CHAPTER THREE
Griff left me to stew for a few days. By the time Xavier came to inform me that my fake fiancé wanted to see me in his office I was less than amused. For three days I’d stayed in my room, avoiding everyone as I waited for news from Griff.
I had to wonder if he kept me waiting just to torture me and I was feeling pretty impatient and pissed about the whole thing. Our time to elope to Martha’s Vineyard had come and gone. I had emails piling up from Hayley, our wedding planner, and I’d avoided two calls from Octavius.
Knocking on Griff’s office door I waited for his invitation and pushed the door open. It was the first time I’d seen him in three days. Unlike our last confrontation in his office he sat behind his desk, his elbows braced on the arm of his office chair. His body language was casual but his eyes dragged down my body and then followed my movements with the study of a big cat lazing in the sun—he was currently mellow but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t strike at any moment.
“Laundry day?” Griff queried, his tone droll.
I sat down in the chair opposite his desk, not rising to the bait. Since I’d had no intention of venturing out of my room today, I was wearing a pair of black yoga pants and an oversized sweater that slouched off one shoulder. Griff’s gaze lingered on my naked collarbone for a second before returning to my face.
“You rang?”
The corner of his mouth kicked up. “I get the impression you don’t like being summoned to my office, Scarlett.”
I shrugged. “I’m your employee. You call, I come.” I regretted the word choice.
Amusement danced in Griff’s dark gaze but thankfully he didn’t pounce on the opening I’d given him.
Instead he sat up straight, his demeanor all business-like. “Speaking of, we need to discuss your future here.”
I nodded and my heart began to race. The truth was I didn’t know what I wanted him to say. Did I want to stay? Or would I be safer leaving?
“I don’t want to go through the hassle of finding someone new.”
Trying to sound calm and collected I replied, “Meaning you want me to stay?”
“Reluctantly yes.”
I winced and bit my lip to stop a defensive retort.
His brows drew together. “When someone I’ve hired breaks my trust that’s usually the end of our relationship.”
“That’s fair.” And it was.
“But we’ve laid a lot of groundwork together and I’m running out of time. You’ll stay and we’ll draw contracts up in your name.”
Uneasiness and relief mingled together in my gut. I was stunned. I’d honestly expected him to end our arrangement. “Alright.”
“Let’s state things plainly. What happened between us won’t happen again. It shouldn’t have happened in the first place because you’re my employee. There was an attraction which has now been killed by mistrust and I believe that works out for the best, don’t you?”
A twinge of pain flared right in my chest. However, I held myself poised and expressionless. “Agreed.”
“We’re going to tell those closest to us who you really are. Scarlett Jennings the librarian. I’ll tell Xavier and Pete. They can inform the rest of the staff. And we’ll tell Amelia and Quentin. The new excuse for the hostility between us: I was being a bastard snob about your background and you were tired of it. We’ve agreed to be upfront about who you are for the sake of our relationship. This means, if you wish it, you are free to return to your job as a librarian.”
I was shocked. “But I thought it was easier for you for me to pretend to be a socialite. Won’t this create a scandal?”
Griff leaned his elbows on the desk. “Probably. But I think it’s best to get it all out of the way. Once they find this out around the same time we ‘elope’ they can chew on it together. There was always the chance of someone finding out the truth. I underestimated how interested the gossip rags would be in us. It’s best we let this out ourselves.”
“If you think that’s best. And yes, I would like to return to work if they’ll have me.”
He studied me. “I never told Melanie this because I didn’t trust her for different reasons but you should know that on top of the confidentiality contracts there will be a very concrete prenuptial agreement I’ll need you to sign before our marriage. In it, it states that upon our divorce you’ll get nothing. And there will be no infidelity clause.”
The thought of Griff touching another woman seared me deeper than the cold way he spoke of the prenuptial agreement. The truth was the prenup didn’t bother me. I didn’t want Griff’s money. But I didn’t like the idea of him cheating even if it wouldn’t really be cheating. I kept that to myself. “That’s fine. I don’t want your money, Griffin.”
“That remains to be seen.”
I glared. “If I agree will I be subjected to your constant mistrust?”
He stood and rounded the desk. Leaning back against it, he gazed down at me emotionless. “I don’t trust you but I agree to keep my thoughts on that matter to myself in the future.”
I could see that while I was hiding these last few days Griff was building walls. The attraction that had gleamed in his dark eyes was gone. He felt nothing for me. I stupidly wanted to run back to my bedroom and bawl my eyes out. Which was insane! I couldn’t possibly have feelings for this man.
Nope.
And the attraction? Well if he’d killed his I could kill mine.
“Fine.” I stood to leave. “I’ll sign the contracts and the prenup once you have them. Now I’m going to go do the unpleasant task of telling Octavius.”
“He still got what he wanted out of this so I’m sure you’ll have no problems there.”
Wanting to be out of his presence so I could figure out how I really felt about all this, I shrugged. “We done here?”
“We’re done.” He rounded his desk. “I’ll let you know what our new schedule is tomorrow.”
“No dinner tonight?” I asked.
“I’m too busy.”
Ignoring the stabbing hurt that flared with every second sentence out of his mouth, I left the office and went in search for Xavier. If I was staying here as me, as Scarlett, I was making changes immediately. I found the butler in the kitchens.
“Xavier, can someone help me move my things to the blue and white guest room?” When I’d seen the guest room on my tour of the club I’d fallen in love with it and its New England charm. It was a quiet, serene room and much more to my taste. It was a little closer to Griff’s side of the penthouse but I couldn’t care less.
He frowned. “Is something amiss with your suite, Miss Jennings?”
I smiled sheepishly. “Honestly, it’s not very me. I prefer the blue and white room.”
“Oh, you should have said earlier, Miss Jennings.” Xavier straightened as if readying for battle. “We’ll see to the switch at once.”
“I just need someone to help me. I can do it.”
“No, no, myself and one of the maids will see to it.”
“You stay, Melanie,” Chef Depardieu called out to me. “Try these amuse-bouche, yes.” He gestured to trays of delicate pastries. “We have not seen you in a while.”
And so while Xavier saw to the switch of my rooms, I hung out in the kitchen, laughing with the staff and hoping when word filtered down to them about who I really was, they’d still like me. They were, as of this minute, my only ray of sunshine at the club and I’d hate to lose their good opinion.
As with everything he did Xavier was efficient and fast at switching my rooms. When he showed me into the white and blue room, I relaxed. The opulence of my old suite always made me feel slightly uneasy. I was afraid to touch any of the furniture in case I damaged it. Plus, it was so grand and vast that I felt like it swallowed me up.
This room was airy, decorated in whites and blues, with white shaker furniture and beautiful abstract artwork on the walls. Sheer white muslin was draped over both ends of the four poster bed and it fluttered in the breeze from the open French doors that looked out on Commonwealth Avenue.
“This side of the apartment is a little noisier, Miss Jennings. I opened the doors to air out the room but when you close them it dispels the noise quite significantly. Still… the other suite is quieter.”
“It’s fine.” I smiled at him. “In fact, it’s perfect. Thank you.”
“Is there anything else I can get for you?”
“No, I’m good, thanks.”
When he left, I curled up on a cozy blue and white striped armchair with its matching footstool and gazed out the French doors to the busy street below. I wondered what Xavier really thought of all this. He must have known Griff was paying me to be here, that I wasn’t really his fiancé, and yet the butler treated me like a queen.
More guilt consumed me.
If I wasn’t careful I’d turn into a giant ball of self-reproach.
Reluctantly I pulled out my cell and called Octavius.
He picked up on the fourth ring. “Where you been?” he demanded.
I exhaled heavily. “There’s been a problem.”
“What kind of problem?”
“Griff worked out the truth and he got his PI to do some digging. He knows I’m Scarlett.”
The line went deathly silent.
“Octavius?”
“How. The. Fuck?” he growled. “What did you do?”
Surprised by the depth of his anger it took me a second or two to reply. “N-nothing. He said I was just so different from when he first met me – when he really met Mel. And he knew Mel had a twin and just put two and two together,” I lied.
“You fucked up.”
I flinched. “Yes, but listen, he wants me to continue doing the job. Okay. You get to keep the money so our deal is still good. The only change is that he’s drawing up new contracts so that they’re under my name. And I’ll be signing a prenup agreement that states I get nothing in the divorce but Griff said he was planning on making Mel do that anyway so…” I was rambling. This was stuff Octavius didn’t really need to know but his reaction had made me nervous.
When he didn’t say anything I whispered his name.
“I’m still here.”
And still sounding curiously furious.
“I um… well I want to tell Mel in person. I’m going to visit her. And when I tell her, I’ll also be reassuring her that she’s still safe from you, right?”
“You don’t go near that prison. You do nothing until I call you.” And then he hung up.
“What the hell?” I murmured, staring at the cell Octavius had given me.
His reaction made no sense.
None whatsoever.
Dread filled me. I was missing something and I believed there was only one person who could tell me what on earth was going on. I didn’t care what Octavius said. I needed to see Mel.
***
Having decided to move on with my current situation, I took a shower after my weird conversation with Octavius and then dressed to leave the club. I was going to visit Angela and beg her to let me have my job back.
But just as I was leaving my room my cell rang and it was my sister.
“Don’t come see me,” was the first thing she said.
I narrowed my eyes in suspicion. “Why not?”
“I don’t want to see you. Not yet.”
“Mel, I’m guessing Octavius has spoken to you about Griff finding out the truth but it’s going to be okay. Griff has asked me to stay on so Octavius gets to keep the money. You’re okay.”
“Yeah that’s great.” Her tone suggested it was the opposite of great. “Look I’m dealing with some shit here so I don’t want you visiting just yet. I’ll let you know when you can.”
Worry gave me pause. “If you’re having trouble with someone there, tell me. Maybe we can get you transferred. Griff knows people.”
“Griff is it?” she scoffed. “I don’t need your help. Just don’t come.” She hung up.
My heart thudded.
Something was seriously not right.
Mel and Octavius were acting extremely weird.
No matter what she said, I needed to visit Mel.
***
Having decided, for the sake of peace, that it was best I didn’t keep anything else from Griff I waited for him to return from a business meeting to inform him of my plans to see my sister.
Xavier let me know when Griff had returned and I found him downstairs in the empty hazard room talking with a croupier. At my approach he dismissed his employee and the croupier strode past me with a polite nod. I returned it with a smile, one that disappeared entirely as soon as Griff and I were alone.
Griff raised an eyebrow at my appearance. “Yes?”
I tried to ignore how impatient he sounded. He had a wonderful ability to make me feel like a nuisance. “I’m going to visit my sister in prison tomorrow. I thought it best to let you know.”
He frowned at this information. “Can’t that wait until after the wedding?”
I scowled. “No. I’m worried about her. She was … she sounded strange on the phone and…” Should I tell him about Octavius?
“And?” he prompted.
“Octavius was weirdly angry about you discovering who I really am. Something’s… off.”
Contemplating this a moment, he finally muttered, “Why the hell would he be angry?”
“No idea. Why did he help you out in the first place? What did he owe you?”
He waved my question away. “It doesn’t matter. Are you sure he was annoyed?”
“Yes. And when I said I wanted to visit Mel he practically forbade me. Then Mel called and she sounded weird and told me not to come either. Something doesn’t feel right.”
Griff nodded. “Okay. But I’m coming with you.”
I shook my head. “I don’t need you there. Or want you there. I’d like some privacy with my sister.”
“I won’t gatecrash a loving reunion between conniving twins. I’m merely escorting you. Prisons aren’t exactly safe and you are currently my most important investment.”
I tried to control my temper, feeling it slip with every second I spent in his presence. “I haven’t signed any contracts yet, Mr. Mandeville, so I’d watch myself if I were you.”
A chill wrapped around him and he took a slow step toward me, trying to intimidate me. I stood my ground, even when his chest brushed mine. Raising my eyes from his Adam’s apple to his face, I glowered into that almost black gaze of his. “I don’t take kindly to threats, Miss Jennings.”
“And I don’t take kindly to being pushed around and insulted every time we have a conversation. If you can’t man up and start acting like a civilized adult then I walk. I won’t skulk around the club like a freshman avoiding an older bully.”
The muscle in his jaw twitched. “A bully?”
“Yes, a bully. We get it.” I sighed. “You don’t trust me. I’m not forgiven. Fine. But we will both endeavor to move on. We may not like each other but we will respect each other while we’re living under the same roof.”
He stared down at me for a few seconds and I tensed as he reached out to grip my chin gently between his thumb and forefinger. He tilted my head up, studying my face. “If you weren’t a scheming liar, Scarlett, I’d almost like you. You have gumption and I admire that quality in most people.” His grip tightened as he lowered his face until our noses almost touched. “But I am not an errant schoolboy to be put in my place by the sharpness of your tongue. My club, my contract, my rule. I will treat you as I see fit and you will endure in the stoic silence of a good employee or I will demand my money back from Octavius and leave you and your sister to deal with the thug behind the Armani suit.”
Hurt turned to hatred in a second. “I can’t believe I ever let you inside me. It makes me sick.”
Anger sparked in his expression and he opened his mouth, I’m sure to make me hate him even more, but a familiar voice cut through the large hazard room.
“Am I interrupting?”
Griff let go of my chin and even though he hadn’t hurt me, I reached up to soothe the skin with my fingertips. He scowled at the action and looked over my shoulder. “Pete, what is it?”
Ugh, my second least favorite person (if you hadn’t guessed, Griff was the first). I turned to watch the club factotum stride leisurely towards us. “Bryce McKellen is here and wishes to speak with you.”
Whether McKellen was an important person or Griff was just happy for an excuse to leave I didn’t know, but he turned to me and said, “I will escort you tomorrow. No arguments.” He marched out of the room.
I moved to follow him but Pete stepped in my path.
“Trouble in paradise?” He smirked.
Crossing my arms over my chest, I studied Griff’s friend. “You seem overly smug at the mere thought?”
“Just wondering if Griff’s finally coming to his senses about you.” He moved closer and then began to circle me. I turned, not wanting to give this slime my back. He laughed at my actions. “So paranoid. Maybe it has something to do with pretending to be something you’re not.”
My breath caught. Had Griff told Pete the truth about our arrangement?
Pete chuckled. “Oh Griff told me and Xavier about your real background. Not so much a socialite and more a small town nobody librarian who thinks she’s better than she is.”
Relief and irritation mingled. I was glad Griff hadn’t divulged the truth to Pete but I was also pissed that I had another asshole talking down to me. “Charlottesville is a city, actually. Are you really such a snob, Pete?”
“Yes,” he laughed. “Yes. I am. Griff’s the son of an English earl. Do you even understand what that means? His breeding is impeccable and he’s tying himself legally to a two-bit librarian who is so clearly after his money. You’ve got him blinded with all that hair and tits and legs. But I’ve had Griff’s back for a long time.” He pushed into my personal space. “And I will never let anyone take advantage of him. I’m watching you, Scarlett.”
I was done.
I was so done with these arrogant, elitist fuckwits. “You move out of my way or I’ll make you move out of my way.”
Thankfully, because I wasn’t sure Pete would actually have gotten out of my face otherwise, staff started making their way into the hazard room for club opening. Pete stepped aside, gesturing with a wave of his arm in mock gallantry for me to walk on before him. I went to but stopped, my buttons well and truly pushed. Quietly, so only he could hear, I warned, “I don’t like you. I don’t trust you and I think you have an unhealthy interest in Griff’s private affairs. I don’t take kindly to being threatened in my own home and, whether you like it or not, this is my home. When I marry Griff, and I will, I’ll be Mrs. Mandeville. I’ll be the boss’s wife. You’re watching me? I’m watching you, Mr. Svenson. So if I were you, I’d watch my goddamn step.”
I strode out of the room, proud of myself, despite the fact that I was trembling in reaction to the confrontation.