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  Taking a deep breath, he entered his office, and saw that William was looking toward Freya’s. There was unfinished piece on display that she’d been working on. Her entire office was filled with images. It was unconventional, but he loved her sense of chaos, and how she worked around it. She was a creative mind, and focused hard at her work.

  “What brings you here, William?” Jared asked.

  He didn’t turn around. “This is Freya’s stuff, isn’t it?” Finally, William turned around. “I thought I’d stop by. I thought I’d catch Freya here.” There was a smile on his face. “She’s not here? Did she get fired?”

  “It’s a Saturday. I only allow for minimal staff today.” He normally gave it to those that asked for overtime. If they needed the money, he was more than willing to provide it.

  “She’s very talented.” William pointed at her office.

  “Is that the first time you’ve seen her work?” Jared asked.

  William looked a little embarrassed.

  “She was always sketching. Always doing something. She was an art major with a minor in business.” Jared had gone to the displays of her work by the college. He’d donated a lot of money to be allowed a private viewing of her work. She had so much talent and passion.

  He wanted to help, to be part of it.

  William chuckled. “I saw the sketchpads, but she’d never let me look at them. They’re amazing. She’s a natural. Erm, do you have a number that I could reach her at?”

  “What’s going on, William?”

  “I seem to have lost her number, and her mother won’t give it to me. I don’t feel comfortable going to her friend, and I have no other way of getting in touch with her.”

  Something was wrong. “Are you sick?” Jared asked.

  “No. I’m not sick.” William took a seat. “I’ve had my eyes opened. It’s been a really harsh reality right now.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “There’s this woman at my office. Cute little thing. Single. Has a kid, and she’s always talking about him. Everything. She found out I had a daughter, and every question she asked, I couldn’t answer. I don’t know a thing about my daughter.”

  This was something Jared had warned him about. He’d told him numerous times that he would regret pushing Freya aside.

  “Do you think it would be okay if I had her number?”

  “I will ask her first. I’m her boss, William. I’ve got a responsibility to her as well.”

  William nodded. “That’s fine. Whatever you need to do.”

  “You want to reconnect with her?”

  “Is it wrong for me to want to do that?”

  “It’s not wrong. You’ve just got to want to do it.”

  He didn’t want to get in between William and Freya having the perfect relationship, but he wasn’t going to have his woman hurt.

  Chapter Nine

  Freya finished up the curve and stepped back to admire her work. She was always critical, and she hated that she’d got the line too far out. Going in, she tried to draw it in, making it match up to the figure.

  “You weren’t kidding about being naked,” Jared said.

  She turned toward him and smiled. His arms were folded, and she saw his frown. “What’s wrong? Don’t say nothing because that would make you a liar.” She moved toward him, wrapping her arms around his neck. “I can tell there’s something bothering you. You’ve got that frown on your face, and also, you’re not naked, which means there’s something you want to talk to me about, and you don’t want to think about sex when we do.”

  He sighed. “Your dad came to see me today.”

  Pulling away, she saw that he was being serious. “Oh.”

  “He wants to talk to you. He’s lost your number, and your mother won’t give it to him.”

  “Of course she won’t,” Freya said.

  “I told him I’d have to ask you first. I didn’t want to give him your number without you knowing.”

  She nibbled her lip. “When he did have my number he rarely called me.”

  “It’s up to you, but I have a feeling that he’s going to stop by the office to see you.”

  Freya groaned. “I want us to stay in our little bubble with no one around.” She pushed her lip out, and wanted to cry. It hadn’t been that long since they’d been together.

  “We can have our little bubble.” He pushed some hair out of her face. “You don’t have to talk to him if you don’t want.”

  She rolled her eyes. “I’ll talk to him, and he’ll play the part of doting father well. This isn’t something new. He’s done this a couple of times.”

  “Here’s his number. He wanted me to give this to you if I saw you.”

  Taking the number, she saw it was the same as the one before.

  All of her excitement for the day ceased. Grabbing the robe from the door, she quickly pulled it on.

  “I’ll go and make us something to eat,” Jared said.

  She gave him a nod and made her way upstairs. After changing into a pair of jeans and a large shirt, she sat on the edge of the bed and contemplated ignoring her father. He’d done the same to her for a long time. She had lost count of the number of times he’d upset her, left her alone, or canceled plans.

  Instead of following in his footsteps though, she dialed his number and was shocked when he answered on the first ring.

  “Hello,” he said.

  “Hey, Dad, it’s Freya.” She frowned at her own response. As far as she knew she was his only kid.

  Licking her lips, she ran his number back and forth on her thigh.

  “Freya, it’s so good to hear from you.”

  “Jared said that you wanted to talk to me. I’ve had the same number. What’s up?”

  “There’s nothing up. I just wanted to speak to my daughter.”

  She didn’t know what to say to that.

  Silence fell between them, and she sucked her lips in, trying to make sense of it all.

  “How’s work?” he asked.

  “Great. Really great. How’s Miranda?” That was the last woman he was dating, she thought. Now she couldn’t remember.

  “Who?”

  “The woman you took me to dinner with. Her name was Miranda.”

  “Oh, that didn’t work out after all.”

  Of course it didn’t work out. While they’d been having dinner, she’d watched the waitress slip him her phone number.

  Freya rubbed at her temple, and she was finding the conversation hard. This was why she always stayed in her room whenever she had to visit him. He had this way about him that made her uncomfortable, but she didn’t for a second believe he did it on purpose.

  “I want us to have dinner.”

  “Oh, okay, when?”

  “This Friday?” he asked.

  She didn’t want her bubble to burst.

  “I’ve got a date that night. How about the next Friday? Will that be okay?”

  After they agreed to go out to dinner, she said her goodbyes, and made her way downstairs to find Jared cooking her pasta.

  She took a seat at the kitchen counter and blew out a breath. “I’ve never known talking to someone to be so difficult.”

  “What did he want?”

  “He didn’t tell you?” she asked.

  “I got the sense he wanted to make it work between the two of you.”

  “He wants to have dinner. I’ve agreed to go next week.”

  “You’re not happy with that?”

  She shrugged. “He’s probably lonely. His latest squeeze has dumped his ass, or caught him cheating.” She took a tomato from the pile he was slicing. “I’m not going to rush for him. Does that make me a bad daughter?”

  “Do you feel bad?”

  “I feel like I’m going to be the center of his world again, only he’ll put me back on the pristine shelf when he’s done. I’m tired of jumping through his hoops every time he wants to know me.” She chewed on the tomato. “I’m not looking forward to dinner.”r />
  “I’ll be waiting for you when you come home. It’ll be over before you know it.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “I’m going to have to call my mom.” The thought of talking to her made her stomach tighten.

  “Why?” Jared asked.

  Freya sighed. “If I don’t talk to my mom, she’ll find out that I talked to my dad, and there’s this whole big thing. It’s not worth the hassle. I’ll just call her, talk, she’ll tell me to be careful of men, and I’ll ask her what she’s doing. It’s the same old stuff. Just a different day.”

  “It will be different.”

  “How will it?” she asked.

  “You have me. I’ll be waiting for you all the time.”

  ****

  Jared watched as Freya smiled at the bouquet of roses he’d left on her desk. On the card was a promise of things to come. He stood waiting for her to look toward him, and he didn’t have to wait long. She lifted her hand, and he saw her nipples were erect.

  Giving a nod, he took a seat behind his desk. Tonight was her dinner with her father. He looked through the latest contracts that were on his desk, and he ticked them off. They’d been together for a couple of months, and his love for her hadn’t wavered. He loved her more than anything, only now he wanted to ask her to marry him.

  It was too soon, though. He knew it.

  Their life together was perfect, but the way she’d felt at having to deal with her parents told him that she wasn’t ready to tell them. He didn’t want them to be a secret, but he also knew what she meant by them having their own bubble.

  The day moved along slowly. He had contracts to deal with, managing clients, signing off certain projects that were only just getting off the ground.

  Freya ate lunch with her friend Lucy, and from what Stefan told him, things were going great between the two of them.

  Jared was happy for them. By the end of the day, he sat behind his desk, and waited for Freya. She’d told her father to pick her up at the office.

  It was already dark, and he looked up as Freya walked into his office. She wore a black cocktail dress, her blue hair standing out against her pale skin.

  “Thank you for the flowers,” she said.

  “You’re welcome.”

  “How do I look?” she asked.

  “You’re beautiful.” He put his pen down, and stood up, rounding his desk. She’d pulled her hair over one shoulder, and wrapped a band around it.

  She licked her lips, and smiled. “I’m nervous.”

  “Don’t be.” He reached out, grabbing her hand, and tugging her close. She wore a subtle perfume that wasn’t overpowering but floral. “Remember, you’re amazing, you’re intelligent, and you have a right to be sitting opposite him.”

  Her cheeks were red. “You should have been a personal speaker or something. You know what to say and how well to say it.”

  He cupped her cheek, tilting her head back. Staring into her eyes, he smiled. “You need to realize your worth, Freya.”

  Tears glistened in her eyes. “I don’t want to go.” She released a breath. “This is crazy, but all I want to do is be with you.”

  Running his thumb across her bottom lip, all he wanted to do was take her away from this.

  “Am I interrupting something?” William asked.

  Jared looked over her shoulder about to tell him to fucking leave. That fucker, a supposed friend, had hurt Freya her whole life, and he hated that. All of his protective instincts came forward.

  “I had something in my eye,” Freya said, pulling away.

  Jared relaxed, allowing her to take the lead on this. The last thing he wanted to do was to cause a scene. Leaning back against his desk, he looked at William, and saw the enemy.

  “Freya,” William said. “You dyed your hair.”

  “Hey … Dad. Are you ready to go?”

  “I’m ready. Jared,” he said with a nod.

  “William.” He folded his arms, and stayed sitting, as otherwise he was going to hurt him. She’s fine. William’s her father.

  They left, and Freya looked back toward him, giving him that smile he loved. He watched her go, and all the time he wanted to go and snatch her back into his arms. Gritting his teeth, he reached for his cell phone and dialed the only person who’d understand him.

  “What’s up?” Alfie asked.

  “Tell me not to go and pick a fight with Freya’s father.”

  Alfie laughed while Jared rubbed at his eyes. He was a grown man. A successful billionaire businessman, and he was asking for advice on letting his woman have dinner.

  “That bad?”

  “She didn’t want to go, and I didn’t want her to either. He’s done nothing but hurt her, and give her all of these hang-ups. All he’s doing is trying to deal with his own guilt.”

  “You could always go to the restaurant. Where’s he going?”

  “A sushi place. She doesn’t even like sushi.” She loved Spanish food, paella being her favorite. If the asshole paid attention, he’d fucking know that shit.

  Running a hand down his face, Jared was trying to think of a reason not to go.

  Jared couldn’t find one good reason not to go, but millions of reasons to go. If William saw a woman he wanted to fuck, Freya would be left high and dry. He’d seen it happen.

  “Fuck it. I’m going to go. I’m going to make sure that Freya has someone there.”

  “Is her father that bad?” Alfie asked.

  “The worst. He’s only ever been interested in himself. He’s a selfish prick.” And Jared had given Freya his number, and made this happen. She was his woman. He wasn’t going to let her be hurt again, by a parent or not. William may be her father, but he had yet to prove it in Jared’s book.

  Chapter Ten

  “How is your mother?” William asked.

  Freya pushed around the different kinds of sushi on her plate. She didn’t mind fish when it was cooked. This wasn’t cooked. It was raw, and she didn’t like the smell either.

  She glanced over at her father, her heart sinking. She didn’t want to be here with him. “She’s fine.”

  “Is she still angry with me?”

  “You cheated on her. Of course she’s angry with you. She never got over it, and I doubt she ever will.” She picked up her water and took a sip.

  “You seem to be doing well with Jared.”

  “Yes. I enjoy working for him.”

  “And your drawing is good. You’ve come a long way from those stick figures you used to like scribbling everywhere.”

  Freya put her glass down and waited.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Jared at the bar. Seeing him made her smile. He’d come to the restaurant. He gave her a wave, and she knew in that moment that he’d come for her.

  Like all the other times in her life, he knew her father was up to something. William never showed any interest in her, and when he did, it was usually to impress some woman with her achievements. It was why she’d stopped entering competitions, so she didn’t have to be used by anyone again. That’s how much it affected her.

  “What do you think, Freya?” he asked, drawing her attention back toward him.

  “Sorry, I wasn’t listening.”

  He tutted, and she raised a brow, which he didn’t catch because he was so busy stuffing his face. What did women really see in him? He was a horrible person, self-centered, and that was never going to change. All he was ever after in his life was what would benefit him. She’d bet every single cent that she earned, he was after something.

  “I was thinking we could go to the zoo or something. What do you think?”

  “Are you for real?” she asked.

  The confused look on his face made her laugh.

  “Wow, you really don’t get it, do you? I’m a grown woman. Why are you here?”

  “I wanted to have dinner with you.”

  “No. Why are you here like this? Why do you want to take me to dinner? Who are you trying to impress?”

 
; He had a sheepish look on his face, and she knew without a doubt that something was going on.

  “I just wanted to get to know you.”

  “I’ve tried for you to get to know me. You’ve told me I’m boring, that I’m weird. I don’t get it. What do you want, and who do you want it for?”

  His cheeks were bright red. This was the first time in her life that she had ever called him out, and in a way it felt good, but it also felt like she was unveiling the fraud, and that sucked ass big time.

  “Who?” she asked.

  “There’s a single mother in my office.”

  And that was her answer.

  “You know what, I’m done.”

  “Wait, I’m not sleeping with her.”

  She looked at him with a glare. “But you want to sleep with her, right?”

  He neither confirmed nor denied it, but his jaw clenched, and she had had enough.

  Freya snorted. “If you must know, Dad, I have no interest in going to the zoo. I never have. I like art. Not drawing, art, in all of its forms, and I have come a long way from stick figures. I’ve not drawn them since I was three. Don’t ever, and I mean this, ever, use me to get a fuck. I’m old enough now to tell you that. You want to lure a woman into your bed, do it on your own terms. I don’t want fuck all to do with it.”

  She got up to start walking out the door, then stopped, spun around, picked up her sushi plate, and threw it in his lap. “I hate sushi.”

  Storming outside into the cool air, she wrapped her arms around herself.

  “I’ve got the car,” Jared said, moving up behind her.

  She turned into his arms, pressing her face against his chest. “He wanted to take me to the zoo.”

  This made Jared laugh.

  “I’m not joking.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah. There’s a woman. It’s always a woman, Jared. I’m tired of him. I don’t want anything to do with him anymore.” She looked up at the man she loved. “I don’t care if he knows about us. I want to tell him. I don’t want any more secrets.”

  “Do you want me to go back in there and tell him?”

  “Not tonight. We’ll tell my parents together. They can be forced to sit in a room together. I have to.”