Her Lion Billionaire (3 page)

Chapter Three

It was her first kiss. And the kiss had messed up her head. Badly.

Oh God and everything Holy, Charlotte was dazed in her seat. Who would have thought a simple human intimacy like this could affect her in such a way? Blood rushed into her head, making her lightheaded. Her heart beat fast. A shimmery tingle buzzed on the tips of her fingers. Her cheeks were hot. Her head felt hot. Her whole body was hot.

All because of a simple kiss.

To her surprise, her anger vanished, and she was left with a giddy, bubbly feeling, like a schoolgirl with a crush.

What was this?

The feeling was alien to her but not entirely unwelcome.

Do I like this man? Just like that because he stole a kiss from me?

Her resolute attitude began to change. Perhaps she really was missing something in her life, an important part of being human. To have someone to love. Someone to share her life with. She didn’t care about his wealth or his good looks. Something inside her awakened. After all these years, she finally craved affection. Daniel had introduced her to it. And now, she wanted more.

The Mercedes slowed to a halt on the northwest corner of seventy-second Street. Charlotte’s jaw dropped slightly. She shouldn’t be surprised that Daniel lived in a place like this. His residence was in the Dakota Building. To own a pad this fancy, one had to shell out millions of dollars—real money, not the Monopoly ones. She read somewhere that John Lennon had made this place his home too back in the late seventies.

A white-gloved doorman opened the door for them. Daniel got out and offered his hand to Charlotte.

“We’re here.”

Unconsciously, she extended her hand to him, then retracted it midway.

Daniel caught it and flashed his pearly white smile. “Don’t be a stranger to me. Not now, not ever.”

Charlotte climbed out of the Mercedes feeling out of place immediately. They took the elevator to Daniel’s tenth-floor apartment. High ceilings and tall windows greeted her as soon as she stepped into the apartment.

A beautiful blonde with a willowy figure slowly stalked toward them. She appeared to be in her early thirties. Her body was wrapped in a black silk dress, showcasing her apparent silicon-augmented breasts. She bore a semblance to Daniel. Golden eyes. High cheekbones. Distinct nose bridge.

The blonde opened her mouth and a deep silky voice greeted them. “Well, well, look what we have here. Danny’s new friend.”

Daniel introduced them. “Charlotte, this is my sister, Anika. Anika, this is the special girl I’ve told you about—Charlotte Winters.”

“Charmed. Pardon me if I don’t offer you a handshake. Danny told me you don’t like to be touched.”

“Uhm. Yes. I’m sorry. I’m a bit OCD.”

“Duly noted.” She spread her hand, flashing perfectly manicured fingers. “Do, please make yourself at home.”

They went in. Charlotte couldn’t help goggling around.

Daniel stopped and spoke to Charlotte. “Anika will show you to your room, where you can freshen yourself—”

“Why would I need my own room? I thought we were just going to
talk
?”

“Indeed. Over dinner. You must forgive me, but I’d like to change into something more comfortable first.” He paused, examining her. Naughty twinkles shone in his eyes. “What’s wrong? Do you not want to be alone? Do you prefer to use the bathroom in my bedroom?”

Charlotte flushed “No, thank you.”

“She’s shy, isn’t she?” Anika was bemused.

“She is,” Daniel agreed. “Dinner will be served at six.” He inclined his head and turned around, sauntering toward the grand staircase.

“Come.” Anika motioned to Charlotte. “I’ll show you to the guestroom.”

She had no choice but to follow Daniel’s sister. They walked through a high-ceilinged corridor where the heels of their shoes echoed on the prized Italian marble.

The guestroom was elegantly furnished along modern lines with an Asian flair. Dark granite floors were paired with pale walls and shoji-style screens. The windows were framed with old timber like temples in Kyoto.

“The bathroom is in here, and everything in this closet is yours. My personal shopper picked up everything that we thought would suit your taste.”

Charlotte frowned. “My clothes? I don’t understand.”

“I forgot to tell you that Daniel ordered me to provide you with anything you might need, since you’d be spending plenty of time here from now on.”

Charlotte wasn’t sure she was happy with this arrangement. Just what did that man have in mind? Pretty cocky, wasn’t he? He assumed she’d agree with all this.

“This is the dress that Danny chose for you for dinner. And a pair of must-have accessories of course.” Anika lifted up a pair of sleek gloves. “They’re made from lambskin, thin and soft enough so it will feel like you aren’t wearing anything. Ah. Isn’t this exciting? I never dreamed I’d meet a Sandman’s daughter.”

“I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I’m only a freak.”

“Then I’m a freak as well.”

Charlotte looked up at her. “But you seem so normal. Are you…
like
… him too?”

“Yes. I’m Danny’s half-sister, but I’m a pureblooded shapeshifter. My father, our father, was the alpha of our pride. He abdicated his title seven years ago, and now Danny is our alpha.”

“Is there plenty of your kind out there?”

“My, my. That’s classified information, you know?”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.”

“You’ll know more about us when you officially join our family.”

“You make it sound like everything has been decided.”

Anika laughed again. “One thing I know is that my brother is very determined. Once he’s decided he wants something, he’ll keep trying until he’s succeeded.”

“He’s quite different from what I see in the media. I thought he was a nice guy.”

Anika looked up to the ceiling while tapping her finger on her delicate chin. “Danny is a complex man. He can be such a bastard to his enemies, but he can appear like Prince Charming. I know, without a doubt, Daniel is protective and kind to the people who are important to him.”

Is that so?
Charlotte couldn’t help but be intrigued.

“Well,” Anika clasped her hands together, “please make yourself at home. I’ll come for you a bit later.”

After Anika left, Charlotte examined the clothing that had been prepared for her. Black sheath dress. Black lingerie. Black hosiery. A pair of black Mary Jane pumps. Akoya pearl necklace.

Charlotte picked up the bra and checked the tag. She was astonished when she realized it was the correct size. Unconsciously, she was grinding her teeth. Did he snoop into her drawers at home while she was at work?
Man, that man is a pervert.

Nah. His PIs must have done it. Well, those guys are perverts.

She sank onto the bed. The mattress bounced softly. She thought about it some more. Daniel had gone to such lengths to prepare all of this, the least she could do was hear him out. No, it wouldn’t be so bad. She admitted that curiosity had gotten the best of her.

Charlotte took a shower and washed her hair. As she dried her hair with a blow dryer, she thought of how much of a pain in the ass these rich people were. They had to get dolled up like this for dinner. She put on the new lingerie and marveled at how nice the expensive bra and panties felt against her skin, unlike the cheap stuff she bought from K-mart. The silk dress and the Wolford tights transformed her into a stranger she barely recognized in the mirror. Dressed prettily for the first time in her life, Charlotte smiled.
Whoa, I look nice!

She decided against putting her hair up like usual and let her raven, waist-length hair hang down. It was nicer that way. The makeup set on the vanity caught her attention. She toyed with the idea of trying it all on but chickened out. She settled on just a red lip tint.

Anika announced her arrival with a soft rap on the door. “Knock, knock,” she said. “Look what we have here. You cleaned up prettily.” Anika invited herself in. She stalked around Charlotte while studying her face. Anika’s gait reminded Charlotte of a lioness cornering her prey. “You’re missing something. A little makeup would have a big impact.”

“No, I don’t do that. Makeup isn’t my thing,” said Charlotte.

Anika rolled her eyes and said something that sounded like Russian. “I promised Danny that I’d make you shine. Let’s try some on.”

Charlotte flinched.

“Don’t worry. I won’t touch you. I don’t want you snooping inside my head. I have plenty of secrets of my own.”

“Ah. Did Daniel tell you about my… ability?”

“A little. I’m sure Danny kept the most important matters to himself. My brother doesn’t let anybody get too close to him, even his own family, but he let you, even though the two of you have just met. You must be pretty special to him.”

“
That’s not it,”
Charlotte muttered under her breath.

“No?” Anika’s hearing was surprisingly sharp.

“It’s my ability that he wants.”

“I’m quite sure it’s more than that. If Danny were only interested in your special power, he’d install you as his employee, not as his potential mate.”

Hearing the words “potential mate” mad Charlotte blush.
Yeah, like that’s really going to happen
. “Actually, I came here to decline his offers. It has become a bit too much for a nobody like me.”

“Good luck with that. Once Danny has set his mind on something, nothing on Earth can change it. Didn’t I tell you that already? Now, how about I pretty you up for the dinner? Just think of it as secret leverage for the negotiation. Makeup is a woman’s battle shield.”

“Battle shield,” Charlotte echoed, marveling at the sound of it.

“Yes. Danny is a born and bred businessman, as he is the alpha, and let me tell you something, alphas loves challenges. He wants something from you, and you should use it as leverage to protect your interests.”

“But I don’t want anything from him; I just want him to leave me alone.”

“Then, isn’t
that
something you want?” Anika’s pupils slit into feline form.

Charlotte blinked. “You’re right.”

“Of course I’m right. Make him comply with your own terms. Dictate your rules to him and set your own boundaries that you’re comfortable with.”

Charlotte let out a small laugh. “You seem experienced with this kind of stuff.”

“Why of course, just ask my three ex-husbands.”

Charlotte remembered Anika had blurted out some long last name when they were introduced. She let Anika put on some light makeup. Everything was done by brush with no direct skin contact. When Anika was finished, Charlotte couldn’t believe what she saw. She almost didn’t recognize herself in the mirror.

Anika watched her with satisfaction. “Just as I expected. You have much hidden potential. High cheekbones. Lovely big eyes. A little makeup will highlight those gems. All right. You’re ready. Shall we see him now?”

“I think so. Let’s get this over with.”

“Get it over with? Charlotte honey, my brother hasn’t even begun yet.”

Chapter Four

Daniel entertained her in the kitchen. Anika didn’t join them for dinner, so it was only the two of them. The table was set with white linen, Japanese chinaware and porcelain cups. White candles and an ikebana of white phalaenopsis orchids set the evening’s ambience.

Charlotte sat idly while watching Daniel expertly work his magic on the kitchen counter. She hadn’t recovered from his compliment about her new look. She was one hundred percent giddy. Strange. Usually she wanted to disappear into the background when someone paid special attention to her, but this time, she
wanted
to look pretty for him.

Oh, geez.
Her cheeks heated.
Am I starting to like him too?

Daniel brought two plates to the table. The food looked sumptuous.

“
Broiled baja clam
with Monterey Jack, chipotle seasoning, garlic and butter.”

“I’d never have guessed you’re such a chef.” The clams were served in half shells. The aroma of citrus, cilantro and melted cheese teased her appetite. Charlotte scooped one and tried it. “Oh my. Very delicious.”

“Thank you. I find cooking soothing. A Zen way to relieve stress.” Daniel sipped the red wine. “Besides, my friend once said that cooking for someone you like
is
love.”

“Is that so?” A sliver of happiness slipped inside her heart. The feeling didn’t linger long when she thought of how many women Daniel must have invited to his special dinners before. Surely she wasn’t the first one.

This is ridiculous. Why am I getting jealous for no reason at all?

She sipped the wine and began, “About our conversation earlier—”

“Please,” Daniel interjected, “I’d rather not talk about business during a meal. Wait until dessert if you don’t mind. I have prepared our dining courses especially for you tonight.”

“Sorry. And thank you.” Charlotte took another bite. “So delicious.”

Daniel beamed. “That’s only the appetizer, my dear. Wait until I serve you the main course.”

“And what would that be?”

“Sushi night.”

“You,” Charlotte gulped, holding in her laugh, “make sushi?”

“Why, you don’t think I can?” Daniel dabbed his mouth elegantly with the Boutross linen napkin. “From the dossier that my men compiled, I discovered that you’re a sushi aficionado. So I thought to myself it would be delightful if I treated you to a sushi dinner. I was planning to take you to Nobu, but then I was afraid you’d bolt in the middle of the dinner, and there’d be nothing I could do to remedy that situation, so I decided to invite you to my home. In the event you’re compelled to make a hasty exit, I won’t lose face, and the public won’t know the secret we both carry.”

Charlotte blinked. She didn’t know what to say. This guy was unbelievable.

Watching her looking dumbfounded, Daniel laughed softly. “Can you see I’m trying hard to impress you? With the culinary selection, I mean, not the pseudo-kidnapping.”

Charlotte grinned along. “So you admit you kind of kidnapped me here.”

Daniel relaxed, back against the chair, eyes calculating. “I still don’t like that word. Kidnapping is such a vulgar term. First of all, you’re not a baby goat, and secondly, there’ll be no napping involved at all. Can we call this a ‘forced negotiation?’”

She rolled her eyes. “Fine. I wasn’t going to take off in the middle of dinner anyway. I know some basic manners. Kinda.”

“May I take your word as a promise?” Daniel extended his arm and held up his pinky finger. “Promise me you won’t run from me—ever.”

Charlotte just looked at him.

Daniel rubbed his thumb against the pad of her hand. “Let’s just say, I’ve studied many things that arouse your interests.”

“Including sushi?”

“Including the art of making sushi.”

Charlotte pulled her hand away. “You don’t seem like a guy who likes raw seafood.”

“I must say, I’m not a picky eater.”

“What’s your favorite food, anyway?”

“Steak. Beef and game,” said Daniel without hesitation. “Very rare. Raw almost.”

Why of course.
She shouldn’t have been surprised considering what Daniel really was. A lion hunted hot-blooded mammals, not fish or seafood.

Daniel got up and took the plates. “Are you ready for the entrees?”

“Ready Freddy. What are the entrees?”

“Uni and Maguro hand-rolled sushi. I had someone fly the freshest ingredients in from Tsukiji Market in Tokyo. They’ve just arrived this morning.”

Charlotte was deeply impressed. “You’re going to make it now, right? Can I watch? Sorry,
may
I watch you prepare it?”

“You’re more than welcome.”

Charlotte traded her seat for a high stool by the kitchen counter, watching Daniel work deftly. The uni, sea urchins, still alive, were cooled in the sink. They looked like dust balls, only with long, menacing spikes. She was repelled and yet fascinated by it the first time she saw it. Who would think that kind of stuff was edible? However, she was quite an adventurous foodie and discovered that despite the appearance, sea urchin was delicious.

Daniel put on disposable gloves and pried open the uni with two spoons facing opposite sides. Once opened, he carefully scooped the edible part, the roes, from the hard shell and plunged them in iced water. He prepared the Bluefin tuna next. With a sashimi knife, he cut the expensive tuna into strips. He took off his gloves and hand-rolled the vinegar-seasoned rice, smeared on a dib of wasabi and placed the tuna on top. He repeated the process with the uni and garnished the dish with pickled ginger and fresh shiso leaves.

Charlotte helped him clean up the counter and bring the sushi to the table. Daniel replaced their wine with Japanese sake to complement their dinner. He offered a toast, and Charlotte raised her cup. “Kanpai,
cheers
.” She downed the sake in three gulps.
Ooh, doggie
. That was  good stuff—strong, rather sweet with a clean aftertaste.

They dug in. The sushi melted in her mouth. “Compliments to the chef.”

“Thank you.” Daniel looked pleased that she was enjoying his food. “I’m thrilled that you like it.”

Charlotte wondered why he was so much different from the Daniel she’d seen in her premonition—the primal Daniel. The half-beast Daniel. In that vision, Daniel was half-naked, feral, with a face covered in soot as he snarled and tore at someone, a man who was like him. The fury and incessant urge for blood is what had frightened Charlotte that day at the park.

Now, sitting across from him enjoying a nice dinner, Charlotte questioned whether the premonition was false or if it was nothing but a glimpse into his deep, recessed psyche. She rarely got forewarning when she accidentally touched someone—except that one time with Grandmaman before her death. Charlotte foresaw Grandmaman being trundled out of a grocery store on a stretcher. Two months after the vision, Grandmaman had a heart attack while she was waiting in line for checkout in the nearby supermarket.

Charlotte explored the thought a little deeper. If the vision she saw was going to happen, would Daniel be involved in a situation where he had to go all out? Making love and holding his baby-cub was nice, but to see that primeval part of him was downright scary.

“So, Charlotte, how often did you speak to your father?” asked Daniel.

“Huh?” She floated back to reality. “I thought we weren’t going to talk business until dessert?”

“Getting to know you better isn’t part of the negotiation.”

“I see.” Charlotte furrowed her eyebrows, trying to remember. “I don’t think I ever spoke to him in person. I dreamed about him when I was little. When I asked my mom about who he was, she always got mad. That subject was taboo in our household, so I never brought it up.”

Daniel looked astonished. “You were never curious about your father?”

“No. I just think of him as a deadbeat bastard. A lot of kids in my old neighborhood shared the same story. Their dads went to prison and never came back. Went to pick up a carton of milk and never came back. Same old, same old.”

“How did your parents meet?”

Charlotte shrugged. “Who knows? Neither Mom nor my Grandma ever raised the subject, and I didn’t feel like asking. I’ve got enough problems on my own, thank you very much.”

“Interesting. A Dream Lord is an important figure in the Netherworlder community. Very powerful and as old as death itself, and also the most elusive. Meeting his daughter is a great honor.”

“Netherworlder. My grandmother used to say that. Such things exist?”

A faint nod. “I take it you’ve never been in contact with anyone that shares our unique trait?”

“If what you mean by unique trait is weirdness, then the answer is no. My grandma always said stay away from weirdoes, so that’s what I’ve been doing since her passing.”

Daniel only smiled. “Don’t you ever wish to see your father?”

“Many times in the past. He owes my mom eighteen years’ worth of child support, and he owes me twenty-four years of birthday gifts.”

“I understand your anger.”

“What about you? Do you get along with your dad?”

“To be honest, my relationship with my father is quite complicated.”

“How so?”

He paused. “You see, my father is a womanizer. He left my mother for her sister. Anika and Jeremy are my half-siblings—”

“Your stepmother is also your aunt? Wicked.”

“Wicked. If I could describe her in one word, ‘wicked’ would be my choice.”

“Wait, you have a brother too?”

“Half-brother, yes. Jeremy is three years younger than me.”

“Do you get along with him?”

Daniel let out a sigh. “I wish it to some extent. My stepmother wanted Jeremy to replace me as the alpha of our pride and take control of our family fortune. But by birth right, Jeremy isn’t qualified, and it has strained our relationship since we were children.”

Charlotte was intrigued. Daniel’s personal life rivaled a soap opera. “What about Anika? You seem to get along with her.”

A weak laugh. “Ah, my dear Anika. She’s the wickedest one in the family. Anika has no loyalty to either side. She sticks to whoever entertains her the most. Once she gets bored, she’ll move on to a new green pasture. Hence, her three ex-husbands.”

“Oh, I get it now. That explains the odd last names. Is she dating someone right now?”

“Anika is
always
dating someone. I heard she’s dallying with a Spanish actor at present. She just returned from the Bahamas with her new paramour last week.”

Charlotte thought about it for a moment. “Do they—her exes—know about your family secret? Are they Netherworlders too?”

“Her first husband, Alexander Ruis, is one of us, but he belongs to another pride. It has become an unspoken rule among us that we don’t disclose our condition to humans.”

“I’ve never met another Netherworlder besides you. Are there… plenty of them out there?”

“Not as many as humans. I’d say it pales in comparison. If I’m calculating it right, it’s approximately three percent of the world’s population.”

“Three percent, huh? That’s a lot.”

“I agree.” Daniel ate the last bite on his plate. “Now, are you ready for dessert?”

“What’s for dessert?”

“Traditional wagashi,
Japanese sweets.
I had someone pick up some peach mochi from Minamoto on Madison Avenue. They’re really fresh.”

“I didn’t know there was such a place here.”

“New York is a melting pot for many cultures; one can find anything in this city. You just have to look for it.”

The mochi was sweet, delicate and bursting with fruity flavor. It was made from rice flour dough with peach flavored red bean paste. Charlotte savored every morsel. She could eat the whole tray for breakfast, lunch and dinner and never get bored.