More Than a Billionaire (25 page)

Oh, she had a reason all right. “Go home, Trent. This doesn’t concern you.”

Trent remained seated. “Kiera’s a good friend. She deserves better than you screwing around behind her back.”

He slammed his fist down on the counter. “I never cheated on her.”

“What happened?”

“I’ve been working with Nadia Danilova on a project. Kiera saw pictures of me and Nadia at a party together.”

“Nadia—”

“It was completely innocent, but it didn’t look that way.”

“Gray, we don’t have plans for any new hotels in Russia.” Trent’s eyes narrowed. “Just what were you doing with Nadia?”

“You’ve had your butt down here in Providence since the summer. You don’t know what new projects are going on anymore.” This would be so much easier if he could just tell his brother the whole truth.

“Maybe you’re right.” Trent appeared unconvinced as he stood up. “If there is anything I can do let me know. We’ll eat around six if you change your mind about dinner.”

He’d make lousy company tonight. He might subject his brother to that, but not his sister-in-law. He’d stay home, order some takeout, and wallow in his own misery alone.

***

What had possessed her to move furniture alone? Kiera rubbed her lower back. Again today she was paying the price for her silly idea. The worse part was, it hadn’t helped. She still thought of Gray every time she walked into the bedroom.

“You look as if your dog died,” Erica said as she passed through the kitchen.

“Just one of those days, Erica.”

The waitress picked up the meals she needed. “I know what you mean. At least we’re almost done.”

“True.” She’d prepared her last meal for the night. The kitchen closed in five minutes.

When Pierre had called and asked her to come in early to work Robin’s lunch shift in addition to her own, she’d agreed. She’d had no other plans. After an afternoon and evening in the kitchen though, she was looking forward to a shower and a comfortable bed.

Though if she had another night like last night, then she’d have a hot shower and hours on the couch watching television to look forward to.

She didn’t get it. People were supposed to sleep a lot when they were unhappy. She’d hardly slept at all since her return from Anguilla, and it was catching up to her. That afternoon, she’d put sugar instead of salt into the cream sauce she’d made. Only by accident, had she discovered her mistake before it was served. Yesterday at home, she’d cut herself while chopping onions, a task she could usually do blindfolded. If she missed much more sleep, she’d either maim herself or get herself fired. At this point, she didn’t know which was worse.

Kiera turned off the stove and tried to think more positive thoughts. She had tomorrow off, and it was supposed to be a beautiful day.

“Are you working tomorrow?” Phyllis, a co-worker, asked as she stopped next to Kiera’s car after work.

“No, I have tomorrow and Tuesday off. I’ll be here Wednesday night.”

“I guess I won’t see you again until next week. Tuesday starts my vacation. Have a good week.”

Kiera unlocked her car door. “You, too. Have fun.”

Phyllis got into a car and leaned over to kiss the driver.

The nagging ache in Kiera’s chest tightened. She rubbed a hand over her heart and wished the pain would turn to hate. Hate would be much easier to handle, and she wanted to hate Gray. He’d betrayed her and destroyed their friendship. The stupid emotion refused to come no matter how many times she reminded herself of what he had done.

“No more thoughts of him tonight,” Kiera said. If she said the words aloud enough, her mind might listen eventually. “Think about a hot shower.” She started the car and cranked up the radio.

She started singing the chorus of the song on the radio when her phone interrupted her. Gray’s name showed up in bright white letters. They hadn’t talked since the day he showed up at her loft.

Kiera reached for the phone the same way she would a rattlesnake, but it stopped ringing before she could answer it or decline the call. Before she could put the phone down, it rang again. This time she hit decline. “Please don’t ring again.”

Her plea went unheard.

“Hello.”

“I didn’t wake you, did I? I thought you’d be on your way home from work.”

Gray’s voice washed over her, dragging up the emotions she’d been pushing down every day since their vacation.

“I’m driving home now. What do you want?”

He didn’t answer right away, and she wondered if she’d lost the call.

“Kiera, I need to see you. There are things I need to explain.”

“There’s nothing more to say, Gray. Just leave me alone.” A few tears rolled down her cheeks.

“That’s not true. Give me an hour. That’s all I’m asking.”

Did she hear desperation in his voice? No, it was probably guilt. Well, at least he felt that well deserved emotion.

“Fine. One hour that’s it. I’ll meet you at Ambrosia on Benefit Street tomorrow.” She didn’t want him at her place or anywhere near it.

“The things I need to explain, I can’t say there.”

“Where then? Not at my apartment or yours.”

“I need you to come to DC. I’m here now.”

He’d lost his mind. He wanted to talk but expected her to travel. “No. We can meet whenever you get back.”

“I’m asking a lot, but please we need to have this conversation at the White House. Come down here and let me explain. Afterward, I’ll leave you alone if you want. You have my promise. I’ll pay for you to fly down. If you want, I’ll ask Jake to pick you up at the airport instead of me. He can drive you back later too.”

The White House?
“Why there?”

“It just has to be.”

He had her intrigued. “You’ll stop bothering me? No more phone calls or surprise visits?”

“If that’s what you want.”

“It is.” Kiera wiped another tear away. “Fine. I’ll come and talk to you for an hour. Afterward I’m coming home. Alone, Gray. Understand?”

“Thank you.”

The two words had her taking a deep breath so that she didn’t lose it.

“I can make the plane reservations for you.”

“No. I’ll handle it myself. Just tell me what airport I should fly into.” She didn’t want anything from him, which reminded her of the money he’d left on her table. “Did you get back the money you left for my flight home from Anguilla? I mailed it to you.”

“Yes. I wish you had kept it.”

“I don’t want anything from you. Now, what airport should I fly into?

“Reagan National Airport. When you have your flight info, text it to me. I’ll make sure Jake picks you up.”

“Fine.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow. I love you.”

The tenderness and passion in his voice poured through the line. Man, he was a good actor.

“Goodbye, Gray.”

Kiera walked past the security checkpoint and spotted Jake near the juice bar’s entrance, scanning the crowd. Even if she hadn’t met him countless times before, she would have recognized Gray’s cousin. She’d seen him countless times on magazine covers.

She closed the space separating them and stopped near him. “Hi.”

Jake looked at her, an easy smile on his face. “Hey, Kiera. It’s good to see you again.”

She wished she could return the sentiment. “Thank you for picking me up today. I hope it wasn’t too inconvenient.” The man ran the Falmouth Foundation and had a pregnant wife. He must have more important things to do besides playing chauffeur.

“Don’t mention it. Besides, it got me out of the office. Gray said you might need a ride back later.”

“I will need a ride back, but I can call a taxi. Don’t worry about it.”

They walked through the busy airport together.

“No need. I’ll bring you back, but I think Gray hoped you’d change your mind and stay.”

“I promised Gray an hour, that’s it.”

Jake held the door open. “He mentioned that.”

Kiera followed Jake to his car in silence. The silence continued as he drove out of the parking garage and to the highway. When it began to unsettle her, she picked a safe topic.

“How is Allison?”

“Fine. She plans to come back to work this week, but she’ll be on crutches a few more weeks.”

“Really?”

“Why does that surprise you?”

She shrugged. “I thought the accident was serious.”

“It totaled the car, but Allison was lucky. She only suffered a broken leg.”

“Do you know why Gray insisted we met here?”

“You’re not happy with my cousin are you?”

“That’s an understatement.”

“When Gray called and asked me to pick you up, he told me what happened. Or at least, some of it. I got the impression he left out some details.”

She watched the cars outside. “The jerk is good at that.”
Nice going
. “Sorry about that. Gray’s no longer my favorite person.”

“Don’t worry about it. Like I said, he told me most of what happened. If it helps, I don’t think he’s seeing Nadia or anyone else.”

“That’s nice.”

“It’s not his way.”

She should’ve told Gray to send a car service tonight rather than accept a ride from Jake. “Pictures don’t lie.”

“You’re right.” Finally, he agreed with her. “But they can mislead depending on how they are presented.”

Okay, no more Miss Nice Girl. “Jake, I get what you’re trying to do. Gray wants you to convince me he did nothing wrong. It’s not going to work, so please stop.”

Jake pulled up to a red light and gave Kiera his full attention. “He didn’t ask me to do anything but pick you up. But think about it. Why would he see anyone else while he was with you?”

“Guys cheat all the time for different reasons. Women, too, I guess.”

He nodded. “When they think they’ll never get caught. Even if Gray was that type of guy—and trust me, he’s not. I know plenty of guys who are and he’s nothing like them. He’d know it was only a matter of time before someone snapped a picture of him with another woman. Why would he risk it?”

“Maybe he found it exciting. Some people find all that sneaking around thrilling.”

The light turned green, and Jake turned down the street. “If my cousin wanted exciting, he’d try sky-diving or something.”

“Can we drop this? We both have different opinions of Gray. Let’s leave it at that.”

“I can do that.”

“You really don’t know why I had to come here?”

Jake waited for the Secret Service to let them pass through the gates of the White House. “Nope. He just asked me to bring you here.”

Either Jake didn’t know why Gray wanted her here, or he was an exceptional liar.
Maybe that’s another Sherbrooke trait.
 

Secret Service agents greeted them when they got out of the car and then checked her for weapons.

“Mr. Sherbrooke, the President is expecting you and Miss Renault,” an agent said, opening a door into the building for them.

He’d said
President
. She hadn’t imagined that. Why would Gray’s uncle, the President of the United States, be expecting her?

Kiera kept her mouth closed and walked alongside Jake as an agent led them down various hallways. Few people got inside this part of White House, and she wished she could concentrate enough to commit everything to memory. Under the current circumstances, though, that was impossible.

Their escort stopped in front of an office door. Jake knocked, and they waited for someone to answer the door. All too soon the doorknob turned, and the door swung open.

“We need to go inside the room,” Jake said in a low voice.

“Is this the room I think it is?” She couldn’t look away from the view before her.

Jake squeezed her shoulder. “It’ll be okay.”

She’d seen pictures of the Oval Office, but she’d never imagined stepping inside it. “Jake, this is the Oval Office.” She kept her voice as low as possible.

“I promise this will be okay. You know my dad. Relax.”

She stood there for what seemed like hours staring into the room.

“Jake, good you’re here. Kiera it’s nice to see you again.” The President, Gray’s Uncle Warren, approached them with a welcoming smile. “Please come in and have a seat. How are you?” The President took her by the elbow and escorted her into the room.

Kiera swallowed. “Fine, Mr. President and you sir?”

“Excellent. Thank you for asking.” He walked her over to a couch. “Please have a seat and then perhaps my nephew will tell me why he needed this meeting.”

Kiera sank down next to Gray’s father. With all the other unusual events tonight, the fact that Gray’s dad sat there didn’t faze her.

Across from them, were two men she didn’t recognize, and Gray sat in an armchair beside them. Tonight, he looked like the epitome of a successful businessman in a dark suit, crisp white shirt, and red tie.

“Mr. President, before we begin, I’d like to point out that I am against Gray’s decision. I informed him of that yesterday,” said one of the unknown men. “And in order for Ms. Renault and your son to hear classified information, I need them to sign non-disclosure agreements.”

Both Jake and Kiera signed the paperwork that Clarence provided.

“You have everything you need, Clarence,” Gray’s uncle answered before he looked at his nephew. “I believe everyone is here, Gray. Perhaps you should get started.”

Gray clasped his hands together and leaned forward, his forearms resting on his thighs. “Jake, you might want to sit for this.”

Jake didn’t offer a comment. Instead, he sat next to Kiera.

“You’re all aware that I travel a lot. What you don’t know is that not all of that travel is for Sherbrooke Enterprises or my own pleasure, although that’s how I’ve made it seem. Much of it, especially this past year, is for the CIA.” Gray cleared his throat. “For the past four years, I’ve been working as a NOC with the Agency.”

Gray worked for the CIA.

She took in the expressions of the men gathered in the room. The two across from her looked displeased. Jake’s mouth all but touched his knees. The President appeared upset, but not like he wanted to strangle someone, which described Mark Sherbrooke’s expression.