The Billionaire's Bitch

Sixty-Six

*Image of Tiffany*

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Frankly, I kinda blacked out after the words, "my girlfriend."

I was numbly aware of smiling and nodding and sipping my drink without tasting it.

What the frigging Hell?!

How dare he just spring this on me, so suddenly, and at a public event?! Whilst being introduced to his mother, no less?! His stepmother, had he said?! I'd worry about that later.

Recalling his words back in the parking garage, I suppose he had warned me, in his own way.

Still, this was just unacceptable!

He was playing with my emotions, again.

Messing with my head, again! It wasn't nice.

"So, Eve, darling, what do you do?" Monique asked me, sipping from her own martini glass now.

"Uhm, well, I-I-" I licked my lips and glanced nervously at Adrian, begging for help. "I work for your son."

"Oh. I see." Monique had an amused tone to her voice now that I didn't much appreciate

Adrian put his hand on the small of my back in a supportive gesture. "She's also a very talented writer."

I almost choked on my drink. I looked up at him, bemused.

I was?

Had he read what I'd emailed him then?

"Oh, how interesting." Monique appraised me with her dark eyes. Aside from the dark hair, they didn't look a thing alike. I wondered what his real mother had looked like.

She must have had blue eyes.

"What do you write, Eve?"

I flushed. "Uhm, fiction? Mostly. Uhm, fantasy, romantic suspense-"

"She's written a very thoughtful literary piece. I would go so far as to say that it's noir. Very cleverly written, intensive character interactions."

I was both stunned and deeply touched to hear this assessment, but Monique clicked her tongue disapprovingly. "Let her answer, Adrian."

Adrian fell silent, and I could feel how tense he was beside me. His eyes burned and his jaw was locked in place.

He hated not being able to control this. I felt for him.

"Adrian can be rather highhanded with the women in his life." Monique told me, and it was clear she didn't give a flying monkey fuck about my writing.

I grimaced at her in mock sympathy.

"Now, have you lived here your whole life, Eve?" She asked me next, with a bright, false smile.

"Yep. I'm a Chi Town girl." Was how I answered, I wasn't about to give her my whole life story.

I just wanted this interview to end.

"Hmm. And how long have you been working for my son?"

"Stepson." Adrian corrected her quietly.

"Oh, Adrian, stop with that now, for Heaven's sake."

I let out an uncomfortable chuckle. "Uhm, about three months? Is that right?" I looked up at Adrian.