Ruthless Heir (Ruthless Billionaires #5)

Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

Harper

I shouldn’t have done it.

I should never have worked at the Dark Odyssey.

My heart is still racing and humiliation still heats up my skin. I can’t get Asher’s face out of my head, with his eyes looking at me with disgust and disappointment.

Shit. I’m so embarrassed.

I didn’t think I could ever feel like this again.

How cruel fate is that the most humiliating things in my life have happened to me around Asher.

I keep seeing the mix of shock and disapproval on his face as he came through the door at the club and saw me.

What must he have thought when he saw me there like that, practically naked? Then there was that guy. The neanderthal.

I knew he was going to be trouble from the moment he walked in. And he was.

He tried to grab me long before Asher arrived. At one point he got me in his lap and started asking for all manner of shit. He was drunk off his face, the violent kind of drunk.

I was supposed to do a lap dance for him but I refused, ready to accept the consequences if I got in trouble.

I broke free the first time when his friend offered him some drugs. Then he took the chance to grab me again when he saw me staring at Asher.

God knows what he would have done to me if Asher hadn’t come in when he did. Security was nearby but they weren’t quick enough. It was all one big disaster.

Everything.

I sit on the edge of my bed and look across at the desk. At the opened drawer where I’d placed my contract.

At least I know how Asher knew where to find me.

I can see a slice of cake on a little plate next to my violin case. He must have dropped that off and noticed the contract in the drawer.

Figuring things out doesn’t matter anymore. What’s done is done.

I can’t imagine what he must think of me now. Whatever it is, he’s right. I spend so much time trying to change people’s opinions of me when most of the time they're right.

I keep getting myself in trouble and everything I want gets further away from me.

I think Asher is going to pay the debt. It seemed like he was. If he wasn’t, I don’t think he would have asked for Vito’s details.

If I’m lucky enough and he pays I’ll do whatever I have to to pay it back, make it up to him then get out of his hair.

Like Josh, Asher is getting married. He doesn’t need me to wreck things for him.

I’m back at that place again where I’m forced to acknowledge that I have to sort out my life.

Hopefully Asher will still give me a chance to work for him. Once I have that under my belt I’ll be able to make a start on fixing things once and for all.

I curl up in the nest of pillows and watch night turn to day. It’s only then that I drift off to sleep but I’m woken up by a little tap on the door.

“Come in,” I call out in a groggy voice.

The door swings open slowly and Olga pokes her head in. I sit up, my head feeling like it’s going to fall off from the mind numbing worries.

She comes in carrying a tray. On it is a plate of cookies and a mug of what smells like coffee.

“I thought you could do with this,” she says with a polite smile.

Does she know what happened last night?

No. I don’t think so. I could imagine Olga being a nun or something like that before she worked for Asher. So if she knew, she wouldn’t be looking at me with such kind eyes.

Or maybe she does know. I should stop doing that judging thing. It’s funny how I thought she was judgey when it’s me who’s judged her more than anyone else here.

“Thank you.” I take the tray and glance at the clock on the wall. It’s nine. “Is Asher still here?”

“Yes. He wants to see you when you’re up.”

“Okay. I’ll be down in ten minutes.”

“I’ll let him know.” Her smile becomes warmer. “Once you guys are done talking, I was thinking that perhaps we could go into the city together and catch the afternoon matinee at the opera house.”

Her request shocks me. “I would love that. I didn’t know you liked opera.”

“I guess I should have told you. In another life I was a prima ballerina for the Bolshoi ballet and my husband played violin in the orchestra.”

My mouth drops open. “Oh my God.”

She chuckles lightly. “Yes, most people have the same reaction when I tell them. My husband and I danced and played music for years. He was the music. The notes in every step I took. I became a teacher in Russia after years of performing on stage and then we had another decade of music and dance.”

“Olga, that’s beautiful.”

“Thank you, dear. I thought you might like hearing that little story of mine as much as I enjoy listening to you play your violin.”

“It is nice to hear more about your life in Russia. I didn’t know you listened to me practice.”

“All the time, dear. My husband died several years ago and I came to the states. Music was never the same for me after he passed. Then I heard you and you reminded me of how much I loved listening to the violin.”

My heart squeezes. I never thought Olga could fill me with so much inspiration. And at a time like this. “Thank you so much Olga. It means a lot to hear you say that. And I’m so sorry about your husband.”

“Thank you. We had a great life together.” She taps my shoulder. “Eat up, then go see Asher. He said you had a rough night.”

“I did.” My chest caves at the memory.

“Then let’s hope for a better day today.”

“That would be great.”

“I’ll do my best to cheer you up,” she promises and smiles again. “This too shall pass and there will be better days ahead.”

“Thank you.”

It’s times like these when I realize how much I miss my mother, but I’m grateful for people like Olga who impart wisdom and inspiration on people like me who need to hear it. Need to feel it.

She takes her leave and I’m surprised that I feel a little better. It’s just momentary, though. I still have to face the music.

I eat the cookies and drink the coffee before I take a quick shower and put on some more comfortable clothes. Then I stop stalling and summon the courage to face Asher.

I find him in the living room dressed in his usual business attire. He’s sorting through some paperwork but stops when he sees me and sits straighter.

As we stare at each other a wave of shame crashes over me again, tightening my throat. My stomach churns with that awful regret, the sensation twisting deeper with each second of silence that stretches between us.

“Morning,” he finally greets me in a voice that thankfully doesn’t sound as mad as last night.

That gives me hope. “Morning. Olga said you wanted to see me but I was going to come and find you anyway.”

“Sit.” He points to the space on the sofa next to him.

I make my way over and sit, folding my hands in my lap. I stare at him, deep into those blue eyes I could get lost in. There’s so much I want to say but I don’t know where to start. I guess somewhere near the beginning of my problems would be the right place.

“Are you going to allow me to explain myself?” I ask, searching his eyes.

He gives me a thin stare. “Is there any point in explaining?”

“I don’t want you to think I’m a slut. The Dark Odyssey is the last place I would have gone to if I’d had a choice.”

“But you had a choice. You could have come to me.”

“I don’t want to go running to you for everything.”

“So you thought the more dangerous option was better?” His brow furrows and heat floods my face, burning my cheeks with the unmistakable flush of humiliation.

“It wasn’t about that. It was about figuring out my problems on my own and not turning to you or Josh. Please tell me you can understand that.”

He bites down hard on his lip and eventually nods. “I understand but tell me you understand my point, too. Danger should never be an option. I also hate the fact that you know that Vito guy.”

“I didn’t want to know him. He was someone Nick knew. Believe me I’ve learned my lesson.”

“I really hope so, Harper. I really do.” He swallows hard then levels me a crude stare. “I paid Vito.”

My spirits lift and for the first time since Nick went to prison I feel light. Like I can be myself again and live.

“Oh, Asher. Thank you so much.” My voice is heavy with emotion and I can’t stop the little tear of gratitude that rolls down my cheek. “I will pay you back.”

“Well, that’s the part I want to talk to you about.”

“If you want me to do the PR job and work off the money I'm totally open to that. Or anything else you want me to do.” I owe him big time.

“I need you to do something for me but it won’t be work of that sort. We’ll keep that separate.”

“Okay, what do you want me to do?” I study his face, wondering what he’s going to say.

“This has to do with my …marriage.”

My insides deflate and I try to hide my sullen mood. I pray he doesn’t ask me to help his bride-to-be or something like that.

“I don’t have a fiancée,” he confesses, erasing all my prior worries. But now I’m very confused.

“What do you mean? How could you be getting married if you don’t have a fiancée?”

“I’m supposed to have an arranged marriage,” he explains. “I’m supposed to get married in the next six months to secure the CFO position in the company.”

“ Really ? So you don’t get it if you don’t get married?”

“No. It’s grandfather’s rule. The position would go to the next best suitable married person.”

He goes on to tell me about Priscilla De Rosa and how he caught a lucky break. I’m amazed to hear that he was contracted before birth to marry her and I never knew. If things had gone well with her, he’d be married by now.

I’m just wrapping my head around that when he tells me about his recent conundrum with his father and Portia Fairchild.

I know enough about her and her family to know they’re high society. Way back when my parents were wealthy, they traveled in the same circle, but they were never as close to the Fairchilds as they were with the Le Blanches.

I listen to Asher and hold my breath as though I’m underwater because I still don’t really know what he’s going to ask me to do.

“I’m supposed to go back to my father with a name tomorrow.”

“And do you have a name?”

He stares back at me, tentative and uncertain. “Yours… If you agree to fake date me.”

My breath snags in my throat like fabric getting caught on a branch.

I blink rapidly, trying to process the words that just came out of his mouth but my brain struggles.

Fake date?

Fake date him ?

Him, the guy I’ve obsessed over for as long as I can remember.

My heart stutters, pounding so loudly the sound clogs my ears and drowns out the world around me. It’s a good thing I’m sitting because I feel like the floor has been ripped out from under me, leaving me suspended in disbelief.

For a moment I wonder if this is a joke but the longer I look at him, the more I realize it’s not.

Asher’s serious expression confirms that much and a cold rush floods through me.

I never saw this coming. How could I?

And this crazy idea sounds like something I would come up with. Not him.

“Asher…”

“Think about it,” he says quickly. “You don’t have to agree just because I helped you out but I’d need to know soon.”

“Would you marry Portia Fairchild if I don’t agree?” I check.

“No. I won’t marry her. I went on a date last night with a woman I’d most likely choose. I just feel like I need more time to get my head together.”

A strange wave of panic grips me on hearing that.

If I say no he’ll pick this other woman. And he’d actually get married to her.

He liked her. Liked her enough to marry her. He just said so.

My chest tightens painfully at the thought of him marrying someone he just met. I’ve loved him all my life and now I’m faced with the possibility of losing even this fragile connection.

“If you agreed I’d have some more time to think.”

Think about her?

Does it even matter, Harper? Asher Le Blanche is offering you a chance to be with him. Even if it’s fake.

“I’ll do it,” I hear myself say

At first he looks surprised then his brows furrow. “Don’t you need more time to think?”

“No. I don’t. I’ll do it.” I nod with certainty. “Does this mean my debt will be repaid?”

“Every last cent.”

“That’s a very expensive deal. I’m not sure it’s comparable.”

“To me it is. Thank you for agreeing.”

It feels good to do something for him for a change. “You do realize this is a very crazy idea, right?”

“Yes. I do realize that. But it will serve its purpose.”

“As long as it helps. What do we need to do?”

“We just need to act like a real couple in front of everyone.”

Oh… my .

Act like a real couple… so we’d do real coupely things.

“Are you…going to be okay with that? I mean you… may have to kiss me.” I feel like a shy twelve year old, too nervous to say words like kiss or sex .

Asher’s eyes fill with that spark of desire I’ve seen from time to time. And like always it disappears within seconds.

“We’re just acting so it should be fine.” The overly certain tone of his voice makes me think he’s trying to convince himself with that explanation. Maybe he is because he needs me. “Will you… be okay?”

“Sure. It’s acting,” I answer in near enough the same tone as him. “I’ve had to do things like that many times.” No. Not really. And not like this.

Pretending things were fine when I was living with Nick is not like this at all.

“Then we should be good.”

“Yes, of course.”

“My father is the one we need to worry about most. We need to make him believe we’re real. He already likes you and my mother adores you so we’re halfway there.”

I’m sure his parents would be thrilled if we ever got together. It makes sense now why his father was looking at me the way he was last week. He probably thought I was on Asher’s list of potentials.

“The first time you’ll see my family will be at a charity dinner on Wednesday evening. That’s when we’ll really have to perform.

“Um… what about Josh? Are you going to tell him?”

His eyes cloud with an emotion I can’t quite put my finger on. “No. I want us to keep this between us.”

His answer surprises me. “You don’t think we should say something? I’m sure he’d understand that I was just helping out.”

“No, it’s best we say nothing. Josh would hate the idea.” The flatness in his tone suggests something more to the answer and I wonder if there is. Like maybe Josh said something about me before. “I don’t want him worrying over you for nothing. This is just a temporary plan for the next three months. We still have another eight before he’s back. By then I’ll be married and this will be old news.”

“Oh, right.” The thought of us being old news tugs on my heart. “I guess you’re right. Josh doesn’t need to know.”

“If the press get photos of us together they’ll assume that we’re dating anyway, whether we are or not. It’s just something that happens. As long as we’re not doing anything obvious we should be fine.”

Obvious—like kissing.

“Are you sure you don’t want more time to think about it?”

And let him pick that other woman?

I don’t think so.

“No. I’ll be fine. I can do this.”

“Then it looks like we have a deal.”

“Looks like we do.”

“ Oh my God . You agreed to fake date Asher?” Beth blurts out, her eyes wide with shock.

“Yes.”

She looks like she’s going to fall off my bed.

She arrived twenty minutes ago and I couldn’t wait to tell her the news, and about what happened last night at the club.

Before I could tell her about my little arrangement with Asher I had to make her sign an NDA. As per his request.

Beth is the only person he allowed me to tell. I don’t know who else will know but it doesn’t matter. All I have to worry about is that people need to believe we’re real. To me that means everyone, whether they know we’re real or not.

A slow grin spreads across her face. “This is huge but I’m so sorry about the club. When Diane called me to see if you were okay I knew something happened, then she told me. Of course, that’s when I called you.”

I was in the city with Olga at the time so I told Beth I’d see her later. “I’m sorry. I should have called you last night.”

“No, it’s fine. I totally understand. I feel bad for putting you in that position.”

“Beth, please. We both know I was desperate. And if I’d done what you said in the first place that wouldn’t have happened to me.”

“Asked Asher for the money?” She gives me an I-told-you-so look.

I nod slowly. “He was so mad that I didn’t come to him.”

She smirks. “I could have told you he would be but I get why you didn’t want to ask him.”

“I’m not even sure Asher won’t get in trouble for beating up that guy at the club. I’ve been worrying about that.”

“Do you think they want trouble with Asher Le Blanche?” She quirks a brow.

“No.”

“Diane said the guy in the party broke the club rules by trying to force you. They’re leaving it at that.”

“Thank God.”

Her expression softens and she smiles again. “Does this mean you never have to worry about Vito ever again?”

“Consider him a distant memory. I have my life back,” I sigh. “This feels like a Shawshank Redemption moment where I’ve crawled out of a hole filled with shit and emerged into new hope.”

“That’s the best news I’ve heard in forever. But how are you feeling about this arrangement thing? You seem awfully calm, Harper.”

I widen my eyes. “Oh, believe me I’m not calm about it. I’m going crazy. And I’m a little worried about keeping this secret from Josh.”

“Don’t worry about Josh. I actually agree with Asher. There’s no need to tell him anything. Josh doesn’t need to know everything .”

“I suppose so.” I can see what she means but I still worry because I lied a lot when I was with Nick, telling Josh things were fine when they weren’t. I guess my conscience is just screwing with me.

“I also think you could use this chance to explore things with Asher.” Mischief fills her face.

“Beth, I’m just going to do what I’m supposed to do. No exploring.” Although I’d love to.

“Well, maybe Asher will see what he’s been missing all this time.” She laughs.

I look down at the fluffy rug beneath my toes as if it holds the answers then return my focus to her. “I don’t think so. This is just for convenience. I shouldn’t read more into it.”

“I guess that’s wise but you never know.” Her eyes fill with hope.

“I can’t fall for him again, Beth.”

“ Again ?” She chuckles. “Did you ever stop?”

“No. But you know what I mean. I have to view this thing as a business deal. I don’t want to get hurt.”

“I don’t want to see you hurt, either.”

“All I want is to get my want my life back on track and the chance to be happy.”

She nods understanding. “I have faith in you, Harper St. John. I can imagine you doing great things with your music.”

“Thank you, my friend.”

“Maybe my grandma was right and this is the universe giving you a helping hand. Vito was your last connection to Nick. Now you can be free of both of them”

I nod, agreeing. “Yes. Now all I have to do is stay focused.”

“You’ll be fine.”

“This should be easy considering what I’ve been through.”

“Exactly.”

Focusing sounds easy but it’s the part that worries me.

How am I supposed to focus when I’m going to be Asher’s pretend girlfriend? Every time he touches me and we act real for everyone else it will feel real for

me. Then I’ll have to remind myself that we’re not.

Sadly, the desperate girl I was in the past is excited about this new venture.

That version of myself would rather have this fake relationship with Asher Le Blanche than nothing at all.