Undercover Billionaire
Read Undercover Billionaire Online
Authors: Anne Weibe
Book One – Under Cover Billionaire
Book #1 of a 4 book series
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Copyright © 2014 by Anne Weibe
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“Do you think this is a good idea?” Scarlet took a look at her figure in a long, thin mirror and tried not to pick out every flaw she saw in her body. She heard a huff to her right and turned away from the reflective image, using any excuse she could to not look at what she believed to be a short, unimposing person.
“The dress or the party?” Gracie took a drag on one of her e-cigarettes and exhaled with a look of ecstasy. Scarlet hated the things, but she supposed it was better than having the smell of tobacco in her home.
“Both, I guess,” Scarlet confirmed as she looked down at the dress. It was a pretty azure color that she thought brought out her eyes, but Gracie looked at the number with contempt.
“I think the party’s a great idea. I’m sure we’ll have plenty of attendees since they all RSVP’s, and I think if you show your face in public wearing that dress, people are going to think you’re a smurf,” Gracie said with brutal honesty. Without a care to the fact her business partner and best friend was in her bedroom, Scarlet pulled off the dress and adjusted the strapless bra. She had B cups that could barely fill out a tube top if she tried. The bra helped make them look a little bigger, maybe as if she actually had a chest and not just beestings.
“So what color should I wear? Don’t you say red, either,” Scarlet warned as she put her right hand on her hip and cocked it. She watched Gracie stand with as much grace as her name suggested, and wondered why the woman couldn’t kick the habit of those damned e-cigarettes. They were still repulsive. She’d cleaned up from using heroin over three years prior, yet nicotine seemed to have a stronger hold on her. Maybe because it wasn’t obviously ruining her life like the stronger drugs were.
“How about,” Gracie mumbled as she turned off the e-cigarette and shoved it into her purse. She disappeared into the walk-in closet of Scarlet’s condo and reappeared with the dress Scarlet dreaded. “It’s not red, it’s scarlet,” Gracie amended as she laid the short, sexy dress over the backside of a chair. After seeing the look on Scarlet’s face, she tried to be nice, “Come on, it’s the sexiest dress you have, and if you want the men to donate to a cause that benefits only women, you’re going to have to convince them it’s worth it.”
“Gracie,” Scarlet exclaimed as she rolled her eyes. “That’s the exact type of thing I’m trying to
discourage
! Women are not objects and I won’t parade myself around like one. Now, how about a pantsuit?” The bark of laughter from Gracie made her blush and she felt resignation as she looked at the red dress. No matter what Gracie said, it was red, not scarlet.
“I’m wearing that prissy, black dress you bought me last week for this event. The deal was-”
“I know what the damned deal was,” Scarlet muttered as she grabbed the red dress and slipped it on. She had to admit, it was cute. It accentuated her feminine curves, what little she had, and it made her look a little taller. With the right pair of heels-
Scarlet stopped the thought and took a second look. It hugged her hips and while she exercised daily, she still felt she had a pouch in her stomach region. It had appeared about two years after she graduated college and started this organization to help women. Perhaps it was the stress, or maybe it was the donuts she offered every morning to the women who were in rehab. There wasn’t any harm in eating just one each morning with the other women, was there?
“Stop overanalyzing yourself and put on those black shoes with the red on the bottom that look like Prada,” Gracie was already rooting around the closet for the shoes.
“I’ll topple over and look like a murder victim spread across the floor in those,” Scarlet protested as she hurried for the closet. “What about the flesh colored ones?”
“Ew, the ones that look like they’re an extension of your feet? I’m telling you, they’re not flattering,” Gracie retorted as she came out with the dread faux Prada shoes. She’d made a deal, Scarlet reminded herself, and she was going to stick with it even if it killed her which, by the looks of those shoes, it might.
“You wear the shoes, and I promise I won’t make you dance with any of the old men. I’ll even do the speech you made me rehearse about helping women and blah, blah, blah,” Gracie flapped her hand around as she spoke, but Scarlet knew she wasn’t serious. She became a little lewd when she was nervous, and Gracie hated getting up in front of people and talking the most.
“No, I’ll do the speech. You’ve done enough,” Scarlet said in a moment of affection. Then the feeling of amicability was lost as she slipped her feet into the shoes. They did make her behind look rather enticing, but she could feel the circulation being cut off to her little toe.
“There, you look stunning,” Gracie said as she pulled her e-cigarette from her purse again. “What,” she asked with an air of annoyance as she turned it back on. “I’m doing the speech, and if I’m doing it, then I’m going to calm myself down before I do.”
“What about those breathing exercises we did together?” Scarlet turned away from the full-length mirror rimmed in gold and took one sidestep to her vanity.
“Honey, I think those were for pregnant women about to pop. I know I don’t look pregnant, and neither do you, so we’re not doing them anymore. And I think you need to reevaluate that therapist because she seems a little too into those breathing exercises.” Gracie had a twinkle in her eye that suggested she was joking, but Scarlet still worried that her friend and partner was always going to be a work in progress.
Such is life,
she thought as she picked out some earrings and tried to fend off Gracie with the makeup kit. It was no use.
“So tell me, are you planning on going to a benefit party or are you going to one of your clubs?” Jared tried to keep the sneer from his face, but Sebastian could see it plain as day. “I mean, you look nice. But could you lose the purple shirt? It makes you look like a pimp. A simple white one will suffice for tonight.”
“You sound like an old man. You’re three years older than me, Jake! What the hell happened to you?” Sebastian rolled his shoulders as he straightened his black tie. He was
not
going to change into a white shirt. It was bad enough he was going to this event, so he was going to go in style. “Oh, I forgot to mention, Vera’s going to be here in about fifteen minutes to go with us. Do me a favor and be nice?” he asked sincerely.
Jacob’s sneer turned into a look of contempt that would frighten Lucifer himself, and then he spoke in a low, demanding voice, “You will call that snotty little-” he stopped his words. Despite the obvious dislike for Sebastian’s date, he felt a smile creep onto his face at seeing Jacob riled. “She cannot come because I did not pay for a ticket for her. There was one invitation for me, and it had only a plus one, not two. Therefore, she is not coming.”
“I’ll pay for her at the door. It’s two hundred dollars, Jake. I think I can handle that,” he smiled as he reveled in the life of being a billionaire. Who knew ten nightclubs across the globe could turn him into an extremely wealthy man?
“I had to RSVP two months ago, Sebastian. There won’t be a seat for her at the table,” Jacob sounded absolutely gleeful that he could deny Vera the opportunity to ruin another night. The woman was a concubine who found some way to put the attention on her, even if it met accusing the staff of copping a feel.
“She can sit on my lap,” Sebastian growled as he realized he was losing this battle. He recalled asking Jacob about bringing someone and the subject had been changed quickly. If he had known there had to be an invitation to these sorts of things, he would have contacted the woman who ran the organization and demanded a plus two for Jacob.
“That won’t be necessary because you’re going to call her right now and tell her she’s not coming,” Jacob shoved his cellphone in Sebastian’s face and ignored the low growl that came from his nephew. They were only three years apart, but he still liked to exercise that he was Sebastian’s uncle and not his cousin.
“You know what, I was thinking of taking one of those hot, librarian types home tonight anyway,” Sebastian retorted in a childlike manner. Then he took the phone and he texted Vera rather than called her. She wasn’t worth a phone call to him; in fact, none of them ever had been. They were people who warmed his bed occasionally and attended parties with him, not girlfriends.
It wasn’t the fact that Vera could not attend that bothered Sebastian. It was Jacob getting his way because Jacob always got his way. Then again, being a lawyer made him very good with arguments. He knew exactly what buttons to push to calm people down and which ones to ram when he wanted them amped up. He knew that denying Sebastian Vera would make him upset, but he would behave better at the party.
“You know, that is the last time I’ll ask you to bail out one of my dancers again, Jacob. I don’t think she was worth it,” Sebastian muttered as he threw the phone onto one of his plush chairs and ran a comb through his dirty blonde hair. His uncle appeared beside him in the mirror and ran his hand through his dark brown hair. They looked almost the same except for the difference in hair and eye color. The two of them would easily pass as brothers.
“She should have gone to jail, Sebastian. A guy pinching her butt as she walked past was no reason for her to haul off and stab the guy with a fork. She could have killed him with that thing.”
“Don’t tell that to the women running this organization we’re going to the benefit party for. They’ll haul off and stab you with a real knife, pal. I know these types of women. They hate men. They eat them for breakfast. Well, maybe they’ll eat your testicles first-”
“Enough, I know Scarlet and Gracie. I’ve worked with them many times over the years defending their patients, and I’m not going to listen to you talk about them as if they’re women like Vera. Just because she comes in a pretty package doesn’t mean she’s worth your time.
Any
of your time,” Jacob said heatedly.
“Whoa, okay,” Sebastian tried to placate as he put his hands up. He saw the glittering, real anger in Jacob’s eyes and realized he’d crossed a line. “I’m sorry, they’re not man-eaters. Now can we go and get this over with?”
As easily as he’d been roused, Jacob calmed down and straightened his black tie. The only different between their attire was that he wore a white shirt while his nephew wore a purple one. He hated that color on Sebastian, but who was he to tell the man to change? At least he was wearing a suit. He could have been wearing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt when Jacob showed up at his door.
The two of them walked down the winding staircase to the open foyer and Sebastian grabbed his keys. “Oh, we’re taking a limo,” Jacob informed him as he headed for the door. “And don’t you think this house is a little gaudy for someone living alone?”
“I’m not usually alone,” Sebastian grumped as he followed. He’d made the threat it would be the last time he called Jacob for help, but the truth was he loved his uncle and wouldn’t dare call anyone else as a defense lawyer.
“Good evening, gentlemen. Thank you so much for your donation and your attendance. It means a lot to me, Gracie, and all the women we help with your funding. Please enjoy your evening,” Scarlet leaned in conspiratorially to the two men with a smile. “And try the chocolate martinis, they’re divine!”
“Thank you, Scarlet. I can’t believe you ladies haven’t done this before. Everything looks posh,” Henry said as he smiled. He took his partner by the hand, George, and they weaved through the other guests for the bar.
“Good evening-” Scarlet started her speech again as she turned around and stopped when she caught sight of a flashy, purple shirt and eyes darker than a moonless night. “Uh, hi, Jacob and-” she waited as she inwardly cursed herself for the obvious stumble.
“Sebastian,” the man replied politely. He could have kept the sex appeal from his voice, but Scarlet had grown used to hiding how it affected her over the years. He would have to try harder than that to catch her off guard again.
“Sebastian, then. Thank you so much for coming, Jacob. I really appreciate your donation and hope you enjoy your night,” this time she said it with sincerity.
Scarlet didn’t have time to watch them leave as she turned to the next set of guests. She repeated the speech a total of seventy-three times, meaning they had one hundred and forty-six guests. Scarlet did some quick math, rounded up, and realized they’d raised almost thirty thousand dollars in one night. That didn’t include the people who had declined her invitation, but still sent donations anyway. They were another fifty thousand dollars.
That would feed all the women at the unique shelter she’d set up for at least a year. Gracie wandered up to her with water in hand and quickly hid the e-cigarette in her purse. “I thought I told you not to bring that,” Scarlet chastised as she waited for any stragglers to show. They were missing a pair of guests, but there were bound to be a few people who didn’t show.
“I know, but I thought I might have a panic attack if I didn’t get a chance at one puff before my speech,” Gracie replied earnestly. Naked fear wrestled across her features and she shivered despite the warm air.
“You’re going to be fine,” Scarlet told her softly as she reached into Gracie’s purse and pilfered the annoying, little device. “Just picture that you’re in my condo with me and we’re rehearsing again.”
Gracie handed over her water glass to Scarlet and shook out her nerves. Then she went white as a ghost when the hired announcer began to introduce her. “Hurry,” Scarlet hissed as she turned Gracie around and pushed her toward the door that was a back entrance to the stage.
“I thought you were a partner, too,” a voice to her left started her and she jumped as she shoved the e-cigarette into her purse and took a sip of the water as if she weren’t trying to hide the nasty device.
“I am, but Gracie’s better at speeches,” she informed the man wearing a purple shirt. Despite her best efforts, she couldn’t avoid looking closely at the black tie and realized it had small swirls in it. “So is the tie a sneaky effort at offending Jacob’s sensibilities?” she asked curiously. It was obvious by the way the two stood and talked with one another that they had a special relationship, probably closer to brothers than uncle and nephew.
“I’m surprised you noticed. No one else has,” he said wistfully. “Sebastian,” he said as a way of a reminder.
“I know,” but she hadn’t. Scarlet was amiss that she’d forgotten his name as she usually didn’t forget a face; although, she didn’t think she’d forget his strong jaw and dark eyes anytime soon.
“We’re going to miss Gracie’s speech,” Sebastian told her as she held out a hand. The assumption that she’d take it was written throughout his body language, and Scarlet felt a flicker of annoyance. She marched past him to take her spot at the back of the room, and felt shocked when the stranger stood beside her. “So I was wondering if there’s dancing at this thing?” he asked quietly. Scarlet wanted to shush him, but she reminded herself that Jacob had paid for him to attend, so he was a guest.
“Yes,” she whispered as she listened to Gracie start talking. Shockingly, the man beside her grew quiet as he watched Gracie move the audience to tears, and shortly bring them back with laughter with her story of woe.
Scarlet’s heart pounded in her chest the moment Gracie started and she realized it wasn’t the speech they had rehearsed. It was a heartfelt, personal journey about her horrid endeavors as a heroin addict and alcoholic on the streets of New York. It ended with her naming the woman who had taken her by the scruff and slapped her hard one night, breaking her out of the cycle momentarily. But it had been enough to get her into a rehab center that was of poor quality. That small step and Scarlet’s urging had brought Gracie from the darkest moments of her life into some of the brightest.
“And after seeing the hovel I had to stay in to become a sober, productive member of society, Scarlet petitioned me with an idea. The idea was to create an organization solely for women who were lost. No matter how they had gotten there, they were welcome. We provide every essential item for survival from a high school education down to the simple pleasures of life like music. We provide hope.”
The applause was thunderous, and Gracie’s demure smile never left her face as she exited the stage. Scarlet swallowed the emotion that had built up from Gracie’s speech and reminded herself that it was supposed to be a night of fun and entertainment. The band started and she disappeared from Sebastian’s side to make sure dinner would be served to the large, round tables covered in white cloth and adorned with expensive silverware.
