by Nana Malone
With barely fifteen minutes to get from her loft in Chelsea to midtown to pick up Nate, she checked her makeup quickly and flew out the door.
She pulled up to Synth's main building with barely two minutes to spare. It was her job to get Nate situated with his date then down to the event to do the red carpet. Jake would meet them there.
She watched in awe as Nate climbed off the most badass motorcycle she'd ever seen in her life. It resembled something out of the Terminator movie. She'd bet her next paycheck that her brothers would have salivated over that bike. But he wouldn’t be taking it to the Gala like he’d hoped. CEO's didn't roll around to events on motorcycles, no matter how badass they were. They arrived in limos.
The moment he spotted her, his stance changed. Less confident swagger and more tension in his muscles.
“Nate.” She studied him. The tux was impeccable. Tom Ford. Though only he would be crazy enough to ride his motorcycle in a Tom Ford tuxedo.
“Delilah, you look stunning.” Heat flared in his gaze, and Delilah self-consciously patted her hair.
“I—thank you.” The deceptively simple elegant black number had some hidden surprises like double slits up both her thighs, and it was completely backless. But if she stood perfectly still, it was the mark of simplicity and elegance. It was only when she moved that it showed just how daring it was.
She admired the view. “You clean up nicely. Sorry about the hair, Goldilocks, but this is neater.” She’d had the stylist leave him some curl, but nixed the length. Now he looked just the right amount of dashing rake. “Your date should arrive shortly. Now remember—”
“What date?” His frown quickly turned into a scowl.
“Elizabeth Evans. She's beautiful, well connected, and will know everyone at the event tonight, so she'll be able to prompt you with information on everyone you should know and meet.”
“Why aren’t you my date?”
She blinked at him in surprise, and a flush heated her body. “Well, it’s hardly appropriate. You need someone who’s going to look pretty on your arm for the cameras.”
He inclined his head and let his gaze slide over her again. “I think you fit the bill.”
Her inner sixteen year old preened. Delilah smacked her into submission. “Thank you, but Elizabeth is someone we can continually use. She has the right pedigree and connections. She's a New York socialite and very nice actually. She'll help you fit in. You have to remember, I'm the puppeteer. I'm here to make you look good from the sidelines.” And she’s not going to get fired if you flirt with her.
He clenched his jaw, but said nothing.
It only took minutes, but a black car pulled up to the curb, and the lithe blonde alighted. Delilah smiled. “Elizabeth. I'm so glad you were free tonight. Thank you for doing this.”
“Of course. Anything for you. Especially after everything you've done for me.” Elizabeth had gone through a bit of a rebellious, wild streak and had started sleeping her way through New York’s wealthiest men for money. Serious Daddy issues. Her father had been mortified and had hired Delilah to clean up the whole mess.
“Elizabeth, please meet Nathanial Williams, the new CEO of Synth Games.” As the two of them exchanged pleasantries, Delilah told herself to ignore the pang of jealousy. Elizabeth was doing them a favor. And most importantly, Nate wasn't Delilah’s.
Once they were all settled in the limousine, she forced herself to focus on work and not the fact that his leg was pressed into hers when there was more than enough room in the limo for the three of them. His hard, muscular thigh, radiated enough heat to incinerate her dress.
“Now, remember, this is only a party. You can handle yourself. Stay away from discussing anything controversial where anybody can hear you. Shake hands, make contacts, and smile a lot. And when in doubt, lean on Elizabeth. She’s your anchor.”
Delilah spoke quickly as the limousine pulled up to the entrance of the benefit fundraiser. “There’s a red carpet, so smile at the cameras. The two of you should stand close together but not too close. We want to send the clear statement that he’s being enveloped by the elite, but not necessarily that you’re dating. We don’t want that to be the story.”
Elizabeth looked bored. She’d done this hundreds of times. Nate looked a little shell-shocked. “I got it. Smile. Talk a lot. Ask questions. Lean on Liz. I think I can manage that.”
Elizabeth stiffened, and Delilah sighed. “Elizabeth, refer to her as Elizabeth. Liz is too familiar. If we ever have her attend another function as your date, then maybe Liz. Right now keep it to first date status.” She really hoped that didn’t become the story. “There aren't supposed to be any questions, but there will be a reporter or two that will try to sneak one in. If that happens, tell them to contact your office for a comment and keep it moving. Can you do that?”
Nate didn’t respond. He studied every inch of her face with his hot gaze. He hadn't said much beyond the standard pleasantries after meeting his date. For the majority of the thirty-minute ride to the charity event, he'd been quiet and contemplative. When she or Elizabeth asked him a question, he'd given one-word answers.
When Delilah had given him a direction, he'd nodded. That was it. It unsettled her. “Hello? Earth to Nate. I need some kind of indication that you hear me.”
“Oh, I've heard every word you've said.”
She frowned, shaking her head. “Is there a reason you’ve been so quiet? Are you having second thoughts about this event? If you're nervous—”
“I'm not nervous.” He interrupted her smoothly. “Relax, Delilah, I can do this. I can make my brain function and form big boy words.”
Elizabeth leaned forward and pinned her with a look. “I’ll take care of him, Dee. This isn’t my first time at the rodeo.”
Delilah snapped her mouth shut. Oh yeah, she’d seen Elizabeth at the rodeo all right. Complete with cowboy boots and hat and lasso. Along with the judge she’d had hogtied. She cleared her throat. “Okay, have fun.”
The chauffeur opened the door, and Elizabeth exited first, then Nate. Immediately, there was a flurry of activity and shouting. Delilah waited a full three minutes before exiting the limousine so she wouldn’t be caught in any background shots.
She only faltered when she stepped into the brisk night air. Her dress bared a great deal more skin than she'd first thought when she put it on. The slits, originally mid thigh had ridden up, nearly exposing her barely clad ass. As she ducked off the carpet, she slid one last look at Elizabeth and Nate.
Delilah was more aware than ever that there were several dozen people with eyes on the couple, and so far, everyone was buying the image. The slick, yet competent CEO out supporting charitable causes and giving his own money. With a date who was passable, but still made him eligible. With any luck, they’d have him on New York’s most eligible list before the end of the week.
The socialite set would love him and his mystery. She could see it now—his name linked with several young and beautiful of New York's who's who. The board wouldn't be able to ignore his influence by the time she was done with him.
Except that image made her want to do something unladylike to him. She’d better get used to it though, because the whole persona was the key to keeping Nate the CEO of Synth.
Chapter 9
Jake sidled up to Delilah. “How did it go?”
She angled her head to get a good look at Nate and his date. They were engrossed in a conversation with one of the local politicians. Nate smiled and chatted amiably. He looked like he belonged. “Fine. He certainly looks the part, and Elizabeth knows what to do.”
“I have to say, you do know how to clean them up, Dee. He looks like a completely different guy.”
“Well, I’ve had a lot of practice with rehabbing celebrities. Nate was easy. A haircut, a shave, and some new clothes, and he looks like he belongs on the cover of a magazine. A challenge is what I call a meth-addicted starlet.”
Jake rolled his eyes. “I still don’t know
how you were able to do that with Liberty Ross.”
Liberty had been a child star who really lost her way with drugs and alcohol. It had taken years, but Delilah and her team had gotten her clean and looking the part of the actress again. She’d eventually been one of the bachelorettes on Love Reality. And now, she had a hosting gig for an entertainment show. Her makeover had been far more difficult than Nate’s, including a dentist and the best dermatologist money could find. “Oh, you know, just a little elbow grease.”
Jake laughed. “Yeah, I’ll bet.” He glanced around. “Listen, even though this is Nate’s debut, I want you to keep an eye on Michael Ross. I know you dealt with him already this afternoon, but he’s been drinking again, and I don’t want him doing anything we’ll have to clean up tomorrow.”
She bit back a groan. “I’ll have the bartender and servers start slowly cutting him off.”
Jake eyed her. “Look, I know you don’t like the guy, but we don’t get to choose our clients.”
She plastered a smile on her face and desperately tried not to make it look like a grimace. “I know that. I’ll take care of it. But I still think Nate needs some support.”
Jake smiled lecherously at a passing redhead. “I’ll be here to support him if he needs anything. Remember, I am the primary on this case.”
But she bit her tongue. Yep, there it was. The little slap to let her know who was the Head Man In Charge. It didn’t matter that Nate had made it clear he wanted her running point. Jake wanted to be seen handling Nate by the big wigs and donors in the room. Fine, she could do as she was told. Didn’t matter how much it bugged her. At the end of this, she would be junior partner. She could suck it up for that.
She was in the middle of speaking to the head of catering when a voice from behind startled her. “D-List Delilah! How is my favorite Fixer?”
Delilah shuddered. She knew that voice. Michael Ross. She wasn’t in the mood to deal with his particular brand of bullshit right now. She had real work to do. She turned to him with a tight smile. Maybe she could keep it quick. “Michael, I’m hoping you’ve sobered since I saw you this afternoon.”
He winked at her. “Have I told you how sexy you are when you’re acting all uptight?”
She ground her teeth. “Not uptight. Doing my job.” Honestly, what was the point of trying to straighten him out? Guys like him would never get it. “At any rate. Have a good evening. And do try to stay out of trouble tonight.”
His smile turned leering. “And what if I said I’d rather get into trouble with you?”
“I’d tell you what I’ve told you every other time you’ve hit on me. You’re a client. I don’t date my clients. Secondly, you’re an actor, and I don’t date actors. So unfortunately, it would seem that I’m out of luck.” She shrugged and attempted to side step him.
He swiped a glass of champagne off of a passing tray. “You sure have a lot of rules you live by. Why don’t you forgo all those rules and take a ride on me? We both know you’re curious.” He leaned into her personal space, and the stench of stale alcohol hit her hard, making her nauseous.
Delilah straightened her back and met his gaze levelly. “As tempting as that offer is, I’ll have to decline.” She turned from him, and he reached out to grip her arm hard.
Pain radiated through her arm, but she wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of seeing her wince. He was nothing more than a standard issue bully. And her brother, Dylan, had taught her how to deal with bullies. Unfortunately for her, Michael’s security team lurked close by. Ever since an alleged stalker had tried to break into his house a year ago, he never went far without them. And secondly, they were in a very public place. A public place where she had clients. And future clients. She wasn’t going to make a scene.
Several party attendees walked by and stared. Delilah lowered her voice. “You’ll want to let go of my fucking arm now, or else people are going to start to believe those anger management rumors I’ve worked so hard to refute. We can’t have that now, can we?”
He quickly let go of her arm but then pulled her in for a dance. She had no choice but to follow.
“You’re a tease, Delilah. Acting all hot, then cold. It’s only a matter of time before I find out if the berry really is sweeter.”
She arched a brow even as she worked to swallow the bile rising below the lump in her throat. She needed to extricate herself from his hold without making a scene. “And if by matter of time you mean the ass crack of never, then that would be about accurate. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
His green eyes went cold and flat. “You know I’m an investor in your company. Jake would want to know that I’m being taken care of.”
Delilah glared at him. He wasn’t the first bully she’d ever had to deal with. But he did have a point about Jake. Her boss was convinced that Michael was making a comeback and was also convinced he could be the puppeteer of that comeback. That meant that for the time being Delilah would have to deal with Michael. At least peripherally. She couldn’t piss him off. Not entirely. “And you are being taken care of. Just not by me in the sack.”
He gripped her tighter. “Seriously, what’s your problem? Why are you guarding your snatch like it’s a superpower? It’s not like you have a boyfriend. And I’m fucking Michael Ross. In case you haven’t heard, I’m a movie star.”
Her head snapped back as his words sunk in. “Excuse me?” Something cold slithered over her skin. How did he know she didn’t have a boyfriend?
“I make it my business to know everything about the people I'm doing business with.”
“Is there a problem here, Delilah?”
She never thought she’d be happy to hear Nate’s voice, but she was. Extricating herself from Michael’s grip, she very deliberately took a step back outside of the intimate personal space. “I’m fine, Nate.”
But Nate didn't seem to take her word for it. “Who is this asshole, and why is he pawing you?”
Warmth bloomed in her chest. He was protecting her. Granted she could take care of herself, but it was nice having him try. But someone would soon notice their tense little bubble, so she put her hand on Nate’s arm. “Nate Williams, meet Michael Ross. He’s a client.” She’d hoped those simple words would tell him that she needed him to back off. But no.
Nate placed himself between her and Michael then slid his hands into his pockets. The stance appeared relaxed. But she knew him. If she didn’t do something soon, there would be a brawl. “Oh yeah, Michael Ross. You’re that actor. You used to do those action movies right?”
Michael didn’t miss a beat. “That’s right. Still do. There’s already Oscar buzz about my new project. And you’re the new toy CEO they have at Synth, aren’t you?”
Nate showed his teeth, but there was more than a hint of warning in the smile. “I’m the guy who’s going to shred you, if you don’t back off Delilah.”
Michael grinned. Delilah looked around, but no one seemed particularly interested in the mini melodrama unfolding in front of her. It looked like Nate and Michael were laughing and playing catch up.
“Delilah,” Michael said. His voice was sugary sweet but dripped with ice. “Why don’t you tell the pretend CEO here that grown folks are talking and he should mind his fucking business.” He glared at Nate as he added. “I suggest you stay away from me and Delilah.”
Oh shit. This could, not, happen. “Would the two of you stop it?” She slid between both men and patted their chests, making sure to keep her smile in place. She turned to Nate. “You need to go back to your date. I have this under control.” To Michael she said, “You need to take no for an answer. Conversation over.”
Nate looked reluctant to leave her side, but she shoved him in the right direction. Michael, on the other hand, took a quick and decisive step toward her, his jaw set and his eyes narrowed. “Who is he?”
“A client. Like you. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” She stalked away without a backward glance. She might have imagined the burning stare on her
back, but every instinct in her body told her she was being watched.
###
Nate gripped his glass as he watched Ross stare after Delilah. That shithead needed to get a fucking clue before he gave him one. His date, just returning from the powder room, must have noticed his tension, because she placed a hand on his arm.
“Nate, are you all right?”
His gaze flickered to her. Delilah had been right. Elizabeth was the perfect date. Money, connections. And the air of blueblood about her. She'd introduced him to half the room. Delilah certainly knew what she was doing. He had to give her that much. He didn’t exactly run in these circles, so having someone who did, who could shuttle him around made it all bearable. “Yes, I'm fine. Why do you ask?”
She coughed with an exasperated laugh. “Well, because you haven’t heard a word I've said for the last five minutes, and right about now, you look like you’re ready to do some physical damage to someone. I promise you that won't go over well with the organizers. Fisticuffs are strictly verboten.”
He knew she meant it as a joke, but his jaw still clenched. It's not like she had any idea about his past. All Delilah had told her was he was the new acting CEO and he needed a date who knew how to work a crowd. But still, he worried she might see through to the kid he’d once been. Relax, dumbass. She doesn’t see through you. And he'd better keep it that way. He forced a smile. None of these people would find out about the real him. That thug kid had to stay hidden. At least in front of the masses. He owed Chase that much. “You have nothing to worry about.”
