Her Billionaire Secret Part 1: An Alpha Billionaire Romance

by Jenna Chase

  “What’s wrong now?!” He shut the door firmly.

  “This is your bedroom. I’m not staying in here with you.”

  “How do you know it’s my bedroom?” The corners of his mouth twitched.

  Looking around at the tastefully decorated and luxurious room, it was clear it was a man’s domain. A huge bed dominated the centre of the floor.

  “I just know,” she snapped.

  “Well, you don’t have much choice. It’s my house and I’m speaking to you in here and nowhere else.” He stepped back and leant against the door, blocking her escape.

  She glared at him for what must have been about a minute. It seemed like forever and he held her gaze for every second.

  That damned kiss replayed through her head. She hadn’t even fought back. His teasing lips had reduced her to jelly and she’d not had the strength to push him away. No way was she staying anywhere near this man. He was trouble. Big trouble. A tiny voice reminded her how much she’d enjoyed it. She ignored it. Pushed it out of her mind.

  “What do I have to do to get out of here?” She kept her voice cool.

  “Tell me who you are.”

  Well, that wasn’t a problem. She had plenty of identification.

  “And empty your bag onto the bed.”

  Why would he want to rummage through her belongings?

  “You don’t trust me.”

  His face contained no warmth. “I don’t trust many people, Claire. You’ll have to work on that.”

  He gave her a look that made her want to fidget. As if he found her deficient. All she was doing was being a delivery girl and look where that had landed her. The extra money didn’t seem so appealing now.

  She looked at him pointedly before walking back over to him. “I won’t be around long enough to work on you, Mr Drummond.”

  Unfastening the buckles on her messenger bag, she slid the contents out onto the bed. She reached forward to pick up the package that had caused her so much trouble. Five more minutes and this would be over. All she had to do was get him to sign for it and she’d be on her way.

  He stopped her with a single look.

  She stepped back, indicating with her hand that he was welcome to look for himself, and watched as he rifled through her belongings.

  He picked up the package and studied Isabella Price’s monogrammed business card attached to it. Surprisingly, he put it back on the bed with disinterest, instead picking up her security pass.

  “You work for Stanford & Henderson Law?”

  She gave him a tight, but satisfied smile. “I did try to tell you.”

  He turned back to her other possessions, picking up her camera and studying it carefully. He put it back down.

  Mortified, she watched him look at the plastic bag carrying her spare underwear and toothbrush.

  “Prepared for a night out?” he said sardonically.

  She didn’t respond. It was no business of his that she liked to cover every eventuality. Her spare underwear was in there in case she couldn’t go home and nothing to do with staying overnight with someone. She gave him a look of disgust.

  Finally, after going through everything she possessed one by one, he flicked through the gossip magazine Fran had loaned her. He looked at her coldly. She felt the need to explain it.

  “It’s not mine. A friend gave it to me and I didn’t want to offend her. I never read them.”

  “Never?” He looked as though he didn’t believe a word she was saying.

  “Never,” she said firmly. “Mr Drummond, I don’t lie.”

  “Do you know who you met in the kitchen?” His voice was steady but cutting. He was calling her out on her last statement.

  Claire thought of that pale fragile face. She knew exactly who she was.

  “Yes.” Her voice came out in a whisper.

  “Who is she, Claire?”

  Closing her eyes, she knew she was damned, but she still answered.

  “Eloise Grace.”

  “We need to talk." He looked at her with distaste. "That’s an expensive camera, Claire Bretton, for someone who delivers parcels.”

  “It’s not what you think. I’m not a snoop.” She felt like spitting the words out. He could have no idea how she felt about the paparazzi. But to explain her reasons would be even worse. “I’m a photographer. I specialise in candid, artistic shots.”

  “Yet you work at a law firm. Doesn’t it pay enough—your photography career?”

  His words felt like an insult. Jutting her chin out, she went on the defensive. He could think what the hell he liked.

  “I finished my post graduate work last year, Mr Drummond. I’m working as a temp to get the money together to travel around Europe. When I come back I plan to put on a show.” No matter she had no contacts, she’d somehow find a gallery willing to take her work. “Some of us have to work our way to the top, Mr Drummond.” She tried to hide the edge of sarcasm from her voice but failed.

  “Believe me, Claire, I know all about hard work.” For the first time, his smile was genuine. It hit her squarely in the chest causing her throat to constrict, and she looked away. Giving her a look like that chipped away at her resolve and she couldn’t let it happen.

  “I won’t breathe a word about…”

  He cut her off. “Put your things away and sit down while I think about this.”

  Tevis stalked over to the window leaving her to push everything but that damned package back into her bag. She had no idea what it contained but it had caused her a world of trouble. At this moment she felt like slinging it on the floor and jumping up and down on it.

  Now, that’s really mature, Claire.

  Dropping to sit down on the bed, she waited to see what Tevis would come up with. He’d probably get Isabella Price out to draw up some sort of confidentiality agreement for her to sign. God, that would really put her in Isabella’s bad books. She might even send her back to the temping agency.

  Damn. Damn. Damn!

  She stared at the floor. It seemed as good as anything. She didn’t have to look at the set shoulders of the man standing at the window. She heard him move but didn’t look up until his polished leather shoes came into her view. Even then she only lifted her gaze as far as his waist. She studied the buttons on his shirt

  He stood in silence and she realised he wasn’t going to speak until she looked at him properly. She lifted her head higher, determined to hide the fear from her eyes at losing her job. It wasn’t her fault she’d seen Eloise Grace. It wasn’t her fault Tevis Drummond didn’t appear to trust her.

  “When are you expected back at work?”

  Puzzled at this odd question, she answered reluctantly. “Wednesday.”

  “Is anyone waiting for you at home? A boyfriend? A husband perhaps?”

  “That is none of your business.”

  “Claire, I’m trying to come to a solution that will suit us both. Just answer my questions and I won’t report you.” His tone contained exasperation.

  “I've done nothing wrong,” she sighed. “You invited me in.”

  “If I decide to take this further, who do you think your employer will back?”

  He was right of course. Isabella Price wouldn’t risk losing a client like Tevis Drummond. She was screwed.

  “No one is expecting me to come home,” she admitted. There was barely enough living space for herself never mind a live-in lover.

  “No boyfriend? No husband?”

  God, he’s persistent.

  “That still isn’t your business.” This game of cat and mouse could go on and on. One of them had to give in. It seemed it would have to be her. Tevis Drummond wasn’t the type to back down. “I don’t have a husband or a boyfriend.”

  He smiled again. She couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

  “Good, so I can contract you for four days of your time to stay in this house.”

  “What if I have something else I’d prefer to do?”

  He raised an eyebrow at her as if to
say he couldn’t imagine she had something more preferable in mind.

  “You plan to turn down twenty thousand pounds and a round-the-world flight ticket?”

  “What?!” She must have misheard him. It had to be a joke.

  “Four days of your time at five thousand pounds a day, plus the plane ticket at the end of the period. If you carry this off, really play the part I plan for you, I’ll throw in free accommodation at every hotel where you have a stopover.”

  She was stunned. Her face must have shown every emotion going through her, including the strong desire to jump up and hug him for his offer.

  And the even stronger one to say no. The answer she knew she had to give.

  Did he think he could pay for her silence? Wasn’t he prepared to take her word?

  Oddly, it hurt. It sent a pain through her heart and made her sick to her stomach that he thought so badly of her. As much as she was tempted to take his offer, it almost seemed like a bribe for her silence.

  She shook her head. “I’m sorry, I have something else planned for my four days off. You have my promise, no one will ever know Eloise Grace was in this house.”

  “Not even if it’s to help her?”

  Claire opened her mouth to speak but closed it again. Tevis dropped down to his knees in front of her, his face now level with hers. She knew he was seeking a chink in her armour. Whether it was via her sympathy for the young singer, or because he knew the power of his attraction, she didn’t know. He was certainly exuding sex appeal and her traitorous body was responding.

  Raised blood pressure and difficulty breathing? Check.

  Heartbeat racing? Check.

  Impaired decision-making ability?

  Too damned right!

  She knew she was falling right into his trap, even as she opened her mouth.

  “Why is this for Eloise?”

  “Because she’s getting married on Monday and she’s terrified the press will find out. At the moment I believe she thinks you’re a journalist.”

  Claire closed her eyes, nausea rising in her stomach. The memories came crashing back in one sudden flash. The noise and the confusion and the feeling of utter terror. Four days of her time was a small price to pay to prevent someone else going through what she’d experienced.

  Could she do it? Yes. Should she do it? No. Not if she didn’t want to risk her hard-won peace.

  Opening her eyes again, she stared at him. The silence dragged on as she fought with herself over the decision. The look on Ellie’s face when she spoke to her in the kitchen dug deep into her conscience. If she wanted, she could set Ellie at ease.

  Tevis raised an eyebrow. She sighed. Claire knew that, despite her better judgement, she was allowing him to get to her. She should really refuse to help.

  “If I agree…” she grasped his hand and gripped it tightly, “you’ll keep me out of all this? Keep this private? I also value my privacy, Mr Drummond.

  “The wedding is a secret. There’s to be no publicity at all.”

  “I’ll do it on one condition.”

  “Anything.”

  “I don’t want your bribe.”

  He tilted his head as if surprised. “Okay, we’ve got a deal,” he responded. “Claire, you really should take it because you’re going to have to work hard.”

  “I thought you only wanted me to stay in the house?”

  “Not exactly.” Tevis had a smug smile on his face and it set her alarm bells ringing. “For the next four days, we are going to act as if we are passionately in love with each other. Eloise has to believe you’re the most important woman in my life.”

  Claire couldn’t help laughing.

  He looked at her quizzically. “What’s so funny?”

  “No one’s going to believe it. You’ll deserve an Oscar if you pull it off!”

  Carefully, gently, he put his hand on the back of her neck and pulled her to him. Before she could say another word he silenced her with a devastating kiss.

  Chapter Three

  TEVIS

  Claire Bretton fascinated him. For the first time in as long as he could remember, probably the first time ever, here was a feisty sassy woman who didn’t care one iota who he was. Even better, she couldn’t be bought. His money didn’t mean a damn thing.

  As he’d stood arguing with her in the kitchen, he knew he had to keep her there. In a matter of seconds, she’d done what many other women failed to do. Interested him. Attracted him. Made him want to chase her down, tame her, and have her submit to his will.

  Claire was no toy, no easy fuck. She was disinterested in him but his dick hardened just at the smell of her.

  Ellie, bless her, had unwittingly provided him with the ammunition to keep Claire in the house. In the end, Ellie had been the gun that he’d held to Claire’s head.

  He didn’t regret it one bit.

  In that first kiss in the kitchen, her lips were soft and she tasted of peppermint and chocolate as if she’d been eating candy. Sliding his hand down her back, he’d pulled her closer so that her glorious full breasts pressed firmly to his chest. He’d felt her surprise, her shock.

  Most women of his acquaintance would have moved smoothly into the role of willing lover, as if they’d trained to take the opportunity when it arose. He smiled. Not Claire. She’d sworn at him and fought him every step of the way to the bedroom. He’d taken her there because it was the one room he could guarantee no one would walk in on them. The whole house was in disruption due to his brother’s wedding.

  His instinct told him that getting Claire to stay would take all his negotiating skills. His instinct was right. Even his offer to fulfil her career dream hadn’t swayed her. Not even the offer of a world ticket rather than simply for Europe. He’d seen the initial delight in her eyes shut down in seconds. It wasn’t an avenue he could take.

  It had been sheer genius on his part to use Ellie as the hook. For some obscure reason it worked. He saw the pain in Claire's eyes and, like the bastard everyone called him, he’d tied up the deal.

  He had until Tuesday.

  Four days in which to seduce her and get her into his bed. Ninety-six hours in which to work out what it was about Claire that made him want her more than any other woman he’d come across.

  As they’d fought, all he wanted to do was spread her wide on the bed and fuck her—to make her scream and beg for more. But also he wanted to see her face and feel the depth of her emotions. He wanted to see if she felt as he did, that this strange meeting was the start of something big.

  She’d told him he’d deserve an Oscar if he could make people believe they were in love. It wasn’t going to be difficult. Not at all. From the moment she’d walked into his house she’d become more important to him than anyone else in his life.

  Let her believe this second kiss was an act. That he was showing her his consummate skill. He had to taste her again.

  He pulled her into his arms and he knew that once more she was unprepared.

  As his lips touched hers, her eyes widened. She was so innocent, so easy to shock. If he wasn’t so intent on proving he could make her want him, he would have teased her, made her laugh. Claire was the laughing kind. The kind of woman he needed in his life.

  But now wasn’t the time.

  Now he was intent on proving he could melt the panties off her.

  She resisted as he kissed her but only for a few seconds. He pulled her tight against him, putting his hand gently on the back of her head and pulling her hair loose. It was soft and smelt of floral shampoo and slid through his fingers like silk.

  Her hands pressed against his chest, her fingers gripping his shirt. Her lips moved beneath his. Responding to him. Teasing him back.

  His cock hardened, and he intensified his kiss. He couldn’t keep control. He wanted her so damned much.

  Pain shot through his foot.

  “Fuck!”

  Claire pulled back. “Next time, I’ll stamp harder!” she spluttered at him.

  He’d
swear she’d been enjoying the kiss. Bet his life on it. Even now, with anger on her face, she was breathless and her eyes were dilated. She’d been as heated as him.

  She must have felt his erection and realised he wasn’t acting. He guessed her anger was at her own reaction, even though she directed it at him.

  He hid his smile of satisfaction behind a countenance of sardonic coolness. Claire needed careful handling.

  “My shoes are handmade. I don’t appreciate you damaging them.”

  She narrowed her eyes. Those sexy deep brown eyes framed with long dark lashes. They were stunningly beautiful, but there was also something familiar about them. It was a memory of someone he knew or someone he'd seen. It would come to him.

  “Then don’t take liberties with me, you bastard!”

  She was rigid with anger and he couldn’t help but tease. It was too easy. “Ah, so you know my family history,” he grinned back.

  “I don’t bloody care about where you came from, it’s the way you’re acting I’m not impressed with!”

  He reached out and stroked a finger down her hot cheek. “It’s the way we agreed to act, Claire. I’m the doting boyfriend, remember?”

  Pushing his hand away she frowned back. “May I remind you we don’t have an audience.”

  “Ah, my dear Claire, this was a rehearsal. Remember, practice makes perfect.”

  “I don’t think you need any more practice, Mr Drummond.”

  Her voice was cutting and he winced inwardly as she stamped across the room to stand by the window. If Claire was practising anything now, it was the art of ignoring him and making a point about it.

  Scooping up her bag, he crossed to the bedroom door. “Stay here,” he growled.

  She glanced at him and realised what he was doing. “You can’t take that, I need it.”

  He ignored her and slammed the door behind him. He wasn’t going far, only to his personal safe. Once his task was completed he returned to the bedroom. She was still looking out of the window but when she turned to him she now chewed worryingly on her bottom lip. It was endearing and he almost relented.