Yours Completely: A Cinderella Love Story (Billionaires and Brides #1) (21 page)

She didn't have to tell him that she thought she was falling in love. She could just tell him that she had to see him again. That she'd come to New York City to see him, her work schedule be damned. He was someone she was willing to make time for. Tomorrow, she would tell him that the two of them had a future together.

“So, you and the billionaire.” Delores's voice cut through Ella's pleasant thoughts like a saw.

“Stepmother....” Ella turned, startled. She nearly dropped the curry comb. Delores never came into the barn. Ever. She said that the smell of animals made her sick. This was the first time that Ella could ever remember the woman invading the space. It felt wrong. This was Ella's sanctuary and Delores had no right to be here.

“I hope you've enjoyed your little dalliance,” Delores continued. Her heels clicked on the floorboards as her eyes flicked disdainfully across the well worn surfaces. “Because it's over now.”

“I don't know what you're talking about,” Ella said, hoping she sounded more sure of herself than she felt. She had no idea how much her stepmother knew, but playing dumb was always a good first defense.

“I saw you kissing just now. I saw you using your feminine charms.” The way Delores said the words made them sound dirty and insulting. “But it's over now.”

Ella raised her chin, but said nothing. Delores could say whatever she wanted, but it was up to Ella and Jace if it was over. “What do you want, Delores?”

“It's time for you to get back to work,” Delores snapped at her.

“It's still my day off.” Ella's hands shook and she was glad she was holding the comb. It gave her something to concentrate on.

“Of course it is.” A slow, cruel smile spread over Delores's face. “But tomorrow, you're back in my employ again. Back following my rules. Tomorrow, expect things to change. You've had it too easy. Your father coddled you, and in his memory I've been kind. But no longer. Tomorrow, you finally earn your keep around here.”

“My father was a good man,” Ella replied, her heart defiant.

“Your father was a liar,” Delores spat. “He promised me the moon and left me here with this monstrosity of an inn and a horrible child like you. He deserved a worse death than what he got.”

Ella was shocked. Delores had said some cruel things in the past few years, but how dare she talk about her father that way! “You're just angry you didn't check his bank account before marrying him.” Ella surprised herself at saying the words out loud. She'd thought them for years, but had never said them out loud.

Delores froze. Her mouth pinched into almost nothingness and her face whitened. “You have no idea, you ungrateful child. You deserve a hellhole like this. How you got that billionaire to even look twice at you is beyond me.”

Ella didn't know what to say. She'd never spoken to Delores like that. Ever. But she wasn't about to take the words back. “I love him.”

“Of course you do.” Delores couldn't have sounded more patronizing if she tried. “I'm sure he's promised you the world. Men like him always do, but I have a feeling you've already given all of your leverage away.”

Ella flushed. “That's none of your business.”

Delores's eyes widened. “I knew you were worthless, but apparently you don't even have the good sense to get paid. It looks like all you got was a pretty dress. You should have held out for at least some jewelry.”

Ella's jaw hurt from clenching it and her knuckles were white around the comb. If she had an inch less of self-control, Ella would have chucked it at the older woman's head. The implication that Jace was using her stung. She wanted her stepmother gone before she said or did something she'd really regret. “I'll see you tomorrow, Stepmother.”

“Have a good night, dear.” Delores chuckled. It was a low evil sound that held no joy. “Oh, and by the way, you're not the only one with a billionaire on your arm.”

Ella looked up surprised. “The father? You?” She had to stifle a laugh.

“Yes. He said I gave him the best night he's had in years.” Delores smiled, but there was no warmth. “Just imagine, if everything works out, I'll still be your stepmother.”

Ella said nothing as Delores sashayed her way out of the barn.

“You're wrong. You have no power over me,” Ella whispered, saying the words for the first time in her life. “I don't care what you do, you can't stop me from being with him.”

The defiant words made her blush and heat. For the first time in her life, she was ready to defy her stepmother, to refuse her father's wishes. It was frightening and powerful at the same time. But, for the first time, she had something worth fighting for.

Jace.

I
t was close to midnight, and Ella couldn't sleep. Her mind was racing from the day. Jace. The helicopter. What happened next. She couldn't sit still, let alone lay in bed and try and sleep.

So, she went to the lobby bar and took over for the bartender. The bartender was more than happy to get off a couple hours early and get out of cleaning up, especially since there was only two customers left.

Everything was quiet after the hustle and bustle of the wedding the day before. Ella was glad. Wiping down the bar and putting everything into place was soothing. She wished she could clean and organize her thoughts as easily, but Jace had her completely tangled up.

The tax man, still wearing the same dark suit and thin tie- or one exactly like it- stood up and left the perfect amount of cash with a ten percent tip neatly on the counter. Ella groaned as she remembered she hadn't given his card to Delores yet. The fact that he was still here troubled her. What kind of trouble was Delores in?

“You look like you need a drink,” the lone patron remarked, stealing her attention away.

“Unfortunately, I don't think it would help me much,” Ella replied, topping off his drink. She recognized him as Jace and Madelyn's father. He looked so much like Jace, yet entirely different. Where Jace looked bright and energetic, his father looked worn and defeated.

“You're smarter than me, then,” the man replied. His words were just slurred enough that Ella was glad he wasn't driving and it was a short walk to his room. “I'm Charles, by the way.”

“It's nice to meet you, Charles.” Ella poured him a glass of water to go with his whiskey just as Madelyn walked across the bar. “I'm Ella.”

“Hey, Daddy,” she greeted him, coming close to kiss his cheek. She wore a simple pale pink dress that looked far more tropical than the local climate supported. “I thought I would find you here. Hi, Ella.”

“Hi, baby girl,” her father said, his face lighting up as he kissed her back. He turned back to face Ella. “So you're the infamous Ella I've been hearing about.”

“Infamous?” Ella repeated. “I don't know if I'd call myself infamous.”

“Maddy was telling me how Ella the angel saved her wedding,” he said.

“I just did what any good friend would do,” Ella replied, picking up a wet tumbler and drying it off.

“You did far more than that,” Charles replied as Jason walked in and wrapped his arm around his bride. “You gave my daughter the perfect wedding. You made her happy.”

Ella wasn't quite sure how to respond to that, but the compliment made her blush.

Another man's voice came from across the room. “There you are,” Madelyn's new husband Jason said. He pressed a kiss on Madelyn's temple and she glowed with pleasure. “You ready? We're all packed and ready to go.”

“Yup, just saying goodbye.” Madelyn smiled at her father. “Take care, Daddy. I'll see you when we get home. Don't be too difficult for Ella.”

“I wouldn't dream of it. I'm never difficult for pretty bartenders who save my daughter's happiness,” Charles promised, making Madelyn laugh.

“Oh, Daddy. I'll see you soon,” Madelyn promised. She smiled at Ella. “Bye, Ella. I'll call you when we get back. We need another girls' night.”

“I'd like that. Have a great trip, Madelyn. Bye, Jason,” Ella replied. “Have the best honeymoon ever!”

The happy couple laughed and headed out of the bar to escape into a world all their own. Ella watched them go, drying the glass for far longer than it needed. Watching the two of them was almost disgustingly sweet, but at the same time wonderful. She wondered for a moment if she and Jace looked like that.

“I'm so damn proud of that girl,” Charles said softly. He cradled his drink in his hand as if it were his child to protect. “I wasn't the best father in the world. But I'm going to change that.”

Ella didn't say anything. The way he moved reminded her of Jace, and she found herself wondering what had happened to make Charles so different from Jace. She knew how Jace felt about his father, but she was trying her best not to let that cloud her judgment on the man.

“I'm a failure as a father. My son will be the first person to tell you that,” Charles continued. There was a soft heartache to his voice that made Ella sad. “But, this wedding and seeing my daughter so happy has changed things. I want to be better. I'm going to be better. I can't change the past, but I can be there for my kids in the future.”

“That's a good thing,” Ella said quietly. She'd heard a lot of drunken promises at this bar, but she hoped this was one that would come true. She hoped he could do it. “I need to go grab some more cleaning cloths. I'll be right back.”

Charles nodded as she headed to the small storage space behind the bar. She could still see Charles sitting at the bar, staring into his drink and promising change as Delores walked up.

Ella's eyes widened as Delores draped her arm over Charles. “Hello, big boy.” How Delores could manage to sound so seductive was beyond Ella.

“Big boy?” Charles looked up surprised. No recognition flashed on his face.

“Yeah, you liked it when I called you that last night.” Delores still purred her words, but a little of her confidence melted from her posture.

“That was you?” Charles looked her up and down, his eyes still cold. “You don't look the same.”

“I should look even better today. You said last night was the best night of your life. You said you wanted to see me again.” Delores lost the softness and suddenly looked feral.

“Honey, I say that to everyone I sleep with,” Charles said, no emotion in his voice. “To be honest, you weren't anything special. Certainly nothing I'd fight another divorce for.”

“What?” Delores flushed. The temperature seemed to drop ten degrees, even in the storage room. Ella was glad that she wasn't out there. Hopefully, her stepmother would never know that she'd seen this humiliation. Delores would only torture Ella for having viewed her shame.

“My current wife ignores my dalliances and I ignore hers.” Charles took a sip of his drink. “You aren't worth the lawyers fees to change that.”

Delores's jaw hit the floor. She couldn't have looked more shocked if Charles had straight up hit her. “But...”

“Look, you want a drink? Whenever the bartender gets back, have one on me.”

“A drink? After what I did for you last night?” Delores spit out the words like they were bitter seeds. “Here's a drink for you.”

With that, she reached to the bar, grabbed the glass of water, and threw it in Charles face before storming off. Charles just stared after her, water streaming down his face. He didn't even blink.

Ella waited until Delores was out of the bar before coming out the storage area. Without a word, she offered Charles some napkins to wipe himself off. He calmly proceeded to dry himself off as if getting drinks thrown in his face was a normal occurrence. If what Jace said about him was true, it probably was.

“One more drink, and then I think you're good for the night,” Ella said, pouring him a fresh glass of whiskey. “This one's on the house.”

“Won't the boss lady be angry?” Charles asked. He looked up at her with blue eyes. They didn't have the green that made Jace's so beautiful, but they had enough of Jace in them to make her smile with memory of him.

“She's always angry with me,” Ella informed him.

Charles lifted his glass. “Sounds good to me, darling.” He took a nice deep sip. “You seeing anyone? You'd be a great match for my son.”

Ella nearly dropped the bottle of whiskey.

“Your son?” Ella repeated. “What makes you say that?”

“You make me smile. You make Madelyn smile.” Charles looked up at her with red rimmed eyes. “He needs someone who can make him smile. And who isn't afraid of the boss.”

Ella topped off his drink. “Don't tell the boss.”

Charles laughed and took another sip. “I don't think she wants to hear from me anyway.”

Ella picked up her dishrag and kept finished wiping down the bar with a smile on her face.

T
he hotel hallways were deserted as she walked back to her room. Her phone had a message from Jace. He'd sent it an hour ago and it wasn't anything crazy, just a hello with a smiling icon. Still, it made her pulse race. He followed it up with a message about breakfast before his flight left.

Her fingers paused over the keypad, trying to find the best words to say what she felt. She bit her lip, waiting for inspiration to strike. She wanted to type more than just “yes!” because that felt too simple. She wanted to make his heart race as much as hers did.

“What do you think you're doing?”

Delores stepped out of her office and directly into Ella's path. She nearly dropped the phone in surprise.

“Going to bed.” Ella turned off the screen without responding back to Jace. The last thing she wanted was for Delores to see her texting the man who'd scorned her's son.

“It's no longer your day off.”

Ella sighed. One encounter with Delores today was more than enough. “I don't want to do this right now. I just want to go to bed.”

“Do you want this inn or not?” Delores narrowed her eyes. They were full of a cruelty that frightened Ella. “All I have to do to stop you from getting this piece of crap is to say you didn't put forth the effort required. You don't magically get this place at twenty-two.”

“You wouldn't,” Ella gasped. The idea that anyone would believe her stepmother was ridiculous, but she'd heard enough horror stories about inheritances and lawyers to make her frightened. If anyone could pull off something that evil, it was Delores.