The Billionaire's Bitch

Thirty-Seven

Going back to the penthouse alone sucked. I almost considered just going to my sister's and crashing in the spare bedroom that used to be mine.

I still had the key, and then I could be there when she got back from her date to hear all about it. Except the kids were with their dad this weekend and what if she came back with Roger? That would be more than awkward and I hadn't failed to notice that she'd planned this while her kids were out of the house.

And more so than any of these simple facts, I couldn't just abandon Adrian. When he got back to the penthouse, I wanted to be there waiting for him.

When I walked into the downstairs lobby, though, I immediately stopped and stared at the front desk.

It had been still roped off with Police caution tape this morning, but now the whole thing had been cleaned up and there was a new middle-aged man behind the front desk, wearing the same burgundy and gold outfit that Wallace had worn.

Like nothing had ever happened.

I swallowed, and when the new front desk man looked up and smiled at me, I was unable to smile back.

In the elevator, my hands shook as I slid the key into the slot for the penthouse.

The shock had worn off, the adrenaline had faded, and I had no more distractions left.

I was dissolving quickly, I could feel it.

Inside the penthouse, it was too quiet. Up here, above the noise of the traffic, it was altogether too quiet.

The silence was droning, menacing.

I quickly changed out of my blue dress and into a pair of dark gray yoga pants and a baggy pink T-shirt with no bra. I put on some pop music as I absently French braided my hair, and I slipped my feet into my fuzzy slippers.

But the pop music soon seemed too garish and I switched on the television instead. Nothing could hold my attention long, though.

I found myself periodically getting up to go check the door monitor, and checking my phone, waiting for Adrian to come home.

Hours crept by and I got tired, but I couldn't sleep.

Finally I took my notebook and pen and got myself a glass of wine.

With my phone, I went and sat in Adrian's favorite spot in the leather armchair by the big wall of windows.

I sat and listened to contemporary jazz as I gazed out blearily at the city of Chicago at night.

It was beautiful. I had never had such a gorgeous view, or felt so alone, or been so tired and so scared at the same time.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the bodies of the two thugs lying prone in Adrian's office, their brains splattered across the floor, the walls, the bookcases.

Adrian had killed them so easily. To protect me or to protect himself? I suppose that wasn't a fair question.

I did my best to simply zone out to the music and not worry about my eccentric, murderous boss. Or what I was going to say to the cops tomorrow, exactly.

I took a sip of wine and tried to focus on my writing for a while.

I was working on a paranormal suspense novel at the moment, "Diablerie", but I felt like I was spinning my wheels in the middle portion of the book.

Which was exactly why I had failed to pursue my dream career of being a novelist; I had gone to school to learn how to be a curator of the arts. But I had minored in English and I was stalling on the business degree I would need to really pursue the career of an art curator.

I wrote a page or two and wasn't even sure what I had written.

Then I heard the lock engage in the front door and I leapt up, heart straining.

Adrian came through the door a moment later and I was bonelessly relieved to see him.

He looked up to see me standing there and he raised an eyebrow at me. "Sorry I didn't text to tell you I was heading back."

"I know. I texted you." I said thoughtlessly. I bit my lip in self-punishment. I hadn't meant to snap at him the second he got back.

"How's Ty?"

Adrian sighed and nodded, shedding his blazer and hanging it up in the coat closet by the door.

"Yes. He was disappointed that I didn't spend a longer day with him, but he sure had plenty of praise to sing about you."

"Awww, really?" I beamed, genuinely pleased. "Glad I could be of help."

"You really bailed me out today. Thank you, Eve." He strolled over to me and I sucked in a breath softly when he continued to approach until he was standing quite close to me. "I don't know what I would've done without you."

I was immensely surprised when Adrian cupped my cheek in his big hand. His skin was so warm it practically seared my flesh.

"What are you doing out here, hmm? Are you okay?" He asked me softly and I had to gulp back a big ball of feelings.

"Yeah, I just...I wanted to catch you before tomorrow, to, you know," I cast around desperately for an excuse, "to confer that you and I would be attending Wallace's funeral."

He cocked his head, dropping his hand from my face now. But he left a heat imprint behind and I resisted touching the spot. "Of course we are."

"Right. Good. Of course."

He studied me a moment longer. "Anything else?" He asked me, and while his tone was flat, it wasn't imposing or impatient.

I gulped again, fighting against a great conflict within myself. But at the end of the day, if I couldn't get a decent night's sleep, I couldn't do my job.

"Sir...I was just wondering-?"

"We're passed the point of you calling me sir in private, aren't we, Eve?" He said with a faint smile that made me blush.

"Sorry. Adrian. I was just wondering...could I, that is, would you mind, errr, would it be totally inappropriate if I...?"

"Just spit it out, woman!" He suggested, but not altogether unkindly.

"Can I sleep in your room tonight?"

###

He gazed down at me.

I winced a little at hearing the words come out of my own mouth.

Adrian didn't look that surprised, though. Nor angry, nor scandalized.

I opened my mouth, prepared to launch into a long babbling speech about why; about my sister's date night and being traumatized by the thugs invading our home last night.

But before I had to say any of these things, Adrian made my life worlds easier by simply saying, "Okay."

My blush only intensified, however, and I nervously tucked a wisp behind my ear. "I'm not, like, hitting on you, or anything. I swear."

He arced an eyebrow. "I should think not. You don't have to explain yourself. I'm sorry you don't feel safe here, in what is supposed to be your home."

I bit my lip. "Just for tonight."

He dipped his head to me and almost smiled. "Just for tonight."

###

"I'm gonna go shower." Adrian told me, looking me over once more with wry amusement. "Grab whatever you need, I'll join you in a few minutes."

"O-okay." I stuttered.

Adrian merely gave me one last smirk before he ambled off to take his shower.

Heart racing now, I went to brush my teeth and grab my phone charger and my sleep mask. Rubbing lotion into my hands, I made my way down the corridor to my boss's bedroom.