A Deception of Massive Proportion: A Romantic Comedy (The Billionaire Club Book 3)

by Victorine E. Lieske

  Jalen laughed. “Shadow Walker. Shadow for short. And he doesn’t like hotel food, so you’ll probably be asked to run to several places nearby. Not fast food. Something local would be good. He likes seafood.” Jalen’s mouth watered thinking of the food he’d eaten last year when he was here. He handed her the company credit card.

  “Got it. When will I meet him?”

  The way she asked made Jalen freeze. Something was off, but he wasn’t sure what it was. Was she too eager? Maybe her eyes were a bit too wide. Was she conning him? He slowly shook his head. “You won’t be meeting him.”

  She brightened. “That’s fine. Do I bring his meals here, then?”

  The strange feeling left, and Jalen mentally scolded himself for being too on edge. He’d just had some crazy fans go way out of their way to get close to Shadow Walker. He must be paranoid. Riley was about as innocent as you could get. She didn’t even know who he was.

  Jalen shook his head. “No. You’ll drop everything he needs off next door at room 177. I’ll give you the key card so you can stock his fridge and drop off his laundry.” He gave her the plastic card and pulled out his phone. “I’ll text you when he needs something. What’s your phone number?”

  Riley rattled off her number, and he added it in, the feeling of unease creeping back into his chest. Why was he apprehensive of this young woman? She was clearly harmless. Right?

  Chapter 2

  Riley exhaled as she walked down the hallway, her legs shaking. How in the world had she come across such great luck? Jalen mistook her for Shadow Walker’s assistant. It was a sign, for sure. This was meant to be. She was in. Bless her father and his love of jazz. It made her story much more believable. Now she could pump Jalen for information while pretending to know nothing about Shadow Walker. It was perfect.

  Jalen had even booked her a room in their wing, next door to Shadow. Not down the hallway. Next door. How could this get any better? Everything was falling into place. She could even check out of her expensive room and save some money. She walked to her room to pack her suitcase, still unable to believe the luck that had smiled upon her.

  After she was all moved into her new room, she sat down on the fancy couch and took a look around. This room was a massive upgrade from her cheap room. Spacious, with a sliding glass door that led directly to the beach. All the furnishings looked plated in gold. It was like one of those large, fancy rooms you only see on TV. There was even a fruit basket on the desk.

  She slid open the deck door and sat on her patio chair. The warm breeze hit her skin, and she relaxed a bit. Thanksgiving would be here before she knew it. And then Christmas. If she could get the promotion before the holidays, it was possible she could have her Christmas miracle.

  She pulled out her phone and called her father. His weak voice came through the line. “Hey, sweetheart. How are you? How was your flight?”

  “It was fine, Dad. How are you? Are you minding Mrs. Lewis?”

  “Why would you ask that?”

  Riley rolled her eyes. “Because sometimes you’re ornery. You need to let her check on you.”

  He grunted, and she could imagine the fake scowl on his face. He pretended he didn’t like Dorothy, but she knew he had a secret crush on her. “She’s pushy. I’m fine. No one needs to check on me.”

  “Dad. Stop it. I don’t want to hear that you gave her a hard time when I come home.”

  “I don’t need a nurse.”

  “She’s not a nurse. She’s a friendly neighbor. I worry about you when I’m not there. Don’t be mean to Mrs. Lewis.”

  He coughed, and fear froze her. “Are you getting a cold?”

  “No, I just have a tickle in my throat. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be nice to the old hag. What about you? Have you dug up that story yet?”

  “I just got here. But good things are happening. I have a feeling I’ll get that promotion after all.”

  “Oh, tell me about it.”

  Her phone chimed with a new text, and she looked at the screen. Her first assignment had come in. “Sorry, I have to run. I’ll tell you about it later.”

  “All right, sweetie.” She could tell he was tired. “I love you.”

  “I love you too, Dad.” She frowned as she hung up. He was so fragile now. There were days where he barely was able to walk from the bedroom to the living room without getting winded. There wasn’t anything she could do, other than wait for the call that they had a donor heart ready for him. That, and learn who Shadow really was. She checked the text that had come in.

  Please pick up a sea food plate from somewhere local. Deliver it to Shadow’s room. Just leave it on his desk.

  Perfect. She could do that. And maybe get a look at what was in his room. Maybe she’d find a clue. And then another thought popped into her head. The more time she could spend with Jalen, the better. She sent a quick text back.

  Are you hungry as well? I could pick up two plates.

  She held her breath as she waited for him to answer.

  Yes. Please do. Thank you.

  She smiled and headed toward the lobby. Something in her life was finally going her way.

  Jalen stared at his phone, the words almost dancing before his vision. He was dumbfounded. He’d been Shadow Walker for six years. Performed at countless venues and events. Been on tour and hired hundreds of temporary assistants. No one had ever thought to ask him if he was hungry.

  It gave him a strange feeling. Like he had pent up energy to spend. Maybe it was stupid of him to care. She wasn’t asking because she liked him or anything. She was just doing her job. Still, it showed something about her and intrigued him.

  He tried working on his song lyrics for another ten minutes before shoving his notebook back into his briefcase. Nope. Wasn’t going to happen right now. He was nowhere near in the mood he needed to be.

  Instead, he pulled up his schedule on his phone for the next few days and looked it over. This wasn’t his first gig at the Diamond Oasis, which everyone affectionately called the Billionaire Club. He’d been hired last year to sing during the week-long pop extravaganza. It was an upscale clientele for sure. The venue was clean, the management was friendly, and he got to hang out with some of the other pop stars. Security at the resort had been good too. No crazy fans trying to climb into his window. Still, he kept Shadow’s room locked up tight and the blinds closed, and had a security guard posted at the door and the patio at all times just in case.

  Tomorrow he was scheduled to take a group on a schooner excursion. No singing, he just had to be on the boat with thirty or so people, interacting with them. Not too bad of a deal, except it would be pretty hot in his black costume. Nothing he could do about that, though.

  A knock came on his door, and he crossed the room to open it. Riley stood there holding a takeout bag, a logo from The Shrimp Next Door on the side. Sir Barks-a-Lot whined and wagged his tail. She smiled at his dog, then raised her gaze to him. “Here’s your food. I already put Shadow’s plate in room 177. Will he be coming soon? I don’t want it to get cold.”

  “He was in there. He was just hiding from you.” That was his go-to answer. No one usually questioned him.

  “Hiding?” Riley wrinkled her nose.

  Oh. That’s right. She didn’t know who Shadow Walker was. Jalen took the offered bag from her and motioned for her to enter his suite. “He doesn’t want the public to know his true identity. He goes by Shadow Walker and wears a mask when he performs.”

  She blinked. “Why?”

  He set the bag on the desk. The smell of shrimp filled the room, and his stomach growled. He gave Riley an appraising look as he pulled out the food containers. “He couldn’t catch a break until he dressed up in his ninja outfit. Part of his appeal is the anonymity.”

  Jalen had been asked that same question many times, but he’d never answered it as honestly before. Something about Riley made him want to talk to her. Tell her things he didn’t normally divulge. He had to admit, it scared him. Divulging too
much could be dangerous in his situation.

  Her eyebrows raised. “Really? So, no one knows who he is?”

  “Right.” He waited for the usual questions. Do you know who he is? Will you tell me? But she didn’t ask, which made him like her even more.

  He stared at all the food. There was so much of it. He’d never be able to eat it all himself. Plus, he had another plate in the next room. “Are you hungry?” he blurted out before he could stop himself. When she didn’t immediately answer, he kept talking. “I mean, they gave me a lot of food. I don’t know if I can eat it all. And it would be a shame to waste it.”

  He began to sweat. Was it obvious he kind of liked her? Should he have just offered to give her some in a take-out box? Why was he feeling so awkward all of a sudden? “I mean, you don’t have to eat with me if you don’t want to,” he said quickly, hoping to dispel the odd tension in the room.

  She smiled. “I’d love to eat with you. I must admit I’m starving.”

  He relaxed. Maybe it hadn’t been awkward. It could have been in his head. He did tend to overthink things. He pulled both chairs to the desk. “Have a seat.”

  “Thanks.”

  After he dished up the food, he grabbed a fork and sat down. “This looks delicious.”

  “I asked them what their bestselling dinner plate was, and they said this one. I figured I couldn’t go wrong with shrimp scampi and grilled asparagus.”

  He stabbed a shrimp. “Good thinking.” The flavor burst in his mouth, and he couldn’t help but moan. He was going to have to restrain himself, or he’d start shoveling it in like a slob. “This is delicious.”

  She smiled in response.

  “So, what is it you do, Riley? What brings you to the Cayman Islands?”

  She shrugged. “I do a little of this and that.”

  Hmm. She was being evasive. That wasn’t good. He studied her. “What does that mean?”

  She laughed, but it felt forced. “It means I’m working at a temp agency because I couldn’t get any other job.”

  Ah, she was embarrassed about being a temp. He shook his head. “Nothing to be ashamed of. It’s honest work.”

  A look flitted across her face, but it was gone just as fast. “I guess.” She picked up her napkin. “How about you? Do you like being Shadow Walker’s manager?”

  “No one ever asks me that.”

  She gave him a funny look. “They don’t?”

  “No.” They ask him all kinds of questions about Shadow. That was about it. No one really cared about him.

  “Why not?”

  He shrugged. “Probably because all people really want to know is Shadow’s real identity.” He studied her reaction.

  Riley took a bite and chewed it slowly. “I guess the mystery of it intrigues people.”

  “You’re probably right.” He was so used to people only paying attention to him because of Shadow that it felt weird to sit and have a normal conversation. Did he enjoy being Shadow’s manager? That was a hard question to answer because that was a front. Even though he did all the duties a manager would do, the thrilling part of his job was getting to go out on stage and sing. But he couldn’t tell her that.

  “So? What’s your job like?”

  Jalen had to choose his words carefully. “It’s crazy sometimes. Shadow gets way too much attention when we go places, which can be tiring. But it’s also fun. I enjoy the work I do. I get to help him make music, which makes people happy. That’s fulfilling.”

  She smiled. “I can see you love music.”

  She was perceptive. And pretty. And everything he should be staying away from. That’s why his next sentence surprised even himself. “Shadow will need an assistant on the schooner boat ride tomorrow.”

  “Oh, sure.” She pulled out her phone. “What time?”

  He almost took it back but didn’t see how he could do that and not look like an insane person. He had no use for an assistant on the boat ride. What would he tell her to do? He was stupid. All he wanted was to spend more time with her. Which was really dumb because he would be dressed as Shadow and wouldn’t even be able to talk to her like he knew her. But he was now stuck.

  He sighed. “Nine in the morning. The boat will leave from the west dock.”

  “Sounds good. Should I meet him at the dock or at his room?”

  If he said room, he could chat with her while they walked. It was probably the stupidest thing for him to say, and he would regret it later on, but he smiled and said, “Meet him at his room.”

  Chapter 3

  Riley tried to calm her nerves as she waited for the clock to tick down the last five minutes before it was time to knock on Shadow’s door. When Jalen had said Shadow would need her on the schooner, she about choked on her shrimp scampi. What happened to not meeting him at all? She wasn’t about to argue, of course. Spending the morning with Shadow would be a fantastic opportunity.

  She studied her face in the mirror once more. She’d dared to put on a little makeup, even though yesterday she’d gone with the natural look. Hopefully, it still gave that hometown-girl impression since she had only used a smidge of eyeshadow and lip gloss.

  Even though she’d kept the bun, she decided the suit was too formal for a schooner boat. A dressy blouse and slacks would have to do. She tucked her travel-sized sunscreen into her bag and pulled the strap over her shoulder. She’d packed a few things she thought might be helpful. It made the bag kind of bulky, but hopefully, she would prove useful to him and therefore make it worth it. The clock told her it was time to head over to his room. At the last second, she realized she’d forgotten her fake glasses, and she grabbed the over-sized pair and shoved them on.

  The man standing outside Shadow’s door was so muscular, he could have been a bodybuilder. Maybe he was before joining Shadow’s security team. He stood aside when she approached the door. Jalen must have told him about her, which was good because he looked like he wouldn’t mind physically removing anyone who didn’t belong there. She wiped her hands on her slacks before knocking.

  The door opened, and Shadow stood there, dressed in his black ninja outfit. He seemed a bit taller than the last time she saw him. His gaze traveled over her, and he smiled. “You must be Riley.” He extended a gloved hand.

  Even through his leather glove, she could feel the warmth of his body heat. For some reason, it made her breath hitch. “I am. Are you ready?”

  He nodded and took a step into the hallway, closing the door behind him. He motioned toward the exit sign. “It’s this way.”

  As they started walking, his security guard broke away from the door and followed. It was odd, having their own bodyguard trailing along behind them. But she supposed that was just how it was when you were famous. Were people that creepy? Surely a boat of wealthy people wouldn’t be dangerous.

  She glanced at Shadow. Something about him seemed familiar, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. Maybe his gait? Or was it the way he carried himself? He seemed more self-assured than when she’d seen him with Jalen. Whatever it was, she could almost picture him as someone she’d seen before. Maybe an actor?

  Excitement shot through her as she walked with him. If he was famous outside of his mask, this was going to be much easier than she thought. She just needed to keep her wits about her and study his every movement. Except she had to do it in a way that wasn’t obvious. Tricky but not impossible. Especially if she could be so helpful that Shadow would request she help him during other outings or shows.

  They walked to the exit door, and he opened it for her, which was a surprise. She hadn’t really gotten the “gentleman” vibe from him before. He’d been kind of standoffish in the lobby. She smiled at him. “Thank you.”

  As they crossed the grounds, he folded his arms and looked at her. “So, Riley, tell me about yourself.”

  Was he making small talk with her? Another thing she hadn’t expected. She strained to think of something she could say. The seconds piled up, and she panicked. “I�
��m pretty average.”

  She wanted to smack herself. What was that? I’m pretty average? She had the chance to tell Shadow Walker anything, and that’s what came out of her mouth?

  He didn’t seem annoyed by it, though. His lips curled up a bit like he was trying not to smile. “What do you like to do in your spare time?”

  She had no spare time. Between working, trying to pay all the bills, and taking care of her father, she basically slept in her spare time. But that was immensely dumb. Hobbies. What were her hobbies before her father got sick?

  “I used to knit.” Great. Another stupid thing came out of her mouth. She was not usually this flustered. Why was she so tongue-tied? It was just a guy in a ninja outfit. Possibly a famous person. And judging from his lips, maybe even an incredibly hot, famous person. Ugh. She was going to totally mess this up. She was sure of it.

  He took the sidewalk toward the water, and she matched his steps. “Used to?”

  Now what? Apparently, she was incapable of lying right now. She swallowed and tried to smooth it over. “I’ve been busy lately…taking care of my father.”

  Oh, this was going from bad to worse. Why did she bring her father up? What was wrong with her?

  “Your father?”

  They were almost to the schooner. She needed to abort. Abandon ship. Quickly. “He’s been ill. But that’s not important right now. Let’s get you ready to do this thing.” She whipped out a bottle of water from her bag. “Thirsty?”

  He paused for a split second before he took the water from her. “Thanks. Just what I needed.” He took a drink, replaced the lid, and handed it back to her.

  “I’m sure I’ll need more as the sun beats down on me.” He motioned to his clothes. “Black is probably the worst thing to wear in this climate.”

  “Oh. Right. I didn’t think about that.” She squinted up at the sun. “Are you going to be okay?”