The Gift, Book 3 (The Billionaire's Love Story)

Tobias scratched his jaw and looked away in disgust as girls in short, barely-there dresses tittered around him. They primped their hair, touched their mouths, their cheeks and batted their caked eyelashes. They leaned forward with their legs crossed, and their in-your-face-breasts threatened to spill out of their Band-Aid designer couture, strips of fabric that teased and hinted at naked flesh. Flirtation filled the air in the rooftop terrace of The Oasis.

Eager hopefuls, desperate to mingle with rich and moneyed young men surrounded Xavier and his cronies, hopeful that they would get not only their drinks bought, but breakfast, lunch and dinner tomorrow. And more.

Tobias lifted his glass of whiskey and drank it in one go.
What the fuck was he doing here?

His brother had raved on about the new 20
th
floor rooftop bar and restaurant, recently opened by one of his friends. The Oasis had a Moroccan style influence, with its red drapes and jewel-toned fabrics draped over walls, its metallic hanging lanterns and amber colored lamps and comfy booths plumped up with oversized cushions. It was a welcome change from the cold grayness of winter in New York.

“Over here!” Xavier shouted to the pretty young waitress who had brought over a new tray of drinks. Tobias had lost count of the number of whiskey shots he’d had, preferring that to the champagne that Xavier had ordered so freely. The waitress put a glass down in front of him. “Two more!” Tobias shouted, grabbing the glass and downing it in one swig. It wasn’t the cold he felt as much as the desire to numb himself. He looked around the rooftop terrace; it was full, but not heaving. Full of perfect people, moneyed people and plenty of tits, ass and legs on full view no matter in which direction he stared. They were happy; in a state of intoxication, high on seduction or drugs, probably both. He didn’t belong. And he didn’t want to be here. The disconnect he felt was easier to bear when whiskey was his partner. “It’s new, hip, trendy, and hard to get into,” Xavier had crowed when he’d first mentioned it to him. It probably was all of these things but none of them mattered to Tobias.

“Slow down,” Xavier insisted, leaning close up behind his ear.

“I’m having a good time,” Tobias said, unable to turn his head around completely to face his brother, he turned his head to the side instead and found himself staring at the woman seated next to him. He picked up another glass of whiskey. “Why don’t you talk to Larissa?” Xavier shouted into his ear. “She’s the one you’re staring at, in case you didn’t know. She’s been trying to get your attention for the last half hour.” His younger brother patted him on the shoulder and disappeared with a skinny but buxom beauty dressed from head to toe in black.

Tobias looked to his right, at the long-haired vixen in a silver dress. The front of her dress was cut low, right down to her belly button and for a second he was intrigued as to how she managed to keep the thing from falling to her waist. She smiled back at him, shining in the glow of his attention and flashed an inviting smile. “You’re Xavier’s brother?” She leaned towards him suggestively.

God, no. No conversation, or anything else.

“I’ve heard a lot about you.” Her fingers swept her hair onto one shoulder; it was a thick cascade of curls, strategically placed to reveal perfectly tanned shoulders. Savannah’s hair was shorter, he recalled. Up to her shoulders, and it wasn’t as shiny or as groomed.

And she was out with Matthias, somewhere, right now.

He looked around for the waitress. Where was his second glass of whiskey? “Excuse me,” he said and got up. The waitress had only given him one drink and he was in dire need of another. The woman beside him looked crestfallen. “Do you want a drink?”

Her face instantly brightened. “I’ll come with you.” She got up quickly, the dress threatening to slip off her shoulders. His eyes weren’t admiring the naked flesh on show, but more the manner in which she managed to keep clothed despite the odds of it slipping off.
Glue?
he wondered, and was almost tempted to ask.

“I’ll get it,” he barked, eager to lose her, fast. “What do you want?”

“What I need, is to get some air,” she drawled.

Sweetheart, we’re sitting outside.
He shrugged. Tobias hated places like this; it was the kind of place where people came to be seen. That was their idea of a good time. He swiftly cut through the medley of tables, heaters and beautiful people in his determination to get to the bar inside, not stopping to wait for the woman who seemed desperate to accompany him. On the way he was stopped by the waitress who had served their table. “Is there something I can get you, Sir?” she asked, staring up at him, and giving him the kind of looked that suggested she had more to offer than merely alcohol.

“Nothing I can’t get myself,” he replied, calmly. It was then that he became aware of the woman who had followed him. She attempted to take hold of his hand but he pulled it away quickly and made his way to the bar.

Years ago, he and Ivy would have come to a place like this, for drinks and then dinner somewhere ridiculously overpriced and exclusive. Or even a KFC. He’d loved that about her. She’d never been the type to frequent an establishment just to be seen.

It was a shame that most of the women he met these days seemed more concerned with his money and his name. He had no interest in them, or any desire to start anything with them. They barely registered on his radar.

And yet Savannah Page had, somehow wormed her way into his consciousness over the last few weeks without him even realizing, and these last few days she had stolen into his thoughts and stayed there. He would see to it that he had his time with her alone, next week when they returned to work.

He eyed the bar area eagerly. It was relatively empty and he was about to stride up to it when he noticed her, and he stopped to stare.

She was here?

Savannah.

Ahead of him, facing the bar, and surrounded by a group of people, stood a woman with the same brown tousled hair just below her shoulders. He scanned the crowd rapidly looking for Matthias and others he might recognize.

Turning around, he slipped a hundred dollar bill to the leech on his back. It was a small price to pay for freedom. “Get yourself a drink.”

“But I—” She was silenced by the look he gave her, a half-pout starting to form on her Botox’ed lips. But she snatched the bill and slunk away without a word.

He made his way over to the group and touched the woman’s shoulder, wondering, at the same time, what he would say to her. She turned around and blue eyes—the wrong color—widened in appreciation.

“Hi,” she smiled widely at him, thinking she’d been hit on.

“Sorry, I mistook you for someone else.” His hopes vanished as fast as her smile.

“Tobias?”

A familiar voice behind rescued him from the awkwardness of the moment. He turned around when Candace laid her hand on his arm. “What are you doing here?” She asked, happily.

“The same thing as you, probably,” he replied coolly.

She blinked at the woman he had mistaken for Savannah. “Are you together?” She asked, nodding her head towards her.

“No.” He stepped away and headed towards the bar with Candace in tow.

“I didn’t know you were coming here tonight. It’s hardly your kind of place.”

“It isn’t my kind of place,” he growled. “My brother dragged me here.” A group of girls walked past, one almost brushing past him, and murmuring a suggestive “Sorry,” as she did so. Candace’s face set like hard cement as Tobias ignored the intrusion which was a regular part of his life. A crowd of people at the nearby table laughed loudly among themselves while Beyonce’s voice belted out one of her ballads.

“Where are you sitting?”

“Out there.” He nodded towards the roof terrace.

“I’m with a group of friends, over there.” She nodded behind her shoulder, and he barely glanced in that direction.

“Did you come with Matthias?”

“Matthias?” She looked surprised. “Why would I? I haven’t been at work since last week.”

Tobias remembered. “I thought maybe…” He thought maybe he’d see
her
here. He stared at Candace and noticed for the first time that she looked different in her out-of-work clothes. Without the sophisticated suits, and wearing a slinky black sheath dress instead, she looked glamorous once she’d lost the executive office look. She caught him looking. “Do you want to come over and say ‘hi’?”

He shook his head quickly. Clearly she had the wrong idea. “Since when do
I
do things like that?”

“Thought you’d gone home.” Xavier snuck up behind him.

“Are you keeping an eye on me tonight?” Irritation masked Tobias’s face.

“I’m making sure you’re having a good time, Bro.” Xavier acknowledged Candace. “Fancy running into you here.”

“Fancy running into
you
.” Candace eyed him appreciatively and ran her hand down the side of her dress. “The newest and hippest place in New York would be incomplete without Xavier Stone making an appearance,” she cooed.

“You know it, babe.” Xavier winked at her and gave her the once-over. “Are you moving on or staying here all night?”

“I could be persuaded to stay here,” she replied, licking her lips. Tobias looked around and loosened the collar of his shirt, aware of being the third party in a twosome.

“We’re going to the party in The Vault,” Xavier announced. “Right after midnight. You game? I can get you both in.”

“We’re not together.” Tobias set him straight.

“I know,” Xavier exclaimed. “But I can get you in.” Candace laughed proactively, tempted by the idea. “A private party?”

“Come along,” Xavier encouraged her. “It’s strictly members only, but don’t worry about that, my friend owns this place.” She stared at Tobias expectantly and he could see that she was up for it. Being seen with both the Stone brothers would raise her social profile.

No thanks.

“I’m not coming,” he announced, desperate to leave. He’d been eyeing the bottle of whiskey behind the bar and in that moment decided he didn’t have to drink it here.

“Why not?” Candace asked.

“I thought you were having a good time, Bro?” Xavier punched him lightly on his shoulder.

“I’ve
had
a good time.” Tobias patted him on the shoulder. “Thanks. One step at a time, huh?”

His brother looked disappointed. “How are you going to get home?”

“I’ll call a cab.”

“I’ll get Morris to come and get you,” Candace offered.

“I can take care of myself,” Tobias replied, stiffly. He hated the way they all clamored to help him. Couldn’t they leave him alone?