Expose (Billionaire Series) (8 page)

I shrank back as I heard footsteps, realizing that the mob
boss must be leaving. I crouched in the shadow of the statue, and luckily, the
darkness covered me and the man didn’t notice me as he strode off angrily. I
caught a glimpse of his face, a mask of anger and frustration. Whatever reason
Mathis had for saying what he said, he would have to deal with the
consequences. That much was obvious.

“Hello, my name is
Eloisa Rousseau. If you can spare just a moment, I really need to speak with
you.”

Twenty-seven
year-old Jennifer Brooks was, for lack of a better word, flabbergasted. How in
the world did Eloisa know who she was? Jennifer, of course, knew about the
cultured French woman. She had seen her upstairs, hitting on Jennifer's boss
and recent lover Philip Haas. With her model-like figure, regal bearing and
immaculately tailored dress, Eloisa was everything Philip should want and
everything that Jennifer wasn't. Why would Eloisa have even noticed her?

“Oh…okay, sure.”
Jennifer managed to stammer out the words, her face flushing as she thought of
how foolish she must have sounded to someone like Eloisa.

Eloisa glanced
around and then took Jennifer's arm. “Not here. Too many ears.” She motioned to
a small alcove on the other side of the elevators.

Jennifer allowed
herself to be led away from the exit, her mind spinning as she tried to figure
out what was happening. Had Philip mentioned her to Eloisa? If so, in what
context? If he'd just told Eloisa that Jennifer was his assistant, would that
merit a private conversation? Maybe Eloisa was hoping that Jennifer would have
some sort of inside knowledge into Philip's personal life, something that she
could use to pursue a romantic relationship with him. But what if he'd told
Eloisa that there was something more between Jennifer and him? What if he'd
told her that the two of them had been sexually involved since just hours after
their first meeting? Did Eloisa think that Jennifer was using Philip to further
her own career? Was she there to tell Jennifer to stay away from him? Maybe she
was going to flat-out lay claim to him.

“You are Philip's
assistant, yes?” Eloisa turned to face Jennifer.

Jennifer really
didn't want to have to look up to meet Eloisa's eyes, but she made herself do
it. Whatever Eloisa was going to say, Jennifer wasn't going to blink. “Yes, I
am.”

“I don’t believe
that he has mentioned me.” Eloisa released Jennifer's arm. “He is such a
reserved person when it comes to his personal relationships.”

That was an
understatement, Jennifer thought, but she didn't comment. There wasn't any
reason for her to reveal just how much she knew or didn't know about Philip's
life.

Fortunately, Eloisa
didn't seem to be waiting for any agreement on the matter. She continued, “I
have known Philip for many years. My family came from a small town in the south
of France. I was five when we came to this country to work for Philip's father,
Johann. My father was the caretaker of the Haas family grounds, my mother the
housekeeper. Philip was my only friend, the only one who didn’t make fun of me
for not knowing the language, the only one who tried to learn mine. When
Philip's mother left, Mr. Haas sent Philip away to boarding school in Paris. I
was sent as well to keep an eye on him. We’ve kept in touch since then.”

Jennifer tried not
to let Eloisa see how eager she was for this information. Every word was new
insight into why Philip was the way he was, and it was difficult to keep from
asking for more details.

“When I returned
from France five years ago, I became Mr. Haas's executive assistant.” Eloisa's
tone indicated that they were getting close to the reason for the conversation.
She was choosing her words with more care. “Over the course of the past year,
Mr. Haas has become... obsessed with Philip's business.”

Jennifer frowned.
She automatically balked at the idea of someone who considered herself to be
Philip's friend working for the man who'd abused him, but Eloisa's statement
was just plain confusing. Why would Johann be obsessed with his son's business
and why did it matter? “I don't understand.”

Eloisa opened her
mouth, paused, as if trying to find the most delicate way to say what she
meant. “Mr. Haas believes that Philip's success is a challenge. A way for
Philip to say that he is better than his father.”

Jennifer bit back
the urge to tell Ms. Rousseau that Philip was ten times the man his father was
and all she needed to see were the scars on Philip's back to prove it. It
wasn't her place to share if Eloisa didn't already know. Instead, she stuck
with the simple. “That's slightly unbelievable.”

“Perhaps,” Eloisa
admitted. “But Mr. Haas has decided that the best way to handle the situation
is to eliminate the competition.”

Jennifer pieced
together the situation. “He's trying to take down Philip's company?”

“Yes,” Eloisa
nodded. “He is trying to teach Philip a lesson.”

“Okay,” Jennifer
folded her arms. “But why are you telling me this? You work for Johann Haas.
Tell him there’s no good reason to try to take down Philip.”

Eloisa gave
Jennifer a sad smile. “If it were that easy, do you not think I would have
already done it? Mr. Haas sent me to Philip to try to negotiate a deal that
would allow him access to his son's business.”

“And you went along
with it?” Jennifer felt a flare of anger towards the woman that had nothing to
do with jealousy but restrained herself. She had no right to judge. She didn't
know if she would've had the guts to stand up to someone like Johann Haas if
he'd been her boss.

“No,” Eloisa shook
her head. “I have been trying to convince Philip to come to a compromise that
will satisfy his father enough that Mr. Haas will leave him alone.” She made as
if she were going to touch Jennifer's arm, and then thought better of it. “I
wanted to speak to you because I believe that you can succeed where I have
failed. Philip will no longer take my calls. He does not want to compromise,
nor believe that he should have to.”

“How am I supposed
to help?” Jennifer wasn't sure she thought Philip should compromise. It sounded
to her like Johann was in the wrong. “You're his childhood friend. If you can't
convince him, what makes you think I can?”

Eloisa looked
surprised. “You do not realize how important you are to him?”

Heat rushed to
Jennifer's face as she shook her head. “No, that's not true. I'm just his
assistant.” She didn't add that she was also fucking him, in part because it
wasn't Eloisa's business, but also in part because she wasn't sure if that made
her mean more or less to Philip.

“Do you know how
many assistants Philip has trained personally?”

“No.” She'd always
assumed that someone as controlling as Philip probably trained his own
assistants.

“None,” Eloisa's
voice softened. “He does not allow anyone to spend that much time with him. He
always leaves or makes others leave after a short period of time. Not even I
have ever spent more than a few hours with him at one time. To allow you that
close proximity for such an extended period of time tells me that he considers
you someone special.”

Jennifer's eyes
widened in disbelief. Was it possible that Philip really did value her that
much?

“Please, Jennifer,
speak with him. Ask him to reconcile with his father before things become
worse. I fear that if he does not, Mr. Haas will not stop until he has
destroyed everything Philip has worked so hard to build.”

Jennifer wasn't
sure what she was supposed to say to either the statement or the request. Was
it really her place, especially after she'd tried so hard to let Philip tell
her things at his own pace? But, could she really stand by when she knew that
Philip's abusive father was trying to hurt him again? What if she
did
keep her mouth shut and Johann succeeded in taking Philip down? Could she live
with herself? Then again, what if she did ask him? Wouldn’t he want to know how
she knew about his father's plans? Would he think that she'd been going behind
his back and being nosy? She wasn't sure which risks she was willing to take.

“I’ll keep it in
mind.”

“Thank you.” Eloisa
beamed as if Jennifer had said that she could fix all of the problems. “I know
that you will do what is right and that Philip will listen to you.”

Then, to Jennifer's
surprise, Eloisa leaned forward and pressed her lips against Jennifer's right
cheek and then against her left.

“I think we shall
meet again, Ms. Brooks.” Eloisa squeezed Jennifer's hand. “I believe I will try
one last time to speak with my old friend, but I believe that it will be you
who will bring this to a conclusion.”

With that last
comment, Eloisa walked back the way they came, leaving Jennifer staring after
her in disbelief of what had just happened. Even as she was trying to process
the conversation, Jennifer flashed back to the first time when she'd seen
Eloisa and how jealous she'd been when the other woman had kissed Philip's
cheek. Maybe it hadn't been what Jennifer had originally thought. The French
were known for kissing the cheeks of others in greeting or farewell. Eloisa had
just demonstrated that she followed that tradition. It seemed to Jennifer that
she'd been mistaken in her previous assumptions. There wasn't anything between
Philip and Eloisa but friendship. She suddenly felt bad about all of the time
and energy she'd spent being jealous.

“Can't do anything
about that now,” she muttered to herself. She took a deep breath. What she
could do was go home like Philip had told her to and spend her time off making
her decision about Brad. Once she'd done that, she could decide what to do
about the information Eloisa had just given her. One problem at a time.

I
didn’t hear anything for a while. I wondered how long Mathis was going to stay
where he was to regain his composure. Should I try to sneak away now? I had to
have been standing, cramped behind this statue, for nearly twenty minutes. I needed
to get back to the party before Sharon started to worry about me. Plus, I
wanted to be back in a crowded area. Listening to that unpleasant encounter had
gotten to me, and I needed to be back where my friends were laughing and
smiling, unaware of any of the dangers lurking nearby.

I was
just adjusting my skirt and removing myself from my hiding place, paying more
attention to my dress than my direction, when I collided headlong into Mathis.
I cursed myself for not being more attentive, but it was too late – Mathis had
seen me, and the expression of mingled fury and astonishment, which I was
seeing so often recently, was looking me right in the face.

At
first he didn’t recognize me, perhaps because of the very different style of
make-up I was sporting, but a second later he grabbed my arm and squinted his
eyes to get a better look. He knew. I felt my face flood with color as he put
two and two together and realized that I must have been listening in on the
conversation. I was half tempted to run away, mortified, but Mathis still held
onto me tightly.

“Amanda
– how much did you hear?” he demanded forcefully. I took one quick, frightened
peep at his face and decided to be straightforward.

“I
heard you talking – that was the crime boss you told me about, wasn’t it?”

He
let go of me and gave a sigh of frustration.

“How
do you always manage to be around me whenever it’s most dangerous?” he groaned.
“If I’d had any idea that you’d been in a ten mile radius, let alone a ten
meter radius…”

“I’m
really sorry,” I said. “My friend Sharon had tickets for this party. I thought…
I thought it would be okay. I wasn’t planning on talking to you or anything
that would put a link between us.”

“You
almost gave me a heart attack,” he said, the frustration making his voice a
little gruffer than usual. “I suppose I should learn to expect you whenever I
least expect you, so to speak.”

“Are…you
going to be angry now?” I asked, hoping he wouldn’t be. I must seem like some
creepy, pathetic stalker in his eyes.

“No,”
he said, his eyes and mouth softening as he looked at me, my face ashamed and
my head hanging. “I’m sorry I snapped at you. I’m always happy to see you and
you look…uh,” he coughed a little awkwardly, “really really good.” He tugged me
a little towards him as if he was about to pull me into an embrace, then
stopped himself. “Damn it, Amanda, you’re making things difficult for me,” he
said.

“I
know,” I responded. “It was an accident that I just so happened to be walking
in this area. I just lost my way coming back from the restroom, and then I
heard your voice. I didn’t realize what was going on at first, but then I
couldn’t leave. I was afraid if I moved, I’d draw attention to myself.”

“That
shouldn’t have been your concern,” Mathis said. “I told you to stay away from
me, Amanda. You need to stop getting involved with things you don’t
understand.”

He
sounded angry again, and I felt like a naive child getting scolded…but I wasn’t
a child.

“I
wasn’t trying to interfere with your personal business,” I told him sternly,
holding my ground. “Sure, I came to this party to catch a glimpse of you, but I
honestly just so happened to overhear your conversation. I was only concerned
for you, and you weren’t exactly doing anything to soothe my fears.”

Mathis
nodded, acknowledging my stance. “Yes, but Amanda, why were you even at this
party for such a small reason? It’s not just dangerous to be seen with me, it’s
dangerous to
be
around me. I think it would be easier for both of us if
we just stopped this relationship.”

“W-what?”
I replied with surprise and anger. I stepped closer to him to physically show
that I wasn’t intimidated by him, but getting closer to his stature still had
me somewhat anxious. “I thought you told me that you wanted us to be together; that
my feelings for you were reciprocated.” I was starting to get pissed off. It
was like Mathis and I were dancing together, a constant back and forth between
being together and being apart, and I was goddamned tired of the dance. “If you
don’t care about me, I understand, and that’s fine, but do
not
string me
along. There are plenty of other women more beautiful, more intelligent, and
more damn obedient than me, but I will
not
be treated like a toy,” I
said heatedly.

“No,
I never meant to treat you that way, Amanda,” he said, frowning.

“Could’ve
fooled me!” I snapped.

“The
last thing I need is another complication,” he snapped back, losing his temper.

“
I’m
a complication?” I almost shrieked. “Here, let me solve the problem for you!” I
turned my back on him, ready to stomp off. My head was a flurry of emotions,
and I was sick and tired of this farce.

After
I made a few steps, he grabbed my wrist and spun me around again, making me
face him.

“What?”
I spat out at him.

It
seemed as if an internal battle was going on behind his eyes. He looked
conflicted, as if debating whether to tell me something or not. What else was
new?

I
rolled my eyes and interrupted whatever the hell he was thinking about, “Well,
that’s very interesting, but I’m going to be on my way now.”

“Look,
Amanda…I couldn’t be with you even if this whole crime gang threat wasn’t going
on,” he said. I felt my entire body go cold as he said it.

“Wait…why?”
I was genuinely curious.

“Because
I promised your uncle I’d stay away from you,” he said bitterly.

“You
promised...what?” I was astonished. That wasn’t what I had been expecting at
all, and it threw me. “Uncle Andy wanted you to stay away from me,” I stated
flatly looking for confirmation.

“Yes.
I made a promise to the man who gave me everything, but it’s killing me to have
to keep it.” Concern showed in his eyes and I could feel that he was being
completely honest with me.

It
was as if the words were made of something thicker than air, and I was having
trouble passing it through my lungs. I couldn’t quite comprehend his meaning.
Uncle Andy?
My
Uncle Andy? Why would he want Mathis to stay away from
me? He had loved Mathis like a son. It made no sense.

But
as I turned the words this way and that to try and make them fit, I tried to
remember how Uncle Andy had reacted to me spending time with Mathis all those
years ago, the summer when we had first met and a sweet romance had kindled
between us. Had he been happy? Had he commented about us at all? Had he, for
some reason, seen something about our relationship back then which had made him
uneasy? So uneasy that he wanted to ban us from ever being together? I just
didn’t get it.

I
tried to reply to Mathis, but no words were coming out. I was standing there
blankly.

“So
there you have it, Amanda,” Mathis said heavily. “The truth.” His voice was
tired and bitter. “We can’t be together. I’ve been living a lie with you. I
should have told you this a long time ago but, God help me, I just wanted to be
greedy.” His eyes flashed with desire.

“Mathis,
whatever Uncle Andy said… he couldn’t mean…” The words were forming on my
tongue now, but the sentences wouldn’t come out right.

“I let
myself be with you against my better judgment. I’m less than half the man your
uncle was kind enough to believe me to be, but I won’t go against his wishes. I
owe him that much and more,” said Mathis. His eyes softened. “We have to end
this.”

Before
I could argue with him, or even organize my thoughts enough to try and form an
argument, he turned abruptly and left, stalking away like a ranger, his broad
shoulders set and his willowy figure silhouetted against the distant lights of
the party.

I was
left standing in the growing dusk and gloom of the maze, my heart torn, my head
spinning. So much had happened in the last half hour that I didn’t really
understand.

My
mind was still trying to understand what Mathis had said about Uncle Andy not
wanting us to be together. I didn’t really know what to do, or what I could say
to make this sudden piece of information disappear. If Uncle Andy really had
forbidden Mathis to be around me, he must have had a good reason.

Suddenly,
a piece of the puzzle clicked into place and I stupidly gasped out loud. This
must be the reason that Mathis had left so suddenly all those years ago! One
minute we had been talking and laughing together, and the next, after Uncle
Andy had asked to talk with Mathis privately, Mathis was gone. Whatever the
reason, it must have been true that Uncle Andy told Mathis to stay away from
me.

It
was almost funny, but it made me want to cry. All those times Mathis had told
me to stay away from him, I had thought that without the crime group causing
problems, we would be able to have a happily ever after. Mathis had even let me
believe it – although admittedly he had done everything he could to make sure
we didn’t cross paths.

But
all that time, he had been lying to me. Uncle Andy wanted us to stay apart –
and Mathis was never going to go against the wishes of his mentor.

I was
still conflicted, though. My image of my kindly uncle didn’t fit with a harsh
dictator who would try to control both of our lives. Besides, Uncle Andy was
dead. As much as I loved him, would it maybe be okay to go against his wishes
this once? Surely if he realized how much Mathis meant to me he wouldn’t try to
keep us apart.

My
mind was a mess, and I was too tired and too confused to try and sort
everything out right now. I walked back in the direction of the party, deciding
to find Sharon and Ryan and tell them that I was heading home. All the pleasure
I had taken in the party had evaporated, and all I wanted was to be alone to
sort out all this information in my head and work out what I should do about
it. I spotted Sharon and Ryan next to the rose garden. Sharon was laughing at
something Ryan had said, and both their faces were animated. They looked so
happy. It made me feel numb, robotic, but I hurriedly made my way over to them.

“Are
you okay? You took forever! They’ve already started the fireworks,” Sharon said
as I approached, trying to keep my turmoil off my face.

“Sorry
– I got lost,” I said, quite truthfully.

“Come
on, let’s find a good spot and watch the fireworks,” Sharon said. I saw the
excitement and happiness in her face, and I couldn’t bring myself to disappoint
her.

“Okay
– how about over by the fountain?” I suggested, trying to inject some
enthusiasm into my voice and expression.

As I
stood tall, face upturned, watching rivers of red and green sparks dance
against the black velvet of the sky, I felt like every hope and dream I had
cherished over the last few months was exploding above me. The pieces of light
flew in opposite directions only to become small insignificant ashes fading
into the dark night sky.

By
the end of the firework display, I had tears streaming silently down my face.
Although I tried to discretely wipe them off, Sharon’s hawk eyes must have
caught a glimmer of the tear-track on my cheek, because, even though she didn’t
say anything in front of Ryan and chatted on quite happily in the car on the
way home, as soon as they dropped me off outside my apartment building, she
grabbed me in a hug and whispered, “Call me!”

I
thought I was going to have yet another sleepless night, but after the
excitement and drama of the evening, both my mind and body were exhausted, and
I fell into a dreamless sleep the moment my head touched my pillow.

***

I
woke up at 7 in the morning and immediately felt the emotions of the night
before returning to me. I wiggled out of my dress – which I had fallen asleep
in – and pulled on a pair of pajama pants and a tank top. I didn’t feel like I
could stand doing anything too taxing today.