“So, where is your highly irresponsible boyfriend?” Killian's gaze was intense enough to drill inside my head.
I sucked in a sharp breath. “He couldn't make it.”
“Such a shame.” Amusement danced on his lips as he stepped closer. “But are we truly talking about your boyfriend? Or a meaningless date?”
What kind of a game was that? And what was he trying to achieve? I ground my teeth. “Does it matter?”
He breathed out a chuckle. “I suppose it doesn't as long as he's not here.” I forced myself still as he studied me. “May I know your name?”
Air escaped my lungs, but my mind warned me I shouldn't feel relieved. This might have been a trick. Still, just in case, it was safer to lie.
“My name is—”
“Josephine!”
I cursed under my breath hearing Ashley's voice behind me.
“There you are!”
Shit. She must have noticed me but didn't realize who I was talking to. If I let her come here, things could only turn from bad to worse!
“My friend is looking for me.” I gave Killian a nervous smile. “I need to go.”
I didn't wait for his response. I spun around and darted toward Ashley, grabbing her hand and dragging her as far away as possible.
She stared at me wide-eyed. “Was that… Killian Blair?”
“Yes, it's him, and he was acting strange,” I mumbled as panic crawled out to the surface. “I need to get out of here.”
Ashley grabbed my wrist and frowned. “Don't even think about running away. You're not in high school and he already fired you. What can he possibly do to you now? Throw you overboard?”
My guts twisted. “I don't know. Can he?”
She cursed and locked her eyes on me. “You're not running away. I've just turned you into a goddess. You're wearing a sexy dress and makeup. I'm sure he won't even recognize you as his former employee.”
She had a point, and he most likely hadn't known who I was. After Ashley's transformation, I barely recognized myself in the mirror. But could I truly take such a risk?
My feet shuffled to the exit, but Ashley pulled my hand, dragging me back in front of her. “Josie… Don't waste your chance to have fun because of a guy who's soon about to forget he's even talked to you. There are three hundred guests on this yacht for God's sake!”
“Three hundred guests,” I murmured under my breath. To be honest, with all those beautiful and wealthy women prowling around Killian, it would have been a miracle if his eyes landed on me again.
I managed to loosen a breath. “Fine… I'll stay,” I muttered, taking a flute of champagne from the waiter's tray.
“Excellent decision,” Ashley approved, reaching for champagne herself and clinking her glass with mine. “We'll have a great time here, Josie.”
“Yeah, great time…” I willed myself to smile and focus on the glass, hoping that the bubbles would become a remedy for my stress. A moment later, the yacht pulled away from the dock. Now I could only hope that I made a good decision and this evening wouldn't turn into a nightmare…
***
By the time the ceremony began, all the champagne bubbles merrily hummed in my veins allowing me to drift into I-don't-give-a-shit state. Ashley, Matteo, and I found seats in the last row, choosing to the as far as possible from the dais and the white-feather-ornamented bower. The sound of violins announced the approaching bride and my eyes drifted to the aisle. Brianna Ricardson looked stunning in the dress that most likely cost more than my year's salary. Her brown hair had been carefully styled in waves and curls and slightly pinned most likely to secure the tiara on top of her head.
“It must be nice to have a rich daddy,” Ashley muttered, scanning Brianna from head to toe. “Too bad money cannot buy you fashion sense. I bet that Brianna thought she'd look like an angel, but all those feathers sticking out of her gown only make her resemble a pigeon that suffered from electroshock.”
I clamped my hand over my mouth to stifle a snort. “You're terrible,” I murmured.
“I'm honest,” she corrected, grinning.
I shook my head and sighed, hoping she would keep her honesty to herself when we came to congratulate the couple.
The ceremony finally ended, and all the bubbles had already evaporated from my system. I could hear Dylan's deep laughter and Brianna's nasal giggles as they received congratulations from their wealthy guests. An odd wave of bitterness flooded me. I no longer had feelings for Dylan, but I could still remember when I had thought about our future together, I remembered being happy with him, and a part of me still mourned that happiness.
Releasing a quiet sigh, I sauntered into the line of guests. Ashley and Matteo followed suit, standing behind me. My eyes flew to Dylan dressed in a navy blue tuxedo. He stood a few feet away from me, his back straightened and chin raised. Hands fisted, I summoned my confidence and walked forward, quickly meeting my ex-boyfriend's intense stare. My gaze swept over him and quickly traveled to Brianna.
“Congratulations,” I said, beaming at her. “The ceremony was beautiful and your dress is… exceptional.”
Confusion blossomed on her face, but she quickly covered it with a trained smile. “That's kind of you… Julia.”
I swallowed my irritation and corrected, “Josephine.”
She forced a chuckle. “Of course.”
I shifted my gaze to Dylan and saw his throat work on a hard swallow. His eyes devoured every curve of my body tightly embraced by the red dress, just like I hoped he would—just like Ashley KNEW he would. I lifted my chin an inch and calmly met his heated gaze, letting him know that all my feelings for him were long gone.
Satisfaction curved my lips into a smug smile. “Congratulations, Dylan. I guess you two were made for each other.”
His mouth opened, but no words came out. The sweet scent of victory filled my nostrils, and my smile widened. I gave the pair an elegant bow and turned around.
“Slut.”
Dylan's hiss froze the blood in my veins. I wished I was the only one who heard it, but the wave of gasps told me otherwise. My jaw clenched as I faced him. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me.” His lips twisted in disdain as he looked me up and down. “Is that why you came to our wedding? To seduce some wealthy guy who could help you pay your debts?”
His words burned more fiercely than a slap. My chest tightened, crushing my lungs. I saw the rage in Ashley's eyes, but I knew that whatever she was about to say would only make things worse. I looked at her and shook my head in a silent plea. Unfortunately, Dylan's venom was only beginning to spill.
“I'm glad I dumped you. You tried to act all innocent, but you're finally showing your true colors!” He burst into malicious laughter.
More rage coiled inside me. “I came to congratulate you and bury the hatchet,” I hissed, glancing at Brianna who stiffened beside her newlywed husband. Summoning my composure, I drew a breath and locked my eyes on Dylan. “You're making your wife and guests uncomfortable. Stop it. You're ruining your wedding day.”
“I'm the one ruining it?” A dark grin parted his lips as he stepped closer, lowering his gaze to my cleavage. “I merely stated the fact. My invitation to you was an act of goodwill. What I didn't expect was for you to show up here looking like a cheap whore.”
Cold laughter broke through Dylan's throat, and I flinched. Pain and shame raged inside me, slowly satiating every inch. I should have said something—anything. I promised myself that I would not be a victim, yet the contempt in Dylan's eyes was enough for me to crumble. I ground my teeth, cursing my helplessness. I hated being weak. I wanted to fight back, but somehow, that courageous part of me decided to malfunction…
Dylan advanced at me, forcing me to stumble back. “You even lied to me by saying you have a boyfriend.” He clicked his tongue before leaning closer. “Where is he?”
My hands fisted into balls, my knuckles whitening, “He is—"
“There is no boyfriend, is there?” He huffed out a laugh. “You're not only a slut but a liar. You should have just…” He trailed off, his eyes widening.
A man's hand landed on my shoulder. “There you are. I've been looking for you,” a deep, velvet-like voice said.
My breath hitched as I slowly turned around, meeting a pair of emerald-green eyes—Killian Blair's eyes. My heart tripped. Why was he here? Was he trying to… help me… or drown me?
“M-Mr. Blair?” Dylan croaked.
A feral kind of amusement danced on Killian's lips as he wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me to his side. “I believe you've been disrespectful toward my date,” he said coldly, shifting his eyes to Dylan.
My ex-boyfriend turned pale. “Y-your… date?”
I might have been even more shocked than Dylan was, but I decided to follow my instincts and keep my mouth shut.
“Mr. Blair!” Brianna interjected, shooting Dylan a deadly glare before turning to my ex-boss. “My husband… clearly drank too much wine. B-but he was just joking… Please forgive him.”
Killian raised his brows. “Forgive him? It's not me he should apologize.” He dipped his head, leveling his eyes with mine. “Do you want him to apologize?” His tone turned alluringly deep again.
I swallowed. “Um… yes,” I muttered.
A smirk tugged at Killian's lips. “Yes, what?”
I inhaled sharply. “I want him to apologize.”
“Good girl,” he purred before fixing his gaze on Dylan. “Well? Shouldn't you say something?”
I could almost feel the heat of blood boiling in Dylan's veins. His awkward silence lasted a moment, but he finally cleared his throat, and grunted, “I apologize.”
Killian let out a dark chuckle. “Try one more time, but this time, make it sound like you mean it.”
Dylan's hands fisted, his body rattling with rage. “I apologize,” he said louder.
Killian didn't seem impressed. “You apologize… for?”
“I apologize for my insults. I've been disrespectful,” he gritted out, but Killian wasn't done with him.
“Why don't you tell us all what you truly think about my date?” His hand on my waist tightened, and a wave of heat washed over me.
Dylan sucked in a sharp breath and locked his eyes on me. “I think you look beautiful. This… dress suits you.”
“That's better.” Killian nodded in approval, and a soft wave of sounds came, as if half of the guests released the breath they were holding. Suddenly, Killian's hand on my waist shifted, steering me to the side of the deck and away from the crowd. I didn't protest. I just wanted this scene to end.
He maneuvered us around the corner, entering a small, empty corridor. Then he removed his hand from my waist. I sucked in a breath, mustering my courage to thank him, but I wasn't fast enough.
“You're welcome,” he murmured, leaning over my ear, his lips brushing against my earlobe, “Josephine.”
I gasped at the sound of my name. A wicked grin parted his lips as his eyes found mine. “See you later, Josephine.” He stepped back and chuckled.
A shudder rushed down my spine as I watched him turn around and walk away. Was that a casual response… or a threat?
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 count
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