Two hours later, I still tried to process what had happened. Restlessness held me tightly in its clutches, and I found myself constantly looking over my shoulder as if expecting Killian to jump out and reveal his true, entirely wicked reason for helping me. His whispered words kept ringing in my mind, triggering icy shivers. What did he want from me? Did he know who I was?
I shook my head, chasing away the horror-like scenarios my mind eagerly provided. I couldn't let myself drown in an unreasonable fear. I was sitting with my friends, sipping expensive wine, and enjoying delicious food. I could only taste these luxuries until the end of the cruise, and I promised myself not to spoil my time thinking about the nightmares from my past.
Fortunately, Dylan decided to keep his distance from me just in case I truly turned out to be somehow involved with Killian Blair. Of course, he wouldn't be the only one wondering. From the moment Killian called me his “date,” I had been watched by countless curious—and envious—eyes. Multiple women followed me around, trying to determine whether or not Killian and I were in some kind of relationship. Truthfully, I half-expected to hear all sorts of vicious whispers behind my back, but nothing like that happened. Later, I realized that, just like Dylan, those women didn't want to risk Killian Blair's anger.
“So have you found and thanked your Prince Charming already?” Ashley giggled, gesturing at the waiter to bring us another bottle of wine.
I shook my head, stabbing a piece of stake with my fork. “He is not my Prince Charming,” I grunted before shoving food into my mouth.
She rolled her eyes. “Oh come on! What he did was epic!” She leaned over me and grinned. “Not to mention that it was fucking hot.”
I glanced at Matteo, but he must have already been immune to anything Ashley said. He just let out a long sigh and passed her a glass of wine. Ashley took the wine from her boyfriend and narrowed her eyes at me. “Don't try to pretend your heart didn't pound when he held you close while bringing Dylan to his knees.”
I gave her a look. “He didn't bring Dylan to his knees, and may I just remind you that the guy who defended me is the same one who fired us and almost ruined my entire life?”
She shrugged and emptied her glass. “If I were you, I would have forgiven him after what he did today.”
“It's not that simple,” I muttered, recalling a few of the gloomy scenes from my past.
She leaned closer, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “What if he truly recognized you, regrets what he did, and now tries to redeem himself?”
I all but snorted. “And he starts his redemption by firing me?”
She cringed. “Good point.”
“Truthfully, I don't want to wonder about Killian Blair and his reasons,” I said, refilling my wine glass.
Ashley studied me, obviously itching to dig deeper, but after a moment, she finally shifted her attention to her so-far-neglected boyfriend.
I sighed in relief and focused on my wine. Noble liquor flew down my throat, gently warming my insides. I wasn't sure how much I had drunk before my bladder forced me to my feet and toward the ladies' room.
The alcohol hummed in my head, making my steps oddly light. A sudden wave hit the ship's side, causing me to stumble. A giggle slipped free. Fine, I might have been a little drunk after all.
It had taken me three rounds to find the toilets, and by the time I trotted into the cubicle, I was already madly clenching my thighs. The relief after releasing unwanted fluids came with a wave of new thoughts. What if I could just erase my past? Wouldn't it be nice to have someone like Killian Blair by my side?
I instantly snorted at that thought. Even without everything that happened, Killian and I lived in two different worlds. People like him rarely paid any attention to someone like me… And yet, tonight he looked at me. He helped me. Was it because he truly knew who I was and he wanted redemption?
Sighing, I washed my hands and looked at myself in the mirror. I wasn't drop-dead-gorgeous, but I wouldn't call myself ugly either. I had long honey-blond hair, blue eyes, and a slightly perky nose. I had curves here and there, and before I lost the final shreds of confidence, I had considered myself attractive. A small, insanely dumb part of me began to wonder if Killian found me attractive too. What if there was no ulterior motive? What if he helped me only because he wanted to?
Blowing a slow breath, I stumbled into the dimly lit corridor, with the railing on one side and rows of cabins on the other. The ship swayed from side to side, and my dizziness wasn't exactly helpful in keeping my balance. I lowered my gaze to my feet, needing to concentrate on every step I took. My feet slid as the ship swayed again. Gone was the balance, and suddenly, I was falling on the floor face first—
A pair of strong arms wrapped around my waist from behind me, and then I was back on my feet. “Too much champagne, Josephine?”
I swallowed a curse and craned my neck to look at my savior. A pair of green eyes locked on me, and a sultry grin appeared. My breath hitched, and a rush of heat flooded all the wrong places. God, I hated it when my body worked against me.
Drawing a deep breath, I jerked Killian Blair's hands away from my waist and stepped back. “Thank you,” I muttered, watching his grin widen.
“You're welcome,” he said, piercing me with his nearly predatory stare.
I took another step back as my eyes drifted lower, capturing the rest of him. His tie was gone, and a few buttons of his shirt were undone, teasingly exposing his collarbones and a hint of the muscled chest. When my eyes returned to his face, I noticed it brighten with amusement. Annoyance blazed within me. Was I his source of entertainment?
I rolled back my shoulders and sucked in a sharp breath. “Can I ask you a question?” I managed, and his amusement increased.
“Of course.”
I cleared my throat. “Why did you help me before?”
He shrugged and stepped closer. “I sincerely despise all the Ricardsons. Embarrassing that Dylan guy simply felt good.” He leaned over me, and a sly smirk tugged at his lips. “But I also had another reason…”
My breath caught as I studied him for a few heartbeats. “Another reason?” I muttered and his smirk turned into a sultry smile. Oh, God… did he knew?! Did he know who I was and now he was playing with me?!
My instincts told me to flee, but as soon as I moved, the yacht swayed again. I squealed as my heels slid on the floor, making a mental note to avoid party cruises at all costs from now on.
“Be careful!” Killian shouted for a second before snaking his strong arms around me.
I spun, ungracefully steadying my feet, as his grip around me tightened. I slid again and fell back, dragging Killian along with me. Suddenly, we stopped—Killian steadied us.
“Are you all right?” he murmured, pulling me closer.
I swallowed, too aware of his firm body pressed against mine and his arms around me. Slowly, I lifted my gaze to his, his lips an inch away from mine…
A flash coming from the opposite side of the corridor caught my attention. A few more flashes followed. Was someone taking pictures of us? Killian growled out a curse, loosening his grip on me. “Don't go anywhere,” he muttered. “I'll deal with it.”
My reason returned with a violent blow. Like hell I would stay there! If he had truly recognized me, staying close to him would be like poking the devil. Panic rose within me by the heartbeat. I watched him stride through the corridor while my heart viciously thundered. Even if my body instantly mourned the loss of him, I knew that being around him was dangerous. Drawing a deep breath, I turned around and darted forward, as far away from him as possible.
***
I managed to avoid Killian until the end of the cruise, but the stress drained all my remaining strength. I almost cried when I finally laid my head on the pillow. The sleep came within a heartbeat…
“Josie! Josie, wake up!” The mix of Ashley's shouts and banging on my door was far worse than any alarm clock sound. “Josie, you need to see this! Let me in!”
I opened my eyes, reluctantly welcoming the blinding sunlight. My body firmly protested against any movement, and my head seemed glued to the pillow. I managed to focus my eyes on the watch; it showed seven in the morning. Why would Ashley wake me up so early? Had she gone mad or something?
“Josie!” Ashley roared. “It's about Killian Blair!”
I groaned. “Why would I care about that jerk?”
“Just open that damn door!” she yelled.
Finally, I dragged myself out of bed and let Ashley in. She strode inside, a colorful tabloid in hand. She threw it on my desk and pointed at a front-page picture. It looked like a photo of a loving couple. The two embraced each other, and it seemed like the picture had been taken a second before they kissed.
“Shit,” I breathed out as chills ran down my spine.
The man in that picture was Killian Blair, and the woman in his arms was… me. The realization came in a flash. Even if Killian didn't investigate who I was, the reporters would, and once the truth came out… I was doomed.
I barely remember how I got through the day. A thick layer of anxiety coated every inch of my body as my mind eagerly provided thriller-movie-worthy scenarios. I was on the freaking tabloid cover. Fine, my face was barely recognizable, and my identity was still unknown to the reporters… but what if someone found out?“Why would anyone care about a nobody like me?” I laughed, trying to mock my restlessness. Unfortunately, my nerves didn't disappear even as the night came, forcing me to toss and turn for long hours before I finally drifted into blissful unawareness.The doorbell sound pierced through my sleep. I groaned and rolled to the other side of the bed, determined to ignore it, but it rang again and again, forcing me awake. Cursing under my breath, I willed my eyes open and dragged myself out of bed.“Someone's at the door!” I called out, hoping that one of the twins would open it.The bell rang again, and the banging on the door followed. Groaning, I stumbled out of my bedroom an
KILLIAN“It's open!” I called out through the corridor before entering my study.I heard the faint squeak as the door opened and closed, and I didn't have to look over my shoulder to know that Tony followed me, a bottle of scotch in hand. It was nearly our ritual to drink in my penthouse whenever things went bad, and tonight I had a perfect reason to drink.I stopped in front of my three-piece suite and gestured at him to sit on the sofa while I grabbed two glasses from the cabinet. When I returned, Tony had the bottle opened and ready to fill the glasses with amber liquor. I slumped onto the chair in front of him and pinched the bridge of my nose.“That bad?” Tony chuckled, handing me my glass.“My father is planning my slow and painful death as we speak,” I muttered before drawing a sip. “I promised him no more scandals.”Tony's lips formed a crooked smile. “Hugging a girl can hardly be called a scandal. I'd say it's your most decent picture I've seen in tabloids.”I gave him a look.
Josephine Clairmont. I should have never allowed myself to forget that name. I had never been the one who tormented the weak. I had made Josephine Clairmont my exception. Perhaps I should have been wiser, more mature, more lenient, but I just couldn't make myself forgive someone who had helped my mother get rid of my first love.If she hadn't turned out to be a greedy bitch and she had kept her mouth shut, maybe I would have grown up to be a different man. Not that cold and heartless. Would my relationship with Estelle have lasted? Well, that was something I would never be able to find out, and I had the innocent-looking Josie to blame for it.I still wondered how much my mother paid her for spying on me. Judging by her current financial situation, destroying my first relationship hadn't gotten her enough. The fact that she might have sold the information for a drastically low price infuriated me even more.As the years went by, I realized that the simple schoolgirl couldn't have know
JOSIE“He's a world-class jerk!” I roared before pouring the rest of the wine in my glass down my throat. It was my third glass, but I couldn't care less. I had no job interviews the next day, and I definitely shouldn't care whether I got drunk. Perhaps I even should get drunk. It might lessen the anger buzzing in my veins like a swarm of wasps. “Selfish, arrogant, bastard!”“Don't forget that he's a super-rich and hot as fuck bastard.” Aaron grinned, grabbing the bottle from the kitchen counter and refilling my glass.“Not funny.” Ashley shot her brother a meaningful glare.Aaron shrugged. “I'm only stating the facts. This guy IS rich and he IS hot.” He sat next to me by the kitchen table and fixed his eyes on me. “Frankly, if he wants to pay you for playing his girlfriend, I can't see the reason why you should refuse his offer.”I flipped him a bird, and Ashley snorted. “You so don't get it, brother. This guy thinks he can do whatever he wants, and Josie should just happily accept w
The van stopped in front of one of the high-end apartment buildings on Park Avenue. The door opened, and Mr. Colt extended his hand to help me out of the car. My heart thundered, and my body flooded with cold sweat, but I kept my expression blank. The last thing I wanted was for those men to know just how terrified I was.If Killian Blair wanted me to acknowledge just how powerful he was, he achieved it tenfold. I even began to debate whether I had made a mistake walking away from him last time. Certainly, that pondering lasted only until I recalled his words about my father. My resolution instantly formed in a blaze of rage. I would not let him threaten me and force me to do anything, and if he tried to… I would fight with all the skills I possessed.I was led through the elegant reception hall toward the elevators. “This way,” Mr. Colt said, gesturing at the one reserved for the penthouse. An apartment with a private elevator... How unsurprising.Grinding my teeth, I walked inside t
Was I doing the right thing? Probably not. Did the perspective of dealing with Killian Blair almost every day scare the holy crap out of me? Definitely yes. So why did I agree to all this? Well, I told myself that it was because I needed a job—and not just any job but a decent, well-paid one.I still had over fifty grand to pay to my father's creditors, and they were the people I certainly didn't want to mess with. I needed to keep my payments steady much more than I needed to eat three meals a day. In my situation, the director's salary was like a dream come true. Wouldn't I be an absolute fool to reject such an opportunity?The thoughts kept swirling in my head as I waited for Killian to finish talking with his lawyer over the phone. It was about the contract I was going to sign. Surely, it sounded more like I was about to sell my soul to the devil.“Patrick, my lawyer, will be here within an hour,” Killian informed me as he walked over to the sofa. He sat next to me, and I instantl
Killian had given me three days to say goodbye to my old life. After that, I would have to move into his penthouse and officially become his girlfriend. Of course, that change would also mean beginning my job in a shiny, brand-new position, and I couldn't wait for that to happen.It was two in the morning when I returned to Ashley's and Aaron's apartment. I assumed they would both be asleep by now. My plan was to quietly open the door and sneak into my bedroom. Well, I highly underestimated their curiosity and impatience…The second I opened the door, the lights in the corridor turned on. The twins stood at the opposite end of it, both giving me a meaningful look. A nervous chuckle escaped me. “Hi,” I muttered, awkwardly waving my hand.Aaron locked his eyes on me. “Beer, wine, whiskey, or vodka shots?”My lips twitched into a half-smile. “Um… I drank wine, so I'd rather—”“I'm asking, what should WE drink while listening to YOU?” He crossed his arms over his chest.I shrugged. “I'd s
KILLIAN“We've prepared the funds and all contracts just like you wanted, Mr. Blair,” Patrick informed me, and I could feel my muscles relax. It was the crucial part of the plan, and it was even more important for my father never to find out about it.“Excellent. Thank you for completing everything on such short notice.”“That's what you pay me for, Mr. Blair.” Patrick chuckled.I ended the call and leaned back in my chair. Tony watched me from a sofa, a cup of espresso in hand. I could never understand that guy's work schedule and how he could afford to sit in my office for hours while running a multi-billion-dollar company. He took a sip from his cup and narrowed his eyes at me. “Are you sure about this?”My brows knitted. “You have to be more specific.”“I don't mean the fake-girlfriend part; it was my idea anyway. I mean… Making her a director in a company on the verge of bankruptcy is a little…”“Dangerous? Ridiculous? Reckless as fuck?” I offered. “That's why I've taken precautio