that created an elegant, romantic ambience to the room. She walked through an area that looked and felt like an enchanted forest with real, eight-foot trees wrapped in tulle and twinkling lights, feeling as though she’d entered an enchanted wonderland. Candles floated in a huge marble fountain, and the crystal chandeliers overhead cast stunning prisms of light everywhere.

  She passed by a sweeping staircase that led to a second-story balcony that overlooked the ballroom, and she would have explored that upper floor, too, except for the red velvet rope securing the area as off-limits to guests. So, she moved on to the silent auction to peruse the items just for fun and found herself tempted to put a bid on a rare collection of first-edition Jane Austen novels. She took a chance and jotted down an offer that was more than her monthly salary, though she had the amount in her savings to cover the cost if she was lucky enough to win. But as soon as she heard a familiar voice starting to sing around another corner where she’d seen an elaborately decorated stage earlier, she quickly headed in that direction . . . trading in her now empty champagne glass for a full one on the way, excited to see tonight’s entertainment perform live and in person.

  Raevynn Walsh was one of the hottest pop stars climbing the charts over the past few years, rivaling Taylor Swift’s kind of success. She wrote her own songs and had the kind of unique and stirring voice that drew in listeners—airy and angelic when she sang ballads and throaty and raw when she belted out her rock tunes. Right now she was singing her current number one hit, “You Don’t Know Me,” while working the stage and entertaining the audience with fast-paced choreographed moves that kept everyone engaged.

  She was remarkably gorgeous, with long, wavy blonde hair that fell halfway down her back, and wearing a skintight, black sparkling mini-dress with stiletto heels. When she finished that bold, sexy performance, the lights on the stage dimmed while she disappeared behind a partition with her name emblazoned on it for an outfit change. A wooden swing, decorated in vines and flowers, gradually descended from the ceiling. By the time the prop was all the way down, Raevynn returned, this time wearing a flowing, crystal-studded lilac ball gown that made her look like a regal princess.

  She sat down on the swing, and as it began to slowly sway back and forth across the stage, the melody to Arabella’s favorite ballad, “Wishing for You,” began to play. The lights dimmed even more as Raevynn began to sing the heartfelt lyrics, about longing for that one person who could see beyond the facade of her life and love her unconditionally.

  Arabella might not know what it was like to be in the public eye all the time like Raevynn, but she understood the desire to find a man who accepted her for who and what she was, without trying to suppress the independent, free-spirited woman she craved to be.

  Unfortunately, Arabella knew that as long as Gavin was a part of her life, and her father saw him as the perfect suitor for his daughter, she’d have to fight damn hard for her own wishes, dreams, and happily ever after.

  Chapter 3

  Maddux stood in the shadows of the private second-story balcony that overlooked the charity ball below, the perfect spot for him to watch Theo’s and Gavin’s every move before deciding it was time to confront the unscrupulous man Maddux had spent the past fourteen years despising.

  He’d been aware of the two men since the moment they’d arrived thanks to his security team, who’d immediately alerted him to their presence—along with Theo’s beautiful daughter, Arabella. She’d only taken a few steps into the ballroom when she’d come to a sudden stop, her lips parting and her eyes growing wide in wonder, seemingly mesmerized by the impressive layout and striking, elegant decor that greeted her.

  The joyful pleasure that transformed her pretty features riveted Maddux more than it should have, as did the way her champagne-colored dress fitted so precisely to her midsection, much like a corset. The cinched-in fabric started just above her hips and molded to the indentation of her tiny waist that he was certain he’d be able to span very easily with his large hands. The snug bodice pushed up the creamy swells of her small breasts, and the fluttery sleeves of her gown draped gracefully halfway down her slim arms, leaving her shoulders and neckline bare, except for the soft, rich brown curls that fell strategically from the rest of the hair that was knotted loosely at the nape of her neck.

  Since he’d employed a private investigator whose sole purpose was to report to him weekly on anything relating to Theodore Cole, which included the other man’s relationship with his daughter, Maddux had been privy to dozens of pictures of Arabella over the years—most from faraway or blurred, zoomed-in shots—but the reality of seeing all that natural beauty up close didn’t compare to those random photos.

  He’d also been apprised of her life in general in those weekly reports, and as much as he’d wanted his PI to unearth some kind of deceitful information on Arabella Cole so he could hate her as much as he did her father, it quickly became clear to Maddux that Theo had gone to great lengths to shelter and protect his precious daughter from the harsh realities of what he really did for a living.

  He knew Arabella’s mother had died when she’d been a child, and from there she’d been
raised by nannies until she’d been old enough to attend a private, all-girls boarding school in Connecticut, which had given Theo the freedom to conduct his business dealings without his daughter underfoot. The same living arrangements had applied to college, where she’d earned her degree in English literature and then gone on to attain her master’s in library science.

  For the past few years, she’d been living with her father in the city while working at a private university library as a digital data analyst and curator—a fancy description for someone who collected, preserved, and archived digital assets and resources. Clearly, she was intelligent and probably a little nerdy considering her profession.

  Maddux even had a file on the men she’d dated, which was woefully slim. She didn’t have any history of a long-term relationship with any man, and Maddux was certain that had everything to do with Gavin, Theodore’s right-hand man, who wanted Arabella for himself. It was also documented in a few of the reports Maddux had received from his PI that, whenever she went out on a date with someone new, things between her and the guy always abruptly ended. Unbeknownst to Arabella, Gavin had warned those suitors to back off, and there must have been an implied threat in his request, because every single one immediately complied.

  Maddux shook his head in disgust. God, it truly amazed him that a man so evil and corrupt as Theodore Cole could have produced a daughter so lovely and sweet and guileless . . . and completely naive to her father’s, and Gavin’s, dirty dealings.

  Gavin, now seemingly impatient with Arabella’s excitement and fascination with the ball’s decor, grabbed her arm, rough enough to make her wince in discomfort as he jerked her in the direction her father had walked off toward and said something to her that was accompanied with a harsh narrowing of his gaze.

  Fucking asshole, Maddux thought irritably . . . then felt the corner of his mouth twitch with rare amusement when he caught Arabella rolling her eyes behind Gavin’s back before she wrenched her arm from his grasp in an act of defiance. An argument of some sort ensued between them, and it was obvious to Maddux even from this distance that Arabella wasn’t taking whatever shit Gavin was dishing out.