The Boss (A Billionaire Romance) (10 page)

Chapter 5

Clara had a week to make sure no one learned about her brief liaison with Mr. Casino Tycoon before the auction.

And she had less time than that to erase the absurd idea of Fredrick becoming her long-term partner clear from her head, if not her heart.

Dreaming of what might have been was impossible to control however, and meant every morning she woke frustrated, glum, and heavy with the loss of hope.

Much of her belongings from the first floor were saved, or repaired thanks to Anon.

The investigation into the fire said faulty wiring caused it.

This baffled her, as the wiring had never failed a routine inspection.

Still, at least it had nothing to do with death threats.

Plus, because she didn't cause it, the insurance paid out.

The structure of the house was too damaged downstairs to repair, so she hired a realtor to find something she could afford to buy on the outskirts of town.

On her way into work on the morning of the auction, she received yet another text message from Anon.

He'd been getting more and more in touch over the past few weeks and although she was always pleased to hear from him, her head was so full of Fredrick lately she'd taken little notice.

That was until today.

He texted:

‘I have decided to come to the benefit this year, Clara. I hope this pleases you. This means we finally get to meet. No more Mr. Anon.’

Clara gasped, a smile lifting the droop at the corners of her mouth.

‘Well, whatever your reason I am more than pleased. It's a fabulous idea. Now I'm looking forward to the whole affair instead of dreading it.’

‘Good, I'm happy to hear it. Don't worry about your speech. Keep it short and sweet and it'll go well as always.’

‘Thanks. Seriously though, what made you change your mind? For years, you protected your identity with such passion?’

‘I'll need to explain all that when we meet. I just hope you understand.’

Understand what?

She was really in no mood for more disastrous revelations about men she admired…

Chapter 6

The time for her speech arrived and Clara had been throwing up for half an hour on the lead up, as usual.

She always suffered with performance anxiety prior to events like these, but they were a necessary evil to fund her projects.

She was also nervous about finally meeting Anon, nagged by a sneaky feeling she couldn't place and a worry he wouldn't live up to expectations.

Especially because he said he hoped she would understand.

"Are you ready to get up there, Ms. James?" asked a timid female voice. "They're waiting."

"Yes, thanks, Jane."

Jane was Clara's fabulous PA whom Anon had insisted on funding after the fire.

Because of her, Clara was able to focus on the more important aspects of fund raising instead of admin, and she became indispensable.

She was a large girl with a surprisingly small waist, big lips and a calm temperament.

"Is everyone here?"

"Everyone who received an invite, yes."

"What about Anon?" her voice shook.

Clara still couldn't believe she would actually meet him.

Jane smiled slightly, "Still anonymous I'm afraid, but don't worry about him. Get out there and do your thing."

"And Lisa? Where's she?"

"She's on the front row waiting to see her friend work her magic. Stop procrastinating, they're waiting for you."

"Good, yes, you're right of course." Clara stared at the red velvet curtain she would walk through when she gave the signal, and listened to the crowd beyond it waiting for her. "Okay, raise the curtain. Let's do this."

The curtain raised and Clara stepped forward to a round of applause and a few wolf-whistles.

She gulped, but wearing a wide smile, she said, "Thank you ladies and gentlemen. Please take your seats."

They did as she asked and she began.

"Don't worry, like all my speeches, this will be short and a little sweet." The crowd sniggered and Lisa clapped proudly from the front row, which eased Clara's stomach a bit. "Every year I bring you all here to celebrate your generosity, and this year is no exception. Your contributions helped us to build on former successes, helped us to hire more professionals to work with our service users, to secure premises for those services, and send educators out to schools and colleges in a twenty mile radius, who have explained the hidden dangers of spinning the Roulette wheel or playing the lottery. So please, give yourselves a huge round of applause." Clara clapped her hands and everyone in the crowd cheered and clapped too. She let them calm down before she continued, "More is needed to continue with these projects, and to set up more places where support can be found. I want to place onsite support centers in each of the casinos next. Will you help me? There are envelopes on each table. Please give generously and, of course, bid generously on the items up for auction. I think you'll be stunned by the value of some of them. Oh, and enjoy your evening."

Relieved to be finished, Clara painted a grin on her face for the crowd but stepped back from the podium.

When everyone stood to clap, she could have sworn she saw Fredrick's face beaming up at her from the back of the room.

Who invited him?

He wouldn't come here would he . . .

Why?

To ruin me?

Clara spun around and left the stage, allowing everyone else to return to the party while she ran into the crowd, searching for Fredrick.

Is he actually here, or am I going mad?

Chapter 7

Fredrick studied Clara while she nervously addressed the crowd.

Sure that she saw him in the crowd and nervous about his next step, he wondered what she would make of him turning up.

Would she work it out?

The PA he sent to work for Clara put his name at the top of the guest list so security let him in.

Now he was there, his chest tightened and pulse drummed louder in his ears than the voices of the wealthy patrons surrounding him.

He refused to answer questions from those who recognized him and tried to ignore the whispers spreading like water through the crowd.

Their accusations could wait.

Only Clara's opinion mattered to him tonight.

What will she say when we meet?

Will she be disappointed when she finds out the truth, or will she understand and forgive me?

Passing tables and chairs on either side, he walked through the crowd, palms sweating and mouth dry.

Where is she?

Should he go backstage, would she be hiding?

And there she was.

Her eyes widened the closer he got to her, until she recognized him and mouthed, "Fredrick?"

When they reached each other, he could only look at her.

How he missed her face.

"Hello Clara."

"What do you think you're doing here?" She grabbed his elbow and pulled his face close to hers, to whisper, "Do you want to discredit me?"

"No. Course not. I'm here to donate, to support your cause."

"You can shove your donations. If it wasn't for your casinos we wouldn't need donations."

"You can't believe that. Online gambling sites are big now, too. And there are other casino owners too. Anyway, like I said before, they're my father's casinos, not mine. I can't sell them."

"Why can't you sell them? Makes no sense to me."

Fredrick went to answer her, but she raised her hand.

"Actually, I don't care. Please leave. There's nothing left to say and you shouldn't be here. How did you even get in?"

"Stop," he grabbed her arms. "For once, listen to me instead of assuming you know everything about everything."

Clara's eyebrows shot up, "How dare you?" She snatched her arms out of his grasp. "Leave me alone."

Damn, she's impossible.

"Fine!"

She never lets me explain.

Why do I need this stubborn woman so much?

"Sir? Sir?" said Jane, arriving on the scene.

"Ah," Clara said to Jane, clearly pleased she was there to help her deal with him. "Please make sure this… this man is shown out immediately." Scowling at Jane, she added, "Then you can explain how the hell he got on the guest list."

Focusing on Fredrick, Jane bit her lip and said nothing.

"He won't bite," said Clara, clearly frustrated with her. "Why aren't you doing anything, saying anything?"

Jane stared at the floor, "Sorry, Ms. James, but as it is Mr. Walters who employs me, I . . . "

Clara glared at Jane, her frown so deep her eyes receded.

Until they widened, "No . . . Anon employs you for my foundation.”

“Yes…” Jane replied.

“What are you saying?"

Jane looked at Fredrick hopefully, making it the time for more confessions.

"What's going on between you too?" asked Clara. "I don't understand."

Fredrick wondered if he'd made the right choice, showing up like he had.

But it was too late to turn back now.

He said, "I think you do understand. You're refusing to listen to reason, as usual."

"Wait?" she protested, pointing at Fredrick with a shaky finger. "You? You can't be . . . "

"The wonderful, saintly Anon? Yes, I'm afraid we are one and the same, though not so saintly where it counts, if you recall."

Fredrick sighed, hoping she'd finally be able to see the truth of his heart, instead of insisting he was like his father.

"No," she said, shaking her head and grabbing the hair at her temples. "I don't believe it. I won't."

People observed the situation unfold and Fredrick glanced at Jane, "It's time I put the record straight. Is the microphone still on up there?"

Jane said, "Ready when you are, Mr. Walters."

"What?" Clara grabbed Jane's wrist. "What's going on?" Jane refused to answer so Clara turned to him, "Fredrick?"

Large green jewels in a small pale face, Fredrick hitched his breath at the beauty of Clara's desperate stare.

But her tears nearly broke his heart.

"Don't worry, Clara. I don't mean to cause you or your foundation harm. Thought it was time to 'come out.'"

Clara closed the gap between them and gripped his arm, "By 'come out' you mean reveal the truth about your identity, or our . . . relationship?"

"Both."

"No, you'll ruin my reputation. They'll think you paid me off all these years. That I'm conspiring with gambling organizations for my own gain. That I'm doing all this for the money . . . "

"Anyone who knows what car you drive knows you don't do this for the money, Clara. Allow me to say my piece, then I'll leave if you still want me to." He placed a finger beneath her chin, "Seem fair?"

She allowed his touch for a moment, and their eye contact was as electrically charged as ever, until she appeared to remember they were arguing and moved away. "Yes, it would be fair . . . to say I want you to leave before you ruin everything for me."

Fredrick had no choice but to tell everyone who he was.

To take the hate and scorn which always came with it.

He hoped that once they realized what he had given to the foundation over the past five years, they would understand and forgive his association to his father.

Mostly, he hoped he would then be able to have an honest relationship with this impossibly stubborn woman.

"Sorry, I have to do this so step aside, Clara. I will have my say this time, whether you wish to hear it or not."

Clara stood in front of him with her arms crossed and her chin jutted out.

Stubborn as a damn mule . . . but beautiful with it.